cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Temperature effect on the phonon dispersion stability of zirconium by machine learning driven atomistic simulations

It is well known that conventional harmonic lattice dynamics cannot be applied to dynamically unstable crystals at 0 K, such as the high-temperature body centered cubic (bcc) phase of crystalline Zr. Predicting phonon spectra at finite temperature requires the calculation of force constants to the third, fourth, and even higher orders; however, it remains challenging to determine at which order the Taylor expansion of the potential-energy surface for different materials should be cut off. Molecular dynamics, on the other hand, intrinsically includes arbitrary orders of phonon anharmonicity; however, its accuracy is severely limited by the empirical potential field used. Recently, machine learning algorithms have emerged as promising tools to build accurate potentials for molecular dynamics simulation. In this paper, we approach the problem of predicting phonon dispersion at finite temperature by performing molecular dynamics simulations with machine learning driven potential fields. We developed Gaussian approximation potential models for both the hexagonal close packed (hcp) phase and the bcc phase of zirconium crystals. The developed potential field is first validated with static properties including energy-volume relationship, elastic constants, and phonon dispersions at 0 K. Molecular dynamics simulations are then performed to stochastically sample the potential-energy surface and to calculate the phonon dispersion at elevated temperatures. The phonon renormalization in bcc Zr is successfully captured by the molecular dynamics simulation at 1188 K. The instability of the bcc structure is found to originate from the double-well shape of the potential-energy surface where the local maximum is located in an unstable equilibrium position. The stabilization of the bcc phase at high temperature is due to the dynamical average of the low-symmetry minima of the double well due to atomic vibrations.
Chd2 Is Necessary for Neural Circuit Development and Long-Term Memory.

Considerable evidence suggests loss-of-function mutations in the chromatin remodeler CHD2 contribute to a broad spectrum of human neurodevelopmental disorders. However, it is unknown how CHD2 mutations lead to impaired brain function. Here we report mice with heterozygous mutations in Chd2 exhibit deficits in neuron proliferation and a shift in neuronal excitability that included divergent changes in excitatory and inhibitory synaptic function. Further in vivo experiments show that Chd2+/- mice displayed aberrant cortical rhythmogenesis and severe deficits in long-term memory, consistent with phenotypes observed in humans. We identified broad, age-dependent transcriptional changes in Chd2+/- mice, including alterations in neurogenesis, synaptic transmission, and disease-related genes. Deficits in interneuron density and memory caused by Chd2+/- were reproduced by Chd2 mutation restricted to a subset of inhibitory neurons and corrected by interneuron transplantation. Our results provide initial insight into how Chd2 haploinsufficiency leads to aberrant cortical network function and impaired memory.
Dungeon Digger: Apprenticeship Learning for Procedural Dungeon Building Agents

One of the challenges of generating video game levels procedurally is capturing what in the design of a specific level makes it fun to play. In this paper, we demonstrate our preliminary work on a system which learns from expertly designed game levels to produce new game levels automatically. We developed a platform for designers to create tile-based dungeon levels and a level-generating agent which consumes recordings of design sessions to learn and then create its own levels. We evaluate the output of our agent using metrics gathered from a static analysis and a discount usability study using a digital game prototype that renders the level designs. Our preliminary results suggest that this system is capable of generating content that emulates the style of the human designer and approaches the level of fun of human-designed levels.
Operational Study and Protection of a Series Resonant Converter with DC Current Input Applied in DC Current Distribution Systems

Constant dc current distribution has been preferred for long distance high reliability systems such as subsea ocean observation networks. The characteristics of dc current distribution and series resonant converters (SRCs) with constant input current bring new challenges and difficulties related to protection as well as operation of individual SRC modules and the entire system. This work proposes new protection techniques for SRCs operating with a constant input current and control strategies for SRC modules. Simulation and hardware results are provided for a system consisting of two 100 km submarine cables carrying a DC current of 1 A, and two series connected 250 kHz, 1 kW SRCs that regulates the output current to 0.33 A.
Trends and drivers of government health spending in sub-Saharan Africa, 1995–2015

Introduction Government health spending is a primary source of funding in the health sector across the world. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, only about a third of all health spending is sourced from the government. The objectives of this study are to describe the growth in government health spending, examine its determinants and explain the variation in government health spending across sub-Saharan African countries. Methods We used panel data on domestic government health spending in 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 1995 to 2015 from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. A regression model was used to examine the factors associated with government health spending, and Shapley decomposition was used to attribute the contributions of factors to the explained variance in government health spending. Results While the growth rate in government health spending in sub-Saharan Africa has been positive overall, there are variations across subgroups. Between 1995 and 2015, government health spending in West Africa grew by 6.7% (95% uncertainty intervals [UI]: 6.2% to 7.0%) each year, whereas in Southern Africa it grew by only 4.5% (UI: 4.5% to 4.5%) each year. Furthermore, per-person government health spending ranged from $651 (Namibia) in 2017 purchasing power parity dollars to $4 (Central African Republic) in 2015. Good governance, national income and the share of it that is government spending were positively associated with government health spending. The results from the decomposition, however, showed that individual country characteristics made up the highest percentage of the explained variation in government health spending across sub-Saharan African countries. Conclusion These findings highlight that a country’s policy choices are important for how much the health sector receives. As the attention of the global health community focuses on ways to stimulate domestic government health spending, an understanding that individual country sociopolitical context is an important driver for success will be key.
Abstract # 2041 Biobehavioral effects on epithelial mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which transformed epithelial cells undergo changes to a more mesenchymal phenotype, thereby enhancing metastasis. We examined effects of beta-adrenergic signaling and/or biobehavioral exposures on EMT polarization in primary ovarian tumor cells and in exosomes, cell-derived vesicles involved in intercellular signaling. Exosomal profiles from 40 ovarian cancer patients with low vs. high social support were examined for EMT polarization. We recently reported a significant up-regulation of 67 mesenchymal-characteristic gene transcripts and down-regulation of 63 epithelial-characteristic transcripts in exosomes of patients with low levels of social support, demonstrating increased EMT polarization (p = 0.0002). Here, genome-wide transcriptome profiling of advanced stage ovarian tumors from 98 patients was performed, and EMT profiles of those above vs. below a median split on tumor norepinephrine (NE) were compared, adjusting for clinical covariates. In vitro stimulation of ovarian cancer cells with NE assessed effects of NE exposure on EMT mediators. High NE tumors showed significant polarization to a more mesenchymal phenotype, as well as decreased expression of a variety of anti-metastatic genes. In two ovarian cancer cell lines, exposure to stress-concentrations of NE significantly increased transcription of EMT mediators SNAI1, SNAI2, and IL6. Induction of EMT gene expression programs by biobehavioral factors and beta-adrenergic signaling provide a plausible pathway through which biobehavioral risk factors may promote ovarian cancer progression.
Derivation and validation of a hospital all-cause 30-day readmission index.

Purpose The study derives and validates a 30-day hospital readmission risk index to predict a patient's likelihood of readmission, utilizing a health systems electronic medical record. Methods A retrospective data extraction and analysis was conducted using data from the electronic medical record to identify risks of 30-day all-cause hospital readmission on adult patients admitted to a large multi-site health system. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed on a derivation cohort of hospital admissions (n = 40,668) and analyzed 91 variables associated with 30-day hospital readmission. A 10-variable risk prediction equation was generated and validated in a second patient cohort (n = 7,820). The prediction index's discriminative ability was determined using the c-statistic, and calibration of the prediction index was assessed with the use of the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Results The hospital all-cause thirty-day readmission index (HATRIX) identified 10 variables to be highly associated with 30-day readmission. The discriminative ability of the derived prediction equation was determined using the c-statistic and was calculated to be 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-0.73) for the derivation cohort. The prediction equation was validated using a second cohort of patients and resulted with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.72 (95% CI 0.70-0.73), indicating modest discrimination. Conclusion An original risk prediction index for 30-day hospital readmission was derived and validated using 2 cohorts of patients. Identifying patients who have an increased risk of 30-day hospital readmission with the use of the electronic medical record is an ideal method for targeting interventions and improving transitions-of-care to reduce hospital readmissions.
Assessing the Relationship Between a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in PKD2L1, Dietary Intake, and Body Composition in Young Adults (P15-012-19)

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in taste receptor genes have previously been linked to outcomes such as differences in taste thresholds, food liking, and body mass index. Contrary to bitter, sweet, salty, fat, and umami taste, the sour taste receptor has remained elusive and knowledge on individual variability in sour taste is minimal. This study aimed to assess whether a SNP in PKD2L1, a gene proposed to be involved in sour taste transduction, is associated with differences in dietary intake or body composition in a sample of young adults. DNA was extracted from saliva samples, and genotyping was conducted using qPCR and Taqman reagents. Dietary intake was assessed via the NIH Diet History Questionnaire II. Body composition was measured with a Tanita bioelectrical impedance scale. Subjects (n = 501) were primarily female (n = 414, 83%) and Caucasian (n = 346, 72%), with a mean age of 20.46 ± 2.92 years. The minor allele “A” was associated with a significantly lower caffeine and alcohol intake (P = 0.011, P = 0.048), and a higher poultry intake (P = 0.031) compared to homozygous GG subjects. The dietary variables most closely associated with sour taste (vitamin C, citrus fruit) were significantly associated with race (P < 0.001), but not genotype. Regarding body composition, genotype was significantly associated with BMI, but not body fat percentage or fat free mass. Future research will be needed to confirm and explain these findings, starting with an assessment of if there are differences in sour taste threshold levels based on rs603424 genotype. Sour-bitter confusion, and the influence of PTC/PROP taster status on sour taste perception should also be explored further in light of these findings. Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University.
Racial differences in takotsubo cardiomyopathy outcomes in a large nationwide sample.

AIMS Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is characterized by transient ventricular impairment, often preceded by emotional or physical stress. Racial differences affect the outcomes of several cardiovascular conditions; however, the effect of race on TC remains unknown. This investigation aims to assess the effect of race on in-hospital outcomes of TC in a large national sample. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a US-wide analysis of TC hospitalizations from 2006 to 2014 by querying the National Inpatient Sample database for the International Classification of Diseases-ninth Revision TC code, characteristics, and inpatient outcomes. Patients with a primary diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome were excluded to reduce selection bias. Caucasians were compared with African Americans (AA) for differences in baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes. Multivariate regression models were created to adjust for potential confounders. Of 97 650 TC patients, 83 807 (86.9%) were women, 89 624 (91.8%) identified as Caucasians, and 8026 (8.2%) as AA. The annual number of TC hospitalizations increased significantly from 2006 to 2014 in both races (from 335 to 21 265 annual cases, P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality initially increased (1-2% in 2006 to 5-6% in 2009, P < 0.001) and subsequently remained relatively stable around 5-7% with no significant difference between races. In unadjusted analysis, AA had more cardiac arrests [304 (3.8%) vs. 2569 (2.9%), P = 0.04], invasive mechanical ventilation [1671 (20.8%) vs. 15 897 (17.7%), P = 0.002], tracheostomies [242 (3%) vs. 1600 (1.8%), P = 0.001], acute kidney injuries [1765 (22%) vs. 14 608 (16.3%), P < 0.0001], and longer hospital stays [4.5 (3.2-4.8) vs. 3.8 (3.7-3.9) days, P < 0.0001] compared with Caucasians. After the adjustment for differences in age, gender, comorbidities (using the enhanced Charlson comorbidity index), hospital location/teaching status, and socio-economic factors, all differences were significantly attenuated or eliminated. Additionally, the adjusted risk was lower in AA compared with Caucasians, for cardiogenic shock [odds ratio (OR) 0.61 (0.47-0.78), P < 0.0001], mechanical ventilation [OR 0.8 (0.70-0.92), P = 0.002] and intraaortic balloon pump insertion [OR 0.63 (0.41-0.99), P = 0.04]. CONCLUSIONS Our investigation is the first large US-wide analysis studying racial variations in TC outcomes. AA overall have more in-hospital complications; however, the differences are driven by racial disparities in demographics, comorbidities, and socio-economic factors.
Distinct cellular immune properties in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with cognition in HIV-infected individuals initiating antiretroviral therapy.

Abstract We examined the relationship between CSF immune cells and neurocognition and neuronal damage in HIV+ individuals before and after initiating antiretroviral therapy. Multivariate analysis at baseline indicated that greater CD4+ T cell abundance was associated with better cognition (p = .017), while higher CSF HIV RNA was associated with increased neuronal damage (p = .014). Following 24 weeks of antiretroviral therapy, CD8+ T cells, HLA-DR expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, B cells, NK cells, and non-classical monocyte percentage decreased in CSF. Female gender was negatively associated with cognitive performance over time, as was higher percentage of HLA-DR expressing CD8+ T cells at baseline.
Using problem-oriented policing to address police problems through the study of body-worn camera footage:

Herman Goldstein’s concept of ‘problem-oriented policing’ (POP) emphasized data gathering, analytics, and pattern identification to allow police to more effectively address problems faced by citize...
Oxalic Acid Production in Clarireedia jacksonii Is Dictated by pH, Host Tissue, and Xylan.

Dollar spot is caused by the fungus Clarireedia jacksonii and is the most common disease of golf course turfgrass in temperate climates. Oxalic acid (OA) is an important pathogenicity factor in other fungal plant pathogens, such as the dicot pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, but its role in C. jacksonii pathogenicity on monocot hosts remains unclear. Herein, we assess fungal growth, OA concentration, and pH change in potato dextrose broth (PDB) following incubation of C. jacksonii. In addition, OA production by C. jacksonii and S. sclerotiorum was compared in PDB amended with creeping bentgrass or common plant cell wall components (cellulose, lignin, pectin, or xylan). Our results show that OA production is highly dependent on the environmental pH, with twice as much OA produced at pH 7 than pH 4 and a corresponding decrease in PDB pH from 7 to 5 following 96 h of C. jacksonii incubation. In contrast, no OA was produced or changes in pH observed when C. jacksonii was incubated in PDB at a pH of 4. Interestingly, C. jacksonii increased OA production in response to PDB amended with creeping bentgrass tissue and the cell wall component xylan, a major component of all walls of grasses. S. sclerotiorum produced large amounts of OA relative to C. jacksonii regardless of treatment and no treatment increased OA production by this fungus, though pectin suppressed S. sclerotiorum OA production. These results suggest that OA production by C. jacksonii is reliant on host specific components within the infection court, as well as the ambient pH of the foliar environment during its pathogenic development.
Dach1 extends artery networks and protects against cardiac injury

Abstract Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, but there are currently no available methods to stimulate growth or regeneration of artery networks in diseased hearts. Studying how arteries are built during embryonic development could illuminate strategies for re-building these vessels in the setting of ischemic heart disease. We previously found, using loss-of-function experiments, that the transcription factor Dach1 is required for coronary artery development in mouse embryos. Here, we report that Dach1 overexpression in endothelial cells (ECs) extended coronary arteries and improved survival and heart function in adult mice following myocardial infarction (MI). Dach1 overexpression increased the length and number of arterial end branches, in both heart and retinal vasculature, by causing additional capillary ECs to differentiate into arterial ECs and contribute to growing arteries. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) of ECs undergoing Dach1-induced arterial specification indicated that it potentiated normal artery differentiation, rather than functioning as a master regulator of artery cell fate. ScRNAseq also showed that normal arterial differentiation is accompanied by repression of lipid metabolism genes, which were also repressed by Dach1 prior to arterialization. Together, these results demonstrate that increasing the expression level of Dach1 is a novel pathway for driving specification of artery ECs and extending arterial vessels, which could be explored as a means of increasing artery coverage to mitigate the effects of CAD.
Improving measurement feedback systems for measurement-based care.

Objectives: Measurement feedback systems (MFS) are a class of health information technologies developed to facilitate measurement-based care. The individual clinical decision support features withi...
Truth Management with Concept-Driven Agent Architecture in Distributed Modeling and Simulation for Cyber Physical Systems Engineering

Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) are inherently distributed in nature; that is, the constituent systems are separated by geographical distances. This implies that there is always latency in communication exchanges between the system components. Various mechanisms such as frequency of updates, dead reckoning, and communication reliability are used to address the latency issue. In addition, there are computational, physics, communication protocol, and projection accuracy limitations, which constrain the solution space. The semantic interoperability issue in a cyber physical system requires that concepts and their associated data objects be aligned. When CPS are put in a distributed simulation environment without semantic alignment, the problems are compounded. Earlier work in the area of Mobile Propertied Agents (MPAs) provides a conceptual framework to engineer a central core of objects that are shared across various participants of such a System of Systems (SoS) for maintaining universal truth. This chapter will provide an overview of various mechanisms for maintaining a consistent truth representation in distributed Modeling and Simulation (M&S) systems and will present an architecture to implement MPAs in a cloud environment for a more robust CPS Test and Evaluation framework.
Human Rights Legislation in the Arab World: The Case of Human Trafficking

An essay is presented on the human rights legislations in Arab countries. It discusses the limitations in the media laws of press and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in these countries. It then discusses the comprehensive laws for combating violence against women and human trafficking enacted by Jordan. It further discusses the human trafficking defined by different laws passed in these countries. It also focuses on the protection of victims under the Arab human trafficking laws.
Neuroendocrinology and Sleep

It has become clear that the anterior pituitary hormones are secreted in a pulsatile manner, and that their rhythms bear some relationship to sleep. The nature of this relationship varies with the hormone. Some appear to be associated with a specific electroencephalographic stage of sleep, others to the REM-nonREM cycle or the sleep-waking cycle. In some cases, the nature of the relationship varies with age. The association of secretion to sleep may be statistically significant yet account for only a portion of the variance of plasma levels of the hormone. Other influences that may act simultaneously on secretion include an illdefined “biological clock,” the light-dark cycle, and the effect of pulsatile secretion of other hormones.
Non-Measurable Sets

Up to now, we have given no indication that the class of measurable sets, or of sets having the property of Baire, does not include all subsets of the line. We know that any set obtained as the result of countably many applications of union, intersection, or complementation, starting from a countable family of closed, open, or nullsets, will be measurable. It can also be shown that any analytic set is measurable. (An analytic set is one that can be represented as the continuous image of a Borel set.) According to a result of Godel [18, p. 388], the hypothesis that there exists a non-measurable set that can be represented as the continuous image of the complement of some analytic set is consistent with the axioms of set theory, provided these axioms are consistent among themselves. No actual example of a non-measurable set that admits such a representation is known (but see [40, p. 17]). Nevertheless, with the aid of the axiom of choice it is easy to show that non-measurable sets exist. We shall consider several such constructions.
Recognition in Wavelet-Compressed Imagery

In this paper we analyze a method for classifying images which have been compressed using a biorthogonal wavelet transformation. The goal is to formulate a pattern recognition algorithm over a wavelet-compressed image set without requiring that the image set be decompressed. This paper extends previous work [8] which studies how to recognize objects in images compressed using orthogonal transforms, as in the JPEG/MPEG compression standards.
On Cellular Automaton Approaches to Modeling Biological Cells

We discuss two different types of Cellular Automata (CA): lattice-gas-based cellular automata (LGCA) and the cellular Potts model (CPM), and describe their applications in biological modeling.
Posttraumatic stress symptom profiles of battered women: a comparison of survivors in two settings.

This study sought to develop a profile of posttraumatic stress symptoms experienced by battered women and to explore differences among subsamples. Two groups of survivors from five states were compared: 159 who had obtained help at domestic violence programs (DVP) and 33 who had obtained help at other types of programs (NDVP). They completed three self-report measures of posttraumatic stress and a fear questionnaire. Sixty percent of the women in the DVP group and 62% in the NDVP group met criteria for a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The most common symptoms were: nightmares intrusive memories of the abuse, avoiding reminders of it, and hyperarousal, and nightmares. DVP women experienced a variety of symptoms more frequently. Group differences in PTSD symptomatology were not present after statistically controlling for severity and frequency of the violence and length of time since the abusive relationship. Language: en
The deliberative potential of civil society organizations: framing hydraulic fracturing in New York

Civil society organizations play myriad roles in democracies. Scholars are beginning to pay more attention to their deliberative potential, rethinking whether or not and how they may broaden and enrich public deliberation. Drawing on a discursive approach to deliberative democracy that focuses on interpretive practices, this article analyzes the deliberative potential of a range of civil society organizations in the controversy over hydraulic fracturing in New York State in the USA. It finds that civil society organizations compete to frame hydraulic fracturing as environmental risk, landowner rights, economic opportunity and/or clean energy. The lack of a shared frame has resulted in political gridlock. On the surface the gridlock appears dysfunctional, but may have enhanced deliberative democracy by highlighting ‘frontiers of disagreement’ in the case. In addition, two distinct rhetorical spaces have begun to emerge with potential to resolve these conflicts but with different effects: one focusing on ne...
Low-power micromachined microsystems (invited talk)

Micromachined microsystems and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) have made possible the development of highly accurate and portable sensors and instrument for a variety of applications in the health care, industrial, consumer products, avionics, and defense. Design of low-power circuits for these applications, and use of micromachined sensors and actuators in combination with integrated circuits to implement even lower power microinstruments has now become possible and the focus of attention. This paper reviews the state of the art in the development of micromachined microsystems and MEMS, discusses low-power design approaches for microsystems, and reviews some recent development in power generation and energy harvesting from the environment.
The Impact of Thyroid Nodule Size on the Risk of Malignancy in Follicular Neoplasms

BACKGROUND/AIM Studies have shown that the risk of malignancy in follicular neoplasms is as high as 30%. Often, surgery is recommended for such lesions, not for therapeutic purposes but as a diagnostic method, leading to increased hospital costs and related morbidities. Recent studies have suggested that tumor size predicts malignant potential of these follicular neoplasms. Our aim was to identify the impact of nodule size on the risk of malignancy for such lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective medical chart review was undertaken for patients who underwent thyroid surgery at a single academic North American Institution. A total of 120 follicular lesions, follicular neoplasms (Bethesda category IV) or follicular lesions of undetermined significance (Bethesda category III) in 110 patients undergoing thyroid surgery were evaluated. Nodule size as measured by ultrasound, fine-needle aspiration cytological results, and final histopathology reports were reviewed. Analysis was performed by classification according to nodule size: <3 cm, ≥3 cm, <4 cm and ≥4 cm. RESULTS Out of the 120 nodules, 48 (40%) were reported to be malignant on final pathological examination. The malignancy rate in nodules<3 cm and ≥ 3cm was 41% and 37.8%, respectively (p=0.84). When 4 cm was used as the cut-off, the rate in nodules<4 cm and ≥4 cm was 40.6% and 37.5%, respectively (p=0.82). CONCLUSION Increased thyroid nodule size does not increase the malignancy rate for follicular neoplasms. Hence, we recommend against routine total thyroidectomy for patients with follicular neoplasms based on the size criteria.
Computer Simulation Analysis of Sartwell's Incubation Period Model for Diseases with Uncertain Etiology The Effect of Competing Risk

Computer simulation was applied to Sartwell's model to examine the impact of competing risks of death on the underlying assumptions and the power to reject both uniform and normal incubation period distributions. Exponential and nonparametric survival functions were imposed onto lognormal, uniform, and normal distributions to create random samples reflecting competing risk. These random samples were evaluated with the Shapiro-Wilk's test to determine the proportion for which the lognormal distribution was rejected. The simulations indicated that competing causes of death do not significantly alter the lognormal distribution of incubation periods. In only approximately 5% of the samples drawn from a lognormal distribution was a lognormal hypothesis rejected with a goodness-of-fit test when sample size varied from 20 to 500. There was generally good power (> 80%) to reject a lognormal distribution if the random samples were generated from a uniform distribution of incubation times, but not when they were generated from a normal distribution, particularly with increasing ages at disease onset. Varying the standard deviation did not significantly change the simulation results if the random samples came from a lognormal or uniform distribution. These conclusions were further supported by application of Sartwell's model to published data on the ages of onset for several chronic diseases.
Mechanisms in lacunar infarction.

Lacunes are thought to occur in patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus as a result of small-vessel disease. This study evaluated the importance of other stroke mechanisms in a population of patients with lacunar infarction.We evaluated 108 consecutive patients with a lacune in the lenticulostriate distribution for other stroke risk factors such as carotid and cardiac disease.Hypertension was present in 68% of the patients and diabetes mellitus in 37%; both occurred in 28% and neither occurred in 23%. Noninvasive carotid studies identified atherosclerotic plaque as a possible embolic source in 23%. By previously established criteria, 18% were at high risk for cardioembolism. Of those with hypertension or diabetes mellitus, 36% were at risk for a carotid or cardiac embolus. Of those without hypertension or diabetes mellitus, 32% had a possible carotid or cardiac etiology.The high incidence of carotid and cardiac disease in those with and without hypertension or diabetes mellitus suggests the import...
Bone morphogenic protein antagonists are coexpressed with bone morphogenic protein 4 in endothelial cells exposed to unstable flow in vitro in mouse aortas and in human coronary arteries: role of bone morphogenic protein antagonists in inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Background— Exposure to disturbed flow, including oscillatory shear stress, stimulates endothelial cells (ECs) to produce bone morphogenic protein (BMP) 4, which in turn activates inflammation, a critical atherogenic step. BMP activity is regulated by the level of BMP antagonists. Until now it was not known whether shear also regulates the expression of BMP antagonists and whether they play a role in EC pathophysiology. Methods and Results— BMP antagonists follistatin, noggin, and matrix Gla protein were expressed in cultured bovine and human arterial ECs. Surprisingly, oscillatory shear stress increased expression of the BMP antagonists in ECs, whereas unidirectional laminar shear decreased such expression. Immunohistochemical studies with mouse aortas showed data consistent with in vitro findings: Only ECs in the lesser curvature exposed to disturbed flow, but not those in the greater curvature and straight arterial regions exposed to undisturbed flow, showed coexpression of BMP4 and the BMP antagonists...
Kinetics of chromosome rejoining in normal human fibroblasts after exposure to low- and high-LET radiations

To determine whether chromosome breaks produced by {alpha} particles are processed differently from those produced by X rays, the premature chromosome condensation technique was used to follow chromosome rejoining after irradiation. Doses of 90 and 200 keV/{mu}m {alpha} particles (2.7 Gy) and 250 kVp X rays (6 Gy) were chosen to produce approximately the same number of initial chromosome breaks (about 30 excess fragments per cell). Frequencies of excess fragments were assessed at eight times to 24 h after irradiation with the final yields being about 2, 4 and 8 excess fragments per cell for 250 kVp X rays and 200 and 90 keV/{mu}m {alpha} particles, respectively. For each radiation the time for the initial measured fragment frequency per cell to be halved (i.e. to about 15) was the same (about 100 min). The results were fitted to three models of kinetics of the rejoining, and the initial and residual number of excess chromosome fragments as well as the rate of rejoining were determined. Even with eight times, discrimination between the models of the kinetics was not possible, such that a single-component first-order reaction could not be rejected for either X-ray- or {alpha}-particle-induced breaks. Although rejoining proceeds at similar rates, more » the probability of {open_quotes}correct{close_quotes} rejoining is apparently reduced for {alpha}-particle-irradiated cells. 25 refs., 6 figs., 7 tabs. « less
Use of an absorbable membrane to position biologically inductive materials in the periprosthetic space of cemented joints.

Abstract A device is presented that positions ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) debris against periprosthetic bone surfaces. This can facilitate the study of aseptic loosening associated with cemented joint prostheses by speeding the appearance of this debris within the periprosthetic space. The device, composed of a 100 μm thick bioabsorbable membrane impregnated with 1.4×109 sub-micron particles of UHMWPE debris, is positioned on the endosteum of the bone prior to the insertion of the cemented orthopedic implant. An in vitro pullout study and an in vivo canine pilot study were performed to investigate its potential to accelerate “time to aseptic loosening” of cemented prosthetic joints. Pullout studies characterized the influence of the membrane on initial implant fixation. The tensile stresses (mean±std.dev.) required to withdraw a prosthesis cemented into canine femurs with and without the membrane were 1.15±0.3 and 1.54±0.01 MPa, respectively; these findings were not significantly different (p>0.4). The in vivo pilot study, involving five dogs, was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the debris to accelerate loosening in a canine cemented hip arthroplasty. Aseptic loosening and lameness occurred within 12 months, quicker than the 30 months reported in a retrospective clinical review of canine hip arthroplasty.
Surface-Mediated Reactions. 7. Unsupported Reagents1

Some solid reagents traditionally supported on silica gel or alumina are also effective as heterogeneous reactants in the absence of a support. Moist magnesium monoperoxyphthalate (MMPP), either suspended in CH2Cl2 or solventless, is a convenient alternative to peroxycarboxylic acids for oxidation of sulfides and epoxidation of alkenes. The latter reaction exhibits an unusual order of reactivity: trisubstituted > disubstituted > tetrasubstituted. Unsupported moist Ca(OCl)2 and OXONE are also effective oxidants.
Effects of Drinking Water Treatment Residue on Phosphorus in Runoff from Poultry Litter

Abstract The application of pultry litter to cropland is based on the nitrogen needs of the crop, and such practice has resulted in excess buildup of soil phosphorus (P). Water‐extractable phosphorus (WEP) concentrations in runoff from these fields are above the EPA drinking water limit of 0.1 mg kg−1. Runoff studies have been conducted on poultry litter‐amended soils to determine the effect of aluminum (Al) on WEP and iron oxide‐adsorbable phosphorus (FeO‐P). The drinking water treatment residue (DWTR) used in this experiment is an Al‐rich‐byproduct that is produced during drinking water purification. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of DWTR to reduce WEP and FeO‐P concentrations in runoff from poultry litter by using a laboratory rainfall simulator. Poultry litter was collected from three poultry farms on Maryland Eastern Shore, air dried and crushed to less than 2 mm, treated with DWTR at rates of 0, 50, and 100 g kg−1 (dry weight basis), and incubated for 2 weeks at 25°C. Water‐...
Inhibition of human neutrophil collagenase by gold(I) salts used in chrysotherapy.

Summary Six gold(I) salts, some of which are used as drugs in chrysotherapy, are shown to be inhibitors of two forms of human neutrophil collagenase. The IC50 values vary over six orders of magnitude, the lowest being 3.5 nM for Myocrisin. Thus, inhibition is greatly affected by the identity of the ligands to the gold(I) atom. The inhibition of collagenase by these gold(I) salts may be a partial basis for their anti-arthritic action.
The hydrogen-sulfur correlation, by PIXE plus PESA, and aerosol source identification

Abstract The use of hydrogen-free thin teflon filters for particulate sampling has allowed us to simultaneously measure sulfur (and other elements) by PIXE and hydrogen by PESA. Particulate hydrogen in nonvolatile forms (since all analyses are in vacuum) is an important component of aerosols, totalling typically about 1 3 of all atoms. The hydrogen is measured at the same time as PIXE by placing a surface barrier detector at 30° in the forward direction, allowing the (p, p) kinematic energy shift to safely resolve hydrogen from the unresolved peaks of C, N, O, and heavier elements. The method is absolute and simple, with no important corrections. Sensitivity on 400 μg cm 2 teflon filters is about 5 ng cm 2 H in 100s. This technique was introduced to the National Park Service 31 station network in June. 1984, and immediately proved enormously valuable in separating natural aerosols from anthropogenic aerosols. For example, at Great Smoky NP, the H/S correlation was excellent, > 0.90, while the molar ratio was 10:1 (note: (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ) has a ratio 8:1), while at North Cascades NP, there was essentially no correlation and the H S molar ratio was 37:1. In the former, most hydrogen is tied to presumably anthropogenic sulfur species, while at North Cascades NP, the converse is true. Evidence of H 2 SO 4 ) aerosols from Arctic studies will also be shown.
Analysis of heat and mass transfer phenomena in hollow fiber membranes used for evaporative cooling

This paper describes the potential use of hollow fiber membranes in evaporative cooling applications for space air-conditioning. Duct-mountable hollow fiber membrane bundles and arrays are utilized as contactors for the delivery of liquid water to an air stream in a heating, ventilating air-conditioning duct. A series of experimental and analytical parametric studies are presented to assess the heat and mass transfer phenomena in evaporative cooling with hollow fiber membranes. The focus of the studies was to compare experimentally determined heat and mass transfer coefficients to estimates obtained from literature, to determine the influence of membrane and operating parameters on achievable mass and heat flux and to assess the efficacy of using hollow fiber membranes for evaporative cooling. The results point to a proof for the concept and further indicate that reasonable numbers of fibers and membrane surface area can provide cooling effectiveness comparable to conventional evaporative cooling equipment.
Effect of out-of-plane properties of a polyimide film on the stress fields in microelectronic structures

Abstract The detailed modeling of microelectronic structures involving thin polyimide films is difficult due to the limited amount of information available on the out-of-plane polyimide properties. In the present analysis, we treat the out-of-plane mechanical properties of the polyimide as design variables and investigate their effect on the thermal stresses that develop in a one layer copper-polyimide interconnection structure using a combined finite element-design of experiment method. The interconnection structure is modeled by a three-dimensional representative cell composed of a square copper via in a thin polyimide film mounted on top of a silicon substrate. The cell is assumed to be stress free at an elevated temperature, and it is subsequently cooled uniformly. In the analysis, we obtain the initial elastic response of the cell for each combination of the out-of-plane polyimide properties called for in the experimental design, and generate response functions for the stress components at key bimaterial interfaces. Additional finite element trials are then performed over a broad temperature range, allowing for copper plasticity, to investigate the role of the out-of-plane polyimide properties when a material nonlinearity is present in the structure.
Diffuse optical tomography using dual-interfering source

A frequency domain heterodyne system for recording the amplitude and phase of diffuse photon density wave (DPDW) is described here. We demonstrated experimentally the possibility of tomographic image reconstruction using a pair of out-of-phase sources. Both iterative method (SIRT) and subspace technique (SVD) have been used to address the inverse problem. The image quality with respect to the number of iterations and regularization numbers is discussed. Further investigations including the relationship between several parameters (such as modulation frequency, the source pair separation and the number of source and detectors) and the image quality are also discussed.
The spherical mean value operator with centers on a sphere

Let B represent the ball of radius ρ in Rn and S its boundary; consider the map , where represents the mean value of f on a sphere of radius r centered at p. We summarize and discuss the results concerning the injectivity of , the characterization of the range of , and the inversion of . There is a close connection between mean values over spheres and solutions of initial value problems for the wave equation. We also summarize the results for the corresponding wave equation problem.
Radiochemical evaluation of the separation of H2SO4 aerosol by microdiffusion from various filter media

A series of filter media were tested for their utility as surfaces to diffuse H2SO4. Those filter media studied were: soft glass plate, Gelman A glass fiber filter paper, 5.0μ Mitex (teflon), 0.5μ Solvinert, 1.0μ Nucleopore, Whatman 41 and Poco graphite filter. Time from 1 to 6 hours and temperature from 100° to 195° were investigated. It was found that the Mitex and the Poco graphite had the best diffusion characteristics, but both exhibit the same lower limit.
On being a living contradiction: the struggle of an elite intercollegiate Christian coach

While some research has been conducted on the manner in which Christian athletes utilize their faith to cope with the dominant culture of winning, there appears to be a relative paucity of investigation on the manner in which elite coaches function in this environment. The purpose of this study was to describe an elite intercollegiate coach’s response to the dominant culture of sport as it related to his spiritual life. We attempted to examine the thought processes and behaviors of an individual held in high esteem by his peers, and report his solutions to some of the dilemmas reported in the previous work by S. J. Hoffman and C. L. Stevenson. This elite intercollegiate coach was extremely committed to his relationship with Christ, but he was likewise heavily involved with the dominant culture of sport.
White teachers talking race

In light of the increasing racial diversity in American schools and the consistently homogenous teacher workforce in the United States, understanding the ways white teachers consider and attend to racial issues is of crucial importance to the educational landscape. This paper, based on a qualitative study, explores five white American teachers’ talk about race following their viewing of a documentary film about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in New Orleans. The paper adds to the already rich literature on white teachers’ talk about race by using three kinds of analytic tools: narrative analysis, discourse analysis, and psychoanalytically-informed notions of ignorance and resistance that complicate the existing literature’s exploration of white teachers’ avoidance of racial issues. The authors argue that white teachers have sophisticated knowledge about race, despite the common suppositions otherwise, and suggest attention be paid to the ways in which this knowledge is activated, ignored, and/or resis...
A note on teaching about the representation of integers

A method is given to assist the instructor in presenting the notion of representation of integers. The procedure is illustrated by the base brepresentation and by the factorial representation.
Numerical simulation of a ramjet inlet flowfield in response to large amplitude combustor pressure oscillation

The unsteady flow of a two-dimensional ramjet inlet is studied numerically by solving the Navier-Stokes equation with a two-equation turbulence model. Unsteadiness is introduced by prescribing the pressure disturbance at the inlet exit plane. The case with a sinusoidal exit plane pressure fluctuation of 20 percent of the steady exit pressure is considered. The resulting flow field exhibits a complicated interaction between the terminal shock, separation pockets and core flow. The exit plane properties feature a non-linear response to the imposed sinusoidal pressure variation.
CRISPR clear? Dimeric Cas9-Fok1 nucleases improve genome-editing specificity.

Bacteria and archaea have been known for decades having evolved adaptive immunedefenses called clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems to degrade foreign nucleic acids. Recently, these RNA-guided Cas9 nucleases derived from CRISPR/Cas systems have shown promise in transforming our ability to edit mammalian genomes.1 While zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) have shown similar promise, the ease of producing targeting RNAs over the generation of unique sequence-directed nucleases to guide site-specific modifications makes the CRISPR/Cas9 system an appealing method for genome editing. A short guide RNA (sgRNA) can direct Cas9 to a specific genomic sequence where it induces double-strand breaks that, when imperfectly repaired, yield mutations. 1 Cas9 can also catalyze gene replacement through homologous recombination.1 Undoubtedly, Cas9-mediated genome editing and regulation should have transformative potential for basic science, genome engineering and therapeutics.1