cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study on Influence of Oily Material on Emulsion Matrix Viscosity of On-site Mixing Explosive

The on-site transportation of on-site mixing emulsion explosive requires good rheological property and suitable viscosity of emulsified explosive.The viscosity of latex matrix reflects the viscosity of emulsified explosive in the large.The influence of oily material and its ingredient on emulsion matrix viscosity was studied,in order to choose appropriate ingredient of oily material for on-site mixing emulsion explosive.Meanwhile,the performances of the emulsion explosive which prepared by the determined ingredient was tested,the results show that the performances of the emulsion explosive approach to the performances of on-site mixing emulsion explosive.
Display of 3D Chemical Structure on the Internet

A program——VRMLMaker has been developed for the 3D chemical structure display on the Internet in our chinese drug database retrieval system (CDDBRS). VRMLMaker can convert a molecular MOL2 or ML2 format file to VRML format files in four different styles:wire frame, capped sticks, ball and stick, and a CPK space filling model. VRMLMaker is developed based upon molecular model and virtual reality modeling language(VRML)techniques. The working procedures of VRMLMaker are described. The utility of VRMLMaker is illustrated by an example and four style VRML scenes are also given for demonstrating the function of VRMLMaker. It is shown that the usage of VRML is a very efficient and powerful method for the transport of 3D molecular models on the Internet.
Insulin resistance in adipocytes after downregulation of Gi subtypes

To determine whether downregulation of Gi proteins is associated with insulin resistance, we incubated isolated adipocytes with N6-(2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine (PIA; an A1-adenosine receptor agonist; 300 nM), prostaglandin E1 (PGE1; 3 microM), or nicotinic acid (1 mM) for 4 days in primary culture. The cells were washed, and the rate of glucose transport (2-deoxy-[3H]glucose uptake) was measured after incubation with various concentrations of insulin for 45 min. Both PIA and PGE1 (which downregulate Gi) decreased the maximal responsiveness of the cells to insulin by approximately 30% and caused a rightward shift in the dose-response curve. By contrast, nicotinic acid (which does not downregulate Gi) did not alter the insulin sensitivity of the cells. Prolonged treatment of adipocytes with either PIA or PGE1 (but not nicotinic acid) rendered the cells completely resistant to the antilipolytic effect of insulin. The ability of insulin to stimulate autophosphorylation of the beta-subunit of the insulin receptor was decreased by approximately 30% in PIA-treated cells, and the dose-response curve was shifted to the right. Similarly, the ability of the receptor to phosphorylate poly(Glu4-Tyr1) was decreased by approximately 35%. This decrease in tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor may account for the decrease in insulin sensitivity of glucose transport but cannot account for the complete loss of antilipolysis. The findings suggest both a direct and indirect involvement of Gi proteins in insulin action.
State-level action for health.

Health is certainly one of most critical components when measuring quality of life and prosperity for a state. As governor of West Virginia, I am committed to doing what it takes to make certain every citizen is aware of the importance of daily exercise and healthy eating. Further, I am dedicated to changing our state’s culture with respect to good nutrition and physical activity. I believe the burden of obesity and related diseases in West Virginia requires a strong state infrastructure with a specific focus on physical activity, nutrition, and obesity prevention. Fortunately, West Virginia has a solid ethic of collaboration, and our people share a sense of pride, tradition, culture, and customs. The cohesive and protective nature of the state fosters a service philosophy and West Virginia citizens embrace the opportunity to help their own. When I became governor in 2005, I realized there were many ongoing efforts, both formal and informal and under myriad organizations, aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles for West Virginians. I strongly believe it is my responsibility to not only provide a framework in which local, state, and institutional policymakers can work collaboratively to create and support environments that make it easier for West Virginians to choose healthy foods and to be physically active, but also to create state policy that would support existing efforts. I am very pleased that in 2005 the West Virginia Legislature, upon my request, passed the West Virginia Healthy Lifestyles Act. This act signified that the leadership in West Virginia not only acknowledged that we were truly facing a public health epidemic, but that we also were prepared to be both bold and innovative in our efforts to reduce West Virginia’s prevalence of obesity. The West Virginia Healthy Lifestyles Act created a 13-member coalition as well as a clinical advisory committee, appointed by the governor. The Healthy Lifestyle Coalition and its Clinical Advisory Committee focus on establishing and supporting public policy specific to promoting physical activity and nutrition. This legislation also recognized that children and adolescents spend the majority of their time in schools; therefore it is critical that schools incorporate healthful eating and physical activity as part of a total learning environment. Therefore, the legislation specifically targeted the following public school issues:
Ready-prepared vs. conventionally prepared foods. Comparisons of acceptability, food costs, and direct labor costs.

The use of ready-prepared items can reduce the average distance traveled by food preparation employees—in this instance from 45 per cent when fried chicken was served to 62 per cent for beef stew. The authors feel that a layout designed specifically for handling pre-prepared foods could produce even greater savings in travel distance and labor time. They describe a system of evaluating the usefulness of ready-prepared foods for quantity food systems.
In Vivo Approaches to Dissecting the Function of RNA Helicases in Eukaryotic Ribosome Assembly

In eukaryotes, ribosome biogenesis involves the nucleolar transcription and processing of pre-ribosomal RNA molecules (pre-rRNA) in a complex pathway requiring the participation of myriad protein and ribonucleoprotein factors. Through efforts aimed at categorizing and characterizing these factors, at least 20 RNA helicases have been shown to interact with or participate in the activities of the major ribosome biogenesis complexes. Unfortunately, little is known about the enzymatic properties of most of these helicases, and less is known about their roles in ribosome biogenesis and pre-rRNA maturation. This chapter presents approaches for characterizing RNA helicases involved in ribosome biogenesis. Included are methods for depletion of specific protein targets, with standard protocols for assaying the typical ribosome biogenesis defects that may result. Procedures and rationales for mutagenic studies of target proteins are discussed, as well as several approaches for identifying protein–protein interactions in order to determine functional context and potential cofactors of RNA helicases.
Limiting the effects of influenza epidemics.

Fewer than a third of the persons who would be at highest risk of dying during an influenza epidemic are receiving influenza vaccine. The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends selective administration of the vaccine to persons over age 65, those with chronic disease of heart, lungs, or kidneys, and those with diabetes or other chronic metabolic disease.
Injuries to the spine.

SUMMARY A spinal cord injury is a devastating event that occurs with a survival incidence of 30 to 40 per million. The percentage of complete neurologic injuries appears to be decreasing. This is thought to be attributable to a number of factors, including more and better trained paramedics, improved extrication and splinting techniques, earlier diagnosis, and transfer to an appropriate regional spinal cord injury center. The emergency department physician, whether in an urban or rural setting, plays a major role in the successful outcome of the spinal cord injured patient, by the application of early, appropriate management techniques, the insuring of proper spinal stabilization, and the use of all diagnostic services and personnel at his or her disposal. These measures guarantee that no further injury is likely to occur during this most crucial period of time.
Device Strategies for Patients in INTERMACS Profiles 1 and 2 Cardiogenic Shock: Double Bridge With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation and Initial Implant of More Durable Devices.

For Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support profiles 1 and 2 cardiogenic shock patients initially placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), whether crossover to more durable devices is associated with increased survival, and its optimal timing, are not established. Profiles 1 and 2 patients placed on mechanical support were prospectively registered. Survival and successful hospital discharge were compared between patients placed on ECMO only, ECMO with early crossover, and ECMO with delayed crossover. Survival of patients directly implanted with non-ECMO devices was also reported. One-hundred and sixty-two patients were included. Mean age was 52.2 ± 13.8 years. Seventy-three of 162 (45.1%) were initiated on ECMO. Of these, 43 were supported with ECMO only, 11 were crossed-over early <4 days, and 19 were crossed-over in a delayed fashion. Survival was different across groups (Log-rank P < 0.002). In multivariate analysis, early crossover was associated with decreased mortality as compared with no crossover (hazard ratio [HR] 0.201, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.058–0.697, P = 0.011) or with delayed crossover (HR 0.255, 95%CI 0.073–0.894, P = 0.033). Mortality was not different between delayed crossover and no crossover (P = 0.473). In patients with early crossover there were no deaths at 30 days, and 60-day survival was 90.0 ± 9.5%. Survival to hospital discharge was 72.8%. For patients directly implanted with non-ECMO devices, 30-day and 60-day survival was 90.9 ± 3.1% and 87.3 ± 3.8%, respectively, and survival to hospital discharge was 78.7%. Both initial implant of durable devices and double bridge strategy was associated with improved outcomes. If the double bridge strategy is chosen, early crossover is associated with improved survival and successful hospital discharge.
Students as customers in higher education: reframing the debate

ABSTRACTEven though marketing in higher education (HE) is well established, there is a continued debate about who the customer is, with many still not accepting that students should be viewed as customers in HE. The student as customer model has its opponents and proponents. This paper reframes the debate using the framework of market orientation, customer orientation, and service (including co-creation) and relationship marketing. Using newer conceptualizations of the role of customers, the paper recommends exploring how to respond to students as customers instead of continuing to deny that students are customers.
Effects of Single-Dose BAY 59-7939 - An Oral, Direct Factor Xa Inhibitor - in Subjects with Extreme Body Weight.

Abstract Currently, agents used for the prevention of venous thromboembolism, such as low molecular weight heparins and pentasaccharides, require dose adjustments for patients in extreme weight categories. BAY 59-7939 is a novel, oral, direct Factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor currently undergoing clinical development for the prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders. In this single-center, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, the influence of extremely low and high body weight on the safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of a single 10 mg dose of BAY 59-7939 administered with food was investigated. In total, 48 healthy male and female subjects aged 20–54 years and in three different weight groups (≤ 50, 70–80, and >120 kg) were evaluated; 12 received placebo and 36 received BAY 59-7939. The 70–80 kg and >120 kg groups were gender-balanced (six men and six women in each group); the ≤ 50 kg group comprised of 12 women. Overall, BAY 59-7939 was well tolerated. No serious adverse events were reported; all events were of mild to moderate intensity and resolved 7 days after drug administration. The occurrence of adverse events was similar among the weight groups. No adverse events were reported in the placebo group. FXa was inhibited by BAY 59-7939 in all three weight groups, with a maximum inhibition (Emax) of 46.8%, 45.8%, and 41.7% in the ≤ 50, 70–80, and >120 kg groups, respectively; maximum inhibition was observed about 2–3 hours after BAY 59-7939 administration in all three weight groups. AUC for inhibition of Factor Xa activity was comparable for all volunteer groups regardless of the body weight. BAY 59-7939 prolonged prothrombin time (PT), which was less pronounced in the higher weight groups: 1.7 times baseline (tb), 1.6 tb, and 1.5 tb in subjects ≤ 50, 70–80, and >120 kg, respectively. The pharmacodynamic parameters have returned to baseline within 24 hours in all weight groups. Placebo treatment had no effect on PT. The clotting tests activated partial thromboplastin time and HepTest were also distinctly prolonged after drug administration in all weight groups; the prolongation was slightly more pronounced in subjects in the ≤ 50 kg group than in the other weight groups. The bioavailability of BAY 59-7939 as a 10 mg single dose, in terms of AUC of plasma concentrations, was similar in all three weight groups (P=0.205). However, peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) were 24% higher in subjects with ≤ 50 kg body weight compared with normal-weight subjects. For subjects >120 kg, Cmax was similar to normal-weight subjects. No pharmacokinetic differences between men and women were detected in the normal-weight and >120 kg groups. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that only small influences of body weight on pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic parameters are observed which require no dose adjustment of BAY 59-7936 in subjects with extreme body weight.
Cardiac myosin binding protein-C Ser302 phosphorylation regulates cardiac β-adrenergic reserve

Phosphorylation of cardiac myosin binding protein-C (MyBP-C) modulates cardiac contractile function; however, the specific roles of individual serines (Ser) within the M-domain that are targets for β-adrenergic signaling are not known. Recently, we demonstrated that significant accelerations in in vivo pressure development following β-agonist infusion can occur in transgenic (TG) mouse hearts expressing phospho-ablated Ser282 (that is, TGS282A) but not in hearts expressing phospho-ablation of all three serines [that is, Ser273, Ser282, and Ser302 (TG3SA)], suggesting an important modulatory role for other Ser residues. In this regard, there is evidence that Ser302 phosphorylation may be a key contributor to the β-agonist-induced positive inotropic responses in the myocardium, but its precise functional role has not been established. Thus, to determine the in vivo and in vitro functional roles of Ser302 phosphorylation, we generated TG mice expressing nonphosphorylatable Ser302 (that is, TGS302A). Left ventricular pressure-volume measurements revealed that TGS302A mice displayed no accelerations in the rate of systolic pressure rise and an inability to maintain systolic pressure following dobutamine infusion similar to TG3SA mice, implicating Ser302 phosphorylation as a critical regulator of enhanced systolic performance during β-adrenergic stress. Dynamic strain-induced cross-bridge (XB) measurements in skinned myocardium isolated from TGS302A hearts showed that the molecular basis for impaired β-adrenergic-mediated enhancements in systolic function is due to the absence of protein kinase A-mediated accelerations in the rate of cooperative XB recruitment. These results demonstrate that Ser302 phosphorylation regulates cardiac contractile reserve by enhancing contractile responses during β-adrenergic stress.
Analytical challenges in customer acquisition

Abstract Three customer acquisition scenarios are discussed: first, where prospects’ response behavior varies over their profiles but the offer/creative and customers’ lifetime values (LTV) are assumed fixed and known; second, where the response behavior depends on both profile and creative/offer characteristics with the customers’ LTV still assumed to be fixed; and third, where both response and customer LTV are allowed to vary. Using well-known breakeven analysis principles, the paper presents a simple relationship to determine which prospects should be contracted and then presents statistical models to estimate response and customer value at the individual level. This allows the practical application of the breakeven analysis to each individual prospect. It helps answer the question: should this prospect be invited to become a customer?
Five lipoxygenase hypomethylation mediates the homocysteine effect on Alzheimer's phenotype.

Environmental and genetic risk factors are implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, how they interact and influence its pathogenesis remains to be investigated. High level of homocysteine (Hcy) is an AD risk factor and associates with an up-regulation of the ALOX5 gene. In the current paper we investigated whether this activation is responsible for the Hcy effect on the AD phenotype and the mechanisms involved. Triple transgenic mice were randomized to receive regular chow diet, a diet deficient in folate and B vitamins (Diet), which results in high Hcy, or the Diet plus zileuton, a specific ALOX5 inhibitor, for 7 months. Compared with controls, Diet-fed mice had a significant increase in Hcy levels, memory and learning deficits, up-regulation of the ALOX5 pathway, increased Aβ levels, tau phosphorylation, and synaptic pathology, which were absent in mice treated with zileuton. In vivo and vitro studies demonstrated that the mechanism responsible was the hypomethylation of the ALOX5 promoter. Our findings demonstrate that the up-regulation of the ALOX5 is responsible for the Hcy-dependent worsening of the AD phenotype in a relevant mouse model of the disease. The discovery of this previously unknown cross-talk between these two pathways could afford novel therapeutic opportunities for treating or halting AD.
Prophylactic Oophorectomy for Patients with Germline BRCA Mutations

The prevalence of BRCA1 mutation and BRCA2 mutation in the general population ranges between 1/300 and 1/800. Both of these mutations are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, and they are associated with a mean cumulative risk of ovarian cancer of 40% for BRCA1 and 18% for BRCA2. Over 70% of women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer have advanced disease. Therefore, prevention and early detection are paramount in reducing the high mortality rate associated with this disease. Because of the increased risk of ovarian cancer for women who are BRCA mutation carriers, risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (rrBSO) is a feasible option for primary prevention. This procedure has been shown to decrease the risk of subsequently developing ovarian cancer as well as breast cancer. In addition, rrBSO has been associated with lower all-cause, breast cancer-specific and ovarian cancer-specific mortality . The procedure can be performed laparoscopically and can be combined with a hysterectomy in some patients including women with Lynch syndrome and those who will take tamoxifen or hormone replacement therapy following their rrBSO. However, despite the tremendous benefits derived from rrBSO in this patient population, the decision to undergo surgery and timing of such procedure involves complex, emotionally charged, and often life-changing decision making. Furthermore, the resulting surgical menopause can have significant psychological and physical health consequences that should be taken into account during preoperative counseling and postoperative follow-up.
Percolation thresholds in hyperbolic lattices

We use invasion percolation to compute numerical values for bond and site percolation thresholds ${p}_{c}$ (existence of an infinite cluster) and ${p}_{u}$ (uniqueness of the infinite cluster) of tesselations ${P,Q}$ of the hyperbolic plane, where $Q$ faces meet at each vertex and each face is a $P$-gon. Our values are accurate to six or seven decimal places, allowing us to explore their functional dependency on $P$ and $Q$ and to numerically compute critical exponents. We also prove rigorous upper and lower bounds for ${p}_{c}$ and ${p}_{u}$ that can be used to find the scaling of both thresholds as a function of $P$ and $Q$.
CHAPTER 7 – TRANSCENDENTAL FUNCTIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the transcendental functions. The functions that include the trigonometric functions, the logarithm function, functions of the form T(x) = 2X, and others are grouped together under the general heading of transcendental functions and are classified as non-algebraic functions. Logarithms are defined in elementary algebra to be exponents. The logarithm of a positive number N to a base b, that is any positive number not 1, is said to be that exponent r that raises b to the number N. Many handbooks contain tables that give the values of E(x) = ex for different values of x. However, no handbooks give a similar table of values of the function F(x) = xx. The reason is that the first function comes up over and over in the applications of mathematics. On the other hand, the second function does not often appear. For the same reason, the first function has a universally recognized name, the exponential function, whereas no name has been given to the second function.
Self-reported diabetes in Hispanic subgroup, non-Hispanic black, and non-Hispanic white populations: National Health Interview Survey, 1997-2005.

Objectives.We estimated the prevalence of self-reported diabetes in Hispanic subgroup (Puerto Rican, Mexican, Mexican American, Cuban, Dominican, Central and South American, and other Hispanic), no...
Quark branching in QCD matter to any order in opacity beyond the soft gluon emission limit

Cold nuclear matter effects in reactions with nuclei at a future electron-ion collider (EIC) lead to a modification of semi-inclusive hadron production, jet cross sections, and jet substructure when compared to the vacuum. At leading order in the strong coupling, a jet produced at an EIC is initiated as an energetic quark, and the process of this quark splitting into a quark-gluon system underlies experimental observables. The spectrum of gluons associated with the branching of this quark jet is heavily modified by multiple scattering in a medium, allowing jet cross sections and jet substructure to be used as a probe of the medium's properties. We present a formalism that allows us to compute the gluon spectrum of a quark jet to an arbitrary order in opacity, the average number of scatterings in the medium. This calculation goes beyond the simplifying limit in which the gluon radiation is soft and can be interpreted as energy loss of the quark, and it significantly extends previous work which computes the full gluon spectrum only to first order in opacity. The theoretical framework demonstrated here applies equally well to light parton and heavy quark branching, and is easily generalizable to all in-medium splitting processes.
Adherence to Treatment for Depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often a chronic, recurrent, and debilitating health problem with a lifetime prevalence of 16.2% and a 12-month prevalence of 6.6% in the USA [1]. Left untreated, depression can have a significant negative impact on a person’s social, physical, and mental well-being and place an enormous burden on society. Patients with depression experience a higher incidence of premature death related to cardiovascular disease [2, 3] and are 4.5 times more likely to suffer a myocardial infarction than those without depression [3]. Depression in patients with diabetes is associated with increasing rates of vascular complications and increased mortality [4]. In terms of economic burden, the total cost of depression in the USA was estimated at $83.1 billion in 2000 [5]. Major contributors to depression-related cost were lost productivity and direct medical expenses, which accounted for $30–$50 billion each year [6]. Compared with nondepressed patients, health service costs for depressed patients are 50–100% greater, mainly due to higher overall medical utilization [7, 8].
Information Processing and Psychopathology

In recent years scientists have paid increasing attention to the ways in which people interpret and impart meaning to information in their environment. Findings demonstrating that the manner in which people interpret stimuli in their environment influencing their emotional well-being have converged with observations that several forms of psychopathology involve aberrations in the accurate processing of information, leading to researchers to examine the association between information processing and psychopathology. Scientists have focused particularly on clinical depression and anxiety, in large part because cognitive theorists have implicated specific patterns of information processing as playing a causal role in the development of these two disorders. In this article I describe new and innovative methodologies that have been developed to assess the role of information processing in depression and anxiety are described. New directions of research in this area are explored, focusing on samples of individuals who are at particularly high risk for the development of psychopathology, and on studies integrating cognitive and biological approaches to examine information processing and psychopathology. Finally, I discuss implications of this research for the development of new treatments for the emotional disorders.
INTERFACIAL AND CRITICAL PHENOMENA IN MICROEMULSIONS

ABSTRACT The interfacial and bulk properties of microemulsions exhibit critical behavior in certain regions of the phase diagram. To study these compositions, two techniques based on dynamic laser light scattering have been used. The first technique involves interfacial scattering to determine the interfacial tension between a saturated microemulsion and its excess phase. The second provides a measure of the correlation length in the bulk microemulsion phase. The dependence of the interfacial tension (σ) and the correlation length ( a ) on salinity can be described in terms of a simple power law of the distance from a critical salinity, |S C -S|. Based on these scaling laws the interfacial tension between a saturated microemulsion and its excess water phase is found to be inversely proportional to the square of the correlation length in the microemulsion: σ ~ a -2 . This is in accordance with scaling predictions. Furthermore, the interfacial and critical phenomena of microemulsions as described by these scaling relationships is analogous to a binary system near its critical consolute point.
Signs of Virginity: Testing Virgins and Making Men in Late Antiquity, by Michael Rosenberg, New York, Oxford University Press, 2018, xiv + 311 pp., US$99.00 (hardback), ISBN 978 0 1908 4589 6

Readers may be surprised by the first sentence of Michael Rosenberg's introduction to his book Signs of Virginity: Testing Virgins and Making Men in Late Antiquity, which contends that ‘this book i...
In situ X-ray characterization of uranium dioxide during flash sintering

Abstract The in situ response of stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric uranium dioxide during flash sintering is examined using high energy X-ray diffraction. Our results show that the onset of flash is driven by an increase in temperature and controlled by the applied field with no evidence of an accumulation of defects. The incubation time, that is the time after the application of the field before the flash occurs, is found to be material specific with hyper-stoichiometric samples requiring lower fields to flash. For low current/voltage fields we quantify very little change in the atomic and microstructure of the different uranium dioxide samples post-flash. Microstructural changes are identified for high fields and currents, where joule heating and sample temperatures are high, resulting in the complete transformation of the U4O9 phase. Our results highlight the usefulness of high energy X-ray characterization in understanding the subtle structural changes that occur during the flash sintering process.
Late-onset Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: Diagnostic evaluation and outcome

Background We describe the clinical features and outcome in patients with late-onset Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). Methods Adult patients evaluated between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2017, who presented with onset of LGS ≥10 years were identified. Data abstracted included age at seizure onset, seizure types, etiology, treatments, EEG and neuroimaging results, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings, and autoimmune evaluation. Results Ten patients (8 females) were identified. The mean age at onset of seizures consistent with LGS was 16.5 years (range, 10–32 years). Seizure types included tonic, atonic, and tonic-clonic seizures (all), myoclonic seizures (n = 3), and atypical absence seizures (n = 7). Five patients had normal intellectual function at onset. Prolonged video-EEG monitoring recorded seizures and generalized interictal epileptiform discharges in all. All patients had drug-resistant epilepsy (range of antiseizure drugs tried, 7–16). Two patients had a history of intrathecal methotrexate to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Two patients had malformations of cortical development. CSF analysis (n = 5) showed a mild elevation in the protein level without other abnormalities. Autoantibody determinations in the serum (n = 4) or the CSF (n = 5) and genetic testing (n = 5) were negative. At final follow-up, all but 1 patient was disabled and required a caregiver, and none were driving. One patient died of probable sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). Conclusions Late-onset LGS represents a rare, treatment-resistant generalized epilepsy that is disabling and may be associated with progressive cognitive impairment. The elevated CSF protein level in our cohort could have been due to high seizure burden but increases the possibility of an inflammatory component to the pathophysiology of this disorder.
Complementation and Modality: Two Complementizers in East Dangla

In East Dangla (Afroasiatic: Chadic, East Branch), there are two complementizers, Pronoun-s, whose pronominal element encodes gender, person, and number of the subject of the main verb, and kadar (lexical origin unknown), which are in complementary distribution. Some complement-taking verbs always select the same complementizer; other verbs may occur with either complementizer; still others vary between one complementizer and no complementizer at all. The functions of the two complementizers depend on the main verb whose complements they introduce and whether the subjects of the main and the complement clauses are co-referential. For example, with the verb 'see', the complementizer kadar codes INDIRECT evidence, while with the verb 'know', kadar codes DIRECT evidence. The functions of a given complementizer can be understood only through an examination of the range of main verbs with which it occurs, the possibility that it or another complementizer (or no complementizer) may occur with a given verb, and the lexical origins of the complementizer, which may in part determine its synchronic distribution.
The Elephant’s I: Looking for Abu’l Abbas

The Elephant’s I is an experimental approach to the writing of an animal biography that takes an elephant, its human companion, and the writer/researcher as three prongs in the construction of the story. The elephant Abu’l Abbas was purportedly gifted to Charlemagne by caliph Harun al-Rashid of Baghdad. Most likely an Asian elephant, scant traces indicate that he was gifted to the previous caliph by an Indian king.
Home Again: Chapman University

On the Arlington campus of George Mason University, our experimental program had a productive seven-year run. The proximity of Federal agencies and departments led to many new experimental explorations, some with policy implications. In 2007, Daniele Struppa, the dean that had hired us at GMU, reappeared to see if he could interest us in Chapman University where he was now Provost. Unexpectedly, he succeeded. What made it attractive is that Chapman did not have a PhD program. Annual graduate workshops in experimental economics, the count now up to twenty-five, connects us to graduate programs all over the world from which to recruit visitors and post-docs. Instead of trying to run a costly PhD program, Chapman supports visiting associates, professors, pre- and post-doc fellows, and we devote full time to our laboratory specialties, market design, statistics, and theory. It was a made-for-each-other match. In addition, it was another Camelot with offices immediately across the hall from three laboratory rooms with central monitoring and workstation.
Cord blood perfluoroalkyl substances in mothers exposed to the World Trade Center disaster during pregnancy

Abstract Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may have been released during the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) on 9/11. Evidence suggests PFAS can cross the placental barrier in humans and cause harm to the developing fetus; however, no studies have measured PFAS in mothers exposed to the WTC disaster during pregnancy. We measured PFAS in maternal plasma (n = 48) or cord blood (n = 231) from pregnant women in the Columbia University WTC birth cohort, enrolled between December 13, 2001 and June 26, 2002 at one of three hospitals located near the WTC site. In order to maximize sample size, we used a linear regression to transform the 48 maternal plasma samples to cord blood equivalents in our study; cord blood and transformed maternal plasma-to-cord blood samples were then analyzed together. We evaluated the association between WTC exposure and PFAS concentrations using three exposure variables: 1) living/working within two miles of WTC; 2) living within two miles of WTC regardless of work location; and 3) working but not living within two miles of WTC. Exposure was compared with those not living/working within two miles of WTC (reference group). Living/working within two miles of WTC was associated with 13% higher perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations compared with the reference group [GMR (95% CI): 1.13 (1.01, 1.27)]. The association was stronger when comparing only those who lived within two miles of WTC to the reference group [GMR (95% CI): 1.17 (1.03, 1.33)], regardless of work location. Our results provide evidence that exposure to the WTC disaster during pregnancy resulted in increases in PFAS concentrations, specifically PFOA. This work identifies a potentially vulnerable and overlooked population, children exposed to the WTC disaster in utero, and highlights the importance of future longitudinal studies in this cohort to investigate later life effects resulting from these early life exposures.
Association of Lupus Nephritis With Coronary Artery Disease by ISN/RPS Classification: Results From a Large Real-world Lupus Population.

Objective Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at an increased risk for developing coronary artery disease (CAD). Several studies suggest that the presence of lupus nephritis (LN) is independently associated with CAD. The purpose of our study was to assess whether the presence of LN is independently associated with CAD in our patient population and whether this association varies by class of LN. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was performed using medical records of patients 18 years and older with SLE at University of North Carolina Hospitals from April 4, 2014, to December 31, 2017. Subjects were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes specific for SLE. LN class was defined by International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS) classification. CAD was the outcome of interest. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results Our sample consisted of 3732 patients with SLE, of whom 598 (16%) had LN and 537 (14%) had CAD. When adjusting for demographics and factors associated with CAD and LN, the odds of having CAD were significantly higher for patients with SLE and LN compared with patients without LN (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.07-2.02; P = 0.017). Controlling for these factors, class III LN (OR 1.98; 95% CI 0.95-4.12; P = 0.069) and class III/V LN (OR 2.23; 95% CI 1.09-4.62; P = 0.028) were very strongly associated with CAD in subjects with LN compared with subjects without LN. Conclusion We confirm the observations of previous studies that LN is significantly associated with CAD. Our study is the first to show the association between CAD and specific classes of LN.
Tissue-engineered blood vessel mimics in complex geometries for intravascular device testing.

Objective Intravascular stents are commonly used to treat occluded arteries during coronary heart disease. After coronary stent implantation, endothelial cells grow over the stent, which is referred to as re-endothelialization. Re-endothelialization prevents blood from clotting on the stent surface and is a good predictor of stent success. Blood vessel mimics (BVMs) are in vitro tissue-engineered models of human blood vessels that may be used to preclinically test stents for re-endothelialization. BVMs have been developed in straight geometries. However, the United States Food and Drug Administration recommends that devices intended to treat coronary occlusions be preclinically tested in bent and bifurcated vessels due to the complex geometries of native coronary arteries. The main objectives of this study were to develop and characterize BVMs in complex geometries. Design Bioreactors were designed and constructed so that BVMs could be cultivated in bent (>45°) and bifurcated geometries. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were sodded onto complex-shaped scaffolds, and the resulting BVMs were characterized for cell deposition. For a final proof of concept, a coronary stent was deployed in a severely angulated BVM. Results The new bioreactors were easy to use and mounting scaffolds in complex geometries in the bioreactors was successful. After sodding scaffolds with cells, there were no statistically significant differences between the cell densities along the length of the BVMs, on the top and bottom halves of the BVMs, or on the inner and outer halves of the BVMs. This suggests cells deposited evenly throughout the scaffolds, resulting in consistent complex-geometry BVMs. Also, a coronary stent was successfully deployed in a severely angulated BVM. Conclusions Bioreactors can be constructed for housing complex-shaped vessels. BVMs can be developed in the complex geometries observed in native coronary arteries with endothelial cells evenly dispersed throughout BVM lumens.
Rutile dielectric loop-gap resonator for X-band EPR spectroscopy of small aqueous samples

Abstract The performance of a metallic microwave resonator that contains a dielectric depends on the separation between metallic and dielectric surfaces, which affects radio frequency currents, evanescent waves, and polarization charges. The problem has previously been discussed for an X-band TE011 cylindrical cavity resonator that contains an axial dielectric tube (Hyde and Mett, 2017). Here, a short rutile dielectric tube inserted into a loop-gap resonator (LGR) at X-band, which is called a dielectric LGR (dLGR), is considered. The theory is developed and experimental results are presented. It was found that a central sample loop surrounded by four “flux-return” loops (i.e., 5-loop–4-gap) is preferable to a 3-loop–2-gap configuration. For sufficiently small samples (less than 1 µL), a rutile dLGR is preferred relative to an LGR both at constant Λ ( B 1 / P l ) and at constant incident power. Introduction of LGR technology to X-band EPR was a significant advance for site-directed spin labeling because of small sample size and high Λ. The rutile dLGR introduced in this work offers further extension to samples that can be as small as 50 nL when using typical EPR acquisition times.
NETched in Stone

Gallstone formation in adults is a common, yet incompletely understood disease process. In this issue, Munoz et al. (2019) report a pathogenic link between neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and the formation of gallstones.
From Galen to Gross and beyond: a brief history of the enigmatic patent ductus arteriosus

Anatomists since antiquity and pathologists since at least the 17th century had identified the ductus arteriosus (DA) in cadavers and postmortem examinations, respectively. However, healthcare providers for more than a century have struggled to understand the significance of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in patients, debated whether to treat it or not and if so, when and how. Accepted answers depended upon the authoritative position of the person(s) offering recommendations, the cumulative contemporary medical knowledge, and the changing patient population characteristics. The treatment choices were most often based on one’s understanding of the balance between the risks and benefits of the chosen treatment. In the current era, with the increasing popularity of transcatheter occlusion of the PDA with relative ease even in extremely premature infants whose survival rates have improved dramatically, a basic question has reemerged—what are the benefits to treating the PDA in any preterm infant. In this brief review, I am providing a chronicle of the evolution of knowledge about the DA, the varying nature of the challenges a patent ductus posed for the caregivers, and the roots of the continued debate concerning the management of the enigmatic PDA.
In-Operando AFM Characterization of Mechanical Property Evolution of Si Anode Binders in Liquid Electrolyte

Understanding mechanochemical behaviors of binders facilitates the development of advanced binder materials to accelerate the adoption of Si-based anode materials. We demonstrated an approach to ch...
The FIREBIRD-II CubeSat mission: Focused investigations of relativistic electron burst intensity, range, and dynamics.

FIREBIRD-II is a National Science Foundation funded CubeSat mission designed to study the scale size and energy spectrum of relativistic electron microbursts. The mission consists of two identical 1.5 U CubeSats in a low earth polar orbit, each with two solid state detectors that differ only in the size of their geometric factors and fields of view. Having two spacecraft in close orbit allows the scale size of microbursts to be investigated through the intra-spacecraft separation when microbursts are observed simultaneously on each unit. Each detector returns high cadence (10 s of ms) measurements of the electron population from 200 keV to >1 MeV across six energy channels. The energy channels were selected to fill a gap in the observations of the Heavy Ion Large Telescope instrument on the Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer. FIREBIRD-II has been in orbit for 5 years and continues to return high quality data. After the first month in orbit, the spacecraft had separated beyond the expected scale size of microbursts, so the focus has shifted toward conjunctions with other magnetospheric missions. FIREBIRD-II has addressed all of its primary science objectives, and its long lifetime and focus on conjunctions has enabled additional science beyond the scope of the original mission. This paper presents a brief history of the FIREBIRD mission’s science goals, followed by a description of the instrument and spacecraft. The data products are then discussed along with some caveats necessary for proper use of the data.
New tuberculosis drug targets, their inhibitors, and potential therapeutic impact

The current tuberculosis (TB) predicament poses numerous challenges and therefore every incremental scientific work and all positive socio-political engagements, are steps taken in the right direction to eradicate TB. Progression of the late stage TB-drug pipeline into the clinics is an immediate deliverable of this global effort. At the same time, fueling basic research and pursuing early discovery work must be sustained to maintain a healthy TB-drug pipeline. This review encompasses a broad analysis of chemotherapeutic strategies that target the DNA replication, protein synthesis, cell wall biosynthesis, energy metabolism and proteolysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). It includes a status check of the current TB-drug pipeline with a focus on the associated biology, emerging targets, and their promising chemical inhibitors. Potential synergies and/or gaps within or across different chemotherapeutic strategies are systematically reviewed as well.
Dissolution of olivines from steel and copper slags in basic solution

Abstract This study explores the effect of aqueous chemical environment on the dissolution rate of the minerals γ-C2S and fayalite, identified as primary phases of ladle furnace steel slag and copper slag. γ-C2S and fayalite were exposed to solutions of NaOH and Ca(OH)2, chosen to mimic the pore solutions of alkali-activated and Portland-cement based binders. While both from the olivine mineral group, γ-C2S and fayalite displayed opposing dissolution trends with respect to pH. The rates of γ-C2S dissolution were observed to decrease with higher pH, while fayalite dissolution rates increased with pH, and both relationships were described via empirical functions of the form R = k ∙ aH+n. The contrasting dependence of dissolution rate on pH for both minerals was attributed to the formation of chemically distinct surface layers on both minerals during dissolution. These results have significance for blending of slags with high olivine contents in binders with a range of aqueous chemical environments.
Spinoza on Teleology, Value, and the Unity of Mind

Spinoza seems to think that we are purposive beings in a purposeless world. God created the world, not in order to achieve anything,1 but out of necessity.2 So the world necessarily exists, but it is not “for anything.” It is thus not “for us.” In plain terms, it has no point and no direction. It is “going nowhere.” We, however, are almost always going somewhere. Spinoza grants that we have goals, that is, that we desire things, even if these desires are merely efficient causes. Indeed, he himself sets out an ideal, in relation to which things are good or bad insofar as they promote or hinder our attainment of it. In this respect, Spinoza seems to be our contemporary, rather than a philosopher of the early modern age. He expresses a contemporary view, at least, because it is now so often thought that the world operates on principles that have no special
Relating the nano-mechanical response and qualitative chemical maps of multi-component ultra-high performance cementitious binders

Abstract Ultra-high performance (UHP) cement pastes with 30–50% of cement (by mass) replaced by multiple cement replacement materials are evaluated in this study through concise nanomechanical investigations and qualitative chemical intensity mapping. Nanomechanical clustering identifies high density (HD) C-S-H and an ultra-high stiffness (UHS) phase as the major reaction products in very low w/b UHP pastes. Chemical mapping revealed HD C-S-H and UHS phases to have similar mean Ca and Si intensities. The indentation modulus (M) - hardness (H) relationships for the C-S-H phases in the UHP pastes are similar irrespective of their starting compositions. The mean Ca/(Si + Al) intensity ratio is found to be lower for the UHS phase, and the Al incorporation is noted to be higher. The Al incorporation in the C-A-S-H gel is seen to depend more on the Ca/Si ratio of the gel rather than on the amount of Al in the starting materials. The normalized chemical intensities and ratios of Ca, Si, and Al species, along with the mechanical property description provided by nanoindentation, allows for further insights into the microstructure of complex, heterogeneous systems such as UHPC pastes.