cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Waterhammer Analysis—Essential and Easy (and Efficient)

For most piping systems the maximum and minimum operating pressures occur during transient operations. Therefore it is essential to good design and operation to perform a transient analysis for normal startup and shutdown and for unplanned events such as a pump trip associated with a power outage. This author also claims that waterhammer (transient) analysis is easy. Hydraulic engineers who have studied the traditional approach to transient analysis might dispute this claim but, in fact, carrying out an analysis using the concept of pressure wave action provides an accurate, intuitive, and simple method for transient pipe system analysis of simple or complex pipe systems. Not only is this approach simple, it is extremely efficient producing accurate solutions with far fewer calculations making this approach suitable for analyzing large pipe distribution systems.
Interlayered dielectric planarization with TEOS-CVD and SOG

Spin-on-glass (SOG) and TEOS-CVD based methods were examined in connection with the planarization of the intermediate dielectric between lower and upper aluminum connections. TEOS-based PECVD and thermal CVD processes are examined as a combination which has the ability to fully planarize the narrow ( approximately 0.1- mu m) spaces between fine first aluminum lines. The combination of TEOS CVD with SOG results in almost complete planarization, extending from the wider spaces down to submicrometer space. >
Predictors of need for mechanical ventilation at discharge after tracheostomy in the PICU

SummaryBackground The objective of this study was to determine factors predictive of need for mechanical ventilation (MV) upon discharge from the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) among patients who receive a tracheostomy during their stay. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using the Virtual PICU Systems (VPS) database. Patients <18 years old admitted between 2009-2011 who required MV for at least 3 days and received a tracheostomy during their PICU stay were included. Results A total of 680 pediatric patients from 74 PICUs were included, of whom 347 (51%) remained on MV at the time of PICU discharge. Neonates (30/38, 79%) and infants (129/203, 64%) required MV at PICU discharge after tracheostomy more often than adolescents (66/141, 47%) and children (122/298, 41%). Time on MV pre-tracheostomy was longer among those who required MV at discharge (median 18.3 vs. 13.8 days, P < 0.0001); however, number of failed extubations was similar (median 1 for both groups, P = 0.97). On mixed-effects multivariable regression analysis, the age categories of neonate (OR 2.9, 95%CI 1.1–7.6, P = 0.03), and infant (OR 1.7, 95%CI 1.1–2.8, P = 0.03), and ventilator days prior to tracheostomy (OR 1.01, 95%CI 1.0–1.02, P = 0.01) were significantly associated with increased odds of MV upon PICU discharge, while being a trauma admission was associated with decreased odds (OR 0.45, 95%CI 0.28–0.73, P = 0.001). Conclusions Younger patients and those with prolonged courses of MV prior to tracheostomy are more likely to continue to need MV upon PICU discharge. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016;51:53–59. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diagnosing attention disorders with measures of neurocognitive functioning.

The validity of the Differential Ability Scales (DAS; Elliott, 1990) in predicting attention disorders in school-aged children was examined. The participants were 40 children diagnosed with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 40 normal children between 7 and 12 years of age. Comorbidity was controlled by excluding children with ADHD who had a concurrent DSM-IV diagnosis such as reading disability, learning disability, mood disorder, or behavioral disorder. In addition, groups did not differ significantly by sex, age, racial/ethnic identification, or parental educational level. A stepwise discriminant analysis indicated the DAS correctly classified 72.5% of the total sample when either the Sequential and Quantitative Reasoning subtest or the Recall of Digits subtest was used to predict group membership. In general, the DAS core subtests were found to be good measures of cognitive ability in children classified with ADHD and did not appear to be influenced by attention problems.
SCIWORA (Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality) in Infants and Children

We review the biomechanics of the pediatric cervical spine and the clinical findings that pertain to SCIWORA (spinal cord injury without radiographic abnormality) in order to provide a more thorough understanding of this pediatric phenomenon of closed spinal trauma with significant neurologic sequelae but without bony injury. The unique hypermobility and ligamentous laxity of the pediatric bony cervical and thoracic spine predispose to a SCIWORA-type injury. In SCIWORA, the unusually elastic biomechanics of the pediatric bony spine allow deformation of the musculoskeletal structures beyond physiologic extremes, permitting direct cord trauma followed by spontaneous reduction of the bony spine. Potential mechanisms of the SCIWORA include hyperextension/ flexion, longitudinal distraction, and ischemic injury of the spinal cord.
Identification of Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte and HL-60 Cell Receptors for Adhesins of Streptococcus gordonii and Actinomyces naeslundii

Interactions of oral streptococci and actinomyces with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), mediated by sialic acid- and Gal/GalNAc-reactive adhesins, respectively, result in activation of the PMNs and thereby may contribute to the initiation of oral inflammation. Sialidase treatment of PMNs or HL-60 cells abolished adhesion of Streptococcus gordonii but was required for adhesion of Actinomyces naeslundii. The same effects of sialidase were noted for adhesion of these bacteria to a major 150-kDa surface glycoprotein of either PMNs or undifferentiated HL-60 cells and to a 130-kDa surface glycoprotein of differentiated HL-60 cells. These glycoproteins were both identified as leukosialin (CD43) by immunoprecipitation with a specific monoclonal antibody (MAb). Adhesion of streptococci and actinomyces to a 200-kDa minor PMN surface glycoprotein was also detected by bacterial overlay of untreated and sialidase-treated nitrocellulose transfers, respectively. This glycoprotein was identified as leukocyte common antigen (CD45) by immunoprecipitation with a specific MAb. CD43 and CD45 both possess extracellular mucinlike domains in addition to intracellular domains that are implicated in signal transduction. Consequently, the interactions of streptococci and actinomyces with the mucinlike domains of these mammalian cell surface glycoproteins result not only in adhesion but, in addition, may represent the initial step in PMN activation by these bacteria.
Max-plus-based mathematical formulation for cyclic permutation flow-shops

Scheduling is a decision-making process that concerns the allocation of limited resources to a set of tasks with the view of optimising one or more objectives. In this work, we are concerned with the cyclic permutation flow-shop problem where a set of parts is repeatedly produced (cyclic) and the sequence of parts on all the machines remains the same (permutation). We develop a mathematical formulation for the above problem using max-plus algebra. We show that this formulation makes it easier to compute the period of a cyclic system and can be used to evaluate solutions in a cyclic flow-shop scheduling problem.
A 24-Channel, 300 Gb/s, 8.2 pJ/bit, Full-Duplex Fiber-Coupled Optical Transceiver Module Based on a Single “Holey” CMOS IC

We report here on the design, fabrication, and high-speed performance of a compact 48-channel optical transceiver module enabled by a key novel component: a “holey” Optochip. A single CMOS transceiver chip with 24 receiver (RX) and 24 laser diode driver circuits, measuring 5.2 mm × 5.8 mm, becomes a holey Optochip with the fabrication of forty-eight through-substrate optical vias (holes): one for each transmitter (TX) and RX channel. Twenty-four channel, 850-nm VCSEL and photodiode arrays are directly flip-chip soldered to the Optochip with their active devices centered on the optical vias such that optical I/O is accessed through the substrate of the CMOS IC. The holey Optochip approach offers numerous advantages: 1) full compatibility with top emitting/detecting 850-nm VCSELs/PDs that are currently produced in high volumes; 2) close integration of the VCSEL/PD devices with their drive electronics for optimized high-speed performance; 3) a small-footprint, chip-scale package that minimizes CMOS die cost while maximizing transceiver packing density; 4) direct coupling to standard 4 × 12 multimode fiber arrays through a 2-lens optical system; and 5) straightforward scaling to larger 2-D arrays of TX and RX channels. Complete transceiver modules, or holey Optomodules, have been produced by flip-chip soldering assembled Optochips to high-density, high-speed organic carriers. A pluggable connector soldered to the bottom of the Optomodule provides all module electrical I/O. The Optomodule footprint, dictated by the 1-mm connector pitch, is 21 mm × 21 mm. Fully functional holey Optomodules with 24 TX and 24 RX channels operate up to 12.5 Gb/s/ch achieving efficiencies (including both TX and RX) of 8.2 pJ/bit. The aggregate 300-Gb/s bi-directional data rate is the highest ever reported for single-chip transceiver modules.
Transforming Acquisition Statistics Into Contrast, Without Decisions, Thresholds, Or Templates

In standard medical images (where gray scale value is linearly related to measured signal value within some window), contrast is based on the metric in signal space. However, it is possible to derive an equally natural set of images from the samz acquisition in which contrast is based on the sign’al value distribution, is independent of the signal space metric, and involves no decisions, thresholds, or filters. Nominally, these image the “information content of each voxel”, and the procedure is an alternative image processing approach when segmentation is inappropriate because of uncertainity due to noise. Such images may provide significant contrast enhancement in situations of very low contrast on standard images. The method has a number of desirable theoretical properties including the fact that standard metric imaging emerges as a special limiting case.
Vertical dimensional changes of the lips in the North American black patient after four first-pemolar extractions

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the vertical dimensional changes of the lips in the North American black patient after four first-premolar oxtrao1iena. A sample of 15 patients treated at the Orthodontic Clinic of Howard University College of Dentistry was selected. Pretreatment and postreatment lateral cephalograms were traced on acetate tracing paper: landmarks of the skeletal and soft tissues were identified, and angular and linear measurements were made. Changes in the vertical dimensions of the lips used the Frankfort horizontal as a reference plane and changes in the horizontal dimensions of the lips used the p→ygoid plane as a reference plane. Statistical significance was tested by means of two-tailed t tests and Pearson's r correlations. Findings indicated that retraction of the maxillary incisors correlated with an increase in upper lip depth, an increase interlabial vertical dimension, and an increase in the inferomentolabial angle. The increase in interlabial vertical dimension correlated with an increase in the horizontal dimension of the upper lip relative to upper incisor retraction. This increase in interlabial vertical dimension relative to upper incisor retraction differed significantly from the results of the study by Jacobs on a sample of white patients treated with four first-premolar extractions. It is necessary to investigate this difference in future aWdioe using larger sample sizes.
TokenTM: Efficient Execution of Large Transactions with Hardware Transactional Memory

Current hardware transactional memory systems seek to simplify parallel programming, but assume that large transactions are rare, so it is acceptable to penalize their performance or concurrency. However, future programmers may wish to use large transactions more often in order to integrate with higher-level programming models (e.g., database transactions) or perform selected I/O operations. To prevent the "small transactions are common" assumption from becoming self-fulfilling, this paper contributes TokenTM—an unbounded HTM that uses the abstraction of tokens to precisely track conflicts on an unbounded number of memory blocks. TokenTM implements tokens with new mechanisms, including metastate fission/fusion and fast token release. TokenTM executes small transactions fast, executes concurrent large transactions with no penalty to nonconflicting transactions, and gracefully handles paging, context switching, and System-V-style shared memory.
Intraurethral Steroids are a Safe and Effective Treatment for Stricture Disease in Patients with Biopsy Proven Lichen Sclerosus

Purpose: We investigated outcomes of the contemporary practice of administering intraurethral steroids to treat stricture disease in patients with biopsy proven lichen sclerosus.Materials and Methods: We performed an institutional review board approved review of the records of patients with biopsy proven lichen sclerosus stricture disease from October 2010 to September 2015. Study inclusion criteria were age 18 years or greater and male gender. Extracted data included patient demographics, comorbidities, location of lichen sclerosus, previous therapies and need for further interventions. Management was considered successful when there was no need for subsequent escalation of therapy. The intraurethral steroid regimen consisted of applying clobetasol cream to the affected urethra to lubricate a calibration device such as a urinary catheter or meatal dilator. The initial phase of therapy included twice daily application for 2 to 3 months, at which point the frequency was decreased by the clinician, enabling...
Brief paper: A detection-estimation scheme for state estimation in switching environments

A combined detection-estimation scheme is proposed for state estimation in linear systems with random Markovian noise statistics. The optimal MMSE estimator requires exponentially increasing memory and computations with time. The proposed approach is an attempt to circumvent this problem. Simulation results are presented which show the advantages of the proposed scheme over some of the existing suboptimal approaches.
Sixteen years of Doppler optical coherence tomography

The advances in Doppler OCT over the last sixteen years will be reviewed. The recent applications of Doppler OCT for quantifying the flow, imaging the vasculature, evaluating the vibration organ, and optical coherence elastography will be discussed.
Application of a correction factor methodology for aircraft dynamic gust analysis

A general methodology for matching theoretical steady state doublet lattice aerodynamic loads to experimental (Wind Tunnel) results(l) was developed. This correction factor methodology was used in the analysis of the dynamic response of an aircraft to vertical gusts. The dynamic gust analysis was conducted for a commercial business jet, a Hawker 1000, using MSC/NASTRAN(2). Earlier, another gust analysis code, LG01(3) was used for Hawker aircraft certification. The results of the MSC/NASTRAN gust analysis with correction factors compare favorably with the results obtained from LG01.
Abstract A07: Included in the debate: Women's perspectives on mammography after experiencing a false positive screen

Background: The utility of mammography screening as an efficacious tool for early detection is being contested due to the risk of potential harms including false positives and over-diagnosis. Yet there is little research regarding women9s experiences, values or preferences for participating in mammography programs. Our aim was to explore women9s actual experiences of a false positive mammography screen and their perceptions of the value, risks and benefits given their recent experience among a diverse group of mammography screeners. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were completed with 40 women who experienced a recent false positive mammogram at an academic hospital that provides care to low-income, medically underserved women. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A directed content analysis was used to identify and explore primary themes. Knowledge of breast cancer risk was also assessed. Findings: Unlike most cancer screening samples, women in our study were quite diverse; 45% were African American, 27% were uninsured or insured through Medicare/Medicaid and 22.5% reported incomes less than $30,000. Receiving a false positive mammography screen generated worry among 60% (n=24) of women. Yet 70% maintained that mammography screening was necessary despite the worry incurred. Women also described the experience as stimulating greater interest in additional cancer prevention activities (32.5%; n=13) and one third discussed needing more information about the risks and benefits of mammography screening. Less than one quarter of women (22.5%; n=9) correctly identified a women9s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, 20% (n=8) overestimated and 57.5% (n=23) underestimated this risk. Conclusion: Our findings represent the experiences of a diverse sample of women whose voices are typically underrepresented and often excluded from the ongoing and contentious medical dialogue regarding mammography. Women reported needing more information about the risks and benefits of mammography screening but also considered false positives an acceptable risk. It is clear that women require and are demanding, more information regarding breast cancer prevention in general and mammography screening in particular. Further, our results suggest that breast cancer screening programs may provide a unique opportunity to deliver additional breast cancer prevention interventions. Citation Format: Maria D. Thomson. Included in the debate: Women9s perspectives on mammography after experiencing a false positive screen. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Seventh AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 9-12, 2014; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2015;24(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A07.
The Development and Characterisation of a Structure-activity Relationship Model of the Draize Eye Irritation Test.

A structure-activity relationship (SAR) model based on the results of 297 chemicals tested in the Draize eye irritation assay was developed. The SAR model displayed a predictivity of 74% for chemicals not included in the model. The SAR analysis indicated that chemical reactivity was not a requirement for eye irritation. The major structural determinants included hydrophilicity, alkalinity (i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary amines), acidity (for example, the carboxylic acid moiety), and putative lipophobic 4.5-5.4A receptor-binding ligands. The analysis revealed that, while there were significant structural overlaps between the SAR models of ocular irritation, allergic contact dermatitis and respiratory hypersensitivity, there was much less overlap between ocular irritation and cell toxicity. This decreased overlap must be considered in developing strategies to replace the Draize test with in vitro cellular toxicity assays.
Stochastic model-based discrimination of unresolved space objects at the sensor level

Typical algorithms for processing unresolved space imagery from optical systems make restrictive assumptions about the expected behavior of the sensor during collection. Under these assumptions, the geometry of a particular signal usually reveals whether it corresponds to an object of interest. These techniques reduce the number of sensors able to contribute imagery to only those that are directly tasked. The techniques developed in this paper are an effort to derive a general, sensor-level discrimination metric for non-stars based on the expected motion of a star. The result is a probabilistic argument for unresolved signal classification that extends to more general sensor motion profiles than traditional methods.
The Expanding Role of the BCL6 Oncoprotein as a Cancer Therapeutic Target.

BCL6 was initially discovered as an oncogene in B-cell lymphomas, where it drives the malignant phenotype by repressing proliferation and DNA damage checkpoints and blocking B-cell terminal differentiation. BCL6 mediates its effects by binding to hundreds of target genes and then repressing these genes by recruiting several different chromatin-modifying corepressor complexes. Structural characterization of BCL6–corepressor complexes suggested that BCL6 might be a druggable target. Accordingly, a number of compounds have been designed to bind to BCL6 and block corepressor recruitment. These compounds, based on peptide or small-molecule scaffolds, can potently block BCL6 repression of target genes and kill lymphoma cells. In the case of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), BCL6 inhibitors are equally effective in suppressing both the germinal center B-cell (GCB)- and the more aggressive activated B-cell (ABC)-DLBCL subtypes, both of which require BCL6 to maintain their survival. In addition, BCL6 is implicated in an expanding scope of hematologic and solid tumors. These include, but are not limited to, B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, breast cancer, and non–small cell lung cancer. BCL6 inhibitors have been shown to exert potent effects against these tumor types. Moreover, mechanism-based combinations of BCL6 inhibitors with other agents have yielded synergistic and often quite dramatic activity. Hence, there is a compelling case to accelerate the development of BCL6-targeted therapies for translation to the clinical setting. Clin Cancer Res; 23(4); 885–93. ©2016 AACR.
Seeing the invisible plasma with transient phonons in cuprous oxide.

The emission of phonons from electron–hole plasma is the primary limit on the efficiency of photovoltaic devices operating above the bandgap. In cuprous oxide (Cu2O) there is no luminescence from electron–hole plasma. Therefore, we searched for optical phonons emitted by energetic charge carriers using phonon-to-exciton upconversion transitions. We found 14 meV phonons with a lifetime of 0.916 ± 0.008 ps and 79 meV phonons that are longer lived and overrepresented. It is surprising that the higher energy phonon has a longer lifetime.
Radical Yoruba Female Sexuality

Ritual and symbolic representations of women in many cultures are metaphorically grounded in feminine reproductive processes, processes that have been universally designated as both mystical and carnal. In her mystical aspect, woman is represented as an active medium or vehicle of creative energy who transforms that energy into life-forms; in her carnal aspect she is represented as being capable of transforming life-forms into malevolent energy directed toward the destruction, rather than creation, of the universe. This latter image is focused particularly in beliefs surrounding the witch, about whom—whether in medieval Britain and Europe, contemporary Africa, or Freudian psychology—it is thought that the witch threatens, exhausts, or steals the genitals or semen, or partakes of living flesh and blood, in order to increase her malevolent power. The image of witch depicted in many male-dominated societies is a blatant condemnation of female sexuality. Such condemnation is related to the threat to male-dominated society posed by the independence and authority of women.
Confidence Moderates the Role of Control Beliefs in the Context of Age-Related Changes in Misinformation Susceptibility

Background/Study Context: The present experiment investigated the role of confidence and control beliefs in susceptibility to the misinformation effect in young and older adults. Control beliefs are perceptions about one’s abilities or competence and the extent to which one can influence performance outcomes. It was predicted that level of control beliefs would influence misinformation susceptibility and overall memory confidence.Methods: Fifty university students (ages 18–26) and 37 community-dwelling older adults (ages 62–86) were tested. Participants viewed a video, answered questions containing misinformation, and then completed a source-recognition test to determine whether the information presented was seen in the video, the questionnaire only, both, or neither. For each response, participants indicated their level of confidence.Results: The relationship between control beliefs and memory performance was moderated by confidence. That is, individuals with lower control beliefs made more errors as con...
Housing design and persons with visual impairment: Report of focus-group discussions

This article describes the impact of positive and negative housing-design features on the everyday functioning of persons who are blind and visually impaired in their homes based on information obt...
Sport-related concussions in adolescent athletes: a critical public health problem for which prevention remains an elusive goal

Sport-related concussions in young athletes are common, generally under reported and often unrecognized. Preventive strategies include education, modification of sport rules, use of equipment such as headgears, face masks and mouth guards, and neck muscle training. Evidence is limited to support effectiveness of these preventive measures with the exception of rule modification in some sports. In the United States, laws have been enacted that require medical evaluation and clearance prior to return to play; however, evidence thus far does not show that laws have been effective in reducing the incidence of concussions in sport. More research is needed in all areas of preventive measures. Sports participation is a complex personal decision on the part of the adolescent and his or her family. They should be provided with all information on inherent risks so that they can make an informed decision.
Reason and Rhetorical Questions: Walter Feinberg

Reason and Rhetorical Questions: The interview with Walter Feinberg was fast paced and intense. He did not hesitate to identify what he views as Dewey’s virtues, shortfalls, and shortcomings.
The DARPA grand challenge - autonomous ground vehicles in the desert

Abstract The DARPA Grand Challenge 2004, the first large-scale competition of autonomous ground vehicles, was organized by DARPA in March 2004 to demonstrate the capabilities of various concepts of autonomous driving under competitive and harsh, non-cooperating environmental conditions. This “realistic” environment was found in the Mojave Desert, and the route was set from Barstow to Primm (near Las Vegas), through dirt roads and partiallyoff-road. Fifteen vehicles were admitted to this event after passing a qualification round, set up at the California Speedway in Fontana. The actual competition course was 150 miles long, but none of the vehicles finished driving the complete course – the most successful vehicle just drove 7.4 miles. However, despite this outcome, the event still is considered a success by demonstrating autonomous driving technology and showcasing a wide varietyof approaches.
Spin 1/2

The model of a pure spin 1/2, detached from all other degrees of freedom of a particle, is one of the simplest in quantum mechanics. Yet, it defies our intuition and resists developing that pleasant sensation of being able to relate a new concept to something that we think we already know (or at least are used to thinking about). We call this feeling “intuitive understanding,” and it does play an important albeit mysterious role in our ability to use new concepts. The reason for this difficulty, of course, lies in the fact that spin is a purely quantum phenomenon with no reasonable way to model it on something that we know from classical physics. While the only known to me bulletproof remedy for this predicament is practice, I will try to somehow ease your pain by taking the time to develop the concept of spin and by providing empirical and theoretical arguments for its inevitability.
Specific Domains of Fibronectin Mediate Adhesion and Migration of Early Murine Erythroid Progenitors

The binding of late stage erythroid cells to fibronectin (FN) has been well characterized and is believed to be critical for the terminal stages of erythroid differentiation, but the adhesive properties of more primitive murine erythroid progenitors and the role of these interactions during earlier stages of erythropoiesis has not been determined. Using chymotryptic fragments and inhibitory probes, we have tested the ability of each of the major cell binding domains of FN; the RGDS sequence, the CS-1 sequence, and the carboxy-terminal heparin-binding domain (HBD), to promote adhesion of primitive burst-forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E), mature BFU-E, and colony-forming unit-erythroid (CFU-E). We found that only 10% to 15% of BFU-E bound to FN or to the RGDS sequence in contrast to 75% to 85% of CFU-E. Approximately 50% to 70% of BFU-E and 60% to 80% of CFU-E bound to the carboxy-terminal HBD and to the CS-1 sequence. The binding of BFU-E and CFU-E to the RGDS and CS-1 sites was blocked by beta1 integrin antibodies. These results suggest that binding to FN determinants is developmentally regulated during early erythroid differentiation. Erythroid progenitor migration within the bone marrow is thought to be important for the eventual release of reticulocytes into the circulation. A correlation between FN binding and the migratory capacity of erythroid cells has been suggested, although the ability of FN to promote migration of erythroid progenitors has not been directly measured. We measured migration of CFU-E on fragments of FN containing each cell binding region. CS-1-containing fragments, in addition to promoting adhesion of both BFU-E and CFU-E, supported the highest levels of CFU-E migration (11-fold above background). Migration was sixfold above background on intact FN and only threefold above background on RGDS-containing fragments. Fragments containing HBD alone, although they promoted adhesion of CFU-E, failed to support significant levels of migration. These results show that specific domains of FN possess distinct adhesion- and migration-promoting properties for murine erythroid progenitors. Regulation of the adhesive properties during erythroid differentiation may alter the ability of progenitors to migrate in the bone marrow and thus play an important role in normal murine erythroid differentiation.
Infection and labor. VI. Prevalence, microbiology, and clinical significance of intraamniotic infection in twin gestations with preterm labor.

The purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence, microbiology, arid outcome of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity in twin gestation presenting with preterm labor and intact membranes. Amniocenteses were performed on both sacs of 46 women with twin gestations, preterm labor, and intact membranes. Indigo carmine was injected to ensure sampling of both amniotic sacs. Amniotic fluid was cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum. A positive amniotic fluid culture of at least one sac was noted in 10.8% (5/46) of patients admitted in preterm labor and in 11.9% (5/42) of women delivered of preterm neonates. Of the five patients with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, three had microorganisms isolated from both sacs. The presenting sac was involved in all cases, supporting an ascending route for microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity in twin gestation. Polymicrobial infection was found in three of the eight amniotic sacs with positive cultures. In two cases different organisms were isolated from each sac. All patients with positive amniotic fluid cultures were delivered of preterm infants within 48 hours of amniocentesis. Patients with positive amniotic fluid cultures presented with preterm labor at an earlier gestational age and with more advanced cervical dilatation than did women with negative amniotic fluid cultures. Clinical evidence of chorioamnionitis subsequently developed in two of five women with positive amniotic fluid cultures. The interval between amniocentesis and delivery was shorter in women with positive amniotic fluid cultures than in women with negative amniotic fluid cultures (median: 3.5 vs 168 hours, p < 0.0001). Infants born to women with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity had a lower median birth weight and a higher incidence of respiratory distress syndrome than those born to women with negative amniotic fluid cultures (birth weight: 1085 vs 1975 gm, p = 0.024; respiratory distress syndrome: 37.5% vs 8.3%, p = 0.04).
Double-chambered right ventricle and bicuspid pulmonic valve: a thrilling discovery.

![Figure][1] [![Graphic][3] ][3][![Graphic][4] ][4][![Graphic][5] ][5] A 36-year-old woman presented with palpitations. Examination revealed a precordial thrill and grade 4/6 systolic ejection murmur. Echocardiography showed severe subinfundibular right ventricular outflow
Are Short Umbilical Cords Seen in Pathology Really Short

AbstractPurpose: Short umbilical cords are associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Clinicians may rely on measurements made by pathologists, which do not include portions of the cord remaining n the child or sent for blood gasses.Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of term placentas. Sequential cases from January through August 2017 were reviewed from the Pathology archive.Results: 198 placentas were recorded as either third trimester of mature, of which 146 were 37 or greater weeks of gestation. Of these 146, 142 had cords measuring less than 35 cm, the definition of short. Mean cord length was 19.6 cm. Of the 146 placentas, 50(34%) had had blood gases submitted.Conclusions: 34% of short cords by Pathology measurement had had blood gases sent. The fact that 142 out of 146 sequential placentas were recorded as “short” suggests an additional unmeasured loss of length due to cord attached to the infant. Pathology laboratory measurements should not be interpreted as truly short without clinica...
Cardioprotection in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy: A network meta-analysis.

e12008Background: Introduction of anthracycline or trastuzumab based regimen for various types of cancer during the past two decades led to substantial improvement in life expectancy, yet resulting...
Developmental bias, macroevolution, and the fossil record

A fuller understanding of the role of developmental bias in shaping large-scale evolutionary patterns requires integrating bias (the probability distribution of variation accessible to an ancestral phenotype) with clade dynamics (the differential survival and production of species and evolutionary lineages). This synthesis could proceed as a two-way exchange between the developmental data available to neontologists and the strictly phenotypic but richly historical and dynamic data available to paleontologists. Analyses starting in extant populations could aim to predict macroevolution in the fossil record from observed developmental bias, while analyses starting in the fossil record, particularly the record of extant species and lineages, could aim to predict developmental bias from macroevolutionary patterns, including the broad range of extinct phenotypes. Analyses in multivariate morphospaces are especially effective when coupled with phylogeny, theoretical and developmental models, and diversity-disparity plots. This research program will also require assessing the "heritability" of an ancestral bias across phylogeny, and the tendency for bias change in strength and orientation over evolutionary time. Such analyses will help find a set of general rules for the macroevolutionary effects of developmental bias, including its impact on and interactions with the other intrinsic and extrinsic factors governing the movement, expansion, and contraction of clades in morphospace.
The 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1F stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and angiogenesis in endothelial cells

Abstract A hallmark of acute kidney injury (AKI) is vascular rarefication and mitochondrial dysfunction. Promoting vascular recovery following AKI could facilitate kidney repair as the vasculature is responsible for oxygen and nutrient delivery to extravascular tissues. Little is known about mitochondrial biogenesis (MB) in endothelial cells, and the role of 5-HT1F receptor signaling in MB has only been studied in epithelial cells. Our laboratory has shown that stimulating MB through the 5-HT1F receptor promotes recovery from AKI and that 5-HT1F receptor knockout mice have decreased MB and poor renal recovery. We hypothesized that the 5-HT1F receptor plays a role in vascular homeostasis and mediates MB in renal endothelial cells. 5-HT1F receptor knockout mice had decreased renal vascular content, as evidenced by decreased CD31+ endothelial cells and αSMA+ vessels. Human glomerular endothelial cells (HEC) and mouse glomerular endothelial cells (MEC) expressed the 5-HT1F receptor. Treatment of HEC and MEC with 5-HT1F receptor agonists LY344864 or lasmiditan (0–500 nM) induced MB as evidenced by maximal mitochondrial respiration, a marker of MB. HEC and MEC treated with lasmiditan or LY344864 also had increased nuclear- and mitochondrial-encoded proteins (PGC1α, COX-1, and VDAC), and mitochondrial number, confirming MB. Treatment of HEC with LY344864 or lasmiditan enhanced endothelial branching morphogenesis and migration, indicating a role for 5-HT1F receptor stimulation in angiogenic pathways. We propose that stimulation of 5-HT1F receptor is involved in MB in endothelial cells and that treatment with 5-HT1F receptor agonists could restore stimulate repair and recovery following kidney injury.
Acceleration of decomposition of CL-20 explosive under nanoconfinement

The thermal properties of CL-20 explosive in the bulk and confined in controlled pore glass matrices to nanoscale dimensions were studied using dynamic differential scanning calorimetry. The decomposition reaction of the CL-20 was found to be accelerated in 12-nm-diameter pores compared to the bulk CL-20 with the onset of the decomposition occurring 16–24 °C lower and a fourfold to sevenfold larger reaction rate constant. The total heat of decomposition was found to be independent of pore size and heating rate, and the average activation energy for all samples was found to be 160 ± 7 kJ mol−1.
Contact mechanics of rough surfaces in tribology: multiple asperity contact

Contact modeling of two rough surfaces under normal approach and with relative motion is carried out to predict real area of contact and surface and subsurface stresses affecting friction and wear of an interface. When two macroscopically flat bodies with microroughness come in contact, the contact occurs at multiple asperities of arbitrary shapes, and varying sizes and heights. Deformation at the asperity contacts can be either elastic and/or elastic-plastic. If a thin liquid film is present at the interface, attractive meniscus forces may affect friction and wear. Historically, statistical models have been used to predict contact parameters, and these generally require many assumptions about asperity geometry and height distributions. With the advent of computer technology, numerical contact models of 3-D rough surfaces have been developed, particularly in the past decade, which can simulate digitized rough surfaces with no assumptions concerning the roughness distribution. In this article, a comprehensive review of modeling of multiple-asperity contacts in dry and wet conditions is presented. Contact models for homogeneous and layered, elastic and elastic-plastic solids with and without tangential loading are presented. The models reviewed in this paper fall into two groups: (a) analytical solutions for surfaces with well-defined height distributions and asperity geometry and (b) numerical solutions for real surfaces with asperities of arbitrary shape and varying size and height distributions. Implications of these models in friction and wear studies are discussed.
Mapping tall shrub biomass in Alaska at landscape scale using structure-from-motion photogrammetry and lidar

Abstract Warming in arctic and boreal regions is increasing shrub cover and biomass. In southcentral Alaska, willow (Salix spp.) and alder (Alnus spp.) shrubs grow taller than many tree species and account for a substantial proportion of aboveground biomass, yet they are not individually measured as part of the operational Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program. The goal of this research was to test methods for landscape-scale mapping of tall shrub biomass in upper montane and subalpine environments using FIA-type plot measurements (n = 51) and predictor variables from imagery-based structure-from-motion (SfM) and airborne lidar. Specifically, we compared biomass models constructed from imagery acquired by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV; ~1.7 cm pixels), imagery from the NASA Goddard's Lidar, Hyperspectral, and Thermal Airborne Imager (G-LiHT; ~3.1 cm pixels), and concomitant G-LiHT small-footprint lidar. Tall shrub biomass was most accurately predicted at 5 m resolution (R2 = 0.81, RMSE = 1.09 kg m−2) using G-LiHT SfM color and structure variables. Lidar-only models had lower precision (R2 = 0.74, RMSE = 1.26 kg m−2), possibly due to reduced model information content from variable multicollinearity or lower data density. Separate models for upper montane zones with trees and shrubs and subalpine zones with only shrubs were always chosen over single models based on minimization of Akaike's Information Criterion, indicating the need for variable sets robust to overhanging tree canopy. Decreasing point density from UAV (5000–8000 pts. m−2) to the G-LiHT SfM point cloud (500–2000 pts. m−2) had little impact on model fit, suggesting that high-resolution airborne imagery can extend SfM approaches well beyond line-of-sight restrictions for UAV platforms. Overall, our results confirmed that SfM from high-resolution imagery is a viable approach to estimate shrub biomass in the boreal region, especially when an existing lidar terrain model and local field calibration data are available to quantify uncertainty in the SfM point cloud and landscape-scale estimates of shrub biomass.
Exploring the Proteolysis Mechanism of the Proteasomes

The proteasome is a key protease in the eukaryotic cells which is responsible for various important cellular processes such as the control of the cell cycle, immune responses, protein homeostasis, inflammation, apoptosis, and the response to proteotoxic stress. Acting as a major molecular machine for protein degradation, proteasome first identifies damaged or obsolete regulatory proteins by attaching ubiquitin chains and subsequently utilizes conserved pore loops of the heterohexameric ring of AAA+ (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities) to pull and mechanically unfold and translocate the misfolded protein to the active site for proteolysis. A detailed knowledge of the reaction mechanism for this proteasomal proteolysis is of central importance, both for fundamental understanding and for drug discovery. The present study investigates the mechanism of the proteolysis by the proteasome with full consideration of the protein's flexibility and its impact on the reaction free energy. Major attention is paid to the role of the protein electrostatics in determining the activation barriers. The reaction mechanism is studied by considering a small artificial fluorogenic peptide substrate (Suc-LLVY-AMC) and evaluating the activation barriers and reaction free energies for the acylation and deacylation steps, by using the empirical valence bond method. Our results shed light on the proteolysis mechanism and thus should be important for further studies of the proteasome action.
Reality Check on Antiphospholipid Antibodies in COVID-19-Associated Coagulopathy.

Thromboses are severe complications of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory system coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The mechanism of COVID-19-associated thrombophilia is unknown; increasing global reports of antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-positivity in COVID-19 suggest that the virus may induce antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), a separate autoimmune thrombotic illness1. Because laboratory criteria used to diagnose APS are neither strongly specific nor sensitive, and because clinical circumstances including anticoagulation alter the laboratory results, international committees have published strict guidelines for aPL testing2,3. The hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 induces APS requires demonstration that COVID-19 patients fulfill both the clinical and the laboratory criteria for APS4. We reviewed recent publications (Supplementary Material for Methods) in order to assess the likelihood that aPL contribute to thromboses in COVID-19 patients.
Computing the Tantalum–Nitrogen Phase Diagram at High Pressure and High Temperature

We investigate the pressure-temperature phase diagram of the tantalum–nitrogen system through a combination of density functional theory computations and thermodynamic calculations. Accounting for ...
Pediatric Panoramic Radiography: Techniques, Artifacts, and Interpretation

Understanding the technical aspects of obtaining a panoramic radiograph, the relevant anatomy depicted on radiographs in pediatric and adult patients, and the varying disease states visible on thes...
Characterization and Comparison of the Utilization of Facebook Groups Between Public Medical Professionals and Technical Communities to Facilitate Idea Sharing and Crowdsourcing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Observational Study.

Background: Strict social distancing measures owing to the COVID-19 pandemic have led people to rely more heavily on social media, such as Facebook groups, as a means of communication and information sharing. Multiple Facebook groups have been formed by medical professionals, laypeople, and engineering or technical groups to discuss current issues and possible solutions to the current medical crisis. Objective: This study aimed to characterize Facebook groups formed by laypersons, medical professionals, and technical professionals, with specific focus on information dissemination and requests for crowdsourcing. Methods: Facebook was queried for user-created groups with the keywords “COVID,” “Coronavirus,” and “SARS-CoV-2” at a single time point on March 31, 2020. The characteristics of each group were recorded, including language, privacy settings, security requirements to attain membership, and membership type. For each membership type, the group with the greatest number of members was selected, and in each of these groups, the top 100 posts were identified using Facebook’s algorithm. Each post was categorized and characterized (evidence-based, crowd-sourced, and whether the poster self-identified). STATA (version 13 SE, Stata Corp) was used for statistical analysis. Results: Our search yielded 257 COVID-19–related Facebook groups. Majority of the groups (n=229, 89%) were for laypersons, 26 (10%) were for medical professionals, and only 2 (1%) were for technical professionals. The number of members was significantly greater in medical groups (21,215, SD 35,040) than in layperson groups (7623, SD 19,480) (PPP.001) than layperson groups. Medical groups had the highest user engagement, averaging 502 (SD 633) reactions (PPPP=.003), resource sharing (P=.02) and professional opinions (PP=.003). Layperson groups were more likely to share news (PPPP=.10). Conclusions: Medical professionals utilize Facebook groups as a forum to facilitate collective intelligence (CI) and are more likely to use Facebook groups for education and information sharing, including academic posts, idea sharing, resource sharing, and professional opinions, which highlights the power of social media to facilitate CI across geographic distances. Layperson groups were more likely to share news, humor, and motivation, which suggests the utilization of Facebook groups to provide comedic relief as a coping mechanism. Further investigations are necessary to study Facebook groups’ roles in facilitating CI, crowdsourcing, education, and community-building.