cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of Autopsy Markers of Brain Vascular Disease and of Alzheimer's Disease with Cortical Atrophy: Results from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (P04.221)

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that brain vascular disease contributes to cortical atrophy by mechanisms that are independent of Alzheimer9s disease or infarcts. BACKGROUND: Cortical atrophy and brain vascular disease are both associated with dementia, particularly in the oldest-old, but only one previous pathological study has examined the association of brain vascular disease with cortical atrophy. DESIGN/METHODS: We studied pathological material from the Rush Memory and Aging Project (N = 363). Cortical and hippocampal atrophy, and brain vascular atherosclerosis (large vessel disease [LVD] and lipohyalinosis (small vessel disease [SVD]) were rated by 2 neuropathologists who were unaware of this study9s hypothesis. Quantitative measures of Alzheimer9s disease (AD), neuritic and amyloid burden, were also obtained. Micro and macroscopic infarcts were noted. The relationship between predictors and atrophy was assessed with linear regression models. RESULTS: In models that included LVD and SVD, amyloid load and neuritic load, age at death, and micro and macroscopic infarcts, LVD was the only marker significantly associated with cortical atrophy (standardized β = 0.16, CI: 0.05-0.33, p = .009). In contrast, neuritic pathology (β = 0.19, CI: 0.07 to 0.49, p = 0.008) was the only significant predictor of hippocampal atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Cortical atrophy was significantly associated with LVD, but not with amyloid or neuritic pathology. Hippocampal atrophy was associated with neuritic, but not vascular, pathology. These findings suggest that a process other than Alzheimer9s disease may be leading to cortical atrophy. As cortical atrophy is strongly associated with cognitive impairment, future studies should test the hypothesis that diagnosis and treatment of large vessel disease may be associated with less cognitive impairment in the elderly. Supported by: Grants R01AG17917, R01AG34374, and R01AG33678 from the National Institute on Aging. Disclosure: Dr. Crystal has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for eMedicine. Dr. Schneider has received personal compensation for activities with AVID Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. and GE Healthcare. Dr. Rojas-Soto has nothing to disclose. Dr. Leurgans has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bennett has received personal compensation for activities with Danone, Inc., GmbH & Co., KG Pharmaceuticals, and Eli Lilly & Company. Dr. Bennett has received research support from Danone, Inc. Dr. Levine has received personal compensation in an editorical capacity for MEDLINK.
Systemic therapy use in stage IV pancreatic cancer: A population-based analysis using National Cancer Data Base (NCDB).

e15190 Background: Pancreatic cancer accounts for ~7% of all cancer deaths. More than half of all pancreatic cancers are stage IV at diagnosis, where, systemic chemotherapy is used with the goal of...
Laser-based dual-space microscopy

Abstract We show using two-dimensional simulations that the dual-space microscopy (DSM) phase-recovery algorithm converges to the correct result for arbitrary samples. We present experimental results obtained by implementing the DSM technique using a laser. We demonstrate that DSM produces synthetic images with a large field of view when a laser is used as the illumination source. However, speckles affect the quality of the obtained images.
Continuation power flow analysis for PV integration studies at distribution feeders

This paper presents a method for conducting continuation power flow simulation on high-solar penetration distribution feeders. A load disaggregation method is developed to disaggregate the daily feeder load profiles collected in substations down to each load node, where the electricity consumption of residential houses and commercial buildings are modeled using actual data collected from single family houses and commercial buildings. This allows the modeling of power flow and voltage profile along a distribution feeder on a continuing fashion for a 24-hour period at minute-by-minute resolution. By separating the feeder into load zones based on the distance between the load node and the feeder head, we studied the impact of PV penetration on distribution grid operation in different seasons and under different weather conditions for different PV placements.
FEVER AND BACTERIURIA IN REFRACTORY KAWASAKI DISEASE WITH CORONARY ANEURYSM: RECURRENCE OR URINARY TRACT INFECTION?

Patients with incomplete Kawasaki disease (KD), particularly those < 6 months of age and those lacking classic features, experience significant delays in diagnosis. Present guidelines fail to discuss diagnostic considerations of recurrence in patients with history of KD. Although KD often presents
Advanced VCSEL Technology: Self-Heating and Intrinsic Modulation Response

Experimental data and modeling results are presented for a new type of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) that solves numerous problems with oxide VCSELs. In addition, the new oxide-free VCSEL can be scaled to small size. Modeling shows that this small size can dramatically increase the speed of the laser through control of self-heating. Modeling compared with both the oxide and the new oxide-free VCSEL predict intrinsic modulation speed for room temperature approaching 80 GHz, indicating the potential for > 100-Gb/s data speed from directly modulated VCSELs. The modeling is one of if not the first to include self-heating and spectral detuning between the gain and the cavity resonance that results from self-heating. The modeling results accurately accounts for the saturation in modulation speed in very high-speed oxide VCSELs operating at high temperature and accounts for the temperature of differential gain and photon density in limiting speed. Saturation of the photon density is found to limit the ultimate intrinsic speed. Differential gain decreases with increasing temperature but with sufficiently weak temperature dependence that it is not found to limit the VCSEL speed.
Goddess Worship (Old and New): Cultural Concerns

This article describes the contemporary phenomenon of Goddess worship as a choice by women and men who believe that worshipping God in a female form will empower them spiritually, socially, or politically. Goddess votaries—whether spiritual feminists, neopagans, New Agers, or ecofeminists—view the Goddess in a variety of ways: she represents female sexuality; symbolizes the feminine, dark side of life; manifests as nature; and takes form as a living, personal presence (the Greek Aphrodite or the Hindu Kālī, for instance). Goddess worship is also perceived by its participants as an alternative to the patriarchal symbols, alienating dualisms, and oppressive hierarchies of Jewish and Christian religiosity. Currently Western Goddess spirituality is associated with two controversial claims: first, that prior to the rise of ‘patriarchy’ five thousand years ago people lived and flourished in Goddess-worshipping, women-centered, and ecologically sensitive societies; and second, that Goddess veneration, whether in prehistoric or contemporary contexts, is ‘good’ for women. This article briefly addresses both such issues, and investigates whether Goddesses can be said to serve feminist interests. To nuance the picture, non-Western experiences of contemporary Goddess appropriation—particularly Indian—are brought in as test cases for claims made about Goddess worship in the West.
Effects of Bethanechol Chloride on the External Urethral Sphincter in Spinal Cord Injury Patients

AbstractThe neuropharmacodynamics of bethanechol chloride on the external urethral sphincter in male spinal cord injury patients with chronic lesions have been investigated. There were 90 cystosphinc-terometric and sphincteroperineal electromyographic studies conducted on 45 subjects in 4 different positions, showing varying urodynamic patterns. A gross postural cystosphincteric discordant reflex was noted in the majority of patients with recent complete upper motor neuron bladders (less than 2 years in duration). The external sphincter tends to be coordinated in late cases of quadriplegics and in all paraplegics. With the administration of bethanechol chloride there was an increase in the striated sphincter pressure profile when the patient was in the sitting position, resulting in detrusor sphincter dyssynergia. This phenomenon seems to be dose-related. When the dose of bethanechol chloride is adjusted according to the types of vesicourethral dysfunctions or in combination with dantrolene sodium the mos...
Carotid revascularization and medical management for asymptomatic carotid stenosis - Hemodynamics (CREST-H): Study design and rationale.

RationaleFor patients with asymptomatic high-grade carotid stenosis, clinical investigations have focused on preventing cerebral infarction, yet stenosis that reduces cerebral blood flow may indepe...
When the diagnosis is difficult to digest: severe vitamin B 12 deficiency secondary to pernicious anemia mimicking life-threatening thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an uncommon yet life-threatening condition, usually marked by a classic pentad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA), thrombocytopenia, acute kidney injury (AKI), neurological disturbances, and fevers. Prompt recognition and treatment is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. The rarity and variability of presentations, however, makes this a difficult diagnosis to make reliably, and in many cases, treatment is initiated empirically before the appropriate diagnostic testing is completed. After TTP and other common causes of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) have been excluded, evaluation for causes of “pseudo”-thrombotic microangiopathy (“pseudo”-TMA) should be pursued. Herein, we present a case of a young man with a history of previously treated hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection presenting with a syndrome concerning for TTP: MAHA, thrombocytopenia, and dizziness with gait ataxia. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and autoimmune hemolysis were quickly ruled out, and plasma exchange was emergently initiated. Further workup identified an undetectably low vitamin B12 level with profound elevations in both homocysteine and methylmalonic acid (MMA) levels. Folate and vitamin B12 were replenished, with a rapid resolution of hemolysis and improvement in both the platelet count and hemoglobin that allowed for plasma exchange to be permanently discontinued. Further workup identified positivity of both intrinsic factor and parietal cell autoantibodies, suggesting a diagnosis of pernicious anemia. He was determined to have “pseudo”-TMA secondary to critical vitamin B12 deficiency. The patient was safely discharged home with scheduled subcutaneous vitamin B12 injections along with outpatient follow-up with both Hematology and Gastroenterology.
Abstract WP278: Markers of Coagulation and Hemostatic Activation in Embolic Stroke of Undetermined Source (ESUS) Patients With Patent Foramen Ovale

Introduction: Recent randomized trials have shown that patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure combined with antiplatelet therapy in cryptogenic stroke patients ≤ 60 years of age is associated with a re...
OUTCOMES OF ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN PATIENTS WITH INFLUENZA & OTHER VIRAL RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS

Acute influenza infection can trigger acute myocardial infarction (AMI), however, outcome of patients with AMI during influenza infection is largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of patients who were admitted with AMI during acute respiratory viral illness, including both
Development of Traffic-Based Congestion Pricing and Its Application to Automated Vehicles:

Improved traffic management techniques are needed to reduce congestion on road networks, especially as “driving” is made easier, through self-driving vehicles. In this paper, reactive congestion pr...
Values, Psychology of

Values are internalized cognitive structures that guide choices by evoking a sense of basic principles of right and wrong, a sense of priorities, and a willingness to make meaning and see patterns. Like other cognitive constructs, values can be studied at the individual level or at the group level. That is societies, cultures, and other social groups have value-based norms, priorities, and guidelines, which describe what people ought to do if they are to do the ‘right,’ ‘moral,’ ‘valued’ thing. The study of values currently focuses more explicitly on the circumstances in which values predict action.
NDN-SCI for managing large scale genomics data

Genomics datasets are currently managed by iRODS, the Integrated Rule-Oriented Data System, which is an open source data management software. iRODS provides several services, including indexing, publishing, integrity, storage, and provenance. In this work, we investigate how NDN can seamlessly integrate into iRODS to provide simplified and improved functionality such as name-based data discovery, replication, retrieval, and computation at the edge. We show how to integrate these NDN based mechanisms as well as caching into iRODs. Once completely functional, we aim to study NDN's benefits in a live, production system with real users.
Transcriptional Regulation and Mechanism of SigN (ZpdN), a pBS32 encoded Sigma Factor

ABSTRACT Laboratory strains of Bacillus subtilis encodes as many as 16 alternative sigma factors, each dedicated to expressing a unique regulon such as those involved in stress resistance, sporulation, and motility. The ancestral strain of B. subtilis also encodes an additional sigma factor homolog, ZpdN, not found in lab strains due to it being encoded on the large, low copy number plasmid pBS32 that was lost during domestication. DNA damage triggers pBS32 hyper-replication and cell death in a manner that depends on ZpdN but how ZpdN mediates these effects was unknown. Here we show that ZpdN is a bona fide sigma factor that can direct RNA polymerase to transcribe ZpdN-dependent genes and we rename ZpdN to SigN accordingly. Rend-seq analysis was used to determine the SigN regulon on pBS32, and the 5’ ends of transcripts were used to predict the SigN consensus sequence. Finally, we characterize the regulation of SigN itself, and show that it is transcribed by at least three promoters: PsigN1, a strong SigA-dependent LexA-repressed promoter, PsigN2, a weak SigA-dependent constitutive promoter, and PsigN3, a SigN-dependent promoter. Thus, in response to DNA damage LexA is derepressed, SigN is expressed and then experiences positive feedback. How cells die in a pBS32-dependent manner remains unknown, but we predict that death is the product of expressing one or more genes in the SigN regulon. IMPORTANCE Sigma factors are utilized by bacteria to control and regulate gene expression. Extra cytoplasmic function sigma factors are activated during times of stress to ensure the survival of the bacterium. Here, we report the presence of a sigma factor that is encoded on a plasmid that leads to cellular death after DNA damage.
VERRUCIFORM XANTHOMA: CASE SERIES OF AN UNUSUAL, COMMONLY MISDIAGNOSED LESION

Introduction Verruciform Xanthoma (VX) is a benign condition occurring primarily in the oral cavity with some lesions also found on the genital mucosa or skin. VX occurs primarily in the fifth decade of life and shows a slight male predilection. This lesion generally presents as a papillary or rough-surfaced, painless, well-demarcated lesion, ranging from white, yellow-white, to orange in color. The etiology of VX is still largely unknown and definitive diagnosis is made based on histology. This lesion is thought to correlate with localized trauma or chronic inflammatory conditions such as lichen planus, lupus, epithelial dysplasia, pemphigus vulgaris, and mucous membrane pemphigoid. We report a series of three cases from our institution in which we examine the demographics associated with verruciform xanthoma as well as its connection to known inflammatory conditions. Patient Cases Our case series includes two males and one female patient ranging in age from 45-76 years old. The lesions were found in 3 different sites: gingival mucosa, ventral tongue, and buccal mucosa. Two of the patients had biopsy-proven oral lichen planus. The social and medical histories of each patient will be examined and compared for overlapping factors that may be of assistance in further clarifying demographic and etiological factors. Conclusion Clinicians should be familiar with verruciform xanthoma as it is often misdiagnosed as the more commonly occurring viral papilloma. Patients may be concerned they have contracted a viral disease and thus this lesion should be biopsied to rule out HPV infection.
DANGEROUS UNIVERSAL DONORS I. OBSERVATIONS ON DESTRUCTION OF RECIPIENT’S A CELLS AFTER TRANSFUSION OF GROUP O BLOOD CONTAINING HIGH TITER OF A ANTIBODIES OF IMMUNE TYPE NOT EASILY NEUTRALIZABLE BY SOLUBLE A SUBSTANCE

1. A severe hemolytic reaction was observed in an "A-intermediate" recipient following transfusion of group O blood containing A antibodies in high titer. Hemoglobinemia persisted for at least thirty hours, during which time the patient became markedly anemic. Azotemia, hyperbilirubinemia, spherocytosis and increased osmotic and mechanical fragilities of the patient’s erythrocytes were observed for nine days. 2. The recipient was rendered temporarily incompatible with prospective A1 donors as a result of incomplete absorption of the anti-A agglutinins in the transfused group O blood. 3. The A antibodies in the serum of the dangerous universal donor were shown to have the following peculiarities : (a) When normal AB serum was used as a diluent for the group O serum and as a medium for cell suspensions, the titer against A1 cells was higher than that obtained with saline as a diluent and suspension medium. (b) After "neutralization" with soluble A and B factors, the group O serum agglutinated neither A nor B cells in "saline systems," but in "serum systems" the treated O serum still agglutinated A1 cells in very high titer and A-intermediate cells in low titer. (c) A1 cells, but not A-intermediate or A2 cells, gave positive reactions with anti-human-globulin rabbit serum (indirect Coombs test) after exposure to the neutralized O serum. (d) The group O serum hemolyzed, and fixed complement with, all types of A cells but not B cells. These peculiarities suggested that the group O donor had developed A antibodies of immune type and predominantly of A1 specificity, but the stimulus for production of these antibodies could not be ascertained. 4. It is emphasized that the type of antibody (i.e., natural or immune), as well as the titer, must be taken into account in any attempt to assess the dangers inherent in the use of universal donors, and that "conditioning" of group O blood by addition of soluble A and B factors in conventional quantities may not effectively neutralize immune A1 and B antibodies if such be present. It is pointed out, however, that further observations are needed to show whether or not neutralization of "saline" agglutinins and hemolysins by A and B factors may render dangerous bloods relatively safe despite the persistence of incomplete antibodies. 5. Possible mechanisms of prolonged erythrocyte destruction in this case are discussed.
Correcting tyrosinaemia via a point mutation.

In an adult mouse model of tyrosinaemia, a base editor correcting an A-to-G splice-site mutation in the Fah gene restores the translation of the functional enzyme, promoting the repopulation of the liver with the corrected cells.
A Multimodal Human-Robot Interaction Manager for Assistive Robots

With rapid advances in social robotics, humanoids and autonomy, robot assistants appear to be within reach. However, robots are still unable to effectively interact with humans in activities of daily living. One of the challenges is in the frequent use of multiple communication modalities when humans engage in collaborative activities. In this paper, we propose a Multimodal Interaction Manager, a framework for an assistive robot that maintains an active multimodal interaction with a human partner while performing physical collaborative tasks. The heart of our framework is a Hierarchical Bipartite Action-Transition Network (HBATN), which allows the robot to infer the state of the task and the dialogue given spoken utterances and observed pointing gestures from a human partner, and to plan its next actions. Finally, we implemented this framework on a robot to provide preliminary evidence that the robot can successfully participate in a task-oriented multimodal interaction.
How Do American Prisons Handle Disorder? An Examination of the Relevance of Disorder Theories and a Comparison with Popular Media Portrayals

Popular media portrayals of American prisons take a variety of forms. Ranging from hard-hitting documentaries addressing complex social issues to shows that purport to reveal what it really like inside to others that make no attempt to give a realistic view at all. In this chapter, we will take a look at a homicide that occurred inside a US Federal Penitentiary. We will see what actually happened in the incident from the inmate’s point of view, and we will go through how the staff responded to it. We will also show how this incident supports the importation, deprivation, and administrative control theories of disorder. We will then contrast what happened in this incident with popular American media portrayals. In the end, we will show that there are elements in documentaries that give a glimpse into the American prison, but at the same time, these shows do not capture the nuances of inmate experiences and do not reflect the day-to-day reality of managing an American prison.
"The Me I Want You to See": The Use of Video Game Avatars to Explore Identity in Gifted Adolescents.

Gifted adolescents may identify as “gamers” who create avatars to navigate video games and cell phone apps. Avatars provide a unique venue through which gifted teens can explore the issues of self ...
End-of-Life, Grief, and Bereavement: Strategies to Provide Comfort?

Patients facing life-threatening illnesses often have questions about what their last days and hours will look like. There is an equal concern from patients about effective symptom control at the end of life and the fear of becoming a burden on loved ones. Communication during the dying phase is incredibly important. This chapter will identify methods used in patient–doctor communication that can assist clinicians when discussing end-of-life issues. In addition, clinicians will have a greater understanding of common signs and symptoms at the end of life, so they can effectively manage them. Key issues in the transition to hospice and advance care planning are discussed. Clinicians will also learn to identify grief and understand what causes it to be prolonged or complicated in nature.
Optimization of source material for in-situ Arsenic doping via vapor transport deposition of CdTe films

In-situ doping of CdTe/CdSeTe films with arsenic is performed using pre-doped source material prepared by high pressure Bridgman (HPB) melt growth. Arsenic level in the source material is varied from 1018-1020 cm−3. Correspondingly, dopant incorporation in the films prepared using vapor transport deposition (VTD) varied from 3×1017 cm−3-1×1018cm−3. In this range, dopant activation is found to inversely correlate with the dopant incorporation, suggesting compensation. The results from this study indicate film properties can be adjusted by source material.
The pH-dependent orientation of N3 dye on a gold substrate is revealed using heterodyne-detected vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy.

We report on systematic changes to the adsorption geometry of the dye N3 {[cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2′-bipyridyl-4,4′-dicarboxylato ruthenium(II)]} on a gold substrate as the pH of the deposition environment is altered. The protonation states of the four —COOH groups of the N3 dye change according to the modified pH conditions, thus affecting the number of —COOH and —NCS functional groups that participate in the adsorption to gold. Here, we use heterodyne detected vibrational sum frequency generation (HD-VSFG) spectroscopy to obtain surface specific vibrational information on both —COOH and —NCS groups as a function of pH of the deposition conditions. Polarization-dependent HD-VSFG yields sets of complex χ(2) spectra, enabling us to perform a simultaneous fitting procedure to the polarization-dependent real and imaginary components and thus extract detailed structural information of the N3/gold interface. Our results show that N3 preferentially adsorbs to gold either with two —COOH groups and one —NCS group in more acidic conditions or with one —COOH group and two —NCS groups in more basic conditions.
Polypharmacy and mortality association by chronic kidney disease status: The REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke Study

Many Americans take multiple medications simultaneously (polypharmacy). Polypharmacy's effects on mortality are uncertain. We endeavored to assess the association between polypharmacy and mortality in a large U.S. cohort and examine potential effect modification by chronic kidney disease (CKD) status. The REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke cohort data (n = 29 627, comprised of U.S. black and white adults) were used. During a baseline home visit, pill bottle inspections ascertained medications used in the previous 2 weeks. Polypharmacy status (major [≥8 ingredients], minor [6-7 ingredients], and none [0-5 ingredients]) was determined by counting the total number of generic ingredients. Cox models (time-on-study and age-time-scale methods) assessed the association between polypharmacy and mortality. Alternative models examined confounding by indication and possible effect modification by CKD. Over 4.9 years median follow-up, 2538 deaths were observed. Major polypharmacy was associated with increased mortality in all models, with hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals ranging from 1.22 (1.07-1.40) to 2.35 (2.15-2.56), with weaker associations in more adjusted models. Minor polypharmacy was associated with mortality in some, but not all, models. The polypharmacy-mortality association did not differ by CKD status. While residual confounding by indication cannot be excluded, in this large American cohort, major polypharmacy was consistently associated with mortality.
Effect of pressure on pull-off of punch adhered to circular or 1-D rectangular plate

Abstract Pressure can sometimes be utilized to increase or decrease the strength of adhesion. This phenomenon is analyzed for upward pull-off of (i) a flat, circular cylindrical punch from a circular plate and (ii) a long, flat, rectangular punch from a long rectangular plate. The pressure is applied, and then the punch is pulled upward. The pressure may act upward (positive) or downward (negative) on the plate. Both force control and displacement control are considered. The plate is assumed to be linearly elastic, and nonlinear von Karman theory is used to allow moderate displacements. A transversality (debonding) condition is obtained, and the effects of the work of adhesion, the relative size of the punch, and residual stress are investigated. With an increase in pressure, the pull-off force decreases, the pull-off deflection of the punch relative to the initial flat plate level increases, and the pull-off deflection with respect to the pressurized plate may increase or decrease. Some of the results are quite different from those for a membrane (where bending stiffness is neglected).
Aortic valve neocuspidization for aortic regurgitation associated with ventricular septal defect.

Objectives Different methods of aortic valve repair have been described in the literature for aortic regurgitation (AR) associated with doubly committed subarterial ventricular septal defects. Our goal was to present our experience with aortic valve reconstruction of a single leaflet using the aortic valve neocuspidization technique in this subset of patients. Methods It is a retrospective review of 7 patients with doubly committed subarterial ventricular septal defects with significant (>moderate) AR who underwent the single-leaflet neocuspidization technique of aortic valve reconstruction from January 2016 to January 2019. Data were collected from medical records. All patients had thorough 2-dimensional echocardiographic assessment preoperatively and during the follow-up period. Primary end points were freedom from postoperative AR and freedom from reoperation and all-cause mortality within the follow-up period with secondary end points of freedom from thromboembolism and infective endocarditis. Results Out of 7 patients, 6 were male and 1 was female. There were no perioperative deaths. The mean follow-up period was 2.6 ± 0.8 years. No deaths occurred during the follow-up period. At the latest follow-up examination, only 2 patients showed mild AR and were asymptomatic. There was no documented event of infective endocarditis or thromboembolism during the follow-up period. Conclusions The aortic leaflet neocuspidization procedure for the aortic valve is a relatively new concept. Availability of a template makes it an easily reproducible valve repair in paediatric patients with a single-leaflet abnormality. This technique preserves the remaining 2 normal leaflets, thus promoting the growth potential while maintaining near normal aortic root complex dynamics.
Solanum Chacoense Genome Sequence

Cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was domesticated nearly 8,000 years ago and stands as the world’s most important tuber crop. Potato breeding has been hampered by the polyploid nature of the potato genome, inherent self-incompatibility, and high degree of heterozygosity, preventing breeders from utilizing inbred lines or recombinant inbred line populations for more traditional mapping designs that are available for other major crops. S. chacoense is a wild potato relative that is an excellent germplasm source for desirable traits in cultivated potato. As a self-compatible diploid relative of potato with key agronomic traits, S. chacoense represents a key advancement in the generation of diploid inbred lines in potato. S. chacoense M6 (Reg. No. GP-1, BS 228) is a diploid inbred clone, which is a vigorous homozygous breeding line generated from seven generations of self-pollination. This chapter will describe the genome sequence of M6 and the attributes that make it an important resource in diploid potato breeding.
Substance use disorders among adults who are deaf or hard of hearing in the United States.

Abstract Background There has been limited research on substance use disorders (SUDs) among individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH). This study explored associations among activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, major depressive episode, risk perceptions for substance use, religiosity, and past-year SUDs within the DHH population. Methods Data was drawn from the 2015–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (N = 214,505) to compare rates of past-year SUDs between DHH (weighted % = 5.4) and non-DHH populations. SUD measures included were past-year alcohol, marijuana, pain reliever, and illicit drug use disorders. Results SUDs are more prevalent among the DHH population than the non-DHH population. When adjusted for sociodemographic variables, DHH adults were more likely to report experiencing all four types of measured SUDs. Significant associations were also found between all four measured SUDs and disability status, major depressive episodes, and perception of risk. An association between regular religious service attendance and alcohol, marijuana, or illicit drug use disorders was also identified, as well as an association between peer religiosity and marijuana use disorders. Conclusion Given the high prevalence of SUDs and limited understanding of the mechanisms associated with the SUDs within the DHH population, more research is needed to address these issues.
A BIOMECHANICAL EVALUATION OF THE FORD SIDE IMPACT BODY BLOCK AND THE SID AND APR SIDE IMPACT DUMMIES

A test fixture for use on the Hyge Sled was fabricated to NHTSA specifications, matching the fixture used at Heidelberg University to measure forces on cadavers in side impact configurations. Tests were conducted at 16, 22, 24, and 32 km/h to simulate both the APR cadaver drop tests and Heidelberg sled tests. Comparisons to the cadaver data were made with the Ford Side Impact Body Block and the APR and SID dummies. Test results are shown and discussed.
Mammography promotion in the emergency department: a pilot study.

Objectives: The objective of this pilot study is to assess the need, desire, and applicability of a mammography promotion project in the emergency department (ED). Design and Sample: A convenience sample from the ED of a public University hospital was surveyed to determine their mammography status, interest in a program to promote mammography, and barriers to mammography. Measures: The survey included demographics information, health care access, including health insurance and primary care provider, mammography status and date of mammogram, as well as a checklist of potential barriers. Participants were also asked whether they would be interested in mammography promotion in this setting. Results: More than 15% of the 197 women surveyed had never received a mammogram, and more than half had not received 1 in the past year. The most common barriers to mammography were competing demands and money. Three quarters of the women said they would be interested in mammography promotion while waiting for care in the ED. Conclusions: This study provides promise that mammography promotion activities may be appropriately placed in the ED and provides a solid platform from which researchers and nurses may launch efforts to develop preventive health interventions in innovative public health care settings.
Improving software quality through computer supported collaborative review

Formal technical review (FTR) is a cornerstone of software quality assurance. However, the labor-intensive and manual nature of review, along with basic unresolved questions about its process and products, means that review is typically under-utilized or inefficiently applied within the software development process. This paper introduces CSRS, a computer-supported cooperative work environment for software review that improves the efficiency of review activities and supports empirical investigation of the appropriate parameters for review. The paper presents a typical scenario of CSRS in review, its data and process model, application to process maturation, relationship to other research, current status, and future directions.
Enhanced electric field tunable dielectric properties of BaZrxTi1−xO3 relaxor ferroelectrics

The environmental friendly lead-free perovskite BaZrxTi1−xO3 (x=0.35, 0.40, and 0.45) relaxor ceramics are developed for the tunable microwave device applications such as tunable filters, phase shifters, antennas, etc. Electric field dependence of dielectric behavior of the ceramic samples has been studied in the temperature range from 300to15K for the tunable dielectric devices. The results have been analyzed in relation to tunability (%) and K factor of the tunable dielectric materials. Very high tunability (∼93%) as well as extremely high K factor (∼468) has been achieved by manipulating the Zr:Ti concentration in BaZrxTi1−xO3 ceramics.
Application of Enzymic Methods to the Structural Analysis of Polysaccharides: Part I

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the application of enzymes for the structural analysis of polysaccharides. The classical techniques of structural analysis of polysaccharides—namely, fragmentation analysis (for example, by acid hydrolysis), methylation analysis, and periodate oxidation have been supplemented to an ever-increasing extent by enzymic methods. The use of enzymes in the analysis of polysaccharide structures has become so extensive that it is now appropriate to survey the progress made by the application of such methods. The chapter illustrates how the two types of method, enzymic and nonenzymic, may usefully complement each other. This result may be achieved in several ways. In its simplest form, it merely involves nonenzymic characterization of products of enzymic hydrolysis or—more commonly—characterization, by simple enzymic procedures of products of low molecular weight that have been obtained by nonenzymic methods. Enzymatic procedures can be used in conjunction with nonenzymic or other enzymic methods to obtain quantitative data relevant to the elucidation of polysaccharide structure.
Saturating representation of loop conformational fragments in structure databanks

Short fragments of proteins are fundamental starting points in various structure prediction applications, such as in fragment based loop modeling methods but also in various full structure build-up procedures. The applicability and performance of these approaches depend on the availability of short fragments in structure databanks. We studied the representation of protein loop fragments up to 14 residues in length. All possible query fragments found in sequence databases (Sequence Space) were clustered and cross referenced with available structural fragments in Protein Data Bank (Structure Space). We found that the expansion of PDB in the last few years resulted in a dense coverage of loop conformational fragments. For each loops of length 8 in the current Sequence Space there is at least one loop in Structure Space with 50% or higher sequence identity. By correlating sequence and structure clusters of loops we found that a 50% sequence identity generally guarantees structural similarity. These percentages of coverage at 50% sequence cutoff drop to 96, 94, 68, 53, 33 and 13% for loops of length 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, respectively. There is not a single loop in the current Sequence Space at any length up to 14 residues that is not matched with a conformational segment that shares at least 20% sequence identity. This minimum observed identity is 40% for loops of 12 residues or shorter and is as high as 50% for 10 residue or shorter loops. We also assessed the impact of rapidly growing sequence databanks on the estimated number of new loop conformations and found that while the number of sequentially unique sequence segments increased about six folds during the last five years there are almost no unique conformational segments among these up to 12 residues long fragments. The results suggest that fragment based prediction approaches are not limited any more by the completeness of fragments in databanks but rather by the effective scoring and search algorithms to locate them. The current favorable coverage and trends observed will be further accentuated with the progress of Protein Structure Initiative that targets new protein folds and ultimately aims at providing an exhaustive coverage of the structure space.
Expanding role of self expanding esophageal stents

Esophageal cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage and hence carries a poor prognosis with an overall 5-year survival rate of 10% to 15%. Therefore, palliative treatment primarily aimed at the relieving dysphagia is the only available option. Endoscopic placement of self expanding metal stents (SEMS) has become a widely used method for palliation offering prompt relief of dysphagia and numerous reports have shown it to be safe and effective. Secondary to tissue in-growth into the uncovered segments of the stent, SEMS cannot be removed and hence are not approved for benign indications. With the advent of the removable self expanding plastic stents, the indications for esophageal stent insertion have expanded to as bridge to surgery for patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, for refractory benign esophageal strictures, for non-malignant esophageal perforations, leaks and fistulae, and even for variceal hemorrhage. Newer fully covered SEMS that are potentially removable are also being tried for benign indications but await FDA clearance. Similarly biodegradeable stents for benign disorders and radioactive or drug-eluding stents for malignant disease are hoped to improve the management of esophageal diseases. The purpose of this article is to review the expanding role of self expanding stents in the management of esophageal disorders other than palliating malignant dysphagia and fistulae.
Toward haptic-based management of small swarms in cordon and patrol

Distributed teams of agents can provide robust solutions to many problems of interest, and allowing a human to influence and manage those agents can extend the range of problems that can be solved while improving the team's efficiency. Within this context, it is interesting to develop methods for interaction that are intuitive and that utilize haptic interaction so that the human manager need not be "heads down" in a graphical user interface. This paper presents a set of agent control algorithms that yield useful team performance and enable haptic-based management of team behaviors. A preliminary demonstration of the system is also presented.
The energetics of micellar solubilization

Micellar solubilization, an action of the detergency mechanism, is considered from the stand-point of quasi-thermodynamics. The basis of the approach was suggested by the similarity of micellar solubilization and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. Free energy change (ΔG), heat of solubilization (ΔH) and change in entropy (ΔS) for the micellar solubilization of Orange OT are calculated using two-phase theory and the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation. It is postulated that the dye concn in the solution (monomer) phase is that at the critical micelle concn. The dye concn in the solubilized phase is computed for the dye-penetrated portion of the micellar volume. Calculated values of ΔG in anionic and nonionic surfactants are of the order of magnitude of a physical adsorption. The positive ΔH values indicate the process is not an adsorption. The positive ΔS values point to increased randomness or possibly to decreased energy effects due to iceberg water molecule structure surrounding the hydrophobic dye molecules. The loss of the water structure around the latter in the solubilization process would result in their acquiring increased configu-rational entropy.
The free radical chemistry of cloud droplets and its impact upon the composition of rain

Calculations are presented that simulate the free radical chemistries of the gas phase and aqueous phase within a warm cloud during midday. It is demonstrated that in the presence of midday solar fluxes, the heterogeneous scavenging of OH and HO2 from the gas phase by cloud droplets can represent a major source of free radicals to cloud water, provided the accommodation or sticking coefficient for these species impinging upon water droplets is not less than 0.0001. The aqueous-phase of HO2 radicals are found to be converted to H2O2 by aqueous-phase chemical reactions at a rate that suggests that this mechanism could produce a significant fraction of the H2O2 found in cloud droplets. The rapid oxidation of sulfur species dissolved in cloudwater by this free-radical-produced H2O2 as well as by aqueous-phase OH radicals could conceivably have a significant impact upon the chemical composition of rain.
Liquid-Metal Faraday-Type MHD Generators

The use of a liquid metal as the working fluid in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generators is considered and possible energy conversion applications for this type of generator are briefly reviewed. A simple model of the Faraday-type generator is developed and used to obtain relations giving generator terminal voltage, pressure drop, and efficiency. The generator performance is shown to depend oti a magnetic Reynolds number based on the length of the generator duct and, also, on the ratio of machine internal resistance to electric load resistance. The existence of an effect analogous to armature reaction in conventional machines is deduced and the use of compensating conductors to overcome it is discussed. The problems of generator design are considered and examples are used to illustrate the effect of losses in a practical generator. It is concluded that compensation is necessary in all but the smallest machine sizes.
Incidence of risk factors for myocardial infarction and other vascular diseases in patients with psoriasis.

Summary Background Recent cross-sectional studies reported a higher prevalence of diabetes and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with psoriasis than in the general population. Objectives To estimate the cumulative incidences of risk factors for myocardial infarction and other vascular diseases after a first recorded diagnosis of psoriasis and the hazard ratio (HR) for these conditions in patients with psoriasis compared with the general population. Methods We used the General Practice Research Database to conduct a cohort study of 44 164 patients with a first-time diagnosis of psoriasis and 219 784 nonpsoriasis comparison subjects psoriasis-matched on age, sex and index date. Results HRs were increased among patients with psoriasis vs. the comparison cohort for incident diabetes [HR 1·33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·25–1·42], hypertension (HR 1·09; 95% CI 1·05–1·14), obesity (HR 1·18; 95% CI 1·14–1·23) and hyperlipidaemia (HR 1·17; 95% CI 1·11–1·23). Patients with psoriasis also had higher risks of incident myocardial infarction (HR 1·21; 95% CI 1·10–1·32), angina (HR 1·20; 95% CI 1·12–1·29), atherosclerosis (HR 1·28; 95% CI 1·10–1·48), peripheral vascular disease (HR 1·29; 95% CI 1·13–1·47) and stroke (HR 1·12; 95% CI 1·00–1·25). Conclusions Risk factors for cardiovascular disease as well as myocardial infarction and other vascular diseases occur with higher incidence in patients with psoriasis than in the general population. Further work is needed to investigate whether these associations involve causal factors related to psoriasis or its treatment.
Electrocorticographic factors associated with temporal lobe epileptogenicity

Continuous subdural electrocorticographic (ECoG) monitoring was performed to test the hypothesis that human temporal lobe epileptogenicity, during long-term monitoring following antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal, regardless of the specific AED regimen, is dependent upon ECoG ictal onset and interhemispheric spread of epileptic activity. In 121 patients, ECoG parameters were analyzed for association with seizure frequency, a clinical measure of epileptogenicity. Significantly associated with increased seizure frequency were: ictal medial temporal lobe onset, absence of ictal frontal lobe desynchronization and short interhemispheric propagation time (IHPT). Seizure frequency during long-term ECoG monitoring was not predictive of post-operative seizure outcome. It is concluded that, following AED withdrawal, regardless of the specific AED regimen, increased seizure frequency is associated with medial temporal lobe ictal onset, short IHPT and absence of frontal lobe desynchronization. The results confirm the hypothesis that human temporal lobe epileptogenicity, after withdrawal, is dependent upon ECoG ictal onset and interhemispheric spread of epileptic activity. Future development of procedures which promote ECoG factors associated with increased seizure frequency following AED withdrawal might decrease duration of invasive long-term monitoring and improve efficiency for the pre-surgical selection of temporal lobectomy candidates. Intervention producing ictal frontal lobe desynchronization and increased IHPT might inhibit temporal lobe epileptogenicity and should be evaluated for therapeutic efficacy outside of the long-term monitoring context.