cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vancomycin Dosing and Pharmacokinetics in Postoperative Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Patients

OBJECTIVES: This study compared vancomycin trough concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters in pediatric cardiothoracic surgery (CTS) patients versus those in controls receiving 20 mg/kg/dose, intravenously, every 8 hours. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in children <18 years of age, following CTS, versus an age-and sex-matched control group. The primary objective was to determine differences in trough concentrations between groups. Secondary objectives included comparisons of pharmacokinetics between groups and development of vancomycin-associated acute kidney injury (AKI), defined as a doubling in serum creatinine from baseline. Also dosing projections were developed to target an area-under-the-curve-to-minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC:MIC) ratio of ≥400. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients in each group were evaluated. Mean trough concentrations were significantly different between groups (CTS: 18.4 mg/L; control: 8.8 mg/L; p < 0.01). Vancomycin-associated acute kidney injury AKI was s...
The balancing act of the inflammatory cascade after bilateral total knee arthroplasty commentary on an article by Kethy M. Jules-Elysee, MD, et al.: ‘‘steroid modulation of cytokine release and desmosine levels in bilateral total knee replacement. a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial’’.

The surgical community does not fully understand the effects of the inflammatory cascade that follow any major surgery, including total knee arthroplasty. Greater surgical insults, such as bilateral total knee arthroplasty, can shift an initial reparative process into a catabolic cascade with ensuing negative clinical sequelae. High levels of inflammatory markers such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been associated with extreme reactions, such as fat embolism syndrome and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Management of this inflammatory cascade and its sequelae has already altered current treatment practices, for example, within orthopaedic traumatology. This well-designed study and its prequel were performed to quantitate, and further our understanding of, the physiologic effects of perioperative systemic corticosteroids on the inflammatory response and recovery after bilateral total knee arthroplasty. The safety profile of bilateral total knee arthroplasty remains an unresolved topic of continued investigation. A higher risk of cardiac and pulmonary complications and increased mortality have been cited after bilateral total knee arthroplasty performed during a single anesthetic session, which understandably has been shown to markedly increase the amount of marrow contents …
Sibling Rivalry: Endowment and Intrahousehold Allocation in Gansu Province, China

AbstractThis article evaluates the strategies employed by households in rural China to allocate educational expenditure to children of different physical endowments, examining whether parents use educational funding to reinforce or compensate for these differences. Climatic shocks are employed as an instrument for endowment, measured as height-for-age, allowing for the identification of the impact of quasi-exogenous variation in endowment on parental allocations conditional on household fixed effects. The results suggest that educational expenditure is directed to the relatively weaker child; in response to the mean difference in height-for-age between siblings, parents redirect around 25% of discretionary educational spending to the child with the lower height-for-age, and this effect is robust to the potentially confounding effects of gender and birth order. There is some evidence that time allocation may also be a relevant margin of compensation but no evidence that medical expenditure responds to diff...
Thin filament regulation of force activation is not essential in single vascular smooth muscle cells

To investigate thin filament regulation of force activation in smooth muscle, we recorded force and stiffness of alpha-toxin-permeabilized single smooth muscle cells. At pCa 9, the rigor state was characterized by high in-phase stiffness, low force, and low quadrature stiffness, suggesting that the attachment of rigor cross bridges does not depend on either Ca2+ or myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation, and cross bridges can enter a rigor state without producing force. At pCa 4, 20 microM ATP increased force, in-phase stiffness, and quadrature stiffness, while 20 microM CTP did not increase any of these parameters, suggesting that although MLC phosphorylation is not required for the formation of rigor cross bridges, MLC phosphorylation is required for detached cross bridges to attach to actin and undergo a force-producing isomerization. These results also suggest that for smooth muscle, force activation is regulated by myosin light-chain kinase. From rigor, 20 microM ATP (pCa 9) increased force and quadrature without changing in-phase stiffness. This force increase could be explained if in rigor solution both actomyosin (AM) and AM.ADP cross bridges exist (2, 32), and ATP-induced detachment of AM cross bridges is accompanied by AM.ADP cross bridges undergoing a force-producing isomerization in combination with cooperative cross-bridge reattachment (36). Thus results of our experiments suggest that thin filament-based regulation of force activation is not essential in smooth muscle, and a population of cross bridges must begin in an attached state for force to be produced in the absence of MLC phosphorylation.
Life and evolution as physics

What is evolution and why does it exist in the biological, geophysical and technological realms - in short, everywhere? Why is there a time direction - a time arrow - in the changes we know are happening every moment and everywhere? Why is the present different than the past? These are questions of physics, about everything, not just biology. The answer is that nothing lives, flows and moves unless it is driven by power. Physics sheds light on the natural engines that produce the power destroyed by the flows, and on the free morphing that leads to flow architectures naturally and universally. There is a unifying tendency across all domains to evolve into flow configurations that provide greater access for movement. This tendency is expressed as the constructal law of evolutionary flow organization everywhere. Here I illustrate how this law of physics accounts for and unites the life and evolution phenomena throughout nature, animate and inanimate.
Monitoring on Efficacy of Disinfection in Medical Institutions of Lianyungang City

[Objective] To understand the status of disinfection efficacy in medical institutions of Lianyungang City,strengthen the management of disinfection,provide evidence to control and prevent nosocomial infections and improve efficacy of disinfection.[Methods] Sampling and monitoring with microbiological were applied in related department of 7 medical institutions in Lianyungang City during 2005—2007,the results were analyzed statistically.[Results]1144 samples were collected during 2005—2007,and 970 were eligible,the eligible rate was 84.79%.The lowest eligible rate appeared in indoor air.[Conclusion]There were some problems in disinfection of medical institutions of Lianyungang City.The management of disinfection in medical institutions should be strengthened to improve efficacy of disinfection.
Computing of Z- valued Characters for the Projective Special Linear Group L2 (2m) and the Conway Group Co3

According to the main result of W. Feit and G. M. Seitz (see, Illinois J. Math. 33 (1), 103-131, 1988), the projective special linear group L 2 (2 m ) for m = 3, 4, 5 and the smallest Conway group Co 3 are unmatured groups. In this paper, we continue our study on special finite groups (see Int. J. Theo. Physics, Group Theory, and Nonlinear Optics (17)1, 57-62, 2013) and the dominant classes and Q- conjugacy characters for the above groups are derived.
Mechanism of 17α,20-Lyase and New Hydroxylation Reactions of Human Cytochrome P450 17A1 18O LABELING AND OXYGEN SURROGATE EVIDENCE FOR A ROLE OF A PERFERRYL OXYGEN

Cytochrome P450 (P450) reactions can involve C-C bond cleavage, and several of these are critical in steroid and sterol biosynthesis. The mechanisms of P450s 11A1, 17A1, 19A1, and 51A1 have been controversial, in the context of the role of ferric peroxide (FeO2 (-)) versus perferryl (FeO(3+), compound I) chemistry. We reinvestigated the 17α-hydroxyprogesterone and 17α-hydroxypregnenolone 17α,20-lyase reactions of human P450 17A1 and found incorporation of one (18)O atom (from (18)O2) into acetic acid, consonant with proposals for a ferric peroxide mechanism (Akhtar, M., Lee-Robichaud, P., Akhtar, M. E., and Wright, J. N. (1997) J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 61, 127-132; Akhtar, M., Wright, J. N., and Lee-Robichaud, P. (2011) J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 125, 2-12). However, the reactions were supported by iodosylbenzene (a precursor of the FeO(3+) species) but not by H2O2 We propose three mechanisms that can involve the FeO(3+) entity and that explain the (18)O label in the acetic acid, two involving the intermediacy of an acetyl radical and one a steroid 17,20-dioxetane. P450 17A1 was found to perform 16-hydroxylation reactions on its 17α-hydroxylated products to yield 16,17α-dihydroxypregnenolone and progesterone, suggesting the presence of an active perferryloxo active species of P450 17A1 when its lyase substrate is bound. The 6β-hydroxylation of 16α,17α-dihydroxyprogesterone and the oxidation of both 16α,17α-dihydroxyprogesterone and 16α,17α-dihydroxypregnenolone to 16-hydroxy lyase products were also observed. We provide evidence for the contribution of a compound I mechanism, although contribution of a ferric peroxide pathway in the 17α,20-lyase reaction cannot be excluded.
Extension of fuzzy Gustafson-Kessel algorithm based on adaptive cluster merging

The performance of objective function-based fuzzy clustering algorithms depends on the shape and the volume of the clusters, the initialization of the clustering algorithm, the distribution of the data objects, and the number of clusters contained in the data. We propose an extension of Gustafson- Kessel (FGK) fuzzy algorithm by developing adaptive validation criteria for merging of clusters during the unsupervised learning. There are no mathematical methods for solving this optimization task analytically. The performance of the proposed approach was examined on generated and benchmark data sets, and compared to those received by respective fuzzy counterparts. Additionally, its efficiency was tested on data collected from some current real world applications.
Christians’ Response to the Application of Islamic Law in Nigeria

This chapter explains how Nigerian Christians respond to the application of Islamic law. It discusses how the application of the Shari’ah affects the lives of Christians in the North and how they feel about it. In addition, it elaborates how the Christian Association of Nigeria raises many objections to this application and how the advocates of Islamic law address Christians’ concerns. The opinions of both the exponents and the opponents of this application are thoroughly articulated.
Genetics and Genomics in Oncology Nursing : What Does Every Nurse Need to Know?

In addition to the need for basic education about genetics/genomics, other approaches are suggested to include awareness campaigns, continuing education courses, policy review, and onsite clinical development. These alternative learning strategies encourage oncology nurses across the continuum of care, from the bedside/seatside to oncology nurse research, to integrate genomics into all levels of practice and research in the specialty of oncology nursing. All nurses are warriors in the fight against cancer. The goal of this article is to identify genomic information that oncology nurses, at all levels of care, need to know and use as tools in the war against cancer.
Seasonal Changes in Times of Awakening, Retiring, and Roosttime Restlessness in Captive American Robins (Turdus Migratorius)

Circannual observations of captive American Robins under natural illumination revealed that the birds awakened earlier (relative to sunrise) and showed roosttime restlessness and retired later (relative to sunset) during the summer than during the winter. These effects suggest that the illumination levels coinciding with awakening, retiring, and roosttime restlessness are respectively lower during the breeding season than at other times of year.
Fiber optical current sensor based on tapered Terfenol-D composite

This paper presents an optical current sensor which is based on introducing nonuniform period onto a fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) by embedded it in a magnetostrictive composite with tapering shape. The interaction of the composite with an external magnetic field yields a strain distribution that widens the FBG spectrum through frequency chirping. The sensor has been investigated theoretically by modeling and experimentally by prototyping.
Thermal Analyses of Dental Ceramic Restorations

Previous studies have shown that development of compressive stresses on the surface of materials such as glass, ceramic and steel will improve resistance to crack initiation and propagation in these materials. The objective of this study was to develop computational models in MATALB and ANSYS to predict temperature and stress distributions in dental ceramic materials subjected to thermal tempering as a function of material properties and thermal tempering parameters. In an initial study we obtained the cooling profiles corresponding to a transient heat transfer problem for bi-layered ceramic disks and compared the results obtained from the MATLAB models with the FEA models developed in ANSYS. In subsequent analyses we performed computational thermal stress analysis of the bi-layered disks and various dental restorations using ANSYS. Validity of the analytical thermal models was established by comparing the results from one dimensional model with those from the two-dimensional models as well as by comparison of the corresponding results with those from the FEA models. A good agreement between the analytical thermal models using MATLAB and computational models from ANSYS were obtained. The results of this study show that relative geometric dimensions of the layered structures and the rate of cooling have a significant influence on the transient stress distribution within the restorations that may result in premature failure of these structures.
Let food be thy medicine: linking local food and health systems to address the full spectrum of malnutrition in low-income and middle-income countries

### Summary box Hippocrates (fifth century BCE), the father of medicine and namesake of the Oath many medical students swear by to this day, was among the first to recognise the centrality of diet in disease prevention and treatment. In that Oath, the statement, ‘I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgement’, comes before statements about drugs and surgery. Unfortunately, the importance of diet and nutrition in medicine is lost in most discussions of health system reform today, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Moreover, few food system researchers and policymakers consider the myriad opportunities for improving health through forging partnerships between local food, agriculture and health systems. In this commentary, we highlight the potential for healthcare institutions to improve access to and adoption of healthy diets beyond providing nutrition counselling in order to address the full spectrum of malnutrition in LMICs (figure 1) and provide examples of how this framework could be implemented in LMICs. We adopt the United Nations’ definitions of a food system as ‘all activities related to the production, distribution and consumption of food’, and of a …
The Effect of Left Ventricular Assist Device Therapy on Cardiac Biomarkers: Implications for the Identification of Myocardial Recovery

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy serves as mainstay therapy for bridge to transplantation and destination therapy. Evidence is now mounting on the role of LVAD therapy as bridge to recovery. In the current review, we will summarize the data on biomarkers of myocardial recovery following LVAD implantation. Myocardial recovery can occur spontaneously, following pharmacological intervention and in the setting of mechanical circulatory support such as LVAD. Several biomarkers such as B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), ST2, etc. have been identified and are being used to guide medical therapy in heart failure (HF) patients. However, recent data raised concern that those biomarkers may not be helpful in managing heart failure patients in general, and as such questioned their use in the advanced heart failure population. At this point, the use of biomarker to identify patients with myocardial recovery during LVAD support has not been established, and LVAD explantation remains a decision driven by echocardiographic and hemodynamics improvement. HF biomarkers in monitoring myocardial and neurohormonal activation response to mechanical unloading and medical therapy could be valuable. However, at this time, there is inadequate evidence to select a single or a set of HF biomarkers to reliably identify patients bridged to recovery for LVAD explantation.
Receptor mediated endocytosis by mesangial cells modulates transmigration of macrophages.

Background: Accumulation of immune complexes in the mesangium is a common finding. Since migration of macrophages (Mφ) in the mesangium has been demonstrated to be an important event in the development of glomerular lesions, we studied the role of immune complexes and mesangial cell (MC) interaction in the transmigration (Tm) of Mφ. Methods: To determine the effect of MC and immune complexes (aggregated IgG, IgGAg) on transmigration of Mφ, MC were incubated with or without IgGAg in the lower compartment of a modified Boyden Chamber. To determine the effects of the secretory products (as a result of endocytosis of IgGAg by mesangial cells), MC-IgAg conditioned media was prepared and placed in the lower compartment of the Boyden chamber. We evaluated the effects of MC alone, MC + IgGAg, or MC-IgGAg conditioned media on the transmigration of macrophages across a filter. To determine the effect of free radicals on MC-IgAg endocytosis-induced Mφ migration we evaluated the effect of free radical scavengers such as dimethyl thiourea (DMTU) and tetramethylthiourea (TMTU) in MC-IgAg endocytosis-induced Mφ migration. To determine the role of chemokines in MC-IgAs endocytosis-induced Mφ migration we evaluated the effect of ani-MCP-1 antibodies on MC-IgAg endocytosis-induced Mφ migration, and also studied the effects of IgAg on MC mRNA expression of MCP-1 and RANTES. In addition, we evaluated the role of Fc receptors and actin cytoskeleton of MC in transmigration of Mφ. Results: Mesangial cell endocytosis of IgG aggregates (IgGAg) is associated with enhanced (P < 0.001) transmigration of Mφ (control, 11.2 ± 0.2 vs. MC + IgGAg, 22.1 ± 0.9 migrated Mφ/field). IgGAg also induced MC mRNA expression for RANTES and MCP-1 on MC. DMTU and TMTU attenuated (P < 0.001) the MC + IgGAg-induced migration of Mφ as well as IgGAg-induced mRNA expression for RANTES and MCP-1. MC and IgGAg interaction products (MC-IgGAg conditioned media) also increased (P < 0.01) transmigration of Mφ (control, 18.3 ± 1.7 vs. MC-IgGAg conditioned media, 30.7 ± 0.6 Mφ/field). This effect of MC-IgGAg conditioned media on the migration of macrophages was dose dependent. Anti-MCP-1 antibody partially inhibited MC-IgGAg-induced migration of macropahges. MC and monomeric IgG (MIgG) interaction (MC-MIgG conditioned media) showed a lower (P < 0.05) migration of Mφ when compared to the MC-IgGAg conditioned media. MC-IgGAg conditioned media prepared from cytochalasin B pretreated MCs also showed a lower (P < 0.001) migration of Mφ when compared with MC-IgGAg conditioned media-induced migration. Conclusions: These results indicate that MC-IgGAg conditioned media-induced transmigration of macrophages may be mediated through the generation of RANTES and MCP-1 by MC.
High-Throughput Platforms in Drug Metabolism and Transport Pharmacogenetics

Although there are now several thousand published studies that have examined the genetic contribution to interindividual variation in drug treatment (i.e., pharmacogenetics), very few have examined the large portions of the genome; rather these have focused on candidate gene and pathway-based study designs. However, multiple large-scale genotyping technologies have recently emerged that allow the researcher to examine pharmacogenetic endpoints ~100–500,000 SNPs at a time. Each genotyping platform is slightly different and applicable to either the clinical setting, wherein the genetic information informs treatment in patients with certain variants, or the research setting, where patients that are treated with certain drugs are either prospectively or retrospectively evaluated for genetic variants that may influence treatment outcomes. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the current study designs in pharmacogenetics, the major findings of these studies that are applied clinically, to provide an overview of commercially available large-scale genotyping technologies, and to discuss how these technologies can be applied in both clinical and research settings. While oncology agents will be the primary focus of this chapter, given that individuals undergoing therapy for cancer are often treated with multiple drugs, it is important to also consider other agents.
Erythrocyte glutathione reductase.

1. The physiologic roles of glutathione in the red cell and of glutathione reductase are reviewed briefly. 2. The partial purification of glutathione reductase by a combination of salting out, heating and chromatographic procedures is described. 3. Throughout purification, no appreciable change in the ratio of activity of the enzyme with DPN and TPN as a coenzyme has been found. 4. Potassium chloride and sodium chloride increased markedly the enzymatic activity when TPNH served as hydrogen donor. However, when DPNH was the hydrogen donor these salts caused a decrease in enzyme activity. Potassium phosphate buffer increased enzymatic activity with TPNH but produced little change with DPNH. 5. Michaelis-Menten constants were computed for the purified enzyme preparations. 6. The DPN-linked system did not result in GSSG reduction when lactate served as a substrate in intact erythrocytes.
Ignition and self-propagating reactions in Al/Pt multilayers of varied design

The different rate-limiting processes underlying ignition and self-propagating reactions in Al/Pt multilayers are examined through experiments and analytical modeling. Freestanding, ∼1.6 μm-thick Al/Pt multilayers of varied stoichiometries and nanometer-scale layer thicknesses ignite at temperatures below the melting point of both reactants (and eutectics) demonstrating that initiation occurs via solid-state mixing. Equimolar multilayers exhibit the lowest ignition temperatures when comparing structures having a specific bilayer thickness. An activation energy of 76.6 kJ/mol at. associated with solid state mass transport is determined from the model analysis of ignition. High speed videography shows that equimolar Al/Pt multilayers undergo the most rapid self-sustained reactions with wavefront speeds as large as 73 m/s. Al- and Pt-rich multilayers react at reduced rates (as low as 0.3 m/s), consistent with reduced heat of reaction and lower adiabatic temperatures. An analytical model that accounts for key thermodynamic properties, preliminary mixing along interfaces, thermal transport, and mass diffusion is used to predict the wavefront speed dependencies on bilayer thickness. Good fits to experimental data provide estimates for activation energy (51 kJ/mol at.) associated with mass transport subject to high heating rates and thermal diffusion coefficient of premixed interfacial volumes (2.8 × 10−6 m2/s). Pt dissolution into molten Al is identified as a rate-limiting step underlying high temperature propagating reactions in Al/Pt multilayers.The different rate-limiting processes underlying ignition and self-propagating reactions in Al/Pt multilayers are examined through experiments and analytical modeling. Freestanding, ∼1.6 μm-thick Al/Pt multilayers of varied stoichiometries and nanometer-scale layer thicknesses ignite at temperatures below the melting point of both reactants (and eutectics) demonstrating that initiation occurs via solid-state mixing. Equimolar multilayers exhibit the lowest ignition temperatures when comparing structures having a specific bilayer thickness. An activation energy of 76.6 kJ/mol at. associated with solid state mass transport is determined from the model analysis of ignition. High speed videography shows that equimolar Al/Pt multilayers undergo the most rapid self-sustained reactions with wavefront speeds as large as 73 m/s. Al- and Pt-rich multilayers react at reduced rates (as low as 0.3 m/s), consistent with reduced heat of reaction and lower adiabatic temperatures. An analytical model that accounts for key...
Ibrutinib and Aspergillus: a Btk-targeted risk.

In this issue of Blood, Bercusson and colleagues report a mechanism underlying susceptibility to Aspergillus fumigatus infections in patients treated with the Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitor ibrutinib.1 This drug has been paradigm-shifting in a number of B-cell malignancies, which has led to widespread use in the diseases for which Food and Drug Administration approval currently exists, and clinical trials of the drug alone and in combination in these and many other malignancies. However, although well tolerated in the majority of patients, a few troublesome toxicities have become apparent as use of the drug has expanded. One such toxicity is a relatively high rate of A fumigatus infections. Although patients with hematologic malignancies are certainly at risk for opportunistic infections, A fumigatus infections at a higher rate than expected have been noted in multiple prospective studies, most notably a rate of 39% in patients on a trial of ibrutinib in primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma who were concurrently treated with corticosteroids.2 Although the incidence in other hematologic malignancies is likely quite a bit lower (2.5% in a large institutional cohort of 566 patients treated over 1225 person-years),3 this finding has been worrisome. A previous study by this group, exploring the risk of A fumigatus in patients treated with calcineurin inhibitors, demonstrated that Btk is required for the macrophage inflammatory response that clears A fumigatus from the airways,4 and a separate study showed that Btk null mice infected with A fumigatus developed pneumonia, similar to what is seen in macrophage-deplete models.2 However, the implications for these findings in patients where Btk is present but pharmacologically inactivated were previously unknown.
Predictors of Dropout in Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression

Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT), provided with guidance, has been shown to outperform wait-list control conditions and appears to perform on par with face-to-face psychotherapy. However, dropout remains an important problem. Dropout rates for iCBT programs for depression have ranged from 0% to 75%, with a mean of 32%. Drawing from a recent study in which 117 people participated in iCBT with support, we examined participant characteristics, participants' use of iCBT skills, and their experience of technical difficulties with iCBT as predictors of dropout risk. Educational level, extraversion, and participant skill use predicted lower risk of dropout; technical difficulties and openness predicted higher dropout risk. We encourage future research on predictors of dropout in the hope that greater understanding of dropout risk will inform efforts to promote program engagement and retention.
Degeneracy in freeform surfaces described with orthogonal polynomials

Orthogonal polynomials offer useful mathematical properties for describing freeform optical surfaces. Their advantages are best leveraged by understanding the interactions between variables such as tip and tilt, base sphere and conic variables, and packaging variables that define the problem of design for manufacture. These interactions can cause degeneracy, which can complicate the interpretation of design specifications in manufacturing and, consequently, negatively impact the cost of fabrication and assembly. Optimization constraints to break degeneracy during design are also discussed.
Cardiac-Directed Expression of Adenylyl Cyclase Catalytic Domain (C1C2) Attenuates Deleterious Effects of Pressure Overload.

A fusion protein (C1C2) constructed by fusing the intracellular C1 and C2 segments of adenylyl cyclase type 6 (AC6) retains beneficial effects of AC6 expression, without increasing cyclic adenosine...
CORONARY ANEURYSMS AND ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME: AN INTERVENTIONALIST'S DILEMMA

Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) presenting as Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) represent a unique management challenge owing to their morphology. A 49 year old male presented with severe left arm pain. EKG met criteria for Lateral STEMI. Aspirin, Ticagrelor and Bivaluridin were administered. Coronary
Mechanistic Study of Palladium-Catalyzed Hydroesterificative Copolymerization of Vinyl Benzyl Alcohol and CO

The copolymerization of vinyl benzyl alcohol (VBA) and carbon monoxide (CO) to give a new polyester poly(VBA-CO) has been achieved via palladium-catalyzed hydroesterification. Reaction conditions i...
Identification and Asymptotic Localization of Rumor Sources Using the Method of Types

We are interested in identifying a rumor source on a tree network. We begin with extended star networks under the SI infection model with exponential waiting times. We present and analyze the types center , a highly tractable approximation of the ML source estimate, obtained using the method of types. We empirically show that this approximate ML estimator is exact for some small test cases. We prove that the approximation error is at most logarithmic in infection size on large networks, providing highly efficient source identification (especially compared to the accuracy in similar problems, such as the $\mathcal {O}(\sqrt{n})$ best possible accuracy estimate in a line network). We also show that the qualitative properties of the types and rumor centers are different on extended star networks. We further propose a heuristic-based generalization of this approach to trees: the relative-leaf counting algorithm . In simulations on regular and nonregular trees, types center's performance is competitive with rumor centrality (which is optimal for $d$ -regular trees), while requiring less computation time. In addition to providing a faster (and sometimes more accurate) alternative on its own, our approach could potentially be used with rumor centrality to improve results with less than twice the total computation time.
Counterion Exchange in Peptide-Complexed Core–Shell Microgels

The complexation of polyvalent macroions with oppositely charged polyelectrolyte microgels can lead to core–shell structures. The shell is believed to be highly deswollen with a high concentration ...
Affective Disorders and Borderline Personality

While the term borderline has been used in the literature with certain degree of consistency to signify a particular type of disorder placed somewhere between psychosis and neurotic disturbances the clinical characteristics and identifying criteria used have varied significantly from author to author and with different degrees of descriptive elements and levels of abstraction.
Analysis of several key factors influencing deep learning-based inter-residue contact prediction

Motivation Deep learning has become the dominant technology for protein contact prediction. However, the factors that affect the performance of deep learning in contact prediction have not been systematically investigated. Results We analyzed the results of our three deep learning-based contact prediction methods (MULTICOM-CLUSTER, MULTICOM-CONSTRUCT and MULTICOM-NOVEL) in the CASP13 experiment and identified several key factors [i.e. deep learning technique, multiple sequence alignment (MSA), distance distribution prediction and domain-based contact integration] that influenced the contact prediction accuracy. We compared our convolutional neural network (CNN)-based contact prediction methods with three coevolution-based methods on 75 CASP13 targets consisting of 108 domains. We demonstrated that the CNN-based multi-distance approach was able to leverage global coevolutionary coupling patterns comprised of multiple correlated contacts for more accurate contact prediction than the local coevolution-based methods, leading to a substantial increase of precision by 19.2 percentage points. We also tested different alignment methods and domain-based contact prediction with the deep learning contact predictors. The comparison of the three methods showed deeper sequence alignments and the integration of domain-based contact prediction with the full-length contact prediction improved the performance of contact prediction. Moreover, we demonstrated that the domain-based contact prediction based on a novel ab initio approach of parsing domains from MSAs alone without using known protein structures was a simple, fast approach to improve contact prediction. Finally, we showed that predicting the distribution of inter-residue distances in multiple distance intervals could capture more structural information and improve binary contact prediction. Availability and implementation https://github.com/multicom-toolbox/DNCON2/. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Why Wait? The Case for Treating Tuberculosis with Inhaled Drugs

The discovery of drugs to treat tuberculosis (TB) was a major medical milestone in the twentieth century. However, from the outset, drug resistance was observed. Currently, of the 10 million people that exhibit TB symptoms each year, 450,000 have multidrug or extensively drug resistant (MDR or XDR) TB. While greater understanding of the host and pathogen (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mtb) coupled with scientific ingenuity will lead to new drugs and vaccines, in the meantime 4000 people die daily from TB. Thus, efforts to improve existing TB drugs should also be prioritized. Improved efficacy and decreased dose and associated toxicity of existing drugs would translate to greater compliance, life expectancy and quality of life of Mtb infected individuals. One potential strategy to improve existing drugs is to deliver them by inhalation as aerosols to the lung, the primary site of Mtb infection. Inhaled drugs are used for other pulmonary diseases, but they have yet to be utilized for TB. Inhaled therapies for TB represent an untapped opportunity that the pharmaceutical, clinical and regulatory communities should consider.
Chapter 33 – Julia sets in the quaternions

Publisher Summary Several studies have appeared in recent years demonstrating the visual effects obtainable from applying 2Dcomputer graphics to complex polynomials. Fascinating as such pictures are, they are only slim fragments compared to the 3D or 4D physical reality. Quadratics reside in higher dimensions, and this chapter presents one such extension––that is, the usage of 4D quaternion algebra to define structures possessing complex patterns of infinitely repeating geometric structure. Recent mathematical work on the dynamics of complex analytic functions has given rise to a new subject matter for computer graphics. The combination of mathematical theory and computer graphics has resulted in new insight into the nature of some of the simplest of mathematical objects: second-degree polynomials. Most of that work has focused on the possibilities within the 2D complex plane. This chapter shows the extension of these investigations to higher dimensions, thereby resulting in fractals that naturally reside in the 4D quaternions. Particular attention is paid to the formula ax2 + b. A method is given for obtaining various interconnection patterns for the Julia sets in 4-space, and the results are displayed in 3D computer graphics.
The Postwar Explosion in Radio Astronomy: The US Falls Behind

During the Second World War, a number of radar scientists independently discovered powerful radio emission from the Sun. Following the cessation of hostilities, and making use of their wartime experience, scientists, mostly at Jodrell Bank and Cambridge in the UK and in Sydney, Australia, used discarded radar systems to further investigate the complex solar radio emission, discovered powerful radio emission from old supernova explosions, and even more powerful radio sources from what later became known as radio galaxies. Encouraged by their early successes with relatively primitive equipment and the potential for new discoveries, scientists in the UK, Australia, the USSR, and the Netherlands developed plans to build more powerful radio telescopes and sophisticated new instrumentation.
Neuropathologic and Cognitive Correlates of Enlarged Perivascular Spaces in a Community-Based Cohort of Older Adults.

Background and Purpose: Enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) have been associated with aging, increased stroke risk, decreased cognitive function, and vascular dementia. However, the relationship of...
Cerebrospinal Fluid Cultures in Traumatic Brain Injury: Is It Worth It? A Two-Center Study.

Background: Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently develop leukocytosis, fever, and tachycardia that may lead to extensive medical investigations to rule out an infectious process. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is often acquired during this workup, however, the utility of this practice has not been studied previously. We hypothesized that CSF cultures would unlikely yield positive results in patients with TBI. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients with TBI admitted to two level 1 trauma centers at urban, academic institutions from January 2009 to December 2016. Data collected included patient demographics, presenting Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), injury profile, injury severity scores (ISS), regional abbreviated injury scale (AIS), hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), ventilator days, and culture results. For purposes of the analysis, CSF cultures with Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, or Candida underwent a chart review and were considered contaminates if indicated. Results: There were 145 patients who had CSF cultures obtained with a median age of 39 years; 77.2% were male. The majority of patients presented after blunt trauma with median GCS of 6, head AIS of 4, and ISS of 25. These patients had prolonged median ICU and hospital stays at 13 and 22 days, respectively. Six (4.1%) CSF cultures demonstrated growth. Four (2.8%) were deemed contaminants, with two growing Staphylococcus epidermidis only, one with both Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, and one with Candida. Two cultures (1.4%) were positive and grew Enterobacter cloacae. Of note, both patients had prior instrumentation with an external ventricular drain. Conclusion: Obtaining CSF cultures in patients with TBI is of low yield, especially in patients without prior external ventricular drain. Other sources of infectious etiologies should be considered in this patient population.
A Possible Observation of $\Lambda$nn Continuum Structures and A Bound $\Sigma$NN State Using the ($e, e' K^+)$ Reaction

The E12-17-003 $(e, e'K^+)$ experiment was carried out in the experimental Hall A facility of Jefferson Lab in November 2018. The experiment aimed at providing the experimental data for the unknown Lambda-n interaction by measuring the bound state or the resonance state as indicated by the HypHI experiment. The so obtained $\Lambda$-n interaction was assumed to solve the existing charge symmetry breaking problem in the case of Lambda-N interaction. The experiment used Hall A high resolution spectrometers (both left and right spectrometers) positioned symmetrically at constant angle 13.2$\degree$ each. A 25 cm long aluminum cylinder filled with $^3$H gas was used as a production target. The major calibration data were taken with the H target contained in an identical aluminum cylinder. The electroproduction of $\Lambda$ and $\Sigma^0$ via p$(e, e'K^+){\Lambda}, \Sigma^0$ reactions was used to calibrate the absolute energy scale with the known masses of the $\Lambda$ and $\Sigma^0$. Then by using the $(e, e'K^+)$ reaction, two possible ${\Lambda}$nn resonance states and one ${\Sigma}NN$ bound state were observed. The observed states have the energy resolution about 1.6 MeV (FWHM), however, great r statistics are required to solidly confirm the observed states. The A = 3 and 4 $\Sigma$ bound more states have been predicted long ago but only the A = 4 $\Sigma$ hypernucleus, that is ${4}\atop{\Sigma}$He, was found in the $(K^-,{\pi}^-)$ reaction. A careful Monte Carlo study was conducted to study the A (nuclear mass number) dependence on the missing mass resolution by using the identical experimental conditions. The simulated and experimentally obtained $\Lambda$ and $\Sigma^0$ channels agreed within 100 keV in $\sigma$, where $\sigma$ is the standard deviation. The intrinsic missing mass resolution of A = 3 (${3}\atop{\Sigma}$n) resonance was predicted about $\sigma$ = 0.67 MeV with a natural width of about 0.6 MeV. However, due to the low statistics the precision does not permit sufficient constrain on the determination of the $\Lambda$n interaction. The reason of having such low statistics is due to the use of unoptimized Hall A system which was definitely feasible but not ideal for this experiment. In addition, the cross section was found to be much smaller than expected.
The Relationship Between Intuitive Eating and Diet Quality in a College Population

Many college students have nutrient poor and energy dense diets and are also more likely to experience poor body image, which can result in unsafe dieting behaviors for the purpose of managing weight. Intuitive eating is an alternative approach to dieting that focuses on physiological hunger and fullness cues, while eating for both satisfaction and health without restriction of any foods. This study examined the association between intuitive eating and diet quality in a college population. College students, aged 18-56 years, completed an online survey which assessed intuitive eating using the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) and diet quality using the Starting The Conversation (STC) simplified food frequency instrument. IES-2 total score was positively correlated with higher overall diet quality and was negatively correlated with fast food and chip consumption. Eating for physical rather than emotional reasons and body-food choice congruence IES-2 subscales were positively correlated with diet quality while the unconditional permission to eat subscale was negatively correlated with diet quality. Strategies that focus on eating for health and well-being and minimize emotional eating are associated with higher overall diet quality and may be incorporated in dietary interventions among college students aimed at promoting healthy behaviors.
Distance and Transitivity in Line Graphs

In this last chapter of Part I, the focus is on local relationships between elements of a line graph. Among these are discrete analogues of the geometric concepts of diameter, radius, and center. Some of the results involve connections for these quantities between graphs and their line graphs, and what happens to their values in iterated line graphs. The center of a graph is also defined in a natural way, and some intriguing results on the center of a line graph are described. The other topic is in response to a question about partially ordered sets: Which line graphs can their edges oriented so that the result is a transitive ordering? The answer can be given in terms of forbidden subgraphs.
Nano-Crystal Formation and Growth from High-Fluence Ion Implantation of Au, Ag or Cu in Silica

Abstract The linear and non-linear optical properties of silica may be tailored by the introduction of a random distribution of nanocrystallites of an immiscible metal within a near-surface region. The size, size distribution, and spatial distribution of these crystallites must be controllable in order to optimize the functional properties for device applications. In this paper, we present a novel fabrication technique that offers such control. Energetic metal ions are implanted in silica at room temperature. Subsequent heat treatment leads to diffusion of the implanted atoms, nucleation and growth of metal crystallites, and Ostwald ripening of the resulting clusters. We have observed the kinetics and effective activation energies describing the multiple processes involved, for the cases of Au, Ag or Cu implanted at MeV energies, at various fluences, and then annealed at fixed temperatures in the range 500 °C-1000 °C. Effective activation energies found for nanocrystal nucleation and growth at temperatures below 800 °C (e.g. 64 meV for Ag) are replaced above this temperature range by much higher activation energies (e.g. 400 meV for Ag). We may attribute this to the depletion of un-attached mobile metal atoms (so that ripening of clusters will be limited by energy barriers for escape of such mobile atoms from small crystallites), and/or the annealing of implant-caused stress in the silica structure at high temperatures, that creates new channels for thermal diffusion of metal atoms within the silica host.
A Unified CBR Architecture for Robot Navigation

A delivery robot navigating in the real world and contending with multiple goals and priorities benefits from combining deliberative and reactive planning. Deliberative planners anticipate and optimize actions, and manage multiple goals at once. Reactive planners respond flexibly and moment-to-moment to a changing world, based on incomplete and flawed knowledge. This project proposes using case-based reasoning to fully integrate high-level and low-level planning techniques, along with other reasoning tasks of the system. The resulting robot allows case selection to mediate between methods. In addition, the robot learns by recording new reactive behaviors, storing new plans it creates, and introspective learning of retrieval features.