cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating Field-Based Research into the Classroom: An Environmental Sampling Exercise

A field-based, soil methods, and instrumentation course was developed to expose graduate students to numerous strategies for measuring soil parameters. Given the northern latitude of North Dakota State University and the rapid onset of winter, this course met once per week for the first 8 weeks of the fall semester and centered on the field as a classroom, allowing the students to learn through hands-on participation. The major focus of the course was providing a real-life example where the scientific method was used to answer a testable hypothesis. Students developed testable hypotheses, designed an experiment, determined sampling protocol and sample analysis, conducted statistical analysis, and wrote results in a peer-reviewed format. The research question for this course was, “What is the concentration of total mercury (Hg) in roadside soils of North Dakota?” The results from the student project indicated that total soil Hg concentration increased with increasing distance from the roadside shoulder and that total soil Hg concentration was not statistically different between high-traffic and low-traffic areas. Field-based courses and student-driven research projects are excellent ways to introduce research methods to graduate students. Student learning was enhanced during the experiential learning process by allowing the students to follow the scientific method starting from the formulation of ideas (research question and testable hypotheses) to the preparation of a manuscript.
An application of MAP-MRF to change detection in image sequence based on mean field theory

Change detection is one of the most important problems in video segmentation. In conventional methods, predetermined thresholds are utilized to test the variation between frames. Although certain reasonings about the thresholds are provided, appropriate determination of these parameters is still problematic. We present a new approach to change detection from an optimization point of view. We model the video frames and the change detection map (CDM) as Markov random fields (MRFs), and formulate change detection into a problem of seeking the optimal configuration of the CDM. Under the MRF assumption, the optimal solution, in the sense of maximum a posteriori (MAP), is obtained by minimizing the energy function associated with the MRF which is designed by utilizing the prior knowledge of noise and contextual constraints on the video frames. An algorithm that computes the potentials and optimizes the solution is constructed by applying the mean field theory (MFT). The experimental results show that the new method detects changes accurately and is robust to noise.
Thyroid Function And Depression In Pregnant Women In Qatar

Context There is an increased demand on the thyroid gland during pregnancy that results in lower levels of free thyroid hormone as pregnancy progresses. Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies, which are the most common cause of hypothyroidism and sub-clinical hypothyroidism, are found in 8-20% of women in the reproductive age group. It is unknown whether women with anti-thyroid antibodies are more prone to develop hypothyroidism during pregnancy. Hypothyroidism and sub-clinical hypothyroidism are associated with depression in men and non-pregnant women, but there has been little study of the degree to which low thyroid hormone or anti-thyroid antibodies increase risk of depression during pregnancy. Objective To determine whether low free T4 and TPO antibodies are associated with the development of depression during pregnancy. Design 371 non-depressed women were recruited from prenatal clinics in Doha, Qatar. Women were assessed during gestational weeks 8-16 (visit 1), 24-26 (visit 2) and 34-36 (visit 3). We screened women for depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Full psychiatric diagnoses were established using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) at visit 1 for all subjects, and then repeated at later visits if the EPDS score was greater than 9. TPO antibodies were measured once at visit 1 and free T4 and TSH were measured at visit 1 and visit 3. Results 14% of subjects had TPO antibodies in the first trimester. The proportion of subjects who screened positive for depression (EPDS >11) was 16% at visit 1, 11% at visit 2 and 3% at visit 3. The proportion of subjects with major depression was 3.2% at visit 1, 3.6% at visit 2 and 0% at visit 3. In the 1st trimester, there was no relationship between any of the thyroid parameters and EPDS score, but in the 3rd trimester women with lower free T4 levels had higher EPDS scores (p<0.03). TPO antibody status was not related to EPDS score in any trimester. Free T4 levels dropped significantly from visit 1 to visit 3 (p<0.001) however, subjects with TPO antibodies did not show this decrease (p<0.01). Free T4 levels were lower in women that were TPO positive at visit 1, however, at visit 3 there was no difference in free T4 levels in women with TPO antibodies. Conclusion Anti-thyroid antibodies are common among pregnant women in Qatar and are associated with lower free T4 in 1st trimester but not later in pregnancy. In addition, TPO antibody status is not a predictor of increased risk of depression during pregnancy. However, free T4 does drop significantly from 1st to 3rd trimester and lower free T4 levels in the 3rd trimester are associated with higher EPDS depression scores. Women who develop depression during pregnancy should be screened for hypothyroidism. Thyroid hormone replacement during pregnancy is known to improve birth outcomes, but further work is needed to determine whether treatment of hypothyroidism during pregnancy will improve depressed mood or prevent postpartum depression.
Identified central neurons convey a mitogenic signal from a peripheral target to the CNS

Regulation of central neurogenesis by a peripheral target has been previously demonstrated in the ventral nerve cord of the leech Hirudo medicinalis (Baptista, C. A., Gershon, T. R. and Macagno, E. R. (1990). Nature 346, 855–858) Specifically, innervation of the male genitalia by the fifth and sixth segmental ganglia (the sex ganglia) was shown to trigger the birth of several hundred central neurons (PIC neurons) in these ganglia. As reported here, removal of the target early during induction shows that PIC neurons can be independently induced in each side of a ganglion, indicating that the inductive signal is both highly localized and conveyed to each hemiganglion independently. Further, since recent observations (Becker, T., Berliner, A. J., Nitabach, M. N., Gan, W.-B. and Macagno, E. R. (1995). Development, 121, 359–369) had indicated that efferent projections are probably involved in this phenomenon, we individually ablated all possible candidates, which led to the identification of two central neurons that appear to play significant roles in conveying the inductive signal to the CNS. Ablation of a single ML neuron reduced cell proliferation in its own hemiganglion by nearly 50%, on the average. In contrast, proliferation on the opposite side of the ganglion increased by about 25%, suggesting the possibility of a compensatory response by the remaining contralateral ML neuron. Simultaneous ablation of both ML neurons in a sex ganglion caused similar reductions in cell proliferation in each hemiganglion. Deletion of a single AL neuron produced a weaker (7%) but nonetheless reproducible reduction. Ablation of the other nine central neurons that might have been involved in PIC neuron induction had no detectable effect. Both ML and AL neurons exhibit ipsilateral peripheral projections, and both arborize mostly in the hemiganglion where they reside. Thus, we conclude that peripheral regulation of central neurogenesis is mediated in the leech by inductive signals conveyed retrogradely to each hemiganglion by specific central neurons that innervate this target and the hemiganglion they affect.
Data integrity attacks and defenses for Intel lab sensor network

Wireless sensor networks have been increasingly popular and they have been deployed in a wide range of areas including transportation system, healthcare, robotics, and smart home. Wireless sensor networks have facilitated our life using the remote sensing ability. However, these systems could be taken advantage by the malicious parties to mislead users since they are often not physically secured and are used in hostile environments. We have proposed theoretical and statistical framework for creating data integrity attacks and corresponding security defenses. The data integrity attack is defined as a type of attack that targets to mislead the system by altering some collected data of the system in such a way that to achieve the goal of attackers. We use the Intel lab sensor data and demonstrate that it is easy to attack only a few essential sensors values to change the behavior of system, such as the control of air conditioner. To be more specific, by changing the temperature and humidity data measured by a group of sensors, the attacker can control the air conditioner turning on and off without being detected by correlation check. On the top of data integrity attacks, we have further developed low overhead defense schemes.
OPTICAL-MODEL ANALYSIS OF 50- AND 64-MeV ALPHA-PARTICLE SCATTERING FROM $sup 58$Ni AND $sup 58$Fe.

An optical-model analysis of the scattering of 64.3-MeV $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles from $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$ and $^{58}\mathrm{Fe}$, and of 50.2-MeV $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles from $^{58}\mathrm{Ni}$, has been performed using independent real- and imaginary-potential-geometry parameters. The scattering is found to be sensitive only to the potential form at radial distances beyond about 6 F. Real-potential-parameter ambiguities have been studied with particular reference to the quality of the analyzed data. The potentials found are compared with expectations based upon a simple folding of matter sizes and effective two-body forces.
Introduction to Symposium on Probability and Inference in the Law of Evidence: The Uses and Limits of Bayesianism

Introduction to a Seminal Issue of the Boston University Law Review on the Use of Various Formal Theories - including Probability Theory and Bayes' Theorem - to Dissect Factual Inference and Proof in Litigation
Evaluating and Optimizing Source Treatment Technologies to Improve the Biodegradability of Organic Compounds

The main objective of this research was to investigate the capabilities of three chemical oxidation processes as pretreatment technologies with the goal of making wastewaters containing persistent organic compounds amenable to biotreatment. The processes investigated are ozonation, ultraviolet radiation/ hydrogen peroxide (UV/H2O2) and Fenton reaction. The studies were focused on two organic compounds: Dichloro diethyl ether (DCDE) and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). Synthetic solutions, and a real groundwater and an industrial wastewater were used for experimentation. This title belongs to WERF Research Report Series ISBN: 9781780404301 (eBook) ISBN: 9781843397021 (Print)
DIFFERENCES IN FREEZE TOLERANCE OF ZOYSIAGRASSES: II. CARBOHYDRATE AND PROLINE ACCUMULATION

Cold hardiness among zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) genotypes varies, but the physiological basis for cold hardiness is not completely understood. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of carbohydrate (starch, total soluble sugars, total reducing sugars, sucrose, glucose, and raffi nose family oligosaccharides) and proline concentrations with the cold acclimation of zoysiagrass and the lethal temperature killing 50% of the plants (LT 50 ). Thirteen genotypes of zoysiagrass were selected with contrasting levels of winter hardiness. Plants were grown for 4 wk of 8/2°C day/night cycles and a 10-h photoperiod of 300 μmol m −2 s −1 to induce cold acclimation. Rhizomes and stolons were sampled from nonacclimated and cold-acclimated plants and used for carbohydrate and proline analysis. Concentrations of soluble sugars and proline increased during cold acclimation, while starch concentrations decreased. Starch, sugar/starch ratio, glucose, total reducing sugars, and proline in cold-acclimated plants were correlated (r = 0.61, −0.67, −0.73, −0.62, and −0.62, respectively) with LT 50 . These correlations indicate that higher concentrations of total reducing sugars, glucose, and proline are positively associated with zoysiagrass freeze tolerance, whereas higher concentrations of starch appeared detrimental to freeze tolerance.
Abstract W P300: Ethnic Differences in Post-Stroke Quality of Life in the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) Project

Background: Mexican Americans (MAs) have worse stroke outcomes than non-Hispanic whites (NHWs), which could translate into worse quality of life (QOL). Our objective was to investigate ethnic differences in post-stroke QOL across multiple domains in a bi-ethnic community. Methods: Ischemic stroke survivors, identified through the population-based Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) Project in Nueces County, Texas, participated in in-person interviews 90 days post-stroke from May 2010 - June 2012. The validated short form stroke-specific QOL (SSQOL) was used to assess overall, physical, and psychosocial QOL; scores range from 1-5 with higher scores representing greater QOL. Tobit regression was used to model unadjusted associations between ethnicity and the 3 QOL domains. Models were then adjusted for the following demographic and clinical factors obtained from the medical record and patient interview: age, sex, education, insurance status, marital status, nursing home residence before stro...
Temporal Dynamics of Microgeographic Structure of Genetic Variation in Microtus californicus

Demographic and genetic changes were documented in a 20-month study of a population of the California vole, Microtus californicus . Dramatic changes in density, typical of microtine rodents, were observed. During the time that population density declined rapidly, rare alleles were lost at three of the loci, PGD , GPI , and GOT-1 , and the less-common allele decreased in frequency at the fourth locus, LAP . The genetic structure of the population was dynamic. During phases of the population cycle in which the density was low, genetic differentiation (as measured by Wright's FST) was relatively high for areas separated by only 50–200 m (FST ≃0.04). The level of genetic differentiation among areas decreased when the population size increased. These changes in genetic differentiation are consistent with predictions based on theoretical models of population structure in which effective population size and migration are the critical variables.
Sirtuin-3 Is Expressed by Enteric Neurons but It Does not Play a Major Role in Their Regulation of Oxidative Stress.

Gut inflammation contributes to the development of gut motility disorders in part by disrupting the function and survival of enteric neurons through mechanisms that involve oxidative stress. How enteric neurons regulate oxidative stress is still poorly understood. Importantly, how neuron autonomous antioxidant mechanisms contribute to the susceptibility of enteric neurons to oxidative stress in disease is not known. Here, we discover that sirtuin-3 (Sirt3), a key regulator of oxidative stress and mitochondrial metabolism, is expressed by neurons in the enteric nervous system of the mouse colon. Given the important role of Sirt3 in the regulation of neuronal oxidative stress in the central nervous system, we hypothesized that Sirt3 plays an important role in the cell autonomous regulation of oxidative stress by enteric neurons and that a loss of Sirt3 increases neuronal vulnerability during intestinal inflammation. We tested our hypothesis using a combination of traditional immunohistochemistry, oxidative stress measurements and in vivo and ex vivo measures of GI motility in healthy and inflamed wild-type (wt) and Sirt3 null (Sirt3-/-) mice. Our results show that Sirt3 is widely expressed by neurons throughout the myenteric plexus of the mouse colon. However, the deletion of Sirt3 had surprisingly little effect on gut function and susceptibility to inflammation. Likewise, neither the genetic ablation of Sirt3 nor the inhibition of Sirt3 with antagonists had a significant effect on neuronal oxidative stress. Therefore, we conclude that Sirt3 contributes very little to the overall regulation of neuronal oxidative stress in the enteric nervous system. The functional relevance of Sirt3 in enteric neurons is still unclear but our data show that it is an unlikely candidate to explain neuronal vulnerability to oxidative stress during inflammation.
Interspecific Hybridization of Heliothis subflexa and H. virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Argentina

Heliothis virescens (F.), tobacco budworm (TBW), and Heliothis subflexa (Guenee) larvae were imported into the Stoneville Research Quarantine Facility from Argentina in 1986. These species were crossed and their response to hybridization compared with results obtained from crosses between the same species at Stoneville, Miss. Hybrids were further backcrossed to the Stoneville TBW to determine reproductive compatibility of strains from two different locations. Trends in hybrid development from crosses between H. subflexa females and TBW males from Argentina were the same as those previously reported from the same crosses between the Stoneville strains. Female larvae developed slower, and pupae were much larger than males. The reverse trend was seen in progeny from reciprocal crosses, Strains from both locations were carried through five generations beginning with the Argentina H. subflexa × TBW hybrid and backcrossed to the Stoneville TBW male for four generations with no evidence of male fertility.
The development of a potent, multifunctional gene delivery vector driven by the cancer-selective mucin-1 promoter to detect and treat breast cancer metastasis.

Abstract #6022 With breast cancer, early detection and proper staging are critical, influencing both the treatment regimen and therapeutic outcome for a patient. Improvements in these areas will play a profound role in reducing mortality due to this disease. We therefore aim to develop a targeted adenoviral based gene therapy vector that can be used in the detection and staging of metastatic breast cancer. We did this through application of the two-step transcriptional amplification system (TSTA). This system was developed in our lab, and has shown the ability to greatly augment the activity of weak promoters, while still maintaining tissue specificity. We incorporated the tumor specific promoter Mucin1 into the TSTA system to successfully target breast tumor models. Studies carried out in vitro have demonstrated that this MUC1 TSTA vector is able to achieve efficiency of up to 250 fold over basal promoter levels, without loss of specificity. Moreover, when incorporated into an adenoviral vector to express firefly luciferase (AdMUC1-TSTA-fl), it exhibits higher reporter gene expression than a AdCMV-fl virus at the same multiplicity of infection (MOI). Biodistribution studies have shown that, depending upon the initial route of administration, this system holds great potential for use in the detection of lymph node metastais, as well as distant metastases. This vector has shown low off target expression following intravenous injection into non-tumor bearing mice. Through use of in vivo xenograft models of breast cancer, we have shown the ability to target and detect both lymph node metastais, as well as liver metastasis using our AdMUC1 TSTA-fl reporter virus in combination with in vivo optical imaging. Based on these results, we believe that this system holds strong promise for clinical application. A critical aspect of this project will be the incorporation of cytotoxic genes for therapeutic studies. At the same time, the ability to express imaging reporter genes for bioluminescent imaging or PET (positron emission tomography) is highly desirable, allowing for efficient, non-invasive monitoring of pharmacokinetics of transgene expression in real time. To address this issue, we developed a MUC-1 driven TSTA amplification scheme able to simultaneously express two separate transgenes, the firefly luciferase and the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk sr39tk) gene. This bi-directional reporter TSTA construct has shown strong efficiency, and specificity, and is currently being evaluated for use in therapeutic application of breast tumors in vivo . This approach holds great promise for the treatment and diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 6022.
Some New or Little-Known Neotropical Sarcophagidae (Diptera), with a Review of the Genus Oxysarcodexia

New taxa are described, new information (including generic reassignments) is given for some previously known, and genitalia are figured for 39 species (marked here with asterisks), as follows: Aulacophyto sp.* (Chile) ; Blaesoxipha dolosa* (Chile), B . ebi* ( Sarcophaga e . Hall), B . quaesita* ( S. q . Hall); Boettcheria dentata* (El Salvador), B . marstoni* (Rio de Janeiro); Chloronesia aragua* (Venezuela), C . calliphorina* ( Robineauella c . Enderlein; redescribed), C . sp.* (Costa Rica); Dexosarcophaga bidentata* (Trinidad, W. I.), D . itaqua* and D . quecetuba* (State of Sao Paulo) ; Emdenimyia biseriata* (Venezuela); Helicobia Coquillett (= Anaravinia Townsend, n.syn.), H . biplagiata* (Peru, Ecuador), H . lagunicola* ( Johnsonia l . Hall, = Anaravinia hondunrona Townsend, n.syn.); Oxysarcodexia Townsend (= Hybopygia Enderlein, = Apelophyla Hall, n.synn.), O . artigasi* (Chile), O . aura* ( Sarcophaga a . Hall), O . bikini* (Chile), 0. comparilis* (Reinhard), O . cuernavaca* (Mexico), O . culmiforceps (Rio de Janeiro; = Sarcophaga culminata Lopes, nec Curran), O . lopesi (Amazonas; = S. fringidea Lopes, nee Curran & Walley), O . marina* ( Apelophyla m . Hall), O . meridionalis ( Sarcophaga ventricosa var. m . Engel, = S. illatu Lopes, n.syn.), O . orbitalis* (Martinique), O . pallisteri* (Peru), O. ramosa * (Reinhard), O . terminalis* ( Sarcophaga t . Wiedemann), O . varia* ( S. varia Walker), O. villosa * Lopes; Oxyvinia , type O . piliventris* (Venezuela), O . grata* ( Dexosarcophaga g . Lopes); Peckia villegasi* (Venezuela), P . irwini* (El Salvador), P . retrocita* ( Sarcophaga r . Hall; redescribed); Peckiamyia , type P . pacorensis* (Panama), P . abnortnalis ( Sarcophaga a . Hall), P . calx ( S. c . Hall); Petriana nigricornis* (Venezuela), P . antennata* (Peru); Promayoa , type P . peculiaris* (Paramaribo); Squamatodes stahli* (Misiones, Argentina); Tricharaea engeli* (Bolivia; = Sarothromyia femoralis Engel, nee Schiner), T . bilineata (Peru); Villegasia , type V . difficilis* (Venezuela), V . postuncinata ( Sarcophaga p . Hall); Metopia pauciseta (Peru). Keys are given to the species of Emdenimyia, Oxysarcodexia, and Petriana, and there is a synonymic check-list of names in Oxysarcodexia .
Interacting environmental mosaics drive geographic variation in mussel performance and predation vulnerability.

Although theory suggests geographic variation in species' performance is determined by multiple niche parameters, little consideration has been given to the spatial structure of interacting stressors that may shape local and regional vulnerability to global change. Here, we use spatially explicit mosaics of carbonate chemistry, food availability and temperature spanning 1280 km of coastline to test whether persistent, overlapping environmental mosaics mediate the growth and predation vulnerability of a critical foundation species, the mussel Mytilus californianus. We find growth was highest and predation vulnerability was lowest in dynamic environments with frequent exposure to low pH seawater and consistent food. In contrast, growth was lowest and predation vulnerability highest when exposure to low pH seawater was decoupled from high food availability, or in exceptionally warm locations. These results illustrate how interactions among multiple drivers can cause unexpected, yet persistent geographic mosaics of species performance, interactions and vulnerability to environmental change.
Syncope from a twiddled ICD.

A patient playing (“twiddling”) with his or her implanted cardioverter-defibrillator can dislodge the lead.
A Sociotechnical Mechanism for Online Support Provision

Social support can significantly improve health outcomes for individuals living with disease, and online forums have emerged as an important vehicle for social support. Whereas research has focused on the delivery and use of social support, little is known about how these communities are sustained. We describe one sociotechnical mechanism that enables sustainable communities to provide social support to a large number of people. We focus upon thirteen disease-specific discussion forums hosted by the WebMD online health community. In these forums, small, densely connected cores of members who maintain strong relationships generate the majority of support for others. Through content analysis we find they provide informational support to a large number of more itinerant members, but provide one another with community support. Based on these observations, we describe a sociotechnical mechanism of online support that is distinct from non-support oriented communities, and has implications for the design of self-sustaining online support systems.
Distinct Electrocardiographic form of Idiopathic Ventricular Arrhythmia Originating from the Left Bundle Branch

Most premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) arise from the right or left ventricular outflow tract. Some VPCs originate near the His-bundle region. However, there remains a paucity of information on PVCs originating directly from the cardiac conduction system. We describe two cases with idiopathic frequent PVCs that were mapped directly to the left bundle branch itself. We also provide an anatomic-based mapping and ablation approach for management of these uncommon and challenging arrhythmias. In both cases we were able to either eliminate or significantly suppress the ectopic source by applying radiofrequency at this location without causing any significant impairment of the atrioventricular conduction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Evaluation of a low-complexity fall detection algorithm on wearable sensor towards falls and fall-alike activities

Fall accidents cause severe damage to health, sometimes even mortality in older adults. With the increasing number of the elderly suffering from fall events, wearable products are in great demand. However, most of them for fall detection have difficulty in reducing false positive caused by fall-alike activities. In this study, we focus on evaluating the accuracy of fall detection among a set of fall-alike activities using a low-complexity fall detection algorithm and a 3-axis accelerometer. Quantitative evaluation in controlled study tunes the algorithm's parameters and provides us a 90% fall detection accuracy. The experiment result shows that jumping onto bed followed by a rest has the highest false positive rate of 45% and running followed by a sudden stop reaches 32%, while running upstairs or downstairs and standing quickly from sofa is less confusing with the false positive rates of 20% and 5%, respectively. The false positive rate is decided by the sensitivity of the threshold and the intensity of motions in the experiment. We also perform a 10-hour longitudinal study on real-life activities of one subject. In the longitudinal real-life pilot study, the low-complexity algorithm demonstrates the high accuracy, which indicates its effectiveness in real life.
Measurement Matters: Estimating Students’ Community Engagement Participation

Many community engagement and service-learning studies require the researcher to identify whether or not a particular student has participated in an engagement activity. In this article, the author explores the importance and challenge of measuring college students’ community engagement by detailing one institution’s rigorous effort to answer the question, “What percentage of students participate in community engagement during their time at college?” The article illustrates the results of a study in which an institution supplemented an existing database of student participation with several other nontraditional sources of student participation data to construct an expanded measure of engagement. Results indicated that, compared with the expanded measure, the existing database produced a biased estimate of engagement with regard to gender, race and ethnicity, financial aid, and athletic status. Implications for future research, assessment, and practice are discussed.
Enantioselective organocatalytic conjugate addition of organoboron nucleophiles

Abstract This review covers the use of organoboron nucleophiles in enantioselective conjugate additions catalyzed by organic-based catalysts. It is divided into sections based on the type of nucleophile, with each section arranged in roughly chronological order. The categories of nucleophiles are alkynyl, alkenyl, and aryl boronates or borates. The principle modes of catalysis, iminium formation and boron chelation, are covered.
α-Ketoglutarate drives electroneutral NaCl reabsorption in intercalated cells by activating a G-protein coupled receptor, Oxgr1.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review describes the recent discoveries about a powerful electroneutral NaCl reabsorption mechanism in intercalated cells, and its regulation by an intrarenal metabolite paracrine, α-ketoglutartate, and the G-protein coupled receptor, Oxgr1. RECENT FINDINGS The distal nephron fine-tunes sodium, chloride, potassium, hydrogen, bicarbonate and water transport to maintain electrolyte homeostasis and blood pressure. Intercalated cells have been traditionally viewed as the professional regulators of acid-base balance, but recent studies reveal that a specific population of intercalated cells, identified by the pendrin-transporter, have a surprising role in the regulation of salt balance. The pendrin-positive intercalated cells (PP-ICs) facilitate electroneutral NaCl reabsorption through the cooperative activation of multitransport protein network. α-Ketoglutartate is synthesized and secreted into the proximal tubule lumen in the combined state of metabolic alkalosis and intravascular volume contraction to activate Oxgr1 in PP-IC, which in turn activates the multitransport protein network to drive salt reabsorption and bicarbonate secretion by these cells. SUMMARY Recent studies identify a novel salt transport pathway in intercalated cells that is activated by an intrarenal paracrine system, α-ketoglutartate/Oxgr1. Activation of the paracrine system and transport pathway, particularly during alkalosis and volume contraction, mitigates deleterious salt wasting while restoring acid-base balance.
Other Pharmacological Therapies: Investigational Antiepileptic Drugs, Animal Models of Epilepsy, Hormonal Therapy, Immunotherapy

The investigation of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) includes trials of new routes of delivery for marketed drugs, trials of marketed drugs for new indications, and trials of novel compounds. New routes of delivery are being tested in particular for benzodiazepines, in the treatment of seizure clusters by family members and other nonmedical caregivers. A large pivotal trial was completed for intramuscular diazepam administration by autoinjector, demonstrating intramuscular diazepam to be superior to placebo in preventing additional seizures and in obviating the need for other rescue treatment or emergency room visit.
RRAM-based reconfigurable in-memory computing architecture with hybrid routing

Recent advances in resistive random-access memory (RRAM) evoke great interests in exploring alternative architectures. One interesting work is a RRAM-based reconfigurable architecture that provides superior programmbility and blurs the boundary between computation and storage, but long-distance routing becomes a performance bottleneck. However, long-distance routing in FPGA is efficiently implemented, but its fine-grained routing structure results in a large routing overhead. In this work, we present a RRAM-based reconfigurable architecture that addresses the routing challenges using hybrid routing, i.e., local and global routing by taking the best advantages of both architectures (prior RRAM-based and FPGA). We also provide a complete CAD framework that exhibits high parallelism and good scalability. Experimental results show that our reconfigurable architecture outperforms both architectures. It achieves a 46.88% reduction in delay and improves the energy efficiency by 66.23% compared with the prior RRAM-based architecture with a slightly increased area overhead. While comparing with FPGA, it reduces the delay and the routing overhead by 36.00% and 50.20%, respectively. Additionally, our CAD framework achieves 5.39x speedup, compared with the prior framework.
PULMONARY HYPERTENSION CAUSED BY ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULA

The creation of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF) has been implicated in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). A specific finding on right heart catheterization (RHC) could identify patients who would benefit most from surgical closure of AVF. A 57 year old man with history of insulin-
Vehicle Reidentification in a Connected Vehicle Environment using Machine Learning Algorithms

Deployment of connected vehicles will become possible for most American cities in the next 10 to 20 years. Connected vehicle (CV) applications (e.g., mobility, safety, environment) are constantly r...
The mesenchymoangioblast, mesodermal precursor for mesenchymal and endothelial cells.

Mesenchymoangioblast (MB) is the earliest precursor for endothelial and mesenchymal cells originating from APLNR+PDGFRα+KDR+ mesoderm in human pluripotent stem cell cultures. MBs are identified based on their capacity to form FGF2-dependent compact spheroid colonies in a serum-free semisolid medium. MBs colonies are composed of PDGFRβ+CD271+EMCN+DLK1+CD73− primitive mesenchymal cells which are generated through endothelial/angioblastic intermediates (cores) formed during first 3–4 days of clonogenic cultures. MB-derived primitive mesenchymal cells have potential to differentiate into mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs), pericytes, and smooth muscle cells. In this review, we summarize the specification and developmental potential of MBs, emphasize features that distinguish MBs from other mesenchymal progenitors described in the literature and discuss the value of these findings for identifying molecular pathways leading to MSC and vasculogenic cell specification, and developing cellular therapies using MB-derived progeny.
Computational Predictions and Microwave Plasma Synthesis of Superhard Boron-Carbon Materials

Superhard boron-carbon materials are of prime interest due to their non-oxidizing properties at high temperatures compared to diamond-based materials and their non-reactivity with ferrous metals under extreme conditions. In this work, evolutionary algorithms combined with density functional theory have been utilized to predict stable structures and properties for the boron-carbon system, including the elusive superhard BC₅ compound. We report on the microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition on a silicon substrate of a series of composite materials containing amorphous boron-doped graphitic carbon, boron-doped diamond, and a cubic hard-phase with a boron-content as high as 7.7 at%. The nanoindentation hardness of these composite materials can be tailored from 8 GPa to as high as 62 GPa depending on the growth conditions. These materials have been characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and nanoindentation hardness, and the experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions. Our studies show that a significant amount of boron up to 7.7 at% can be accommodated in the cubic phase of diamond and its phonon modes and mechanical properties can be accurately modeled by theory. This cubic hard-phase can be incorporated into amorphous boron-carbon matrices to yield superhard materials with tunable hardness values.
Pediatric Case Exposure During Emergency Medicine Residency.

Objective While emergency medicine (EM) physicians treat the majority of pediatric EM (PEM) patients in the United States, little is known about their PEM experience during training. The primary objective was to characterize the pediatric case exposure and compare to established EM residency training curricula among EM residents across five U.S. residency programs. Methods We performed a multicenter medical record review of all pediatric patients (aged < 18 years) seen by the 2015 graduating resident physicians at five U.S. EM training programs. Resident-level counts of pediatric patients were measured and specific counts were classified by the 2016 Model of Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine (MCP) and Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) diagnostic categories. We assessed variability between residents and between programs. Results A total of 36,845 children were managed by 68 residents across all programs. The median age was 6 years. The median number of patients per resident was 660 with an interquartile range of 336. The most common PECARN diagnostic categories were trauma, gastrointestinal, and respiratory disease. Thirty-two core MCP diagnoses (43% of MCP list) were not seen by at least 50% of the residents. We found statistically significant variability between programs in both PECARN diagnostic categories (p < 0.01) and MCP diagnoses (p < 0.01). Conclusion There is considerable variation in the number of pediatric patients and the diagnostic case volume seen by EM residents. The relationship between this case variability and competence upon graduation is unknown; further investigation is warranted to better inform program-specific curricula and to guide training requirements in EM.
Grounding simulation models with qualitative case studies: Toward a holistic framework to make climate science usable for US public land management

Abstract Policies directing agencies and public land managers to incorporate climate change into management face several barriers. These stem, in part, from a disconnect between the information that is produced and the information needs of local resource managers. A disproportionate focus on the natural and physical sciences in climate vulnerability and adaptation assessment obscure understandings of complex social systems and the interactions and feedbacks in social-ecological systems. We use a qualitative case study of bison management on Department of the Interior-managed and tribal lands to explore how a social-science driven Determinants and Analogue Vulnerability Assessment (DAVA) can inform ecological response models, specifically simulation models that account for multiple drivers of change. First, we illustrate how a DAVA approach can help to: 1) identify key processes, entities, and interactions across scales; 2) document local impacts, indicators, and monitoring efforts of drought and climate; and 3) identify major tradeoffs and uncertainties. We then demonstrate how qualitative narratives can inform simulation models by: 1) prioritizing model components included in modeling efforts; 2) framing joint management and climate scenarios; and 3) parameterizing and evaluating model performance. We do this by presenting a conceptual joint agent-based/state-and-transition simulation modeling framework. Simulation models can represent multiple interacting variables and can identify surprising, emergent outcomes that might not be evident from qualitative analysis alone, and we argue that qualitative case studies can ground simulation models in local contexts and help make them more structurally realistic and useful. Together, these can provide a step toward developing actionable climate change adaptation strategies.
Dependent Functional Status is a Risk Factor for Perioperative and Postoperative Complications After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background As the population ages, the need for total hip arthroplasty (THA) will increase. However, this will be associated with an increase in comorbidities and a decrease in the ability to independently perform activities of daily living (ADLs). This study was designed to evaluate the impact preoperative functional status has on short-term outcomes after THA. Methods Primary THAs performed from 2012 to 2016 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Final analysis included 115,590 cases. Patients who could perform all ADLs were classified as independent functional status (n = 113,436), and patients requiring assistance with ADLs were classified as dependent functional status (n = 2154). Univariate analysis was used to compare perioperative outcomes and 30-day complication rates. Multivariate regression was then applied to determine if preoperative dependent functional status was an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes. Results Functionally dependent patients were more likely to experience operative times >120 minutes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.39; P 10 days (OR = 2.96; P Conclusions Functionally dependent patients undergoing THA are at higher risk of mortality, adverse perioperative outcomes, and complications. These data may aid for patient counseling and risk stratification.
Accessing Web Archives: Integrating an Archive-It Collection into EBSCO Discovery Service

Effective collaboration between archives and technical services can increase the discoverability of special collection materials. Archivists at the University of Dayton Libraries began using Archiv...
Trennungen von einigen Proteinen und deren Peptiden aus Rindermuskel mit Hilfe der Dünnschicht-Fingerprint-Technik

Es wird uber die Anwendung der Dunnschicht-Fingerprint-Technik mit Cellulosepulver MN 300 HR bei der Trennung von Peptiden aus isolierten Proteinen des Rindermuskels und bei freien Peptiden und Aminosauren aus Trockeneipulvern berichtet. Die Methode erlaubt eine Trennung der Substanzen mit relativ kleinen und scharf umgrenzten Flecken.
Utilization and outcomes of polytetrafluoroethylene covered stents in patients with coronary artery perforation and coronary artery aneurysm: Single center 15‐year experience

Objectives Determine the outcomes of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) covered stents for coronary artery perforation (CAP) and coronary artery aneurysm (CAA). Background PTFE covered stents have been used for treatment of potentially life-threatening CAP and CAA. The short and long-term outcomes of the PTFE covered stent for CAP and CAA have not been well studied. Methods We performed a retrospective study of PTFE covered stents that were placed in the patients from 2003 to 2017. Short term outcomes included in-hospital mortality, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, and length of stay. Long-term outcomes included target lesion revascularization (TLR), in-stent restenosis (ISR), and long-term mortality. Results Fifty-three PTFE covered stents were placed in 32 patients of which there were 24 patients with a CAP with a mean age of 75 ± 8 years. Two patients died in-hospital, with no additional deaths at 30 days. The rate of ISR was 25%, with estimated rates of TLR of 2.6% (3 years) and 17.8% (5 years). The median survival was 55.6 months, with survival at 10 years estimated to be 30.9%. Eight patients received a PTFE covered stent for CAA with a mean age of 59 ± 15 years with no in-hospital or 30-day mortality. Median follow-up of 49 months showed no evidence of TLR. The all-cause mortality was 12% at 1 year and 38% at 3 years. Conclusions PTFE covered stents is an effective option in patients with CAP and CAA. The long-term outcomes may be related to the pathology of the disease rather than the stent itself.
Roy Rogers and Gene Autry Do Not Endorse This Project: Actors, Advertising, and Feature Films on Early Television:

Roy Rogers and Gene Autry were two hugely successful stars in the mid-twentieth century who moved between the mediums of radio, television, and film. Their attempts to build multimedia empires, and...
Association of Cumulative Multimorbidity, Glycemic Control, and Medication Use With Hypoglycemia-Related Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations Among Adults With Diabetes.

Importance Severe hypoglycemia is a serious and potentially preventable complication of diabetes, with some of the most severe episodes requiring emergency department (ED) care or hospitalization. A variety of health conditions increase the risk of hypoglycemia. People with diabetes often have multiple comorbidities, and the association of such multimorbidity with hypoglycemia risk in the context of other risk factors is uncertain. Objective To examine the associations of age, cumulative multimorbidity, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, and use of glucose level–lowering medication with hypoglycemia-related ED visits and hospitalizations. Design, Setting, and Participants Cohort study of claims and laboratory data from OptumLabs Data Warehouse, an administrative claims database of commercially insured and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in the United States. Participants were adults (aged ≥18 years) with diabetes who had an available HbA1clevel result in 2015. Data from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016, were analyzed. Final analyses were conducted from December 2017 to September 2018. Main Outcomes and Measures This study calculated rates of hypoglycemia-related ED visits and hospitalizations during the year after the index HbA1clevel was obtained, stratified by patient demographic characteristics, diabetes type, comorbidities (from 16 guideline-specified high-risk conditions), index HbA1clevel, and glucose level–lowering medication use. The association of each variable with hypoglycemia-related ED and hospital care was examined using multivariable Poisson regression analysis overall and by diabetes type. Results The study cohort was composed of 201 705 adults with diabetes (mean [SD] age, 65.8 [12.1] years; 102 668 [50.9%] women; 118 804 [58.9%] white; mean [SD] index HbA1clevel, 7.2% [1.5%]). Overall, there were 9.06 (95% CI, 8.64-9.47) hypoglycemia-related ED visits and hospitalizations per 1000 persons per year. The risk of hypoglycemia-related ED visits and hospitalizations was increased by age 75 years or older (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.56 [95% CI, 1.23-2.02] vs 18-44 years), black race/ethnicity (IRR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.16-1.46] vs white race/ethnicity), lower annual household income (IRR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.53-0.74] for ≥$100 000 vs Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of adults with diabetes, the risk of an ED visit or hospitalization for hypoglycemia appeared to be highest among patients with type 1 diabetes, multiple comorbidities, prior severe hypoglycemia, and sulfonylurea and/or insulin use. At-risk patients may benefit from individualized treatment regimens to decrease their risk of hypoglycemia.
The Mock Trial of Matthew Lyon: Teaching Media Law by Roleplaying its Past

A decade after William Paterson signed the U.S. Constitution, he was tasked with interpreting one of its fundamental tenets. America’s founding document guaranteed freedom of the press. But that fr...
The risk of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) increases with gestational age at term

Objective: To examine the risk of meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) by the week of gestational age in pregnancies with meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF).Methods: This is a retrospective cohor...