cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-Phasic Nanocomposite Sol-Gel Processing of Cordierite

Cordierite (Mg2Al4Si5O18) powders prepared from compositionally triphasic nanocomposite gels led to enhanced densification when compared to powders made by the conventional SSG route. The densification of the sintered cordierite pellets was determined by utilizing the Archimedes method and the microstructure of the pellets was examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Bulk densities of monophasic, triphasic nanocomposite (two sols and one solution) and truly triphasic nanocomposite (three sols) pellets sintered at 1300°C for 2 hours were 2.01 g/cm3 (80% relative density), 2.42 g/cm3 (96% relative density) and 2.51 g/cm3 (100% relative density) respectively. The enhanced densification of α-cordierite utilizing triphasic nanocomposite sol-gel processing is, at least in part, due to the contribution of the heat of reaction from the three components.
Intron loss in interferon genes follows a distinct set of stages, and may confer an evolutionary advantage

The promoter-intron-exon structure of genes evolve. While the structures of some IFN genes (e.g., piscine and amphibian Type I IFNs, most tetrapod IFN-λ genes) resemble those of other class II cytokines (e.g., interleukins-10, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26), the structures of other IFN genes differ significantly. Although all bony vertebrate IFN-γ genes lack the canonical third intron, and all amniote Type I IFN genes lack introns, only some IFN-λ genes lost their introns. Interestingly, these intronless IFN-λ genes are not preferentially related to one another nor are they clustered with canonical multi-intron IFN-λ genes. Hypothesizing that intronless IFN-λ genes repeatedly and independently evolved and transposed throughout the genome, we sought to understand the genetic processes involved in their intron loss and genomic migration. Utilizing the high conservation of the promoters, the UTRs and the ORFs of the IFN-λ genes, we collected data from two families of intronless IFN-λ genes, and developed a model supported by these data to explain how intronless IFN-λ genes evolved. (1) A cytoplasmic IFN-λ cDNA generated by reverse transcriptional activity enters the nucleus and attempts to recombine with its multi-exon progenitor. (2) Nuclear DNA synthesis at the 5' and 3' ends within recombination intermediates affixes the promoter onto the cDNA and preserves its 3' UTR. (3) Resolution of the recombination complex releases the promoter-associated cDNA. (4) The released intronless gene co-integrates with a highly duplicated sequence undergoing transposition. We propose that this process explains not only the evolution of the gene structure of IFN genes, but also the increased transposition of intronless genes in genomes, and may confer an evolutionary advantage.
Boys with fragile X syndrome: investigating temperament in early childhood.

Background Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an x-linked genetic disorder that represents the most common hereditary cause of Intellectual Disability (ID). Very specific behavioural features (e.g. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and stereotyped behaviour) are associated with FXS in adolescents and adults, yet research on temperament and behavioural characteristics in young children with FXS has been more limited and less conclusive. Method This study investigated temperament differences in young boys (3–7 years old) with FXS (N = 26) recruited from a national FXS centre and controls (N = 26) matched on age, gender and race. Results Compared with controls, boys with FXS exhibited less overall surgency/extraversion and effortful control. Boys with FXS also displayed significantly greater activity and shyness and less attentional focusing, inhibitory control, soothability and high intensity pleasure (tendency to enjoy intense/complex activities), relative to comparison children. A significant interaction between age and diagnosis (FXS or control) was observed for negative affectivity only. Conclusions Attention difficulties commonly found in adolescents and adults with FXS appear to also be characteristic of young boys with FXS, as reflected by lower effortful control. Age-related findings concerning negative affectivity may be particularly significant, leading to improved intervention/preventative efforts.
Interleukin 1α and an interleukin 1β fragment are somnogenic

We report here that IL-1α, like IL-1β, has the capacity in rabbits to enhance non-rapid-eye-movement sleep, electroencephalographic slow-wave voltages, and body temperatures and to inhibit rapid-eye-movement sleep. Several synthetic IL-1α and IL-1β peptides were also tested in vivo for somnogenic and pyrogenic activity and in vitro for their ability to stimulate prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) production by fibroblasts and proliferation of T-cells
Climate Sins of Our Fathers? Historical Accountability in Distributing Emissions Rights

AbstractOne major question in climate justice is whether developed countries’ historical emissions are relevant to distributing the burdens of mitigating climate change. To argue that developed countries should bear a greater share of the burdens of mitigation because of their past emissions is to advocate ‘historical accountability.’ Standard arguments for historical accountability rely on corrective justice. These arguments face important objections. By using the notion of a global emissions budget, however, we can reframe the debate over historical accountability in terms of distributive justice. This paper argues that, given two defensible assumptions, distributive justice requires historical accountability. These assumptions are that the proper claimants on the emissions budgets are societies or states, not individuals, and that we should be allocating the entirety of the original, pre-industrial budget, rather than just the remainder.
Spatial Epidemiology: Where Have We Come in 150 Years?

Modern epidemiology is founded on a tradition of spatial analysis. The genesis of this discipline can be traced to the classic work of John Snow and the Broad Street pump. During the 1850s, cholera outbreaks were an important cause of morbidity and mortality amongst the inhabitants of London. Using simple dot maps and visualization, Snow provided compelling evidence that cases were clustered and that fecal-contaminated drinking water might be the cause of some cholera outbreaks. During the intervening 150 years, spatial epidemiology (alternatively called landscape epidemiology and more broadly, medical geography) has developed into a field within its own right. During the past two decades, advances in geographic information systems and statistical methods for analyzing spatially-referenced health data has allowed epidemiologists to routinely perform spatial analyses. Some of the most beneficial advances in spatial epidemiology have been in the areas of data visualization, detection of disease clusters, identification of spatial risk factors, application of predictive models, and the routine incorporation of GIS into disease surveillance programs. In this chapter, approaches used in spatial epidemiology will be described. Some specific techniques that are currently popular in the discipline will be presented. Several case studies will be used to highlight the application of these techniques within the field of spatial epidemiology and to illustrate the potential value of this discipline to public health and homeland security. The chapter will conclude by considering some of the major obstacles that remain to the consolidation of spatial analysis as a foundation of modern epidemiology, including the availability and quality of spatial disease data, information on the distributions of the populations at-risk, and integration of methods seamlessly into epidemiologic software packages.
ROCK inhibitors in ocular disease

Rho kinases (ROCKs) have a crucial role in actin-cytoskeletal reorganization and thus are involved in broad aspects of cell motility, from smooth muscle contraction to neurite outgrowth. The first marketed ROCK inhibitor, called fasudil, has been used safely for treatment of cerebral vasospasm since 1995 in Japan. During the succeeding decades ROCK inhibitors have been applied in many pathological conditions from central nervous system disorders to cardiovascular disease as potential therapeutic agents or experimental tools to help understand the underlying (patho)mechanisms. In 2014, a fasudil derivate named ripasudil was accepted for clinical use in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Since ROCK kinases are widely expressed in ocular tissues, they have been implicated in the pathology of many ocular conditions such as corneal dysfunction, glaucoma, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and retinal detachment. This paper aims to provide an overview of the most recent status/application of ROCK inhibitors in the field of eye disease.
Item Construction Using Reflective, Formative, or Rasch Measurement Models: Implications for Group Work

Measures that accurately capture the phenomenon are critical to research and practice in group work. The vast majority of group-related measures were developed using the reflective measurement mode...
Extended hybrid-space SENSE for EPI: Off-resonance and eddy current corrected joint interleaved blip-up/down reconstruction.

Abstract Introduction Geometric distortions along the phase encode direction caused by off-resonant spins are still a major issue in EPI based functional and diffusion imaging. If the off-resonance map is known it is possible to correct for distortions. Most correction methods operate as a post-processing step on the reconstructed magnitude images. Theory and methods Here, we present an algebraic reconstruction method (hybrid-space SENSE) that incorporates a physics based model of off-resonances, phase inconsistencies between k-space segments, and T2*-decay during the acquisition. The method can be used to perform a joint reconstruction of interleaved acquisitions with normal (blip-up) and inverted (blip-down) phase encode direction which results in reduced g-factor penalty. Results A joint blip-up/down simultaneous multi slice (SMS) reconstruction for SMS-factor 4 in combination with twofold in-plane acceleration leads to a factor of two decrease in maximum g-factor penalty while providing off-resonance and eddy-current corrected images. Conclusion We provide an algebraic framework for reconstructing diffusion weighted EPI data that in addition to the general applicability of hybrid-space SENSE to 2D-EPI, SMS-EPI and 3D-EPI with arbitrary k-space coverage along z, allows for a modeling of arbitrary spatio-temporal effects during the acquisition period like off-resonances, phase inconsistencies and T2*-decay. The most immediate benefit is a reduction in g-factor penalty if an interleaved blip-up/down acquisition strategy is chosen which facilitates eddy current estimation and ensures no loss in k-space encoding in regions with strong off-resonance gradients.
A Simplified Framework for String Stability Analysis in AHS 1

Abstract One of the most important issues in longitudinal control of vehicles in automated highway systems (AHS) is string stability, that is, the attenuation of spacing errors as they propagate upstream the platoon. In this paper we use a mass-spring-damper system as a simplified framework for string stability analysis and study the properties of several longitudinal control schemes which have been proposed in the literature.
Ring Resonator True Time Delay Arrays with Sharing Optimization for Wideband Applications

The delay response and sharing topology of a 3-optical-ring-resonator based optical beamforming network were experimentally studied and optimized. Eye diagrams were measured to evaluate the signal degradation imposed by the chip.
Microsecond Dynamics and Network Analysis of the HIV-1 SOSIP Env Trimer Reveal Collective Behavior and Conserved Microdomains of the Glycan Shield

Summary The trimeric HIV-1-envelope (Env) spike is one of the most glycosylated protein complexes known, with roughly half its mass comprising host-derived N -linked glycan. Here we use molecular dynamics to provide insight into its structural dynamics and into how both protomer and glycan movements coordinate to shield the Env protein surface. A 2-μs molecular dynamics simulation of a fully glycosylated atomistic model of the HIV-1 SOSIP Env trimer revealed a spectrum of protomer-scissoring and trimer-opening movements. Network analysis showed that highly conserved glycans combined with protomer scissoring to restrict access to the binding site of the CD4 receptor. The network property of betweenness centrality appeared to identify whether glycans spread to restrict access or cluster to maintain the high-mannose character of the shield. We also observed stable microdomains comprising patches of glycan, with neutralizing antibodies generally binding at the interface between glycan microdomains. Overall, our results provide a microsecond-based understanding of the Env glycan shield.
Critical Library Management: Administrating for Equity

Social justice and critical theory frameworks have been utilized to discuss library pedagogy and cataloging, but librarians have been slow in applying critical theory to how we actually manage libraries and lead staff. Management is not glamorous; rather, many still hold the traditional view of management as upholding hierarchical values. At its core, both libraries and management are about people, and library managers and administrators have the power to formulate and uphold the library’s values. Libraries do not exist in a vacuum; we work to empower the communities we work with, and social justice issues directly impact our patrons. In this article, we discuss the importance of integrating critical theory into library management, providing specific examples of how library managers can work towards creating and sustaining organizational systems that promote social justice and equity, regardless of the size of our departments or institutions.
Hormone producing gynecological tumors: pathologic entities and clinical significance.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Due to their derivation from the cell types involved in gynecologic hormonal networks, many gynecologic tumors may produce hormones. In a normal physiological setting, these hormones are essential for regulating the biology and function of gynecological organs, the ovary and uterus in particular. Overproduction of hormones by the tumor may lead to abnormal clinical manifestations of the patients and spillage of excess hormonal products into the blood. Abnormal elevation of serum hormones may be considered as biomarkers that are important to pathologists and clinicians in making precise tumor diagnoses and likely useful in monitoring the tumor burden/recurrence to guide patient treatment options. This review will discuss gynecologic neoplasms that produce hormonal biomarkers and assess their relevance to pathological diagnosis, evaluation for therapeutic response and monitoring disease progression.Areas covered: Studies involving hormonal production by a gynecologic tumor were candida...
Oxidative stress-induced TGF-beta/TAB1-mediated p38MAPK activation in human amnion epithelial cells

Term and preterm parturition are associated with oxidative stress (OS)-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)-mediated fetal tissue (amniochorion) senescence. p38MAPK activation is a complex cell- and stimulant-dependent process. Two independent pathways of OS-induced p38MAPK activation were investigated in amnion epithelial cells (AECs) in response to cigarette smoke extract (CSE: a validated OS inducer in fetal cells): (1) the OS-mediated oxidation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (ASK)-1 bound Thioredoxin (Trx[SH]2) dissociates this complex, creating free and activated ASK1-signalosome and (2) transforming growth factor-mediated activation of (TGF)-beta-activated kinase (TAK)1 and TGF-beta-activated kinase 1-binding protein (TAB)1. AECs isolated from normal term, not-in-labor fetal membranes increased p38MAPK in response to CSE and downregulated it in response to antioxidant N-acetylcysteine. In AECs, both Trx and ASK1 were localized; however, they remained dissociated and not complexed, regardless of conditions. Silencing either ASK1 or its downstream effectors (MKK3/6) did not affect OS-induced p38MAPK activation. Conversely, OS increased TGF-beta's release from AECs and increased phosphorylation of both p38MAPK and TAB1. Silencing of TAB1, but not TAK1, prevented p38MAPK activation, which is indicative of TAB1-mediated autophosphorylation of p38MAPK, an activation mechanism seldom seen. OS-induced p38MAPK activation in AECs is ASK1-Trx signalosome-independent and is mediated by the TGF-beta pathway. This knowledge will help to design strategies to reduce p38MAPK activation-associated pregnancy risks.
Abstract 2381: Socioeconomic Status is Associated with Increased Morbidity in Patients Enrolled in a Dedicated Heart Failure Program

Despite continued advances in medicine, the NIH has reported that differences in the incidence, prevalence, and burden of diseases persist between socioeconomic classes. Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalizations in all patients over the age of 65. The effect of socioeconomic disparities on this major cause of morbidity has not been well studied. A retrospective analysis was performed on 500 patients with heart failure followed in the University of Illinois-Chicago heart failure clinic from 1/1/2000 –1/1/2008. Patients were stratified by household income and education level by correlating patient zip codes with the 2000 U.S. Census Data. The primary endpoint was admission for HF exacerbation. In patients with established HF, patients living in areas with lower median household incomes were significantly more likely to have a HF exacerbation (P = 0.006), as well as an increase in total exacerbations (P = 0.005) through an average follow up period of 5.2 years. The same trend was observed when areas were stratified according to the percentage of population with bachelor’s degrees. Overall, baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Significant differences by household income and education level were found in hypertension, presence of coronary artery disease and medication use (Tables 1 and 2). Despite uniform treatment according to ACC/AHA guidelines, socioeconomic disparities were associated with increased morbidity in patients established in a dedicated heart failure program. Further studies are needed to address these disparities.
Therapy and Counseling (Creative Process in)

Creativity in counseling and therapy involves two individuals coming together for the purpose of creating new ways of being for the client. The process steps involved in generating new and meaningful change in behavior, thoughts, and emotions are the focus of this article. The mutual creative process model which advocates the homospatial and janusian processes seeks to address the unique nature of the creative process in counseling and therapy. A second model, the psychotherapeutic creative process model offers an eight-stage model of the creative process steps involved in generating a psychotherapeutic creative outcome.
Structural Performance of Concrete Bridge Deck with Internal FRP Reinforcement

In-situ load tests were performed for a highway bridge with deck containing a novel FRP grillage system. Strains under the deck and top and bottom flanges of girders at various locations were recorded when dump trucks were placed on the bridge. Loading protocols were designed to evaluate: (a) the bridge deck deflection relative to the girders; (b) girder lane load distribution factors; (c) transverse wheel loading distribution widths; and (d) strain distribution over the height of the girder-deck composite section. It was found that lane load distribution factors for wide-flange bulb-tee composite bridge girder systems can be computed accurately with standard design/analysis procedures found in modern bridge specifications. The strain gradients over the height of girders clearly exhibit composite behavior. There was no significant degradation of this bridge from 2005 to 2007.
Portrayal of Grandparents in Children's Storybooks

Abstract This article reports the results of a descriptive study that identified the roles and depictions of grandparents in juvenile picture or easy reader books directed to children between the ages of three and nine. The research question addressed whether or not children's storybooks encourage stereotypical thinking among children, even though society reflects great diversity in the interaction patterns between grandparents and grandchildren. The review of 61 grandparent storybooks demonstrates that there is some congruency as well as incongruency between the depictions of grandparents in contemporary children's books, and the relationships that exist in society between grandparents and grandchildren.
Characterization of fluorescence patterns exhibited by different adrenal tumors: Determining the indications for indocyanine green use in adrenalectomy.

Abstract Background A number of small studies have reported the use of indocyanine green imaging during adrenalectomy. Nevertheless, imaging properties of different tumors and the indications for indocyanine green imaging use in adrenalectomy have not been defined. Methods This is an Institutional Review Board–approved retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database. Consenting patients underwent indocyanine green imaging fluorescence–guided robotic adrenalectomy. Fluorescence patterns of adrenal tumors were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine the best clinical applications. Results One hundred patients with Cushing syndrome (n = 29), pheochromocytoma (n = 24), primary hyperaldosteronism (n = 23), nonsecreting adrenocortical adenoma (n = 9), and other tumors (n = 15) underwent robotic adrenalectomy through lateral transabdominal (n = 77) and posterior retroperitoneal (n = 23) approaches. Mean tumor size was 3.6 cm and mean body mass index 33. A total of 74% of the tumors were hyperfluorescent compared with the surrounding retroperitoneal tissues, whereas the remaining 26% were nonfluorescent. Hyperfluorescence was predicted by adrenocortical tissue origin but not by demographic characteristics or tumor size. The contrast distinction between the tumor and the retroperitoneum was better, similar, or inferior on indocyanine green fluoresced compared with the nonfluoresced view in 41%, 27%, and 32% of patients, respectively. The utility was best for adrenocortical adenomas removed through a lateral transabdominal approach. Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging was used to confirm remnant viability in all 4 patients undergoing cortical-sparing adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma (n = 2), adrenal cyst (n = 1), and lymphatic malformation (n = 1). Conclusion Adrenal tumors have different patterns of indocyanine green fluorescence based on histologic origin. Indocyanine green confers the highest utility for adrenocortical tumors removed through a lateral transabdominal approach and cortical-sparing adrenalectomy.
Information and Communication Technology Support for Contextualization, Polychronic Values, and Job Satisfaction: Evidence From Virtual Teams:

As companies expand geographically and information and communication technologies (ICTs) become more common, virtual teams gain popularity within corporations. As fast-paced ICT advances have creat...
Variability in Irradiance and Photometric Indices During the Last Two Solar Cycles

The Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) primarily varies on an 11-year time scale and is governed by features such as sunspots and associated decay products such as plage and faculae. These short-lived physical features can also modulate the solar irradiance at intermediate and short temporal scales. Here we investigate the periodic variations, at solar-surface-rotation time scales, of photometric indices derived from images obtained at the San Fernando Observatory (SFO), and we compare them to the properties of the contemporaneous TSI as measured by the Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM) onboard the SOlar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) spacecraft. Both the daily ground- and space-based data, which span from early 2003 to late 2018, present missing pixels. We use an autoregressive gap-filling method to construct continuous time series to be analyzed via Fourier and wavelet spectral techniques. Lomb–Scargle periodograms, which can handle time series with missing data, are used for comparison. Both the Fourier spectral power and the periodograms yield compatible results with statistically significant periodicities in the range 25 – 35 days. All of the time series have maximum power at 27 days. Significant secondary periods are found at 29 – 30 days and 34 – 35 days. Wavelet analyses of the full time series show that the photometric index resulting from the red-continuum photometric sum $[\Sigma _{\mathrm{{r}}}]$ and the TSI exhibit common high power at surface-solar-rotation scales during the active part of the solar cycle. The phase relation at the surface-solar-rotation scales is not definite. During the solar minimum interval between Solar Cycles (SCs) 23 and 24, variations in the TSI are found to be related to variations both in the photometric index $\Sigma _{\mathrm{{K}}}$, calculated from Ca ii K-line photometric sums and in the magnetic flux in the solar activity latitudinal band (as found in previous work). This suggests that the TSI changes during the minimum are caused by the reduced line-blanketing effect of diffused magnetic field.
Pilot study of social cognitive theory variables as correlates of physical activity among adolescents with pediatric multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Purpose Adolescents with pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (MS) engage in low rates of physical activity. Behavioral interventions that target physical activity are most successful if grounded in theory. This study explored social cognitive theory (SCT) variables as correlates of physical activity among adolescents with pediatric onset MS. Procedures Participants who had a diagnosis of pediatric onset MS, were between the ages of 14 and 18 years, and were fluent and literate in English were eligible. The electronic web-delivered survey included a demographics questionnaire, the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), and measures of SCT variables. Results The overall sample included 24 adolescents with pediatric onset MS (M:3,F:21) with a mean age of 16.1 years and disease duration of 2.6 years. The sample was predominately Caucasian (n = 14, 58%). Exercise planning (ρ=0.54), exercise outcome expectations (ρ=0.46), self-efficacy for overcoming barriers (ρ = 0.52), and exercise social support (ρ=0.58) were associated with GLTEQ scores. Conclusions Researchers might develop behavioral interventions that target exercise outcome expectations, exercise planning, self-efficacy for overcoming barriers, and exercise social support for changing physical activity in pediatric onset MS.
A novel synthetic hTERT-Mini-CMV chimera promoter-driven tumor-selective and high-efficiency expression of transgene for systemic cancer gene therapy

3358 One of the major obstacles to a successful cancer gene therapy is the lack of an effective systemic delivery system that can be specifically targeted to primary and metastatic tumors. The hTERT promoter has been cloned and showed to be capable of targeting transgene expression in tumors but not in the normal cells. However, the weak transcription-promoting strength of hTERT promoter, like most other intrinsic mammalian promoters, has hampered its direct use for cancer gene therapy. To circumvent these problems, we have developed a novel chimera hTERT-mini-CMV (hTMC) promoter that was engineered by optimally fusing essential hTERT regulatory sequence with minimal CMV promoter elements. We transfected various human cancers and normal cells with various EGFP-constructs, in which EGFP expression is driven by either the original CMV and hTERT promoters or by the hTMC promoter in vitro. Expression of EGFP in the transfectants was visualized by a fluorescence imaging (FI) under a fluorescence microscope and the population of EGFP-positive cells and fluorescence intensity were quantified by FACS analysis. A high level of EGFP expression driven by the hTMC promoter was detected in all tumor cells but not in normal cells. While a similar tumor-selectivity of EGFP expression driven by hTERT promoter could be seen but the level of expression was several hundred-fold lower than that driven by hTMC promoter under the same transfection efficiency. We also evaluated the effectiveness of hTMC promoter in vivo by systemic injection of DOTAP:cholesterol-complexed hTMC-EGFP-nanoparticles into nude mice that bear intrathoracic human N417 lung tumor xenografts. Consistently, a high level of EGFP expression could be detected only in the tumor cells in animals treated with hTMC-EGFP but not in any other normal tissues. Furthermore, we used the above N417 tumor mouse model to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of systemic treatment with a novel hTMC-FUS1-nanoparticle by a non-invasive and quantitative MR imaging analysis. A significant inhibition (P
Finding eV-scale light relics with cosmological observables

Cosmological data provide a powerful tool in the search for physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). An interesting target are light relics, new degrees of freedom which decoupled from the SM while relativistic. Nearly massless relics contribute to the radiation energy budget, and are commonly parametrized as variations in the effective number ${N}_{\mathrm{eff}}$ of neutrino species. Additionally, relics with masses greater than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ become nonrelativistic before today, and thus behave as matter instead of radiation. This leaves an imprint in the clustering of the large-scale structure of the Universe, as light relics have important streaming motions, mirroring the case of massive neutrinos. Here we forecast how well current and upcoming cosmological surveys can probe light massive relics. We consider minimal extensions to the SM by both fermionic and bosonic relic degrees of freedom. By combining current and upcoming cosmic-microwave-background and large-scale-structure surveys, we forecast the significance at which each light massive relic, with different masses and temperatures, can be detected. We find that a very large coverage of parameter space will be attainable by upcoming experiments, opening the possibility of exploring uncharted territory for new physics beyond the SM.
Pump It Up! A randomized clinical trial to optimize insulin pump self-management behaviors in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Abstract Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) must engage in a variety of complex and burdensome self-management behaviors daily to maintain near normal blood glucose levels and prevent complications. There is a need for interventions to improve use of sophisticated diabetes technologies, such as insulin pumps, during adolescence - a very high-risk developmental period for individuals with T1D. All diabetes devices, including insulin pumps, store large amounts of behavioral data that can be downloaded and analyzed to evaluate adherence to recommended T1D self-management behaviors. The overall objective of the present study, Pump it Up!, was to use objectively downloaded insulin pump data to inform and test two interventions to optimize insulin pump use in adolescents with T1D and their caregivers. Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) was used to achieve the overall goal of this study – to separately test the main effect of the Pump It Up! Personalized T1D Self-Management Behaviors Feedback Report and the main effect of Pump It Up! Problem-Solving Skills intervention to improve T1D self-management behaviors using a 2 × 2 factorial design. The purpose of this paper is to describe the Pump It Up! study design and rationale, and participant baseline characteristics. Longitudinal data analyses will be conducted, and moderating effects of psychosocial factors will be examined in relation to primary (insulin pump self-management behaviors) and secondary (A1C) outcomes.
Design Space Analysis of Health Technologies for Families: A Systematic Review

Diverse disciplines, including Human-Computer Interaction have explored how health technologies can support families in dealing with health conditions and in promoting healthy living. With the changing of family structures and the increase of variety in family backgrounds, however, there is still a need to understand the extent which existing studies have addressed family health needs by proposing technological solutions. In this paper, we present a systematic review of the literature in order to see which family health topics have been researched extensively or not, and to identify hidden aspects and opportunities for family-centered health technology research. We had a final sample of 55 papers from diverse sources in this process. Our findings highlight characteristics of the studies, families, and health design. We also describe existing technological solutions and evaluation measures. Based on our findings, we discuss factors that were comprehensively studied and others that need further exploration in future research related to family-centered health technology.
Delay in Hip Fracture Repair in the Elderly: A Missed Opportunity Towards Achieving Better Outcomes.

Abstract Background Hip fractures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends surgical repair within 48 hours of admission, as this is associated with lower postoperative mortality and complications. This study demonstrates the association between patient demographics, level of care, and hospital region to delay in hip fracture repair in the elderly. Methods The National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) was queried for elderly patients (age >65 years) who underwent proximal femoral fracture repair. Identified patients were subcategorized into two groups: hip fracture repair in 48 hours after admission. Patient and hospital characteristics were collected. Outcome variables were timed from the day of admission to surgery and inpatient mortality. Results Out of 69,532 patients, 28,031 were included after inclusion criteria were applied. 23,470 (83.7%) patients underwent surgical repair within 48 hours. The overall median time to procedure was 21 (interquartile range [IQR] 7-38) hours. Females were less likely to undergo a delay in hip fracture repair (odds ratio [OR; 95% confidence interval {CI}]: 0.82 [0.76-0.88], P Conclusion Variables related to patient demographic and hospital characteristics are associated with delay in hip fracture repair in the elderly. This study delineates key determinants of delay in hip fracture repair in the elderly patients.
Heterologous expression of the human ZIP4 zinc transporter in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The human (h) transporter, hZIP4 is the primary zinc importer in the intestine and is also expressed in a variety of organs such as the pancreas and brain. Dysfunction of hZIP4 can result in the zinc deficiency disease acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE), which disrupts digestive and immune system homeostasis. Structure-function studies of hZIP4 have been greatly hindered by the absence of a robust heterologous expression system. Here, we report the heterologous expression of hZIP4 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both a wild type and a mutant S. cerevisiae strain, in which the endogenous zinc transporters are deleted, were used to test the expression and localization of an hZIP4-GFP fusion protein. A full-length hZIP4-GFP and a truncated membrane domain only (mhZIP4-GFP) protein were successfully produced and targeted to the plasma membrane in yeast.
Kotzig’s Problem

that G × C 3 has a one-factorization whenever G is a bridgeless cubic graph, we need some notation, a new definition and several Lemmas.
Activity of Ga, In and Cu modified MFI zeolites for amine reactions

High densities of Ga, In and Cu cations (Me/Al=1) in MFI zeolites have been obtained via thermal treatment of mechanical mixtures of metal oxides with H-MFI resulting in solid state ion-exchange. Ga and In require an H 2 reducing agent during thermal treatment while Cu requires only an absence of O 2 and undergoes autoreduction during thermal treatment. Using both thermal analysis with MS detection and catalytic testing in a gradientless batch recirculating reactor, the modified catalysts have been shown to be highly reactive towards amines. The desorption features of 1-propanamine with cation containing MFI generally differ from those of pure HMFI zeolite. Propanenitrile, C 2 -C 6 alkenes and aromatics appear in the decomposition products. Catalytic experiments have revealed that Ga, In, and Cu zeolitic cations promote dehydrogenation and condensation reactions of propanamine to different extents. Such behavior probably results from Lewis acid interactions of the zeolite cation with the amine.
Structural Aspects of System Identification

The problem of identifying linear dynamical systems is studied by considering structural and deterministic properties of linear systems that have an impact on stochastic identification algorithms. In particular considered is parametrization of linear systems so that there is a unique solution and all systems in appropriate class can be represented. It is assumed that a parametrization of system matrices has been established from a priori knowledge of the system, and the question is considered of when the unknown parameters of this system can be identified from input/output observations. It is assumed that the transfer function can be asymptotically identified, and the conditions are derived for the local, global and partial identifiability of the parametrization. Then it is shown that, with the right formulation, identifiability in the presence of feedback can be treated in the same way. Similarly the identifiability of parametrizations of systems driven by unobserved white noise is considered using the results from the theory of spectral factorization.
Plasma Immersion Surface Modification With Metal Ion Plasma

We describe here a novel technique for surface modification in which a metal plasma is employed and by which various blends of plasma deposition and ion implantation can be obtained. The new technique is a variation of the plasma immersion technique described by Conrad and co-workers. When a substrate is immersed in a metal plasma, the plasma that condenses on the substrate remains there as a film, and when the substrate is then implanted, qualitatively different processes can follow, including ‘conventional’ high energy ion implantation, recoil implantation, ion beam mixing, ion beam assisted deposition, and metallic thin film and multilayer fabrication with or without species mixing. Multiple metal plasma guns can be used with different metal ion species, films can be bonded to the substrate through ion beam mixing at the interface, and multilayer structures can be tailored with graded or abrupt interfaces. We have fabricated several different kinds of modified surface layers in this way.
Eukaryotic initiation factor 2B epsilon induces cap-dependent translation and skeletal muscle hypertrophy

Non-technical summary Skeletal muscle comprises ∼40% of total body mass, and the control of muscle mass has significant effects on overall health. Skeletal muscle mass is determined by the balance of protein synthesis and degradation within muscle cells. We sought to determine which cellular proteins that control protein synthesis within muscle cells are associated with muscle growth after resistance exercise, a potent growth stimulus. We identified two proteins that were associated with muscle growth in humans: p70S6K and eIF2Bɛ. Follow up studies determined that eIF2Bɛ alone is sufficient to induce muscle growth. This is the first study to determine that this protein can induce skeletal muscle growth. These results further our understanding of how skeletal muscle responds to resistance exercise. Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify signalling components known to control mRNA translation initiation in skeletal muscle that are responsive to mechanical load and may be partly responsible for myofibre hypertrophy. To accomplish this, we first utilized a human cluster model in which skeletal muscle samples from subjects with widely divergent hypertrophic responses to resistance training were used for the identification of signalling proteins associated with the degree myofibre hypertrophy. We found that of 11 translational signalling molecules examined, the response of p(T421/S424)-p70S6K phosphorylation and total eukaryotic initiation factor 2Bɛ (eIF2Bɛ) protein abundance after a single bout of unaccustomed resistance exercise was associated with myofibre hypertrophy following 16 weeks of training. Follow up studies revealed that overexpression of eIF2Bɛ alone was sufficient to induce an 87% increase in cap-dependent translation in L6 myoblasts in vitro and 21% hypertrophy of myofibres in mouse skeletal muscle in vivo (P 0.05), suggesting that the two phenomena were not directly related. These are the first data that mechanistically link eIF2Bɛ abundance to skeletal myofibre hypertrophy, and indicate that eIF2Bɛ abundance may at least partially underlie the widely divergent hypertrophic phenotypes in human skeletal muscle exposed to mechanical stimuli.
Absorption of Colostral Proteins by Newborn Calves Fed Unfermented, Fermented, or Buffered Colostrum

Unfermented, frozen colostrum from the first three postpartum milkings of 10 cows was thawed, pooled, and treated to produce three diets: 1) unfermented, 2) fermented (7 days at 25 to 27 C), and 3) fermented (as in 2) with pH adjusted to match that of unfermented colostrum. Eighteen newborn, unsuckled Holstein calves were assigned randomly to one of the three diets. Colostrum diets were thawed and fed at 0, 8, 16, 24, and 36 h. Blood was sampled at 0, 4, 8, 16, 24, and 48 h. Minimal breakdown of colostral gamma-globulin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) occurred during fermentation. Protein breakdown during fermentation was associated primarily with the casein fraction. Concentrations of gamma-globulin in serum of calves receiving unfermented colostrum were higher than those of calves fed fermented colostrum at all sampling times beyond 0 h. Concentrations of gamma-globulin in serum of calves fed buffered colostrum were intermediate. Concentrations of IgG followed a similar trend. Health problems were not encountered, indicating potential for passive immunization of newborn calves via fermented, buffered colostrum in emergency situations.
An Analysis of Radiation Transfer By Means of Elliptical Cylinder Reflectors

Expressions are derived giving the relative amount of pumping radiation transferred from a cylindrical source to a cylindrical laser by means of a reflector in the shape of an elliptical cylinder. The general expression depends upon the radii of the source and laser, the eccentricity of the ellipse and the length of its semimajor axis, and an arbitrary angular distribution of source radiation. The effect of radiation reflected back into the source itself (source-blocking) is also considered. A very considerable simplification in the calculation results when the source distribution is invariant under a rotation of the source about its axis, i.e., when the distribution depends only on the direction of the radiation with respect to the local normal, thus corresponding to virtually all practical cases. Moreover, the special case of a Lambertian source distribution yields efficiencies which may be evaluated directly. Especially simple and illustrative is the Lambertian source which is sufficiently small compared to the reflector that source-blocking can be ignored.
Cardioversion after Mitral Valve Operations

When atrial fibrillation is converted to normal sinus rhythm following the surgical repair of mitral valve disease, the normal pattern is more likely to persist if the preoperative diagnosis is mitral stenosis, atrial fibrillation has been established for less than 3 years, and results of the operation are excellent. To determine the specific reasons for recurrence of fibrillation, however, and to devise ways of preventing these recurrences will require further investigation of both pathogenic mechanism and therapeutic agents. In 55 patients with mitral valve disease and atrial fibrillation operated upon at The University of Michigan Medical Center from 1963 to 1966, normal sinus rhythm was established after operation in 43 but maintained in only 20. Most recurrences of atrial fibrillation appeared during the first 3 months after the heart operation. The time lapse between operation and cardioversion did not affect the conversion rate or maintenance. Cardioversion was more often successful after valvulopl...
SU-E-T-592: Investigation of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Total Body Irradiation with Lung Blocks

Purpose: Uncertainties from the use of lung blocks during total body irradiation (TBI) are present due to the process of block cutting and block mounting required for treatment. We investigated the use of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to improve clinical TBI practice. Methods: Two pediatric patients (Pat‐1, Pat‐2) and one adult patient (Pat‐3) had CT scans from head to upper thigh. The treatment targets (12Gy) included bony structures (all patients) and lymph nodes+spleen (LNS) (Pat‐1, Pat‐3). Three plans were generated in Pinnacle for each patient: TBI plans with AP/PA fields at 380cm SAD with and without lung blocks and a VMAT plan at 100 SAD with 3–4 couch positions. Target coverage V12Gy and dose to lung V6Gy were compared among three plans for each patient. Treatment times as well as doses to other critical structures were also compared for different techniques. Results: for AP/PA plans, lung blocks reduced lung V6Gy to 28.7%, 6.3% and 24.9% for these three patients from 100% (without block), however, target V12Gy decreased to 72.5%, 68.6%, and 88.7% from 84.9%, 86.3%, 95.5% (without block), respectively. VMAT plan achieved 44.3%, 53.7% and 71.5% for lung V6Gy with excellent target coverage of 91.7%, 96.2% and 95.3%. While lung blocks only be used 3/8 treatments for AP/PA TBI, VMAT plan lung mean doses were 21–35% lower than AP/PA+block technique. Meanwhile, average mean dose to the brain, heart, kidneys and liver was also reduced 40%, 43.7%, 41.1% and 40.6% using VMAT plans. VMAT planning was more challenging when targets include LNS and/or for large patients (shoulder>40cm, Pat‐3). Setup and beam‐on time for VMAT were comparable to or less than AP/PA technique for Pat‐1, Pat‐2, but were much longer for Pat‐3. Conclusion: VMAT plans have potential to reduce uncertainties for treating small‐medium sized patients who need lung blocks in TBI treatments.
Field and thermionic-field emission in Schottky barriers

Abstract Field emission and thermionic-field (T-F) emission are considered as the phenomena responsible for the excess currents observed both in the forward and reverse directions of Schottky barriers formed on highly doped semiconductors. Voltage-current characteristics are derived for field and thermionic-field emission in the forward and reverse regime. The temperatures and voltages where these phenomena are predominent for a given diode are discussed. Comparison with experimental results on GaAs and Si diodes shows good agreement between theory and experiments.