cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Conductor Galloping Phenomena on Overhead Transmission Lines and Anti-galloping Techniques

Conductor galloping phenomena on overhead transmission lines are of great danger to the security of service of electrical power system.Based on several typical iced conductor galloping phenomena occurring in China,this paper summarizes and analyzes the characteristics,reasons and preventing techniques of conductor galloping.The results show that the galloping phenomena occurring in China have such characteristics as high strength, larger and larger coverage area,etc.The formation of conductor galloping mostly relies on icing,wind as well as configuration and parameters of transmission lines.The harm resulting from conductor galloping can be effectively avoided,resisted or restrained if some measures are taken. Galloping-avoidable measure is to choose appropriate line path as far as possible to avoid the microclimate and micro-terrain which possess special conditions of galloping.Galloping-resistable measure is to enhance the mechanical and electric strength of transmission lines so as to ensure that conductors and other components will not be damaged when conductor galloping occurs.Galloping-restrainable measures is to install anti-galloping devices on transmission lines so as to destroy the formative conditions of galloping phenomena,restrain the amplitude of galloping and ensure the security of service of transmission lines.
NABT Attendees “Discover Microbes” in Albuquerque

The ASM K-12 Committee on Education sponsored five workshops and an invited speaker at the National Association for Biology Teachers (NABT) meeting held in Albuquerque, N.M., 11–14 October 2006. The Committee presented a five-part series of “Discovering Microbes” workshops demonstrating how to incorporate into curricula the video podcast series Intimate Strangers, currently hosted on Microbe-World.org. Using the podcasts and hands-on experiments, ASM facilitators created a packaged lesson plan for attendees to take back to their classrooms. Overall, the ASM-sponsored sessions were attended by nearly 400 NABT attendees.
Elevated Prostatic Acid Phosphatase: A Prognostic Factor for Stage C Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate

AbstractThe clinical course of 25 patients with clinical stage C adenocarcinoma of the prostate who had pre-treatment elevations of the prostatic acid phosphatase (Roy test) was analyzed retrospectively. All patients were treated with definitive external beam radiation therapy at our hospital between 1974 and 1980. Of the 25 patients 17 (68 per cent) have had disease progression. The median time to treatment failure for this group was 27 months (range 10 to 101 months), and the over-all median survival for these patients has not been reached (range 16 to 120 months). Local control of disease was achieved in 84 per cent (21 of 25) of the patients. The control group consisted of 75 consecutive age-matched patients with normal pre-treatment prostatic acid phosphatase levels whose disease was identically staged and treated at our hospital from July 1977 to January 1979. The median time to disease progression in this group has not yet been reached. Of these 75 patients 24 (32 per cent) have had disease progres...
Systemic Retinaldehyde Treatment Corrects Retinal Oxidative Stress, Rod Dysfunction, and Impaired Visual Performance in Diabetic Mice.

Diabetic retinopathy is monitored and managed based on detection of retinal microangiopathy. The pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular histopathology involves retinal oxidative stress.1,2 Recent evidence points to dysfunctional rod photoreceptor cells as a primary source of this oxidative stress.1,3–6 Although the nature of the rod dysfunction is not entirely understood, it likely involves dysregulation of photoreceptor ion channels.5,7–11 For example, rod cell calcium channels, which are normally open in the dark, are paradoxically closed in dark adapted diabetic mice as measured by manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI), the imaging modality of choice for studying retinal L-type calcium channel regulation in vivo.3,12–22 In an initial study, diabetic mice treated with a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of 11-cis-retinaldehyde, which is normally produced by the visual cycle, caused the paradoxically closed calcium channels in rod cells to partially open (3). These data, together with evidence from the published reports, suggest the hypothesis that diabetes impairs the visual cycle activity.14,23–27 However, subsequent studies have not found any evidence for a visual cycle defect in diabetic mice.28 Thus, the mechanism by which 11-cis-retinaldehyde exerts its beneficial action in the diabetic mouse retina is still unclear. In diabetic mice, classical antioxidant approaches that prevent vascular histopathology also prevent the earlier abnormal ionic regulation in the retina, including in the rods as measured by MEMRI and apparent diffusion coefficient magnetic resonance imaging (ADC MRI).5,11,29–31 Thus, we wondered if, as previously suggested by data in ex vivo assays,32–35 retinaldehydes might be acting as antioxidants in diabetic mouse retina. If so, this could explain the beneficial impact of systemic retinaldehydes on improving dysfunctional rods in diabetes in vivo.5,11,29–31 The present study had three goals: (1) to confirm the correction of photoreceptor dysfunction using alternative (i.e., non-MEMRI) methods with 11-cis-retinaldehyde in diabetic mice; (2) to test for beneficial effects of 11-cis-retinaldehyde or 9-cis-retinaldehyde (a chromophore surrogate) on impaired cone-based visual performance of diabetic mice as measured by photopic optokinetic tracking (OKT) (Kirwin SJ, et al. IOVS 2010;51:ARVO E-Abstract 115; Barber AJ, et al. IOVS 2010;51:ARVO E-Abstract 109; Aung MH, et al. IOVS 2011;52:ARVO E-Abstract 5960)36–40; and (3) to test the hypothesis that exogenous retinaldehydes correct retinal oxidative stress in diabetic mice.
miR-24 Regulates Macrophage Polarization and Plasticity.

Objective: MicroRNAs (miRNA) are ubiquitous regulators of human biology and immunity. Previously, we have demonstrated an inhibitory role for miR-24 in the phagocytosis of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bioparticles and the induction of cytokine secretion in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of the same origin; also, we have identified divergent and convergent miRNA responses to LPS from the periodontopathic pathogens Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitams (Aa) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), and revealed cigarette smoke extract as an environmental modifier of Pg LPS structure (Pg CSE) impacting macrophage miRNA responses. This study was designed to investigate the role of miR-24 on macrophage polarization and plasticity. Methods: Primary human macrophages were differentiated from CD14+ monocytes isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by MACS positive selection and transfected with miR-24 miRNA mimics, inhibitors, or negative control mimic; followed by stimulation with cytokines and/or LPS under various conditions representing key stages of macrophage activation. Macrophage activation and polarization was assessed using assays for cytokine production (ELISA) and protein expression (flow cytometry, immunoblot). MiR-24 expression was assessed by RT-PCR. Results: Stimulation of macrophages with LPSs of Aa, Pg, and Pg CSE origin resulted in dissimilar levels of cytokine expression and differential expression of miR-24. Overexpression of miR-24 inhibited cytokine secretion in response to LPS. Priming of macrophages with interferon gamma (IFN-γ) did not overcome this inhibitory effect, but classical activation of macrophages with IFN-γ plus TNF-α, TNF-β, or IL-17, modulated the pattern of miR-24 mediated suppression in a cytokine-specific fashion. Overexpression of miR-24 enhanced CD206 upregulation during alternative macrophage activation and inhibited its downregulation in macrophage transitioning from alternative to classical activation states. Overexpression of miR-24 resulted in reduced expression of the Class 1A PI 3-kinase subunit p110 delta (p110δ). Conclusion: Pathogen- and environment-specific modifications in LPS alter the expression of cytokines and miR-24 in human macrophages. MiR-24 is a negative regulator of macrophage classical activation by LPS and promotes alternative activation under conditions of polarization and plasticity. MiR-24 mediated inhibition of LPSinduced cytokine secretion is dependent upon macrophage activation state at the point of stimulation, and this may be due to the degree to which p110δ is involved in the intracellular signaling pathway/s that transduce receptor ligation into cytokine induction. While important differences were observed in the effect of miR-24 on macrophages, these data indicate that overexpression of miR-24 would be predominantly anti-inflammatory.
A Methodology for Listening

In the following chapters we will allow 100 adolescents to speak for themselves. We will present several quotes from each of them and identify similarities and differences among their perceptions and behaviours. We will use their own words, not responses they have selected from multiple choices on a survey, but our discussions with them were directed and structured, not casual conversations. The kind of detailed discussion and multiple comparisons achieved in this study required an innovative methodology. This chapter describes that methodology: how the adolescents were chosen and interviewed, the management of the voluminous data that resulted, the process used in selecting excerpts from the interviews, and how to evaluate adolescents’ assertions about their lives.
Pigment Processing at Homol'ovi III: A Preliminary Study

ABSTRACTDuring analysis of the pigment-stained ground stone artifacts from Homol'ovi III, a late thirteenth to fourteenth century Western Anasazi pueblo near Winslow, Arizona, problems were encountered identifying the artifacts with red pigment on their use-surfaces. In order to solve these problems and to learn more about pigment-processing at Homol'ovi III, information from experiments designed to simulate prehistoric pigment processing was combined with the microscopic examination of wear on the use-surfaces of ground stone tools. Although the results of this study are preliminary, we were able to distinguish between naturally occurring and processed hematite, between specular hematite and hematitic mudstone, and between grinding dry hematite and mixing ground hematite with water. Further examination of the pigment-processing tools from Homol'ovi III suggests that there may have been differences in how residents used different kinds of hematite. This study also demonstrates that relying solely on morph...
Assessing the Ability of Rural Electric Cooperatives to Retire Capital Credits

This paper assesses the ability of rural electric cooperatives to retire member equity under three strategies: (1) replacing equity with term debt to provide for an immediate onetime retirement of capital credits, (2) reducing the rate at which equity is accumulated and relying more on term debt to finance asset growth so margins can be used to accelerate the retirement of capital credits, and (3) adjusting the electric rate to generate additional margins for retiring capital credits. Analyses suggest that the average distribution cooperative could employ these strategies to expand capital credits retirement substantially without weakening its financial condition.
Evaluation of monitoring methods for electron beam melting powder bed fusion additive manufacturing technology

In-process process sensing and monitoring is being incorporated across additive manufacturing technologies due to the need for part qualification. Implementation of additively manufactured end-use parts has been hindered by the inherent process variability and anisotropy that adversely affect part performance. Process monitoring methods have the potential to ensure fabrication integrity is achieved and part isotropy is maintained across the entirety of a part. This manuscript compares two methods (pyrometer and infrared thermography) that have the potential to monitor layerwise surfaces of a powder bed fusion process. Measurement of surface temperatures during fabrication can be useful for parameter development of novel materials, prediction of resulting microstructural architectures, and ultimately as feedback used in a closed-loop control system to allow full spatial and temporal control of melting and microstructure. A multi-wavelength pyrometer was externally mounted atop an electron beam melting (EBM) additive manufacturing system to observe and record surface temperatures during the fabrication process. The multi-wavelength pyrometer used in this study was a non-contact device that was emissivity independent and capable of taking fixed spot sized measurements. An infrared camera was also installed atop an EBM system to monitor the fabrication surface and was used to measure temperature variations across the entire build area. Although the IR camera produces spatial measurements of an entire part, temperature data is emissivity dependent. Parts with variations in processing were fabricated and monitored using each instrument. Thermal variations between parts were identified with each instrument and related to microstructure. The advantages and disadvantages of each monitoring device were documented and are discussed in this manuscript.
Network Analysis in Translational Research

Networks, where nodes/vertices denote entities and links/edges denote associations, provide a unified representation for a variety of complex systems, from social relationships to molecular interactions. In general, network analysis has proved useful in applications such as prediction of protein function, guiding the design of wet-lab experiments, and discovery of biomarkers of disease. Driven by the availability of large-scale data sets and appropriate informatics’ tools, the research community has begun to apply network analysis of these data to define underlying causes of pediatric diseases. This will almost certainly lead to more effective strategies for prevention and treatment. In this chapter, we will introduce classic and the state-of-the-art network analysis methodologies, approaches and their applications. We then provide three examples of recent research, where network analysis is being applied in pediatrics. These include identification of targets for development of new drugs to treat Pseudomonas infections, protein interactions in high-density lipoprotein particles that underlie development of cardiovascular disease, and analysis of networks in brain that may underlie conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Immunization with Live Attenuated Leishmania donovani Centrin-/- Parasites Is Efficacious in Asymptomatic Infection.

Currently there is no vaccine against visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Towards developing an effective vaccine, we have reported extensively on the immunogenicity of live attenuated LdCentrin-/- mutants in naive animal models. In VL endemic areas, asymptomatic carriers outnumber symptomatic cases of VL and are considered to be a reservoir of infection. Vaccination of asymptomatic cases represents a viable strategy to eliminate VL. Immunological correlates of protection thus derived might have limited applicability in conditions where the immunized host has prior exposure to virulent infection. To examine whether LdCen-/- parasites can induce protective immunity in experimental hosts that have low-level parasitemia from a previous exposure mimicking an asymptomatic condition, we infected C57Bl/6 mice with wild type Leishmania donovani parasites expressing LLO epitope (LdWTLLO 103, i.v.). After 3 weeks the mice with low levels of parasitemia were immunized with LdCen-/- parasites expressing 2W epitope (LdCen-/-2W 3x106 i.v.) to characterize the immune responses in the same host. Antigen experienced CD4+ T cells from the asymptomatic (LdWTLLO infected) LdCen-/-2W immunized, and other control groups were enriched using LLO and 2W specific tetramers, followed by Flow cytometric analysis. Our analysis showed that comparable CD4+ T cell proliferation and CD4+ memory T cell responses (TCM) represented by CD62Lhi, CCR7+, and IL-7R+ T cell populations were induced with LdCen-/-2W in both asymptomatic and naive animals that received LdCen-/- immunization. Upon restimulation with peptide, TCM cells differentiated into effector T cells and there was no significant difference in the recall response in animals with asymptomatic infection. Following virulent challenge, comparable reduction in splenic parasite burden was observed in both asymptomatic and naive LdCen-/- immunized animals concomitant with the development of multifunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Further, LdCen-/-2W immunization resulted in complete clearance of the pre-existing asymptomatic infection (LdWTLLO). Our results demonstrate that LdCen-/-2W immunization could be efficacious for use in asymptomatic VL individuals. Further, immunization with LdCen-/- could help in reducing the parasite burden in the asymptomatic cases and aid in controlling the VL in endemic areas.
The NanoDisk-MS Assay: A New Frontier in Biomarker-Based Tuberculosis Diagnostics?

Tuberculosis (TB)2 is a chronic, progressive infection caused by microorganisms within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) complex. Despite global initiatives, TB remains a significant public health threat and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. According to the 2017 World Health Organization (WHO) Global Tuberculosis Report, TB was the ninth leading cause of death worldwide, causing an estimated 1.6 million deaths, including 374000 deaths among those with HIV infection. Additionally, an estimated 10.4 million people developed TB in 2016. The WHO's END TB Strategy aims to reduce the number of TB deaths by 90% and reduce the number of new cases by 80% by 2030. To achieve these goals, the WHO has outlined 3 key areas of need, including the need for major advancements in TB diagnostics (1). Rapid and accurate diagnosis of active TB and initiation of treatment are critical to control the spread of disease. TB diagnostics, however, continue to rely on traditional techniques, including microscopy and mycobacterial culture. The diagnosis of TB begins with an assessment of symptoms and exposure history. Patients determined to be at risk for TB should be evaluated with a tuberculin skin test or interferon-γ release assay, and, if TB is suspected, specimens should be collected for examination by microscopy and culture (2–4). Detection of acid fast bacilli (AFB) on microscopic examination of stained specimens is a rapid and inexpensive diagnostic tool, but it is limited in its analytical sensitivity, which has been reported to range from 20% to 80% for sputum (5). In addition, clinical sensitivity is reduced in individuals with a small organism burden, such as in children, individuals with HIV infection, and in individuals with extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) infection. In addition, microscopy has limited analytical specificity because AFB detected by microscopy may represent MTB or …
Statistical pattern analysis of surficial karst in the Pleistocene Miami oolite of South Florida

Abstract A robust airborne light detection and ranging digital terrain model (LiDAR DTM) and select outcrops are used to examine the extent and characteristics of the surficial karst overprint of the late Pleistocene Miami oolite in South Florida. Subaerial exposure of the Miami oolite barrier bar and shoals to a meteoric diagenetic environment, lasting ca. 120 kyr from the end of the last interglacial highstand MIS 5e until today, has resulted in diagenetic alteration including surface and shallow subsurface dissolution producing extensive dolines and a few small stratiform caves. Analysis of the LiDAR DTM suggests that >50% of the dolines in the Miami oolite have been obscured/lost to urbanization, though a large number of depressions remain apparent and can be examined for trends and spatial patterns. The verified dolines are analyzed for their size and depth, their lateral distribution and relation to depositional topography, and the separation distance between them. Statistical pattern analysis shows that the average separation distance and average density of dolines on the strike-oriented barrier bar versus dip-oriented shoals is statistically inseparable. Doline distribution on the barrier bar is clustered because of the control exerted on dissolution by the depositional topography of the shoal system, whereas patterning of dolines in the more platform-ward lower-relief shoals is statistically indistinguishable from random. The areal extent and depth of dissolution of the dolines are well described by simple mathematical functions, and the depth of the dolines increases as a function of their size. The separation and density results from the Miami oolite are compared to results from other carbonate terrains. Near-surface, stratiform caves in the Miami oolite occur in sites where the largest and deepest dolines are present, and sit at, or near, the top of the present water table.
Incorporating Depression Screening into Diabetes Clinics across the T1DX Learning Collaborative

Objective: Depression contributes to suboptimal health outcomes amongst people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The ADA standards of care recommend regular psychosocial screening, however these guidelines are not universally implemented. Aim: Demonstrate feasibility of expanding depression screening across clinics in the national T1D Exchange Learning Collaborative (T1DX-LC) using a quality improvement (QI) approach. Methods: Six clinics in T1DX-LC participated in bi-monthly calls and three learning sessions for depression screening. Sites shared existing resources and used QI methodology to design iterative plan-do-study-act cycles to develop or refine existing processes and adopt interventions in their respective contexts around the following themes: 1) consistent screening and referral criteria, 2) integration of screening into work flow, 3) acceptance from families and staff, 4) adequate social work and psychology referral resources, and 5) incorporation of health information technology. Results: Screening increased from baseline of 10% across sites to 60% of eligible patients at all sites over 18 months (Figure). Discussion: Through the T1DX-LC, a network of centers were successful at completing depression screening in alignment with ADA standards of care. Sites expanded screening to individuals with type 2 diabetes and additional centers are joining the screening intervention. Disclosure S. Majidi: None. M.C. Jolly: None. G.T. Alonso: None. D.A. Buckingham: None. A.B. Cabrera: None. M.A. Clements: Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Medtronic. Advisory Panel; Self; Glooko, Inc.. A. Garrity: None. K.A. Gibbs: None. B. Glick: None. K. Hong: None. M.K. Kamboj: None. K.L. Lambert: None. J. Lee: Consultant; Self; Unitio. P.V. Nadkarni: None. R. McDonough: None. A.L. Ohmer: None. N. Rioles: None. K.R. Stanek: None. S. Thomas: None. R.S. Weinstock: Research Support; Self; Medtronic MiniMed, Inc., Mylan, Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., Diasome Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Calibra Medical, Dexcom, Inc., Ultradian Diagnostics LLC., JAEB Center For Health Research, JDRF, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. S. Corathers: None.
Forensic Soil Characterization

Soils do not simply “exist.” They are formed, and they are maintained. Soil environments, and by extension soils in general, are unique because of the unlikeliness of the replication in all respects of the processes involved in the formation of the soil, and the impossibility of replication of the processes involved in the maintenance of the soil environment. The failure of the forensic community to fully recognize the uniqueness of soils has frustrated the development of the methodology necessary to fully exploit this form of evidence. If soils are viewed exclusively as aggregations of inorganic materials, then a great deal of potentially valuable information is being squandered.
Advancing Intervention Research in School Psychology: Finding the Balance Between Process and Outcome for Social and Behavioral Interventions

School psychology research focused on child outcomes is critical for understanding which social and behavioral interventions affect children in schools. Yet effective interventions fulfill their pr...
Involvement of Neotyphodium Coenophialum in Phosphorus Uptake by Tall Fescue (Festuca Arundinacea Schreb.)

Infection of cool-season grasses by clavicipitaceous endophytes usually results in increased tolerance to herbivory and environmental stresses (Latch, 1993; Bacon, 1993). Endophyte-related responses of tall fescue have focused upon nitrogen, since this element is involved in the biosynthesis of ergot and loline alkaloids (Lyons et al., 1990; Arechavaleta et al, 1992). Recent research with endophyte-infected tall fescue suggests an involvement of N. coenophialum (Morgan-Jones & Gams) Glenn, Bacon & Hanlin on phosphorus dynamics in plants (Azevedo, 1993). Although a positive influence of endophytes on root DM was reported by numerous authors (Latch et al., 1985; De Battista et al., 1990), the effect of infection on the rhizosphere of grasses is not well understood. The objective of this experiment was to determine the influence of endophyte on tall fescue phosphorus uptake from an acid, high aluminum content soil. Results of this study should help us determine the mechanisms involved in tolerance of endophyte-infected grasses to conditions of mineral nutrient stress.
Distributed Sensor Networks based on Hybrid Communication Model.

Distributed sensor networks (DSNs) are being developed for a wide range of applications. A sensor network consists of a large number of nodes performing distributed sensing/event detection. Sensor nodes are energy-constrained, efficient routing is essential for increasing the lifetime of a sensor network. A DSN requires interoperability, low latency, and low power consumption in order to operate for long periods of time. To reduce the energy cost and to maximize the lifetime of the DSN, a hybrid paradigm combining the advantages of both the client-server and mobile agent paradigms is used. KeywordsDistributed sensor networks, clientserver, mobile-agents, traffic model, cluster
Ultrafast THz modulators with WSe2 thin films [Invited]

Tungsten diselenide (WSe2) thin films exhibit ultrafast carrier recombination lifetimes, which makes them promising candidates for high speed modulators. With pulsed optical excitation, they could be used to realize all-optical, frequency agile, terahertz devices. Looking into the potential of this material for such applications, time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy can provide significant insight into its free carrier and exciton dynamics such as recombination lifetimes, photo-induced conductivity and decay pathways. In this study, we measure transient terahertz conductivity and photo-generated carrier lifetimes in custom-grown large-area WSe2 thin-films. We discuss its dependence on grain size and number of layers. By analyzing the tradeoffs between carrier-lifetimes, photo-generated conductivity, grain size, and the number of layers, we show that the response of these films can be tailored by controlling the growth parameters. Customizing the film terahertz response can enable large modulation without the need for integration with bulk semiconductors, as widely reported in the literature, thereby achieve high terahertz photoconductivity and high-speed operation. Across samples, our measurements show carrier decay timescale on the order ~10 to 100 ps and a transient conductivity that shows non-Drude behavior. This deviation from a Drude response is dominant within the first few picoseconds (<10 ps) before changing into a Drude like free-carrier response at longer delays. Based on our grown films, we experimentally demonstrate a metamaterial terahertz modulator with WSe2 as the only active element, attaining ~40% modulation depth.
Social-Aware Energy-Efficient Data Offloading With Strong Stability

The exploding popularity of mobile devices enables people to enjoy the benefits brought by various interesting mobile apps. The ever-increasing data traffic has exacerbated energy consumption on both cellular service providers and mobile users. It has become an urgent need to reducing the energy consumption in the cellular network while satisfying users’ increasing traffic demands. Mobile data offloading is an effective energy-saving paradigm to tackle the above-mentioned problem. However, the current approaches cannot fully address the issue in terms of user demands and offloaded traffic. With the observation that duplicated data transmission often happens in the crowd with similar social interests, we deploy device-to-device (D2D) data offloading to achieve the energy efficiency at the user side while adapting their increasing traffic demands. Specifically, we investigate the stochastic optimization of the long-term time-averaged expected energy consumption while guaranteeing the strong stability of the network by utilizing the social-aware and energy-efficient D2D mobile offloading. By jointly considering interference among D2D users, social-aware caching, link scheduling, and routing, an offline finite-queue-aware energy minimization problem is formulated, which is a time-coupling stochastic mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problem. We propose an online finite-queue-aware energy algorithm by employing the Lyapunov drift-plus-penalty theory. Extensive analysis and simulations are conducted to validate the proposed scheme.
Second crossclamp to perfect degenerative mitral valve repair: Decision-making algorithm, safety, and outcomes.

Abstract Objectives Residual mitral regurgitation reduces the efficacy of mitral repair and is associated with worse outcomes. We adopted a policy using a second bypass run for patients with residual mitral regurgitation (>+1) and described our decision-making algorithm and outcomes. Methods From January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2016, 40 patients with degenerative disease underwent a second bypass run to address residual mitral regurgitation. The echocardiographic criteria for a second bypass run was the presence of moderate or greater mitral regurgitation or mild mitral regurgitation with unfavorable mechanism. Results A second bypass run was used in 40 patients. The mean age was 57.3 ± 13.5 years (21-79 years), and 14 patients (35%) were asymptomatic. Residual mitral regurgitation was mild in 25 patients, moderate in 9 patients, and moderate/severe in 6 patients. The cause of postbypass mitral regurgitation was technical or residual pathology in 35 patients and systolic anterior motion in 5 patients. Re-repair techniques were cleft closure in 22 patients, primary suture repair in 13 patients, and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene chordoplasty in 9 patients. After re-repair, 34 patients (85%) had no mitral regurgitation, 4 patients (10%) had trace mitral regurgitation, and 2 patients (5%) had mild mitral regurgitation. Median total cardiopulmonary bypass time was 208.5 minutes, first crossclamp time was 106 minutes, and second crossclamp time was 34 ± 12 minutes. Median intensive care stay was 2 days, and hospital stay was 8 days. On discharge, there was no mitral regurgitation in 13 patients (33%), trace in 23 patients (58%), and mild mitral regurgitation in 4 patients (10%). Freedom from moderate or greater mitral regurgitation at 5 years was 100%. Conclusions Residual mitral regurgitation can be effectively treated using a second bypass run with good long-term outcome and minimal incremental risk.
Engineering Rheological Response in Chitosan‐Sophorolipid Systems Through Controlled Interactions

Objective The purpose of this study is to understand the impact of the biopolymer chitosan on the rheological behavior of the biosurfactant sophorolipid as well as the effects of ionization and electrolyte addition on the chitosan-sophorolipid system. Methods Rotation mechanical Rheometry was used to study the rheological response of the chitosan-SL systems. Frequency sweeps were conducted to analyze the rheological properties of the system at low frequency ranges and bulk viscosity of the system was studied at high shear rates for each sample. Results The biosurfactant sophorolipid on its own has very low viscosity. The bulk rheology results show that the addition of chitosan enhances the viscosity and viscoelastic properties of the chitosan-sophorolipid system indicating the presence of synergistic interactions between the two systems. Electrolyte addition had a significant impact on the system's rheological response. Addition of salt built the viscosity of pure chitosan. However due to charge screening effects, it resulted in a decrease in viscosity for the chitosan-sophorolipid system. On further increasing the salt concentration, an increase in viscosity was observed but not beyond the value obtained for the chitosan-SL system without any salt. An increase in pH results in increased ionization of the carboxylic acid groups in acidic SL, which in turn enhances the synergistic interactions between chitosan and SL. Conclusion The strong charge interactions between chitosan and sophorolipid leads to formation of an integrated gel like network, thus building the viscosity of the system. A variation in parameters like biopolymer concentration, electrolyte and ionic strength has the potential to modify the bulk rheological properties of the chitosan-SL system.
Scaffold‐Mediated Static Transduction of T Cells for CAR‐T Cell Therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has produced impressive clinical responses in patients with B-cell malignancies. Critical to the success of CAR-T cell therapies is the achievement of robust gene transfer into T cells mediated by viral vectors such as gamma-retroviral vectors. However, current methodologies of retroviral gene transfer rely on spinoculation and the use of retronectin, which may limit the implementation of cost-effective CAR-T cell therapies. Herein, a low-cost, tunable, macroporous, alginate scaffold that transduces T cells with retroviral vectors under static condition is described. CAR-T cells produced by macroporous scaffold-mediated viral transduction exhibit >60% CAR expression, retain effector phenotype, expand to clinically relevant cell numbers, and eradicate CD19+ lymphoma in vivo. Efficient transduction is dependent on scaffold macroporosity. Taken together, the data show that macroporous alginate scaffolds serve as an attractive alternative to current transduction protocols and have high potential for clinical translation to genetically modify T cells for adoptive cellular therapy.
RGS proteins, GRKs, and beta-arrestins modulate G protein-mediated signaling pathways in asthma.

Abstract Asthma is a highly prevalent disorder characterized by chronic lung inflammation and reversible airways obstruction. Pathophysiological features of asthma include episodic and reversible airway narrowing due to increased bronchial smooth muscle shortening in response to external and host-derived mediators, excessive mucus secretion into the airway lumen, and airway remodeling. The aberrant airway smooth muscle (ASM) phenotype observed in asthma manifests as increased sensitivity to contractile mediators (EC50) and an increase in the magnitude of contraction (Emax); collectively these attributes have been termed “airways hyper-responsiveness” (AHR). This defining feature of asthma can be promoted by environmental factors including airborne allergens, viruses, and air pollution and other irritants. AHR reduces airway caliber and obstructs airflow, evoking clinical symptoms such as cough, wheezing and shortness of breath. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have a central function in asthma through their impact on ASM and airway inflammation. Many but not all treatments for asthma target GPCRs mediating ASM contraction or relaxation. Here we discuss the roles of specific GPCRs, G proteins, and their associated signaling pathways, in asthma, with an emphasis on endogenous mechanisms of GPCR regulation of ASM tone and lung inflammation including regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins, G-protein coupled receptor kinases (GRKs), and β-arrestin.
From the Hybrid to the Transcultural: A Comparative Study on Orality in the Poetry of Contemporary

Oral literatures, via the creativity and intellectual flexibility of the artists themselves, have the ability to reconfigure themselves toward a variety of contemporary contexts. In Angola, non-Portuguese-based orality present in poetry written within the borders of, essentially, a Portuguese-speaking Angolan “nation” has become a staple of the literary landscape of the past several decades. Mozambican pre-independence writing similarly took as its basis the kind of hybridized identities with Angolan writers of the same period saw; later postcolonial identities forced a reworking of this socio-philosophical framework. In comparative terms, so-called Anglophone and Francophone African countries have seen a similar restaging of the oral into the written, more easily transmissible forms in recent decades, albeit by way of techniques which differ substantially from those in Lusophone Africa. Senegal has seen the incorporation of notions of fluidity even at the most local levels of high and low cultural practice, with differing language politics and corresponding realities from those of the Lusophone African countries. Namibia has seen transnational identity shifts in even the academic cultural venue. Finally, Tanzanian poets have taken on oral tradition as part of a combined strategy of local transculturalism concomitant to an evident nation-oriented governmental policy. No matter which process we observe the passage from establishing a constructed, monolithic national culture toward a more fluid concept of postcoloniality, the ideals of hybridization give way to those of what we may refer to as a “transnational” identity, one porous with regard to the “national” and well as “local” and “international” lens.
Variation in frequency of plastid RNA editing within Adiantum implies rapid evolution in fern plastomes.

PREMISE Recent studies of plant RNA editing have demonstrated that the number of editing sites can vary widely among large taxonomic groups (orders, families). Yet, very little is known about intrageneric variation in frequency of plant RNA editing, and no study has been conducted in ferns. METHODS We determined plastid RNA-editing counts for two species of Adiantum (Pteridaceae), A. shastense and A. aleuticum, by implementing a pipeline that integrated read-mapping and SNP-calling software to identify RNA-editing sites. We then compared the edits found in A. aleuticum and A. shastense with previously published edits from A. capillus-veneris by generating alignments for each plastid gene. RESULTS We found direct evidence for 505 plastid RNA-editing sites in A. aleuticum and 509 in A. shastense, compared with 350 sites in A. capillus-veneris. We observed striking variation in the number and location of the RNA-editing sites among the three species, with reverse (U-to-C) editing sites showing a higher degree of conservation than forward (C-to-U) sites. Additionally, sites involving start and stop codons were highly conserved. CONCLUSIONS Variation in the frequency of RNA editing within Adiantum implies that RNA-editing sites can be rapidly gained or lost throughout evolution. However, varying degrees of conservation between both C-to-U and U-to-C sites and sites in start or stop codons, versus other codons, hints at the likely independent origin of both types of edits and a potential selective advantage conferred by RNA editing.
GTraclus: A Local Trajectory Clustering Algorithm for GPUs

Due to the high availability of location-based sensors like GPS, it has been possible to collect large amounts of spatio-temporal data in the form of trajectories, each of which is a sequence of spatial locations that a moving object occupies in space as time progresses. Many applications, such as intelligent transportation systems and urban planning, can benefit from clustering the trajectories of cars in each locality of a city in order to learn about traffic behavior in each neighborhood. However, the immense and ever-increasing volume of trajectory data and the concept drift present in city traffic constitute scalability challenges that have not been addressed. In order to fill this gap, we propose the first GPU algorithm for local trajectory clustering, called GTraclus. We present a parallelized trajectory partitioning algorithm which simplifies trajectories into line segments using the Minimum Description Length (MDL) principle. We evaluated our proposed algorithm using two large real-life trajectory datasets and compared it against a multicore CPU version, which we call MC-Traclus, of the popular trajectory clustering algorithm, Traclus; our experiments showed that GTraclus had on average up to 24X faster execution time when compared against MC-Traclus.
Social inequalities in accelerated aging among southern U.S. women: an analysis of the biosocial and behavioral pathways linking social determinants to telomere length.

Few studies have examined the biosocial pathways linking socioeconomic status (SES) to accelerated aging in a population-based sample of southern US women. Even fewer have examined the importance of chronic compared to perceived stress in linking SES to women's salivary telomere length (STL). Using data from a probability-based sample of 156 US women and structural equation modeling, we examined three pathways - chronic stress exposure, stress appraisal, and coping behavior - linking SES to STL. SES was positively associated with STL (βTE = 0.16, p < .05). Everyday discrimination was negatively associated with STL (βDE = -0.21, p < .05), but perceived stress was positively associated with STL (βDE = 0.20, p < .05). Current smoking decreased STL (βDE = -0.19, p < .01). Perceived stress acted to suppress the negative relationship of chronic stress exposure on STL. Given the dearth of STL studies that include measures of both perceived and chronic stress, our study supports the importance of disentangling stress measures and a biosocial approach to the study of accelerated aging.
Academic beliefs and prescription stimulant misuse among college students: Investigating academic locus of control, grade orientation, and academic entitlement.

This study examined the relationship of students’ academic beliefs to the theoretical predictors of prescription stimulant misuse outlined in the Theory of Planned Behavior.Participants included 14...
Trouble in the Middle: American-Chinese Business Relations, Culture, Conflict, and Ethics

@SelectedContents: Introduction 1. Rationale for and Outline of the Book 2. Trouble in the Middle: The Ethics of Cross-Cultural Business Relations Culture and History 3. Central Control and Its Shadow: A Brief History of Chinese Culture and Institutions 4. Confused Motives and Deep Ambivalences: A Brief History of American-Chinese Cross-Cultural Relations in China Government and Corruption 5. The Turtle and the Hare: An Essay on Political and Economic Reform in China 6. Business-Government Corruption in China: Americans Suffer Only the Half of It Culture and Conflict 7. One's, Two's, and Three's: The Roots of Cultural Conflict in American-Chinese Business Relations 8. Culture, Corruption, and Business in China: The Conflicting Worlds of American and Chinese Intellectual Property 9. Clear as Mud: The Ethics of Intellectual Property in China 10. Power, Property, and Culture: American-Chinese Conflicts over Intellectual Property in China Conclusion 11. Notes on the Cultural Middle Epilogue 12. Three Years Later: 2010
Dynamic Activation, Deactivation, and Coking on PT and PTRE Catalysts for Dehydrogenation of Methylcyclohexane (MCH)

Resume Le depot de coke desactive l'hydrogenolyse dans une premiere etape, puis la deshydrogenation du MCH. L'addition de Re catalyse l'elimination du coke par hydrogenation. Le traitement par H2 du PtRe non sulfure enleve plus de coke et restaure l'hydrogenolyse, contrairement a ce qui est observe avec Pt. La presulfuration par H2S ou 10 ppm de thiophene dans le MCH ameliorent le rendement des 2 catalyseurs au toluene. Mais 75 ppm de thiophene diminuent le rendement de PtRe. Abstract Coke deposition first deactivates hydrogenolysis reactions and later dehydrogenation of MCH. Added Re catalyzes coke removal by hydrogenation. Hydrogen treatment of unsulfided PtRe catalysts removes more coke and restores considerable hydrogenolysis activity in contrast with Pt catalysts. Presulfiding with H2S improves toluene yield for either catalyst, but especially PtRe. Thiophene (10 ppm) in the MCH feed improved toluene yield with either catalyst, whereas 75 ppm improved the Pt catalyst but lowered toluene yield for the PtRe catalyst.
Multiphonon Raman spectroscopy properties and Raman mapping of 2D van der Waals solids: graphene and beyond

Strong in-plane bonding (covalent) and weak van der Waals (vdW) interplanar interactions characterize a number of layered solids, as epitomized by graphite. The advent of graphene (Gr), individual atomic two-dimensional (2D) layers, isolated from mineral graphite via micromechanical exfoliation enabled the ability to pick, place and stack of arbitrary compositions. Moreover, this discovery implicated an access to other 2D vdW solids beyond graphene and artificially stacking atomic layers forming heterostructures/superlattices. Raman spectroscopy (RS) is a fast reliable non-destructive analytical tool and an integral part for lattice dynamical structural characterization of crystalline solids at nanoscale, revealing not only the collective atomic/molecular motions but also localized vibrations/modes and specifically used to determine the number of graphene layers and of other 2D vdW solids. We present Raman spectroscopy in first-, second- and higher-order vibrational modes involving 3 and 4 phonons (overtones and combination) and mapping of graphene (mono-, bi-, tri- and few-) layers, semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) [molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten disulfide (WS2)] and wide bandgap hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) dispersed monolayers, revealing various molecular vibrations and structural quality/disorder. First- and higher-order phonon modes are observed and analyzed in terms of Raman intensity (spatial inhomogeneity or thickness variation), band position (intrinsic mechanical strain) and intensity ratio (structural disorder) as a function of graphene layer (n). An empirical relation for G band position with n is corroborated. All of the higher order modes are observed to upshift almost linearly with n, betraying the underlying interlayer vdW interactions. These findings exemplify the evolution of structural parameters in layered materials in changing from 3- to 2- or low-dimensional regime. The results are presented in view of applications of graphene by itself and in combination that help better understanding of physical and electronic properties for nano-/optoelectronics. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.