cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the impact of heterogeneous traffic on performance of LTE-based mission critical communication networks

The existing Private/Professional Mobile Radio (PMR) technologies designed specifically for Mission Critical Communication (MCC) systems are narrowband and wideband devices, with limited network data capacity in emergency scenarios. They are majorly used to support MCC voice communications and low data rate applications during mission critical operations. However, the need for broadband systems that would support high radio data capacity keep increasing during major incidents and accident scenarios. Because of this, the MCC agencies were attracted by the broadband capabilities of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology. But, the capacity of LTE-based MCC systems is still a concern. Therefore, this study describes simulation approach to model heterogeneous data applications over the LTE-based MCC network. The relation between the traffic load (video, data, and voice, short messaging) and waiting time is presented. ARENA simulation tool is used to show the throughput, waiting time, and resource utilization to be expected when using LTE-based MCC networks. The simulation results are compared with the analytical and 3GPP models. Results show that up to ten users each with traffic less than 3.6 Mbps can simultaneously upload data on the uplink of the LTE-based MCC network. The results from this study can help the network designers in the implementation of equipment and devices that could support MCC services over LTE networks.
Real-world evidence of superiority of endovascular repair in treating ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Abstract Objective The majority of previous studies, including randomized controlled trials, have failed to provide sufficient evidence of superiority of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) over open aortic repair (OAR) of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) while comparing mortality and complications. This is in part due to small study size, patient selection bias, scarce adjustment for essential variables, single insurance type, or selection of only older patients. This study aimed to provide real-world, contemporary, comprehensive, and robust evidence on mortality of EVAR vs OAR of rAAA. Methods A retrospective observational cohort study was performed of rAAA patients registered in the Premier Healthcare Database between July 2009 and March 2015. A multivariate logistic regression model was operated to estimate the association between procedure types (OAR vs EVAR) and in-hospital mortality. The final model was adjusted for demographics (age, sex, race, marital status, and geographic region), hospital characteristics (urban or rural, teaching or not), and potential confounders (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, ischemic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, symptoms of critical limb ischemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking, and alcoholism). Furthermore, coarsened exact matching was applied to substantiate the result in the matched cohort. Results There were a total of 3164 patients with rAAA (1550 [49.0%] OAR and 1614 [51.0%] EVAR). Mortality was 23.79% in the EVAR group compared with 36.26% in the OAR group ( P P P P P P P Conclusions Although the choice of repair of rAAA is highly dependent on the experience of the operating team and the anatomic suitability of the patient, this contemporary analysis of a large cohort of rAAA showed significantly higher adjusted risk of mortality in OAR compared with EVAR and substantially higher complications.
Effects of response options on the mathematics performance of secondary students with emotional or behavioral disorders

This study examined the effects of three response options (traditional responding, response cards, and response systems) on the mathematics performance, participation, and time on-task of secondary...
The Movement of Plant Hormones: Auxins, Gibberellins, and Cytokinins

Auxins are well known to move with polarity in sections cut from shoots. At first, physiologists thought that non-endogenous auxins like 2,4-D did not move with IAA-like polarity; however, by testing 2,4-D and IAA under identical conditions, McCready and I found polar transport of both (1963). When I proposed, at the Izmir conference on hormone transport in 1967, that polar movement was too valuable to be restricted to the auxins only and that therefore it was likely that other hormones would also move with polarity through plants, there was great resistance to the idea — so much resistance, in fact, that I decided to collect more evidence before urging the hypothesis on the transport-physiologists.
Pressure transient technique to constrain CO2 plume boundaries

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has been injected in the subsurface permeable formations as a means to cut atmospheric CO2 emissions and/or enhance oil recovery (EOR). It is important to constrain the boundaries of the CO2 plume in the target formation and/or other formations hosting the CO2 migrated from the target formation. Monitoring methods and technologies to assess the CO2 plume boundaries over time within a reservoir of interest are required. Previously introduced methods and technologies on pressure monitoring to detect the extent of the CO2 plume require at least two wells, i.e. pulser and observation wells. We introduce pressure transient technique requiring single well only. Single well pressure transient testing (drawdown/buildup/injection/falloff) is widely used to determine reservoir properties and wellbore conditions. Pressure diagnostic plots are used to identify different flow regimes and determine the reservoir/well characteristics. We propose a method to determine the plume extent for a constant rate pressure transient test at a single well outside the CO2 plume. Due to the significant contrast between mobility and storativity of the CO2 and native fluids (oil or brine), the CO2 boundary causes deviation in the pressure diagnostic response from that corresponding to previously identified heterogeneities. Using the superposition principle, we develop a relationship between the deviation time and the plume boundary. We demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method using numerically generated synthetic data corresponding to homogeneous, heterogeneous, and anisotropic cases to evaluate its potential and limitations. We discuss ways to identify and overcome the potential limitations for application of the method in the field.
A genetically engineered microRNA-34a prodrug demonstrates anti-tumor activity in a canine model of osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OSA) represents the most common primary bone tumor in humans and pet dogs. Little progress has been made with regard to viable treatment options in the past three decades and patients presenting with metastatic disease continue to have a poor prognosis. Recent mouse studies have suggested that microRNA-34a (miR-34a) may have anti-tumor activities in human OSA models. Due to the conservation of microRNA across species, we hypothesized that a bioengineered miR-34a prodrug (tRNA/miR-34a) would have similar effects in canine OSA, providing a valuable preclinical model for development of this therapeutic modality. Using a panel of canine OSA cell lines, we found that tRNA/miR-34a reduced viability, clonogenic growth, and migration and invasion while increasing tumor cell apoptosis. Furthermore, canine OSA cells successfully process the tRNA/miR-34a into mature miR-34a which reduces expression of target proteins such as platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα), Notch1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, our subcutaneous OSA xenograft model demonstrated in vivo tumor growth delay, increased necrosis and apoptosis by tRNA/miR-34a, and decreased cellular proliferation ability. Taken together, these data support that this novel microRNA-based therapy may possess clinical utility in a spontaneously-occurring large animal model of OSA, which can then serve to inform the clinical development of this therapy for human OSA patients.
Astaxanthin but not quercetin preserves mitochondrial integrity and function, ameliorates oxidative stress, and reduces heat-induced skeletal muscle injury.

Heat stress causes mitochondrial dysfunction and increases mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which contribute to heat-induced skeletal muscle injury. In this study, we tested whether either astaxanthin or quercetin, two dietary antioxidants, could ameliorate heat-induced skeletal muscle oxidative injury. In mouse C2C12 myoblasts exposed to 43°C heat stress, astaxanthin inhibited heat-induced ROS production in a concentration-dependent manner (1-20 μM), whereas the ROS levels remained high in cells treated with quercetin over a range of concentrations (2-100 µM). Because mitochondria are both the main source and a primary target of heat-induced ROS, we then tested the effects of astaxanthin and quercetin on mitochondrial integrity and function, under both normal temperature (37°C) and heat stress conditions. Quercetin treatment at 37°C induced mitochondrial fragmentation and decreased membrane potential (ΔΨ m ), accompanied by reduced protein expression of the master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α). It also induced cleavage of mitochondrial inner-membrane fusion protein OPA1. In contrast, astaxanthin at 37°C increased protein expression of PGC-1α and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), and maintained tubular structure and normal ΔΨm . Under 43°C heat stress conditions, whereas quercetin failed to rescue C2C12 cells from injury, astaxanthin treatment prevented heat-induced mitochondrial fragmentation and depolarization, and apoptotic cell death. We also isolated rat flexor digitorum brevis myofibers and confirmed the data from C2C12 myoblasts that astaxanthin but not quercetin preserves mitochondrial integrity and function and ameliorates heat-induced skeletal muscle injury. These results confirm that mitochondria may be a potential therapeutic target for heat-related illness and suggest that astaxanthin may potentially be an effective preventive strategy.
Low-Profile Plasma-based Tunable Absorber

This paper presents a low-profile tunable absorber based on the interaction between electromagnetic (EM) waves and plasma medium in the microwave regime. The design is implemented by integrating discrete plasma-shells and practical biasing network layers in a resistively loaded frequency selective surface (FSS). Two approaches., comprised of lossy inductive and lossy capacitive FSS layer, are investigated. A transmission line model is used to provide the working principle of the absorption and its frequency tuning capability. The total thickness is about 3.5 mm corresponding to 0.11λ 0 where λ0 is the free space wavelength of the absorption center frequency (fo =9.5 GHz). Through proper activation of the plasma, which induces a dielectric loading on the FSS layer, a linear tuning response is obtained.
Rights and Regulation: The Freedom of Health in Economic Perspective

Particularly since 2006, when a panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that patients have a fundamental liberty interest in access to experimental drugs (later overturned en banc), health law scholars have debated the usefulness and propriety of recognizing a constitutional liberty interest in healthcare autonomy. Unlike the international human right to health, the proposed constitutional rule would be a so-called “negative” right - a “freedom of health” rather than a “right to health,” which would operate much like the freedom of speech. This paper proposes a welfare-economic justification for recognizing individual substantive freedoms of this kind and for extending such a freedom to protect healthcare markets. The justification centers on two core characteristics of constitutionally protected domains: Knightean uncertainty and moral ambivalence. The three basic claims that make up the justification are: (1) that uncertainty and ambivalence are predominant characteristics of healthcare markets, just as they are predominant characteristics of markets for other constitutionally protected activities - - amely speech, religion, association, reproduction, and parenting; (2) that high degrees of uncertainty and ambivalence preclude regulatory success according to all standard metrics and that we should therefore avoid and discourage regulation in such markets; and (3) that recognition of an individual substantive right (of the kind typically enforced in American constitutional law) is an elegant means of addressing this problem because it creates a barrier to regulation that can be surmounted if a particular regulatory intervention corrects a known harm or enacts a moral consensus - if it is “tailored to serve a state interest.”
Triangular Rare-Earth Lattice Materials RbBa R(BO 3 ) 2 (R = Y, Gd-Yb) and Comparison to the KBa R(BO 3 ) 2 Analogs

A previously unreported family of electrically insulating rare-earth borates, RbBaR(BO3)2 (R = Y, Gd–Yb), was designed and then successfully obtained by traditional solid-state reaction. They crystallize in a monoclinic crystal system space group P21/m (No. 11). They feature triangular planar rare-earth (R) lattices, which are part of, for example, [Yb(BO3)2]3– infinite 2D layers. These R-based triangular lattices are stacked with layers of crystallographically ordered Rb and Ba atoms to build the 3D structures. Polycrystalline samples of RbBaR(BO3)2 were used to study the elementary magnetic properties, and millimeter-size RbBaYb(BO3)2 single crystals were grown by spontaneous nucleation for further anisotropic magnetic characterization. Antiferromagnetic spin interactions are observed for all magnetic compounds, and no long-range magnetic ordering is found down to 1.8 K. Our results suggest that this RbBaR(BO3)2 (R = Gd–Yb) family may be of further interest both experimentally and theoretically as highl...
Nonprofit Practitioners Chat Back: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Participant Responses to the National Council of Nonprofit’s Webinar on the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

As the first major overhaul of the United States’ tax code in a generation, the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has particular significance for the operation of US nonprofit organizations. Provisions of the Tax Act, including raising the ceiling on individual standard deductions, imposing excise taxes on highly compensated nonprofit employees, repealing the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act, etc., are causing great uncertainty and consternation within organizations of, and bridging, the nonprofit sector. In response to some of the initial confusion, the National Council of Nonprofits offered a webinar, entitled, “Now What: How the New Federal Tax Law Impacts Charitable Nonprofits” on January 11, 2018. A one-hour slide-show with voice-overs was complemented by a running “chat” of nonprofit listeners/participants. This exploratory study undertakes a content analysis of the one-hour nonprofit participant chat that accompanied the webinar in order to take a pulse of the concerns of the practitioners as the potential impact of the law was explicated.
Large-Scale Reprogramming and Neuronal Differentiation In Complex Psychiatric Disorders

Abstract Psychiatric disorders are etiologically heterogeneous and complex. For example, it has been demonstrated that hundreds of genetic loci contribute to risk for autism or schizophrenia. These loci include rare variation of major effect as well as common variation: Rare variants of major effect can be a primary contributor to risk in a given individual, while common variation functions in a multifactorial context, including polygenic risk and other factors. Modeling etiologically complex disorders can be quite challenging. For rare variants, targeted disruption or mutation of a gene in cell and animal models will have strong construct validity. However, in the case of oligogenic and polygenic risk, such approaches are less relevant. Study of human samples from patients with oligogenic or polygenic risk represents a means of understanding pathobiology in such cases. However, given the etiological heterogeneity and the small effect size of common variation, large and even ultra-large cohorts will be required before studies are sufficiently powered. Over the past 5 years, we have been developing large cohorts of human samples from psychiatric disorders, while also piloting methods to robotically reprogram and differentiate these samples. We are taking three approaches to sample collection. First, for rare genetic disorders such as Phelan-McDermid Syndrome (PMS) – a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that presents with intellectual disability, autism, and additional neurological and psychiatric manifestations, we are collecting case-sibling pairs (n~18) for reprogramming. Second, idiopathic disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, and PTSD, we are collecting large sample cohorts, targeting hundreds of samples for each disorder. Finally, in disorders where there are known or suspected dysregulated pathways, we can increase power by challenging cells with perturbing agents, including IGF-1 in PMS and cortisol in PTSD. In parallel with collection, we have piloted robotic reprogramming methods with these sample sets. NYSCF has developed automated protocols for fibroblast expansion, iPSC reprogramming and validation. In pilot studies with our schizophrenia cohort (n>120), ~10% of the total sample is in the final stages of reprogramming on this automated platform, hence ensuring feasibility. For each individual, two clonal iPSC lines are validated and banked. Furthermore, we have developed robotic methods to induce neurons from iPSC. In pilot studies, we have already evaluated two automated protocols for rapid induction of excitatory neurons induces either iPSCs or NPCs into functional neurons with nearly 100% yield in less than 2 weeks by expression of doxycycline-inducible Ngn2 lentiviral vectors, combined with puromycin selection to increase the purity of the cultures. Over the next 3 years, we anticipate reprogramming, differentiating, and analyzing hundreds of iPSC lines derived from patients with autism, schizophrenia, PTSD, or rare genetic disorders associated with autism or schizophrenia.
β-Blockers and the Rate of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations:

Objective: To review the rate of exacerbations relative to β-blocker use in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data Sources: A MEDLINE search (1953 to May 2019) was performed using the search terms beta-blockers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and exacerbations. An EMBASE search was also performed using the search terms chronic obstructive lung disease and beta adrenergic receptor blocking agents (1970 to May 2019). References from the review of literature citations were also identified. Study Selection and Data Extraction: English-language studies assessing COPD exacerbations in patients prescribed a β-blocker were included. Any article not addressing exacerbations was excluded. Data Synthesis: A total of 15 articles were included; 7 articles showed no change, 1 provided mixed results, and 7 indicated a significant decrease in COPD exacerbations in a variety of exacerbation severities. Two of the studies differentiated between cardioselective and noncardioselective β-blockers. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This work represents an initial assessment of the use of β-blockers to reduce COPD exacerbations. The findings raise the question if β-blockers should be used more frequently in patients with COPD. Conclusions: Based on the limited number of studies that address β-blocker use in COPD, it appears that exacerbations are not increased and may be decreased. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial is in progress to possibly provide more definitive answers to this question. Until the trial is complete, β-blockers should not be withheld in COPD patients who have concurrent cardiovascular conditions, especially where there is a mortality benefit.
Mechanisms of Deterrence: Federal Immigration Policies and the Erosion of Immigrant Children’s Rights

In this commentary, we highlight the US government’s proposed changes to the Flores Settlement Agreement, a federal legal settlement from the 1990s that ensures that child welfare principles are ap...
A Roadmap for the Student Pursuing a Career in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Author(s): Leetch, Aaron N.; Glasser, Joshua A.; Woolridge, Dale P. | Abstract: Introduction: Three pathways are available to students considering a pediatric emergency medicine(PEM) career: pediatric residency followed by PEM fellowship (Peds-PEM); emergency medicineresidency followed by PEM fellowship (EM-PEM); and combined EM and pediatrics residency(EMaPeds). Questions regarding differences between the training pathways are common amongmedical students. We present a comparative analysis of training pathways highlighting majorcurricular differences to aid in students’ understanding of these training options.Methods: All currently credentialed training programs for each pathway with curricula publishedon their websites were included. We analyzed dedicated educational units (EU) core to all threepathways: emergency department (ED), pediatric-only ED, critical care, and research. Minimumrequirements for primary residencies were assumed for fellowship trainees.Results: Of the 75 Peds-PEM, 34 EM-PEM, and 4 EMaPeds programs screened, 85% of Peds-PEM and EM-PEM and all EMaPeds program curricula were available for analysis. AveragePeds-PEM EUs were 20.4 EM, 20.1 pediatric-only EM, 5.8 critical care, and 9.0 research. AverageEM-PEM EUs were 33.2 EM, 18.3 pediatric-only EM, 6.5 critical care, and 3.3 research. AverageEMaPeds EUs were 26.1 EM, 8.0 pediatric-only EM, 10.0 critical care, and 0.3 research.Conclusion: All three pathways exceed pediatric-focused training required for EM or pediatricresidency. Peds-PEM has the most research EUs, EM-PEM the most EM EUs, and EMaPedsthe most critical care EUs. All prepare graduates for a pediatric emergency medicine career. Understanding the difference in emphasis between pathways can inform students to select the bestpathway for their own careers.
A CMOS-Based Energy Harvesting Approach for Laterally Arrayed Multibandgap Concentrated Photovoltaic Systems

This article presents an energy harvesting approach for a concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system based on cell-block-level integrated CMOS converters. The CPV system, built upon the laterally arrayed multibandgap (LAMB) cell structure, is a potentially higher-efficiency and lower-cost alternative to traditional tandem-based systems. The individual cells within a submodule block are connected for approximate voltage matching, and a multi-input single-output (MISO) buck converter harvests and combines the energy while performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) locally for each cell type. A miniaturized MISO dc–dc prototype converter operating at 10 MHz is developed in a 130 nm CMOS process. For 45–160-mW power levels, the prototype converter achieves $>$ 92% nominal and $>$ 95% peak efficiency in a small (4.8 mm $^2$ ) form factor designed to fit within available space in a LAMB PV cell block. The results demonstrate the potential of the LAMB CPV architecture for enhanced solar energy capture.
Mechanical Regulation of Stem Cell Proliferation and Fate Decisions by their Differentiated Daughters

Basal stem cells fuel development, homeostasis, and regeneration of the epidermis. The proliferation and fate decisions of these cells are highly regulated by their microenvironment, including the basement membrane and underlying mesenchymal cells. Basal progenitors give rise to differentiated progeny that serve an essential role in generating the epidermal barrier. Here, we present data that differentiated progeny also regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and migration of basal progenitor cells. Using two distinct mouse lines, we found that increasing contractility of differentiated cells resulted in non-cell autonomous hyperproliferation of stem cells and prevented their commitment to a hair follicle lineage. These phenotypes were rescued by pharmacological inhibitors of contractility. Live-imaging revealed that increasing the contractility of differentiated cells resulted in stabilization of adherens junctions and impaired movement of basal progenitors during hair placode morphogenesis, as well as a defect in migration of melanoblasts. These data suggest that intra-tissue tension regulates stem cell proliferation, fate decisions and migration, similar to the known roles of extracellular matrix rigidity. Additionally, this work demonstrates that differentiated epidermal keratinocytes are a component of the stem cell niche that regulates development and homeostasis of the skin.
Material Deposition with Spatial Thickness Variation for Reflective Color Filter

A new material deposition method to pattern 2D structures with spatial thickness variation using single fixed shadow mask is demonstrated. The method is applied to fabricate multispectral reflective color filter arrays of high customizability
The Role of Early and Later Response on Overall Outcomes in School-Based Obesity Intervention

OBJECTIVE Early response to obesity intervention consistently predicts long-term BMI reductions. However, little is known about how changes in weight at other times in an intervention may impact long-term outcomes. This study examined the relationship between weight-related changes that occurred early and later during an intervention and the association between these changes with overall outcomes. METHODS A secondary analysis of a school-based obesity intervention with replicated efficacy among Hispanic middle school students was conducted (n = 174). Linear regression models were developed in which first and second semester changes in BMI represented as a percentage of the 95th BMI percentile (%BMIp95) were separately used to predict overall %BMIp95 outcomes. First semester changes in %BMIp95 were used to predict subsequent %BMIp95 change (i.e., second semester). RESULTS Changes in %BMIp95 during both the first and second semesters were independently associated with overall changes from baseline (e.g., at 24 months: first semester, β = 0.59, P < 0.01; second semester, β = 1.02, P < 0.001). First semester %BMIp95 change was not associated with second semester change (β = -0.07, P = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS Change at any point during the intervention was predictive of overall weight outcomes. Additional research is needed to understand patterns of weight changes throughout interventions to better understand long-term outcomes.
A Curriculum to Increase Empathy and Reduce Burnout.

Purpose Empathy is essential for good patient care. It underpins effective communication and high-quality, relationship-centered care. Empathy skills have been shown to decline with medical training, concordant with increasing physician distress and burnout. Methods We piloted a 6-month curriculum for interns (N = 27) during the 2015-2016 academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The course included: (1) review of literature on physician well-being and clinical empathy, (2) instruction on the neurobiology of empathy and compassion, (3) explanation of stress physiology and techniques for mitigating its effects, (4) humanities-informed techniques, and (5) introductions to growth mindset and mindful awareness. To measure effectiveness, we compared empathy and burnout scores before and after the course. Results The course was well-attended. Intern levels of burnout and empathy remained stable over the study period. In multivariable modeling, we found that for each session an intern attended, their emotional exhaustion declined by 3.65 points (P = 0.007), personal accomplishment increased by 2.69 points (P = 0.001), and empathic concern improved by 0.82 points (P = 0.066). The course was well-liked. Learners reported applying course content inside and outside of work and expressed variable preferences for content and teaching methods. Conclusion Skills in empathic and self-care can be taught together to reduce the decline of empathy and well-being that has been seen during internship. In this single-center pilot, resident physicians reported using these skills both inside and outside of work. Our curriculum has the potential to be adopted by other residency programs.
Role and educational implications of cognitive surgical skills

Surgical skills have traditionally been classified as technical and non-technical skills. Technical skills—also called psychomotor skills—constitute a core component of surgical skills. They have been the focus of surgical skill training for several decades. However, the cognitive component has not been evaluated as applied in surgical practice and training. The integration of cognitive and motor components and the resulting sequence of steps involved in the psychomotor skills have not been adequately explained. Bloom and colleagues described the psychomotor skill domain of learning in 1956. In 1972, Simpson proposed various domains (perception, set, guided response, mechanism, complex overt response, adaptation and origination).1 Even though these categories describe cognitive and kinetic skills, they focus on certain aspects such as responses to actions and performance levels. Since then, multiple publications have described training and evaluation models, such as the Zwisch model, the famous ‘see one, do one, teach one’ model, and the global assessment scales. Nonetheless, they describe technical skills as one part rather than multiple integrated components and steps. Miller’s well-known hierarchical triangle describes the levels of performance (knows, knows how, shows how, then does) rather than the steps involved. The aim of this article is to describe a new perspective of the surgical skills components that focus on the cognitive aspect. The concept can improve surgical training and evaluation through specially prepared, competency-based2 activities that do not consume the valuable operative room time or the resident 80-hour work limit. It also fosters building expertise in surgical skills for junior or international practitioners. Operative procedures and tasks are performed after adequate and appropriate evaluation and planning. The motor program …
Effect of grain orientations on fracture behavior of polycrystalline metals

Abstract Currently no systematic approach exists to explicitly quantify the combined effects of anisotropic grain orientations and grain boundary behavior on the fracture of polycrystalline materials. A multiscale cohesive finite element (CFEM) based computational framework is developed to predict the fracture properties such as KIC and JIC of polycrystalline metals as functions of microstructural attributes. The focus is on characterizing the effects of crystallographic texture on fracture toughness. The framework uses computationally generated statistically equivalent microstructure sample sets with varying proportions of textured grains, allowing statistical variations and distributions of the fracture behavior due to microstructural variabilities and the influences of intergranular and transgranular fracture mechanisms to be quantified and analyzed. A crystal plasticity formulation is used to model the anisotropic deformation in the grains. A misorientation-dependent interfacial relation is used to model texture-sensitive crack growth through grains and grain boundaries. The framework allows exploration of the effects of microstructure on the macroscopic fracture measures via the manifestation of the different fracture mechanisms. Calculations carried out for Mo under 2D and a more general 2.5D plane strain conditions capture and delineate the competing effects between (a) intergranular and transgranular fracture and (b) plasticity and crack growth on the overall fracture toughness of the material. Both the 2D and 2.5D models use the same sets of microstructures; the 2.5D model uses columnar grains. The results indicate that, as the fraction of grains with preferred orientation increases, transgranular fracture dominates relative to intergranular fracture. Consequently, the relative contribution of plastic dissipation associated with transgranular fracture is enhanced, resulting in higher overall fracture toughness for the material setting analyzed. The effect is characterized in terms of the effective grain size distribution, fraction of grains with favourably oriented slip systems, and misorientation-dependent GB characteristics. Finally, an analytical correlation is established between the overall fracture resistance and the microstructure attributes.
Abstract P006: Multimorbidity In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Community Study

Background: Multimorbidity is common in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), yet comorbidity patterns are not well documented. Methods: The prevalence of 18 chronic conditions was obtained in pa...
Nonclassical oxygen atom transfer reactions of an eight-coordinate dioxomolybdenum(VI) complex

The dioxomolybdenum(VI) complex MoO2Cl2(dmf)2 reacts with Pb(DOPOQ)2 (DOPO = 2,4,6,8-tetra-tert-butyl-1,9-dioxophenoxazinate) to give MoO2(DOPOQ)2, which has an eight-coordinate structure with normal molybdenum-oxo bond distances and angles but elongated distances to the dioxophenoxazine ligand. The dioxo complex is deoxygenated by phosphines to produce octahedral Mo(DOPOCat)2, in which reduction has taken place at the ancillary ligands. This compound in turn reacts with trimethylamine-N-oxide to regenerate MoO2(DOPOQ)2, allowing a catalytic cycle for phosphine oxidation. This represents an example of four-electron nonclassical oxygen atom transfer in which both the oxidized and reduced forms of the metal complexes can be observed.
The Dabbing Dilemma: A Call for Research on Butane Hash Oil and Other Alternate Forms of Cannabis Use

While marijuana remains the most widely used illicit drug in the United States1 and is the subject of countless medical, psychological, and sociological studies,2 its potential harms are not fully ...
Tunable Filter and Discrete Filter Near‐Infrared Spectrometers

The sections in this article are Near-Infrared Filter Spectrometers Acousto-Optic Tunable Filters Introduction Background and Theory Features of an Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter Spectrometer A Typical Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter Spectroscopy Scheme Operation of an Acousto-Optic TFS Performance of an Acousto-Optic TFS Designed for Quantitative Analysis Temporal Resolution with an Acousto-Optic TFS Liquid Crystal Tunable Filters Introduction Nematic Liquid Crystal Tunable Filter Theory Imaging with Liquid Crystal Tunable Filters Discrete Multilayer Interference Filter Photometers
Cell Division in Escherichia coli: Analysis of Double Mutants for Filamentation and Abnormal Septation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid-Less Cells

The link between chromosome termination, initiation of cell division, and choice of division sites was studied in Escherichia coli by preparing double mutants. Hybrid mutants containing div52-ts, a cell division initiation mutation, and min, mutations which affect the choice of division sites resulting in the septation of minicells, were characterized. The mutants produced minicells and normal cells coordinately under all conditions studied, although the fraction of minicells is half that of the parental minicell strain. The mutant gradually stopped dividing at both the median and minicell septation sites when transferred from 30 to 41 C in rich medium. A synchronous cell division of filaments was induced 15 min after addition of chloramphenicol to the medium, even at 41 C. Divisions were observed at both normal and minicell sites. These results indicate that div52-ts and min functions share a common step in a cell division pathway. A double mutant containing div52-ts and div27-ts, a dnaB mutant which divides in the absence of DNA synthesis, was characterized. The mutant continues to divide after a shift to the high temperature, although at a reduced rate. The behavior of this hybrid mutant suggests a hypothesis that the chromosome termination signal and div52-ts division initiation signal act on a single membrane site which is altered in div27-ts strains.
Abstract 17420: First Clinical Experience of Novel MRI Artifact Suppression Sequence in ICD Patients Undergoing Scar Delineation for Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) Ablation

Background: Recent studies have suggested that CMR imaging can be safely performed in selected patients with implanted ICDs. However, metal artifacts significantly impact the evaluation of myocardial fibrosis when using standard late gadolinium enhanced (LGE) protocols. Methods: 10 continuous patients scheduled for VT ablation underwent LGE CMR imaging (1.5T Siemens Avanto) for scar delineation using either the standard clinical late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequences (n=5) or a novel MR pulse sequence that used an inversion preparation pulse with a wide inversion bandwidth of 2.4kHz (n=5). Results: Standard LGE MR sequences produced a large central signal void with surrounding hyperintensity due to voxel dephasing. The new wide inversion bandwidth sequence reduced the artifact in the right ventricle from 21±7% to 1.2±1.3% (p<.001). Similarly, the new MRI sequence reduced the artifact in the LV from 44±9% to 4.5±5.7% (p<.001). LV artifact location changed from 100% (inferior), 100% (septal), 100% (lat...
Reflexiones sobre el seminario taller

Las conferencias oidas durante tres dias acerca de la situacion de la Antropologia Medica en Costa Rica, se concentraron alrededor de varios temas que prevalecen en la mayoria de los paises en los cuales esta surgiendo una conciencia social en el campo de la Medicina
Fuzzy set theory applications in production management research: a literature survey

Fuzzy set theory has been used to model systems that are hard to define precisely. As a methodology, fuzzy set theory incorporates imprecision and subjectivity into the model formulation and solution process. Fuzzy set theory represents an attractive tool to aid research in production management when the dynamics of the production environment limit the specification of model objectives, constraints and the precise measurement of model parameters. This paper provides a survey of the application of fuzzy set theory in production management research. The literature review that we compiled consists of 73 journal articles and nine books. A classification scheme for fuzzy applications in production management research is defined. We also identify selected bibliographies on fuzzy sets and applications.
Are self-evaluations helpful or harmful when employees are unaware of their marginal contribution to firm welfare?

This study examines whether eliciting self-evaluations from employees in a compensation setting context leads to higher or lower employer welfare when employees are not aware of their marginal contribution to firm welfare. The literature suggests that providing employees with a voice in the compensation setting process leads to greater employee satisfaction with compensation and higher productive employee effort due to such factors as increased employee perception of procedural fairness. Contrary to this position I propose that providing employees a voice in the compensation setting process when employees are not aware of their marginal contribution to firm welfare has the unintended effect of leading to less employee satisfaction with compensation, which results in lower employer welfare. Such an effect is due to self-evaluations leading to greater employee overconfidence in their performance resulting from a motivated reasoning process. I present experimental evidence from comparing a control condition without self-evaluations to three different self-evaluation reporting conditions, finding evidence consistent with the premise that self-evaluations lead to lower employer welfare. Data on employee perception of performance when self-evaluations are elicited supports the proposed motivated reasoning process. My findings show a cost to self-evaluations that thus far has not been sufficiently considered in the literature and provide an explanation for why this cost occurs.
The action of nerve growth factor and dibutyryl adenosine cyclic 3':5'- monophosphate on rat pheochromocytoma reveals distinct stages in the mechanisms underlying neurite outgrowth

The clonal rat pheochromocytoma, PC12, responds to nerve growth factor (NGF) and dibutyryl adenosine cyclic 3′:5′monophosphate (dbc AMP) by the elevation of cellular protein and RNA levels in all three parameters that are additive or greater than the sum of those caused by either agent alone, indicating that the mechanisms by which the two agents act to produce these changes are distinct. The concentration of dbcAMP required for half-maximal stimulation of these changes is also different for each, while NGF is active in all instances at 10(-11) M. PC12 cells initially generate neurites slowly in response to NGF and, at the same time, develop the capacity to regenerate neurites rapidly, a process termed priming. The cells, however, are not primed by dbcAMP nor does it influence the ability of NGF to prime them. Time lapse cinematography demonstrates that both NGF and dbcAMP each have unique effects on cellular morphology. The latter produces9 rapid, unstable neurite initiation but does not promote sustained neurite extension. In contrast, NGF has immediate effects at the cell surface with no neurite initiation but later produces sustained neurite outgrowth. Utilizing dbcAMP, it is possible to dissect four morphological response of PC12 cells to NGF. Three of these may be mechanistically closely tied to occupancy of the NGF plasma membrane receptor.
Effect of iron-limiting conditions on growth of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii.

Abstract Different clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, typed by plasmid profile, were able to grow in iron-chelated medium by secreting iron-regulated siderophores. This iron-scavenging phenotype was associated with the production of iron-repressible catechol. Siderophore utilization bioassays showed the presence of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid in the growth medium, and neither enterobactin nor aerobactin was detected in culture supernatants obtained under iron-deficient conditions.
Reconstructing and deconstructing the self: cognitive mechanisms in meditation practice

Scientific research highlights the central role of specific psychological processes, in particular those related to the self, in various forms of human suffering and flourishing. This view is shared by Buddhism and other contemplative and humanistic traditions, which have developed meditation practices to regulate these processes. Building on a previous paper in this journal, we propose a novel classification system that categorizes specific styles of meditation into attentional, constructive, and deconstructive families based on their primary cognitive mechanisms. We suggest that meta-awareness, perspective taking and cognitive reappraisal, and self-inquiry may be important mechanisms in specific families of meditation and that alterations in these processes may be used to target states of experiential fusion, maladaptive self-schema, and cognitive reification.
Calcium ion supplementation increases brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis spermatozoa activation at the end of the spawning season.

The role of environmental ion composition and osmolality in calcium ion (Ca(2+) ) signalling of spermatozoa activation over the course of the spawning period of brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis was investigated. Motility at the end of spawning was low (mean ± s.d. of 5 ± 2% motile spermatozoa with curvilinear velocity of 25 ± 8 µm s(-1) ). Addition of 10 mM Ca(2+) to the activation medium resulted in values similar to those recorded during the middle of the spawning period (mean ± s.d. of 95 ± 6% motile spermatozoa with curvilinear velocity of 130 ± 15 µm s(-1) ).
Collaborative feasibility study of a biphasic system (Roche Septi-Chek AFB) for rapid detection and isolation of mycobacteria.

A study to delineate the feasibility of a biphasic-culture approach for detection and isolation of mycobacteria from clinical specimens except blood was conducted in four medical centers. The biphasic system (Septi-Chek AFB, Roche Diagnostic Systems, Nutley, N.J.) was compared with conventional mycobacterial isolation media and the BACTEC system. Septi-Chek AFB showed the highest degree of mycobacterial recovery. In addition, Septi-Chek AFB consistently shortened the time required for recovery of mycobacteria from clinical specimens and supported the growth of small inoculum numbers of stock cultures of 14 mycobacterial species. The study indicates the feasibility and potential advantages of the biphasic approach for detection and isolation of mycobacteria.
When Less is More: Like Humans, Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) Misperceive Food Amounts Based on Plate Size

We investigated whether chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) misperceived food portion sizes depending upon the context in which they were presented, something that often affects how much humans serve themselves and subsequently consume. Chimpanzees judged same-sized and smaller food portions to be larger in amount when presented on a small plate compared to an equal or larger food portion presented on a large plate and did so despite clearly being able to tell the difference in portions when plate size was identical. These results are consistent with data from the human literature in which people misperceive food portion sizes as a function of plate size. This misperception is attributed to the Delboeuf illusion which occurs when the size of a central item is misperceived on the basis of its surrounding context. These results demonstrate a cross-species shared visual misperception of portion size that affects choice behavior, here in a nonhuman species for which there is little experience with tests that involve choosing between food amounts on dinnerware. The biases resulting in this form of misperception of food portions appear to have a deep-rooted evolutionary history which we share with, at minimum, our closest living nonhuman relative, the chimpanzee.
Mitochondrial targeting of cytochrome P450 proteins containing NH2-terminal chimeric signals involves an unusual TOM20/TOM22 bypass mechanism.

Previously we showed that xenobiotic inducible cytochrome P450 (CYP) proteins are bimodally targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of delivery of chimeric signal containing CYP proteins to the peripheral and channel-forming mitochondrial outer membrane translocases (TOMs). CYP+33/1A1 and CYP2B1 did not require peripheral TOM70, TOM20, or TOM22 for translocation through the channel-forming TOM40 protein. In contrast, CYP+5/1A1 and CYP2E1 were able to bypass TOM20 and TOM22 but required TOM70. CYP27, which contains a canonical cleavable mitochondrial signal, required all of the peripheral TOMs for its mitochondrial translocation. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of bypass of peripheral TOMs by CYPs with chimeric signals. The results suggested that interaction of CYPs with Hsp70, a cytosolic chaperone involved in the mitochondrial import, alone was sufficient for the recognition of chimeric signals by peripheral TOMs. However, sequential interaction of chimeric signal containing CYPs with Hsp70 and Hsp90 resulted in the bypass of peripheral TOMs, whereas CYP27A1 interacted only with Hsp70 and was not able to bypass peripheral TOMs. Our results also show that delivery of a chimeric signal containing client protein by Hsp90 required the cytosol-exposed NH2-terminal 143 amino acids of TOM40. TOM40 devoid of this domain was unable to import CYP proteins. These results suggest that compared with the unimodal mitochondrial targeting signals, the chimeric mitochondrial targeting signals are highly evolved and dynamic in nature.