cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Reynolds Number on Separation Bubbles on Controlled-Diffusion Compressor Blades in Cascade

Abstract : A detailed experimental investigation of second- generation, controlled-diffusion, compressor stator blades at an off-design inlet-flow angle was performed in a low-speed cascade wind tunnel primarily using laser- Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The object of the study was to characterize the off-design flowfield and to obtain LDV measurements of the suction surface boundary layer separation which occurred near mid chord. The effect of Reynolds number on the flow separation in the regime of 210,000 to 640,000 was investigated. Surface flow visualization showed that at the low Re. no. the mid- chord separation bubble started laminar and reattached turbulent within 20% chord on the suction side of the blade. The extent of the bubble compared very well with the measured blade surface pressure distribution which showed a classical plateau and then diffusion in the turbulent region. LDV measurements of the flow reversal in the bubble were performed. At the intermediate Re. no. the boundary layer was transitional before the bubble which had decreased significantly in size (down to 10% chord). At the highest Re. no. the flow was turbulent from close to the leading edge, and three-dimensional flow reversal as a result of endwall effects appeared at approximately 80% chord which did not reattach.
Arguments that Work: Rhetorical Strategies for Argumentation

This article sets forth rhetorical strategies for argumentation such as definition, analogy, authority, evidence, and cause and effect.
Development of a risk reduction intervention to reduce bacterial and viral infections for injection drug users

Bacterial infections are widespread problems among drug injectors, requiring novel preventive intervention. As part of a NIDA-funded study, we developed an intervention based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model, past research, injection hygiene protocols, and data collected from focus groups with 32 injectors in Denver in 2009. Qualitative responses from focus groups indicated that most participants had experienced skin abscesses and believed that bacterial infections were commonly a result of drug cut, injecting intramuscularly, and reusing needles. Access to injection supplies and experiencing withdrawal were the most frequently reported barriers to utilizing risk reduction. Implications for intervention development are discussed.
The Variation of Characteristic Values and Functions

The Green’s function associated with the second order equation $$ u'' + q(x)u = 0, u (a) = u (1) = 0, $$ (1) has been discussed. Analogous methods are used in the following chapter to obtain the Hadamard variational formula.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTI–DOUBLE-STRANDED DNA ANTIBODIES DETECTED BY A SOLID PHASE ENZYME IMMUNOASSAY

A solid phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA) detected anti-double-stranded (ds) DNA antibodies in 88% of sera from patients classified clinically as having active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without renal symptoms and 93% with renal disease. Fifty-six percent of sera from patients with inactive SLE were EIA positive for anti-dsDNA antibodies. The EIA had a sensitivity and specificity comparable to radioimmunoassay (RIA) and hemagglutination for patients with active SLE with or without renal disease, but it detected anti-dsDNA antibodies more frequently in patients with inactive SLE than the latter procedures. Precipitating antibodies detected by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) were less common in patients with renal disease (23% incidence) than clinically active patients without renal disease (79% incidence). Twenty-four SLE sera with elevated levels of C1q binding showed a 96% concordance for a positive EIA for anti-dsDNA antibodies in contrast to 66% concordance by RIA or hemagglutination. These findings suggest that the EIA is a sensitive and specific method for detection and measurement of anti-dsDNA antibodies. Several clinical applications of the EIA are discussed.
Altered reactivity and nitric oxide signaling in the isolated thoracic duct from an ovine model of congenital heart disease with increased pulmonary blood flow

We have previously shown decreased pulmonary lymph flow in our lamb model of chronically increased pulmonary blood flow, created by the in utero placement of an 8-mm aortopulmonary shunt. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that abnormal lymphatic function in shunt lambs is due to impaired lymphatic endothelial nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP signaling resulting in increased lymphatic vascular constriction and/or impaired relaxation. Thoracic duct rings were isolated from 4-wk-old shunt (n = 7) and normal (n = 7) lambs to determine length-tension properties, vascular reactivity, and endothelial NO synthase protein. At baseline, shunt thoracic duct rings had 2.6-fold higher peak to peak tension and a 2-fold increase in the strength of contractions compared with normal rings (P < 0.05). In response to norepinephrine, shunt thoracic duct rings had a 2.4-fold increase in vascular tone compared with normal rings (P < 0.05) and impaired relaxation in response to the endothelium-dependent dilator acetylcholine (63% vs. 13%, P < 0.05). In vivo, inhaled NO (40 ppm) increased pulmonary lymph flow (normalized for resistance) ∼1.5-fold in both normal and shunt lambs (P < 0.05). Inhaled NO exposure increased bioavailable NO [nitrite/nitrate (NOx); ∼2.5-fold in normal lambs and ∼3.4-fold in shunt lambs] and cGMP (∼2.5-fold in both) in the pulmonary lymph effluent (P < 0.05). Chronic exposure to increased pulmonary blood flow is associated with pulmonary lymphatic endothelial injury that disrupts NO-cGMP signaling, leading to increased resting vasoconstriction, increased maximal strength of contraction, and impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation. Inhaled NO increases pulmonary lymph NOx and cGMP levels and pulmonary lymph flow in normal and shunt lambs. Therapies that augment NO-cGMP signaling within the lymphatic system may provide benefits, warranting further study.
A FURTHER STUDY OF THE GASTRIC ULCERS FOLLOWING ADRENALECTOMY

Acute gastric ulcers are found in a large percentage of animals dying from acute adrenal insufficiency. In dogs in which a portion of the jejunum had been transplanted some time previous to the removal of the adrenals, the gastric mucosa showed more marked changes than the transplanted jejunal mucosa. This tends to show that the gastric juice as the cause of the ulcer is but a secondary although necessary factor.
Rapid Removal of Tissue Culture Monolayers by Collodion for Subsequent Staining

Removing cultures from roller tubes before staining eliminates the destaining which often occurs when the cells are first stained and then removed by embedding in collodion. The cells are fixed in situ, dehydrated, and covered with collodion (Merk's flexible) for 10 min. The collodion is poured off, the fluid residue lining the tube allowed to dry for 10 min, and the tube is filled with tap water. The collodion cast containing the cells is loosened and removed, cut into strips, placed on slides and blotted into firm contact. The collodion is then dehydrated and dissolved with absolute alcohol followed by a 1:1 mixture of alcohol and ether. The slides can then be rehydrated and stained by conventional methods.
An ion mobility/ion trap/photodissociation instrument for characterization of ion structure.

A new instrument that combines ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) separations with tandem mass spectrometry (MSn) is described. Ion fragmentation is achieved with vacuum ultraviolet photodissociation (VUV PD) and/or collision-induced dissociation (CID). The instrument is comprised of an approximately 1 m long drift tube connected to a linear trap that has been interfaced to a pulsed F2 laser (157 nm). Ion gates positioned in the front and the back of the primary drift region allow for mobility selection of specific ions prior to their storage in the ion trap, mass analysis, and fragmentation. The ion characterization advantages of the new instrument are demonstrated with the analysis of the isomeric trisaccharides, melezitose and raffinose. Mobility separation of precursor ions provides a means of separating the isomers and subsequent VUV PD generates unique fragments allowing them to be distinguished.
Benign tumors of the auditory nerve from using cell phones

The potential of elevated cancer risks from exposure to wireless radiation has been a major source of concern for many cellphone users. In common usage, about 50% of the radiated microwave energy is absorbed by tissues on the side of the head close to the handset. Cancer in the central nervous system has, therefore, snagged the attention of the general public, scientific investigators, and the cell-phone industry, almost since the introduction of the popular invention into contemporary society.
It's all about the children: a participant-driven photo-elicitation study of Mexican-origin mothers' food choices

There is a desperate need to address diet-related chronic diseases in Mexican-origin women, particularly for those in border region colonias (Mexican settlements) and other new destination communities in rural and non-rural areas of the U.S. Understanding the food choices of mothers, who lead food and health activities in their families, provides one way to improve health outcomes in Mexican-origin women and their children. This study used a visual method, participant-driven photo-elicitation, and grounded theory in a contextual study of food choices from the perspectives of Mexican-origin mothers.
Bitcoin as Politics: Distributed Right-Wing Extremism

Bitcoin is promoted as an alternative to currency, and even at times as an alternative to money, but neither Bitcoin’s development nor its promulgation emerge from thoughtful analyses of money or currency as they currently exist, let alone the thought and history that have figured in their development. The grounding problems that Bitcoin advocates consider central are not the ones that major thinkers about money or currency, from the Right or the Left, have deemed important. On the contrary, those grounding problems are largely ideological: the desire to bypass the (apparently lawful) credit card and PayPal “blockade” of WikiLeaks, on the one hand (usually mentioned as the instigating event in the widespread use of Bitcoin), and the desire to bypass central and/or commercial banks for either the creation of money (as many of the more rabid advocates insist) or the provision of financial services (the main interest of Satoshi Nakamoto’s original Bitcoin paper), on the other. The former ideas emerge from a libertarian, anti-state politics familiar from much of the WikiLeaks story. The latter ideas emerge from the profoundly ideological and overtly conspiratorial anti-Central Bank rhetoric propagated by the extremist Right in the US, and which despite its overt “anti-bank” rhetoric, on most thoughtful analysis, serves rather than resists the interests of banks and big finance (much as despite its anti-bank rhetoric, Bitcoin itself is now promoted by banks, investors, and venture capitalists). Scholars of money like Mary Mellor and Ann Pettifor have suggested meaningful alternatives to the current money system, but Bitcoin has very little in common with their proposals, which would require societal assent as well as technical innovation. The lack of any thorough, non-conspiratorial analysis of existing financial systems means that Bitcoin fails to embody any true alternative to them. The reasons for this have little to do with technology and everything to do with the existing systems in which Bitcoin and all other cryptocurrencies are embedded, systems that instantiate the forms of social power that cannot be eliminated through either wishful thinking or technical or even political evasion: the rich and powerful will not become poor and powerless simply because other people decide to operate alternate economies of exchange. Lacking a robust account of transforming these systems of power, even without Bitcoin’s flaws, a “perfect” cryptocurrency would exacerbate, rather than address, the existing serious problems with our monetary and financial systems. Because it operates without such an account, Bitcoin’s real utility and purpose (and that of the cryptocurrency movement in general) can be better understood as a “program” for recruiting uninformed citizens into a neoliberal anti-government politics, understanding the nature and effects of which requires just the attention to political theory and history that Bitcoin enthusiasts rail against.
Inhabiting Latino Politics How Colleges Shape Students’ Political Styles

To comply with ideals of multiculturalism and diversity, postsecondary institutions incorporate Latino students into distinct campus cultures. These cultures influence how students interact with on...
Cas9, poised for DNA cleavage

Over the past 3 years, the technique known as CRISPR—clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats—has revolutionized the field of genome editing ( 1 ). A single enzyme called CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) can be programmed with CRISPR-derived RNAs (crRNAs) to introduce double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) breaks at specific sites in the genome. On page 867 of this issue, Jiang et al. ( 2 ) describe structures of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 captured in a state poised for DNA cleavage. This new snapshot, together with those from previous structures, explains how binding to a dsDNA target allosterically activates DNA cleavage by the Cas9 endonuclease.
Technological Change and Individual Adjustment

The technologies used by organizations to manufacture products have changed dramatically over the years. This transition has been met with varying reactions on the part of labor and management. In an effort to establish programs encouraging positive reactions, the adjustment of blue collar workers to a change in technology is examined and is related to their demographics, routinization, job attitudes, attitudes towards automation, prior job expectations, training, job content changes, and perceptions of the job changes. Recommendations for those studying technological change situations and for those instigating such changes are discussed.
Comparison of Intraoperative Periarticular Injections Versus Liposomal Bupivacaine as Part of a Multimodal Approach to Pain Management in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been shown to restore mobility, return an individual to activities of daily living, and improve quality of life. Nearly 80% of patients undergoing TKA report moderate to severe pain in the first 2 weeks following surgery. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 103 patients who underwent TKA between October 12, 2014 and May 30, 2015 by a single surgeon at a small community hospital. During this period, data were analyzed for differences in outcomes with a change from intraoperative periarticular (IOPA) injections containing an anesthetic/analgesic mixture of ropivacaine, epinephrine, ketorolac, and clonidine to liposomal bupivacaine. Patient records were reviewed to extract study data including postoperative opioid use, length of stay (LOS), opioid-associated adverse events, and non-opioid analgesic use. Results: No statistical differences were determined between groups for mean postoperative opiate usage in morphine equivalences during any time frame ...
Research on the Micro-power Wireless Channel Simulation System for Electricity Information Acquisition System

This paper analyses the advantages of Micro-power wireless communication mode for electricity information acquisition system,and then according to the shortages of the Micro power products detection system,further this paper studies and builds a simulation test system applicable for Micro-power wireless product detection.The system makes up the deficiency of micro power wireless detection,and enables two-way link detection between sender and receiver.And then from the aspects of actual operation and functional level,the feasibility of the system applied to the detection of Micro-power wireless communication products is analyzed and results show that the system can meet the detection requirements.
Atomic absorption spectrophotometry for measurement of copper,zinc,plumbum and cadmium contents in phragmites australis

Using closed and high-pressure system for sample digestion,zinc contents in phragmites australis was tested by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry,copper,plumbum and cadmium contents in phragmites australis were tested by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry.The results showed that recovery of copper,zinc,plumbum and cadmium in root,stem and leaves of phragmites auatralis were 85.0%～120.4%,86.4%～106.5%,85.3%～86.2% and 104.0%～114%,respectively.These elements of analytical results of precision for samples were 0.72%～4.08%,4.08%～6.27%,4.12%～8.47%,2.33%～5.59%,respectively.This method is simple,rapid and accurate.This method would supply some support for studying on absorption and accumulation of heavy metals in phragmites australis,and using phragmites australis as indicator plant of heavy metals contamination.
Untersuchungen zur Eignung von Leistungsverfahren für die Messung von Schweregraden endogener Depressionen

Zur Messung der Schweregrade endogener Depressionen werden meistens Selbstbeurteilungsverfahren angewandt. Fur diese Zwecke fanden Leistungsverfahren bisher kaum Berucksichtigung. Nach einer Literaturubersicht und eigenen empirischen Untersuchungen drangt sich die Vermutung auf, das das Hauptanwendungsgebiet von Selbstbeurteilungsverfahren im Abschnitt leichter bis mittelschwerer endogener Depressionen liegen muste, diese Verfahren jedoch bei schweren und schwersten Depressionen zu falschen Ergebnissen fuhren. Leistungsverfahren scheinen zwischen psychiatrisch unauffalligen und leicht depressiven Personen nicht so gut zu differenzieren, werden aber bei zunehmendem Schweregrad zuverlassiger und gultiger. Selbstbeurteilungs und Leistungsverfahren konnen demnach nicht gegeneinander ausgetauscht, sondern sollten in Erganzung zueinander angewandt werden.
The oxidation of the beta carbon of serine in human folate and vitamin B 12 deficiency.

Abstract A marked decrease in rate and amount of oxidation of 3- 14 C-serine to 14 CO 2 is noted in human folate deficiency. These metabolic alterations in human folate deficiency are consistent with known sites of action of folic acid. A moderate decrease in rate and amount of oxidation of 3- 14 C-serine to 14 CO 2 is noted in human vitamin B 12 deficiency. The possible metabolic implications of this observation in man are discussed. After adequate treatment with the appropriate vitamin, the metabolism of serine returns to normal. Alteration of 3- 14 C-serine oxidation was related to alterations of 2- 14 C-histidine oxidation in folate deficiency. The delay noted in the oxidation of serine's beta carbon in folate deficiency does not explain the entire delay in oxidation of histidine's imidazole carbon in this condition. Comparison of oxidation of 3- 14 C-serine and 2- 14 C-histidine indicates that approximately 14 per cent of the 2-carbon of the free histidine pool exits from the monocarbon pool as the beta carbon of serine.
Public Sector Solutions

Whether we like it or not, housing is always and everywhere a matter of public-private partnership (PPP), at least to some minimal degree. By definition, housing markets do not occur in a spatial or taxation vacuum, nor are they unaffected by banking regulations and business cycle risk. Rather, housing markets are situated in a wider economic matrix of transport networks, county lines, tax settings, market regulations, Fed policymaking, immigration rates, urban planning history, and the like. It is simply impossible, in other words, to entirely divorce government decisions from housing outcomes. For instance, evidence shows that increasing the property tax reduces city size unambiguously (Song and Zenou, 2006), and that government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) affordable housing goals increase the supply of mortgage credit (Ambrose and Thibodeau, 2004). The implication is that complete policy neutrality with respect to housing markets is unlikely to prevail. Even the most minimalist, free market oriented policy framework we could propose, would still involve a significant degree of de facto government “intervention”. The private housing market, in other words, cannot be viewed in isolation from the rest of the society.
The Impact of Horizontal Resolution on North American Monsoon Gulf of California Moisture Surges in a Suite of Coupled Global Climate Models

AbstractThe impact of atmosphere and ocean horizontal resolution on the climatology of North American monsoon Gulf of California (GoC) moisture surges is examined in a suite of global circulation models (CM2.1, FLOR, CM2.5, CM2.6, and HiFLOR) developed at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). These models feature essentially the same physical parameterizations but differ in horizontal resolution in either the atmosphere (≃200, 50, and 25 km) or the ocean (≃1°, 0.25°, and 0.1°). Increasing horizontal atmospheric resolution from 200 to 50 km results in a drastic improvement in the model’s capability of accurately simulating surge events. The climatological near-surface flow and moisture and precipitation anomalies associated with GoC surges are overall satisfactorily simulated in all higher-resolution models. The number of surge events agrees well with reanalyses, but models tend to underestimate July–August surge-related precipitation and overestimate September surge-related rainfall in the sou...
Genomics is failing on diversity

An analysis by Alice B. Popejoy and Stephanie M. Fullerton indicates that some populations are still being left behind on the road to precision medicine.
Maternal Metabolic State and Cancer Risk: An Evolving Manifestation of Generational Impact

Metabolic stress in the early-life environment as a consequence of maternal overnutrition and obesity leads to an increased risk of adult metabolic syndrome in offspring. Given the greater risk for cancer development at a number of tissue sites for obese individuals, exposure of the highly developmentally “plastic” fetus and neonate to a dysregulated maternal endocrine milieu may similarly result in increased cancer susceptibility as adults. In rodent models, from which this concept has gained the most direct experimental support, the feedforward circuitry for cancer propensity appears to be generationally transmitted, in part, via epigenetic biochemical marks. Here, we review the current state of this nascent field with attention given to tissues that are likely impacted by the recent epidemic of maternal obesity. We highlight current thinking on underlying molecular mechanisms and discuss how such knowledge may be used to design interventional strategies for obese pregnant women to counter increased risk for malignancy in their offspring.
Scaling properties of the mean wall-normal velocity in zero-pressure-gradient boundary layers

The mean velocity normal to the wall in a laminar and in a turbulent boundary layer with zero pressure gradient is investigated in experiments and in numerical simulations. Unlike the mean streamwise velocity and the turbulent shear stress, the mean wall-normal velocity is found to scale with its maximum and the boundary layer thickness.
ReflectFX: In-Band Full-Duplex Wireless Communication by Means of Reflected Power

In this paper, we introduce a new full-duplex wireless communication system, named ReflectFX, that relies on backscatter modulation. This paper offers a new concept for two-way wireless communication: rather than avoiding self-interference as in half-duplex, or combatting self-interference as in conventional full-duplex, nodes will re-use the received interfering radio-carrier waves to transfer information. The electromagnetic waves are modulated and reflected by the same antenna that receives them. We consider two nodes, a base-station and an end-user, that wish to exchange data over a wireless Rayleigh fading channel with additive white Gaussian noise. With ReflectFX, the end-user receives a self-interference free signal. We improve the transmission range of ReflectFX by adding negative resistance to the end-user load. We derive an expression for the overall achievable throughput and ergodic capacity of ReflectFX. Simulation results show that ReflectFX outperforms both conventional full-duplex and half-duplex.
Customized Videos on a YouTube Channel: A Beyond the Classroom Teaching and Learning Platform for General Chemistry Courses

Videos are an integral part of online courses. In this study, customized YouTube videos were explored as teaching and learning materials in place of face-to-face discussion sessions in General Chemistry courses. The videos were created using a budget-friendly and interactive app on an iPad. The customized YouTube videos were available to students on a YouTube channel dedicated to the course. Use of videos enabled students to pause and rewatch the videos as required. Pedagogical benefits of using the videos included opportunities for 24/7 and self-paced learning. Beyond the classroom learning was documented using the analytics option through YouTube (method 1) and Learning Management System (method 2). Data mining shows the following: (a) learning throughout the semester, (b) around-the-clock learning activity right before the final exam, (c) comparable average final exam performance observed during semesters with face-to-face discussions versus customized YouTube videos, and (d) students continuing to wat...
Harvard's Kangaroo Law School: The School for Torturers

Harvard Law School now has five professors who openly advocate torture, two of whom were appointed by then Dean Elena Kagan. For these reasons, Harvard Law School is no longer fit to educate lawyers, members of the bar, and officers of the court.
Volume and Homology for Hyperbolic $3$-Orbifolds, I

Let ${\mathfrak M}$ be a closed, orientable, hyperbolic 3-orbifold whose singular set is a link, and such that $\pi_1({\mathfrak M})$ contains no hyperbolic triangle group. We show that if the underlying manifold $|{\mathfrak M}|$ is irreducible, and $|{\mathfrak M}|$ is irreducible for every two-sheeted (orbifold) covering $\widetilde{\mathfrak M}$ of ${\mathfrak M}$, and if ${\rm vol} {\mathfrak M}\le1.72$, then $\dim H_1({\mathfrak M};{\mathbb Z}_2)\le 15$. Furthermore, if ${\rm vol} {\mathfrak M}\le1.22$ then $\dim H_1({\mathfrak M};{\mathbb Z}_2)\le 11$, and if ${\rm vol} {\mathfrak M}\le0.61$ then $\dim H_1({\mathfrak M};{\mathbb Z}_2)\le 7$. The proof is an application of results that will be used in the sequel to this paper to obtain qualitatively similar results without the assumption of irreducibility of $|{\mathfrak M}|$ and $|\widetilde{\mathfrak M}|$.
MultiGraph: Efficient Graph Processing on GPUs

High-level GPU graph processing frameworks are an attractive alternative for achieving both high productivity and high performance. Hence, several high-level frameworks for graph processing on GPUs have been developed. In this paper, we develop an approach to graph processing on GPUs that seeks to overcome some of the performance limitations of existing frameworks. It uses multiple data representation and execution strategies for dense versus sparse vertex frontiers, dependent on the fraction of active graph vertices. A two-phase edge processing approach trades off extra data movement for improved load balancing across GPU threads, by using a 2D blocked representation for edge data. Experimental results demonstrate performance improvement over current state-of-the-art GPU graph processing frameworks for many benchmark programs and data sets.
In-Home Salivary Melatonin Collection: Methodology for Children and Adolescents

In-home salivary collection quality and adherence to a prescribed collection methodology for evaluation of dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) is unknown in children. Primary aims of this study were to 1) describe a novel family centered methodology for in-home salivary collection; 2) determine the acceptance and feasibility of this methodology; 3) measure adherence to collection instructions; and 4) identify patterns between participants' age and quality of samples collected. After receiving instructional handouts from the study team, families utilized in-home salivary melatonin collection. Participants (N = 64) included 39 children (21 female, mean age 9.5 ± 1.61 years) and 25 adolescents (11 female, mean age 15.9 ± 2.12 years) with craniopharyngioma. Participants were 90% adherent to collection schedule, and 89% of the samples collected were of sufficient quantity and quality, with no differences found between age (child vs. adolescent) and melatonin sample quantity and quality. In-home saliva collection provides an acceptable and feasible method to collect salivary melatonin and biomarkers in children and adolescents.
Abstract 28: Orthostatic Hypotension is Associated With 20-year Cognitive Decline and Incident Dementia: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Background: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) has been associated with incident cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, but few studies have examined long-term associations with cognitive decline and dementia Hypothesis: OH will be associated with greater cognitive decline and risk of incident dementia Methods: We prospectively analyzed 11503 participants who attended visit 1 (1987-1989) of the ARIC study and had no history of coronary heart disease or stroke. OH was defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure (BP) >=20 mmHg or a drop in diastolic BP >=10 mmHg upon standing from a supine position. Dementia was ascertained using cohort surveillance, telephone contact with the participant or their proxy, or a comprehensive cognitive and neurologic exam in 2011-2013. Cognition was measured via three neuropsychological tests administered in 1990-1992, 1996-1998, and 2011-2013 that were summarized using a Z score. We used adjusted Cox regression and linear mixed models. Results: At visit 1 (mean age 54 years, 57% female, 27% black) 6% of participants had OH. In adjusted models, persons with OH at baseline were 40% more likely to develop dementia than those without OH (HR: 1.40, 95%CI: 1.13, 1.73; Table). Associations were significantly larger in persons with hypertension (p-value for interaction=0.023). Persons with OH compared to those without had significantly more cognitive decline over 20 years (difference: -0.12, 95% CI: -0.23, -0.02; Table). Conclusions: OH assessed in midlife was independently associated with incident dementia and cognitive decline over 20 years. Although typically considered a transient mechanism, these data suggest that OH, or the underlying disease conditions manifesting as OH, persist over time. Whether OH is a marker of vulnerability beyond that of standard hypertension measures, or whether repeated transient exposure to hypotension reduces perfusion to the brain sufficiently to lead to long-term cerebral dysfunction is an important area for further research.
Nature of Emotion Categories: Comment on Cowen and Keltner

Cowen and Keltner (2017) published the latest installment in a longstanding debate about whether measures of emotion organize themselves into categories or array themselves more continuously along affective dimensions. We discuss several notable features of the study and suggest future studies should consider asking questions more directly about physical and psychological variation within emotion categories as well as similarities between categories.
Social agents for aging-in-place: A focus on health education and communication

Abstract As technology has become more ubiquitous, it is increasingly used in health education and communication applications. In this chapter, we provide a review on the use of social agents, namely embodied conversational agents and robotic agents, for health education and health communication for aging-in-place. Health education and health communication are two emerging research applications for social agents, with potential to help older adults in managing their health by (1) disseminating health information, and (2) connecting older adults with informal and formal caregivers. There are a number of challenges that impede the adoption of social agents, specifically security, privacy, technology acceptance, and implementation in the home. While there are barriers, there are also many future opportunities to utilize social agents within this context. Potential future advances in connected health, comprehensive health decision making, and connected communities are discussed.
A low-cost jitter separation and ADC spectral testing method without requiring coherent sampling

Timing jitter is a crucial factor for high speed and high performance ADCs. Random clock jitter and the intrinsic aperture jitter of the ADC raise the noise floor and make it difficult to accurately estimate ADC specifications from the output spectrum. The stringent requirement of coherent sampling imposes further constraints on the test equipment. The proposed method significantly relaxes clock jitter and coherent sampling requirements by utilizing a dual channel test setup. The algorithm can efficiently separate and estimate noise, intrinsic ADC aperture jitter and random clock jitter, while allowing for arbitrary non-coherency in sampling. Simulation results of ADCs of different resolutions and sub-picosecond jitter levels validate the functionality and accuracy of the method.
Strategies for imputing missing covariates in accelerated failure time models

Missing covariates often occur in biomedical studies with survival outcomes. Multiple imputation via chained equations (MICE) is a semi-parametric and flexible approach that imputes multivariate data by a series of conditional models, one for each incomplete variable. When applying MICE, practitioners tend to specify the conditional models in a simple fashion largely dictated by the software, which could lead to suboptimal results. Practical guidelines for specifying appropriate conditional models in MICE are lacking. Motivated by a study of time to hip fractures in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study using accelerated failure time models, we propose and experiment with some rationales leading to appropriate MICE specifications. This strategy starts with specifying a joint model for the variables involved. We first derive the conditional distribution of each variable under the joint model, then approximate these conditional distributions to the extent which can be characterized by commonly used regression models. We propose to fit separate models to impute incomplete variables by the failure status, which is key to generating appropriate MICE specifications for survival outcomes. The proposed strategy can be conveniently implemented with all available imputation software that uses fully conditional specifications. Our simulation results show that some commonly used simple MICE specifications can produce suboptimal results, while those based on the proposed strategy appear to perform well and be robust toward model misspecifications. Hence, we warn against a mechanical use of MICE and suggest careful modeling of the conditional distributions of variables to ensure proper performance.
Nativity status and genital HPV infection among adults in the U.S.

Over 43 million immigrants live in the United States (U.S.). Foreign-born populations experience multiple disparities related to human papillomavirus (HPV), including higher cervical cancer mortali...
Design, characterization and evaluation of a laser-guided focused ultrasound system for preclinical investigations

The clinical applications of transcranial focused ultrasound continue to expand and include ablation as well as drug delivery applications in the brain, where treatments are typically guided by MRI. Although MRI-guided focused ultrasound systems are also preferred for many preclinical investigations, they are expensive to purchase and operate, and require the presence of a nearby imaging center. For many basic mechanistic studies, however, MRI is not required. The purpose of this study was to design, construct, characterize and evaluate a portable, custom, laser-guided focused ultrasound system for noninvasive, transcranial treatments in small rodents. The system comprised an off-the-shelf focused ultrasound transducer and amplifier, with a custom cone fabricated for direct coupling of the transducer to the head region. A laser-guidance apparatus was constructed with a 3D stage for accurate positioning to 1 mm. Pressure field simulations were performed to demonstrate the effects of the coupling cone and the sealing membrane, as well as for determining the location of the focus and acoustic transmission across rat skulls over a range of sizes. Hydrophone measurements and exposures in hydrogels were used to assess the accuracy of the simulations. In vivo treatments were performed in rodents for opening the blood–brain barrier and to assess the performance and accuracy of the system. The effects of varying the acoustic pressure, microbubble dose and animal size were evaluated in terms of efficacy and safety of the treatments. The simulation results were validated by the hydrophone measurements and exposures in the hydrogels. The in vivo treatments demonstrated the ability of the system to open the blood–brain barrier. A higher acoustic pressure was required in larger-sized animals, as predicted by the simulations and transmission measurements. In a particular sized animal, the degree of blood–brain barrier opening, and the safety of the treatments were directly associated with the microbubble dose. The focused ultrasound system that was developed was found to be a cost-effective alternative to MRI-guided systems as an investigational device that is capable of accurately providing noninvasive, transcranial treatments in rodents.
The recombinant DNA controversy: a model of public influence

There are ways to keep a healthy controversy from becoming polarized; the key is candor, openness and willingness to discuss and debate the issues.
Minimal ramification and the inverse Galois problem over the rational function field Fp(t)

Abstract The inverse Galois problem is concerned with finding a Galois extension of a field K with given Galois group. In this paper we consider the particular case where the base field is K = F p ( t ) . We give a conjectural formula for the minimal number of primes, both finite and infinite, ramified in G-extensions of K, and give theoretical and computational proofs for many cases of this conjecture.
A 3D Finite Element Model for Investigating Effects of Refurbishing on Rolling Contact Fatigue

A 3D finite element (FE) model was developed to investigate the effects of refurbishing on rolling contact fatigue (RCF) behavior of through-hardened bearing steel in a circular contact. In this in...
African Immigrants in Argentina Post-Slavery: An Old-New Odyssey

In this interdisciplinary article, I address the less known migration of Africans in South America, especially in Argentina. This is significant because studies on African migrations have focused mainly on European and North American routes (north-south), living aside south-south paths. The complex experience of the first African immigrants in Argentina relates to a certain extent and also contrasts with the recent migrations of the twenty-first century. Because of (post)colonial history, collective/personal experience and stories, African immigrants are finding new homes in Argentina. However, recent changes in immigration policies relaxed under previous governments could jeopardize this el dorado. This article also intends to re-frame studies on African immigration in Argentina that have concentrated their attention on Sub-Saharans and left aside North African as well as South African (Boers) experiences. I argue that to talk about African diaspora (hi)story in Argentina is to embrace Africanness in its totality and complexity, as well as embracing Pan-Africanism beyond Pan-Negroism. This study takes into consideration the framing questions on migration raised by Hasia Diner, Kim Butler, Caroline Brettell, and James Hollifield which includes the reasons for and conditions of the dispersal. The article is also based on eclectic sources combining personal experience, interviews, archival sources, history, and critical analysis.
Clinical outcome of 1,968 cases of meningiomas from Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

2062 Background: Meningioma is the most common primary brain tumor in the United States, but there is limited data on clinical outcomes. Methods: We performed descriptive and survival analysis of m...
Characterization of novel mutation E884K-EGFR at the highly conserved codon in differential targeted inhibition and signaling activation

4020 Targeted therapy using epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase inhibitors represents a major therapeutic advance in lung cancer treatment. Kinase domain mutations of the EGFR gene, most commonly L858R (exon 21) and short deletions in exon 19, have been shown to confer general sensitivity towards the EGFR kinase inhibitors gefitinib and erlotinib. We have recently described a unique somatic mutation, E884K (exon 22), that occurred in combination with the L858R mutation (L858R+E884K) in a patient with erlotinib-refractory stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This patient’s leptomeningeal metastases had a striking response to gefitinib monotherapy. Using stable transfects of Cos-7 cells expressing E884K-EGFR, we now show that this novel mutation conferred differential sensitivity to the two EGFR inhibitors. E884K increased receptor resistance to erlotinib, while synergistically sensitizing the receptor to gefitinib with corresponding downstream signaling inhibition. Moreover, E884K interacted with L858R in cis to enhance the mutant receptor sensitivity towards a dual EGFR/ERBB2 inhibitor. The E884K mutation was activating, yet the mutant receptor remained sensitive to EGF ligand stimulation with specific cellular phosphoproteome activation pattern distinct from that of L858R. The E884K mutation also had selective and differential effects on mutant EGFR downstream signaling, especially when in cis with the L858R mutation. E884K preferentially downregulated the AKT-mediated cell survival pathway while it upregulated c-CBL signaling and ERK1/2-STAT3-mediated cell proliferation pathway in a dominant fashion over L858R mutation. Bioinformatics sequence analysis revealed that the E884 residue within the kinase domain is highly conserved among tyrosine kinases including the ERBB family and the MET receptor. These findings suggest a critical role of the conserved E884 codon and its equivalents in tyrosine kinase signaling. Our results highlight the possibility of EGFR kinase domain mutations that can interact in cis to mediate differential sensitivity to specific kinase inhibitors and selective downstream phosphoproteomics signaling activation. Further structural studies of the mutations of EGFR and other kinase targets are warranted to improve targeted therapy and small molecule inhibitor design in lung cancer.
A modern appraisal of current vascular surgery education

Abstract Objective Although general program requirements and curriculum content outlines are provided by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Association for Program Directors in Vascular Surgery, and Vascular Surgery Board of the American Board of Surgery, there is no single format for delivery of this content. The delivery of these defined educational components is, thus, likely to differ from site to site. The curriculum committee of the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery was tasked with formalizing the content of the Vascular Surgery Surgical Council on Resident Education curriculum modules, and, therefore, we sought to appraise the current status of vascular educational programs in U.S. training programs before its implementation. Methods Program directors (PDs) of 112 U.S. vascular surgery residency and fellowship training programs were contacted via email and asked to participate in an anonymous electronic survey. This survey evaluated the educational components of individual programs, including vascular specific conferences, use of other training modalities, and determination of who was involved in the creation of these programs. Results Of the 112 PDs offered the survey, 80 (71%) responded. Most (42 of 80; 53%) have both an integrated vascular residency and a fellowship with the remaining being solely fellowship (31 of 80; 39%) or integrated residencies (7 of 80; 9%). The majority (79 of 81; 98%) of programs hold at least one vascular conference per week, with 75% (60 of 81) holding more than one each week. The total time spent in conference averaged 2.6 hours/wk, and the most common educational components of the weekly conferences were review of upcoming (48 of 79, 61%) or recently completed surgical cases (30 of 79; 38%), lectures on vascular disease processes (40 of 79; 51%), and review of book chapters from vascular surgery textbooks (27 of 78; 35%). PDs are responsible for creating the schedule at 50% (39 of 78) of the programs with most remaining programs relying on trainees (18 of 78; 23%) and assistant PDs (17 of 78; 22%). Vascular trainees present the majority of material at most programs' conferences (64 of 77; 83%). The majority of PDs feel that trainees should independently study 4 hours or more per week (51 of 79; 65%), but only 25% (20 of 79) believe that trainees actually spend this amount of time studying (P = .0001). Only 13 of 80 (16%) programs currently use a preformatted standardized vascular curriculum, but 64 of 80 (80%) believe that there is a need for the creation of this product and 72 of 80 (90%) would most likely use it. Conclusions There is a significant variation in vascular surgery educational programs with considerable dependence on trainees to create the curriculum. The majority of PDs in vascular surgery support the creation of a standardized vascular curriculum and would use it if made.
Statinopause

Statins are the cornerstone of lipid-lowering therapy for cardiovascular disease prevention. The 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines represent a fundamental shift in how statins will be prescribed. The new guidelines recommend statins for nearly all older patients up to age 75 years, including healthy adults with low normal lipid levels and no atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors other than age. Under the 2013 guidelines, age becomes a main determinant for initiating statin therapy for primary prevention among older adults. Specifically, according to the new guidelines, white males aged 63–75, white females aged 71–75, African American males aged 66–75, and African American females aged 70–75 with optimal risk factors would be recommended for statin treatment for primary prevention. Based on the new guidelines, one could term these older adults as having “statin deficiency,” a condition warranting statin treatment. We call this putative condition of age-related statin deficiency “statinopause.” After careful examination of the trial evidence, we find very little support for the new recommendations for primary prevention. The lack of evidence underscores the need for clinical trials to determine the risks and benefits of statin therapy for primary prevention among older adults.