cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) signaling and locally applied steroid on retinal dysfunction by recoverin, cancer-associated retinopathy antigen.

Purpose To assess the cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) pathway in the recoverin peptide (R64; AYAQHVFRSF) mouse model of cancer-associated retinopathy (CAR) and to assess the protective effects of subconjunctival triamcinalone injections in this model. Methods To study the role of the CTLA4 pathway on the R64-induced mouse model of CAR, BALB/c mice were immunized with R64. The mice were further intraperitoneally treated with anti-CTLA4 antibody to get stronger immunoreaction. The development of CAR was evaluated by electroretinogram (ERG) examinations 21 days after treatment. A cytotoxicity assay was employed to detect induction of R64-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Immunoblotting to assess the development of anti-recoverin antibody and a T cell proliferation assay to determine the activity of lymphocytes against R64 were examined in two experimental groups, anti-CTLA4 antibody treated and untreated mice.To study the protective effect of subconjunctival triamcinalone in this model, mice immunized with R64 peptide and anti-CTLA4 antibody were either treated with 50 mg/kg/body weight of triamcinalone or phosphate buffered saline (PBS). These mice were assayed using ERG and histological examination 35 days after the first R64 immunization. Results When mice were challenged with R64 peptide and anti-CTLA4 antibody, R64 peptide-specific CTLs were induced and decreased b-wave amplitudes were observed in ERG. Conversely, no CAR symptoms were detected in mice not treated with anti-CTLA4 antibody. Anti-CTLA4 antibody treatment did not give any significant differences in T cell proliferation and humoral reaction against recoverin. Subconjunctival triamcinalone treated mice show a trend toward improved survival of outer nuclear layer cell bodies, but did not show significant improvement of ERG amplitudes compared to the untreated mice. Conclusions Inhibition of the CTLA4 pathway is essential for the development of recoverin-induced murine CAR, suggesting that strengthening negative T cell signaling through CTLA4 may lessen the retinal degenerations in CAR-affected subjects. The positive effects of attenuation of the CTLA4 pathway must be weighed against a potential negative effect on survival since this pathway may also provide natural immunotherapy against the underlying malignancy. Subconjunctival injections of triamcinalone may have beneficial effects on the integrity of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) of the retina in the CAR model, although there was no significant effect on the ERG recordings.
X-ray scatter imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma in a mouse model using nanoparticle contrast agents

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide and is almost uniformly fatal. Current methods of detection include ultrasound examination and imaging by CT scan or MRI; however, these techniques are problematic in terms of sensitivity and specificity, and the detection of early tumors (<1 cm diameter) has proven elusive. Better, more specific, and more sensitive detection methods are therefore urgently needed. Here we discuss the application of a newly developed x-ray imaging technique called Spatial Frequency Heterodyne Imaging (SFHI) for the early detection of HCC. SFHI uses x-rays scattered by an object to form an image and is more sensitive than conventional absorption-based x-radiography. We show that tissues labeled in vivo with gold nanoparticle contrast agents can be detected using SFHI. We also demonstrate that directed targeting and SFHI of HCC tumors in a mouse model is possible through the use of HCC-specific antibodies. The enhanced sensitivity of SFHI relative to currently available techniques enables the x-ray imaging of tumors that are just a few millimeters in diameter and substantially reduces the amount of nanoparticle contrast agent required for intravenous injection relative to absorption-based x-ray imaging.
A pressure-transferable coarse-grained potential for modeling the shock Hugoniot of polyethylene

We investigate the thermomechanical response of semi-crystalline polyethylene under shock compression by performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a new coarse-graining scheme inspired by the embedded atom method. The coarse-graining scheme combines the iterative Boltzmann inversion method and least squares optimization to parameterize interactions between coarse-grained sites, including a many-body potential energy designed to improve the representability of the model across a wide range of thermodynamic states. We demonstrate that a coarse-grained model of polyethylene, calibrated to match target structural and thermodynamic data generated from isothermal MD simulations at different pressures, can also accurately predict the shock Hugoniot response. Analysis of the rise in temperature along the shock Hugoniot and comparison with analytical predictions from the Mie–Gruneisen equation of state are performed to thoroughly explore the thermodynamic consistency of the model. As the coarse-graining model affords nearly two orders of magnitude reduction in simulation time compared to all-atom MD simulations, the proposed model can help identify how nanoscale structure in semi-crystalline polymers, such as polyethylene, influences mechanical behavior under extreme loading.
Diet, Carnitine, and Valproate-Induced Ammonemia

The effect of a protein-rich meal (45 g protein) before and after L-carnitine (50 mg/kg/day) for 7 days in 11 epileptic children treated with valproate (VPA) was studied in relation to the magnitude and duration of the VPA-induced hyperammonemia at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy and Department of Neurology, Madison, WI.
Spatial Relation of Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity with Crop Yields and Soil Properties at Different Topographic Positions in a Small Agricultural Watershed

Use of electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors along with geospatial modeling provide a better opportunity for understanding spatial distribution of soil properties and crop yields on a landscape level and to map site-specific management zones. The first objective of this research was to evaluate the relationship of crop yields, soil properties and apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) at different topographic positions (shoulder, backslope, and deposition slope). The second objective was to examine whether the correlation of ECa with soil properties and crop yields on a watershed scale can be improved by considering topography in modeling ECa and soil properties compared to a whole field scale with no topographic separation. This study was conducted in two headwater agricultural watersheds in southern Illinois, USA. The experimental design consisted of three basins per watershed and each basin was divided into three topographic positions (shoulder, backslope and deposition) using the Slope Position Classification model in ESRI ArcMap. A combine harvester equipped with a GPS-based recording system was used for yield monitoring and mapping from 2012 to 2015. Soil samples were taken at depths from 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm from 54 locations in the two watersheds in fall 2015 and analyzed for physical and chemical properties. The ECa was measured using EMI device, EM38-MK2, which provides four dipole readings ECa-H-0.5, ECa-H-1, ECa-V-0.5, and ECa-V-1. Soybean and corn yields at depositional position were 38% and 62% lower than the shoulder position in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Soil pH, total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), Mehlich-3 Phosphorus (P), Bray-1 P and ECa at depositional positions were significantly higher compared to shoulder positions. Corn and soybeans yields were weakly to moderately (<±0.75) correlated with ECa. At the deposition position at the 0–15 cm depth ECa-H-0.5 was weakly correlated (r < ±0.50) with soil pH and was moderately correlated (r = ±0.50–±0.75) with organic matter (OM), calcium (Ca) and sulfur (S). Slope variation from 1%–20% at the research site had a strong influence on soil properties at watershed scale. When data from all topographic positions were combined together in all basins spatial interpolation between Mehlich-3 P and ECa-H-0.5 resulted in a larger cross validation RMSE compared to individual shoulder and backslope positions. Results demonstrated that topographic position should be considered while making correlations of ECa with soil properties. Methods of delineating topography positions presented in this paper can easily be replicated on other fields with similar landscape characteristics and EMI sensor based survey techniques can certainly improve and help in making detailed prediction maps of soil properties.
Novo-G#: Large-scale reconfigurable computing with direct and programmable interconnects

While High-Performance Computing is ever more pervasive and effective, computing capability is currently only a small fraction of what is needed. Three fundamental issues limiting performance are computational efficiency, power density, and communication latency. All of these issues are being addressed through increased heterogeneity, but the last in particular by integrating communication into the accelerator. This integration enables direct and programmable communication among compute components. Novo-G# is a large-scale FPGA-centric cluster being built to investigate and develop architectures, system and tool infrastructure, and applications for this model. In this report we discuss the motivation behind and particular objectives of Novo-G#, the work completed so far, the products of that work, and their potential impact. We end with a description of and an invitation to join the Novo-G# Forum, the project users group.
History of Copper Converting

The following four papers were presented during the February 1968 AIME Annual Meeting, at a symposium sponsored by the Pyrometallurgy Committee of the Extractive Metallurgy Division of The Metallurgical Society. The single theme of the symposium was copper converters—their history, modern construction and operation, and process by-products. Additional papers from this symposium will be published in the September issue.
Quantum dynamics of thermalizing systems

We introduce a method “DMT” for approximating density operators of 1D systems that, when combined with a standard framework for time evolution (TEBD), makes possible simulation of the dynamics of strongly thermalizing systems to arbitrary times. We demonstrate that the method performs well for both near-equilibrium initial states (Gibbs states with spatially varying temperatures) and far-from-equilibrium initial states, including quenches across phase transitions and pure states.
Interpersonal Violence in Disaster

Interpersonal Violence in Disaster. Disaster sociologists have long claimed that antisocial behavior in disasters is rare. In this chapter, we investigate this claim by examining the types of interpersonal violence that have occurred in disaster. Importantly, we focus on all phases of disaster, warning, impact, emergency, and recovery and reconstruction, to fully observe these crimes. We find evidence for murder, hate crimes, rape and sexual assault, child abuse, and domestic violence in disaster. We contend that routine activity and GSTs are useful in understanding interpersonal violence in disaster, and we provide prescriptions for prevention that are rooted in these theories.
Metabolomics Reveals Cu(OH)2 Nanopesticide-Activated Anti-oxidative Pathways and Decreased Beneficial Antioxidants in Spinach Leaves

While the use of nanopesticides in modern agriculture continues to increase, their effects on crop plants are still poorly understood. Here, 4 week old spinach plants grown in an artificial medium were exposed via foliar spray to Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide (0.18 and 18 mg/plant) or Cu ions (0.15 and 15 mg/plant) for 7 days. A gas chromatography-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry metabolomics approach was applied to assess metabolic alterations induced by Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide in spinach leaves. Exposure to Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide and copper ions induced alterations in the metabolite profiles of spinach leaves. Compared to the control, exposure to 18 mg of Cu(OH)2 nanopesticide induced significant reduction (29-85%) in antioxidant or defense-associated metabolites including ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, threonic acid, β-sitosterol, 4-hydroxybutyric acid, ferulic acid, and total phenolics. The metabolic pathway for ascorbate and aldarate was disturbed in all exposed spinach plants (nanopesticide and Cu2+). Cu2+ is responsible for the reduction in antioxidants and perturbation of the ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. However, nitrogen metabolism perturbation was nanopesticide-specific. Spinach biomass and photosynthetic pigments were not altered, indicating that metabolomics can be a rapid and sensitive tool for the detection og earlier nanopesticide effects. Consumption of antioxidants during the antioxidant defense process resulted in reduction of the nutritional value of exposed spinach.
Cascading effects of attention disengagement and sensory seeking on social symptoms in a community sample of infants at-risk for a future diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder

Recent work suggests sensory seeking predicts later social symptomatology through reduced social orienting in infants who are at high-risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on their status as younger siblings of children diagnosed with ASD. We drew on extant longitudinal data from a community sample of at-risk infants who were identified at 12 months using the First Year Inventory, and followed to 3-5 years. We replicate findings of Damiano et al. (in this issue) that a) high-risk infants who go on to be diagnosed with ASD show heightened sensory seeking in the second year of life relative to those who do not receive a diagnosis, and b) increased sensory seeking indirectly relates to later social symptomatology via reduced social orienting. We extend previous findings to show that sensory seeking has more clinical utility later in the second year of life (20-24 months) than earlier (13-15 months). Further, this study suggests that diminished attention disengagement at 12-15 months may precede and predict increased sensory seeking at 20-24 months. Findings add support for the notion that sensory features produce cascading effects on social development in infants at risk for ASD, and suggest that reduced attention disengagement early in life may set off this cascade.
Detailed finer features in spectra of interfacial waves for characterization of a bubble-laden drop

This article describes unexplored details of the intriguing spectral manifestation of the small-amplitude waves at the surfaces of a bubble-laden drop. Its natural frequencies of interfacial pulsation reveal a non-trivial variation with the position of the cavity inside the liquid. This configurational dependence of spectra is calculated for arbitrary location of the void by using a novel approach under low capillary number and low Bond number limits. The analysis is based on expansion in two sets of basis functions where their mutual transformations are utilized to enforce interfacial boundary conditions. The obtained results quantify a few important features which have both scientific and technological significance. For a concentric geometry, the inherent azimuthal degeneracy makes the frequencies for a number of vibrational modes exactly the same. For an eccentric position of the bubble, however, this degeneracy disappears, creating small deviations in the spectral values corresponding to different azimuthal modes. Such behaviour is akin to fine-structure split in an atomic system, where different quantum numbers ensure small deviation in energy levels of the states. The formulated mathematical procedure can determine the individual frequency values for the interfacial oscillation even if these are grouped closely together in bands. The paper shows how the number of fine structures inside a band and their specific values can be exploited to predict the size and position of the cavity in an opaque drop without any direct visualization of its interior.
The impact of inquiry-based professional development on teachers’ capacity to integrate literacy instruction in secondary subject areas

Abstract This mixed-methods study explores the impact of an inquiry-based PD model designed to support teachers in integrating literacy and content learning. The study drew on classroom observations of 34 ELA, history, and science teachers with reputations for good instructional practice. An analysis of video data from observed lessons revealed that a subset of 16 teachers who had previously participated in Reading Apprenticeship PD offered significantly more opportunities and support for complex literacies and greater integration of literacy and content learning. Findings have implications for PD with the potential to improve literacy instruction in secondary content area classrooms.
Some Invariance Principles for Random Vectors in the Generalized Domain of Attraction of the Multivariate Normal Law

For independent identically distributed random vectors belonging to the generalized Domain of Attraction of the multivariate normal law, we define two partial sum processes analogous to that of Donsker's Theorem. We prove that each converges in distribution to a Brownian Motion in the space of continuous functions. One process uses nonrandom operator normalization, and the other is a studentization of the first, using normalization by the empirical covariance operator.
Signal transduction pathways activated during fibroblast contraction of collagen matrices.

Fibroblasts cultured in collagen matrices have been used to develop in vitro models of the wound contraction process. Contraction of floating matrices resembles initial wound contraction, contraction of attached matrices resembles granulation tissue formation, and contraction of stressed matrices resembles granulation tissue contraction and regression at the end of repair. Studies in our laboratory have focused on contraction of stressed matrices. The basal component of stressed matrix contraction results in plasma-membrane ectocytosis, actin cytoskeletal disruption, Ca2+ uptake, stimulation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathways, and transcriptional activation of c-fos and other immediate early genes. The stimulated component of stressed matrix contraction (stimulated by serum or lysophosphatidic acid) results in actin cytoskeletal retraction and growth-factor desensitization. Subsequently, the cells become quiescent and regress through apoptosis.
Presence in text-based networked virtual environments or “muds”

A text-based networked virtual environment represents to a user a system of rooms joined by exits and entrances. When navigating this system of rooms, a user can communicate in real time with other connected users occupying the same room. Hence, these virtual environments are aptly suited for networked conferencing and teaching. Anecdotal information suggested that some people feel a sense of “being there” or presence when connected to one of these environments. To determine how many people feel this sense of presence, we surveyed 207 people from 6 different groups of users of text-based networked virtual environments. The results indicated that 69% of these subjects felt a sense of presence. Experiments with people in text-based networked virtual environments may be helpful in understanding the contribution to presence by social interaction in other virtual environments.
Observations on the parietal region of the skull ofMuntiacus reevesi

In Reeves' muntjac a pair ofossa interparietalia fused prenatally or perinatally. Obliteration of the suture between them usually occurred before that of thesutura interparietoparietalis which was partially visible in some individuals at 12 weeks of age. Accessory suturai and fontanelle bones were present in some neonates and a large bregmatic fontanelle bone was conspicuous in a female aged 20 weeks. Closure of the bregmatic fontanelle occurred before or soon after birth although one was slightly open at one month of age. Thesutura parietooccipitalis remained visible throughout life with the exception of one very aged female.
Thoracolumbar Spine (T1–L2)

The thoracolumbar junction is a common site for spinal injuries. The thoracic spine is distinguished from the cervical and lumbar spine by the presence of the ribs and their articulations. The thoracic spine shows physiological kyphosis and the lumbar spine shows physiological lordosis. The rigid thoracic spine and the mobile lumbar spine create a junction exposed to a concentration of stresses, leading to a higher likelihood of injuries between T10 and L2 compared with other spinal regions. These injuries include compression fractures, burst fractures, flexion distraction injuries, seatbelt-type injuries, and fracture dislocations. Among these, the unstable injuries result in the loss of trunk support and neural injury to the spinal cord, conus medullaris, and/or cauda equina. Adequate neurologic and imaging examination should be done to assess the patients suspected of spinal injury at thoracolumbar level. In the treatment of thoracolumbar injury, conservative treatment like as hard corset is applied for stable injuries and surgical procedure is indicated for unstable injuries. Three representative procedures are often used in reconstruction of unstable injuries; posterior surgery, anterior surgery and anterior–posterior combined surgery. Appropriate procedure should be selected, according to doctor’s experience and pros and cons of each procedure.
Einstein Metrics and Metrics with Bounds on Ricci Curvature

There is a well-developed theory of the behavior of Riemannian metrics on smooth manifolds, which have uniform bounds on the sectional curvature K. The compactness theorem of Cheeger-Gromov [Ch], [Gr] implies that the space of metrics satisfying the bounds $$\left| K \right| \leqslant \Lambda ,{\text{vol}} \geqslant v,{\text{diam}} \leqslant D$$ (0.1) is C1, α precompact. Thus, given any sequence of metrics g i satisfying the bounds (0.1), there is a subsequence {i′} and a sequence of diffeomorphisms φL′ of M, such that the isometric metrics g′ p = (φi′)*gi′ converge, in the C1, α′ topology on M, to a C1, α metric g∞ on M, ∀α′ < α < 1. If the volume or diameter bounds are removed in (0.1), one no longer has such compactness, but the degeneration of the sequence {g i } is well understood, through the workds of Cheeger-Gromov [CG1], [CG2] and Fukaya [F], cf. also [CGF]. The manifolds (M, g i ) divide into two regions, the thick part Me and the thin part Me. Roughly speaking, on Me the metrics converge, as above, to a limit C1,α metric, while the complement Le is e-collapsed along a well-defined topological structure, called an F-structurem or more generally an N-structure.
Parietal neurons encode information sampling based on decision uncertainty

During natural behavior, animals actively gather information that is relevant for learning or actions; however, the mechanisms of active sampling are rarely investigated. We tested parietal neurons involved in oculomotor control in a task in which monkeys made saccades to gather visual information relevant to a subsequent action. We show that the neurons encode, before the saccade, the information gain (reduction in decision uncertainty) that the saccade was expected to bring for the following action. Sensitivity to information gain correlates with the monkeys' efficiency at processing the information in the post-saccadic fixation, but is independent of neuronal reward sensitivity. Reward sensitivity, in turn, is unreliable across task contexts, inconsistent with the view that the cells encode economic utility. The findings suggest that parietal cells involved in oculomotor decisions show uncertainty-dependent boosts of neural gain that facilitate the implementation of active sampling policies, including the selection of relevant cues and the efficient use of the information delivered by these cues.
Physical-Layer Analysis of IEEE 802.11ay Based on a Fading Channel Model from Mobile Measurements

In this paper, we analyze the physical layer of IEEE 802.11ay, the new standard for next-generation Wi-Fi operating in the unlicensed 60-GHz band, expected for release in 2019. Realistic physical-layer analysis is based on a multipath fading channel model reduced from mobile measurements, however most millimeter-wave channel sounders to date can only characterize static environments because sweeping the angular space of a channel typically takes hours due to the slow mechanical rotation of single directional antennas. Our state-of-the-art 60-GHz channel sounder, rather, employs arrays of electronically switched antennas so that a full channel sweep can be taken in fractions of a millisecond. This enabled us to conduct an extensive channel measurement campaign in an indoor environment with pedestrian motion. The fading model reduced from the measurements was used to feed our 802.11ay transceiver implementation, an amendment to its 802.11ad predecessor incorporating 8&#x00D7;8 single-user MIMO. The analysis resulted in bit-error-rate curves for various transceiver parameters, namely phased-array-antenna dimension, number of RF chains, and modulation and coding scheme.
Glutathione Synthesis Contributes to Virulence of Streptococcus agalactiae in a Murine Model of Sepsis

Streptococcus agalactiae, a leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in neonates, utilizes multiple virulence factors to survive and thrive within the human host during an infection. Unique among the pathogenic streptococci, S. agalactiae uses a bifunctional enzyme encoded by a single gene (gshAB) to synthesize glutathione (GSH), a major antioxidant in most aerobic organisms. Since S. agalactiae can also import GSH, similar to all other pathogenic streptococcal species, the contribution of GSH synthesis to the pathogenesis of S. agalactiae disease is not known. In the present study, gshAB deletion mutants were generated in strains representing three of the most prevalent clinical serotypes of S. agalactiae and were compared against isogenic wild-type and gshAB knock-in strains. When cultured in vitro in a chemically defined medium under nonstress conditions, each mutant and its corresponding wild type had comparable growth rates, generation times, and growth yields. However, gshAB deletion mutants were found to be more sensitive than wild-type or gshAB knock-in strains to killing and growth inhibition by several different reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, deletion of gshAB in S. agalactiae strain COH1 significantly attenuated virulence compared to the wild-type or gshAB knock-in strains in a mouse model of sepsis. Taken together, these data establish that GSH is a virulence factor important for resistance to oxidative stress and that de novo GSH synthesis plays a crucial role in S. agalactiae pathogenesis and further suggest that the inhibition of GSH synthesis may provide an opportunity for the development of novel therapies targeting S. agalactiae disease.IMPORTANCE Approximately 10 to 30% of women are naturally and asymptomatically colonized by Streptococcus agalactiae However, transmission of S. agalactiae from mother to newborn during vaginal birth is a leading cause of neonatal meningitis. Although colonized mothers who are at risk for transmission to the newborn are treated with antibiotics prior to delivery, S. agalactiae is becoming increasingly resistant to current antibiotic therapies, and new treatments are needed. This research reveals a critical stress resistance pathway, glutathione synthesis, that is utilized by S. agalactiae and contributes to its pathogenesis. Understanding the role of this unique bifunctional glutathione synthesis enzyme in S. agalactiae during sepsis may help elucidate why S. agalactiae produces such an abundance of glutathione compared to other bacteria.
PdAg Alloy Nanocatalysts: Toward Economically ViableNitrite Reduction in Drinking Water

Nitrite (NO2–) is the primary reduction product of nitrate (NO3–), which is the most predominant contaminant in global freshwater. Both species present major environmental challenges; NO2– is also ...
The mediating role of school connectedness in the associations between dating and sexual violence victimization and substance use among high school students.

Abstract Dating and sexual violence victimization affect a significant portion of teenagers and result in a wide array of negative health and behavioral outcomes, including increased alcohol and drug use. In some cases, students who have been victimized may develop feelings of being unsupported by or disconnected from peers and adults in their school community, placing them at even higher risk for negative health outcomes. Using a prospective design, the present study sought to explore this possibility by examining the direct and indirect associations between dating violence (DV) and sexual violence (SV) victimization, school connectedness, and alcohol and marijuana use at baseline (T1) and 2-month follow-up (T2) in a sample of high school students (N = 1752). Results of multiple regression analyses supported a hypothesized mediation model of these associations; both forms of victimization were positively associated with heavy drinking at T1 and marijuana use at T1 and T2, and negatively associated with school connectedness. Furthermore, school connectedness was negatively associated with both forms of substance use at T1 and T2, and partially mediated the effects of DV and SV victimization on heavy drinking at T1, and marijuana use at T1 and T2. These findings elucidate the importance of addressing intermediary cognitive processes such as perceptions of school connectedness in order to improve health and functional outcomes among high school victims of dating and sexual violence.
Continuous ECG Monitoring with Low-Power Electronics and Energy Harvesting

This paper presents a prototype of a wearable continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring device developed using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. Taking advantage of low power electronics, this prototype device is fully powered from harvested energy. The prototype device also builds a bidirectional data communication link with an external data transceiver (TRx) via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for wirelessly transferring digitized ECG data to and receiving user commands from the external data TRx. To minimize the power consumption of the device, efforts have been made on designing an ultra-low-power analog front-end (AFE) for amplifying and filtering of ECG signals and optimizing the microcontroller unit (MCU) firmware for sending the ECG data packets to the external data TRx at a throughput of 816 bits per second (bps). These received ECG data packets are communicated over USB to a PC, where a custom graphical user interface (GUI) decodes and displays the data packets in real-time. The user also sends start/stop commands, which trigger the wearable device to automatically stream the ECG data back to the GUI. We have characterized the functionalities of the energy harvesting, the AFE amplifying and filtering, and the wireless data transmission of the wearable device, and evaluated the entire system performance of conducting wireless ECG sensing.
Frequency and yield of blood cultures for observation patients with skin and soft tissue infections.

Abstract Objectives 1) To measure frequency and yield of blood cultures obtained for observation status adult patients with skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI), 2) describe how often blood cultures were performed according to Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) SSTI guideline indications, 3) identify proportion of patients meeting Center for Medicare Services (CMS) sepsis criteria. Design Retrospective cohort. Setting Tertiary academic center. Patients Consecutive adult observation status patients hospitalized with SSTI between July 2017 and July 2018. Methods We measured the proportion and results of blood cultures obtained among the study cohort and proportion of obtained cultures that satisfied IDSA indications. Results We identified 132 observation status patients with SSTI during the study period; 67 (50.8%) had blood cultures drawn. Only 14 (10.6%) patients met IDSA indications for culture; 51 (38.%) met Center for Medicare Services definition for sepsis. We identified two (3.0%) cases of bacteremia and two (3.0%) cases of skin bacteria contamination. In multivariable analysis, only temperature > 38 °C (OR 3.84, 95%CI 1.09–13.60) and white race (OR 2.71, 95%CI 1.21–6.20) were associated with blood culture obtainment; neither meeting IDSA SSTI guideline indications nor meeting CMS sepsis criteria was associated with culture. Conclusions Among observation status patients with SSTI, over half had blood cultures drawn, though 10% satisfied guideline indications for culture. The proportion of cultures with bacterial growth was low and yielded as many skin contaminants as cases of bacteremia. Our study highlights the need for further quality improvement efforts to reduce unnecessary blood cultures in routine SSTI cases.
Health Care Provider Mobility Counseling Provision to Older Adults: A Rural/Urban Comparison

The current study examined rural–urban differences in health care provider (HCP) perceptions, attitudes, and practices related to driving safety/cessation-related anticipatory guidance provision to older adults. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with HCPs in several north central states. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine dimensions of HCP perceptions and attitudes related to mobility counseling. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine if HCP rurality was significantly predictive of HPC provision of mobility counseling by age. Rural HCPs were less likely than urban HCPs to provide mobility counseling to their patients aged 75 or older. Rural HCPs were less likely to refer patients to a driving fitness evaluation resource if they had questions related to driving issues, and were less likely to perceive there were adequate resources to help with driving issues. Rural–urban differences in HCP mobility counseling provision may contribute to potential health disparities between urban and rural patients. Both rural and urban HCPs need training about older driver issues, so they may educate their patients about driving safety/cessation. Future research should examine the association between rural–urban differences in HCP mobility counseling provision and rural older adult overrepresentation in motor vehicle injuries and fatalities statistics.
Safety and Survivability Analysis of a Wall-Climbing Robot

In this paper, an explanation of the need for the climbing robot is given first. Second, a safety analysis is performed to illustrate how the robot is guarded against falling. This safety analysis is used to determine the design forces required on the suction cups that hold the robot in place. Finally, a survivability analysis was done to show that the robot can withstand a drop from a height of 1.3 meters if it were to fall. If the robot does fall, it would be desirable to minimize the amount of damage on the equipment mounted on the robot. The method presented in this paper proposes to swing the arms of the robot into the direction of the impact, using them to absorb the majority of the impact energy. For analysis of the fall protection system, a multibody model was developed to simulate its dynamics during a fall.
„Fühlen“ von und „Reaktion“ auf Strahlung

Die Natur hat ihren Lebewesen im Kampf gegen Strahlung auser Erholungsfahigkeit und Anpassungsfahigkeit eine zusatzliche Fahigkeit verliehen, die erst in den letzten Jahren in ihrer Bedeutung und Tragweite erkannt worden ist. Dies ist die Fahigkeit, ionisierende Strahlen zu „fuhlen“.
Studies of an anionic trypsinogen and its active enzyme from porcine pancreas.

Abstract An anionic trypsinogen has been identified and isolated in a state of high purity from porcine pancreatic tissue and juice extracts. The anionic trypsinogen is present in large amounts and accounts for about half of the total potential tryptic activity. The kinetics of the conversion of the anionic trypsinogen to active enzyme is autocatalytic, yielding an anionic trypsin which is less anionic than the zymogen. Km values and specific activities of anionic trypsin toward esters and anilides of arginine and lysine were found to be very similar to those of cationic trypsin. Soybean trypsin inhibitor and diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate are potent inhibitors of anionic trypsin.
Reading Difference: Picture Book Retellings as Contexts for Exploring Personal Meanings of Race and Culture.

In racially and culturally homogeneous school settings, opportunities for children to interact with those who are unlike themselves are not always available. Picture book retellings provide contexts within which students are exposed to racial and cultural differences by allowing them to engage in vicarious events with people they might not otherwise encounter. In this article, the authors explore two fourth graders' aided and unaided picture book retellings. They argue that retellings are dialogic literacy events that provide children with opportunities to explore difference through social imagination and develop empathetic response to a wide range of fictional others.
The Rise and Fall and Resurrection of American Criminal Codes

This brief essay summarizes the virtues of the modern American codification movement of the 1960s and 70s, putting it in a larger global context, then describes how these once-enviable codes have been systematically degraded with thoughtless amendments, a process of degradation that is accelerating each year. After exploring the political dynamics that promote such degradation, the essay suggests the principles and procedures for fixing the current codes and, more importantly, structural changes to the process that could avoid the restart of degradation in the future.
Economic Sector Stabilization

Using a dynamic competitive disequilibrium model this paper determined that centrally directed sector resource stabilization or planning probably could not shorten the time for a developed economy to reach equilibrium. This is due to the disaggregation of data available centrally, an old concern. Therefore, the old issues of freedom and corruption under planning appear moot.
Particle methods for simulating atomic radiation in hypersonic reentry flows

With a fast reentry speed, the Stardust vehicle generates a strong shock region ahead of its blunt body with a temperature above 60,000 K. These extreme Mach number flows are sufficiently energetic to initiate gas ionization processes and thermal and chemical ablation processes. The nonequilibrium gaseous radiation from the shock layer is so strong that it affects the flowfield macroparameter distributions. In this work, we present the first loosely coupled direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) simulations with the particle‐based photon Monte Carlo (p‐PMC) method to simulate high‐Mach number reentry flows in the near‐continuum flow regime. To efficiently capture the highly nonequilibrium effects, emission and absorption cross section databases using the Nonequilibrium Air Radiation (NEQAIR) were generated, and atomic nitrogen and oxygen radiative transport was calculated by the p‐PMC method. The radiation energy change calculated by the p‐PMC method has been coupled in the DSMC calculations, and the atomic...
Intelligent control of autonomous systems using a constrained optimal control approach

In this paper, a general framework for trajectory planning for specified tasks in a dynamic environment is discussed. Since we are interested in dynamic tasks and environments, a "planner within the feedback controller" approach is adopted. Trajectory generation for a particular dynamic behavior is shown to lead to several constraints in the state or control space. We use the concept of forward projection and preimages to generate these constraints. The trajectory is then planned using a dynamic constraint-generation and constraint-satisfaction framework. The lowest level motor controller behavior is altered by constraints generated by the constraint generation level on top. The solution to the resulting constrained problem, which is accomplished in real-time, automatically generates a desired dynamic behavior. >
Does active smoking induce hematogenous metastatic spread in colon cancer

Abstract Background No consensus exists on the influence of active smoking on the baseline staging of colon cancer patients. Methods A cohort of colon cancer patients treated surgically at Massachusetts General Hospital (2004 to 2011) was reviewed. Results Of 1,071 patients, 563 reported ever smoking, among which 128 (12%) patients were current smokers. Ex-smokers and never smokers had similar rates of nodal (relative risk [RR] .9, P = .19) and metastatic disease (RR .96, P = .72), leading to comparable colon cancer–related mortality (RR 1.01, P = .95). Current smokers had similar rates of lymph node disease (RR 1.01, P = .88), but had significantly higher stage-adjusted odds of metastatic disease at presentation (odds ratio 2.57, 95% confidence interval 1.36 to 4.98, P = .005), in addition to higher stage-adjusted all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.44, P = .017). Conclusions Active smoking was a stage-independent risk factor for baseline hematogenous metastasis and mortality. As this link was not present in former smokers, a potential healthcare benefit may be achieved in terms of baseline colon cancer presentation and outcomes through smoking cessation.
Variational integrators for degenerate Lagrangians, with application to point vortices

We develop discrete mechanics and variational integrators for a class of degenerate Lagrangian systems, and apply these integrators to a system of point vortices. Excellent numerical behavior is observed. A longer term goal is to use these integration methods in the context of control of mechanical systems, such as coordinated groups of underwater vehicles. In fact, numerical evidence given in related problems, such as those in Kane et al. (2000) shows that in the presence of external forces, these methods give superior predictions of energy behavior.
Hume and Peirce on the Ultimate Stability of Belief

Louis Loeb has argued that Hume is pessimistic while Peirce is optimistic about the attainment of fully stable beliefs. In contrast, we argue that Hume was optimistic about such attainment but only if the scope of philosophical investigation is limited to first-order explanatory questions. Further, we argue that Peirce, after reformulating the pragmatic maxim to accommodate the reality of counterfactuals, was pessimistic about such attainment. Finally, we articulate and respond to Peirce's objection that Hume's skeptical arguments in T 1.4.1 and his commitment to common sense indicate that Hume was confused about whether we could have stable beliefs at all.
Services for Adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

The need for useful evidence about services is increasing as larger numbers of children identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) age toward adulthood. The objective of this review was to characterize the topical and methodological aspects of research on services for supporting success in work, education, and social participation among adults with an ASD and to propose recommendations for moving this area of research forward. We reviewed the literature published in English from 2000 to 2010 and found that the evidence base about services for adults with an ASD is underdeveloped and can be considered a field of inquiry that is relatively unformed. Extant research does not reflect the demographic or impairment heterogeneity of the population, the range of services that adults with autism require to function with purposeful lives in the community, and the need for coordination across service systems and sectors. Future studies must examine issues related to cost and efficiency, given the broader sociopolitical and economic context of service provision. Further, future research needs to consider how demographic and impairment heterogeneity have implications for building an evidence base that will have greater external validity.
Metaphor as a mechanism for reorganizing the type hierarchy

Abstract Metaphor is not just a surface phenomenon, a particular form of speech, but an indication of some underlying cognitive mechanisms. Metaphor provides a way of violating the usual semantic constraints and categories, and joining together ideas that were previously seen as dissimilar, and, in so doing, it extends one's conceptual framework. The paper explores how the mechanisms of metaphor can be used to develop a more flexible means of knowledge representation for artificial intelligence. The theory of metaphor used in the paper is based on Max Black's interaction theory, and has been developed by Way. The knowledge-representation scheme is that of John Sowa's conceptual graphs. The techniques for representing knowledge in machines have provided a new language and a new set of conceptual tools which can make sense of Black's often vague and intuitive theory.
Cellular mechanisms of biological aging

Cellular aging is considered to be caused by the physiological deterioration in the homeostatic regulatory process which is essential for the proper maintenance of cellular function. Although among numerous theories of aging proposed in the past, the cellular mechanism underlying the age-dependent deterioration is not well defined. Currently two modern hypotheses, free radical and glycation are most popular among gerontologists. This review discusses the involvement of free radicals and glycation process in aging as possible cellular mechanisms with a new proposal on their synergistic interactions through a common pathway of free radical generation by glycation process
In vivo localization of diglycylcysteine-bearing synthetic peptides by nuclear imaging of oxotechnetate transchelation

A phenomenon of in vivo transchelation of oxotechnetate from a complex with glucoheptonic acid to synthetic peptides bearing oxotechnetate-binding motifs and a technique for in vivo visualization of these peptides are described. Using two model peptides bearing two tandem diglycylcysteine (GGC) motifs (P1) or three GGC motifs (P2), we demonstrated that: (i) these peptides efficiently transchelated oxo-[99mTc]technetate from a complex with glucoheptonic acid in vitro (a complex with peptides was stable at least 24 h; radiochemical purity exceeded 95% by high performance liquid chromatography); (ii) injection of peptides into the rectus femoris muscle (at 0.5-1 micromol of SH groups) followed by an intravenous injection of 99mTc-glucoheptonate (0.25-0.5 mCi per animal) yielded visualization of the injected muscle by nuclear imaging within 1 h after injection; (iii) the experimental/control (contralateral) thigh muscle ratio was 1.80 +/- 0.05 for peptide P1 and 3.0 +/- 0.1 for P2; (iv) the injection of a control peptide P2 with SH groups covalently modified with N-ethylmaleimide resulted in a ratio of 1.4 +/- 0.2. These findings argue for specific association of oxo-[99mTc]technetate with free thiols within the binding motif of injected peptides in vivo. In vivo transchelation of oxo-[99mTc]technetate may be useful for the purpose of noninvasive imaging of gene expression, i.e., when the expression product bears GGC motifs.