cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Starting at the end: the importance of goals in spatial language.

We explored the linguistic encoding of Paths in children between the ages of three and seven, in children with Williams syndrome, and in normal adults, focusing specifically on Source and Goal Paths. The results showed an asymmetry, with Goal Paths regularly and systematically encoded, but Source Paths often omitted. This pattern occurred among all groups and across a broad range of domains including Manner of Motion, Change of Possession, Change of State, and Attachment/Detachment events. It also occurred whether participants spontaneously described events or were asked to use a specific verb that biased them towards a Goal or Source Path (e.g. ‘give’ vs. ‘get’). The results are discussed in terms of non-linguistic foundations of spatial language and the linguistic mapping biases that arise when we describe what we see. q 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Linkage of Scapuloperoneal Spinal Muscular Atrophy to Chromosome 12q24.1-q24.31

Scapuloperoneal (SP) syndromes are heterogeneous neuromuscular disorders which are characterized by weakness in the distribution of shoulder girdle and peroneal muscles. SP syndromes can resemble facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSH) due to scapular weakness or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) due to atrophy of peroneal muscles. Both neurogenic and myopathic SP syndromes have been described. Locus for the myopathic form of SP syndrome (scapuloperoneal muscular dystrophy, SPMD) has recently been assigned to chromosome 12q. We previously described a large New England kindred exhibiting an autosomal dominant neurogenic SP syndrome (scapuloperoneal spinal muscular atrophy, SPSMA). Disease expression was more severe and progressive in successive generations, which suggested genetic anticipation. We performed genetic linkage analysis of this family with microsatellite markers and excluded the loci for FSH, CMT, SPMD and SMA (spinal muscular atrophy) in our family. Linkage in our SPSMA family (lod score > 3) was established to seven microsatellite markers that map to chromosome 12q24.1-q24.31. The highest lod score with two-point linkage analysis was 6.67 (theta = 0.00) with marker D12S353. Multipoint analysis gave maximum lod scores of 7.38 between D12S354 and D12S79, and also 7.38 between D12S369 and NOS1 (neuronal nitric oxide synthase). The gene for SPSMA lies within the 19 cM interval between D12S338 and D12S366. This report establishes a locus for the neurogenic form of SP syndrome approximately 20 cM telomeric to the one described for the myopathic form of SP syndrome.
Cerebral edema in children with diabetic ketoacidosis

Cerebral edema is the most frequent serious complication of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children, occurring in 1% to 5% of DKA episodes. The rates of mortality and permanent neurologic morbidity from this complication are high. The pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying DKA-related cerebral edema are unclear. A number of past and more recent studies have investigated biochemical and therapeutic risk factors for the development of cerebral edema. Recent studies have shown that a higher initial serum urea nitrogen concentration and lower initial partial pressure of carbon dioxide are associated with the development of cerebral edema. This and other information suggests that the pathophysiology of DKA-related cerebral edema may involve cerebral ischemia.
Squamous Cell Carcinomas of the Tongue and Oral Cavity as Secondary Malignancies: What Factors Are Implicated?

The pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) was introduced clinically in the 1990s and won FDA approvals for the treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma (1995) and ovarian cancer (2000). At present, it seems prudent to engage patients in a discussion of risks (of a secondary cancer) versus benefits.
Introduction and Examples

In very general terms there are two reasons for introducing sequential methods into statistical analysis. One is to solve more efficiently a problem which has a fixed sample solution. The other is to deal with problems for which no fixed sample solution exists. It is the first category which is the primary concern of this book, but we begin here with a few comments about the second.
The role of organizational identity and public service motivation in workplace giving decisions

Workplace giving campaigns have increased in prominence and magnitude in recent years and organizations across all sectors frequently expect employees to voluntarily donate either directly or through payroll deduction. To date, there has been little research that explores how employee attributes, including motivational bases, affect voluntary participation in workplace giving campaigns. There are two research questions we seek to answer with this research. First, is an employee’s public service motivation (PSM) positively related to the amount donated in the workplace? Second, does an employee’s level of organizational identification (OI) moderate the effect of PSM on workplace giving? Answering these questions will help build a preliminary understanding of the motivational drivers of employee workplace giving, an issue important to nonprofit and public management research and practice. The findings suggest that both PSM and OI have significant direct effects on employee giving. Furthermore, we find evide...
Structural Characterization and Function Determination of a Nonspecific Carboxylate Esterase from the Amidohydrolase Superfamily with a Promiscuous Ability To Hydrolyze Methylphosphonate Esters

The uncharacterized protein Rsp3690 from Rhodobacter sphaeroides is a member of the amidohydrolase superfamily of enzymes. In this investigation the gene for Rsp3690 was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity, and the three-dimensional structure was determined to a resolution of 1.8 A. The protein folds as a distorted (β/α)8-barrel, and the subunits associate as a homotetramer. The active site is localized to the C-terminal end of the β-barrel and is highlighted by the formation of a binuclear metal center with two manganese ions that are bridged by Glu-175 and hydroxide. The remaining ligands to the metal center include His-32, His-34, His-207, His-236, and Asp-302. Rsp3690 was shown to catalyze the hydrolysis of a wide variety of carboxylate esters, in addition to organophosphate and organophosphonate esters. The best carboxylate ester substrates identified for Rsp3690 included 2-naphthyl acetate (kcat/Km = 1.0 × 105 M–1 s–1), 2-naphthyl propionate (kcat/Km = 1.5 × 105 M–1 s–1), 1-nap...
From Editors to Algorithms

Facebook’s News Feed is an emerging, influential force in our personal information flows, especially where news information is concerned. However, as the News Feed’s story selection mechanism starts to supplant traditional editorial story selection, we have no window into its story curation process that is parallel to our extensive knowledge of the news values that drive traditional editorial curation. The sensitive, trade-secret nature of the News Feed and its constant updates and modifications make a traditional, computer science-based examination of this algorithmic giant difficult, if not impossible. This study takes an alternative approach, using a content analysis of Facebook’s own patents, press releases, and Securities and Exchange Commission filings to identify a core set of algorithmic values that drive story selection on the Facebook News Feed. Informed by the principles of material culture analysis, it ranks these values to create a window into Facebook’s curation process, and compares and con...
Theoretical analysis of one point earthing in secondary DC system

The influence of parameters on protective relaying misoperation is summarized by theoretical analysis of one point grounding in secondary DC systems.The paper establishes the multiple orders dynamic equations based on equivalent circuit of one point grounding in DC systems.The equivalent inductance of the relay is considered in these equations.These equations make calculations of kinds of one point groundings in DC system,including one point grounding in positive pole,in negative pole and in relay coil positive power.The variation law of voltage is systemically analyzed based on the analytic equations.And the influence of the parameters on the relay voltage is also obtained through the equations.PSCAD/EMTDC is used to establish a simulation model of one point grounding in DC systems,which verifies the correctness of the theoretical analysis.
Electrical energy storage battery

Electrical energy may be stored in the form of chemical energy which can be reconverted back to electrical energy for power electric vehicles and machinery or converted into other forms of energy for proper utilization. It was an urgent research task in 1970’s to develop new types of chemical battery to replace the conventional lead battery for energy storage. These batteries must be large in storage capacity, light weight and compact size. In case of vehicular propulsion, the use of electrical energy is more efficient and less polluting than the conventional internal and external combustion engines.
Biological Cardiac Assist Devices

In this chapter, we present an overview of the field of biological pumps as they relate to heart failure. The concept of biological pumps is relatively new; therefore, we start with an overview of the field and describe the concept of biological pumps and the potential utilization of these devices to support infarcted hearts. We next describe a five-step process to fabricate biological pumps: scaffold fabrication, scaffold cellularization, bioreactors for culture and conditioning, sensor technology and in vivo assessment. With this background in place, we then describe five strategies that have been used to fabricate biological pumps. The first method is based on the use of type I collagen to fabricate tubular grafts, while the second model is based on cell sheet engineering. The third model for biological pumps is based on a novel method to fabricate self-organized, 3D heart muscle in the absence of any external scaffolding material. The fourth model describes a pioneering strategy to fabricate biological pumps; culturing cells in vivo to fabricate functional biological pumps. The fifth and final model for biological pumps, referred to as tissue engineered heart pumps (TEHPs) are fabricated by coupling 3D heart muscle tissue with tubular grafts. We next describe important milestones in the development of biological pumps and present some scientific and technological challenges in the field. Finally, we conclude by describing the potential clinical utilization of biological pumps.
Factor graph scene distributions for automotive safety analysis

Automotive safety validation requires evaluation on a statistically representative set of roadway configurations and scene geometries. Scenes must be sampled from a statistical model representative of what actually occurs on roadways. This paper introduces a methodology for realistic scene model construction based on factor graphs that can be applied to arbitrary road geometries. Parameter learning for factor graphs is known to be convex. Experiments show that the proposed method is superior to the state of the art.
Lithium Ion Conducting Poly(ethylene oxide)-Based Solid Electrolytes Containing Active or Passive Ceramic Nanoparticles

Polymer-based solid electrolytes containing ceramic nanoparticles are attractive alternatives to liquid electrolytes for high-energy density Li batteries. In this study, three different types of fillers have been dispersed in poly(ethylene) oxide (PEO) polymer matrices, and the effects on the resulting ionic conductivity of the nanocomposites have been examined. In this respect, the efficacy of one active, liquid-feed flame spray pyrolysis synthesized amorphous Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP), and two passive filler materials, TiO2 and fumed silica nanoparticles, are compared. Nanocomposite electrolytes are prepared with up to 20 wt % particle loadings. PEO/LiClO4 with 10 wt % LATP nanoparticles exhibits an ionic conductivity of 1.70 × 10–4 S·cm–1 at 20 °C, the highest among the surveyed systems, despite exhibiting comparable or higher degrees of crystallinity and glass transition temperatures than the systems containing passive fillers. The ionic conductivity of the composites with LATP nanoparticles exceed...
Monitoring of Jugular Venous Oxygen Saturation

Cerebral venous oxygen saturation can be measured either by continuous fiberoptic oximetry or intermittent sampling using co-oximetry via a catheter placed in the jugular bulb. Jugular venous oximetry provides information regarding the balance between cerebral oxygen supply and cerebral metabolic demand, and the normal jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2) ranges from 55 to 75 %. Values below and above this range reflect cerebral ischemia and hyperemia, respectively, and low SjvO2 has been shown to be associated with poor outcome in neurologically injured patients. In addition to guiding physiologic interventions to optimize cerebral oxygenation in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting, jugular venous oximetry is able to detect intraoperative cerebral desaturation and guide anesthetic interventions during intracranial as well as extracranial surgery. Optimization of cerebral oxygenation is one of the major goals in the care of neurologically ill patients when the brain may be particularly susceptible to secondary hypoxic/ischemic insult. Consequently, jugular venous oximetry is an integral part of multimodal neuromonitoring in neurocritical care and a valuable technique to optimize cerebral oxygenation during craniotomy.
A Mouse 5/6th Nephrectomy Model That Induces Experimental Uremic Cardiomyopathy

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a great risk factor for cardiovascular disease events and mortality, and progressively develops to the clinical phenotype called "uremic cardiomyopathy". We describe here an experimental CKD mouse model, named 5/6th partial nephrectomy (PNx) with pole ligation, which developed uremic cardiomyopathy at four weeks post-surgery. This PNx model was performed by a two-step surgery. In step-one surgery, both poles of the left kidney were ligated. In step-two surgery, which was performed 7 days after the step-one surgery, the right kidney was removed. For the sham surgery, the same surgery procedures were performed but without pole ligation of the left kidney or removal of the right kidney. The surgical procedures are easier and less time-consuming, compared to other methods. However, the remnant functional renal mass is not as easily controlled as the renal artery ligation. Four weeks after surgery, in comparison with the sham-operated mice, the PNx mice developed impaired renal function, anemia, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac fibrosis, and decreased heart systolic and diastolic function.
XD-AR: Challenges and Opportunities in Cross-Device Augmented Reality Application Development

Augmented Reality (AR) developers face a proliferation of new platforms, devices, and frameworks. This often leads to applications being limited to a single platform and makes it hard to support collaborative AR scenarios involving multiple different devices. This paper presents XD-AR, a cross-device AR application development framework designed to unify input and output across hand-held, head-worn, and projective AR displays. XD-AR's design was informed by challenging scenarios for AR applications, a technical review of existing AR platforms, and a survey of 30 AR designers, developers, and users. Based on the results, we developed a taxonomy of AR system components and identified key challenges and opportunities in making them work together. We discuss how our taxonomy can guide the design of future AR platforms and applications and how cross-device interaction challenges could be addressed. We illustrate this when using XD-AR to implement two challenging AR applications from the literature in a device-agnostic way.
Characterization of chloroplast and cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins of Chlamydomonas reinhardi by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Proteins from chloroplast and cytoplasmic ribosomes of Chlamydomonas reinhardi were mapped by a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis system which also permitted their molecular weights to be determined. Estimates of the numbers of proteins in the ribosomal subunits are: small chloroplast, 22; small cytoplasmic, 26; large chloroplast, 26; large cytoplasmic, 39. Two pairs of proteins of the small subunits and four pairs of the large subunits had similar electrophoretic mobilities in both dimensions.
Inhibition in Parasympathetic Ganglia

Cholinergic function is relatively simple in some parasympathetic ganglia, in particular the pelvic ganglia of the rat (Blackman et al., 1969), the cat ciliary ganglion (Nishi and Christ, 1971), the parasympathetic ganglion of the frog heart (Dennis et al., 1971), and the rat submandibular ganglion (Lichtman, 1977). These ganglia do not appear to possess integrative capabilities, since there is an absence of slow potentials and/or catecholaminergic interneurons such as small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells that are thought to be responsible for modulating synaptic transmission (Libet, 1970). In the ganglia that are endowed with SIF cells and/or exhibit such slow potentials as the slow inhibitory postsynaptic potentital (IPSP), this modulation may be due to the release from SIF cells of catecholamines or other substances, and it can occur postsynaptically, via the change in postsynaptic membrane potential or affinity, or presynaptically, via change in the release of transmitters. For full discussion of this subject and alternative explanations of the generation of IPSPs, see Chapters 9 and 13. While apparently devoid of this type of integrative capacity, such parasympathetic ganglia as pelvic ganglia exhibit other types of regulations, particularly those that result from interactions between several transmitters (see below and Chapter 14).
Structural and lmmunochemical Properties of Human Choriogonadotropin

Human choriogonadotropin* (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone secreted by synctiotrophoblast cells of the placenta. Its main function early in pregnancy is to act as a stimulus to the corpus luteum to continue secreting steroid hormones. The structure of hCG is very similar to that of human luteinizing hormone (hLH), and it is generally thought that both hormones act at the same receptor sites; hLH plays its role in the normal menstrual cycle, and hCG prevents the onset of menstruation when fertilization has occurred. In recent years, however, detailed amino acid sequence analyses of hLH and hCG have led to an appreciation that certain structural differences between these two molecules do exist and that these differences can potentially be exploited to improve methods for the early detection of pregnancy and the detection of ectopic hCG production by malignant cells. In this chapter, we will attempt to summarize pertinent literature describing the structure and biosynthesis of hCG and to report some immunochemical studies relevant to these issues. Several earlier reviews containing additional data have been published (Canfield et al., 1971a,b, 1976; Morgan, 1974).
Insecticide Dips for Control of Japanese Beetle and Other Soil-Infesting White Grubs in B&B Nursery Stock

Abstract Studies conducted in 1996, 1998 and 1999 show that immersion of root balls in Dursban® (chlorpyrifos) significantly reduces the number of white grubs, particularly Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, in B&B (ball and burlap) nursery stock. In 1996, the influence of root ball size, soil type, and dip time on the efficacy of Dursban® 50WP, Dursban® 4E, and Oftanol® 2F (isofenphos) for white grub control in dipped B&B nursery stock was evaluated. The grubs found within the root balls were primarily oriental beetle, Exomala orientalis (Waterhouse), European chafer, Rhizotrogus majalis (Razoumowsky), Asiatic garden beetle, Maladera castanea (Arrow), northern masked chafer, Cyclocephala borealis Arrow and Japanese beetle. With one exception, all the insecticide treatments caused similar grub mortality (96–100%) in 61.0 and 81.3 cm (24 and 32 in) root balls, respectively, and in sand or clay soil. There were no significant differences in grub survival due to dip time (1, 2, and 5 min). However, t...
User-centred clinical decision support to implement emergency department-initiated buprenorphine for opioid use disorder: protocol for the pragmatic group randomised EMBED trial.

Introduction The goal of this trial is to determine whether implementation of a user-centred clinical decision support (CDS) system can increase adoption of initiation of buprenorphine (BUP) into the routine emergency care of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Methods A pragmatic cluster randomised trial is planned to be carried out in 20 emergency departments (EDs) across five healthcare systems over 18 months. The intervention consists of a user-centred CDS integrated into ED clinician electronic workflow and available for guidance to: (1) determine whether patients presenting to the ED meet criteria for OUD, (2) assess withdrawal symptoms and (3) ascertain and motivate patient willingness to initiate treatment. The CDS guides the ED clinician to initiate BUP and facilitate follow-up. The primary outcome is the rate of BUP initiated in the ED. Secondary outcomes are: (1) rates of receiving a referral, (2) fidelity with the CDS and (3) rates of clinicians providing any ED-initiated BUP, referral for ongoing treatment and receiving Drug Addiction Act of 2000 training. Primary and secondary outcomes will be analysed using generalised linear mixed models, with fixed effects for intervention status (CDS vs usual care), prespecified site and patient characteristics, and random effects for study site. Ethics and dissemination The protocol has been approved by the Western Institutional Review Board. No identifiable private information will be collected from patients. A waiver of informed consent was obtained for the collection of data for clinician prescribing and other activities. As a minimal risk implementation study of established best practices, an Independent Study Monitor will be utilised in place of a Data Safety Monitoring Board. Results will be reported in ClinicalTrials.gov and published in open-access, peer-reviewed journals, presented at national meetings and shared with the clinicians at participating sites via a broadcast email notification of publications. Trial registration number NCT03658642; Pre-results.
Antipsychotics for Treating Delirium in Hospitalized Adults: A Systematic Review.

Background Delirium is an acute disorder marked by impairments in attention and cognition, caused by an underlying medical problem. Antipsychotics are used to prevent delirium, but their benefits and harms are unclear. Purpose To conduct a systematic review evaluating the benefits and harms of antipsychotics for prevention of delirium in adults. Data sources PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and PsycINFO from inception through July 2019, without restrictions based on study setting, language of publication, or length of follow-up. Study selection Randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) that compared an antipsychotic with placebo or another antipsychotic, and prospective observational studies with a comparison group. Data extraction One reviewer extracted data and graded the strength of the evidence, and a second reviewer confirmed the data. Two reviewers independently assessed the risk of bias. Data synthesis A total of 14 RCTs were included. There were no differences in delirium incidence or duration, hospital length of stay (high strength of evidence [SOE]), and mortality between haloperidol and placebo used for delirium prevention. Little to no evidence was found to determine the effect of haloperidol on cognitive function, delirium severity (insufficient SOE), inappropriate continuation, and sedation (insufficient SOE). There is limited evidence that second-generation antipsychotics may lower delirium incidence in the postoperative setting. There is little evidence that short-term use of antipsychotics was associated with neurologic harms. In some of the trials, potentially harmful cardiac effects occurred more frequently with antipsychotic use. Limitations There was significant heterogeneity in antipsychotic dosing, route of antipsychotic administration, assessment of outcomes, and adverse events. There were insufficient or no data available to draw conclusions for many of the outcomes. Conclusion Current evidence does not support routine use of haloperidol or second-generation antipsychotics for prevention of delirium. There is limited evidence that second-generation antipsychotics may lower the incidence of delirium in postoperative patients, but more research is needed. Future trials should use standardized outcome measures. Primary funding source Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (PROSPERO: CRD42018109552).
Unhiding hidden urban madness: the asylum photographs of Claudio Edinger

Mental illness is an inescapable component of urban life. The Brazilain photographer Claudio Edinger devotes one of his major photobooks to a study of the Sao Paulo mental asylum, Jaqueri. This essay analyses the strategies of his analytical scrutiny of mental patients, with reference to associated ethical issues. Of particular interest is, necessarily, his emphasis on the body and its valid photographic representation.
Caspase-3, -8, and -9 expression in childhood high-grade astrocytomas: An immunocytochemical study

4955 Apoptosis (programmed cell death, PCD) serves an important role in the normal morphogenesis, immunoregulation, and homeostatic mechanisms in both normal and neoplastically transformed cells. The balance between cell proliferation and cell death determines the growth and differentiation rate and the basic phenomenon of cellular homeostasis within every complex multicellular tissue. During the physiological process of PCD, the cell initiates a sequence of events culminating in the fragmentation of its DNA, nuclear collapse, and finally disintegration of the cell into small, membrane-bound apoptotic bodies. The intrinsic part of the PCD program arises from the mitochondria, the so-called “killer organelles” releasing cytochrome c from the mitochondrial intermembrane space into the cytosol, which forms the caspase-activating complex or apoptosome. The family of caspases is involved in the execution of genetically controlled PCD. Caspase-3 is ubiquitously expressed in normal and neoplastically transformed human cells and like other caspases is synthesized as an inactive, 32kDa proenzyme. Caspase-8 is an initiation caspase that activates the caspase cascade during apoptosis. Caspase-9 is the initiator caspase in the caspase cascade in apoptotic normal and neoplastically transformed cells. During our immunocytochemical study, a sensitive, four step, alkaline phosphatase conjugated antigen detection technique was employed. This study is one of the first studies to explore the question of caspase-3, -8, and -9 in astrocytomas. The results did in fact demonstrate the presence of high apoptotic activity within the cellular microenvironment of high-grade astrocytomas and glioblastomas. The observations identified cytoplasmic expression of caspase-3 in more than 50 per cent of tumor cells, caspase-8 in more than 10 per cent of tumor cells, and caspase-9 in more than 10 per cent of tumor cells in high grade anaplastic ASTR and glioblastoma. The immunocytochemical expression pattern in about 10 per cent of the tumor cells for caspase-3, about 1 to 5 per cent of the tumor cells for caspase-8, and about 1 to 5 per cent of the tumor cells for caspase-9 demonstrated a translocation tendency from the cytoplasm to the cell nuclei in the apoptotic cells. Caspase-3, -8, and -9 presence was also detected in the TILs, representing the host’s immune, mostly CD8+, cytotoxic, tumor associated antigen (TAA) directed effector cells. This phenomenon may play an important role in these tumors’ maintenance of immune privilege and evasion of immune attacks. We suggest that caspase-3, -8, and -9 immunocytochemistry could have prognostic and immunotherapeautic significance in the treatment of these highly malignant glial tumors.
Uncertainty-based Decision Making Using Deep Reinforcement Learning

This work proposes an opinion inference algorithm in large graph network data using subjective, uncertain opinions. In the graph network data, an opinion is associated with an edge between two nodes where the edge indicates a known opinion while no edge refers to an unknown opinion for their relationship. The examples include the predictions of a road traffic condition (i.e., an edge indicates a road between two intersections and an opinion represents congested or non-congested) or trust relationships (i.e., an edge refers to a trust relationship between two users where an opinion indicates a user's trust in another user). To derive an unknown opinion between two nodes, we identify a set of best paths in the graph network data that can maximize decision performance (e.g., prediction accuracy). To solve this problem, we formulate each opinion using Subjective Logic (SL) and leverage a policy-based deep reinforcement learning (DRL) technique. We propose three DRL-based schemes combining SL and DRL where a reward is given based on a different type of uncertainty, including vacuity, dissonance, or monosonance. Via extensive simulation experiments, we investigate what type of uncertainty is a more critical factor than others in improving decision performance when a different uncertainty type is considered as a reward in DRL. We validated the outperformance of the proposed DRL-based schemes in terms of belief errors, prediction accuracy, and computation time based on both a semi-synthetic and real world datasets.
COMPARISON OF OUTCOMES IN TRANSPLANT PATIENTS UNDERGOING TRANSCATHETER VERSUS SURGICAL AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a safe alternative to surgery (SAVR) in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. Transplant recipients are relatively sicker, and there are less available data about their AVR outcomes. We aim to compare the outcomes in patients with
Observation of Nanoscale Opto-Mechanical Molecular Damping; Origin of Spectroscopic Contrast in Infrared Photo Induced Force Microscopy

The contrast mechanism of infrared photoinduced force microscopy (IR-PiFM) for recording vibrational resonances is experimentally investigated. We show that spectroscopic contrast in IR-PiFM is mediated by opto-mechanical damping of the cantilever oscillation.
Repurposing FDA approved drugs inhibiting mitochondrial function for targeting glioma-stem like cells

Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) tumors contain a small population of glioma stem-like cells (GSCs) among the various differentiated GBM cells (d-GCs). GSCs drive tumor recurrence, and resistance to Temozolomide (TMZ), the standard of care (SoC) for GBM chemotherapy. In order to investigate a potential link between GSC specific mitochondria function and SoC resistance, two patient-derived GSC lines were evaluated for differences in their mitochondrial metabolism. In both the lines, GSCs had significantly lower mitochondrial -content, and -function compared to d-GCs. In vitro, the standard mitochondrial-specific inhibitors oligomycin A, antimycin A, and rotenone selectively inhibited GSC proliferation to a greater extent than d-GCs and human primary astrocytes. These findings indicate that mitochondrial inhibition can be a potential GSC-targeted therapeutic strategy in GBM with minimal off-target toxicity. Mechanistically the standard mitochondrial inhibitors elicit their GSC-selective cytotoxic effects through the induction of apoptosis or autophagy pathways. We tested for GSC proliferation in the presence of 3 safe FDA-approved drugs--trifluoperazine, mitoxantrone, and pyrvinium pamoate, all of which are also known mitochondrial-targeting agents. The SoC GBM therapeutic TMZ did not trigger cytotoxicity in glioma stem cells, even at 100 μM concentration. By contrast, trifluoperazine, mitoxantrone, and pyrvinium pamoate exerted antiproliferative effects in GSCs about 30-50 fold more effectively than temozolomide. Thus, we hereby demonstrate that FDA-approved mitochondrial inhibitors induce GSC-selective cytotoxicity, and targeting mitochondrial function could present a potential therapeutic option for GBM treatment.
Time-dependent injection strategies for multilayer Hele-Shaw and porous media flows

Universality in the behavior of multilayer radial Hele-Shaw flows is discovered by semi-analytical methods. In particular, it is found numerically that the maximum injection rate for a stable flow decreases proportional to ${t}^{\ensuremath{-}1/3}$ regardless of the number of interfaces and increases at a rate proportional to the number of interfaces to the two-thirds power at large time $t\ensuremath{\gg}1$. However, at earlier times the number of interfaces can increase the maximum stable injection rate by a much greater amount.
Augmented finite element method (AFEM) for the linear steady-state thermal and thermomechanical analysis of heterogeneous integration architectures

The thermal and thermomechanical reliability analysis of a package is often performed under cyclic loading conditions. An enhanced finite element method to efficiently solve for the steady-state temperature and stress responses arising out of such analysis is presented in this paper. It belongs to and extends the harmonic balance finite element method (HBFEM) technique for the case of a periodic switched linear (PSL) system. The method captures the periodic time-varying nature in the spectral domain. By relying on the time-invariant basis, the method addresses the time-scale and coupling challenges that exist with the traditional time-domain methods for the multi-physics modeling and analysis of the electronic packages. Its computational efficiency is verified on the power-cyclic thermal and thermomechanical analysis of a panel-embedded package.
A Systematic Review of Genetic Correlates of Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery.

This systematic review synthesized research evaluating the relationship between genetic predictors and weight loss after bariatric surgery. Fifty-seven studies were identified that examined single genes or genetic risk scores. Uncoupling protein (UCP) rs660339 was associated with excess weight loss after surgery in 4 of 6 studies. The most commonly assessed genes were fat mass and obesity–associated (FTO) gene (n = 10) and melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) (n = 14). Both were inconsistently related to weight loss. Genetic risk scores predicted weight loss in 6 of 7 studies. This evidence suggests the potential of using genetic variants and genetic risk scores to predict the amount of weight loss anticipated after bariatric surgery and identify patients who may be at risk for suboptimal weight reduction.
Dataset for trailer angle estimation using radar point clouds.

Abstract The automotive industry is interested in the estimation of vehicle trailer rotation (trailer angle or hitch angle) due to its use in trailer control algorithms. We present an experimental dataset collected in a study of the estimation problem [1] and a MATLAB code implementation of the study. The data collection apparatus is a truck mock-up that is attached to a flatbed trailer at the hitch ball. Two radars are installed in the taillight fixtures of the truck and a camera is installed in the truck’s tailgate like a typical backup camera installation. A rotary motion sensor is also installed at the hitch ball to provide ground truth measurement of the trailer angle. To aid analysis of the dataset, both radar detections are transformed onto a vehicle coordinate system (VCS) having its origin at the hitch ball i.e. the different radar viewpoints are combined into one with respect to the hitch ball. The MATLAB code presented with this article has two major functionalities. The first functionality is the visualization of both radar detections, the combined radar detections in the VCS, the camera images, and the ground truth angles, as the trailer rotates. The second functionality of the code is the replication of the estimation results in [1], which used only the radar detections from the dataset.
Prior Sexual Trauma and Adjustment Following the Virginia Tech Campus Shootings: Examination of the Mediating Role of Schemas

A sizable body of research supports trauma's cumulative nature. However, few studies have evaluated potential mechanisms through which the experience of multiple traumas leads to elevated distress. The current study sought to evaluate differences between sexual trauma victims and women who had not experienced sexual trauma in their adjustment following a mass trauma (college women exposed to the 2007 Virginia Tech campus shooting). In addition, the study examined whether maladaptive schema change (lower self-worth and less belief in benevolence) and social support mediated the relationship between experiencing multiple traumas (sexual trauma and the campus shooting) and distress. The sample consisted of 215 college women who were assessed preshooting as well as two months and one year following the campus shooting. Women who had experienced sexual trauma (either contact sexual abuse or sexual assault) were compared to those who had not on their one-year postshooting PTSD and depressive symptoms. Results supported that sexual trauma victims reported significantly more depressive symptoms and shooting-related PTSD as well as less belief in benevolence and lower family support. Family support and benevolence beliefs at the two month postshooting assessment were significant medi-ators of the association between sexual trauma history and depression and PTSD. Implications of the findings for future research evaluating the cumulative impact of multiple traumatic experiences are discussed.
Cerebral blood flow, hemoglobin oxygenation, and water diffusion changes during stroke: fingerprinting with near-infrared spectroscopy and MRI

Stroke is caused by a disorder of brain blood flow and a concomitant reduction in substrate delivery, particularly of oxygen. Cerebral blood flow and hemoglobin oxygenation can be monitored in patients by noninvasive methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Monitoring these parameters may be used to: (1) investigate stroke pathophysiology in humans; (2) “stage” patients according to their current pathopysiological status to guide pathophysiologically oriented therapy and for inclusion (or exclusion) into studies; and (3) monitor the outcome of therapy and brain reorganization. We try to demonstrate initial attempts to achieve these goal with MRI and NIRS. We speculate that modern noninvasive techniques for studying brain morphology, metabolism, and function may hold the key to establishing successful, pathophysiologically oriented stroke therapy.
Combining static analysis and model checking for systems employing commutative functions

The two main hindrances for a wider application of the model checking approach for verification of concurrent and distributed systems are the state explosion problem and its limitation in handling infinite state systems. We consider a class of infinite state systems given by certain types of Transition Diagrams (TDs), called simple TDs, that employ commutative functions for updating variables. For such systems, we presented model checking methods that combine bi-simulation reductions with static analysis. The new methods are extensions of earlier methods where static analysis was not employed. These methods can be applied to a wider class of systems.
Structure-derived insights into virus assembly.

Publisher Summary Viruses are self-assembling macromolecular complexes made up of nucleoprotein components; in the case of enveloped viruses, the nucleoprotein complexes are surrounded by lipid bilayers. The genetic efficiency seen in viruses is manifested in their self-assembling nature, as multiple copies of a few proteins, making repeated equivalent interactions, assemble into symmetric closed shells encapsidating their own genome. This chapter focuses on the architecture and self-assembly of simple nonenveloped viruses whose structures have been determined at near atomic resolution. Viral capsid structures provide information about the tertiary structure of capsid protein subunits as well as their quaternary organization. This information can be used to derive preferred pathways for assembling subunits into closed capsids.
The making of a germ panic, then and now.

Over the last 2 decades, a heightened interest in germs has been evident in many aspects of American popular culture, including news coverage, advertisements, and entertainment media. Although clearly a response to the AIDS epidemic and other recent disease outbreaks, current obsessions with germs have some striking parallels with a similar period of intense anxiety about disease germs that occurred between 1900 and 1940. A comparison of these 2 periods of germ "panic" suggests some of the long-term cultural trends that contributed to their making. Both germ panics reflected anxieties about societal incorporation, associated with expanding markets, transportation networks, and mass immigration. They were also shaped by new trends in public health education, journalism, advertising, and entertainment media. In comparison to the first germ panic, the current discourse about the "revenge of the superbugs" is considerably more pessimistic because of increasing worries about the environment, suspicions of governmental authority, and distrust of expert knowledge. Yet, as popular anxieties about infectious disease have increased, public health scientists have been attracting favorable coverage in their role as "medical detectives" on the trail of the "killer germ."
Characterization of growth factor-modulated events regulating cellular proliferation

Publisher Summary This chapter various methods employing requirements for a specific growth factor(s) and essential nutrients are described that can be used to synchronize BALB/c 3T3 cells at the various regulatory points within G 0 /G 1 . Cells synchronized in this fashion can be used to (1) study the mechanism of action of certain growth factors at the specific cell cycle time when they are required and (2) delineate and order those cellular events required for G 0 /G 1 traverse. Traverse of density-arrested fibroblastic cells through G0/GI is mediated by multiple growth factors with sequential or interdependent actions. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and other known competence factors initiate the proliferative response of BALB/c 3T3 cells and program cells to respond to the progression factors required for G 0 /G 1 traverse and entry into S phase.
Synthesis and metabolism of glycerol-3H triether, a nonabsorbable oil-phase marker for lipid absorption studies

A saturated mixed-chain glycerol triether, 1-hexadecyl-2,3-didodecyl glycerol (1-hexadecoxy-2,3-didodecoxypropane), was synthesized with (3)H at positions 9 and 10 or (14)C at position 1 of the hexadecyl moiety. In acute feeding experiments in rats, less than 0.2% of the triether was absorbed, based on lymph and fecal recoveries. Radioactivity was present exclusively as triether in feces, indicating that it was not degraded by digestive or bacterial enzymes. Chronic feeding experiments in rats confirmed the nonabsorbability of the triether and further indicated that it was nontoxic, did not influence the absorption of dietary fat, and mixed intimately with the fat present in colonic contents and feces. The triether that was absorbed was deposited as triether in adipose tissue, liver, and spleen. When administered intraperitoneally to mice, the triether was stored in the tissues and was not metabolized. When the triether was partitioned between an oil phase of triolein or fatty acid and monoglyceride, and an aqueous micellar phase, the triether remained exclusively in the oil phase. The triether appears to be an ideal nonabsorbable oil-phase marker for use in lipid absorption studies.
Preschool Teachers’ Financial Well-Being and Work Time Supports: Associations with Children’s Emotional Expressions and Behaviors in Classrooms

The current study examined associations among teachers’ financial well-being, including teachers’ wages and their perceptions of their ability to pay for basic expenses, and teachers’ work time supports, including teachers’ paid planning time, vacation days, and sick days, and children’s positive emotional expressions and behaviors in preschool classrooms. Analyses controlled for teachers’ education and experience, as well as classroom quality (as assessed by the CLASS). Results suggest that teachers’ financial well-being is associated with children’s positive emotional expressions and behaviors in classrooms. Specifically, teachers’ wages positively relate to children’s positive emotional expressions and behaviors in classrooms, and children in classrooms of teachers who can pay for their basic expenses exhibit more positive emotional expressions and behaviors than children in classrooms of teachers who cannot pay for their basic expenses. Implications of the effects of early childhood teachers’ financial well-being on children’s emotional experiences in classrooms are discussed.
Neuropathology of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Its Variants

The neuropathologic molecular signature common to almost all sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and most familial ALS is TDP-43 immunoreactive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions. The neuropathologic and molecular neuropathologic features of ALS variants, primarily lateral sclerosis and progressive muscular atrophy, are less certain but also seem to share the primary features of ALS. Genetic causes, including mutations in SOD1, TDP-43, FUS, and C9orf72, all have distinctive molecular neuropathologic signatures. Neuropathology will continue to play an increasingly key role in solving the puzzle of ALS pathogenesis.
Airway smooth muscle, asthma, and calcium ions

The intracellular concentration of free Ca2+ ions regulates many functions of cells including secretion, contraction, transport processes, and motility, among others. All of the pathogenetic processes in asthmatic airways are Ca2+-dependent phenomena: excitation-contraction coupling in smooth muscle, stimulus-secretion coupling in mast cells and mucous glands, nerve impulse initiation and conduction, and the development of inflammatory infiltration. Ca2+ entry blockers such as nifedipine and verapamil may affect exercise-induced asthma, airway tone, mast cell mediator release, and experimental anaphylaxis. Calmodulin-active drugs can inhibit smooth muscle contraction and mediator release. A new generation of Ca2+ antagonists may find a role in the management of asthma.
Millimeter-Wave Omnidirectional Path Loss Data for Small Cell 5G Channel Modeling

This paper provides 28- and 73-GHz urban omnidirectional propagation large-scale path loss data measured in downtown New York City during the summers of 2012 and 2013, and 38 GHz data measured in downtown Austin in the summer of 2011. The data provided herein may be used by antenna, propagation, and communications researchers for emerging mobile and/or backhaul millimeter-wave (mmWave) system analyses. This paper also presents measurement layout maps with transmitter and receiver locations and GPS coordinates, so that anyone may create similar or new measurements and models, or may perform further processing, such as with ray-tracers and modeling tools, in addition to studying mmWave system performance. Using the data provided herein, large-scale path loss models using a standard close-in 1 meter free-space reference distance are provided for each of the three frequency bands.
A Comparison of Two Algorithms for Absolute Deviation Curve Fitting

Abstract A comparison is made between linear programming and weighted least-squares approaches to absolute deviation curve fitting. The computational results show that linear programming substantially reduces solution times while requiring only a relatively small amount of additional storage.