cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carpet properties that affect the retention of cat allergen.

Background Although the importance of carpeting on airborne levels of cat allergen (Fel d 1) has been demonstrated, no studies have been performed to determine specific properties of carpet that may affect its retention and removal. Objectives This study characterizes factors that affect the retention of cat allergen on tufted carpets. The experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that the amount of allergen-containing dust recovered from vacuum samples of tufted carpet sources was dependent on micro (fiber) or macro (construction) retention properties of carpets. Methods Twenty-six types of custom manufactured carpet were spiked and embedded with reference dust containing Fel d 1. A standardized vacuum surface sampler was used to recover dust from the samples. Allergen was assayed using a standard, monoclonal antibody ELISA. Results Carpet-surface area and fluorocarbon-fiber treatments were found to have the largest effects on retention and recovery of cat allergen. The style per se of a carpet, such as loop or cut pile, does not affect allergen retention. These results are generally in agreement with previous studies on dust mite allergen retention. Conclusions Carpets that are easiest to clean would have the following properties for release of cat allergen and in this order: low pile density and height, fluorocarbon coating of fibers, high denier per filament, and a fiber shape with a low surface area.
Don Quixote in Spanglish: traducttore, traditore?

(2005). Don Quixote in Spanglish: traducttore, traditore?. Romance Quarterly: Vol. 52, No. 4, pp. 328-334.
Long Temporal Gradient of Retrograde Amnesia for a Well-Discriminated Stimulus

This experiment tested the general validity of recent findings that retrograde amnesia can be produced by electroconvulsive shock only if the shock is administered within 10 to 30 seconds after the learning trial. Precautions were taken to avoid confusion of other shock effects with retrograde amnesia. A temporal gradient of elec- troconvulsive shock-produced retrograde amnesia, extending up to at least 1 hour, for a well-discriminated stimulus, was demonstrated in mice in a one-trial learning passive avoidance situation.
Tubular Heart Valves from Decellularized Engineered Tissue

A novel tissue-engineered heart valve (TEHV) was fabricated from a decellularized tissue tube mounted on a frame with three struts, which upon back-pressure cause the tube to collapse into three coapting "leaflets." The tissue was completely biological, fabricated from ovine fibroblasts dispersed within a fibrin gel, compacted into a circumferentially aligned tube on a mandrel, and matured using a bioreactor system that applied cyclic distension. Following decellularization, the resulting tissue possessed tensile mechanical properties, mechanical anisotropy, and collagen content that were comparable to native pulmonary valve leaflets. When mounted on a custom frame and tested within a pulse duplicator system, the tubular TEHV displayed excellent function under both aortic and pulmonary conditions, with minimal regurgitant fractions and transvalvular pressure gradients at peak systole, as well as well as effective orifice areas exceeding those of current commercially available valve replacements. Short-term fatigue testing of one million cycles with pulmonary pressure gradients was conducted without significant change in mechanical properties and no observable macroscopic tissue deterioration. This study presents an attractive potential alternative to current tissue valve replacements due to its avoidance of chemical fixation and utilization of a tissue conducive to recellularization by host cell infiltration.
Tumor and target delineation: Current research and future challenges

In the past decade, significant progress has been made in the imaging of tumors, three dimensional (3D) treatment planning, and radiation treatment delivery. At this time one of the greatest challenges for conformal radiation therapy is the accurate delineation of tumor and target volumes. The physician encounters many uncertainties in the process of defining both tumor and target. The sources of these uncertainties are discussed, as well as the issues requiring study to reduce these uncertainties.
Multi-channel reliability and spectrum usage in real homes: empirical studies for home-area sensor networks

Home area networks (HANs) consisting of wireless sensors have emerged as the enabling technology for important applications such as smart energy. These applications impose unique QoS constraints, requiring low data rates but high network reliability in the face of unpredictable wireless environments. This paper presents two in-depth empirical studies on wireless channels in real homes, providing key design guidelines for meeting the QoS constraints of HAN applications. The spectrum study analyzes spectrum usage in the 2.4 GHz band where HANs based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard must coexist with existing wireless devices. We characterize the ambient wireless environment in six apartments through passive spectrum analysis across the entire 2.4 GHz band over seven days in each apartment. We find that the wireless conditions in these residential environments are much more complex and varied than in a typical office environment. Moreover, while 802.11 signals play a significant role in spectrum usage, there also exists non-negligible noise from non-802.11 devices. The multichannel link study measures the reliability of different 802.15.4 channels through active probing with motes in ten apartments. We find that there is not always a persistently reliable channel over 24 hours, and that link reliability does not exhibit cyclic behavior at daily or weekly timescales. Nevertheless, reliability can be maintained through infrequent channel hopping, suggesting dynamic channel hopping as a key tool for meeting the QoS requirements of HAN applications. Our empirical studies provide important guidelines and insights in designing HANs for residential environments.
Electrochemical Reduction of CO2 using Copper Oxide Nanoparticles supported on Glassy Carbon Electrodes

We have studied the electrochemical reduction of CO2 using Cu2O nanoparticles deposited on planar electrodes. Nanoparticles are prepared in aqueous solution by chemical reduction of CuCl2 using ascorbic acid with polyethylene glycol surfactant. The particles are then re-suspended in ethanol with added Nafion binder and brush-coated onto glassy carbon substrates. The CO2 electroreduction activity is measured in KHCO3 electrolyte under flowing CO2 using a two-compartment electrochemical cell. Product formation rates are determined using gas chromatography; major gas phase products include CO, H2, C2H4, and CH4, while liquid phase products include C2H5OH and 1-C3H5OH. The observed product distribution agrees with results obtained previously using similar Cu2O particles deposited on carbon fiber paper supports, as well as Cu2O catalysts prepared by electrodeposition or thermal oxidation. In particular, the catalysts produce a much higher ratio of C2H4 to CH4 than observed using polycrystalline Cu foil. The potential dependence of the formation rates for hydrocarbon and alcohol products is roughly two times greater than for H2 and CO formation. Both XRD and SEM measurements confirm the Cu2O nanoparticles undergo at least partial reduction to Cu metal under CO2 reduction conditions, accompanied by significant surface morphological changes. Thus the kinetic results are consistent with current models that the increased C2H4/CH4 ratio is due to the presence of a more open atomic structure on the freshly reduced Cu surfaces.
Emergencies and Democratic Failure

Critics of emergency measures such as the U.S. government's response to 9/11 invoke the Carolene Products framework, which directs courts to apply strict scrutiny to laws and executive actions that target political or ethnic minorities. The critics suggest that such laws and actions are usually the product of democratic failure, and are especially likely to be so during emergencies. However, the application of the Carolene Products framework to emergencies is questionable. Democratic failure is no more likely during emergencies than during normal times, and courts are in a worse position to correct democratic failures during emergencies than during normal times. The related arguments that during emergencies courts should protect aliens, and should be more skeptical of unilateral executive actions than of actions that are authorized by statutes, are also of doubtful validity.
Applying aspect oriented service control in IMS network

Service delivery is vital for the success of IMS network in telecom. Current approaches focus on combining existing services into a new composite service. However, there are further requirements for enabling telecom operator to dynamically personalize, manage and enhance user services at runtime outside of the application logic itself. We observe the need and present the SCL (service control layer), an adaptive middleware between the service and network plane in IMS. By using aspect oriented technology, the SCL provide operators with the requisite fine-grained control over service delivery.
Hypoxic stress proteins: Survival of the fittest

The importance of tumor microenvironment in malignant progression has been largely ignored. Tumor cells protect themselves from changes in the microenvironment due to a decrease in nutrients and oxygen by reducing macromolecular synthesis and inducing genes that will promote angiogenesis and tissue remodeling. This ability of transformed cells to survive fluctuations in oxygen tensions is clinically important, as tumors with high hypoxic fractions respond poorly to many forms of cancer therapy. While it is commonly accepted that the decrease in molecular oxygen in hypoxic cells makes them more refractory to killing by agents such as ionizing radiation which use oxygen radical formation, the cessation of division and loss of apoptotic (cell suicide) potential in hypoxic cells are also important in their resistance to killing by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In this chapter, we will discuss hypoxia-induced stress proteins in regards to three clinically relevant end points: inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and regulation of genes modulating angiogenesis. Although these three end points may seem unrelated, in fact, they are intimately linked with each other in the cellular response to hypoxia and malignant progression. One of the goals of this review is to inform both clinican and scientist of these interrelationships and discuss how hypoxia selects for tumors that are clonal expansions of cells that have lost their apoptotic ability and have switched to a proangiogenic phenotype.
Secondary hypertension: Evaluation and treatment

Most patients with hypertension in the United States have essential (primary) hypertension (95%), the cause of which is unknown. The remaining 5% of adults with hypertension have the secondary form of hypertension, the cause and pathophysiologic process of which are known. Internists and other primary care physicians refer to this as treatable or curable hypertension, because the hypertension can be managed or even controlled with medications. Similarly, the condition is called surgical hypertension by surgeons in the belief that once the cause is determined and identified, surgical intervention will result in cure of hypertension. Secondary causes of hypertension include renal parenchymal disease, renovascular diseases, coarctation of the aorta, Cushing's syndrome, primary hyperaldosteronism, pheochromocytoma, hyperthyroidism, and hyperparathyroidism. Occasionally included in this category are alcohol- and oral contraceptive-induced hypertension and hypothyroidism, but these conditions are not discussed herein. The evaluation of secondary hypertension is of interest and can bring together different facets of anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and radiology in the medical and surgical treatment of these disorders. Despite enthusiasm that can be generated in the evaluation of these conditions, evaluation can be expensive and should not be conducted for all patients with hypertension. Features that aid in the diagnosis of secondary hypertension include the following: 1. Onset of hypertension before the age of 20 or after the age of 50 years. The presence of hypertension at a young age may suggest coarctation of the aorta, fibromuscular dysplasia, or an endocrine disorder. Hypertension found for the first time after the age of 50 years may suggest the presence of renovascular hypertension caused by atherosclerosis. 2. Markedly elevated blood pressure or hypertension with severe end-organ damage, as in grade III or IV retinopathy. These findings suggest the presence of renovascular hypertension or pheochromocytoma. 3. Specific body habitus and ancillary physical findings. For example, truncal obesity and purple striae occur with hypercortisolism, and exophthalmos is associated with hyperthyroidism. 4. Resistant or refractory hypertension (poor response to medical therapy usually necessitating use of more than three antihypertensive medications from three different classes). 5. Specific biochemical test that suggest the existence of certain disorders, such as hypercalcemia in hyperparathyroidism, hyperglycemia in Cushing's syndrome and pheochromocytoma, and unprovoked hypokalemia with renin-producing tumors, primary hyperaldosteronism, or renin-mediated renovascular hypertension. 6. Other characteristics that may suggest secondary hypertension such as abdominal diastolic bruits (renovascular hypertension), decreased femoral pulses (coarctation of the aorta), or bitemporal hemianopias (Cushing's disease). A combination of a good history and physical examination, astute observation, and accurate interpretation of available data usually are helpful in the diagnosis of a specific causation.
Thyroid antibodies, Down's syndrome, and maternal age.

AN increase in the frequency of thyroid antibodies has been noted in mothers of subjects with Down's syndrome1–3. Since its previous report1, the Seattle–Winnipeg study has been expanded to 242 mothers of patients with Down's syndrome. 29 per cent had positive sera, compared with 16 per cent of an equal number of controls matched by age and sex (P < 0.005) (ref. 4).
Short Distance Broadcasting of Physiological Data

For the transmission of physiological data not requiring complete freedom for the subject, a direct wire system offers many practical advantages including low cost and high reliability. Such a system is particularly well adapted for bedside monitoring and for the usual studies in the clinical laboratory where the patient is required by his illness to be in a fixed position. For general purpose physiological telemetery, it is necessary to transmit a bandwidth extending to zero cycles per second. Experience has demonstrated that such transmission is possible over a direct wire circuit for a distance of at least half a mile. An over-all response time of 100 ?sec provides an adequate bandwidth for the most rapidly changing physiological events.
The adaptive value of increasing pulse repetition rate during hunting by echolocating bats

During hunting, bats of suborder Microchiropetra emit intense ultrasonic pulses and analyze the weak returning echoes with their highly developed auditory system to extract the information about insects or obstacles. These bats progressively shorten the duration, lower the frequency, decrease the intensity and increase the repetition rate of emitted pulses as they search, approach, and finally intercept insects or negotiate obstacles. This dynamic variation in multiple parameters of emitted pulses predicts that analysis of an echo parameter by the bat would be inevitably affected by other co-varying echo parameters. The progressive increase in the pulse repetition rate throughout the entire course of hunting would presumably enable the bat to extract maximal information from the increasing number of echoes about the rapid changes in the target or obstacle position for successful hunting. However, the increase in pulse repetition rate may make it difficult to produce intense short pulse at high repetition rate at the end of long-held breath. The increase in pulse repetition rate may also make it difficult to produce high frequency pulse due to the inability of the bat laryngeal muscles to reach its full extent of each contraction and relaxation cycle at a high repetition rate. In addition, the increase in pulse repetition rate increases the minimum threshold (i.e. decrease auditory sensitivity) and the response latency of auditory neurons. In spite of these seemingly physiological disadvantages in pulse emission and auditory sensitivity, these bats do progressively increase pulse repetition rate throughout a target approaching sequence. Then, what is the adaptive value of increasing pulse repetition rate during echolocation? What are the underlying mechanisms for obtaining maximal information about the target features during increasing pulse repetition rate? This article reviews the electrophysiological studies of the effect of pulse repetition rate on multiple-parametric selectivity of neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus of the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus using single repetitive sound pulses and temporally patterned trains of sound pulses. These studies show that increasing pulse repetition rate improves multiple-parametric selectivity of inferior collicular neurons. Conceivably, this improvement of multiple-parametric selectivity of collicular neurons with increasing pulse repetition rate may serve as the underlying mechanisms for obtaining maximal information about the prey features for successful hunting by bats.
Solubility of inorganic iron as affected by proteolytic digestion

The effects of enzymatic digestion on the iron-solubilizing properties of chicken muscle were examined. A water-soluble extract, an acid-soluble extract, and an acid-insoluble fraction were subjected to a simulated gastrointestinal digestion using pancreatin and/or pepsin: The solubility of added Fe was significantly affected only by the acid-insoluble fraction and increased linearly as pepsin digestion progressed from 0 to 4 h. A maximum was reached when this treatment was followed by a 1-h pancreatin digestion. Pepsin digestion products with molecular weight (MW) less than 10,000 solubilized significantly more Fe than those with MW greater than or equal to 10,000. In contrast pancreatin digestion products of MW less than 10,000 were not effective Fe-solubilizing agents. The influence of chicken breast muscle on added Fe solubility appears to be related to the production of digestion intermediates that can act as ligands in the formation of soluble Fe complexes.
Spinal anesthesia in infants

Spinal anesthesia, although uncommonly performed in infants and children, may have a role in the premature infant predisposed to postoperative apnea and bradycardia. The duration of surgical anesthesia is often limited, which leads to the necessity of adjuvant anesthetics. This article will describe the anatomy and physiology of the subarachnoid space of infants and children as well as discuss the technique of performing a subarachnoid block in this population. Judicious dosing and use of local anesthetics and potential adverse effects of this technique are discussed.
Absorption in the near-ultraviolet wing of the Kr 2 F * (410 nm) band

An intracavity laser technique has been used to study the absorption of electron-beam pumped Ne/Kr/F 2 gas mixtures (196 and 300 K) in the "blue wing" of the Kr 2 F emission continuum. The experiments were conducted at 358 nm using the \upsilon' = 0 \rightarrow \upsilon" = 1 transition of the N 2 ( C \rightarrow B ) laser. Comparing the results with the predictions of a computer model, the species primarily responsible for absorption have been identified as Ne+ 2 , Kr+ 2 , and Kr 2 F*. The photoabsorption cross sections for Ne+ 2 and Kr 2 F (Kr+ 2 F-) at 358 nm have been estimated to be 8.1 \cdot 10^{-19} and 5.4 \cdot 10^{-18} cm2, respectively. The Kr 2 F* absorption cross section is roughly 20 percent of that reported for Kr+ 2 at the same wavelength. The fluorescence efficiency of Kr 2 F* in e -beam excited 94.93 percent Ne/5 percent Kr/0.07 percent F 2 ( P_{total} = 4000 torr) gas mixtures has been found to be a factor of 2.8 higher than that of the N 2 ( C \rightarrow B ) band in Ar/5 percent N 2 mixtures. Also, the rate constant for quenching of Kr 2 F* by F 2 was measured to be (4.1 \pm 0.5) \cdot 10^{-10} cm3. s-1at 300 K and (3.0 \pm 0.5) \cdot 10^{-10} cm2. s-1at 196 K.
Is asymptomatic vasospasm associated with poor outcome in subarachnoid hemorrhage

Background: Vasospasm occurs in up to 70% of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), but only half becomes symptomatic. It is unclear whether asymptomatic vasospasm (AV) detected by noninvasive testing affects outcome. Prophylactic hemodilutional, hypertensive, and hypervolemic (HHH) therapy is widely used but the benefit remains unproven. We aim to determine whether AV increases the risk of poor outcome and whether HHH is safe. Methods: A total of 175 consecutive patients with aSAH without clinical vasospasm were included. Patients with sonographic (transcranial doppler) or radiologic (computed tomography [CT] Angiography) vasospasm were assigned to AV group, while those without were assigned to no vasospasm (NV) group. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between AV and HHH on poor outcome, defined as modified Rankin scale (mRS) >3 at discharge or 3 to 6 months' follow-up. Results: In all, 106 patients had NV and 25 received HHH. A total of 69 patients had AV and 54 received HHH....
Impacts of anthropogenic emissions and cold air pools on urban to montane gradients of snowpack ion concentrations in the Wasatch Mountains, Utah

Abstract Urban montane valleys are often characterized by periodic wintertime temperature inversions (cold air pools) that increase atmospheric particulate matter concentrations, potentially stimulating the deposition of major ions to these snow-covered ecosystems. We assessed spatial and temporal patterns of ion concentrations in snow across urban to montane gradients in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and the adjacent Wasatch Mountains during January 2011, a period of several persistent cold air pools. Ion concentrations in fresh snow samples were greatest in urban sites, and were lower by factors of 4–130 in a remote high-elevation montane site. Adjacent undeveloped canyons experienced significant incursions of particulate-rich urban air during stable atmospheric conditions, where snow ion concentrations were lower but not significantly different from urban sites. Surface snow ion concentrations on elevation transects in and adjacent to Salt Lake City varied with temporal and spatial trends in aerosol concentrations, increasing following exposure to particulate-rich air as cold air pools developed, and peaking at intermediate elevations (1500–1600 m above sea level, or 200–300 m above the valley floor). Elevation trends in ion concentrations, especially NH4+ and NO3−, corresponded with patterns of aerosol exposure inferred from laser ceilometer data, suggesting that high particulate matter concentrations stimulated fog or dry ion deposition to snow-covered surfaces at the top of the cold air pools. Fog/dry deposition inputs were similar to wet deposition at mid-elevation montane sites, but appeared negligible at lower and higher-elevation sites. Overall, snow ion concentrations in our urban and adjacent montane sites exceeded many values reported from urban precipitation in North America, and greatly exceeded those reported for remote snowpacks. Sodium, Cl−, NH4+, and NO3− concentrations in fresh snow were high relative to previously measured urban precipitation, with means of 120, 117, 42, and 39 μeq l−1, respectively. After exposure to atmospheric particulate matter during cold pool events, surface snow concentrations peaked at 2500, 3600, 93, and 90 μeq l−1 for these ions. Median nitrogen (N) deposition in fresh urban snow samples measured 0.8 kg N ha−1 during January 2011, with similar fog/dry deposition inputs at mid-elevation montane sites. Wintertime anthropogenic air pollution represents a significant source of ions to snow-covered ecosystems proximate to urban montane areas, with important implications for ecosystem function.
A microfluidic chemotaxis assay to study microbial behavior in diffusing nutrient patches

The nutrient environment experienced by planktonic microorganisms is patchy at spatiotemporal scales commensurate with their motility (μm ‐ cm), and the efficiency with which chemotactic microbes can exploit this heterogeneous seascape influences trophodynamics and nutrient cycling rates in aquatic environments. Yet, methodological limitations have largely prevented direct examinations of microbial behavior within heterogeneous microenvironments. We used soft lithography to fabricate a microfluidic-based chemotaxis assay to study the foraging response of aquatic microbes to diffusing microscale nutrient patches. The transparency, biocompatibility, and simplicity of microfluidic devices make them ideally suited for microbial ecology studies. A microinjector was used to create a 300 μm-wide nutrient band, simulating a pulse release of solutes. The chemotactic response of microbes to the diffusing patch was measured at the population and single-cell level. In contrast to traditional chemotaxis assays, this technique permits the assessment and quantification of chemotaxis toward a potential attractant in real time, enabling rapid screening of multiple chemicals. Furthermore, detailed information on chemotactic behavior can be obtained by tracking individual organisms. Here, we applied this microassay to study the chemotactic behavior of a range of aquatic microorganisms, including three marine bacterial isolates, a species of phagotrophic flagellate, and a species of phytoplankton. Each organism exhibited a rapid chemotactic response to a variety of chemical compounds, suggesting that many marine microbes are adapted to life within patchy microenvironments. The chemotaxis assay described here was found to be a flexible platform for studying both the specific case of microbes foraging within patchy habitats and as a broadly applicable tool for rapidly assessing and quantifying microbial chemotaxis.
Hospital Occupancy — Elective Admissions

The previous section discussed the control of a facility’s occupancy rate and of its rate of overflow by the adjustment of its effective bed complement. Immediate control of these variables can also be exerted by monitoring the number of elective patients admitted. In a fine review of the literature, MULSUM ET AL. (1973) review and classify the various models designed to determine elective admissions. Their classification scheme is modified and extended here to encompass studies not included in their review. Two aspects of an admissions system need to be considered. If only aggregate data are known about potential patients, the number of patients to be admitted on a first-call, first-admit basis is determined. If; additionally, information concerning individual patients is available, each potential admission can be considered separately.
Implementation and Evaluation of a Values Clarification Activity for a Large Undergraduate Human Sexuality Course.

ABSTRACTValues clarification is an important tool that helps individuals to clarify their beliefs about sexuality-related issues. This lesson plan provides instructions for a 1-hour values clarification activity for a large undergraduate human sexuality course that serves as an introduction to course content and tone, stimulates students' initial thinking about course topics, and demonstrates the diversity of perspectives on sexuality-related issues. Survey-based evaluation findings (N = 71) establish that the activity successfully meets its learning objectives and that students feel comfortable participating. Step-by-step directions, recommendations for facilitation, and reflections on best practices for the activity are provided.
Pierre du Moulin’s Quest for Protestant Unity, 1613-18

Pierre Du Moulin was the leading intellectual in the French Reformed Church in the early seventeenth century. His influence within French Protestantism rivalled and complemented that of Philippe Duplessis-Mornay, the prominent nobleman, soldier, and adviser to Henry of Navarre, the Huguenot leader who became Henry IV of France. If Duplessis-Mornay was, as he is sometimes called, the ‘Huguenot Pope’, Du Moulin, the pastor of the congregation of Protestants in Paris, was the chief cardinal. A prolific writer and a skilful speaker, Du Moulin became noted for his success as a polemicist. Yet during a period of five years, 1613–18, Du Moulin was also the chief spokesman for a plan which would unite the English, Calvinist, and Lutheran Churches. The rather startling final point of the plan called for the reunited Protestants to make a fresh approach to Rome. Du Moulin’s volte-face in 1613-18 — his sudden emergence as an irenicist — has never been satisfactorily explained.
Sequence similarity of mating type idiomorphs: A method which detects similarity among the Sordariaceae fails to detect similar sequences in other filamentous ascomycetes

The hypothesis that genes encoding pro? teins which control sexual reproduction may be con- served among the filamentous ascomycetes was tested by hybridization of probes prepared from the open reading frames (mt A-l and mt a-1) of the A and a mating type idiomorphs of Neurospora crassa to Southern blots containing genomic DNA isolated from seven species of filamentous ascomycetes. Both mating type-specific probes hybridized strongly to single copy sequences in Sordaria brevicollis and N. crassa only. These results indicate that the DNA sequences of these genes are not highly conserved among filamentous ascomycetes beyond the Sordariaceae. Therefore, if genes of equivalent molecular function exist in other filamentous ascomycetes then either their DNA se? quences have diverged substantially or they evolved independently in several lineages.
Enzymatic Biofuel Cell for Oxidation of Glucose to CO2

Glucose has been widely studied as a fuel in biofuel cells because it not only is abundant in nature and in the bloodstream but also demonstrates low volatility, is nontoxic, and is inexpensive. Those qualities coupled with its relatively high energy density qualify glucose as a promising fuel. However, one key to efficient use of this substrate as fuel is the ability to oxidize glucose to CO2 and convert, more efficiently, the chemical energy released upon the redox reactions to electrical power. Most glucose biofuel cells in literature only oxidize glucose to gluconolactone. In this paper, we report the development of a six-enzyme cascade bioanode containing pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent enzymes extracted from Gluconobacter sp., aldolase from Sulfolobus solfataricus and oxalate oxidase from barley to sequentially oxidize glucose to carbon dioxide through a synthetic minimal metabolic pathway. This bioanode is also capable of performing direct electron transfer to carbon electrode surfaces and elimi...
At the Center of the Periphery: Arretche’s El grito and the Rhizomatic Visual Discourse of the 1968 Student Movement

This chapter focuses on the documentary El grito and the visual discourse of 1968 as manifested in the posters used in protests and demonstrations. I argue, using Deleuze and Guattari, that these works form part of a historical rhizome that opens avenues of interpretation and representation through their connections to other discourses. In so doing, they abandon the hierarchical imperative of trying to establish the “true” history of Tlatelolco in favor of contributing a historical perspective that, in connection to others, can feed the constitution of the whole. El grito, for example, manages to disseminate the student leadership’s ideology through the narration and sound-clips in the film, while it critiques that very construction through the images it presents. Likewise, the posters of 1968 translate and disseminate the ideology of the CNH while still offering a criticism of the lack of credit and representation afforded to those responsible for that medium.
Perioperative management of patients with left ventricular assist devices undergoing noncardiac surgery

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe our institutional experience, primarily with general anesthesiologists consulting with cardiac anesthesiologists, caring for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective review of the population of patients with LVADs at a single institution undergoing noncardiac procedures between 2009 and 2014. Demographic, perioperative, and procedural data collected included the type of procedure performed, anesthetic technique, vasopressor requirements, invasive monitors used, anesthesia provider type, blood product management, need for postoperative intubation, postoperative disposition and length of stay, and perioperative complications including mortality. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics for categorical variables are presented as frequency distributions and percentages. Continuous variables are expressed as mean ± standard deviation and range when applicable. Results: During the study, 31 patients with LVADs underwent a total of 74 procedures. Each patient underwent an average of 2.4 procedures. Of the total number of procedures, 48 (65%) were upper or lower endoscopies. Considering all procedures, 81% were performed under monitored anesthesia care (MAC). Perioperative care was provided by faculty outside of the division of cardiac anesthesia in 62% of procedures. Invasive blood pressure monitoring was used in 27 (36%) procedures, and a central line, peripherally inserted central catheter or midline was in place preoperatively and used intraoperatively for 38 (51%) procedures. Vasopressors were not required in the majority (65; 88%) of procedures. There was one inhospital mortality secondary to multiorgan failure; 97% of patients survived to discharge after their procedure. Conclusion: At our institution, LVAD patients undergoing noncardiac procedures most frequently require endoscopy. These procedures can frequently be done safely under MAC, with or without consultation by a cardiac anesthesiologist.
Toast of the IoT: The 1990 Interop Internet Toaster

Previously, the world had an Internet, but it was an Internet without "things." There were no smart light switches or thermostats and no Fitbits or Wi-Fi cameras. We weren't as connected, and we certainly weren't quantified [1]. Back in 1990, only 3 million people had access to the Internet [2], and there were only 313,000 computers (not devices) on it [3]. Back in those days, to search, we used the Wide Area Information Network (WAIS), Gopher, and ARCHIE. To transfer or share files, we used File Transfer Protocol (FTP). Although the World Wide Web was invented in 1989 [4], it was not yet in common use.
Numerical modeling of the thermal behavior and residual stress in the direct metal laser sintering process of titanium alloy products

Abstract In this paper the heat transfer and residual stress evolution in the direct metal laser sintering process of the additive manufacturing of titanium alloy products are studied. A numerical model is developed in a COMSOL multiphysics environment considering the temperature-dependent material properties of TiAl6V4. The thermo-mechanical coupled simulation is performed. 3-D simulation is used to study single-layer laser sintering. A 2-D model is used to study the multi-layer effects of additive manufacturing. The results reveal the behavior of the melt pool size, temperature history, and change of the residual stresses of a single layer and among the multiple layers of the effects of the change of the local base temperature and laser power etc. The result of the simulation provides a better understanding of the complex thermo-mechanical mechanisms of laser sintering additive manufacturing processes.
Post-Kidney Transplant Modification of Cardiovascular Risk

Kidney transplantation (KT) offers a﻿ survival advantage compared to remaining on dialysis in patients with end stage renal disease. Excellent short-term graft survival is achieved in kidney recipients as a result of improvement in immunosuppressive protocols. Unfortunately, there has been minimal improvement in long-term graft survival mainly due to recipient death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) with a functioning transplant. Both traditional as well as transplant specific risk factors contribute to CVD risk in KT. Graft dysfunction and adverse effects of immunosuppressive agents are the predominant transplant-specific risk factors. Measures to address traditional risk factors as well as modification of immunosuppressive regimens may lower the CVD risk post-KT. General cardio-protective strategies such as lifestyle modifications to minimize weight gain, use of aspirin, aggressive control of dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes need to be optimized in kidney recipients. Evolving protocols with corticosteroid avoidance, calcineurin inhibitor minimization, and use of newer agents such as belatacept have better metabolic risk profile for CVD in kidney recipients. Minimizing time spent on dialysis pre-KT also improves cardiovascular outcomes.
HPA Alterations in PTSD

The study of the neuroendocrinology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has presented an interesting paradox – some of the alterations described have not historically been associated with pathological processes. In particular, initial observations of low cortisol levels in a disorder precipitated by extreme stress directly contradicted the emerging and popular formulation of hormonal responses to stress, the glucocorticoid cascade hypothesis, which posited that stress-related psychopathology involves hypercortisolism as either a cause or consequence of disorder. It is now clear that insufficient glucocorticoid signaling may produce detrimental consequences as robust as those associated with glucocorticoid toxicity.
Health literacy: an overlooked factor in understanding HIV health disparities.

Background Limited health literacy may be a contributing factor to racial disparities in health care. This study examined the mediating effect of limited health literacy on the relationship between race and HIV-medication adherence. Methods A total of 204 patients infected with HIV were recruited from two clinics in 2001. Structured in-person interviews were conducted to obtain information on patient demographics, medication adherence, and health literacy. Multivariate regression models were run in 2006 to examine the associations among race, literacy, and HIV-medication adherence after adjusting for relevant covariates. Results In an adjusted analysis that excluded literacy, African Americans were 2.40 times more likely to be nonadherent to their HIV-medication regimen than whites (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.14–5.08). When literacy was included in the final model, the effect estimates of race diminished 25% to nonsignificance. Literacy remained a significant independent predictor of nonadherence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.12, 95% CI=1.93–2.32). Conclusions In this study, limited health literacy mediated the relationship between race and HIV-medication adherence. Investigators need to consider the potential utility of responding to literacy and communication barriers in health care as part of interventions to reduce racial disparities.
Molecular Genetics of APL

The balanced translocation t(15;17)(q22;q12) is the genetic hallmark of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) juxtaposing the N-terminus of the promyelocytic leukemia gene (PML) with the C-terminus of retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) to produce the PML-RARα fusion oncoprotein. APL has the unique distinction of being the first and only malignancy in which high cure rates are achieved with targeted therapy, through the combination of two naturally derived compounds, all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). The efficacy of these two agents against the disease and their synergistic and curative potential was predicted by transgenic murine models, which were equally instrumental in unlocking the molecular pathogenesis of APL.
Introduction to the Special Issue of Behavioral Disorders: Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports:

This special issue of Behavioral Disorders features a collection of studies designed to improve the outcomes of children and youth with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders across mul...
Representation of Color

Color is an important part of our visual experience. The swirls of blues, yellows, and greens in Van Gogh's Starry Night affect a viewer in a way that a black-and-white rendition cannot. Color vision allows us to find a green bell pepper among red ones and predict how good it will taste. This article describes briefly the aspects of light that are most important for color vision, the processing of color information in the retina and thalamus, and color processing in the cerebral cortex. Also, some of the recent computational modeling approaches of color processing are discussed at the end.
Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and Social Welfare: Some Ethical and Historical Perspectives on Technological Overstatement and Hyperbole

The potential societal impacts of automation using intelligent control and communications technologies have emerged as topics in recent writings and public policy initiatives. Constructed entities ...
End-of-Life Care for Seriously Ill International Patients at a Global Destination Medical Center

Abstract Objective To characterize the end-of-life care of all international patients who died at a global destination medical center from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2015. Patients and Methods We performed a retrospective review of all adult international patients who died at a global destination medical center from January 1, 2005, through December 31, 2015. Results Eighty-two international patients from 25 countries and 5 continents died during the study period (median age, 59.5 years; 59% male). Of the study cohort, 11% (n=9) completed an advance directive, 61% (n=50) died in the intensive care unit, 26% (n=21) had a full code order at the time of death, and 73% (n=19 of 26) receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation did not survive the resuscitation process. Conclusion Seriously ill international patients who travel to receive health care in the United States face many barriers to receiving high-quality end-of-life care. Seriously ill international patients are coming to the United States in increasing numbers, and little is known about their end-of-life care. There are many unique needs in the care of this complex patient population, and further research is needed to understand how to provide high-quality end-of-life care to these patients.
Association of Sickle Cell Trait with Measures of Cognitive Function and Dementia in African Americans

Abstract Background: The prevalence of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and its associated complication of cognitive decline is significantly higher amongst African Americans than non-Hispanic Whites. Sickle cell anemia or sickle cell disease has been associated with a 30-45% increased prevalence of CSVD which presents as silent cerebral infarcts and impaired cognitive function. However, the association between sickle cell trait (heterozygosity for the sickle cell mutation) and cognitive decline or dementia has not been reported. Hypothesis: African Americans with SCT will have a significantly higher incidence and prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia compared to those without SCT. Methods: We studied African Americans participants enrolled in the community-based prospective Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. SCT genotype status was determined using Taqman® genotyping from blood samples collected at baseline. Data from cognitive assessments at visits 2, 4 and 5, and an MRI performed at visit 5 were used for analysis. Using linear regression models for visit 2 cognitive measures and visit 5 brain MRI outcomes, a generalized estimating equation (GEE) for cognitive change, and Cox models for the incidence of dementia, we determined whether SCT was associated with a higher risk for cognitive dysfunction, global and regional brain volumes, and dementia. Results: Distribution of traditional risk factors for cognitive decline were not significantly different between participants with SCT (N = 176) and those without SCT (N = 2,532). In multivariable, cross-sectional analyses of 2,708 participants, those participants with SCT compared to those without SCT did not show a statistically significant difference in the global or domain-specific cognitive function scores at baseline. Participants with SCT did not experience a faster 20-year cognitive decline compared to participants without SCT. Also, participants with SCT had larger parietal cortical volume (100.5 cm3 vs. 97.9 cm3, diff. = 2.67 (0.24, 5.11) cm3, p = 0.03), and lower incidence of dementia (HR = 0.63 95% CI = 0.38, 1.05) compared to those without SCT. Participants with a co-inheritance of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 risk allele and SCT (N = 63) had worse scores on the digit symbol substitution test (DSST) at baseline (z-score = -0.08 (-0.26, 0.09), Pinteraction = 0.05) and over time (z-score = -0.12 (-0.38, 0.14), Pinteraction = 0.04), compared to those with the APOE e4 risk allele who do not have SCT (N = 113). SCT was associated with 2-fold increased risk of dementia among participants with diabetes mellitus and a 55% reduction in risk of dementia among those without diabetes mellitus (Pinteraction = 0.01). Conclusions: SCT was not an independent risk factor for prevalent or incident cognitive decline, but it could potentially interact with and modify other risk factors for dementia and cognitive dysfunction. Disclosures Key: UniQure BV: Research Funding.
The role of variation and plasticity in parental care during the adaptive radiation of three‐spine sticklebacks

Phenotypic plasticity might influence evolutionary processes such as adaptive radiations. Plasticity in parental care might be especially effective in facilitating adaptive radiations if it allows populations to persist in novel environments. Here, we test the hypothesis that behavioral plasticity by parents in response to predation risk facilitated the adaptive radiation of three-spine sticklebacks. We compared the behavior of fathers across multiple ancestral (marine) and derived (freshwater) stickleback populations that differ in time since establishment. We measured behavioral plasticity in fathers in response to a predator found only in freshwater environments, simulating conditions marine males experience when colonizing freshwater. The antipredator behavior of males from newly established freshwater populations was intermediate between marine populations and well-established freshwater populations. In contrast to our predictions, on average, there was greater behavioral plasticity in derived freshwater populations than in ancestral marine populations. However, we found greater individual variation in behavioral reaction norms in marine populations compared to well-established freshwater populations, with newly established freshwater populations intermediate. This suggests that standing variation in behavioral reaction norms within ancestral populations might provide different evolutionary trajectories, and illustrates how plasticity can contribute to adaptive radiations.