cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
P-Selectin Support of Neonatal Neutrophil Adherence Under Flow: Contribution of L-Selectin, LFA-1, and Ligand(s) for P-Selectin

To further define the neonatal neutrophil9s ability to localize to inflamed tissue compared with adult cells, we examined the neonatal neutrophil interactions with P-selectin monolayers under two conditions: (1) attachment under constant shear stress and flow and (2) detachment where cells were allowed to attach in the absence of shear stress and then shear stress is introduced and increased in step-wise increments. Cord blood and adult neutrophils had minimal interactions with unstimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) at a constant shear stress of 2 dynes/cm 2 . There was a marked increase in the number of both neonatal and adult cells interacting (interacting cells = rolling + arresting) with HUVECs after histamine stimulation, although the neonatal value was only 40% of adult ( P P
Investigating the relationship between the frequency of flooding over the central United States and large-scale climate

Abstract The aim of this study is to examine whether the climatic driving forces can describe the observed variability in the frequency of flooding over the central United States. Results are based on daily streamflow records from 774 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stations with at least 50 years of data and ending no earlier than 2011. Five climate indices related to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are used in this study: the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), and the Pacific-North American pattern (PNA). A peak-over-threshold approach is used to identify flood peaks, and the relationship between the frequency of flood events and climate indices is investigated using Poisson regression. The results of this work indicate that climate variability can play a significant role in explaining the variations in the frequency of flooding over the central United States. Different climate modes are related to the frequency of flood events over different parts of the domain and for different seasons, with PNA playing an overall dominant role. Analyses related to flood events are extended to examine climate controls on heavy precipitation over the same area. We find that the variability of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans can influence the frequency of heavy precipitation days in a manner similar to what was found for flooding. Therefore, these results suggest that the recent observed variability in the frequency of flood events and heavy precipitation over the central United States can be largely attributed to the variability in the climate system.
Seasonal Occurrence of Voria ruralis a Parasite of the Cabbage Looper, in Arizona, and Its Behavior and Development in Laboratory Culture

Periodic collections of several species of lepidopterous larvae were made for 27 months from cultivated crops and weeds near Mesa, Arizona, to determine the incidence and extent of parasitism by a tachnid fly, Voria ruralis (Fallen). The parasite was recovered only from the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), and seemed to parasitize that insect throughout the year. Adult V. Turalis mated readily in cages and oviposited all laboratory-reared cabbage looper larvae reared on a semisynthetic diet. At a laboratory temperature of about 24 and variable relative humidity, 26 days were required to complete the life cycle. In 2 experiments the maximum number of progeny from I female was 396 but the average from 4 pairs was 169 per female. When V. ruralis eggs were deposited they contained maggots that were nearly ready to hatch. The newly hatched larvae bored almost immediately into the body cavity tothe host. About 3 days later the maggots cut openings in the host’s dorsal abdominal region and attached themselves with their spiracles in these openings, and remained there until their development was complete.
A Language for Describing Agent Behavior as Hybrid Models

manner by interpreting them as hierarchical state-charts at a low-level and as procedures or task trees at a higher level. The relationship between the two levels are recognized and utilized in decomposing task trees in to hierarchical state charts and eventually into C++ code for implementation.
Love Unconditional or Love Unfeigned: Justice and Mercy in Human Development

O ne morning last spring I began leading a discussion in our high priest's group by asking questions based on a popular concept. My questions were, simply, "When we hear someone encourage us to love our children unconditionally, what does unconditionallymean to you? How would you express love unconditionally to your children?" As I wrote on the chalkboard the responses I heard, various shades of meaning began to emerge. I was not surprised to see a familiar per­ ception of love being discussed. But what this group of high priests described as unconditional love clearly did not carry the same mean­ ing the people who coined the term unconditionallove had in mind. What was it, then, the high priests in this group were describing? Or perhaps more appropriately, what parental behavior is it the humanists are calling for with the terminology of this concept? The purpose of this exposition is to show that the love many are calling' 'unconditional" (for example, those who are coming from a gospel perspective) is, upon reflection, radically different from the con­ temporary (humanist) psychological notion of unconditional love. It is, therefore, much more than just a matter of semantics. One outcome of this paper should be to help us see why thought­ ful parents anguish in confusion when they hear from so many quarters that they are to "love their children unconditionally"; to "love their children no matter what those children do." I hope in this paper to offer some relief to those who want to understand the relationship between misbehavior and the love the children mayor may not receive from their parents. Sometimes it is necessary to chastise or reprimand children-something which is far from conditional love.
Anatomy of the Leg Veins

The structure and function of the venous system have been of special interest to anatomists for centuries. The veins are easily seen when diseased, especially those of the superficial system, and easily accessible to the anatomist. Nevertheless the true nature of the venous system remained a mystery for hundreds of years.
Tissue Monitoring with Three-Wavelength Light Emitting Diode-Based Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Background Flap monitoring with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) facilitates early detection of vascular compromise. However, standard NIRS devices that employ two wavelengths of light to assess tissue oxygenation (StO2) are susceptible to artifact from background noise and demonstrate significant variability in the clinical setting. As the number of wavelengths detected by a NIRS device is increased, the precision of StO2 measurements can be improved and additional chromophores other than oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin can be measured. A three-wavelength light emitting diode NIRS device (Artinis, Zetten, the Netherlands) that also detects cytochrome aa3 , a measure of intracellular oxygen demand, was compared with the standard two-wavelength device commonly used for flap monitoring (ViOptix device, ViOptix Inc., Freemont, CA) to determine if there is an improvement in the precision of tissue oxygen measurements. Methods ViOptix and Artinis were applied to the forearms of human volunteers (n = 15) and a blood pressure cuff was placed around the upper arm to occlude arterial and venous flow. StO2 measurements were obtained from both devices. Artinis also yielded cytochrome aa3 oxidation state measurements. Results StO2 measurements from both devices were proportionate during ischemia (R 2 = 0.79, p < 0.01). Monte Carlo stimulation showed Artinis outperformed ViOptix (p < 0.01) as a measure of change in StO2 during ischemia. Artinis did not detect a reduction in cytochrome aa3 associated with the decrease in StO2 during ischemia. Conclusion The addition of a third wavelength to NIRS monitoring may improve the precision of StO2 trend monitoring. However, the three-wavelength device lacked the sensitivity to reliably measure changes in cytochrome aa3 .
Molecular Biology of Nematode Resistance in Tomato

Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, is a host for several species of root-knot nematodes, and nematode infestation can result in severe yield loss for this crop. The Mi gene of tomato confers effective resistance to three root-knot nematode species, Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica and M. arenaria, but not to a fourth, M. hapla (Gilbert and McGuire, 1956; Braham and Winsted, 1957; Roberts and Thomason, 1986). Mi was introduced into tomato from the wild species Lycopersicon peruvianum using embryo rescue of an interspecific cross of this wild species with L. esculentum (Smith, 1944). Progeny of a single F1 plant are the sole source of nematode resistance in currently available fresh-market and processing tomato cultivars (Medina-Filho and Tanksley, 1983). Recent restrictions on the use of nematicides have increased reliance on the gene Mi for nematode control in tomato.
The Biomechanical Effects of the Shoulder Remplissage

Background: Individuals with large Hill-Sachs lesions may be prone to failure and reoccurrence following standard arthroscopic Bankart repair. Here, the Remplissage procedure may promote shoulder stability through infraspinatus capsulo-tenodesis directly into the lesion. Little biomechanicaldata about the Remplissage procedure on glenohumeral kinematics, stability, and range of motion (ROM) currently exists. Questions/purposes: What are the biomechanical effects of Bankart and Remplissage repair for large Hill-Sachs lesions? Methods: Six cadaveric shoulders were tested using a custom shoulder testing system. ROM and glenohumeral translation with applied loads in anterior-posterior (AP) and superior-inferior (SI) directions were quantified at 0° and 60° gleno-humeral abduction. Six conditions were tested: intact, Bankart lesion, Bankart with 40% Hill-Sachs lesion, Bankart repair, Bankart repair with Remplissage, and Remplissage repair alone. Results: Humeral external rotation (ER) and total range of motion (TR) increased significantly from intact after the creation of the Bankart lesion at both 0° abduction (ER +27.0°, TR +35.8°, p Conclusions: The addition of the Remplissage procedure for treatment of large Hill-Sachs lesions had no statistically significant effect on ROM or translation for treatment for large Hill-Sachs lesions. Clinical Relevance: The Remplissage technique may be a suitable option for engaging Hill-Sachs lesions. Further clinical studies are warranted.
Time progression and depth dependence of high frequency AIBS in ex-vivo porcine corneas

Background, Motive & Objective: Ex-vivo corneal tissue is prone to edema (swelling from fluid intake), an important concern for transporting this tissue for transplantation. Edema is also an issue for all ex-vivo cornea experiments. While gross changes in thickness are easy to determine, subtle structural changes can also occur and may impact suitability for transplant. This investigation proposes to use high-frequency apparent integrated backscatter (AIBS) to monitor these subtle changes as ex-vivo corneal tissue is exposed to edema inhibiting fluid. Statement of Contribution/Methods: Within a couple days of sacrifice, whole porcine eye globes were embedded in gelatin up to the corneal/scleral junction. Specimens were imaged with a confocal scanning acoustic microscope using a single element ultrasonic transducer (53 MHz center frequency, 31 MHz bandwidth, 1.67 f#). A solution of 25% glycerol and 10% dextran-40 was used to stabilize corneal hydration and couple the ultrasound into the tissue. Images were captured about every ten minutes for over 5 hours after fluid introduction. Laterally averaged AIBS was calculated over bandwidth with respect to a reference spectrum of a reflected signal from a fused silica optical flat. While some gross measures of corneal backscatter have been previously reported, this is the first detailed experiment exploring time progression and depth dependence and therefore examining subtle changes that are occurring. Results: In the epithelium AIBS increased from −31 to −29 dB after the first 11 minutes. It then decreased gradually over the next 108 minutes to −34 dB. Over the final 205 minutes it stabilized at −33 dB. In the anterior stroma AIBS gradually increased from an initial value of −56 to −50 dB over 119 minutes. It stabilized at −50 dB during the remaining 205 minutes. At mid stroma it gradually increased from an initial value of −59 to −55 dB over the first 119 minutes and then stabilized at about −55 dB for the remaining time. In posterior stroma it changed little, varying somewhat between −62 and −60 dB. Initial corneal thickness was 0.942 mm which decreased to 0.920 mm by 140 minutes, remained stable at this thickness for 119 minutes and then gradually increased to 0.936 mm during the last 64 minutes. As a control we observed that other ex-vivo porcine tissues such as oral mucosa do not undergo edema and have stable AIBS. Discussion and Conclusions: Systematic changes in AIBS of ex-vivo porcine cornea were measured as functions of both time and depth and shown to be sensitive to changes in corneal tissue. Previous research on edema and corneal backscatter postulated that an AIBS increase might be caused by disruption of the orderly spatial arrangement of fibrillar collagen. These more detailed results indicate that this relationship is more complicated than can be explained by edema alone. For example, AIBS in the anterior stroma increases with decreasing fluid content as indicated by corneal thinning. Also, at times AIBS in anterior stroma and epithelium move in opposite directions.
Volumetrie features for object region classification in 3D LiDAR point clouds

LiDAR data is a set of geo-spatially located points which contain (X, Y, Z) location and intensity data. This paper presents the extraction of a novel set of volume and texture-based features from segmented point clouds. First, the data is segmented into individual object regions using an automatic seeded region growing technique. Then, these object regions are normalized to a N × N × N voxel space, where each voxel contains information about the location and density of points within that voxel. A set of volumetric features are extracted to represent the object region; these features include: 3D form factor, rotation invariant local binary pattern (RILBP), fill, stretch, corrugation, contour, plainness and relative variance. The form factor, fill, and stretch provide a series of meaningful relationships between the volume, surface area, and shape of the object. RILBP provides a textural description from the height variation of the LiDAR data. The corrugation, contour, and plainness are extracted by 3D Eigen analysis of the object volume to describe the details of the object's surface. Relative variance provides an illustration of the distribution of points throughout the object. The new feature set is robust, and scale and rotation invariant for object region classification. The performance of the proposed feature extraction technique has been evaluated on a set of segmented and voxelized point cloud objects in a subset of the aerial LiDAR data from Surrey, British Columbia, which was available through the Open Data Program. The volumetric features, when used as an input to an SVM classifier, correctly classified the object regions with an accuracy of 97.5 %, with a focus on identifying five classes: ground, vegetation, buildings, vehicles, and barriers.
Therapeutic Restoration of Endothelial Glycocalyx in Sepsis

Endothelial glycocalyx (EG) is disintegrated during sepsis. We have previously shown that this occurs very early in the course of sepsis and its prevention improves the survival of mice with sepsis. Here, we sought to investigate the possibility of pharmacologically accelerating the restoration of disintegrated EG in sepsis. We used a soilage injection model to induce polymicrobial sepsis in C57/BL6 mice and measured total body EG. En face aortic preparations were used for staining of markers of EG and atomic force microscopy was used to measure EG in vitro. In vitro studies were conducted in cultured endothelial cells either exposed to a lipopolysaccharide or enzymatically denuded of EG. Sulodexide (SDX), a heparin sulfate-like compound resistant to degradation by heparanase, accelerated EG regeneration in vitro and in vivo. The total volume of EG was drastically reduced in septic mice. Administration of SDX produced a dramatic acceleration of EG restoration. This effect, unrelated to any SDX-induced differences in microbial burden, was associated with better control of vascular permeability. Notably, SDX demonstrated not only a remarkable capacity for EG regeneration in vitro and in vivo but was also associated with improved animal survival, even when instituted 2 hours after induction of severe sepsis. In conclusion, 1) EG is disintegrated in sepsis, the event which contributes to high animal mortality; 2) pharmacologic acceleration of EG restoration can be achieved using SDX; and 3) SDX reduces vascular permeability, which is elevated in septic mice, and improves animal survival.
Modulation of Leukocyte Recruitment and IL-8 Expression by the Membrane Attack Complex of Complement (C5b-9) in a Rabbit Model of Antigen-Induced Arthritis

The complement system is thought to be a major physiological mediator of injury in a number of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The membrane attack complex (MAC) of complement has been detected in RA tissue, suggesting that the MAC may be relevant to the pathogenesis of the disease. Deposition of sublytic concentrations of the MAC has been shown to promote the expression of proinflammatory mediators. In the present study, we utilized rabbits deficient in the complement protein C6 to elucidate the role of the MAC in mediating the pathogenesis of antigen-induced arthritis. Swelling, leukocyte accumulation, IL-8 expression, proteoglycan, and hydroxyproline content were assessed. Analysis of synovial tissue demonstrated a significant decrease in leukocyte influx and a parallel decrease in tissue associated IL-8 in joints of C6-deficient animals as compared to C6-sufficient animals. However, this did not correlate with the preservation of connective tissue. The results derived from this study provide evidence that the MAC has an important function in mediating leukocyte recruitment in antigen-induced arthritis but does not play a direct role in connective tissue breakdown.
Effect of BGM Accuracy on the Clinical Performance of CGM: An In-Silico Study.

Background:Standard management of type 1 diabetes (T1D) relies on blood glucose monitoring based on a range of technologies from self-monitoring of blood glucose (BGM) to continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Even as CGM technology matures, patients utilize BGM for calibration and dosing. The question of how the accuracy of both technologies interact is still not well understood.Methods:We use a recently developed data-driven simulation approach to characterize the relationship between CGM and BGM accuracy especially how BGM accuracy impacts CGM performance in four different use cases with increasing levels of reliance on twice daily calibrated CGM. Simulations are used to estimate clinical outcomes and isolate CGM and BGM accuracy characteristics that drive performance.Results:Our results indicate that meter (BGM) accuracy, and more specifically systematic positive or negative bias, has a significant effect on clinical performance (HbA1c and severe hypoglycemia events) in all use-cases generated for twice...
A Pilot Study of Perceived Mouth Dryness, Perceived Swallowing Effort, and Saliva Substitute Effects in Healthy Adults Across the Age Range

Xerostomia, or perceived mouth dryness, increases with advancing age, but its influence on swallowing effort is unknown. This study: (1) quantified relationships among age, perceived sense of swallowing effort, and ratings of perceived mouth dryness, and (2) examined changes in swallowing effort following application of a gel-based saliva substitute in healthy participants. This was a cross-sectional observational study and data were collected from attendees of a community healthy aging fair. Forty-two healthy participants (mean age = 65 years; 20 female) were enrolled. Each participant rated perceived effort with swallowing and perceived mouth dryness on a 10-cm horizontal, undifferentiated line. After participants applied a gel-based saliva substitute (Biotene® Oral Balance) to their tongue and oral mucosa, they rated perceived effort with swallowing again. Age was associated with greater perceived mouth dryness (r = 0.37, p < 0.03) but not with perceived swallowing effort (r = 0.16, p = 0.32). Perceived mouth dryness was associated with greater perceived swallowing effort (r = 0.62, p < 0.001). Perceived swallowing effort declined following application of the salivary substitute (mean difference = 9.39 mm, p < 0.002). Age was found to be a significant predictor of perceived mouth dryness (p < .02); and perceived mouth dryness was found to significantly predict perceived swallow effort (p < .001). Perceived mouth dryness increased with advancing age, but perceived swallowing effort did not. Regardless of age, participants with higher levels of perceived mouth dryness also reported more perceived effort with swallowing suggesting a role for adequate oral lubrication in this perception. Even in healthy participants, use of a gel-based saliva substitute lowered perceived swallowing effort.
Radiation Dose to the Thoracic Vertebral Bodies Is Associated With Acute Hematologic Toxicities in Patients Receiving Concurrent Chemoradiation for Lung Cancer: Results of a Single-Center Retrospective Analysis.

Purpose To test the hypothesis that increasing radiation therapy (RT) dose to the thoracic vertebral bodies (TVBs) contributes to the development of hematologic toxicities (HTs) in patients with lung cancer. Methods and Materials Cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) treated with definitive chemoradiation with concurrent platinum-based doublet chemotherapy at our institution from 2007 to 2016 were identified. Mean TVB dose and the volume of TVBs receiving at least 5 to 60 Gy (V5-V60) were retrospectively recorded. Logistic regression was used to test associations between grade ≥3 HT (HT3+) and dosimetric/clinical parameters. Normal tissue complication probability was evaluated using the Lyman-Kutcher-Burman (LKB) model for HT3+, and receiver operating characteristics analysis was used to determine dosimetric cut-points. Results We identified 201 patients, the majority having NSCLC (n=162, 81%) and stage III to IV disease (n=179, 89%). All patients received either cisplatin/etoposide (n=107, 53%) or carboplatin/paclitaxel (n=94, 47%). Median RT dose was 60 Gy (range, 60-70 Gy). The rate of HT3+ was 49% (n=99). Increasing mean TVB dose (per Gy) was associated with higher odds of developing HT3+ (odds ratio 1.041, 95% confidence interval 1.004-1.080, P=.032), as were increasing TVB V5 to V20. These dosimetric correlates to HT3+ persisted on multivariate analysis. Constrained optimization of the LKB model for HT3+ yielded the parameters: n=1, m=1.79, and TD50=21.4 Gy. Optimal cut-points identified were V5=65%, V10=60%, V20=50%, and mean dose=23.5 Gy. Patients with values above these cut-points had an approximately 2-fold increased risk of HT3+. Conclusions We found that mean TVB dose and low-dose parameters (V5-V20) were associated with HT3+ in chemoradiation for lung cancer. Per the LKB model, bone marrow behaves like a parallel organ (n=1), implying that mean TVB dose is a useful predictor for toxicity. These data suggest that efforts to spare dose to the TVBs may reduce rates of severe HT.
Women and the Advent of American Sport Tourism: The Feminine Invasion of Male Space

AbstractAt the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, history professor Frederick Jackson Turner proposed the frontier theory, which claimed that as the Americans moved ever westward they acquired particular characteristics that made them a unique and exceptional people, different from their European ancestors. This study examines the frontier theory in a different light, addressing not only geographical boundaries, but psychological and gender obstacles in the evolution of society. It will detail the role of a select group of women who used sport as a vehicle to challenge not only geographical frontiers in their travels, but gender restraints in their sport experiences as well. In the process, the study will analyze the variables of social class, race, and ethnicity of a variety of females who challenged the gender norms and expectations of the era in which they lived. Among the athletes who contributed to the burgeoning sport tourism market during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, thus contribut...
Glutamatergic synaptic plasticity and dysfunction in Alzheimer disease: Emerging mechanisms.

Impaired synaptic plasticity and dendritic loss in excitatory glutamatergic synapses are early events in Alzheimer disease (AD). These synaptic abnormalities are triggered by accumulation of soluble fibrillary β-amyloid (Aβ) oligomers, which bind to several postsynaptic and presynaptic partners. Many of the synaptic effects of Aβ oligomers involve NMDA receptors (NMDARs) and type 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5). These receptors mediate use-dependent plasticity of glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus and other brain regions. Synaptic plasticity includes long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of efficacy of synaptic transmission. Studies both in vitro and in animal models indicate that Aβ oligomers disrupt LTP and promote LTD; these effects are associated with decreased density of dendritic spines. The mechanisms by which Aβ oligomers elicit these synaptic changes are similar to those normally utilized in the CNS during development and learning. In addition, interactions of β oligomers with extrasynaptic NMDARs and mGluR5 promote tau-hyperphosphorylation, leading to impaired mitochondrial transport to synapses and thus disrupting calcium homeostasis and energy-dependent processes. Via activation of glial cells, Aβ triggers complement-mediated pruning of vulnerable synapses. Loss of dendritic spines precedes the accumulation of neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles and is potentially reversible. The multiple potential mechanisms by which Aβ oligomers may trigger dysfunction and loss of glutamatergic synapses provide multiple targets for neuroprotective therapy. There are several reviews focused on these topics.1–11 Only selected aspects of synaptic plasticity and its involvement in AD are reviewed here.
Geometric Robustness of Viability Kernels and Resilience Basins

The definition of resilience described in Chap. 2 applies to dynamical systems whose dynamics are modelled by controlled differential equations and in which some properties of interest are defined by a subset of the state space (the constraint set). These dynamical systems, when they model environmental or socioeconomic systems, are subject to uncertainties. Moreover, the properties of interest are rarely known with absolute certainty and accuracy. Viability theory can take into account only a part of these uncertainties, considering a set of velocity vectors rather than a single vector. Therefore, performing sensitivity analysis (like in Saltelli et al. 2000) appears as a good solution to assess the impact of the other parameters of the dynamics, and also the impact of slight modifications of the boundary of the constraint set on the viability kernel and its capture basin.
Ion-molecule reactions in Geiger-Mueller discharges

In exploring the nature of a GM discharge a small amount of tritium is mixed with commercial Q-gas (1.3% n-butane and 98.7% helium). After operation the counter is found to be badly contaminated. Attempts to remove the activity fail to yield satisfactory results. An analysis of the gas mixture reveals that tritium activity is present in n-butane, with none being found in the expected decomposition products. An ion-molecule reaction involving n-butane is proposed to explain the results.
West African Tradition in the Decoration of Colonial Jamaican Folk Pottery

In the early colonial period, Jamaican slaves manufactured pottery that incorporated traditional West African technology with selected European innovations. Recent examination of Afro-Jamaican wares from the seventeenth-century site of Port Royal suggests that the decorative elements are consistent with those that are in wide use among West African pottery traditions, particularly those of the Gold Coast (Ghana). Stamped designs prevail as the clearest example of this continuity. Potential Amerindian contributions to the Jamaican folk pottery industry during this period are considered and shown to be unlikely. The isolation of decorative traits demonstrates how certain craft elements of West African peoples were transported to the New World and integrated with other cultural traditions. It also corroborates the documentary record pertaining to the geographical origin of Jamaican slaves during the early colonial period.
Generation expansion planning considering health and societal damages – A simulation-based optimization approach

Abstract Electricity generation expansion planning models determine the optimal technology-capacity-investment strategy that minimizes market costs including investment costs, and fixed and variable operating & maintenance costs over a long-term planning horizon. From a market cost perspective, fossil fuels are among the most economical sources of electricity, and thus are the primary sources of energy for electricity. However, these energy sources create by-products that have harmful health effects upon exposure. In this paper, a simulation-based, metamodeling approach is leveraged to quantify health damages associated with power grid expansion decisions by linking the outputs of generation expansion planning simulations with a screening tool that quantifies the human health damages from the electricity sector. Using this as a surrogate function for health damages, these costs are included in the objective function of a generation expansion planning model, in addition to market costs and the social damages of carbon emissions and methane leakage to minimize societal damages. Applying an improvement algorithm, candidate data points are selected to enhance metamodel prediction capability. Finally, using an updated metamodel, a new expansion plan is found. This framework enables researchers to better understand the health implications of long-term capacity expansion decisions.
Machine learning for semi­automated classification of glioblastoma, brain metastasis and central nervous system lymphoma using magnetic resonance advanced imaging

Background: Differentiating glioblastoma, brain metastasis, and central nervous system lymphoma (CNSL) on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can present a diagnostic dilemma due to the potential for overlapping imaging features. We investigate whether machine learning evaluation of multimodal MRI can reliably differentiate these entities. Methods: Preoperative brain MRI including diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE), and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion in patients with glioblastoma, lymphoma, or metastasis were retrospectively reviewed. Perfusion maps (rCBV, rCBF), permeability maps (K-trans, Kep, Vp, Ve), ADC, T1C+ and T2/FLAIR images were coregistered and two separate volumes of interest (VOIs) were obtained from the enhancing tumor and non-enhancing T2 hyperintense (NET2) regions. The tumor volumes obtained from these VOIs were utilized for supervised training of support vector classifier (SVC) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) models. Validation of the trained models was performed on unlabeled cases using the leave-one-subject-out method. Head-to-head and multiclass models were created. Accuracies of the multiclass models were compared against two human interpreters reviewing conventional and diffusion-weighted MR images. Results: Twenty-six patients enrolled with histopathologically-proven glioblastoma (n=9), metastasis (n=9), and CNS lymphoma (n=8) were included. The trained multiclass ML models discriminated the three pathologic classes with a maximum accuracy of 69.2% accuracy (18 out of 26; kappa 0.540, P=0.01) using an MLP trained with the VpNET2 tumor volumes. Human readers achieved 65.4% (17 out of 26) and 80.8% (21 out of 26) accuracies, respectively. Using the MLP VpNET2 model as a computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) for cases in which the human reviewers disagreed with each other on the diagnosis resulted in correct diagnoses in 5 (19.2%) additional cases. Conclusions: Our trained multiclass MLP using VpNET2 can differentiate glioblastoma, brain metastasis, and CNS lymphoma with modest diagnostic accuracy and provides approximately 19% increase in diagnostic yield when added to routine human interpretation.
Nanoscale heat pipe using surface-diffusion-driven condensate return

Abstract Efficient thermal management of electronics is crucial for their reliable performance and lifetime. Direct cooling of nanoscale heat source components may offer the most efficient thermal management solution. Heat pipe, a phase-change-based cooling device, has been widely used for electronic cooling at system level because of high heat flux cooling capability, but it is challenging to realize in nanoscale, primarily due to the limited choices of fluid circulation mechanisms. This paper presents a nanoscale heat pipe (NHP) which uses a surface diffusion to return the condensate liquid via a nano post connecting the condenser with the evaporator. The NHP is made of a Pt nanogap with the connecting post, which is filled with Ar atoms as the working fluid. The heat transfer modes in the NHP include phase change (evaporation and condensation), convection/conduction heat transfer of Ar atoms, and conduction heat transfer of Pt atoms in the post. This study examines the coupled effects of the average surface temperature, surface temperature difference, Ar number density, condensate mobility, and system size on the heat and mass transfer of the NHP using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. It was found that the heat transfer by the gaseous Ar atoms in the NHP using the surface-diffusion-driven fluid circulation increases by approximately 44% in the reference NHP design as compared to the heat transfer through the gaseous Ar atoms in a nanogap without a post. For a surface temperature difference ΔT = 60 K, the heat flux of the NHP reaches as high as 240.2 MW/m2 and the thermal resistance is 2.5 × 10−7 m2 K/W. The maximum heat transfer through the adsorbed Ar atoms on the Pt post occurs at an intermediate Ar-Pt surface force e = 1.5 kcal/mol. It is also found that the combined heat transfer through both the gaseous and adsorbed Ar atoms outpaces the conduction heat transfer through the Pt post at the length larger than 1000 A. The effects of the thermal conductivity and cross-sectional area of the post on the NHP performance are also discussed. The in-depth discussions on the nanoscale heat and mass transfer of the NHP will provide an insight into the development of next-generation nanoscale thermal management systems.
Body temperature regulation and anesthesia

Abstract General anesthesia is the induction and maintenance of a state of unconsciousness with the absence of pain sensation. General anesthesia is accomplished by the administration of a combination of inhaled anesthetic gases and intravenous drugs. These medications eliminate behavioral thermoregulatory compensations, leaving only autonomic defenses to offset environmental perturbations. Anesthetics inhibit thermoregulatory control in a dose-dependent fashion over the entire clinical range. Impairment of thermoregulatory control is observed by a change in thermoregulatory thresholds with the vasoconstriction threshold being affected about three times as much as the sweating threshold. Consequently, the zone between sweating and vasoconstriction thresholds, called interthreshold range, is widened dose-dependently. Impairment of thermoregulation, triggered by general anesthesia, typically causes inadvertent hypothermia. In febrile patients, general anesthesia reduces the magnitude of perioperative fever.
Simultaneous Wireless Power and Data Transfer Through Broadband CSCMR

In this paper, a broadband CSCMR with pintable PCB is designed. This wireless power transfer system is able to achieve 20 MHz bandwidth at the operating frequency of 115 MHz, while maintaining around 80% power transfer efficiency. Utilizing this large bandwidth, high data rate digital communication through the same link is also achieved using backscatter modulation. The whole system is able to deliver 20% power to a 47Ω load with a 41 % power conversion efficiency rectifier, while receiving 2 Mbps data from the data input.
The Right Stuff: Priming Students to Focus on Pertinent Information During Clinical Encounters

Prioritization of relevant information during clinical encounters is a skill that is critical to learn but not easy to teach. In this article, from the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics series on strategies used by great clinical teachers, we offer a framework for coaching students to understand clinical relevance and increase their efficiency in patient care. Medical students face several challenges when moving from the classroom to the clinical setting. In addition to new roles, responsibilities, and approaches to learning, the transition brings a shift in how students are expected to process and attend to clinical information.1,2 To work and learn effectively among clinician supervisors, students must move from thinking like students to thinking like doctors. In particular, students who are new to the clinical setting often notice a change in expectations for history taking, physical examinations, and case presentations. Preclinical training typically encourages a comprehensive, systematic, and formulaic approach to data gathering. As a result, students’ early case presentations tend to be highly structured and thorough. Once they enter the time-constrained, practically oriented clinical setting, students are often asked to streamline, … Address correspondence to Robert Arthur Dudas, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, 601 5th St South, Suite 606, St Petersburg, FL 33701. E-mail: rdudas{at}jhmi.edu
Application of Neutron-Gamma Analysis for Determining Compost C/N Ratio

AbstractThe possible application of Pulsed Fast/Thermal Neutron Analysis (PFTNA) for determining the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) of compost will be discussed. This analysis method has several ad...
Probing the Critical Dipole Moment To Support Excited Dipole-Bound States in Valence-Bound Anions

We report photodetachment spectroscopy and high-resolution photoelectron imaging of para-halogen substituted phenoxide anions, p-XC6H4O- (X = F, Cl, Br, I). The dipole moments of the p-XC6H4O neutral radicals increase from 2.56 to 3.19 D for X = F to I, providing a series of similar molecules to allow the examination of charge-dipole interactions by minimizing molecule-dependent effects. Excited DBSs ([XC6H4O]*-) are observed for the four anions with binding energies of 8, 11, 24, and 53 cm-1, respectively, for X = F to I, below their respective detachment thresholds. The binding energies exhibit a linear correlation with the dipole moments of the neutral radicals, extrapolating to a critical dipole moment of 2.5 D for zero binding energy. Because of the small binding energy of the excited DBS of [FC6H4O]*-, rotational autodetachment is observed to compete with vibrational autodetachment in the resonant photoelectron spectra, resulting in electrons with near zero kinetic energies.
Solidarity and disparity: Declining labor union density and changing racial and educational mortality inequities in the United States.

Background Recently, United States life expectancy has stagnated or declined for the poor and working class and risen for the middle and upper classes. Declining labor-union density-the percent of workers who are unionized-has precipitated burgeoning income inequity. We examined whether it has also exacerbated racial and educational mortality inequities. Methods From CDC, we obtained state-level all-cause and overdose/suicide mortality overall and by gender, gender-race, and gender-education from 1986-2016. State-level union density and demographic and economic confounders came from the Current Population Survey. State-level policy confounders included the minimum wage, the generosity of Aid to Families with Dependent Children or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and the generosity of unemployment insurance. To model the exposure-outcome relationship, we used marginal structural modeling. Using state-level inverse-probability-of-treatment-weighted Poisson models with state and year fixed effects, we estimated 3-year moving average union density's effects on the following year's mortality rates. Then, we tested for gender, gender-race, and gender-education effect-modification. Finally, we estimated how racial and educational all-cause mortality inequities would change if union density increased to 1985 or 1988 levels, respectively. Results Overall, a 10% increase in union density was associated with a 17% relative decrease in overdose/suicide mortality (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.70, 0.98), or 5.7 lives saved per 100 000 person-years (95% CI: -10.7, -0.7). Union density's absolute (lives-saved) effects on overdose/suicide mortality were stronger for men than women, but its relative effects were similar across genders. Union density had little effect on all-cause mortality overall or across subgroups, and modeling suggested union-density increases would not affect mortality inequities. Conclusions Declining union density (as operationalized in this study) may not explain all-cause mortality inequities, although increases in union density may reduce overdose/suicide mortality.
Non-genic Means of Information Reception and Exchange

Aside from the transfer of genetic material and a large array of bioactive molecules by endocytosis and other cellular mechanisms, there are many additional sources of information exchange among cells. The primary cilia are one such example. These slender projections on microbes and cells are an essential element for both their communication processes and mobility (Wheatley et al. 1996). They also serve an important sensory function that is part of the cell’s analysis of mechanical and chemical signals, which is a consequential part of their information space. As such, they are part of what is termed the “senome” of the cell. The “senome” represents the summation of all the sensory inputs of the cell derived through the use of all of its sensory apparatus and tools (Baluska and Miller 2018). This is the means by which the cognitive cell can assess its environment as it attempts to maintain homeostatic balance. Even bacteria show a high degree of sensory complexity linked to sensorimotor circuits that activate at the plasma membrane and ramify throughout the cell (Lyon 2015). These inputs feed adaptive behaviors. In effect, the senome is the cognitive gateway that receives information that can be channeled from the external environment into the interior of the organism to support homeostasis (Baluska and Miller 2018). How that information is used becomes a function of the cellular information management system (Miller 2016a, 2017; Miller and Torday 2018; Miller et al. 2019). Therefore, the senome is the biological nexus of the means by which an organism attaches to its informational matrix. Its sensory memory is then encoded within a variety of bioactive molecules as well as its genetic complement so that all aspects of the cell participate.
Time flies faster when you’re feeling blue: sad mood induction accelerates the perception of time in a temporal judgment task

Investigating the interaction of mood and time perception has provided key information in the mechanisms that underlie cognition and emotion. However, much of the literature that has investigated the role of emotions in time perception has focused on the valence of stimuli, or correlational studies of self-reported mood. In the present study, 31 healthy undergraduates completed a temporal judgment task before and after an autobiographical sad mood induction procedure. In the temporal judgment task, participants identified whether a presented neutral stimulus was onscreen for the same duration as a target (2 s). Along with target trials, very short (1.25 s), short (1.6 s), long (2.25 s), and very long (3.125 s) trials were presented in random order and in equal proportion. Following mood induction, ratings of sadness and fear increased, but returned to baseline at the end of the study. After the mood induction, participants significantly increased temporal overestimation as participants were more likely to affirm short than long-duration trials as matching the target. These results indicate that transient changes in mood in otherwise healthy adults can accelerate the subjective experience of time. Sadness may increase physiological components of time perception that are related approach motivation.
Phase identification using co‐association matrix ensemble clustering

Calibrating distribution system models to aid in the accuracy of simulations such as hosting capacity analysis is increasingly important in the pursuit of the goal of integrating more distributed energy resources. The recent availability of smart meter data is enabling the use of machine learning tools to automatically achieve model calibration tasks. This research focuses on applying machine learning to the phase identification task, using a co-association matrix-based, ensemble spectral clustering approach. The proposed method leverages voltage time series from smart meters and does not require existing or accurate phase labels. This work demonstrates the success of the proposed method on both synthetic and real data, surpassing the accuracy of other phase identification research.
The Muscular Dystrophies

The muscular dystrophies are heterogeneous group of conditions causing progressive muscle weakness. The dystrophinopathies are caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, DMD, and include Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy, and isolated dilated cardiomyopathy. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD) result in progressive proximal muscle weakness and wasting of shoulder and pelvic girdle muscles. The LDMDs are caused by both autosomal dominant and recessive genes. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant condition with scapular winging and slowly progressive muscle weakness. These and several other muscular dystrophies are discussed in this chapter.
Iron based catalysts in biomass processing

Abstract The interest in the use of non-noble metal catalysis is quite relevant to biomass processing due to costs, environmental concerns and the substantial scale of these operations. The aim of this article is to cover all aspects of the use of iron based catalysts in various biomass processing applications, especially focusing on the developments in the last five years. The appeal of metallic iron and its compounds in catalysis as well as the diversity of the type of transformations are discussed in the introduction sections of this review. The recent advances in the use of iron or its compounds in biomass pretreatment, saccharification, liquefaction and pyrolysis are reviewed as major topics in the review article. In addition, the use iron based catalysts in processing biomass derived small molecules to fuel; polymer and chemical feedstocks are also discussed in the article.