cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-varying wall stress: an index of ventricular vascular coupling.

Previous work in the isolated heart and intact circulation has suggested that the relationship between wall stress and time during left ventricular (LV) ejection is linear and that the slope, which will be referred to as time-varying wall stress, increases in response to augmentation in afterload. However, the etiology of the increase in slope has not been determined in an intact animal. Magnetic resonance imaging coupled with high-fidelity LV pressure measurement using a nonferrous catheter-tip manometer generates a detailed assessment of wall stress in an animal model where the thorax and pericardium have never been disturbed. Accordingly, six anesthetized dogs were studied during autonomic blockade with atropine and propranolol during angiotensin infusion, producing three widely disparate left ventricular systolic pressures (87 +/- 7 vs. 124 +/- 13 vs. 152 +/- 10 mmHg, P less than 0.001). Time-varying wall stress did not change from low to medium load (-42.4 +/- 9.5 to -27.3 +/- 22.3 g.cm-2.ms-1) but increased significantly at high load (-21.7 +/- 14.9 g.cm-2.ms-1, P less than 0.05). Analysis of the relative contribution of pressure, chamber radius, wall thickness, and long-axis dimension to the changes in time-varying wall stress demonstrated only the pressure component to change its relative contribution at medium (P less than 0.001) and high load (P less than 0.001). Therefore, we conclude that the increase in time-varying wall stress results from augmentation of pressure in the latter one-half of systole that is incompletely offset by shortening and wall thickening.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Quantifying imaging performance bounds of extreme dipole illumination in high NA optical lithography

We present a framework to analyze the performance of optical imaging in a hyper numerical aperture (NA) immersion lithography scanner. We investigate the method to quantify imaging performance by computing upperand lower-bounds on the threshold normalized image log-slope (NILS) and the depth of focus (DOF) in conjunction with the traditional image quality metrics such as the mask error enhancement factor (MEEF) and the linearity for various different pitches and line to space (LS) duty cycles. The effects of the interaction between the light illumination and the feature size are extensively characterized based on the aerial image (AI) behavior in particular for the extreme dipole illumination that is one of the commonly used off-axis illuminations for sub-100nm logic and memory devices, providing resolution near the physical limit of an optical single patterning step. The proposed aerial imaging-based DOF bounds are compared to the results obtained from an experimentally calibrated resist model, and we observed good agreement. In general, the extreme dipole illumination is only optimal for a single particular pitch, therefore understanding the through-pitch imaging performance bound, which depends on the illumination shape, pattern size, and process conditions, is critically important. We find that overall imaging performance varies depending upon the number of diffracted beams passing through the scanner optics. An even number of beams provides very different trends compared to the results from an odd-number of beams. This significant non-linear behavior occurs in certain pitch regions corresponding to 3 beam interference imaging. In this region the imaging performance and the pattern printability become extremely sensitive to the LS duty cycle. In addition, there is a notable tradeoff between the DOF and the NILS that is observed in the problematic 3-beam region and this tradeoff eventually affects the achievable process window (PW). Given the practical real world constraints such as the design rules and target design restrictions, computing upper- and lower-bounds of the through-pitch DOF and NILS will be especially useful for both lithographers and metrology target designers in understanding this complex behavior, as well as helping in the design of optimal targets used for applications including alignment, overlay control, and process control in high volume semiconductor manufacturing.
RED MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION: MICROBIOLOGY OF EQUIPMENT AND PROCESSING1

The Federal Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MPIP) requires that equipment be properly designed and cleaned frequently. Cooked ready-to-eat foods must be physically separated from raw foods and held below 40 F or above 120 F except for short periods. Microbiological plant inspections form the basis for microbiological criteria which MPIP is now considering for several commodities. Final product objective surveillance has recently begun on these. Sampling and analysis of final product as a means of protecting the consumer against an infrequent hazard is not feasible. Even hundreds of determinations give unacceptably low protection when the hazard is severe. Control at the source—i.e., at the processing plant—is the practical way to protect consumers with the limited resources available in laboratory programs. The MPIP microbiological sanitation program is a combination of investigation, surveillance, and correction. For example, the 1971 investigations of staphylococcal food poisonings from fermented s...
Developing a web-based collaborative research environment for undergraduates

Research experiences have a long-term influence on undergraduate students; therefore developing research projects that have positive impact on students' attitudes toward research is extremely important. However, while there is no doubt that we should expose the realities of working in research to our undergraduates, it sometimes can be a challenge to involve undergraduates in research projects that require many years of knowledge and training in a field, especially for faculty members at primarily undergraduate institutions. In this paper, I study the possibility of developing a web-based collaborative research environment to better involve undergraduates at a primarily undergraduate institution in cutting-edge research in a multi-institute, multi-disciplinary setting. Successful stories are presented as case studies in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.
A 3D Dual-Particle Tracking Co-Localization Microscope for the Study of DNA Dynamics in Free Solution

Measuring the co-localization of fluorescent constructs is a powerful technique in life science microscopy that can provide critical functional information about coincident events in the cell. Fluorescence coincidence can be used to determine the separation distance of binding targets, binding kinetics, conformational change, or even the orientation of a target construct. Techniques such as FRET and plasmonic resonance energy transfer can act as nanometric “rulers” to provide a separation of two targets, but their instrumentation relies on a slow camera based approach that is not amenable to three-dimensional freely diffusing targets, and they provide no rotational information. Here we present a dual-particle tracking microscope that can simultaneously localize two spectrally distinct targets in three dimensions with a time resolution down to 1 ms. The targets can be tracked with a separation distance up to 400 nm with 20 nm accuracy. And since each target is individually localized, a wealth of data may be extracted; such as, 3D position, 2D rotation, separation distance, and fluorescent lifetime of each target. The approach is a multicolor extension to an existing technique known as, TSUNAMI, Tracking Single-particles Using Nonlinear And Multiplexed Illumination. Just like TSUNAMI, this dual-color extension is capable of tracking within thick and scattering samples up to 200 μm deep. The technique is applied to the measurement of DNA flexing dynamics in free solution. DNA constructs with both red and green fluorescent microspheres labelled at the ends are observed in free diffusion. The trajectories from different lengths of DNA linker constructs are analyzed for binding distance and positional information to elucidate the differences in DNA dynamics during free diffusion.
ULTRAVIOLET OBSERVATIONS OF THE GAMMA-RAY BLAZAR 3C 279 FOLLOWING THE GAMMA-RAY FLARE OF 1991 JUNE

Ultraviolet observations of the gamma-ray balzar 3C 279 were carried out in 1991 July with the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite, 28 days after the outburst of intense gamma-ray emission detected from this source with the high-energy Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) instrument aboard the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. IUE observations were conducted over the wavelength range 1200-3200 A (5-10 eV) and are compared with archival UV measurements spanning the period 1988-1991. This set of observations was analyzed with a uniform, standardized data-reduction procedure. No significant variability in the UV spectrum of 3C 279 is noted over timescales of hours, though variations at the 3 sigma level or higher exist on longer timescales of months to years. The UV observations which most closely bracket the gamma-ray flare detected by EGRET show approximately 3 sigma differences in flux and spectral index, consistent with (but not definitive proof of) variations in the UV flux period of the gamma-ray flare. Statistically marginal evidence for a monotonic correlation is found between UV spectral index and the emission observed from 3C 279, in that a harder spectrum is associated with increased UV flux.
Impact of oleylamine: oleic acid ratio on the morphology of yttria nanomaterials

The impact on the final morphology of yttria (Y2O3) nanoparticles from different ratios (100/0, 90/10, 65/35, and 50/50) of oleylamine (ON) and oleic acid (OA) via a solution precipitation route has been determined. In all instances, powder X-ray diffraction indicated that the cubic Y2O3 phase (PDF #00-025-1200) with the space group I-3a (206) had been formed. Analysis of the collected FTIR data revealed the presence of stretches and bends consistent with ON and OA, for all ratios investigated, except the 100/0. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed regular and elongated hexagons were produced for the ON (100/0) sample. As OA was added, the nanoparticle morphology changed to lamellar pillars (90/10), then irregular particles (65/35), and finally plates (50/50). The formation of the hexagonal-shaped nanoparticles was determined to be due to the preferential adsorption of ON onto the {101} planes. As OA was added to the reaction mixture, it was found that the {111} planes were preferentially coated, replacing ON from the surface, resulting in the various morphologies noted. The roles of the ratio of ON/OA in the synthesis of the nanocrystals were elucidated in the formation of the various Y2O3 morphologies, as well as a possible growth mechanism based on the experimental data.
The Impact of Tic Severity on the Effects of Peer Education About Tourette's Syndrome

Research has shown that the severity of tics has a negative impact on how persons with Tourette's syndrome (TS) are perceived by their peers. Likewise, peer education has been found to decrease the negative impact of tics on others' perceptions of persons with TS. In the current study, the differential effectiveness of peer education was evaluated across mild and severe presentations of TS-related tics. After viewing short videotapes of a male or female engaging in mild or severe tic presentations, participants were asked to complete 2 attitude measures along with a behavioral measure of social distance. One half of the participants received education about TS prior to watching the videotape and the remaining participants received no education. Results showed that persons who had received education expressed more positive attitudes toward the persons with TS than did those who had received no education. However, results failed to replicate an earlier study by Woods et al. [Woods, D. W., Fuqua, R. W., and Outman, R. C.(1999). J. Psychopathol. Behav. Assessm. 21: 1–18.] by showing that tic severity did not produce a consistent negative effect on attitudes toward the persons exhibiting tics. Finally, results showed that the male with a severe TS presentation gained greater social benefit from peer education than did the female with a similar TS presentation. The implications of these findings for future research and clinical practice are discussed.
A comparison of adipose tissue interstitial glucose and venous blood glucose during postprandial resistance exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes

This is the first study to compare subcutaneous adipose tissue interstitial glucose concentrations and venous blood glucose concentrations during postprandial resistance exercise in individuals wit...
Standing Dead Trees are a Conduit for the Atmospheric Flux of CH4 and CO2 from Wetlands

In vegetated wetland ecosystems, plants can be a dominant pathway in the atmospheric flux of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Although the roles of herbaceous vegetation and live woody vegetation in this flux have been established, the role of dead woody vegetation is not yet known. In a restored wetland of North Carolina’s coastal plain, static flux chambers were deployed at two heights on standing dead trees to determine if these structures acted as a conduit for methane emissions. Methane fluxes to the atmosphere were measured in five of the chambers, with a mean flux of 0.4 ± 0.1 mg m−2 h−1. Methane consumption was also measured in three of the chambers, with a mean flux of −0.6 ± 0.3 mg m−2 h−1. Standing dead trees were also a source of the flux of CO2 (114.6 ± 23.8 mg m−2 h−1) to the atmosphere. Results confirm that standing dead trees represent a conduit for the atmospheric flux of carbon gases from wetlands. However, several questions remain regarding the ultimate source of these carbon gases, the controls on the magnitude and direction of this flux, the mechanisms that induce this flux, and the importance of this pathway relative to other sources at the landscape level.
Modelling persistent Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection of human airway epithelium.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a human respiratory tract pathogen causing acute and chronic airway disease states that can include long-term carriage and extra-pulmonary spread. The mechanisms of persistence and migration beyond the conducting airways, however, remain poorly understood. We previously described an acute exposure model using normal human bronchial epithelium (NHBE) in air-liquid interface culture, showing that M. pneumoniae gliding motility is essential for initial colonization and subsequent spread, including localization to epithelial cell junctions. We extended those observations here, characterizing M. pneumoniae infection of NHBE for up to four weeks. Colonization of the apical surface was followed by pericellular invasion of the basolateral compartment and migration across the underlying transwell membrane. Despite fluctuations in transepithelial electrical resistance and increased NHBE cell desquamation, barrier function remained largely intact. Desquamation was accompanied by epithelial remodeling that included cytoskeletal reorganization and development of deep furrows in the epithelium. Finally, M. pneumoniae strains S1 and M129 differed with respect to invasion and histopathology, consistent with contrasting virulence in experimentally infected mice. In summary, this study reports pericellular invasion, NHBE cytoskeletal reorganization, and tissue remodeling with persistent infection in a human airway epithelium model, providing clear insight into the likely route for extra-pulmonary spread.
Online planning for human–multi-robot interactive theatrical performance

We propose and evaluate a multi-robot system designed to enable live, improvisational theatric performance through online interaction between a performer and a robot system. The proposed system translates theatric performer intent into dynamically feasible trajectories for multi-robot ensembles without requiring prior knowledge of the ordering or timing of the desired robot motions. We allow a user to issue detailed instructions composed of desired motion descriptors in an online setting to specify the motion of varying collectives of robots via a centralized system planner. The centralized planner refines user motion specifications into safe and dynamically feasible trajectories thereby reducing the cognitive burden placed on the performer. We evaluate the system on a team of aerial robots (quadrotors), and show through offline simulation and online performance that the proposed system formulation translates online input into non-colliding dynamically feasible trajectories enabling a fleet of fifteen quadrotors to perform a series of coordinated behaviors in response to improvised direction from a human operator.
ERM: A Way Station to One Currency?

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the foreign exchange solution, or perhaps the stop-gap measure, that has been adopted by most of the EC members is the exchange rate mechanism(ERM) within the European monetary system(EMS). The ERM sometimes is portrayed as an intermediate step to a one-currency regime, and sometimes as an attractive arrangement in its own right, a mini Breton Woods agreement. It is very hard to imagine that the current interest rate differentials would exist across EC government securities if the EC was a one-currency area. The markets perceive the various currencies as different, despite the current success of the ERM and the ongoing planning toward irrevocably fixed exchange rates. However, the stumbling block to a single currency is not going to be the constitution of the EC central bank, the business community, or concern over national economic welfare. Rather, it is more likely to be the unwillingness of governments to give up monetary independence, even if this independence is on balance detrimental to their economies.
Code for: Exact and Numerically Stable Expressions for Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko Beam Modes

Abstract In this work we present a general procedure for deriving exact, analytical, and numerically stable expressions for the characteristic equations and the eigenmodes of the Timoshenko and the Euler-Bernoulli beam models. This work generalizes the approach recently described in Goncalves et al. (2018), which allows the numerical stabilization for the case of the Timoshenko beam model. Our results enable the reliable computation of the eigenvalues and the eigenmodes of both beam models for any number of modes. In addition to presenting the necessary details for stabilizing the solutions to the eigenvalue problem for the two beam models, we also tabulate the results for a large number of the common boundary conditions so that one can compare the predictions of all those models. Therefore, another contribution of our work is the presentation of both the conventional as well as the novel, numerically stabilized results for both the Euler-Bernoulli and the Timoshenko beam models in one manuscript with consistent notation, and for the most common boundary conditions. The code for the stabilized Timoshenko expressions as well as for the finite element verification are made available through a Mendeley Data repository linked to this manuscript.
GERIATRIC CARE FOR GIANT CELL MYOCARDITIS: BIVENTRICULAR IMPELLA AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSION

Giant cell myocarditis is a rare but life-threatening disease that primarily affects young or middle aged adults; heart transplantation is the treatment of choice. However, treatment of elderly patients who are not transplantation candidates requires a careful approach with attention to goals of
Fundamental Challenges in Unsaturated Soil Mechanics

Fundamental challenges in unsaturated soil mechanics have been identified in four major areas: quantifying internal stress state, developing a new paradigm for soil classification, developing new computational and theoretical constructs for unsaturated soil behavior, and tackling emerging problems in geotechnical engineering practice from the perspective of unsaturated soil mechanics. This chapter addresses each of these needs by critically reviewing some of the history in each area and summarizing recent research advances as current understanding of unsaturated soil behavior continues to evolve.
Southwestern Internal Medicine Conference: Paget’s Disease of Bone

ABSTRACT Paget’s disease is a relatively common bone disease. This review aims to present reasonable treatment recommendations with enough background to understand them. To accomplish this end, some aspects of basic bone cell biology, biochemistry, and pathology are presented, as are speculations about possible causes of this disease. Treatment of Paget’s disease will be considered in three sections. The first two sections will review treatment with calcitonin and diphosphonates, respectively. These sections briefly will consider the mechanism of action of the drugs, review in detail clinical studies of drug effectiveness, and summarize the advantages and disadvantages of each drug. The third section details specific treatment recommendations for each of the six clinical settings in which treatment of Paget’s disease is justified.
From Benefits to Success: Veterans’ Educational Outcomes in the Post-9/11 Era

The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides unprecedented federal funding for veterans to attend post-secondary education and make the transition to the civilian workforce. However, there is little empirical re...
Ultimate Outcomes of Patients with Recurrent Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Who Do Not Respond to Second-Line Chemotherapy

Background: Patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who relapse after or are refractory to initial therapy can in some cases experience long term disease free survival after second-line chemotherapy alone or followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. The major predictor of outcome for patients undergoing autologous transplant is response to prior (second-line) chemotherapy. Patients not responding to second-line regimens may receive third-line or subsequent chemotherapy regimens in hopes of achieving response and proceeding to transplant, but available outcome data from this group have been limited. Methods: We used pathology and treatment records to identify patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL (excluding transformed lymphoma) at the Weill Cornell Medical Center for whom data on response to second-line chemotherapy could be determined. An online social security database verified survival. Median overall survival (OS) was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: One hundred eight patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who underwent second line chemotherapy were identified, and adequate treatment records were available for 74 of these patients. Chemotherapy consisted of ifosfamide-containing regimens in 60 patients (81%), platinum-containing regimens in 61 (82%) and included rituximab in 29 (39%). Forty-seven patients (64%) achieved at least a partial response (R), while 27 patients (36%) did not respond (NR). Median OS from second therapy was 4 months (range 1–61) in the NR group, and was projected at 66 months (range 2–106) in the R group. Only one patient in the NR group (4%) survived for greater than one year. Twenty-four NR patients underwent third-line therapy, of whom 5 of 19 with available response data achieved a clinical response (5 died prior to response assessment) and 3 underwent autologous transplantation. Two patients progressed within 3 months of transplantation, with OS from transplantation of 4 months, while the third patient is alive in remission at 59 months after transplant. Neither longer duration of first remission (HR 1.00, p=0.85) nor choice of subsequent aggressive chemotherapy over less intensive approaches (HR 0.81, p=0.65) conferred a survival benefit in patients who had not responded to second-line therapy. Conclusion: Patients with recurrent DLBCL who do not respond to second-line chemotherapy have poor outcomes, with only rare patients achieving extended survival following subsequent chemotherapy. Clinical trials of novel therapeutic regimens should be prioritized as management strategies for these patients.
The drivers of West Nile virus human illness: fine scale dynamic effects of weather, mosquito infection, social, and biological conditions

Abstract West Nile virus (WNV) has consistently been reported to be associated with human cases of illness in the region near Chicago, Illinois. However, the number of reported cases of human illness varies across years, with intermittent outbreaks. Several dynamic factors, including temperature, rainfall, and infection status of vector mosquito populations, are responsible for much of these observed variations. However, local landscape structure and human demographic characteristics also play a key role. The geographic and temporal scales used to analyze such complex data affect the observed associations. Here, we used spatial and statistical modeling approaches to investigate the factors that drive the outcome of WNV human illness on fine temporal and spatial scales. Our approach included multi-level modeling of long-term weekly data from 2005 to 2016, with weekly measures of mosquito infection, human illness and weather combined with more stable landscape and demographic factors on the geographical scale of 1000m hexagons. We found that hot weather conditions, warm winters, and higher MIR in earlier weeks increased the probability of an area of having a WNV human case. Higher population and the proportion of urban light intensity in an area also increased the probability of observing a WNV human case. A higher proportion of open water sources, percentage of grass land, deciduous forests, and housing built post 1990 decreased the probability of having a WNV case. Additionally, we found that cumulative positive mosquito pools up to 31 weeks can strongly predict the total annual human WNV cases in the Chicago region. This study helped us to improve our understanding of the fine-scale drivers of spatiotemporal variability of human WNV cases.
Optimal Depletion of Exhaustible Resources

Exhaustible resources are non-producible and in that respect different from renewable resources, considered in the next chapter. Optimal depletion over many periods is about the tradeoff between the net benefits of extraction today and the net benefits of extraction in the future. The key insight here is that extracting a unit of the resource today carries an opportunity cost beyond the cost of the inputs used in extracting, the value that might have been obtained by extracting at some future date. The question is: What is the time pattern of extraction that maximizes the net present value of the resource in the ground? This is a constrained optimization problem, solved using elementary calculus techniques to obtain the result that the opportunity cost, the difference between price and marginal extraction cost, also known as the royalty, must grow at a rate equal to the rate of interest (here understood as the theoretically correct rate rather than an empirical rate which might be influenced by political manipulations or economic imperfections). Equivalently, the present discounted value of the royalty must be the same across all periods. If this were not so, some gain could be had by shifting a unit of extraction from a lower value period to a higher, so the initial configuration would have been neither efficient nor an equilibrium. Further results are developed in a variety of models ranging from a simple two-period model to extraction over many periods, including how to find the optimal exhaustion date for a mine, the effect of shocks and market imperfections, and finally to the case of continuous extraction. Simple algebraic and geometric analyses and many worked examples are used, along with graphical presentations. A major focus throughout is the relation between the socially efficient rate of extraction and the market-determined rate. For the continuous case, the mathematics of dynamic optimization, in particular optimal control, is introduced and applied to the resource problem, yielding additional insight into the solution. This will prove useful also in the next chapter on renewable resources such as forests, characterized by continuous growth.
Infrared chemical imaging through non-degenerate two-photon absorption in silicon-based cameras

Chemical imaging based on mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic contrast is an important technique with a myriad of applications, including biomedical imaging and environmental monitoring. Current MIR cameras, however, lack performance and are much less affordable than mature Si-based devices, which operate in the visible and near-infrared regions. Here, we demonstrate fast MIR chemical imaging through non-degenerate two-photon absorption (NTA) in a standard Si-based charge-coupled device (CCD). We show that wide-field MIR images can be obtained at 100 ms exposure times using picosecond pulse energies of only a few femtojoules per pixel through NTA directly on the CCD chip. Because this on-chip approach does not rely on phase matching, it is alignment-free and does not necessitate complex postprocessing of the images. We emphasize the utility of this technique through chemically selective MIR imaging of polymers and biological samples, including MIR videos of moving targets, physical processes and live nematodes.
Genetic Association of Arterial Stiffness Index with Blood Pressure and Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract Background Arterial stiffness index (ASI) is independently associated with blood pressure and coronary artery disease (CAD) in epidemiologic studies. However, it is unknown whether these associations represent causal relationships. Objectives Here, we assess whether genetic predisposition to increased ASI is associated with elevated blood pressure and CAD risk. Methods Genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) of finger photoplethysmography-derived ASI was performed in 131,686 participants from the UK Biobank. Across UK Biobank participants not in the ASI GWAS, a 6-variant ASI polygenic risk score was calculated. The ASI polygenic score was associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP, N=208,897), and with incident CAD over 10 years follow-up (N=223,061; 7,534 cases). The lack of CAD association observed was replicated among 184,305 participants (60,810 cases) from the Coronary Artery Disease Genetics Consortium (CARDIOGRAMplusC4D). Results We replicated prior reports of the epidemiologic association of ASI with SBP (Beta 0.55mmHg, [95% CI, 0.45–0.65], P=5.77×10−24), DBP (Beta 1.05mmHg, [95% CI, 0.99–1.11], P=7.27×10−272), and incident CAD (HR 1.08 [95% CI, 1.04–1.11], P=1.5×10−6) in multivariable models. While each SD increase in genetic predisposition to elevated ASI was highly associated with SBP (Beta 4.63 mmHg [95% CI, 2.1–7.2]; P=3.37×10−4), and DBP (Beta 2.61 mmHg [95% CI, 1.2–4.0]; P=2.85×10−4), no association was observed with incident CAD in UK Biobank (HR 1.12 [95% CI, 0.55–2.3]; P=0.75), or with prevalent CAD in CARDIOGRAMplusC4D (OR 0.56 [95% CI, 0.26–1.24]; P=0.15). Conclusions A genetic predisposition to higher ASI was associated with elevated blood pressure but not with increased risk of developing CAD. Condensed Abstract Arterial stiffness index (ASI) is proposed by some as a surrogate of blood pressure and coronary artery disease (CAD) risk based on epidemiologic analyses. We tested whether genetic predisposition to increased ASI is associated with elevated blood pressure and CAD risk to assess whether these represent causal relationships. We find that a genetic predisposition to higher ASI is associated with elevated systolic (Beta 4.63 mmHg [95% CI, 2.1–7.2]) and diastolic blood pressures (Beta 2.61 mmHg [95% CI, 1.2–4.0]) in the UK Biobank, but not associated with incident CAD in the UK Biobank (P=0.75) or with prevalent CAD in CARDIOGRAMplusC4D (P=0.15). These data support a causal relationship of ASI with blood pressure but do not support the notion that ASI is a suitable surrogate for CAD risk.
Introduction to Debate Two: Should the AAG Consider Carbon Offsets as Part of Its Transition to Low-Emissions Annual Meetings?

Concern about the considerable CO2 footprint associated with travel to and from large academic conferences has been growing in light of the climate crisis (Nevins 2014; Holden et al. 2017; Parrish ...
Robust Object Grasping using Force Compliant Motion Primitives

We address the problem of grasping everyday objects that are small relative to an anthropomorphic hand, such as pens, screwdrivers, cellphones, and hammers from their natural poses on a support surface, e.g., a table top. In such conditions, state of the art grasp generation techniques fail to provide robust, achievable solutions due to either ignoring or trying to avoid contact with the support surface. In contrast, we show that contact with support surfaces is critical for grasping small objects. This also conforms with our anecdotal observations of human grasping behaviors. We develop a simple closed-loop hybrid controller that mimics this interactive, contact-rich strategy by a position-force, pre-grasp and landing strategy for finger placement. The approach uses a compliant control of the hand during the grasp and release of objects in order to preserve safety. We conducted extensive grasping experiments on a variety of small objects with similar shape and size. The results demonstrate that our approach is robust to localization uncertainties and applies to many everyday objects.
The role of hydroxyamines in bladder cancer. I. Fluorescence studies of the bladder mucosa of dogs fed 2-aminonapthalene.

Abstract Fluorescence spectroscopy of the bladder mucosa of dogs given the bladder carcinogen 2-aminonaphthalene revealed the presence of a fluorescent metabolite displaying maxima at 400 mμ and 440 mμ at 340 mμ excitation. Control dog bladder mucosa displayed a single maximum of lower intensity at 440 mμ. The same fluorescence spectrum was obtained after the in-vitro interaction of the 2-amino-1-naphthyl sulfate with control dog bladder mucosa. However, other 2-amino-1-naphthol derivatives displayed the same fluorescence maxima under these conditions. The fluorescence is completely removed by dialysis of the bladder mucosa and also disappears if the ingestion of the 2-aminonaphthalene is discontinued for a few days. The metabolite was identified as 2-amino-1-naphthyl sulfate by paper chromatography. No other metabolites of 2-aminonaphthalene were detected.
Trends in Computing

The ever increasing complexity of computer design, both hardware and software, is moving information technology (IT) companies toward a more disciplined approach for system and component implementation. Design criteria, like time-to-market, zero defects, correct-by-design and high volume manufacturability, are driving engineers to leverage new approaches for hardware and software design. Reusable software components using industry standard component interfaces is one example of how software engineers can quickly implement high-quality code in a short time frame. Formal hardware and software verification tools will also be required to delivery the quality of designs and short design schedules needed to be competitive in the marketplace. But much work is required to develop the tools and design processes that will enable the average engineer to produce complex, correct, reliable and competitive implementations on very short schedules.
Longing: a concept analysis.

Purpose This paper uses Rodgers' evolutionary view of concept analysis to define the human response of longing. The purpose is to develop a definition of longing as the first step in diagnosis development. Data Source A literature review was conducted by searching the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, American Theological Library Association Religion, JSTOR Philosophy, JSTOR Religion, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases to yield an across-discipline sample of articles. Data Synthesis Three researchers identified the attributes, antecedents, consequences, situational context, and surrogate terms of longing. Conclusions An operational definition was developed. Implications for Nursing Practice Longing is clearly a human response to loss, crossing illness and situations in which nurses encounter patients in multiple settings. This supports the need to further develop longing into a nursing diagnosis.
Agriculture, Roman Republic

Italy's landscape and climates are quite diverse. Consequently farming practices vary considerably by region. No brief description of Italian agriculture can encompass all of its variations and this article must restrict itself to generalities. Keywords: agriculture; economic history; Roman history; war
Numerical simulation of biofilm-forming bacteria and other microbes in porous media

Biobarriers created by biofilm-forming bacteria are a new technology being used to control pollution in porous media. Nutrients are fed to the bacteria so it will grow and plug the porous medium forming a barrier to the pollutant. There are other microbes that will actually destroy some pollutants. Here we propose a model and numerically solve the equations modeling the interaction of biofilm-forming bacteria and some of these microbes in porous media. Also, some numerical results are presented.
Hard Lessons: The Role of Law School Clinics in Addressing Prosecutorial Misconduct

This Article approaches prosecutorial misconduct from a pedagogical perspective by exploring the ways in which law school clinicians can teach their students how to confront the problem proactively and in-the-moment, with an eye toward reducing its rate of occurrence and blunting its corrosive effect. Prosecutorial misconduct is a serious problem that strikes at the heart of a criminal defendant’s constitutional right to a fair trial. More broadly, it has the potential to impact the integrity of the criminal justice system as a whole. Educating law school students in criminal clinics about this issue before they become prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys serves three important goals. First, such instruction can act as preventative medicine by reducing the likelihood that future prosecutors will step over the line out of ignorance of the applicable case law and court rules or out of a misplaced desire to win at all costs. Second, it enables future defense counsel to develop litigation methods designed to prevent the problem from occurring in the first instance. Third, it can prepare defense counsel to recognize prosecutorial misconduct that proves unpreventable so that she is able to respond effectively in-the-moment rather than belatedly, after the harm has been done. The blended learning approach that is the signature pedagogy of the clinical classroom is well-suited to addressing prosecutorial misconduct because it provides an opportunity for students to engage in a frank and thoughtful dissection of the legal and ethical issues that are inextricably bound up with it. The model I propose combines instruction in black letter law, ethics, and skills acquisition. It also seeks to have clinicians model the process of analyzing and responding to prosecutorial misconduct using examples from their real world experiences. With this approach, students will learn to think critically about their roles and responsibilities as future prosecutors and defense attorneys and to develop sound professional judgment before they enter the whirlwind of practice.
Impacts of gold nanoparticle charge and ligand type on surface binding and toxicity to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria

Although nanomaterials facilitate significant technological advancement in our society, their potential impacts on the environment are yet to be fully understood. In this study, two environmentally relevant bacteria, Shewanella oneidensis and Bacillus subtilis, have been used as model organisms to elucidate the molecular interactions between these bacterial classes and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) with well-controlled and well-characterized surface chemistries: anionic 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), cationic 3-mercaptopropylamine (MPNH2), and the cationic polyelectrolyte poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH). The data demonstrate that cationic, especially polyelectrolyte-wrapped AuNPs, were more toxic to both the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The levels of toxicity observed were closely related to the percentage of cells with AuNPs associated with the cell surface as measured in situ using flow cytometry. The NP concentration-dependent binding profiles were drastically different for the two bacteria strains, suggesting the critical role of bacterial cell surface chemistry in determining nanoparticle association, and thereby, biological impact.
A locally corrected Nyström method for EM scattering with a Fourier mode expansion

Computation of corrected weights in the locally corrected Nystrom method is a time consuming procedure. Since the method exhibits high-order convergence properties, the expense of computing the corrected weights is worthwhile when many computations will be performed on a fixed geometry. Such situations occur when solutions are computed over a range of frequencies and when a series of mode solutions in a series expansion are needed. Here an explanation is given as to how corrected weights can be computed once and then reused over a range of frequencies and mode numbers for any fixed body of revolution (BOR) geometry. The corrected weights need not be recomputed but only adjusted by multiplication.
Radial sliding-window magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) with highly-constrained projection reconstruction (HYPR)

Sufficient temporal resolution is required to image the dynamics of blood flow, which may be critical for accurate diagnosis and treatment of various intracranial vascular diseases, such as arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and aneurysms. Highly-constrained projection reconstruction (HYPR) has recently become a technique of interest for high-speed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA). HYPR provides high frame rates by preferential weighting of radial projections while maintaining signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by using a high SNR composite. An analysis was done to quantify the effects of HYPR on SNR, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and temporal blur compared to the previously developed radial sliding-window technique using standard filtered backprojection or regridding methods. Computer simulations were performed to study the effects of HYPR processing on image error and the temporal information. Additionally, in vivo imaging was done on patients with angiographically confirmed AVMs to measure the effects of alteration of various HYPR parameters on SNR as well as the fidelity of the temporal information. The images were scored by an interventional radiologist in a blinded read and were compared with X-ray digital subtraction angiography (DSA). It was found that with the right choice of parameters, modest improvements in both SNR and dynamic information can be achieved as compared to radial sliding-window MRA.
Rituximab: A promising therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus

Several trials of new immunologic agents in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have recently been undertaken. Rituximab, a chimeric antibody directed against CD20 on B lymphocytes, has emerged as a promising therapy. Based upon preliminary data, clinical efficacy of rituximab has been documented in both pediatric and adult-onset SLE patients. The specific manifestations reported to be beneficially affected include lupus nephritis, arthralgia/arthritis, serositis, cutaneous vasculitis, mucositis, rashes, fatigue and neurologic symptoms. Although rituximab's mechanisms of action are incompletely understood, the effects of rituximab are likely mediated by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and the induction of apoptosis. The resultant repopulation of B cells, alteration of abnormal B cell homeostasis and down-regulation of co-stimulatory molecules on both B and T cells all likely contribute to clinical efficacy. Good tolerability of rituximab is reported with rare serious side effects. The positive response to rituximab verifies a central role for B cells in SLE. This article highlights the clinical experience of rituximab therapy in both pediatric and adult-onset SLE. These data suggest a promising role for rituximab in the treatment of SLE. Further controlled trials and long-term outcome studies are imperative to further define its clinical application and to improve the care of patients.
Angular-momentum-projected yrast levels from a coherent phonon state

Expressions for the energies of ground state yrast bands of even-even nuclei are obtained by angular-momentum projection on coherent phonon intrinsic states starting from a pairing plus quadrupole interaction. The results of the theory for a local minimum corresponding to zero deformation are investigated numerically and a good fit is found to the spectra of the xenon isotopes. Quadrupole moments and $B(E2)$'s are also discussed.
Domain-Independent Entity Coreference for Linking Ontology Instances

The objective of entity coreference is to determine if different mentions (e.g., person names, place names, database records, ontology instances, etc.) refer to the same real word object. Entity coreference algorithms can be used to detect duplicate database records and to determine if two Semantic Web instances represent the same underlying real word entity. The key issues in developing an entity coreference algorithm include how to locate context information and how to utilize the context appropriately. In this article, we present a novel entity coreference algorithm for ontology instances. For scalability reasons, we select a neighborhood of each instance from an RDF graph. To determine the similarity between two instances, our algorithm computes the similarity between comparable property values in the neighborhood graphs. The similarity of distinct URIs and blank nodes is computed by comparing their outgoing links. In an attempt to reduce the impact of distant nodes on the final similarity measure, we explore a distance-based discounting approach. To provide the best possible domain-independent matches, we propose an approach to compute the discriminability of triples in order to assign weights to the context information. We evaluated our algorithm using different instance categories from five datasets. Our experiments show that the best results are achieved by including both our discounting and triple discrimination approaches.
Mitochondrial bioactivation of cysteine S-conjugates and 4-thiaalkanoates: Implications for mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial diseases

Abstract The toxicity of most drugs and chemicals is associated with their enzymatic conversion to toxic metabolites. Bioactivation reactions occur in a range of organs and organelles, including mitochondria. The toxicity of haloalkene-derived cysteine S -conjugates and related 4-thiaalkanoates is associated with their mitochondrial bioactivation. Toxic cysteine S -conjugates are formed by the glutathione S -transferase-catalyzed addition of glutathione to haloalkenes to give glutathione S -conjugates, which are hydrolyzed by γ-glutamyltransferase and dipeptidases. Mitochondrial cysteine conjugate s-lyase-catalyzed bioactivation of cysteine S -conjugates affords unstable α-halothiolates. Haloalkene-derived 4-thiaalkanoates, which are analogs of cysteine S -conjugates that lack an α-amino group, undergo bioactivation by the enzymes of fatty acid s-oxidation to give 3-hydroxy-4-thiaalkanoates that eliminate α-halothiolates. α-Halothiolates yield alkylating and acylating agents that interact with cellular macromolecules and thereby cause cell damage. Mitochondrial dysfunction is the hallmark of cysteine S -conjugate-induced cytotoxicity: decreased respiration, decreased ATP and total adenine nucleotide concentrations, depletion of the mitochondrial glutathione content, perturbations in cellular Ca 2+ homeostasis, and damage to the mitochondrial genome are seen with cysteine S -conjugates. Similar changes are observed with cytotoxic 4-thiaalkanoates, but inhibition of the medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and hypoglycemia are also observed.