cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Virus–Polymer Hybrid Nanowires Tailored to Detect Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen

We demonstrate the de novo fabrication of a biosensor, based upon virus-containing poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanowires, that detects prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). This development process occurs in three phases: (1) isolation of a M13 virus with a displayed polypeptide receptor, from a library of ≈1011 phage-displayed peptides, which binds PSMA with high affinity and selectivity, (2) microfabrication of PEDOT nanowires that entrain these virus particles using the lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition (LPNE) method, and (3) electrical detection of the PSMA in high ionic strength (150 mM salt) media, including synthetic urine, using an array of virus–PEDOT nanowires with the electrical resistance of these nanowires for transduction. The electrical resistance of an array of these nanowires increases linearly with the PSMA concentration from 20 to 120 nM in high ionic strength phosphate-buffered fluoride (PBF) buffer, yielding a limit of detection (LOD) for PSMA of...
Electrical Properties of Stacked RTO/RTCVD Oxides as Gate Dielectrics

To meet the stringent demands of high quality gate performance in advanced devices, a more robust gate dielectric is needed. A stacked structure consisting of thermal oxide and deposited oxide is a potential candidate since it offers certain advantages over single layer oxides such as 1) reduced defect density, 2) reduced stress at the SiO2/Si interface due to stress compensation between the thermal and the deposited oxide, 3) less silicon consumption and 4) reduced thermal budget. In this study, stacked oxides consisting of RTO and RTCVD oxides are characterized. In contrast to other studies which use conventional LPCVD methods to form the top oxide, these stacked oxides have the advantages of rapid thermal and in-situ processing, which produces excellent bulk and interfacial properties. Electrical characterization has shown that these stacked oxides have superior performance compared to single layer furnace or deposited oxides.
Silk Fibroin Hydrogels Coupled with the n16N−β-Chitin Complex: An in Vitro Organic Matrix for Controlling Calcium Carbonate Mineralization

Previous results have shown that the nacre specific peptide, n16N, from the Japanese pearl oyster Pinctada fucata has a binding affinity for β-chitin. As a result, the n16N-chitin assembly is able to selectivity nucleate aragonite. Here, we have added silk fibroin hydrogels to the in vitro assay to more fully represent the in vivo matrix. Crystallization, with a silk fibroin hydrogel and n16N on β-chitin, results in metastable vaterite and amorphous calcium carbonate, which form as flat deposits with hemispherical centers. Acidic peptide controls (p-Asp/p-Glu) were also tested in the silk-chitin assay and result in flat calcite that grows into the β-chitin substrate. Fluorescence imaging of that matrix, made with labeled n16N, shows that n16N binds to β-chitin in the presence of silk gel. These results demonstrate that the addition of a silk hydrogel to the n16N−β-chitin assembly changes the microenvironment for mineralization. This work contributes to our understanding of the roles of individual nacre ma...
Increased norepinephrine levels during catheterization in patients with spinal cord injury.

ABSTRACT The hypothesis for this study was that catecholamine levels increase during urinary catheterization in human patients with spinal cord injury. Catecholamine levels, blood pressure, and pulse were measured prospectively in 40 subjects at baseline and during urinary catheterization. Results showed a significant increase in norepinephrine levels from baseline 245 ± 240 pg (standard deviation (SD)) to 314 ± 311 pg (SD) during catheterization (P = 0.018, Wilcoxon's). Results also showed a nonsignificant increase in epinephrine levels from baseline (56 ± 70 pg, SD) to catheterization (84 ± 125 pg, SD; P = 0.35, Wilcoxon's). Systolic blood pressure increased from 114 to 124 mm Hg (P = 0.004, paired t test). Diastolic blood pressure increased from 75 to 78 mm Hg (P = 0.11, paired t test). There was no significant change in diastolic blood pressure or pulse (P = 0.11 and P = 0.29, respectively, paired t test). In conclusion, norepinephrine levels increased during catheterization in patients with spinal cord injury. Knowledge of catecholamine levels in this process may assist in determining both pathophysiology and potential pharmacologic treatment options in future studies.
Photoresist Polymer Mask Formed From Aqueous Phase Via Polymerization In A Two Dimensional Surfactant Template

An environmental friendly, aqueous based, thin film technology is investigated that is quite versatile in forming a variety of polymer substrates. The polymer substrates are potentially capable of being utilized as high resolution resists for semiconductor chip production. This process is based on polymerization of monomers partitioned within a two dimensional surfactant template adsorbed on the surface of a silicon wafer. The surfactant template (bilayer) serves to localize the polymerization reaction at the liquid-solid interface and thereby resulting in the coverage of the silicon wafer with a nano-thin polymer film. On a polished silicon wafer with a 4 nm silicon oxide layer, film thickness up to 130 nm have been obtained for polystyrene and for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) which is also used as a standard photoresist mask in electron beam lithography.
Utility of the low-accelerating-dose regimen in 182 liver recipients with recurrent hepatitis C virus

AIM: To describe our experience using a low-accelerating-dose regimen (LADR) with pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin in treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence. METHODS: From 2003, a protocolized LADR strategy was employed to treat liver transplant (LT) recipients with recurrent HCV at our institution. Medical records of 182 adult patients with recurrent HCV treated with LADR between 1/2003 and 1/2011 were reviewed. Histopathology from all post-LT liver biopsies were reviewed in a blinded fashion. Paired recipient and donor IL28B status were assessed. A novel technique was employed to ascertain recipient and donor IL28B (rs12979860) Gt data using DNA extracted from archival FFPE tissue from explanted native livers and donor gallbladders respectively. The primary endpoint was SVR; secondary endpoints examined include (1) patient and graft survival; (2) effect of anti-viral therapy on liver histology (fibrosis and inflammation); (3) incidence of on-treatment development of ACR, CDR, or PCH; (4) association of recipient and donor IL28B genotype with SVR; and (5) incidence of anti-viral therapy-associated adverse events (anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, depression) and hepatic decompensation. RESULTS: The overall SVR rate was 38% (29% Gt1, 67% Gt2, 86% Gt3 and 58% Gt4). HCV Gt (P < 0.0001), donor age (P = 0.003), cytomegalovirus mismatch (P = 0.001), baseline serum bilirubin (P = 0.002), and baseline viral load (P = 0.04) were independent predictors for SVR. SVR rates were significantly higher in the recipient-CC/donor-non CC pairs (P = 0.007). Neither baseline fibrosis nor change in fibrosis stage after anti-viral therapy were associated with SVR. Fibrosis progressed in 72% of patients despite SVR. Median graft survival was 91 mo. Five-year patient survival was superior in patients who achieved SVR (97% vs 82%, P = 0.001). Pre-treatment ALP ≥ 150 U/L (P = 0.01), total bilirubin ≥ 1.5 mg/dL (P = 0.001) and creatinine ≥ 2 mg/dL (P = 0.001) were independently associated with patient survival. Only 13% of patients achieving SVR died during the follow-up period. Treatment discontinuation and treatment-related mortality occurred in 35% and 2.2% of patients, respectively. EPO, G-CSF and blood transfusion were needed in 89%, 40% and 23% of patients, respectively. Overall hospitalization rate for treatment-related serious adverse events was 21%. Forty-six (25%) of the patients were deceased; among those who died, 25 (54%) were due to liver-related complications, and 4 deaths (9%) occurred while receiving therapy (2 patients experienced hepatic decompensation and 2 sepsis). CONCLUSION: LADR strategy remains relevant in managing post-LT recurrent HCV where access to DAAs is limited. SVR is associated with improved survival, but fibrosis progression still occurs.
Pathways to anxiety-depression comorbidity: A longitudinal examination of childhood anxiety disorders.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are prevalent in youth and associated with later depressive disorders. A recent model posits three distinct anxiety-depression pathways. Pathway 1 represents youth with a diathesis to anxiety that increases risk for depressive disorders; Pathway 2 describes youth with a shared anxiety-depression diathesis; and Pathway 3 consists of youth with a diathesis for depression who develop anxiety as a consequence of depression impairment. This is the first partial test of this model following cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for child anxiety. METHOD: The present study included individuals (N = 66; M age = 27.23 years, SD = 3.54) treated with CBT for childhood anxiety disorders 7-19 years (M = 16.24; SD = 3.56) earlier. Information regarding anxiety (i.e., social phobia (SoP), separation anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)) and mood disorders (i.e., major depressive disorder (MDD) and dysthymic disorders) was obtained at pretreatment, posttreatment, and one or more follow-up intervals via interviews and self-reports. RESULTS: Evidence of pathways from SoP, SAD, and GAD to later depressive disorders was not observed. Treatment responders evidenced reduced GAD and SoP over time, although SoP was observed to have a more chronic and enduring pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence for typically observed pathways from childhood anxiety disorders was not observed. Future research should prospectively examine if CBT treatment response disrupts commonly observed pathways.© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
Dynamical Excitonic Effects in Doped Two-Dimensional Semiconductors

It is well-known that excitonic effects can dominate the optical properties of two-dimensional materials. These effects, however, can be substantially modified by doping free carriers. We investigate these doping effects by solving the first-principles Bethe–Salpeter equation. Dynamical screening effects, included via the sum-rule preserving generalized plasmon-pole model, are found to be important in the doped system. Using monolayer MoS2 as an example, we find that upon moderate doping, the exciton binding energy can be tuned by a few hundred millielectronvolts, while the exciton peak position stays nearly constant due to a cancellation with the quasiparticle band gap renormalization. At higher doping densities, the exciton peak position increases linearly in energy and gradually merges into a Fermi-edge singularity. Our results are crucial for the quantitative interpretation of optical properties of two-dimensional materials and the further development of ab initio theories of studying charged excitati...
CHANCE-CONSTRAINED PROGRAMMING: AN EXTENSION OF STATISTICAL METHOD

Publisher Summary Chance-constrained programming is an extension of statistical method. Chance-constrained programming was originated in the context of developing a planning and operations model for the Standard Oil of New Jersey for the scheduling of heating oil manufacture, storage, and distribution with weather-dependent demand. The constrained game approach was not entirely satisfactory as an extension of statistical method. While the constraints on permissible (mixed) strategies of nature were substantially better than none at all, the remnant clairvoyant malevolence of nature implicit in the minimax solution did not seem appropriate to the behavior of weather. Another important consideration was that while the policy of the company as the major supplier of a product tinged with the national interest was to supply all emergent demand, one could determine random combinations of weather whose associated demand would be impossible for the company to meet from its available mechanisms or resources. It is clear that within these prescriptions, chance-constrained programming may be considered a method of tremendous flexibility with innumerable individual possible variations or models.
Challenges constraining access to insulin in the private-sector market of Delhi, India

Objective India9s majority of patients—including those living with diabetes—seek healthcare in the private sector through out-of-pocket (OOP) payments. We studied access to insulin in the private-sector market of Delhi state, India. Methods A modified World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) standard survey to assess insulin availability and prices, and qualitative interviews with insulin retailers (pharmacists) and wholesalers to understand insulin market dynamics. Results In 40 pharmacy outlets analysed, mean availability of the human and analogue insulins on the 2013 Delhi essential medicine list was 44.4% and 13.1%, respectively. 82% of pharmacies had domestically manufactured human insulin phials, primarily was made in India under licence to overseas pharmaceutical companies. Analogue insulin was only in cartridge and pen forms that were 4.42 and 5.81 times, respectively, the price of human insulin phials. Domestically manufactured human phial and cartridge insulin (produced for foreign and Indian companies) was less expensive than their imported counterparts. The lowest paid unskilled government worker in Delhi would work about 1.5 and 8.6 days, respectively, to be able to pay OOP for a monthly supply of human phial and analogue cartridge insulin. Interviews suggest that the Delhi insulin market is dominated by a few multinational companies that import and/or license in-country production. Several factors influence insulin uptake by patients, including doctor9s prescribing preference. Wholesalers have negative perceptions about domestic insulin manufacturing. Conclusions The Delhi insulin market is an oligopoly with limited market competition. Increasing competition from Indian companies is going to require some additional policies, not presently in place. As more Indian companies produce biosimilars, brand substitution policies are needed to be able to benefit from market competition.
Dealing with the Devils: The Responsibility of Neuromarketing Practitioners in Conducting Research for Ethically Questionable Client Agendas

The acceptance of neuromarketing in the modern brander’s research toolbox has proliferated in the past 10 years. With a growing understanding of the predictive utility afforded by neuromarketing’s nonverbal brain and body derived measures, a more diverse set of clients have come to the table with unprecedented interest. While the majority of research in the field thus far has been for the purpose of manifesting optimal user experiences, other’s questions if answered through the lense of neuromarketing may have the potential to jeopardize consumer’s well-being. The question then must be put forth to its field’s practitioners: When it comes to working for potentially dubious initiatives or questionable client agendas, when and how will the ethical lines be drawn? The primary aim of this chapter is to delve into this question by considering it through a number of different perspectives. First, the historical underpinnings of ethics in branding and advertising will be discussed in order to parse out the fundamental factors that have been cause for concern in the the consumer insights industry. It is with these historic factors in mind that subsequent suggestions for neuromarketer’s best practices related to research initiatives are next considered. Lastly, for those who integrate the tools of neuroscience in broader consumer research toolboxes, considerations are made for participation in research on the behalf of typically controversial causes, such as alcohol, tobacco, or in the realm of politics or socially-oriented political agendas which may have questionable benefit to the public. A relevant case study from the Neuromarketing Science and Business Association is highlighted.
SBDS Protein Plays a Role in Ribosome Biogenesis.

Abstract Shwachman-Diamond syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, bone marrow failure, and leukemia predisposition. The majority of patients with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome harbor mutations in the SBDS gene. SBDS is a novel gene of unknown function and is highly conserved throughout evolution. Studies of the yeast orthologue, YLR022c/SDO1, suggest that SBDS may play a role in ribosome biogenesis. In support of this hypothesis, we have found that the SBDS protein shuttles in and out of the nucleolus. Previously we have shown that SBDS nucleolar localization is regulated in a cell cycle-dependant manner. We now find that SBDS nucleolar localization is also lost following exposure to actinomycin D, suggesting that SBDS nucleolar localization is dependent on active ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcription. In cell survival assays, SBDS−/− patient-derived cells are sensitive to actinomycin D treatment relative to normal control cells. Introduction of the wild-type SBDS cDNA into SBDS−/− cells corrects their actinomycin D sensitivity, confirming that the observed sensitivity is SBDS-dependent. In contrast, SBDS−/− cells do not exhibit increased sensitivity to cyclohexamide, a protein translation inhibitor. Consistent with this result, SBDS protein co-localizes with ribosomal precursor subunits but not with mature polysomes upon sucrose gradient sedimentation. No differences in polysome profiles are observed between SBDS−/− cells and wild type control cells. Gel filtration studies suggest that SBDS associates into a complex with other proteins. SBDS co-immunoprecipitates with other nucleolar proteins involved in rRNA biogenesis. RNA immunoprecipitation studies reveal that SBDS also associates with the 28S rRNA but not the 18S rRNA. These findings support the hypothesis that SBDS plays a role in ribosome biogenesis
Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma

Adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia (ATL) is a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative neoplasm caused by human T-lymphotrophic virus 1. In its more common, aggressive forms, ATL carries one of the poorest prognoses of the non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The disease has clinical subtypes (ie, acute, lymphoma, chronic, and smoldering forms) defined by the presenting features, and therefore, the clinical course can vary. For the smoldering and lower-risk chronic forms, combinations involving antiviral therapies have shown some success. However, in many patients, the more indolent forms will evolve into the more aggressive subtypes. In the more aggressive acute, lymphoma, and higher-risk chronic forms, the literature supports initial treatment with combination chemotherapy followed by allogeneic transplantation as a potentially curative approach. Recently, mogamulizumab and lenalidomide have shown promise in the treatment of ATL. With better understanding of the molecular drivers of this disease, we hope that the therapeutic land...
A Cheap Trick to Improve the Power of a Conservative Hypothesis Test

Critical values and p-values of statistical hypothesis tests are often derived using asymptotic approximations of sampling distributions. However, this sometimes results in tests that are conservat...
Fan-out wafer molding process optimization using cure-dependent viscoelastic modeling and characterizations

Due to the significant volume change of molding compounds during assembly processes, warpage is the top issue to be overcome in the application of the fan-out wafer form. Minimizing warpage of the fan-out wafer during the molding process, though challenging, is essential for ensuring good assembly process yields. In this paper, we propose a predictive modeling approach to accurately address warpage evolution and to effectively mitigate warpage by optimizing molding process conditions. This approach establishes a viscoelastic-based material model accounting for cure-dependent viscoelastic relaxation behavior of molding compound. The material model can be generated by material characterization data using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). This cure-dependent viscoelastic model is then incorporated into finite element (FE) analysis to simulate warpage evolution over the entire compression molding curing process, including compression molding cure (CMC) and the subsequent post molding cure (PMC). The simulation results are compared to in-line warpage measurement data to validate the integrated process modeling approach. This study found that the finite element method using cure-dependent viscoelastic model is highly suitable for the predictions of fan-out wafer level packaging warpage. Furthermore, optimized curing condition was found to effectively improve warpage performance to enhance throughput, process yield, and package reliability results. Warpage concerns can be minimized by good predictions to determine solution, reduce design cycle time and cost significantly.
Pseudo-vanishing lung syndrome in a patient with tricuspid valve bacterial endocarditis.

Infective endocarditis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among individuals with opioid use disorder who use injection drugs. It is frequently associated with tricuspid valve endocarditis and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia, with secondary pulmonary septic emboli. Herein, we report a unique case of pulmonary cavitation injury following pulmonary septic emboli in the setting of tricuspid valve endocarditis in an injection drug user with opioid use disorder. The pattern of cavitary lung injury mimics radiographically indistinguishable features from vanishing lung syndrome during the most advanced stage of her illness. .
Predictability and Scales of Motion

A scheme is presented for estimating the ability to forecast a wide range of scales of weather features. First, the predictability curves of Anthes and Baumhefner (1984) are normalized to be indepe...
AIDS: The Uses and Limitations of Science

We are at the mark of an historic anniversary: it was on June 5, 1981, that the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports published a brief summary of five unusual cases of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) occurring in a cluster in previously healthy young men (1). Since PCP had almost always occurred in the context of immune suppression, that clue had been pursued, and indeed their immune systems turned out to be profoundly suppressed. As we now know, that was the faint trumpet that heralded the arrival of a vast pandemic caused by a human retrovirus that had not been recognized before.
Adjusting Neural Network to a Particular Problem: Neural Network-Based Empirical Biological Model for Chlorophyll Concentration in the Upper Ocean

The versatility of the neural network (NN) technique allows it to be successfully applied in many fields of science and to a great variety of problems. For each problem or class of problems, a generic NN technique (e.g., multilayer perceptron (MLP)) usually requires some adjustments, which often are crucial for the development of a successful application. In this paper, we introduce a NN application that demonstrates the importance of such adjustments; moreover, in this case, the adjustments applied to a generic NN technique may be successfully used in many other NN applications. We introduce a NN technique, linking chlorophyll “a” (chl-a) variability—primarily driven by biological processes—with the physical processes of the upper ocean using a NN-based empirical biological model for chl-a. In this study, satellite-derived surface parameter fields, sea-surface temperature (SST) and sea-surface height (SSH), as well as gridded salinity and temperature profiles from 0 to 75m depth are employed as signatures of upper-ocean dynamics. Chlorophyll-a fields from NOAA’s operational Visible Imaging Infrared Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) are used, as well as Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) chl-a concentrations. Different methods of optimizing the NN technique are investigated. Results are assessed using the root-mean-square error (RMSE) metric and cross-correlations between observed ocean color (OC) fields and NN output. To reduce the impact of noise in the data and to obtain a stable computation of the NN Jacobian, an ensemble of NN with different weights is constructed. This study demonstrates that the NN technique provides an accurate, computationally cheap method to generate long (up to 10 years) time series of consistent chl-a concentration that are in good agreement with chl-a data observed by different satellite sensors during the relevant period. The presented NN demonstrates a very good ability to generalize in terms of both space and time. Consequently, the NN-based empirical biological model for chl-a can be used in oceanic models, coupled climate prediction systems, and data assimilation systems to dynamically consider biological processes in the upper ocean.
Re/conceptualizing time in higher education

Time remains unexamined and undertheorized when exploring different aspects of higher education. The nature of time in higher education is important to theorize for several reasons. First, interwov...
A statistical modeling framework to assess cross-frequency coupling while accounting for confounding effects

Cross frequency coupling (CFC) is emerging as a fundamental feature of brain activity, correlated with brain function and dysfunction. Many different types of CFC have been identified through application of numerous data analysis methods, each developed to characterize a specific CFC type. Choosing an inappropriate method weakens statistical power and introduces opportunities for confounding effects. To address this, we propose a statistical modeling framework to estimate high frequency amplitude as a function of both the low frequency amplitude and low frequency phase; the result is a measure of phase-amplitude coupling that accounts for changes in the low frequency amplitude. We show in simulations that the proposed method successfully detects CFC between the low frequency phase or amplitude and the high frequency amplitude, and outperforms an existing method in biologically-motivated examples. Applying the method to in vivo data, we illustrate how CFC evolves during seizures and is affected by electrical stimuli.
The Endless Judicial Selection Debate and its Implications for the Future of an Independent Judiciary

In this overview, I begin by describing the five different systems of state judicial selection that have evolved out of a perennial struggle to strike an optimal balance between judicial independence and judicial accountability. I then explore recent developments that have intensified that struggle, before analyzing, with reference to available research, how different selection systems counter or accommodate such developments. My purpose here is not to write (another) position piece. Rather, my purpose is to step back and contextualize disputes over judicial selection with reference to the independence and accountability issues that animate them, and to isolate what we know and don't know about the assumptions that underlie the arguments of the disputants, so as to better frame future study and debate.
CFTR Carrier Status

Cystic fibrosis (CF) can present as a varied spectrum affecting multiple organ systems. As with full-blown CF, carriers of CF can express certain disease states depending on the mutations at the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, modifier genes, environmental influences, and other factors. The CF carrier state is not necessarily asymptomatic or disease-free. Rather, CFTR-related disease (CFTR-RD) can affect the same organ systems involved in the CF patient.
Survivorship care engagement with American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

814Background: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) survivors are at significant risk for GI cancers, and also represent an underserved medical population. Gastrointestinal cancers represent t...
Impact of Mass–Size Parameterizations of Frozen Hydrometeors on Microphysical Retrievals: Evaluation by Matching Radar to In Situ Observations from GCPEx and OLYMPEx

AbstractThis article illustrates how multifrequency radar observations can refine the mass–size parameterization of frozen hydrometeors in scattering models and improve the correlation between the ...
Stereodivergent Alkyne Hydrofluorination Using Protic Tetrafluoroborates as Tunable Reagents

The discovery of safe, general, and practical procedures to prepare vinyl fluorides from readily available precursors remains a synthetic challenge. The metal-free hydrofluorination of alkynes constitutes an attractive though elusive strategy for their preparation. Introduced here is an inexpensive and easily handled reagent that enables the development of simple and scalable protocols for the regioselective hydrofluorination of alkynes to access both the E and Z isomers of vinyl fluorides. These reaction conditions were suitable for a diverse collection of alkynes, including several highly functionalized pharmaceutical derivatives. Computational and experimental mechanistic studies support C-F bond formation through vinyl cation intermediates, with the E- and Z-hydrofluorination products forming under kinetic and thermodynamic control, respectively.
The Clinical Contribution of Neurovascular Ultrasonography in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and purpose Patients with acute ischemic stroke receive computed tomography angiogram (CTA) and digital subtraction angiogram (DSA) for clinical evaluation. Current guidelines lack in defining indications for transcranial Doppler (TCD) and/or carotid duplex ultrasonography (CUS) in acute stroke evaluation or follow-up cerebrovascular imaging after reperfusion. We investigated the clinical utility of performing additional TCD/CUS after reperfusion in guiding postacute care stroke management. Methods Retrospective review of acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to a comprehensive stroke center with CTA head and neck and/or DSA followed by TCD/CUS. Cases were reviewed by two authors to determine if TCD/CUS provided additional diagnostic information to aid management. A nominal group process, using a third author, achieved consensus in cases of disagreements. Results Only 25 of 198 patients had CTA or DSA followed by TCD/CUS. Ten (40%) cases showed new clinical information from CUS aiding management. Of those with TCD, 5 patients (22.7%) had findings that impacted management. These clinical scenarios included detection of mobile thrombus requiring anticoagulation; distinguishing carotid near-occlusion from occlusion; confirming hemodynamic significance of intra/extracranial stenosis helping emergent stenting/endarterectomy; detecting hyperperfusion on TCDs causing symptoms; and establishing chronicity of carotid stenosis based on collateral flow patterns, which deferred further intervention. Discussion Our experience shows that TCD/CUS may offer additional diagnostic information assisting postacute care management in small subset of patients with acute ischemic stroke. Larger studies are needed to research the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of additional imaging and inform clinical guidelines for selecting patients who will benefit from these additional studies.
Boas, Montagu and Du Bois and Their Attitude Towards Race

As we are experiencing increased racism in the United States and around the world, it is instructive to examine the attitudes towards race in human beings of three scientific giants in the anti-racist struggle, Franz Boas, Ashley Montagu, and W.E.B. Du Bois.
Review of successful pathways for regulatory approvals in open-field fluorescence-guided surgery.

Significance: The modern use of fluorescence in surgery came iteratively through new devices and pre-existing imaging agents, with indications that were paved via regulatory approvals and device clearances. These events led to a growing set of surgery subspecialty uses. Aim: This article outlines the key milestones that initiated commercially marketed systems and agents by highlighting temporal sequences and strategic decisions between them, with the goal of helping to inform future successes. Approach: A review of successful regulatory approvals and the sequences between them was completed for companies that achieved US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) premarket approval or new drug approvals (NDAs) or device clearances in the fields of fluorescent imaging agents, open surgery imaging devices, and their approved medical indications. Results: Angiography agents, indocyanine green and fluorescein, were approved for human use as absorbing dyes, and this use in retinal imaging was the precursor to lateral translation into tissue perfusion imaging in the last two decades with a growing number of devices. Many FDA cleared devices for open fluorescence-guided surgery used the predicate created by the SPY SP2000 system. This first system was 510(k) cleared for angiography imaging with a unique split predicate from x-ray imaging of vasculature and retinal fluorescence angiography. Since that time, the lateral spread of open surgery devices being cleared for new indications has been occurring with a growth of adoption in surgical subspecialties. Growth into new surgical subspecialties has been achieved by leveraging different NDAs and clearances between indications, such that medical uses have broadened over time. Conclusions: Key decisions made by developers to advance specific device clearances and NDAs have been based upon existing optical fluorescent agents. The historical lessons and regulatory trends in newer indications and contrast agents can help the field evolve via successful investment in new systems and applications.
Combating information chaos: a case for collaborative clinical guidelines in a pandemic.

The speed and scale of new information during the COVID-19 pandemic required a new approach toward developing best practices and evidence-based clinical guidance. To address this need, we produced COVIDProtocols.org, a collaborative, evidence-based, digital platform for the development and dissemination of COVID-19 clinical guidelines that has been used by over 500,000 people from 196 countries. We use a Collaborative Writing Application (CWA) to facilitate an expedited expert review process, and a web platform that deploys content directly from the CWA to minimize any delays. Over 200 contributors have volunteered to create open creative-commons content that spans over 30 specialties and medical disciplines. Multiple local and national governments, hospitals, and clinics have used the site as a key resource for their own clinical guideline development. COVIDprotocols.org represents a model for efficiently launching open-access clinical guidelines during crisis situations to share expertise and combat misinformation.
The color problem in foods.

Publisher Summary This chapter attempts an elementary discussion of the problems of color space and specifically of the C.I.E. color space. It begins by considering the colors of any convenient red, green, and blue light sources at the apexes of a Maxwell triangle. It emphasizes the usefulness of the C.I.E. system and the Munsell color space. The chapter discusses color in foods because the consumer of foods has certain color preferences. Seven commodities have been arbitrarily chosen, around which the discussion is built. The chapter illustrates the problems in determining color in different regions of the color plane: whiteness in sugars and flours; yellowness in oils; greenness in certain vegetables; redness in tomatoes and tomato products; darkening of strawberry preserves; and the color of grape juices, jellies, and wines. A concerted attempt is being made, therefore, to improve color specifications. This is especially true for tomato products. The chapter discusses significant contributions to the color problem in foods and the selection of a unidimensional color scale or index is attempted, according to the color problem to be evaluated. This is, in actuality, an attempt to correlate visual estimation of a color with an instrumentally measured numerical score.
Endocrine Regulation and Methylation Patterns of Rat Class I Alcohol Dehydrogenase in Liver and Kidney

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) is expressed in a tissue-specific fashion and its activity is modulated by several hormones. Class I ADH activity is largely confined to the liver, with considerably smaller levels in the kidney. Experiments with intact animals indicate that thyroid hormone and testosterone reduce the activity of the enzyme in liver (Mezey and Potter, 1981; Rachamin et al., 1980), and that estrogen and growth hormone increase the activity (Teschke et al., 1986; Mezey and Potter, 1979). In primary hepatocyte cultures, growth hormone produced an increase in ADH activity and mRNA levels, and dihydrotestosterone reduced the activity (Mezey et al., 1986a, 1986b; Potter et al., 1989). Certain hepatoma cell lines express low levels of ADH activity and mRNA, and these can be induced by exposure to glucocorticoids (Wolfla et al., 1988; Dong et al., 1988). The enzyme activity in the kidney is induced by androgens in the mouse (Felder et al., 1988) and by estrogen in the rat (Dembic and Sabolic, 1982). Although the effect of androgens in mouse kidney is known to be mediated by an increase in the transcription of the gene, the mechanism of the effect of estrogens in rat kidney has not been reported.
Maxillary alveolar bone imaging: Wiener filter design

Optimal digital filter design is essential for noise suppression in the detection of subtle radiographic bony changes. The purpose of this study was to determine the signal (Ps) and noise (Pn) power spectra of sampled maxillary alveolar bone, to derive the optimal Wiener filter transfer function, H, from sets of Ps and Pn, and to quantify noise suppression through application of this filter. Sixteen standardized radiographs were made of five interproximal bony areas, each area from a separate dry human maxilla. The radiographs were digitized (0.02 mm/pixel resolution) and identical profiles (scan lines) generated between lead markers for each set of films. Ps was calculated from the averaged scan line of each set, Pn was calculated from the difference between the noisy images and the averaged scan line for each set, and an average maxillary H was calculated from the sets of Ps and Pn. Filtering of the 80 noisy sample radiographic profiles with H resulted in a 39% reduction in noise. Application of this digital filter should significantly improve detection of radiographic bony changes in the maxilla.
Synthesis and intracellular processing of aminooligopeptidase by human intestine

Abstract Aminooligopeptidase is an intrinsic glycoprotein of the brush border membrane important for hydrolysis of the oligopeptide products of intraluminal protein digestion. To study its synthesis and intracellular processing, we performed pulse-chase experiments using [ 35 S]methionine to label proteins of cultured human intestinal expiants obtained by endoscopic biopsy. Aminooligopeptidase was isolated by immune precipitation with a monoclonal antibody and its molecular size was assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography. A precursor of relative molecular weight ( M r ) 127,000 appeared within 10 min of chase and appeared to begin conversion to an M r 150,000 form (the size of brush border membrane aminooligopeptidase) within 60 min. To determine if the change in molecular size was the consequence of alterations in glycosylation, we studied the susceptibility of the two forms to endo-β- N -acetylglucosaminidase H, which cleaves immature high-mannose N -linked carbohydrate chains, and to peptide: N 4 -( N -acetyl-β-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase, which cleaves both the highmannose and complex N -linked carbohydrate chains. Only the early M r 127,000 aminooligopeptidase was sensitive to endo-β- N -acetylglucosaminidase H, suggesting that the larger form results from trimming of high-mannose cores and adding terminal sugars in the Golgi complex. Both forms were sensitive to peptide: N 4 -( N -acetyl-β-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase, generating an M r 114,000 species. The kinetics of the synthesis and processing of aminooligopeptidase and sucrase-isomaltase were compared by immunoprecipitation of both proteins from the same tissue after separating the microvillous membrane from the remainder of the cellular membranes. Labeled aminooligopeptidase was present intracellularly in its mature form within 60 min and was detected exclusively in the brush border membrane by 90 min. Most of the labeled sucrase-isomaltase pool had not yet undergone complex glycosylation during the same period. These data demonstrate that although human intestinal aminooligopeptidase undergoes N -linked glycosylation like sucrase-isomaltase, the synthesis of aminooligopeptidase differs from that of sucrase-isomaltase in respect to the absence of a highmolecular-weight precursor and more rapid pre-Golgi processing.
Radiation-induced swelling and amorphization in Ca2Nd8(SiO4)6O2

Abstract Specimens of Ca2Nd8(SiO4)6O2 were doped with 1.2 wt% 244Cm and the effects of self-radiation damage from alpha decay were determined as a function of cumulative dose. The macroscopic volume of the specimens increased exponentially with dose to a limiting (saturation) value of ∼8.0%. The initially crystalline material became completely X-ray amorphous at a dose of 11.7 × 1024 alpha decays/m3. The dissolution rate of the amorphous state was about an order of magnitude higher than the crystalline state. The stored energy of the amorphous state was ∼130 J/g. Differential thermal analysis along with isochronal and isothermal-step annealing were used to study the kinetics associated with the thermal recovery of the radiation-induced swelling and amorphization. A single recovery stage associated with recrystallization of the amorphous material was observed and the activation energy was determined to be 3.1±0.2 eV.
A splice variant of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDAR1) receptor

A splice variant of the NMDA receptor (NMDAR1) was discovered containing a deletion of 37 amino acids near the carboxyl tail and has been designated NMDAR1b. The 111 nucleotides corresponding to the deleted amino acid sequence were found in a separate exon bounded by consensus intron/exon junction sequences in rat genomic DNA. A partial restriction map of genomic DNA bounding this region placed the deleted exon approximately 600 base pairs (bp) downstream of the upstream exon. RT/PCR analysis of RNA from different brain regions showed that the deletion variant is more abundantly expressed in the brain stem and cerebellum while the full-length form is expressed more abundantly in the olfactory bulb, striatum, hippocampus, and cortex. Northern analysis of poly(A)+ RNA from different brain regions with probes specific for the deleted exon (i.e., full-length form) and for the splice junction (deletion form) indicated approximately 4.4 kb transcripts. The probe for the deleted exon hybridized to transcripts in olfactory bulb, cortex, striatum, and hippocampus while the splice junction probe hybridized most strongly to transcripts in cerebellum. The results suggest an interesting rostral to caudal shift in the expression of splice variants of the NMDAR1 which may signify important functional differences in native forms of NMDA receptors.
A generic high-performance method for deinterleaving scientific data

High-performance and energy-efficient data management applications are a necessity for HPC systems due to the extreme scale of data produced by high fidelity scientific simulations that these systems support. Data layout in memory hugely impacts the performance. For better performance, most simulations interleave variables in memory during their calculation phase, but deinterleave the data for subsequent storage and analysis. As a result, efficient data deinterleaving is critical; yet, common deinterleaving methods provide inefficient throughput and energy performance. To address this problem, we propose a deinterleaving method that is high performance, energy efficient, and generic to any data type. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first deinterleaving method that 1) exploits data cache prefetching, 2) reduces memory accesses, and 3) optimizes the use of complete cache line writes. When evaluated against conventional deinterleaving methods on 105 STREAM standard micro-benchmarks, our method always improved throughput and throughput/watt on multi-core systems. In the best case, our deinterleaving method improved throughput up to 26.2x and throughput/watt up to 7.8x.
Defining tolerance as a norm of reaction

Tolerance of an environmental factor is the ability to maintain fitness in the face of stress imposed by that factor. A tolerant genotype minimizes the decline in fitness from that achieved in a relatively benign environment to that produced in environments with more stressful levels of the factor. Hence, tolerance is a phenotypically plastic characteristic of a genotype that can be assessed only by measuring the genotype's fitness in more than one environment. The genotype's tolerance is characterized by the shape of the fitness reaction norm along the environmental gradient whereas the overall height of the function represents its general vigor.
The Effect of Music on Power, Pain, Depression, and Disability: A Clinical Trial

The Effect of Music on Power, Pain, Depression, and Disability: A Clinical Trial Abstract by SANDRA L. SIEDLECKI The experience of chronic non-malignant pain (CNMP) is one of the most frequently encountered problems affecting both men and women during their working years, and is frequently associated with physical, emotional, and behavioral manifestations that affect all aspects of an individual s life. The pathophysiology of CNMP syndromes is poorly understood, and the effectiveness of analgesics may be limited by their side effects. The addition of complementary modalities, such as music, may enhance the effects of analgesics, decrease emotional and behavioral manifestations, such as pain, depression, and disability, promote beliefs of personal power, and thus result in improved quality of life for individuals who suffer from CNMP. Research indicates that music is effective for decreasing acute and chronic pain. However, the effect of music on power, pain, depression, and disability associated with CNMP has not been previously studied nor have the effects of different types of music been compared. This randomized controlled trial was designed to test the effect of listening to music on levels of power, pain, depression, and disability. A second aim was to compare the effects of researcher-provided relaxing music choices with subject-preferred music, selected daily based on self-assessment. Using Rogers science of unitary human beings and Barrett s theory of power, this was a test of a research model, which posited that music would have a direct effect on power, pain, depression, and disability through environmental field patterning and an indirect effect through enhanced feelings of power. Univariate and multivariate analysis found that the two music groups had significantly higher levels of power and lower levels of pain, depression, and disability than the no music control group; and there were no significant differences on any of the dependent variables between groups who used researcher-provided relaxing music and those who used self-selected preferred music based on daily self-assessment. Thus, the direct effect of music posited in the research model was supported. In addition, these findings also supported the indirect effect; music increased power, and power predicted posttest levels of pain, depression, and disability.