cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular dynamics simulations of peptides and proteins with a continuum electrostatic model based on screened Coulomb potentials.

A continuum electrostatics approach for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of macromolecules is presented and analyzed for its performance on a peptide and a globular protein. The approach incorporates the screened Coulomb potential (SCP) continuum model of electrostatics, which was reported earlier. The model was validated in a broad set of tests some of which were based on Monte Carlo simulations that included single amino acids, peptides, and proteins. The implementation for large-scale MD simulations presented in this article is based on a pairwise potential that makes the electrostatic model suitable for fast analytical calculation of forces. To assess the suitability of the approach, a preliminary validation is conducted, which consists of (i) a 3-ns MD simulation of the immunoglobulin-binding domain of streptococcal protein G, a 56-residue globular protein and (ii) a 3-ns simulation of Dynorphin, a biological peptide of 17 amino acids. In both cases, the results are compared with those obtained from MD simulations using explicit water (EW) molecules in an all-atom representation. The initial structure of Dynorphin was assumed to be an alpha-helix between residues 1 and 9 as suggested from NMR measurements in micelles. The results obtained in the MD simulations show that the helical structure collapses early in the simulation, a behavior observed in the EW simulation and consistent with spectroscopic data that suggest that the peptide may adopt mainly an extended conformation in water. The dynamics of protein G calculated with the SCP implicit solvent model (SCP-ISM) reveals a stable structure that conserves all the elements of secondary structure throughout the entire simulation time. The average structures calculated from the trajectories with the implicit and explicit solvent models had a cRMSD of 1.1 A, whereas each average structure had a cRMSD of about 0.8A with respect to the X-ray structure. The main conformational differences of the average structures with respect to the crystal structure occur in the loop involving residues 8-14. Despite the overall similarity of the simulated dynamics with EW and SCP models, fluctuations of side-chains are larger when the implicit solvent is used, especially in solvent exposed side-chains. The MD simulation of Dynorphin was extended to 40 ns to study its behavior in an aqueous environment. This long simulation showed that the peptide has a tendency to form an alpha-helical structure in water, but the stabilization free energy is too weak, resulting in frequent interconversions between random and helical conformations during the simulation time. The results reported here suggest that the SCP implicit solvent model is adequate to describe electrostatic effects in MD simulation of both peptides and proteins using the same set of parameters. It is suggested that the present approach could form the basis for the development of a reliable and general continuum approach for use in molecular biology, and directions are outlined for attaining this long-term goal.
The effect of dietary choline chloride and inositol on the depletion rate of heptachlor from birds

Two trials were conducted utilizing a total of 160 one-week-old unsexed Japanese quail (Coturnix c. japonica) to determine the effect of choline chloride and inositol supplementation on the depletion rate of heptachlor. Supplementation of the diet with a combination of choline chloride and inositol was effective in reducing the heptachlor residue in the tissue samples studied. The metabolism of heptachlor appears to occur in the liver with subsequent elimination of the residue and not deposition in body tissue. The addition of 10% vegetable oil to the basal diet caused significant increase in the heptachlor residue in the tissue samples analyzed.
Endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure: a radiographic anatomic study.

Objective: Radiographic frontal recess and sinus anatomic measurements were obtained to evaluate the feasibility of the endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure. Study Design: Computed tomography anatomic study. Materials and Methods: Computed tomography (CT) scans from 97 patients, 39 male and 58 female, were analyzed in the sagittal plane. Four anatomic parameters were measured 1) midsagittal thickness of the nasal beak, 2) midsagittal distance from nasal beak to skull base, 3) accessible dimension of the frontal recess, and 4) anterior to posterior (AP) dimension of the frontal sinus. Results: The average and range of each parameter are as follows: 1) midsagittal nasal beak thickness 0.8 cm (0.3–1.4 cm); 2) midsagittal beak to skull base 1.0 cm (0.4–2.4 cm); 3) left and right accessible dimension 0.8 cm (0.3–1.4 cm) and 0.8 cm (0.4–1.5 cm), respectively; 4) left and right AP diameter of the frontal sinus 1.0 cm (0.3–1.8 cm) and 1.1 cm (0.4–1.9 cm), respectively. There is statistically significant differences between the accessible dimension and AP dimension of the frontal sinus on male and female images. Discussion: Preoperative frontal recess and sinus measurements can aid in the selection of patients for the endoscopic modified Lothrop procedure. A significant portion of the population, especially women, had limiting anatomic factors potentially excluding this procedure. Laryngoscope, 2010
Anti-Peptidoglycan Antibodies and Fcγ Receptors Are the Key Mediators of Inflammation in Gram-Positive Sepsis

Gram-positive bacteria are an important public health problem, but it is unclear how they cause systemic inflammation in sepsis. Our previous work showed that peptidoglycan (PGN) induced proinflammatory cytokines in human cells by binding to an unknown extracellular receptor, followed by phagocytosis leading to the generation of NOD ligands. In this study, we used flow cytometry to identify host factors that supported PGN binding to immune cells. PGN binding required plasma, and plasma from all tested healthy donors contained IgG recognizing PGN. Plasma depleted of IgG or of anti-PGN Abs did not support PGN binding or PGN-triggered cytokine production. Adding back intact but not F(ab′)2 IgG restored binding and cytokine production. Transfection of HEK293 cells with FcγRIIA enabled PGN binding and phagocytosis. These data establish a key role for anti-PGN IgG and FcγRs in supporting inflammation to a major structural element of Gram-positive bacteria and suggest that anti-PGN IgG contributes to human pathology in Gram-positive sepsis.
Psychotherapy and schizophrenia: An analysis of requirements of an individual psychotherapy for persons with profoundly disorganized selves

Many emerging views of outcome from schizophrenia emphasize that persons must recover a sense of their own identity, agency, and personal worth. While this is intuitively appealing and consistent with a wide range of literature, it raises the issue of how best to facilitate this. In this article we explore how integrative psychotherapy might address issues of narrative and recovery from schizophrenia among persons experiencing more profound levels of disorganization. Illustrated with a case example we explore in particular the barriers posed to psychotherapy by a client’s cacophonous self-presentations. We then describe techniques from an integrative perspective that might help therapists enter dialogue with persons so afflicted. Our claim is that psychotherapy can revitalize dialogues within the client and between the client and others that enable the reconstruction of a personal narrative from which a life plan might be articulated.
Characteristics of a Chocolate Beverage from Germinated Chickpeas

A chocolate flavored beverage was developed using germinated chickpeas (Cicer arietinum). The formulation included the legume at a level of 10% along with sugar, cocoa, salt, vegetable oil and water as main ingredients. Beverage prepared from germinated chickpeas showed reduced viscosity and improved consistency when compared with a control formulated from ungerminated chickpeas. A reduction of 15% in starch occurred during germination and probably accounted for most of the observed decrease in viscosity. The acceptability of the beverage was established by sensory evaluation. A paired preference test indicated no significant difference between germinated chickpea beverage and a commercial chocolate milk.
Ending intimate relationships: Strategies of breaking off

This research represents a continuation of efforts to examine the area of bad news delivery and focuses on the messages and subsequent strategies used by people in delivering news of a desire to terminate an intimate relationship. The lack of well‐defined, normative guidelines for such deliveries adds to the problematic nature of the interaction. Based on indepth, unstructured interviews, a framework based on common themes providing a procedural view of the delivery process was constructed. Discussion of various strategies indicated the significance of situational factors in delivering this type of bad news. The study, although exploratory in nature, will hopefully clarify some of the processes involved in the delivery of news of a desire to terminate a relationship and identify several important problems surrounding this complex and serious form of interaction.
Subcutaneous Emphysema, Pneumomediastinum, and Potentially Life-Threatening Tension Pneumothorax: Pulmonary Complications from Arthroscopic Shoulder Decompression

Subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and tension pneumothorax are previously unreported complications of shoulder arthroscopy with subacromial decompression. Three patients developed extensive subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and bilateral tension pneumothorax during or immediately after shoulder arthroscopy with subacromial decompression. The procedure was terminated and appropriate treatment was given. All three patients recovered completely with no residual damage. The complications are thought to be associated with the extravasation of air that may be drawn in from the lateral portal when the arthroscopic infusion pump and power shaver with suction are turned on. Early diagnosis, followed by immediate termination of the infusion pump and suction shaver along with appropriate treatment can be life-saving.
micF RNA is a substrate for RNase E

Ribonuclease E (RNase E) is known to play an important role in mRNA decay and RNA processing in Escherichia coli. While several substrates for RNase E have been identified, the specificity for the recognition and cleavage sites has not been completely determined. In this study, micF RNA, an antisense RNA found in E. coli and related bacteria, was found to be a substrate for RNase E in vitro. Two cleavage sites were mapped, and both are found in the sequence context UA/UUU and are located within 10 nucleotides upstream of stem-loop structures. These results help define a generalized RNase E cleavage/recognition pattern.
Natural Statins and Stroke Risk

In the United States, ≈600 000 persons experience a clinical stroke (first or recurrent) annually.1 Although the case-fatality rate has declined over the past decades, it is still high. The annual death toll is ≈150 000, which qualifies stroke as the third leading cause of death, behind coronary heart disease (CHD) and cancer. The clinical sequelae of a stroke are often devastating. Among the more than 3 million stroke survivors, approximately one half have hemiparesis, one third are clinically depressed, one quarter cannot walk, and one sixth are aphasic.2 Stroke is the leading cause of serious disability in the United States.1 Thus, evidence of promising preventive therapies that can reduce the human and societal costs of stroke is welcome news. The burden of stroke goes well beyond those cases that are clinically recognized. New imaging techniques of the brain have revealed a remarkably high prevalence of so-called infarct-like lesions (ILLs), or silent strokes. The NHLBI-sponsored Cardiovascular Health Study obtained cerebral MRIs on 3658 men and women ≥65 years old. ILLs ≥3 mm were found in 31% of all subjects.3 Fewer than 15% of those with such lesions had a clinical history of stroke. The prevalence of ILLs increased with age; 22% of subjects 65 to 69 years old had ILLs, compared with 43% in subjects ≥80 years old. Subjects with ILLs were more likely to be hypertensive or to have a history of stroke, atrial fibrillation, or dilated cardiomyopathy. Importantly, the presence of these lesions was associated with a decline in cognitive function and impaired motor coordination. It is intriguing to speculate that the memory loss associated with aging may be due in part to unrecognized multiple ILLs, a condition that when advanced is called multi-infarct dementia. Whether brain lesions can be prevented and cognitive function …
A Randomized Trial of Computer-Delivered Brief Intervention and Low-Intensity Contingency Management for Smoking During Pregnancy

INTRODUCTION Implementation of evidence-based interventions for smoking during pregnancy is challenging. We developed 2 highly replicable interventions for smoking during pregnancy: (a) a computer-delivered 5As-based brief intervention (CD-5As) and (b) a computer-assisted, simplified, and low-intensity contingency management (CM-Lite). METHODS A sample of 110 primarily Black pregnant women reporting smoking in the past week were recruited from prenatal care clinics and randomly assigned to CD-5As (n = 26), CM-Lite (n = 28), CD-5As plus CM-Lite (n = 30), or treatment as usual (n = 26). Self-report of smoking, urine cotinine, and breath CO were measured 10 weeks following randomization. RESULTS Participants rated both interventions highly (e.g., 87.5% of CD-5As participants reported increases in likelihood of quitting), but most CM-Lite participants did not initiate reinforcement sessions and did not show increased abstinence. CD-5As led to increased abstinence as measured by cotinine (43.5% cotinine negative vs. 17.4%; odds ratio [OR] = 10.1, p = .02) but not for CO-confirmed 7-day point prevalence (30.4% abstinent vs. 8.7%; OR = 5.7, p = .06). Collapsing across CM-Lite status, participants receiving the CD-5As intervention were more likely to talk to a doctor or nurse about their smoking (60.5% vs. 30.8%; OR = 3.0, p = .02). CONCLUSIONS Low-intensity participant-initiated CM did not affect smoking in this sample, but the CD-5As intervention was successful in increasing abstinence during pregnancy. Further research should seek to replicate these results in larger and more diverse samples. Should CD-5As continue to prove efficacious, it could greatly increase the proportion of pregnant smokers who receive an evidence-based brief intervention.
Emergency neurological life support: approach to the patient with coma.

Coma is an acute failure of neuronal systems governing arousal and awareness and represents a medical emergency. When encountering a comatose patient, the clinician must have an organized approach to detect easily remediable causes, prevent ongoing neurologic injury, and determine a hierarchical plan for diagnostic tests, treatments, and neuromonitoring. Coma was chosen as an Emergency Neurological Life Support protocol because timely medical and surgical interventions can be life-saving, and the initial work-up of such patients is critical to establishing a correct diagnosis.
Vitamin D receptor-mediated control of Soggy, Wise, and Hairless gene expression in keratinocytes.

The vitamin D receptor (VDR), but not its hormonal ligand, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D), is required for the progression of the mammalian hair cycle. We studied three genes relevant to hair cycle signaling, DKKL1 (Soggy), SOSTDC1 (Wise), and HR (Hairless), to determine whether their expression is regulated by VDR and/or its 1,25D ligand. DKKL1 mRNA was repressed 49–72% by 1,25D in primary human and CCD-1106 KERTr keratinocytes; a functional vitamin D responsive element (VDRE) was identified at K9590 bp in murine Soggy. Similarly, SOSTDC1 mRNA was repressed 41–59% by 1,25D in KERTr and primary human keratinocytes; a functional VDRE was located at K6215 bp in human Wise. In contrast, HR mRNA was upregulated 1.56- to 2.77-fold by 1,25D in primary human and KERTr keratinocytes; a VDRE (TGGTGAgtgAGGACA) consisting of an imperfect direct repeat separated by three nucleotides (DR3) was identified at K7269 bp in the human Hairless gene that mediated dramatic induction, even in the absence of 1,25D ligand. In parallel, a DR4 thyroid hormone responsive element, TGGTGAggccAGGACA, was identified at C1304 bp in the human HR gene that conferred tri-iodothyronine (T3)-independent transcriptional activation. Because the thyroid hormone receptor controls HR expression in the CNS, whereas VDR functions in concert with the HR corepressor specifically in skin, a model is proposed wherein unliganded VDR upregulates the expression of HR, the gene product of which acts as a downstream comodulator to feedback-repress DKKL1 and SOSTDC1, resulting in integration of bone morphogenic protein and Wnt signaling to drive the mammalian hair cycle and/or influencing epidermal function.
Design Considerations for Millimeter Wave Antennas within a Chip Package

Millimeter wave (mmWave) antennas designed for package integration are significantly more challenging than antenna designs for frequencies below 10 GHz. In addition to wide impedance bandwidth, high efficiency and small size, one has to consider material selection, manufacturing precision, antenna feed line and connections, and electromagnetic interference to the active RF circuits nearby.
The Non-Linear Process of Institutional Change: The Bank of Japan Reform and Its Aftermath

In 1997, the Japanese Diet revised the Bank of Japan law thereby granting the central bank greater independence in monetary policy making. The revision was an attempt by Japan's political class to weaken the authority of the powerful Ministry of Finance over the central bank and augment its own influence. The Bank of Japan, however, gained more autonomy than politicians ever intended, leading to frequent confrontations between the government and the central bank over monetary policy. This paper explores the new strategic relationship that emerged between the Bank of Japan and government and the nature of monetary policy implemented in the post-reform period. We demonstrate that several factors contributed to the Bank's unexpected ability to enhance its independence: the astute leadership of the first post-reform governor Hayami Masaru; the Bank's ability to turn politicization of monetary policy to its advantage; and its pursuit of a ‘power through knowledge’ strategy achieved by augmenting its own research capacity. On a theoretical level, our findings show that the passage of a new legal framework only marks the completion of one stage of institutional change and the start of the next; post-enactment politics have as much importance as pre-enactment politics in shaping outcomes. In the post-enactment phase, various factors, including the state of the economy and informal institutions or processes, matter greatly and may shift the direction of institutional change away from the intended path.
Time-resolved terahertz dynamics in thin films of the topological insulator Bi2Se3

We use optical pump–THz probe spectroscopy at low temperatures to study the hot carrier response in thin Bi2Se3 films of several thicknesses, allowing us to separate the bulk from the surface transient response. We find that for thinner films the photoexcitation changes the transport scattering rate and reduces the THz conductivity, which relaxes within 10 picoseconds (ps). For thicker films, the conductivity increases upon photoexcitation and scales with increasing both the film thickness and the optical fluence, with a decay time of approximately 5 ps as well as a much higher scattering rate. These different dynamics are attributed to the surface and bulk electrons, respectively, and demonstrate that long-lived mobile surface photo-carriers can be accessed independently below certain film thicknesses for possible optoelectronic applications.
Multicultural Music Therapy: An Exploration

This paper examines multicultural issues that currently exist within the field of music therapy. Music therapists often find themselves working with clients who come from very different cultural backgrounds than themselves. Before music therapists can understand and work with clients from other cultures, they must first have an understanding of their own background and culture, and how their values and beliefs have shaped them as therapists. This paper highlights the value of multicultural awareness, and explores issues of disability, gender/sexuality, feminism, and race, as they relate to music therapy.
Potentialities and limitations of mixing simulations

As numerical simulations in mixing become pervasive, an analysis of errors becomes crucial. Purposely discretized examples with exact analytical solutions provide a reference point from which to judge the soundness of numerical solutions. Three types of errors are identified and examined: discretization, time integration, and round-off, with emphasis on the first two. Theoretical derivations and numerical examples for 2-D, steady (regular) and time-periodic (chaotic) flows indicate that errors, in general, behave as material lines. In regular flows, their magnitude increases, on the average, with at most t{sup 2}, while in chaotic flows it increases exponentially. Errors tend to align with the direction of the streamlines in regular flows and with manifolds in chaotic flows. As a result, even though exact and calculated trajectories diverge exponentially fast in chaotic flows, overall mixing patterns are reproduced, at least qualitatively, even when the velocity fields do reproduce qualitatively the main features of a line as it is deformed by the flow, although the error in its length may be more than 100%. It is concluded that accurate quantitative information, such as the location of periodic points or the length of a deformed line, can be obtained from numerical simulations. However, robust application ofmore » standard numerical analysis tools, such as mesh refinement, is necessary, which in turn, can lead to nearly prohibitive computational costs.« less
Improvement of the Multimodel Superensemble Technique for Seasonal Forecasts

Abstract The superensemble technique has previously been demonstrated to provide an improved seasonal forecast compared to the bias-removed ensemble of equally weighted models. This paper offers a further improvement to the superensemble method by modifying the regression coefficients used in the weighting of the models for the construction of the superensemble. The improvement is achieved by use of singular value decomposition of the covariance matrix, and selecting only the largest singular value, corresponding to maximal explained variance, for the calculation of the regression coefficients. The results shown here are based on calculations done with 10 yr worth of monthly forecasts from the Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project (AMIP) dataset, using cross validation.
Asbestos Exposure and Autoimmunity

Inflammation and immune dysfunction occur with inhalation exposure to fibrous (asbestiform) silicon oxide dusts. As research delves deeper, it is clear that despite some commonalities in the responses to mineral fibers, there appear to be distinct differences in the specific nature of the dysfunction elicited by various fibers that leads ultimately to fiber-specific disease outcomes. A growing body of evidence supports an association between asbestos exposure and autoimmune responses such as antinuclear antibodies (ANA). However, there is limited epidemiological support for an association between asbestos exposure and any specific autoimmune disease. While there are several possible reasons for this, recent data strongly suggests that a key factor lies in the physical chemistry of the fibers themselves, requiring comparative studies of different fiber types. In order to illustrate the importance of this premise, this chapter explores the current data comparing the autoantibody responses following amphibole exposure with those seen following chrysotile exposure. Both human and mouse data suggest that amphibole, but not chrysotile, increases the frequency of positive ANA tests and may increase the risk for systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus. Asbestiform amphibole also drives production of pathogenic autoantibodies against mesothelial cells that appear to contribute to a severe and progressive pleural fibrosis. While occupational asbestos exposures may be decreasing, environmental exposures are on the rise as evidenced by multiple recent discoveries of naturally occurring asbestos. These findings emphasize the need for renewed efforts toward screening and understanding fiber-specific disease manifestations.
Full length article: Distributed adaptive bit-loading for spectrum optimization in multi-user multicarrier systems

This paper presents a low-complexity discrete bit-loading algorithm for multi-user multicarrier systems with application to spectrum balancing in digital-subscriber-lines. The algorithm can be implemented in a distributed manner using limited information that is sent to modems by a spectrum management center (SMC). The SMC classifies users in the network as strong or weak, based on their channel and noise conditions. Weak users execute a discrete bit-loading algorithm approximating water-filling, such as the Levin-Campello (LC) algorithm, while strong users use a rate-penalty table along with a modified LC algorithm to limit their interference to weak users. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve near-optimal performance. In addition, polite bit and gain adaptation algorithms are developed using the structure of the proposed bit-loading algorithm, which enables easy and fast adaptation to channel and noise variations.
Absence Epilepsy and Paroxysmal Dyskinesia

Six patients aged 6 to 27 years (mean, 14 years) with childhood absence epilepsy and paroxysmal dyskinesia (PD), identified at five European centers participating in a study group, are reported from Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.
Effect of triiodothyronine on oxygen consumption of tissues not responsive to thyroxine.

Summary1. L-Triiodothyronine (TRIT) injected into thyroidectomized rats at a dose level equivalent to 0.5 mg L-thyroxine/kg body weight/day is capable of stimulating the oxygen consumption of liver, diaphragm, heart and salivary gland preparations to the same extent as 2 mg of L-thyroxine. 2. Neither 0.5 nor 2 mg TRIT injected/kg/day altered the metabolic rates of tissues found unaffected by 2 mg of L-thyroxine, including brain, spleen, testis, seminal vesicle, prostate, ovary, uterus, thymus, lymph node and gastric smooth muscle. 3. Even if thyroxine is converted to TRIT before exerting its effect on the metabolic rate the failure of these tissues to respond to thyroxine does not seem referable to any possible inability to carry out this deiodination.
Monetary Sector Reforms in India

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview pertaining to access of Indian monetary system and its significance and reforms. Indian Financial Market helps in promoting the savings of the economy -- helping to adopt an effective channel to transmit various financial policies. The Indian financial sector is well developed, competitive, efficient and integrated to face all shocks. In the India financial market there are various types of financial products whose prices are determined by the numerous buyers and sellers in the market. The other determinant factor of the prices of the financial products is the market forces of demand and supply. The India money market is a monetary system that involves the lending and borrowing of short-term funds. The financial system was characterised by extensive regulations such as administered interest rates, directed credit programmes, weak banking structure, lack of proper accounting and risk management systems and lack of transparency in operations of major financial market participants. Launch of equity derivatives in Indian market has been extremely encouraging and successful. The growth of derivatives in the recent years has surpassed the growth of its counterpart globally. The Notional value of option on the NSE increased from 1195.691178 lakhs USD in 2003 to 354648.1941 lakhs USD in 2013 and notional value of NSE futures increased from 14329.35627 lakhs USD in 2003 to 39228.38563 lakhs USD in 2013. India is one of the most successful developing country in terms of a vibrate market for exchange-traded derivatives. The equity derivatives market is playing a major role in shaping price discovery. Volatility in monetary asset price, integration of monetary market internationally, sophisticated risk management tools, innovations in monetary engineering and choices at risk management strategies have been driving the growth of monetary derivatives worldwide, also in India. Finally we can say there is big significance and contribution of derivatives to monetary system.
Research of LCD Driver Based on S3C2410X under Linux System

This paper mainly introduces the research and development of LCD driver based on S3C2410X under Linux system.At first,a detailed account of the principle of LCD controller and LCD controller and pins of S3C2410X are given.Meanwhile,the set rules of LCD control register is given.And the hardware specific graph paper is given based on the liquid crystal parameters of the system,the parameters of LCD control register are gained.Then it introduces principle of the frame buffer,notes two aspects of the realization of the frame buffer,and develops the corresponding driver.The results show a good,stable operation.The innovation of the paper proposes a LCD driver programming method that is applicable to S3C2410X hardware and universal.
Brain Tissue Oxygen Monitoring in Neurocritical Care

Brain injury results from ischemia, tissue hypoxia, and a cascade of secondary events. The cornerstone of neurocritical care management is optimization and maintenance of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen and substrate delivery to prevent or attenuate this secondary damage. New techniques for monitoring brain tissue oxygen tension (PtiO2) are now available. Brain PtiO2 reflects both oxygen delivery and consumption. Brain hypoxia (low brain PtiO2) has been associated with poor outcomes in patients with brain injury. Strategies to improve brain PtiO2 have focused mainly on increasing oxygen delivery either by increasing CBF or by increasing arterial oxygen content. The results of nonrandomized studies comparing brain PtiO2-guided therapy with intracranial pressure/cerebral perfusion pressure-guided therapy, while promising, have been mixed. More studies are needed including prospective, randomized controlled trials to assess the true value of this approach. The following is a review of the physiology of brain tissue oxygenation, the effect of brain hypoxia on outcome, strategies to increase oxygen delivery, and outcome studies of brain PtiO2-guided therapy in neurocritical care.
A Visible-Light-Active Heterojunction with Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation.

A visible-light-active carbon nitride (CN)/strontium pyroniobate (SNO) heterojunction photocatalyst was fabricated by deposition of CN over hydrothermally synthesized SNO nanoplates by a simple thermal decomposition process. The microscopic study revealed that nanosheets of CN were anchored to the surface of SNO resulting in an intimate contact between the two semiconductors. Diffuse reflectance UV/Vis spectra show that the resulting CN/SNO heterojunction possesses intense absorption in the visible region. The structural and spectral properties endowed the CN/SNO heterojunction with remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity. Specifically, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate per mole of CN was found to be 11 times higher for the CN/SNO composite compared to pristine CN. The results clearly show that the composite photocatalyst not only extends the light absorption range of SNO but also restricts photogenerated charge-carrier recombination, resulting in significant enhancement in photocatalytic activity compared to pristine CN. The relative band positions of the composite allow the photogenerated electrons in the conduction band of CN to migrate to that of SNO. This kind of charge migration and separation leads to the reduction in the overall recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers, which is regarded as one of the key factors for the enhanced activity. A plausible mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of the heterostructured composite is proposed based on observed activity, photoluminescence, time-resolved fluorescence emission decay, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and band position calculations.
The effects of artificially reduced field of view and peripheral frame stimulation on distance judgments in HMDs

Numerous studies have reported underestimated egocentric distances in virtual environments through head-mounted displays (HMDs). However, it has been found that distance judgments made through Oculus Rift HMDs are much less compressed, and their relatively high device field of view (FOV) may play an important role. Some studies showed that applying constant white light in viewers' peripheral vision improved their distance judgments through HMDs. In this study, we examine the effects of the device FOV and the peripheral vision by performing a blind walking experiment through an Oculus Rift DK2 HMD with three different conditions. For the BlackFrame condition, we rendered a rectangular black frame to reduce the device field of view of the DK2 HMD to match an NVIS nVisor ST60 HMD. In the WhiteFrame and GreyFrame conditions, we changed the frame color to solid white and middle grey. From the results, we found that the distance judgments made through the black frame were significantly underestimated relative to the WhiteFrame condition. However, no significant differences were observed between the WhiteFrame and GreyFrame conditions. This result provides evidence that the device FOV and peripheral light could influence distance judgments in HMDs, and the degree of influence might not change proportionally with respect to the peripheral light brightness.
Wort und Begriff

Das Wort Kurzgeschichte geht auf eine Lehnubersetzung aus dem anglo-amerikanischen short story = ›kurze Geschichte‹ zuruck, deckt sich mit der englischen Bezeichnung aber nur teilweise, da short story auch langere Erzahlungen wie die Novelle umfast.
The Impact of Operating Room Noise Upon Communication During Percutaneous Nephrostolithotomy.

Abstract Objective: Equipment and personnel contribute to the overall noise level in the operating room (OR). This study aims to determine intraoperative noise levels during percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PCNL) and the effects of this noise upon intraoperative communication. Methods: A PCNL benchtop model was used to measure intraoperative noise and determine its effect upon communication in three progressively increasing sound environments (baseline ambient noise, ambient noise with PCNL equipment, and ambient noise with both PCNL equipment and music). Five trials with 20 different medical words/phrases were spoken by the surgeon and responses were recorded by the first assistant, anesthesiologist, and circulating nurse. In addition, noise levels during PCNL were compared to common environmental noise levels. Results: In the bench top model, noise levels were 53.49 A-weighted decibels (dBA) with ambient noise, 78.79 dBA with equipment in use, and 81.78 dBA with equipment and music. At the ambient noise...
A Sense of Belonging: How Student Feelings Correlate with Learning about Race

Learning about race and racism can be a difficult process. Previous work has shown that courses in this area can help to increase awareness of racial bias and discrimination, but less work has focused on how that change occurs. We hypothesized that feelings of belonging within the classroom could correlate with student learning and our results indeed showed a strong correlation among these factors. Across three courses, all focused on race and diversity, feelings of belonging predicted not only perceptions of learning, but also graded forms of learning and increases in racial awareness. Results are discussed in terms of the larger literature on feelings of belonging.
Activation volume of pure face centered cubic metals using uniaxial testing and nanoindentation equipped with high load capability

Activation volume data measured using uniaxial testing are compared with activation volume data measured using nanoindentation equipped with high load capability that can reach 10 N for Al, Ag, and Ni FCC metals. The data when plotted V*/b 3 versus H (hardness), extrapolated into literature data from conventional uniaxial testing. V*/b 3 is shown to be sensitive to H. This is consistent with the theory of the accumulation of dislocations with strain hardening which results in smaller activation area swept out by dislocations during activation.
Multielement Airfoils for Wind Turbines

The thick root airfoils of modern wind turbines, with current technology designs reaching 45% thickness, are incapable of producing high lift, and as a consequence, the blades are aerodynamically and structurally suboptimal. Additionally, the road-transportable blade length is limited to between 53 and 62 m depending on the specific blade geometry. The use of multielement airfoil arrangements on utility-scale wind turbine blades has the potential to allow for (1) improving aerodynamics near the hub section, (2) improving the structural arrangement, and (3) creating natural disconnect points that ease transportation constraints. Segmented blades are already being used by wind turbine manufacturers, including Gamesa and Enercon, to solve transportation constraints. Studies that investigated candidate multielement airfoil configurations to serve as an aerodynamic fairing for an assumed spar cap yielded promising results. The use of multielement airfoils for wind turbines can increase the blade efficiency, provide better start-up performance, and offer gross annual energy production (GAEP) benefits.
Design Concepts for the Centrifuge Facility Life Sciences Glovebox

The Life Sciences Glovebox will provide the bioisolated environment to support on-orbit operations involving non-human live specimens and samples for human life sceinces experiments. It will be part of the Centrifuge Facility, in which animal and plant specimens are housed in bioisolated Habitat modules and transported to the Glovebox as part of the experiment protocols supported by the crew. At the Glovebox, up to two crew members and two habitat modules must be accommodated to provide flexibility and support optimal operations. This paper will present several innovative design concepts that attempt to satisfy the basic Glovebox requirements. These concepts were evaluated for ergonomics and ease of operations using computer modeling and full-scale mockups. The more promising ideas were presented to scientists and astronauts for their evaluation. Their comments, and the results from other evaluations are presented. Based on the evaluations, the authors recommend designs and features that will help optimize crew performance and facilitate science accommodations, and specify problem areas that require further study.
Knitted finger sensors

E-textiles offers artists, designers, and educators a crafty, tactile way to make custom sensors. In this hands-on e-textiles workshop, participants will assemble an e-textile sensor, the finger sleeve, connect it to Arduino, and experiment with using it to control light and sound. Along the way, we'll cover the electronics theory that makes it work, and look at how to apply this theory in designing your own e-textiles.Computers, Arduino boards, LEDs and piezo discs are provided for participant use. Participants are invited, but not required, to bring their own Arduino projects/actuators to connect to the finger sleeve. Finger sleeves are yours to keep. Samples of other e-textile designs by a range of artists will also be available.No experience in textiles or electronics necessary. (Coding experience is suggested but not necessary.)
Optimal Routing of Energy-Aware Vehicles in Transportation Networks With Inhomogeneous Charging Nodes

We study the problem of routing for energy-aware battery-powered vehicles (BPVs) in networks with charging nodes. The objective is to minimize the total elapsed time, including travel and recharging time at charging stations, so that the vehicle reaches its destination without running out of energy. Relaxing the homogeneity of charging stations, and here, we investigate the routing problem for BPVs through a network of “inhomogeneous” charging nodes. We study two versions of the problem: the single-vehicle (user-centric) routing problem and the multiple-vehicle (system-centric) routing problem. For the former, we formulate a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (NLP)problem for obtaining an optimal path and charging policy simultaneously. We then reduce its computational complexity by decomposing it into two linear programming problems. For the latter, we use a similar approach by grouping vehicles into “subflows” and formulating the problem at a subflow-level with the inclusion of traffic congestion effects. We also propose an alternative NLP formulation obtaining near-optimal solutions with orders of magnitude reduction in the computation time. We have applied our optimal routing approach to a subnetwork of the eastern Massachusetts transportation network using actual traffic data provided by the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization. Using these data, we estimate cost (congestion) functions and investigate the optimal solutions obtained under different charging station and energy-aware vehicle loads.
Fetal Lung Volumes by MRI: Normal Weekly Values From 18 Through 38 Weeks' Gestation

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to establish normal total fetal lung volume reference ranges from 18 to 38 weeks' gestation at 1-week intervals. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrospective analy...
Study of cylindrical stress waves generated by exploding wires

An experimental technique utilizing high-pressure gas from an exploding wire is used to load long, hollow, thick-walled cylinders from the inside. Resulting plane-strain cylindrical stress waves are one-dimensional in nature. Asimultaneity of impact is studied with methods of high-speed photography and dynamic photoelasticity.
Decomposition: A K-8 Computational Thinking Learning Trajectory

As new initiatives in computational thinking and computer science (CS/CT) are being developed and deployed, it is important to identify and understand the key concepts that are essential for student learning. In this study, we present the phases of construction of a learning trajectory (LT) for Decomposition in the context of CS/CT in K-8 education. From an extensive literature review, 63 learning goals representative of decomposition understanding and practices were identified and synthesized into 13 consensus goals. The focus of this paper is how relationships between these consensus goals were identified and used to place the goals into a learning trajectory. We discuss the theories and frameworks that guided the trajectory's construction as well as the methodology and justifications used to draw pathways through the trajectory in each phase. Finally, we discuss potential uses for the trajectory and suggest further explorations for decomposition in CS/CT.
How the Right Co-opted Anti-institutionalism

McCool explains how the anti-institutionalist politics of authenticity was a staple of the left and for much of the twentieth century, especially in the 1960s. He provides a solid, clear background of the ideology of Burkean conservatism and how and why it reacted to the left’s identity politics and seeming utopianism. McCool then discusses the ways in which the populist right in recent years has co-opted the rhetoric and attitudes about institutions that those on the left expressed in the 1960s. The chapter concludes with concern that, given Trumpism and the populist conservative movement, we need to pay more attention to the way authenticity mixes with politics today than ever before.
A relational account of intellectual autonomy

According to relational views of autonomy, some social relations or forms of dependence are necessary for autonomous agency. Recent relational theorists have primarily focused on autonomy of action or practical autonomy, and the result has been a shift away from individualistic conceptions of autonomy in the practical realm. Despite these trends, individualistic conceptions are still the default when it comes to autonomy of belief or intellectual autonomy. In this paper, I argue for a relational account of intellectual autonomy. Specifically, I claim that intellectual autonomy requires a sense of one’s standing as an equal member of the epistemic community.
Dying in the Intensive Care Unit: A Candle Vigil Using Illustrations.

Abstract With death and dying in intensive care units, there should be bereavement support for families. We propose placing an illustration of a candle on the door of an unresponsive dying patient, with additional illustrations of votive candles at the nurses’ station opposite to the door as a neutral way of identifying these rooms with patients who transitioned to comfort care or who have died. The candle illustrations encourage staff members to modify their words, silence themselves, and reflect. After a 1-year tryout in the neurointensive care unit with a strong positive experience for staff and families, it can be perceived as a symbol of tranquility.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Biocultural Heritage Lacuna: Where Is Goal Number 18?

On 25 September 2015, the Seventieth Session of the General Assembly in the United Nations approved the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Resolution 70/1 “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” building upon the vision of the original Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Although intended to account for the shortfalls found in the original MDGs, the SDGs still neglect fundamental qualities of cultural sovereignty that are key for maintaining sustainable practices, values, and lifestyle habits. None of the 17 SDGs emphasize the need to protect local ecological knowledge, cultural heritage—nor its interrelation with biodiversity—as a pathway to sustainability. Further, the factors that threaten local ecological knowledge, traditional lifestyles, and alternative economic practices are absent, provoking indigenous and local peoples to argue that they, and their cultural sovereignty, remain unrecognized by this new “sustainable” development agenda. I argue that focusing on indirect drivers that undermine sustainable management practices must be explicitly addressed to address this conceptual lacuna. Indirect drivers include cultural and ethical facets of the human-nature relationship. Biocultural heritage, reflecting the diverse ways of being between human communities and their local environments, is the rich history of language, heritage, cultural memory, ecological knowledge, and values and should be explicitly be articulated as a key component to any sustainability agenda. Consequently, I propose that to accomplish the SDGs’ mission, it is indispensable to include a sustainable development goal “number 18” that recognizes biocultural heritage.