cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Democratic institutions and the energy intensity of well-being: a cross-national study

Energy consumption is necessary for human well-being, yet the growth of energy consumption also contributes to climate change and a range of negative externalities. Thus, a key sustainability challenge is to efficiently use energy consumption to promote human well-being. This manuscript contributes to the growing literature on the ecological intensity of well-being (EIWB) by modeling the relationship between democratic institutions and the energy intensity of well-being. We use international data to understand how democratic institutions—understood as a combination of elected legislature, elected executives, and democratic competition—impact the energy intensity of well-being. The energy intensity of well-being is an adjusted ratio of energy consumption and life expectancy. We combine random-intercept mixed-effect models with entropy balancing constraints to create covariate balance between democracies and non-democracies. Contrary to our expectations, we find that consistently null results suggesting that democracies do not leverage their energy consumption to improve well-being more effectively than other systems of government. Democracy and its subcomponents do not appear to improve, or reduce, the energy intensity of well-being. Democracy does not appear to improve sustainability, operationalized as the energy intensity of well-being. On the other hand, democracies do not appear to do worse than non-democracies, suggesting democratization can spread without reducing sustainability.
Game Design Jomblo Keren As a Startup Marketing Product

The number of competitors makes the competition in the game industry more difficult if not able to read opportunities well. Because it takes the ability to be able to take advantage of opportunities with the best. Bill Gates once quoted a word from Don Corleone that we must keep our friend close but our enemies even closer. Because of these competitors we will see various types of opportunities and opportunities that exist. The creation of "Jomblo Keren" game design will look at different types of aspects that can be used to get the right predictions to make the games acceptable by the market. These aspects include themes, games platform, visuals, gameplay, and stories.
Registries in Immune Thrombocytopenia: The History of the Intercontinental Cooperative ITP Study Group

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune-mediated bleeding disorder with unknown etiology and without a homogenous pathomechanism occurring in children and adults. Premature platelet destruction, inadequate platelet production, and platelet dysfunction of various degrees contribute to bleeding. The methods with which ITP was investigated evolved from descriptions of patients and series at a time when platelets were not yet identified to clinical randomized trials and sophisticated basic research. ITP is an orphan disease and therefore the clinical and pathophysiological investigations are difficult and expensive. Registries are ideal tools to overcome some of these problems and are appropriate preparers of clinical trials, as they allow the establishment of powerful international networks and represent structured databases with the potential to collect demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from a big number of patients. Registries are suited to follow-up patients and investigate the natural history of diseases. However there are also limitations, which are discussed in this review article. The Intercontinental Cooperative ITP Study Group (ICIS) started its registries in 1997 and studied the natural history of ITP in children and adults, including anamnestic, clinical, and laboratory data, but also efficacy and side effects of drugs and splenectomy. Although many successes have occurred during the last centuries, many problems await solutions, such as the predictability of severe bleeding and of the form of ITP.
Advances and Insights for Small Molecule Inhibition of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an upstream regulator of the immune response whose dysregulation is tied to a broad spectrum of inflammatory and proliferative disorders. As its complex signaling pathways and pleiotropic nature have been elucidated, it has become an attractive target for drug discovery. Remarkably, MIF is both a cytokine and an enzyme that functions as a keto-enol tautomerase. Strategies including in silico modeling, virtual screening, high-throughput screening, and screening of anti-inflammatory natural products have led to a large and diverse catalog of MIF tautomerase inhibitors as well as some understanding of the structure–activity relationships for compounds binding MIF’s tautomerase active site. With possible clinical trials of some MIF inhibitors on the horizon, it is an opportune time to review the literature to seek trends, address inconsistencies, and identify promising new avenues of research.
Vibrational Studies of Amorphous SiO2

There have been many studies of the vibrational structure of SiO2 glass, using infrared, Raman, neutron and other spectroscopies. Over the past few years, we have used vibrational spectroscopy, especially Raman scattering, to investigate glassy silicas prepared in a variety of ways or subjected to different treatments. Some of our work is summarized here, and the results are discussed in the light of recent models for the structure and dynamics of vitreous SiO2.
Imaging in Localized and Advanced Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the most common neoplasm of the urinary tract and imaging has become vital in both the diagnosis and management of these patients. There are many different imaging modalities (e.g. ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, bone scans), each with their specific applications. It is important to understand the merits of each modality to use them in the proper clinical setting. As the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy becomes more prevalent, accurate clinical staging of patients with advanced disease is paramount. This chapter discusses the role of multiple imaging modalities in the setting of both non-muscle invasive and muscle invasive bladder cancer, as well as in the setting of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surveillance.
Inverse Design of Colloidal Crystals via Optimized Patchy Interactions

Inverse statistical mechanics is a powerful optimization methodology that has been widely applied to design optimal isotropic pair interactions that robustly yield a broad spectrum of target many-p...
Abstract SY38-01: Inflammation-induced neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) awaken dormant cancer in the lung microenvironment

To elucidate mechanisms of cancer metastasis and recurrence from minimal residual disease, we use intravital imaging allowing for long-term visualization of cancer cells and surrounding host cells in living mice. Using intravital imaging, we found that neutrophils, the most abundant type of leukocytes in blood, form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) near disseminated cancer cells in the lung of mice during experimental inflammation. NETs are pathogen-trapping structures generated by expulsion of the neutrophil9s DNA with associated proteolytic enzymes in response to, e.g., infections. However, we found that metastatic breast cancer cells themselves can induce neutrophils to form metastasis-supporting NETs, in the absence of infection. We also found NETs in clinical samples of metastatic, triple-negative human breast cancer. Using mouse models, we determined that NETs promote metastasis by facilitating proteolytic extracellular matrix remodeling. Pharmacologic inhibition of NET formation or digestion of NETs with DNase I-coated nanoparticles markedly reduced lung metastases in mice. Our data suggest that induction of NETs is an important host-mediated mechanism of promoting metastasis and a potential therapeutic target. Citation Format: Mikala Egeblad. Inflammation-induced neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) awaken dormant cancer in the lung microenvironment [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr SY38-01.
Hope and health-related quality of life among chronically ill uninsured/underinsured adults.

AIMS Uninsured/underinsured individuals with chronic health conditions report low health-related quality of life. Empowerment-based strategies (e.g., hope) may improve the health-related quality of life of uninsured/underinsured individuals with chronic health conditions by enabling them to take charge of their health. METHODS The present study used structural equation modeling to examine the relationships among number of chronic health conditions, the components of hope (i.e., agency and pathways), and the health-related quality of life of 197 uninsured/underinsured adults in the United States living with at least one chronic health condition. RESULTS Results indicate that number of chronic health conditions negatively impacted health-related quality of life and that agency significantly mediated that relationship. CONCLUSIONS Results from this study can be used to promote health-related quality of life by empowering individuals to take charge of their lives despite their unique contextual circumstances.
Relationship to Place for Older Adults in a New York City Neighborhood Undergoing Gentrification: A Discourse Analysis:

While many older adults live in neighborhoods undergoing gentrification, research rarely explores their narratives about the gentrification process and their relationships with gentrifiers. This st...
Abstract C013: HI-B9 suppresses colorectal cancer by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Deregulated Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays an important role in colorectal cancer. β-Catenin interacts with transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2 or TCF4) to express oncogenes including c-myc, axin2 and cyclin D1. Here we describe a small molecule, referred to as HI-B9, which inhibits the growth of colorectal cancer cell lines. HI-B9 suppressed tryptophan fluorescence of β-catenin that contains TCF4-binding residues. In silico docking of HI-B9 on β-catenin showed a binding mode that blocks Lys 312 residue which is critical for the interaction between β-catenin and its interactors. A binding assay showed that the binding affinity of HI-B9 against β-catenin G307A/K312E mutant was significantly reduced compared to that against wildtype. HI-B9 inhibited β-catenin/TCF4 luciferase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Anchorage-independent growth of HCT116 and HT29 colorectal cancer cells were suppressed by the small molecule. mRNA expression levels of Wnt target genes were reduced by HI-B9 treatment. HI-B9 did not affect the translocation of β-catenin toward the nucleus. The therapeutic effects of HI-B9 was due to the disruption of β-catenin/TCF4 complex formation ex vivo. Our findings demonstrate the therapeutic potential of HI-B9 against colorectal cancer with aberrant Wnt/β-Catenin signaling pathway. Citation Format: Seung Ho Shin, Kanamata Reddy, Zigang Dong. HI-B9 suppresses colorectal cancer by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin pathway [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C013. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-C013
Contrasting ferromagnetism in pyrite FeS 2 induced by chemical doping versus electrostatic gating

Recent advances in electrostatic gating provide a novel way to modify the carrier concentration in materials via electrostatic means instead of chemical doping, thus minimizing the impurity scattering. Here, we use first-principles density functional theory combined with a tight-binding approach to compare and contrast the effects of electrostatic gating and Co chemical doping on the ferromagnetic transition of ${\mathrm{FeS}}_{2}$, a transition-metal disulfide with the pyrite structure. Using tight-binding parameters obtained from maximally localized Wannier functions, we calculate the magnetic susceptibility across a wide doping range. We find that electrostatic gating requires a higher electron concentration than the equivalent in Co doping to induce ferromagnetism via a Stoner-like mechanism. We attribute this behavior to the formation of a narrow Co band near the bottom of the conduction band under chemical doping, which is absent in the electrostatic gating case. Our results reveal that the effects of electrostatic gating go beyond a simple rigid band shift and highlight the importance of the changes in the crystal structure promoted by gating.
Identifying Key Physical Activity Categories and Topics to Include in Health Professional Training Programs

Phenomenon: Healthcare is an important sector in promoting physical activity (PA). However, few health professional training programs include PA, nor does standardized guidance exist on implementing it in the curriculum. This study aimed to consolidate health professional expert opinion on key PA categories and topics that should be included in the curriculum of health professional training programs. Approach: A three-round, modified e-Delphi process examined the opinions of 73 experts from seven health professions (clinical nutrition, exercise physiology, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistants). In Round 1, panelists reported importance, ranked, and scored five broad PA categories, and responded to open-ended prompts for additional categories. In Round 2, panelists received summary feedback, re-ranked and re-scored PA categories, and suggested key PA topics within the five categories. In the final round, panelists viewed, ranked, and scored the PA topics. Findings: Expert panelists felt that all PA categories were important, with Health Behavior Change ranking the highest (98.7%) followed by Cellular and Systemic Implications of Exercise, Clinical Exercise Physiology, and PA and Public Health. The Administrative Aspects of Integrating PA into Health Systems ranked least important (48.0%). A consensus on the key PA categories was considered reached after two rounds. Five to eight specific PA topics were generated within each PA category and ranked in order of importance. Insights: These findings highlight several key PA categories and topics that can serve as a foundation for a diverse number of health professional training programs.
Chapter 7 – Toxicology: GCMS

This chapter presents many of the considerations associated with the application of GC-MS in clinical toxicology. The chapter begins with a review of the advantages and disadvantages of GC-MS analyses as related to analyte characteristics. The reader is then directed through the process of instrument selection, which includes the strengths and weaknesses of current analyzer types and injection methods. The concepts of analyte hydrolysis and derivatization are presented as well as the importance of clean extraction techniques. Techniques, such as liquid–liquid extraction, solid phase extraction, supported liquid extraction, and solid phase micro extraction are discussed. The chapter also includes considerations for establishing new analytical methods and relates the effects of the analytical column, temperature gradient, and injection mode on analyte elution and detection. Requirements for proper assay validation and published recommendations are included. Finally, instrument maintenance and troubleshooting are addressed and common problems are highlighted.
ESD (Electrostaic Discharge) Soft Failure Risk Assessment For a Thin Display Metal Back Cover

Most of the connected electronic devices such as smart phone, tablet and laptop has LCD (liquid crystal display) with metal back plate as a part of system stack up. The metal back plate of the display helps in grounding the system ingredients and FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) into the chassis/ system ground which helps to prevent the ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) soft failures and its thickness is around 0.5mm. But as the devices are trending towards more and more thin designs the thickness of the display metal back cover becomes a problem. The paper provides an ESD soft failure risk assessment where the thick display metal back cover is replaced with a less than 0.05mm thin metal sheet and its effect on ESD soft failure is studied. The paper covers following key topics: a) creation of an ESD pass and fail case for a given issue, b) identification of correct measurement parameters in simulation to distinguish between pass and fail case, c) validation of an ESD simulation setup with the help of Z parameter correlation and d) assessment of ESD soft failure using a thick display metal back cover and using a thin metal sheet. The ESD soft failure risk assessment is performed using 3D EM simulation and identified surface current on the system ground as a critical part of soft failure mechanism.
Hypoferritinemia and iron deficiency in youth with pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome

Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is an abrupt debilitating psychiatric illness. We anecdotally observed hypoferritinemia and iron deficiency in a subset of patients with PANS, prompting this study. In this IRB-approved prospective cohort study, we included patients seen at the Stanford PANS Clinic who met study criteria. The prevalence of hypoferritinemia (using cut-offs of 7 ng/ml in children ≤ 15 years and 18 ng/ml in adolescents > 15 years) and iron deficiency was estimated. Differences in patients with and without hypoferritinemia during PANS flare were explored. Seventy-nine subjects (mean age of PANS onset of 8.7 years) met study criteria. Hypoferritinemia was observed in 27% and three quarters occurred during a PANS flare. Compared to patients without hypoferritinemia during PANS flare, patients with hypoferritinemia had worse global impairment, more comorbid inflammatory diseases, and exhibited a chronic course of PANS illness. The estimated prevalence of iron deficiency was 3–8% in the PANS cohort, 1.4–2.0-fold higher than in the age- and sex-matched U.S. population. More stringent ferritin level cut-offs than the comparison CDC dataset were used. Hypoferritinemia and iron deficiency appear to be more common in PANS patients. More research is needed to confirm and understand this association.
When Do Comprehenders Mentalize for Pragmatic Inference

People often speak indirectly. For example, “It’s cold in here” might be intended not only as a comment on the temperature but also as a request to turn on the heater. How are comprehenders’ infere...
Choosing in Groups: Analytical Politics Revisited

This book is an introduction to the logic and analytics of group choice. To understand how political institutions work, it is important to isolate what citizens - as individuals and as members of society - actually want. This book develops a means of 'representing' the preferences of citizens so that institutions can be studied more carefully. This is the first book to integrate the classical problem of constitutions with modern spatial theory, connecting Aristotle and Montesquieu with Arrow and Buchanan.
Sensitive detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva

Saliva has significant advantages as a test medium for detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients, such as ease of collection, minimal requirement of supplies and trained personnel, and safety. Comprehensive validation in a large cohort of prospectively collected specimens with unknown SARS-CoV-2 status should be performed to evaluate the potential and limitations of saliva-based testing. We developed a saliva-based testing pipeline for detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acids using real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) readouts, and measured samples from 137 outpatients tested at a curbside testing facility and 29 inpatients hospitalized for COVID-19. These measurements were compared to the nasal swab results for each patient performed by a certified microbiology laboratory. We found that our saliva testing positively detects 100% (RT-PCR) and 93.75% (ddPCR) of curbside patients that were identified as SARS-CoV-2 positive by the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) certified nasal swab testing assay. Quantification of viral loads by ddPCR revealed an extremely wide range, with 1 million-fold difference between individual patients. Our results demonstrate for both community screening and hospital settings that saliva testing reliability is on par with that of the nasal swabs in detecting infected cases, and has potential for higher sensitivity when combined with ddPCR in detecting low-abundance viral loads that evade traditional testing methods.
When Social Media Images and Messages Don't Match: Attention to Text versus Imagery to Effectively Convey Safety Information on Social Media

Health organizations can use visuals that support observational learning in social media. The social cognitive theory construct of observational learning illustrates how social media messages can i...
An analytical theory of CEP-dependent coherence driven by few-cycle pulses

Abstract The interaction between an atomic system and a few-cycle ultrafast pulse carries rich physics and a considerable application prospect in quantum-coherence control. However, theoretical understanding of its general behaviors has been hindered by the lack of an analytical description in this regime, especially with regard to the impact of the carrier-envelope phase (CEP). Here, we present an analytical theory that describes a two-level atom driven by a far-off-resonance, few-cycle square pulse. A simple, closed-form solution of the Schrodinger equation is obtained under the first-order perturbation without invoking the rotating-wave approximation or the slowly varying envelope approximation. Further investigation reveals an arithmetic relation between the final inversion of the atom and the CEP of the pulse. Despite its mathematical simplicity, the relation is able to capture some of the key features of the interaction, which prove to be robust against generalization of pulse shapes and show good agreements with numerical solutions. The theory can potentially offer a general guidance in future studies of CEP-sensitive quantum coherence.
Changes in colorectal cancer knowledge and screening intention among Ohio African American and Appalachian participants: The screen to save initiative

African Americans and Appalachians experience greater incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer due to factors, such as reduced prevalence of screening. An educational session (the Screen to Save Initiative) was conducted to increase intent to screen for colorectal cancer among African Americans and Appalachians in Ohio. Using a community-based approach, from April to September 2017, 85 eligible participants were recruited in Franklin County and Appalachia Ohio. Participants completed a knowledge assessment on colorectal cancer before and after participating in either an educational PowerPoint session or a guided tour through an Inflatable Colon. Logistic regression models were used to determine what factors were associated with changes in colorectal cancer knowledge and intent to screen for colorectal cancer. The majority (71.79%) of participants gained knowledge about colorectal cancer after the intervention. Multivariate results showed that race (OR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11–0.80 for African Americans versus White participants) and intervention type (OR = 5.97; 95% CI: 1.94–18.43 for PowerPoint versus Inflatable Colon) were associated with a change in knowledge. The association between education and intent to screen was marginally statistically significant (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.16–1.13 for college graduate versus not a college graduate). A change in colorectal cancer knowledge was not associated with intent to screen. Future educational interventions should be modified to increase intent to screen and screening for colorectal cancer. Further research with these modified interventions should aim to reduce disparities in CRC among underserved populations while listening to the voices of the communities.
Gβγ regulates mitotic Golgi fragmentation and G2/M cell cycle progression

G protein βγ subunits function noncanonically at the Golgi to regulate the fission of plasma membrane-destined transport vesicles. Depletion and inhibition of Gβγ were used to demonstrate a new rol...
Temporal metabolic response to mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations in oncology patients.

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are known to provide an immune response seen on FDG PET studies. However, the time course of this metabolic response is unknown. We here present a temporal metabolic response to mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in oncology patients undergoing standard of care FDG PET. 262 oncology patients undergoing standard of care FDG PET were included in the analysis. 231 patients had at least one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine while 31 patients had not been vaccinated. The SUVmax of the lymph nodes ipsilateral to the vaccination was compared to the contralateral to obtain an absolute change in SUVmax (ΔSUVmax). ΔSUVmax was more significant at shorter times between FDG PET imaging and COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, with a median ΔSUVmax of 2.6 (0–7 days), 0.8 (8–14 days), and 0.3 (> 14 days), respectively. Consideration should be given to performing FDG PET at least 2 weeks after the COVID-19 vaccine.
Consumption of animal source foods, especially fish, is associated with better nutritional status among women of reproductive age in rural Bangladesh.

In rural Bangladesh, intake of nutrient-rich foods, such as animal source foods (ASFs), is generally suboptimal. Diets low in nutrients and lacking in diversity put women of reproductive age (WRA) at risk of malnutrition as well as adverse birth outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between maternal dietary diversity, consumption of specific food groups and markers of nutritional status, including underweight [body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg/m2 ], overweight (BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2 ) and anaemia (haemoglobin < 120 g/dl) among WRA in Bangladesh. This analysis used data from the third round of a longitudinal observational study, collected from February through May of 2017. Dietary data were collected with a questionnaire, and Women's Dietary Diversity Score (WDDS) was calculated. Associations between WDDS, food group consumption and markers of nutritional status were assessed with separate adjusted logistic regression models. Among WRA, the prevalence of underweight, overweight and anaemia was 13.38%, 40.94% and 39.99%, respectively. Women who consumed dark green leafy vegetables (DGLV) or eggs were less likely to be anaemic or underweight, respectively, and women who consumed ASFs, particularly fish, were less likely to be underweight compared with women who did not consume these foods. WDDS did not show any consistent relationship with WRA outcomes. Interventions that focus on promoting optimal nutritional status among WRA in Bangladesh should emphasise increasing consumption of specific nutrient-rich foods, including ASFs, DGLV and eggs, rather than solely focusing on improving diet diversity in general.
Google the Gozerian and Fair Use Slimed: Copyright Again in the Technocrat's Den

This article considers the fair use doctrine as it applies to Google's Library Search Project and both predicts and advocates for a finding of fair use. Part I briefly reviews the past by considering the pertinent history of the fair use doctrine. It also explains the details of the current suit over Google's Library Project. Part II moves on to consider the current state of fair use analysis by reviewing 110 fair use cases and conducting simple statistical analyses. It then explains and applies the fair use doctrine to Google's project. Part III considers cases frequently compared to Google's and discusses their impact on Google's lawsuit. Part IV departs from a Google-centered analysis and examines the possible future of the four factors by suggesting modifications to the fair use doctrine.
Computer-Assisted Perimetry Results in Neuro-Ophthalmology Problem Cases

Computer-assisted perimetry (Octopus) is useful in discerning field defects in patients who have more than one lesion affecting the visual system, largely because of its objective testing strategy and its ability to detect near-threshold abnormalities not found on standard kinetic perimetry.
Cytogenetic studies in acute myelocytic leukemia with special emphasis on the occurrence of Ph1 chromosome.

Cytogenetic studies were carried out on 103 unselected patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health. Seventy-three patients (70.9%) had a normal karyotype and 30 patients (29.1%) were aneuploid. No unique chromosomal abnormalities were found in patients with aneuploidy; however, there was a significantly higher incidence of G group involvement. Four cases had a history of radiation exposure; three of these four patients had a normal karyotype and one had one Ph1 chromosome in her bone marrow cells. Another patient with no history of radiation also had one Ph1 chromosome in his marrow cells. Reclassification of AML patients with Ph1 chromosomes as a rare entity of blast crisis in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) rather than as AML’s is proposed. Two patients exhibited the 45 chromosome syndrome before the diagnosis of AML was made. The normal and aneuploid groups had about the same median survival time and same median date from diagnosis to chromosome study; however, none of the patients in the aneuploid group lived longer than 26 months after the date of diagnosis, while seven patients (nearly 10%) in the normal group did so, one living over 112 months.
Computation and Theoretical Methods, Introduction

This chapter of the second edition of Characterization of Materials is aimed at complementing and providing the basic theoretical and computational underpinnings for the experimental techniques and tools presented throughout the volume. Historically, theoretical understanding of materials properties has been a prerequisite for the development of experimental tools and, as such, there is an inextricable connection between theory and experimentation. The collection of papers in this chapter is aimed at providing some of the fundamental principles behind the characterization tools presented throughout the volume and the interpretation of the results they produce. Beyond that objective, the chapter also aims at revealing the extent to which modeling and simulation have evolved over the last few decades. Materials theory, modeling, and simulation have evolved past their traditional role of providing general guiding principles and the basis for rationalizing and understanding materials properties. At present, modeling and simulation have achieved a high level of predictive capability for a wealth of materials properties, making them almost indispensable tools to materials scientists and engineers. Keywords: materials simulation; modeling; computational characterization
The allocation and scheduling of precedence- and timing-constrained tasks with communication delays

The problem of non-preemptively scheduling a set of n tasks on m identical processors with communication overhead subject to precedence and deadline constraints is considered. A new heuristic with the time complexity of O(n/sup 2/m), Least Space-Time First (LSTF), is proposed to minimize the maximum tardiness. From simulation results, it is shown that LSTF outperforms other heuristic algorithms.
Ex-situ training of dense memristor crossbar for neuromorphic applications

This study proposes a technique for programming a dense memristor crossbar array without isolation transistors (0T1M) in order to achieve ex-situ training of a neural network. Programming memristors to a specific resistance level requires an iterative process needing the reading of individual memristor resistances due to memristor device stochasticity. This paper presents a circuit to read individual resistances from a 0T1M crossbar and a method to map neuron synaptic weights into a novel neural circuit to enable ex-situ training. The results show that we are able to train the resistances in a 0T1M crossbar and that the 0T1M system is about 93% smaller in area than 1T1M systems.
Games and conditionals

In a 1995 paper, Aumann [4] gave a proof of the claim that, in a game of perfect information, rational players who have common knowledge of their mutual rationality must play the backwards induction solution. Binmore [6] has been quite vocal in his opposition to Aumann's claims. What would a player do, he asks, if she were to observe a deviation from the backwards induction equilibrium path? The question is not idle, since it is a good policy for any player - before committing herself to a course of action -- to investigate all the available alternatives and the likely consequences for each of them. This, by the way, is no counterfactual reasoning, as some game theorists have argued. A counterfactual must have a contrary-to-fact event as an antecedent, as when we say 'Had Cleopatra's nose been shorter, Anthony would have been the first Roman emperor'. Now, we know her nose was long, and that Anthony fell madly in love with her, went to war against Rome and lost to Augustus, who then became the first emperor.
Acute Horner syndrome due to thoracic epidural analgesia in a paediatric patient.

Summary A 4-year-old boy with coarctation of the aorta underwent surgical aortic arch repair with general anaesthesia and thoracic epidural analgesia. In the immediate postoperative period, the child developed a unilateral Horner syndrome which appeared to be related to the epidural infusion rate. Management of this patient as well as alternate aetiologies of Horner syndrome are described. Horner syndrome is a rare complication of epidural catheters and is often unrecognized, especially in children.
Localization of Myosin 1b to Actin Protrusions Requires Phosphoinositide Binding

Myosin 1b (Myo1b), a class I myosin, is a widely expressed, single-headed, actin-associated molecular motor. Transient kinetic and single-molecule studies indicate that it is kinetically slow and responds to tension. Localization and subcellular fractionation studies indicate that Myo1b associates with the plasma membrane and certain subcellular organelles such as endosomes and lysosomes. Whether Myo1b directly associates with membranes is unknown. We demonstrate here that full-length rat Myo1b binds specifically and with high affinity to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3), two phosphoinositides that play important roles in cell signaling. Binding is not Ca2+-dependent and does not involve the calmodulin-binding IQ region in the neck domain of Myo1b. Furthermore, the binding site is contained entirely within the C-terminal tail region, which contains a putative pleckstrin homology domain. Single mutations in the putative pleckstrin homology domain abolish binding of the tail domain of Myo1b to PIP2 and PIP3 in vitro. These same mutations alter the distribution of Myc-tagged Myo1b at membrane protrusions in HeLa cells where PIP2 localizes. In addition, we found that motor activity is required for Myo1b localization in filopodia. These results suggest that binding of Myo1b to phosphoinositides plays an important role in vivo by regulating localization to actin-enriched membrane projections.
Environmental embrittlement in Ll2-ordered (Co, Fe)3 V alloys

Abstract Environmental effects on mechanical properties and fracture behavior of Ll2-ordered (Co, Fe)3V alloys with compositions (Co78Fe22)3V and (Co85 Fe15)3V were studied by tensile test in the strain range of 3.3 × 10−5 to 3.3 × 10−1s−1 at ambient temperatures. The (Co, Fe)3V alloys were found to be susceptible to environmental embrittlement. The yield and flow stresses were insensitive to the test environment, while the ductility and ultimate tensile strength decreased according to the sequence of dry oxygen, vacuum, air, and distilled water. The ductility loss was closely associated with intergranular fracture, and the propensity for intergranular fracture increased in the same environmental sequence. Lower strain rate resulted in more intergranular fracture and hence lower ductility. A beneficial effect of grain refinement was observed. All these results suggest that the embrittlement was caused by moisture-induced hydrogen which diffused to grain boundaries, resulting in reduced grain-boundary cohesion and increased intergranular fracture. Grain boundaries were more intrinsically brittle in (Co85Fe15)3V than in (Co78Fe22)3V. A possible reason was suggested to explain the grain-boundary brittleness in (Co, Fe)3V alloys, based on consideration of phase stability.
Histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment attenuates MAP kinase pathway activation and pulmonary inflammation following hemorrhagic shock in a rodent model.

Background Hemorrhagic shock activates cellular stress signals and can lead to systemic inflammatory response, organ injury, and death. We have previously shown that treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) significantly improves survival in lethal models (60% blood loss) of hemorrhage. The aim of the current study was to examine whether these protective effects were due to attenuation of mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, which are known to promote inflammation and apoptosis. Methods Wistar-Kyoto rats (250–300 g) were subjected to 40% blood loss and randomized to treatment with: (1) HDACI valproic acid (VPA 300 mg/kg i.v.; volume = 0.75 mL/kg), or (2) vehicle control (0.75 mL/kg of 0.9% saline). Animals were sacrificed at 1, 4, and 20 h (n = 3–4/group/timepoint), and lung samples were analyzed by Western blotting for expression of active (phosphorylated) and inactive forms of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was measured in lung tissue 20 h after hemorrhage as a marker of neutrophil infiltration. Normal animals (n = 3) served as shams. Results Hemorrhaged animals demonstrated significant increases in phosphorylated p38 at 1 h, phosphorylated JNK at 4 h, and increased MPO activity at 20 h (P Conclusions Hemorrhagic shock activates pro-inflammatory MAPK signaling pathways and promotes pulmonary neutrophil infiltration, affects that are significantly attenuated by VPA treatment. This may represent a key mechanism through which HDACIs decrease organ damage and promote survival in hemorrhagic shock.
Prevalence, relation to spontaneous closure, and association of muscular ventricular septal defects with other cardiac defects

Previous studies on muscular ventricular septal defect (VSD) have not taken into account the specific defect location in the septum. We retrospectively reviewed all patients with a muscular VSD, with and without associated malformations, diagnosed over 32 months to determine the prevalence and rate of spontaneous closure of single defects in relation to location in the muscular septum. Defects were classified into 4 groups: midmuscular, apical, anterior, and posterior. Two hundred seven patients were identified, of whom 125 had a single defect. The relative prevalence of single muscular VSD was: midmuscular 55 (44%), apical 31 (25%), anterior 33 (26%), and posterior 6 (5%). Thirty patients had signs of spontaneous closure and only 1 underwent surgery. There was no difference in rate of closure with respect to anatomic locations. Patients with multiple muscular VSD were either referred for surgery in the first year of life or had a course similar to patients with a single VSD. Muscular VSD associated with other cardiac malformations was more often encountered in patients with conoventricular VSD and coarctation of the aorta. The distribution of anatomic groups of muscular VSD in association with malformations was similar to the single VSD.
Rethinking Foreclosure Dynamics in a Sunbelt City: What Parcel-Level Mortgage Data Can Teach Us About Subprime Lending and Foreclosures

The dynamics of mortgage foreclosures can be studied by examining parcel-level sales and mortgage data, alongside aggregate data reporting on defaults. This research relies on such microlevel analysis to explore three issues in high-foreclosure census tracts located in Hillsborough County, Florida. First, it notes the prevalence of investor-owners in high-foreclosure areas. Second, it considers the high percentage of adjustable rate mortgages identified in these areas and the frequency with which mortgage defaults occur before interest rate adjustments take effect. Third, it suggests that high levels of investor ownership and extreme volatility of housing and mortgage markets in these neighborhoods complicate the analysis of, and solutions to, the foreclosure crisis.
Processing of adenovirus specific nuclear RNA during virus replication.

Abstract Adenovirus 2-specific RNA in the nucleus of infected cells sediments as rapidly as 80–100S (MW ca. 12 × 10 6 daltons) and may represent a complete transcript of the adenovirus 2 genome. These large adenovirus nuclear RNA molecules may be processed into much smaller polysomal viral mRNA molecules (MW 1–2 × 10 6 daltons) because both classes of RNA contain poly(A) and because competition hybridization experiments indicate that all the viral-specific mRNA sequences are present in large nuclear RNA. However, not all the large adenovirus-specific nuclear RNA is processed into mRNA since only 70–75% of the viral nuclear RNA sequences are found in the cytoplasm both early and late after infection. It appears that the generation of adenovirus-specific mRNA in infected cells occurs through the processing of large viral nuclear RNA molecules containing poly(A) in a manner similar to that suggested for the production of mRNA in uninfected cells (Darnell et al. , 1971b).
Experimental test of preference by a generalist piscivore on morphologically- and behaviorally- different prey

Abstract Generalist predators can have wide diet breadths that are influenced by the relative abundance of different prey available to them, making it difficult to determine prey preference from field observations. To ascertain preference, controlled experimentation is required that accounts for prey-specific variation in the time it takes to search, capture, and consume the prey; all of which can be affected by its morphology and behavior. Based on previous stomach content studies, Pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides and Clown Gobies, Microgobius gulosus , comprise a substantial proportion of the diet of Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus , despite strong differences in the morphology and behavior of these prey. Pinfish are demersal, deep-bodied fish that form loose aggregations with strong dorsal- and anal-fin spines that shoal in large aggregations, whereas Clown Gobies are benthic, shallow-bodied fish with weaker fin spines and are solitary but evenly distributed over the substrate. We conducted controlled, laboratory feeding experiments to test prey preference by Spotted Seatrout for these two common prey. Spotted Seatrout did not exhibit a feeding preference for either Pinfish or Clown Gobies, despite the strong differences in morphology and behavior. However, we observed higher consumption rates of the Clown Goby, but not the Pinfish, during 24-hour trials compared to those lasting 48 hours. This suggests that the densities of a solitary prey, but not a shoaling one, may have influenced search times by the generalist predator. Our experiments highlight the complexities of feeding behaviors by a generalist predator in highly dynamic ecosystems.
Clinical Use of the Surgeon General’s “My Family Health Portrait” (MFHP) Tool: Opinions of Future Health Care Providers

This study examined medical students’ and house officers’ opinions about the Surgeon General’s “My Family Health Portrait” (MFHP) tool. Participants used the tool and were surveyed about tool mechanics, potential clinical uses, and barriers. None of the 97 participants had previously used this tool. The average time to enter a family history was 15 min (range 3 to 45 min). Participants agreed or strongly agreed that the MFHP tool is understandable (98%), easy to use (93%), and suitable for general public use (84%). Sixty-seven percent would encourage their patients to use the tool; 39% would ensure staff assistance. Participants would use the tool to identify patients at increased risk for disease (86%), record family history in the medical chart (84%), recommend preventive health behaviors (80%), and refer to genetics services (72%). Concerns about use of the tool included patient access, information accuracy, technical challenges, and the need for physician education on interpreting family history information.
Seizures and Brain Tumors

Seizures commonly occur in people with brain tumors. They may be the presenting symptom of a brain tumor, or develop some time after tumor diagnosis. The risk of seizures is greatest when the tumors have a central location, slow growth rate, and when multiple lesions are present. Interactions between anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), chemotherapeutic agents, and corticosteroids increase the complexity and challenge in managing seizures, and drugs that do not interfere with the cytochrome P-450 enzyme complex and have low protein binding may be preferable. The comparative efficacy and side effects of the various AEDs are not established in brain tumors, so drug choice relies on both the theoretical advantages of pharmacokinetic properties and clinical judgment. Prophylactic anticonvulsant treatment is not advisable in brain tumor patients who have not experienced seizures.
Tumoral Calcinosis of the Foot A Radiologic Case Study

Tumoral calcinosis is a disorder characterized by deposits of calcium phosphate in the subcutaneous tissues near large joints. While often resembling a neoplasm, the soft tissue deposits of tumoral...
Contemporary Imaging of the Renal Mass

Renal masses increasingly are detected incidentally in asymptomatic individuals. Accurate characterization of these lesions is important for clinical management, planning intervention, and avoiding unnecessary procedures. Ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the mainstays of renal mass detection and characterization. Ultrasonography is useful for distinguishing cystic from solid lesions and can detect lesion vascularity, especially with use of ultrasound contrast agents, but is less sensitive, less specific, and less reproducible than CT and MRI. CT, with and without intravenous contrast, is the primary imaging test for characterization and staging of renal lesions, and is utilized more often than MRI. Current multidetector CT technology provides near isotropic acquisition, with three-dimensional reformatting capabilities. Due to lack of exposure to iodinated contrast and ionizing radiation and superior soft tissue contrast, MRI is being increasingly utilized as a problem-solving tool for diagnosis, staging, and preoperative planning for renal malignancies. Future directions for imaging of primary renal neoplasm include accurate characterization of renal cell cancer subtype, assistance with treatment planning, and evaluation of treatment response.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Nonionic Prenyl, Geranyl, and Farnesyl Diphosphate Surrogates

Abstract Prenyl, geranyl, and farnesyl derivatives containing nonionic surrogates for the diphosphate moiety, including disulfones 4–6 and 7–9, methylene disulfonamides 10–12, and carbamyl sulfamides 13–15, have been synthesized and evaluated biologically in an effort to find suitable nonlabile, neutral inhibitors for enzymatic reactions which use these isoprenoid diphosphates as substrates. Farnesyl derivatives 6, 9, 12, and 15 were ineffective as squalene synthase inhibitors in vitro. Compounds 4–15 were screened in human skin fibroblasts for their effects on fatty acid, cholesterol, and DNA synthesis. In general, compounds 10–15 showed more inhibition than 4–9 and had a greater effect on DNA synthesis than on lipid synthesis, with the exception of 15.