cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of Belt Positioning Booster Seats: An Updated Assessment

The objective of this study was to provide an updated es- timate of the effectiveness of belt-positioning booster (BPB) seats com- pared with seat belts alone in reducing the risk for injury for children aged 4 to 8 years. METHODS: Data were collected from a longitudinal study of children who were involved in crashes in 16 states and the District of Columbia from December 1, 1998, to November 30, 2007, with data collected via insurance claims records and a validated telephone survey. The study sample included children who were aged 4 to 8 years, seated in the rear rows of the vehicle, and restrained by either a seat belt or a BPB seat. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the odds of injury for those in BPB seats versus those in seat belts. Effects of crash direction and booster seat type were also explored. RESULTS: Complete interview data were obtained on 7151 children in 6591 crashes representing an estimated 120 646 children in 116 503 crashes in the study population. The adjusted relative risk for injury to children in BPB seats compared with those in seat belts was 0.55. CONCLUSIONS: This study reconfirms previous reports that BPB seats reduce the risk for injury in children aged 4 through 8 years. On the basis of these analyses, parents, pediatricians, and health educators should continue to recommend as best practice the use of BPB seats once a child outgrows a harness-based child restraint until he or she is at least 8 years of age. Pediatrics 2009;124:1281-1286
The obesity-cancer link: lessons learned from a fatless mouse.

Current dogma suggests that the positive correlation between obesity and cancer is driven by white adipose tissue that accompanies obesity, possibly through excess secretion of adipokines. Recent studies in fatless A-Zip/F1 mice, which have undetectable adipokine levels but display accelerated tumor formation, suggest that adipokines are not required for the enhanced tumor development. The A-Zip/F-1 mice are also diabetic and display elevated circulating levels of other factors frequently associated with obesity (insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and proinflammatory cytokines) and activation of several signaling pathways associated with carcinogenesis. In view of this information, the risk factors underlying the obesity-cancer link need to be revisited. We postulate that the pathways associated with insulin resistance and inflammation, rather than adipocyte-derived factors, may represent key prevention and therapeutic targets for disrupting the obesity-cancer link. [Cancer Res 2007;67(6):2391–3]
A case of familial isolated hemihyperplasia

Hemihyperplasia (hemihypertrophy) is defined as asymmetric body overgrowth of one or more body parts. Hemihyperplasia can be isolated or be part of well-defined syndromes such as in the case of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). Isolated hemihyperplasia is usually sporadic, but a number of familial occurrences have been described. We describe a Tunisian family in which three maternal cousins and their maternal grandfather present with isolated hemihyperplasia. The etiology of isolated hemihyperplasia is unknown although in BWS, genomic imprinting has been shown to play a role in the asymmetric overgrowth. Given the similarity between these two conditions, it is possible that both may share a common pathogenesis. We also discuss the possible genetic mechanisms leading to the production of hemihyperplasia in this family.
Two-photon fluorescence correlation spectroscopy through a dual-clad optical fiber

We report the use of a dual-clad optical fiber for two-photon excited fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. The ability to detect nanoparticles has been demonstrated. This technique shows the potential of conducing FCS measurements in vivo.
Direct effects of hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis on testicular steroidogenesis in hamsters.

Hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis have been shown to influence testicular function in rodents directly or indirectly. Panke et al. (1978) reported that experimental induction of hypo- or hyperthyroidism in the rat led to reductioms in plasma testosterone and in testicular LH receptors without altering peripheral concentrations of LH, FSH or PRL. There is a well known relationship between hypo- and hyperthyroidism, and fertility disorders in both men and women (Ingbar, 1985). Vriend and Wasserman (1986) showed that the thiourea-induced increase in TSH can partially reverse the short-photoperiod related testicular regression in Syrian hamsters. Furthermore, in genetically hypothyroid mice in which thyroid hormones are absent and plasma TSH levels are extremely high, Leydig cell responsiveness to hCG in vivo is significantly increased by TSH (Amador et al., 1986). Moreover, specific receptors for both TSH and thyroid hormones have been detected in rodent testes (Oppenheimer et al., 1974; Davies et al., 1978). Therefore, the present study was designed to study the effects of TRH, TSH, calcitonin (CTH) and thyroid hormones in vitro on testicular steroidogenesis in Syrian and Siberian hamsters.
Depression treatment delivered at the point-of-care: a qualitative assessment of the views of low-income US mothers

AbstractBackground/objective: Within the first months of childbirth, clinically significant depressive symptoms are experienced by 19% of mothers in the USA, and are even more prevalent among low-income and ethnic-minority women. Paradoxically, low-income and ethnic-minority mothers are faced with unique barriers that make them less likely to receive professional mental health care. To find ways to remove these barriers, a recent US trial extended the use of a UK intervention, Listening Visits, an evidence-based treatment delivered by home visitors/office nursing staff. Methods: A qualitative content analysis was conducted with participants’ (N = 19 in an open trial and N = 49 in a randomised controlled trial) responses to a post-treatment semi-structured interview assessing their views of Listening Visits. The percentage of participants endorsing each thematic code is presented. Results: When the provider first introduced the Listening Visits intervention, 77.9% of women retrospectively reported having p...
Availability of eIF4E regulates skeletal muscle protein synthesis during recovery from exercise

We examined the association of the mRNA cap binding protein eIF4E with the translational inhibitor 4E-BP1 in the acute modulation of skeletal muscle protein synthesis during recovery from exercise....
Diet-Induced Thermogenesis in the Prairie Vole, Microtus ochrogaster

Diet-induced thermogenesis occurs in laboratory rats consuming either a cafeteria or a low-protein diet. Researchers suggest that diet-induced thermogenesis regulates weight by oxidizing excess food intake. Alternatively, diet-induced thermogenesis may enhance nutrient uptake from a diet that is nutritionally unbalanced By increasing food intake and then selectively oxidizing excess nonessential nutrients, a herbivore could enhance uptake of one or more limiting nutrients. In the wild, nitrogen can be in limited supply for many animals, especially herbivores The ability of a small herbivore to use diet-induced thermogenesis to enhance nitrogen uptake, therefore, could be adaptive. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) were studied to see if diet-induced thermogenesis occurs when they consume a low-protein diet. Results show that voles fed artificial low-protein diets (2.5% casein) have lower energy efficiencies and higher metabolic rates per unit of metabolizable energy intake than voles fed high-protein d...
Abstract IA21: Ras oncogene in cancer pathogenesis and therapy

Mutations in ras genes are highly prevalent in human cancers and are universally predictive of resistance to virtually all anti-cancer therapeutic modalities. Mutant Ras proteins are endowed with a diverse set of biological capabilities that impinge on homeostatic mechanisms that control cell growth and survival. We have been interested in defining the molecular basis of these capabilities and delineating their contribution to the execution of the oncogenic program. Specifically, our recent efforts have focused on the impact of Ras-dependent oncogenic output on key elements of tumor evolution - metabolic reprogramming, immune evasion and genomic stability. The presentation will provide updates pertaining to these efforts highlighting newly identified Ras-dependent vulnerabilities that could potentially be exploited in the design of therapeutic interventions. Citation Format: Dafna Bar-Sagi. Ras oncogene in cancer pathogenesis and therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2015 Oct 23-26; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(3 Suppl):Abstract nr IA21.
Alteration of lipid metabolism associated with renal adenocarcinoma in the Wistar-Lewis rat.

AbstractTumor bearing has been associated with a number of metabolic and biochemical alterations in man and animals. Recent studies have shown that Fischer rats bearing methylcholanthrene-induced sarcomas display elevations of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels. We investigated Wistar-Lewis rats bearing a transplantable, spontaneously arising renal adenocarcinoma histologically similar to human clear cell carcinoma of the kidney to determine whether similar metabolic derangements could be demonstrated.Baseline fasting levels of triglyceride and cholesterol were established in nontumor-bearing control rats. The presence of tumor implanted either subcutaneously in the flank or grown subcapsularly within the kidey resulted in a 20 to 25-fold elevation in circulating triglyceride. Following complete excision of implanted tumor, triglyceride levels returned to baseline.
Accessible weight loss: Adapting a lifestyle intervention for adults with impaired mobility

Abstract Background Despite disparities in obesity between those with and without disability, there is limited evidence to guide weight loss intervention in people with impaired mobility (IM), particularly those with severe impairments. Objective Examine the usability, feasibility, and effectiveness of adapting an existing evidence-based weight loss program for people with IM. Methods In this single-group pre-test post-test pilot study, 10 overweight or obese individuals with permanent IM (e.g. spinal cord injury, spina bifida, osteoarthritis) participated in a 20-week modification of the DPP Group Lifestyle Balance™ (DPP GLB) program, a group-based adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). Fifteen conference calls encouraged reducing calorie and fat intake and increasing exercise through self-monitoring and problem solving. We defined feasibility as retention and engagement, usability as participants' program satisfaction ratings, and effectiveness as physiological and psychosocial change measured on three occasions over 20 weeks. Analytic methods included basic descriptive statistics (feasibility and usability) and repeated measures ANOVA (effectiveness). Results The program retained 70% of participants. These individuals attended an average of 79.3% of conference calls and self-monitored more than half of the weeks. Participants rated the program highly, with mean overall scores of 6.3 ± 0.3 and 6.2 ± 0.6 out of 7 on helpfulness and satisfaction scales, respectively. Program completers experienced a significant mean weight loss of 8.86 ± 8.37 kg ( p = 0.024), or 7.4% of their start weight, and significantly reduced their BMI. Conclusions An adapted version of the DPP GLB is a feasible, usable, and potentially effective intervention for promoting weight loss among persons with IM.
Markov Pricing Equilibrium in a prosumer-aggregator dynamic game

We consider the dynamic price formation process in a prosumer to aggregator dynamic game. Prosumers sell excess energy to an aggregator in every period with possiblity of recharge between two periods. The price at which the prosumer bids to sells her excess energy is a function of the state of the excess energy available to all the prosumers participating in the game. It is shown that the strategy of bidding at the indifference price of each prosumer is a Markov Pricing Equilibrium for this game.
The Impact of Early Exposure to Uncontracted Braille Reading on Students with Visual Impairments

This study compared the reading and spelling skills of students who were taught to read using uncontracted braille versus those who were taught to read using contracted braille. It found no descrip...
Irish prefixes and the alphabetization of personal names

Ireland is a bilingual nation and one of the earliest countries to evolve a system of hereditary surnames. 'Mac's and 'O's abound, but 'Fitz's and other prefixes as well. Surnames vary for men and women bearing the same family name; the prefix changes to Mhic, Nic, Ui or Ni. Further complications are created by transliteration and translation from Irish to English. Roisin Nic Coil explores the problems this presents for alphabetization and some possible solutions.
BROAD-CHURCH HOMILETICS, KINGSLEY'S HYPATIA, AND THE CULTIVATED READER IN THE PEW

The first issue and number of the Nineteenth Century, 1877, included a searching article by J. Baldwin Brown entitled “Is the Pulpit Losing Its Power?” Looking back over the decades, Brown marked a generational decline in England's preaching, which he argued had now been eclipsed by a print market distributing “freest discussion of the most sacred truths.” Brown lamented that fewer talented men now joined the Anglican ministry, while the Church had increasingly withdrawn from the social mission which had animated mid-century preachers like Charles Kingsley (107–09). More troublingly, Brown speculated that modern Britons had become constitutionally averse to the homiletic situation. The preacher, he writes, often “seems as if he came down on the vast range of subjects which he is tempted to handle as from a superior height; and this is what the scientific mind can never endure. . . . [T]here has always been a sort of omniscient tone in the pulpit method of handling intellectual questions which stirs fierce rebellion in cultivated minds and hearts” (109–10). Brown pulls up short of blaming theology per se; for him its language of “above” and “beyond” has continuing relevance (110). Still, he broaches the possibility that by its very nature preaching risks antagonizing what current scholarship would term the “liberal subject”: one which prizes freedom of conscience, empirical exploration, and debate.
Choosing the Right Air Gesture: Impacts of Menu Length and Air Gesture Type on Driver Workload

Three air gesture interfaces for browsing menus while driving were compared for menu selection tasks involving short or long menus. Driving performance, subjective workload, and menu task performance were measured. While performance was similar for short menus, for longer menus a repeated 'swipe' gesture did not perform as well as an 'angle scroll' gesture. A third, novel gesture that could have worked efficiently for either long or short menus was worst performing overall and may be too difficult to use effectively.
Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation Caused by Chronic Atrial Fibrillation: A Real-Time 3-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography Study

Background— Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) with a structurally normal tricuspid valve (TV) may occur secondary to chronic atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the clinical and echocardiographic differences according to functional TR subtypes are unclear. Therefore, characterization of functional TR because of chronic AF (AF-TR) remains undetermined. Methods and Results— To investigate the prevalence of AF-TR, 437 patients with moderate to severe TR underwent 3-dimensional (3D) transesophageal echocardiography. TR severity was determined by the averaged vena contracta width on apical and parasternal inflow views. The prevalence of AF-TR was 9.2%, whereas that of functional TR because of left-sided heart disease was 45.3%. Clinical features of AF-TR included advanced age, female sex, greater right atrial than left atrial enlargement and lower systolic pulmonary artery pressure compared with left-sided heart disease-TR with sinus rhythm (all P <0.05). In 3D TV assessment, patients with AF-TR had a larger TV annular area with weaker annular contraction (both P <0.001) but a smaller tethering angle ( P <0.001) despite a similar leaflet coaptation status compared with patients with left-sided heart disease-TR with sinus rhythm. On multivariable analysis, only the TV annular area in midsystole (coefficient, 0.059; 95% confidence interval, 0.041–0.078 per 100 mm2; P <0.001) was associated with TR severity in AF-TR. The annular area was more closely correlated with the right atrial volume than right ventricular end-systolic volume in AF-TR ( P <0.001). Conclusions— AF-TR is not rare and is associated with advanced age and right atrial enlargement. TV deformations and their association with right heart remodeling differ between AF-TR and left-sided heart disease-TR. Our results suggest that in patients with TR secondary to AF, TV annuloplasty should be effective because this entity has annular dilatation without leaflet deformation.
Enhancing the response time of electrowetting lenses using voltage shaping

We have demonstrated tunability of the response time of electrowetting lenses from underdamped to overdamped through input voltage shaping. This strategy shows great promise to further optimize the response time of electrowetting lenses.
Hypocretin Measures in Psychiatric Disorders

Hypocretins participate in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness in narcolepsy and play an unclear role in other disorders. Properties of hypocretins (orexins) and their interactions will provide promising methods for studies of other systems and circadian rhythm regulation, for which sleep is the quintessential marker. Findings of diminished hypocretin function in narcolepsy will help explain the neurochemistry of daytime somnolence, sleep paralysis, hypnogogic hallucinations, and cataplexy. Studies of hypocretin interactions with other transmitter systems will allow an extension of the narcolepsy findings to our understanding of the neurochemistry of other disorders that cause similar symptoms. This will require the mapping of specific hypocretin-related symptoms to interactions with other homeostatic transmitter systems in the brainstem and basal ganglia, interactions that will be analyzable in a time-sensitive context since hypocretin is released in a circadian rhythm from a small cluster of neurons. Hypocretins are synthesized in a circumscribed set of neuronal cell somas in the posterior hypothalamus, transported along the axon, and released under central control across widely distributed terminals. This contrasts with most other central nervous system (CNS) transmitter substances, which are either synthesized in the terminals or in multiregional, dispersed cell somas, and whose release cannot be synchronized or coordinated by activity of a central nucleus.
Natropalermoite, Na2SrAl4(PO4)4(OH)4, a new mineral isostructural with palermoite, from the Palermo No. 1 mine, Groton, New Hampshire, USA

Natropalermoite, ideally Na 2 SrAl 4 (PO 4 ) 4 (OH) 4 , the Na-analogue of palermoite, is a new mineral from the Palermo No. 1 mine, Groton, New Hampshire, USA. Associated minerals are palermoite, eosphorite and quartz. Natropalermoite crystals are prismatic with striations parallel to the direction of elongation (the a axis) up to 200 μm × 50 μm × 45 μm in size. The mineral is colourless, transparent with a white streak and vitreous lustre and is visually indistinguishable from palermoite. It is brittle with subconchoidal fracture and has a Mohs hardness of 5.5. Cleavage is perfect on {001}, fair on {100} and no parting was observed. The calculated density is 3.502 g cm –3 . Natropalermoite is biaxial (–), α = 1.624(1), β = 1.641(1), γ = 1.643(1) (589 nm), 2V meas = 43(4) o , 2V calc = 38 o . An electron microprobe analysis yielded an empirical formula (based on 20 O apfu) of (Na 1.69 Li 0.31 ) Σ2.00 (Sr 0.95 Mg 0.04 Ca 0.02 Ba 0.01 ) Σ1.02 (Al 3.82 Mn 0.03 Fe 0.03 ) Σ3.88 (P 1.01 O 4 ) 4 (OH) 4 . Natropalermoite is orthorhombic, space group Imcb , a = 11.4849(6), b = 16.2490(7), c = 7.2927(4) A, V = 1360.95(17) A 3 , Z = 4. Natropalermoite is isotypic with palermoite, but substitution of the larger Na for Li results in substantial increase of the b cell parameter. Four of the seven Na–O distances are longer than their equivalents in palermoite, resulting in a more regular 7-fold coordination polyhedron about Na. The eight strongest peaks in the calculated X-ray powder diffraction are [ d calc (A), I rel %, ( hkl )]: [3.128, 100, (321)], [4.907, 68, (121)], [3.327, 48, (022)], [4.689, 45, (220)], [3.078, 45, (202)], [2.453, 38, (242)], [2.636, 35, (411)], [2.174, 35, (422)].
Prognostic Biomarkers in Lung Cancer

Predictive biomarkers are valuable in predicting drug response, and their significance increased with the development of targeted therapies in the past decade. In contrast, prognostic biomarkers may allow patients’ risk stratification in relation to specific outcome, usually in the absence of any treatment. The prognostic value of many biomarkers is controversial and mostly reflects differences in study methodologies, patient population, and interpretations. Prognostic biomarkers in lung cancer highly depend on tumor histology. For example, many predictive biomarkers in adenocarcinomas also have prognostic significance. Despite recent biomarker discoveries in squamous cell carcinomas, no well-defined prognostic biomarkers have been established. This chapter will briefly review some of the most important prognostic biomarkers in non-small cell lung carcinoma, primarily adenocarcinoma.
Using a statewide survey methodology to prioritize pediatric cardiology core content.

OBJECTIVE Although pediatrician-reported relevance of Canadian cardiology-specific objectives has been studied, similar data are not available for the 2016 American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) cardiology-specific objectives. This study asked Kentucky trainees, pediatricians, and pediatric cardiologists to identify "most important" content within these objectives. DESIGN, METHODS, OUTCOME MEASURES This cross-sectional study used an original, online survey instrument based on the 2016 ABP cardiology-specific objectives. We collected quantitative data (numerical indications of importance) and qualitative data (open-ended replies regarding missing content and difficulty in teaching and learning). Respondents indicated the top two choices of most important items within eight content areas. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and chi-square analysis were calculated. Content within categories was organized using naturally occurring "clusters" and "gaps" in scores. Common themes among open-ended qualitative responses were identified using Pandit's version of Glaser and Strauss Grounded theory (constant comparison). RESULTS Of the 136 respondents, 23 (17%) were residents, 15 (11%) fellows, 85 (62%) pediatricians, and 13 (10%) pediatric cardiologists. Of attendings, 80% reported faculty/gratis faculty status. Naturally occurring clusters in respondent-designated importance resulted in ≤3 "most selected" objectives per content area. Objectives in "most selected" content pertained to initial diagnosis (recognition of abnormality/disease) (n = 16), possible emergent/urgent intervention required (n = 14), building a differential (n = 8), and planning a workup (n = 4). Conversely, themes for "least selected" content included comanagement with subspecialist (n = 15), knowledge useful in patient-family communication (n = 9), knowledge that can be referenced (as needed) (n = 7), and longitudinal/follow-up concerns (n = 5). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated the utility of an online survey methodology to identify pediatric cardiology content perceived most important. Learners and faculty generally provided concordant responses regarding most important content within the cardiology-specific ABP objectives. Medical educators could apply this methodology to inform curriculum revision.
Influence of muscle strength on early mobility in critically ill adult patients: Systematic literature review

Abstract Background Muscle strength may be one indicator of readiness to mobilize that can be used to guide decisions regarding early mobility efforts and to progressively advance mobilization. Objectives To provide a synthesis of current measures of muscle strength in the assessment of early mobilization in critically ill adult patients who are receiving MV therapy. Methods Research studies conducted between 2000-2015 were identified using PubMed, CINHAL, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews databases using the search terms “muscle strength”, “intensive care”, “mechanical ventilation” and “muscle weakness”. Results Nine articles used manual muscle testing, the Medical Research Council scale and/or hand-held dynamometer to provide objective measures for assessing muscle strength in the critically ill adult patient population. Conclusions Further research is needed to examine the application of standardized measures of muscle strength for guiding decisions regarding early and progressive advancement of mobility goals in adult ICU patients on MV.
Pain management in neurocritical care; an update.

Purpose of review Pain management in neurocritical care is a subject often avoided because of concerns over the side-effects of analgesics and the potential to cause additional neurological injury with treatment. The sedation and hypercapnia caused by opioids have been feared to mask the neurological examination and contribute to elevations in intracranial pressure. Nevertheless, increasing attention to patient satisfaction has sparked a resurgence in pain management. As opioids have remained at the core of analgesic therapy, the increasing attention to pain has contributed to a growing epidemic of opioid dependence. In this review, we summarize the most recent literature regarding opioids and their alternatives in the treatment of acute pain in patients receiving neurocritical care. Recent findings Studies on pain management in neurocritical care continue to explore nonopioid analgesics as part of a multimodal strategy aimed at decreasing overall opioid consumption. Agents including local anesthetics, acetaminophen, ketamine, gabapentinoids, and dexmedetomidine continue to demonstrate efficacy. In addition, the prolonged longitudinal course of many recent trials has also revealed more about the transition from acute to chronic pain following hospitalization. Summary In an era of increasing attention to patient satisfaction mitigated by growing concerns over the harms imposed by opioids, alternative analgesic therapies are being investigated with promising results.
Deep Q-Learning for Self-Organizing Networks Fault Management and Radio Performance Improvement

We propose an algorithm to automate fault management in an outdoor cellular network using deep reinforcement learning (RL) against wireless impairments. This algorithm enables the cellular network cluster to self-heal by allowing RL to learn how to improve the downlink signal to interference plus noise ratio through exploration and exploitation of various alarm corrective actions. The main contributions of this paper are to 1) introduce a deep RL-based fault handling algorithm which self-organizing networks can implement in a polynomial runtime and 2) show that this fault management method can improve the radio link performance in a realistic network setup. Simulation results show that our proposed algorithm learns an action sequence to clear alarms and improve the performance in the cellular cluster better than existing algorithms, even against the randomness of the network fault occurrences and user movements.
Collective Motion in Human Crowds.

The balletic motion of bird flocks, fish schools, and human crowds is believed to emerge from local interactions between individuals in a process of self-organization. The key to explaining such co...
Understanding photoreception in fungi and its role in fungal development with focus on phytopathogenic fungi

Like other environmental factors, light can influence various developmental processes in fungal species. Most of the fungi can respond to different wavelengths of light such as blue (475 nm), near UV (300–380 nm) and red light (650 nm). Blue light has been found to be the most associated light quality with fungal development. The most commonly investigated photoregulatory receptors in fungi are the white collar complex proteins (WC-1, WC-2) in the light oxygen voltage domain which sense and regulate the effects of blue light on fungal development and reproduction. The sequencing of several fungal genomes has led to the identification of other photoreceptor genes and their products, such as phytochromes (for red light), cryptochromes (for blue light) and blue and green light absorbing rhodopsins in some ascomycetes and basidiomycetes. Although similar types of regulatory mechanisms appear to be involved in signalling light responses in fungal species, nevertheless, there may be other hitherto undiscovered mechanisms responsible for regulating light perception. It warrants further investigations on photoreception in more fungal species including plant pathogenic fungi to better understand the underlying mechanisms controlling light perception at the metabolic level. Certain circadian rhythms have been found to play crucial role in fungal perception and adaptation to light. The information has led to the use of certain photoselective materials for control of some plant diseases.
Chilled Potatoes Decrease Postprandial Glucose, Insulin, and Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Peptide Compared to Boiled Potatoes in Females with Elevated Fasting Glucose and Insulin

Resistant starch (RS) has been shown to improve postprandial glycemia and insulin sensitivity in adults with metabolic syndrome. RS is found naturally in potatoes, where the amount varies based on cooking method and serving temperature. Thirty females with a mean BMI of 32.8 ± 3.7 kg/m2, fasting glucose of 110.5 mg/dL, and insulin of 10.3 µIU/L, completed this randomized, crossover study. A quantity of 250 g of boiled (low RS) and baked then chilled (high RS) russet potatoes were consumed on two separate occasions. Glycemic (glucose and insulin) and incretin response, subjective satiety, and dietary intake were measured. Results showed that the chilled potato elicited significant reductions at 15 and 30 min in glucose (4.8% and 9.2%), insulin (25.8% and 22.6%), and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) (41.1% and 37.6%), respectively. The area under the curve for insulin and GIP were significantly lower after the chilled potato, but no differences were seen in glucose, glucagon-like peptide-1, and peptide YY, or overall subjective satiety. A higher carbohydrate and glycemic index but lower fat diet was consumed 48-hours following the chilled potato than the boiled potato. This study demonstrates that consuming chilled potatoes higher in RS can positively impact the glycemic response in females with elevated fasting glucose and insulin.
Engineering Charge-Transfer States for Efficient, Low-Energy-Loss Organic Photovoltaics

Charge transfer (CT) between donors and acceptors following photoexcitation of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) gives rise to bound electron–hole pairs across the donor–acceptor interface, known as CT states. While these states are essential to charge separation, they are also a source of energy loss. As a result of reduced overlap between electron and hole wavefunctions, CT states are influenced by details of the film morphology and molecular structure. Here, we describe several important strategies for tuning the energy level and dynamics of the CT state and approaches that can enhance their dissociation efficiency into free charges. Furthermore, we provide an overview of recent physical insights into the key parameters that significantly reduce the Frenkel-to-CT energy offset and recombination energy losses while preserving a high charge-generation yield. Our analysis leads to critical morphological and molecular design strategies for achieving efficient, low-energy-loss OPVs.
Object Recall from Natural-Language Descriptions for Autonomous Robotic Grasping

Humans acquire grasping skills through repeated interaction with the objects; and they internalize the knowledge of various physical attributes of such objects. Even blindfolded, humans can reasonably estimate a suitable grasp pose given only the object’s description. Human brain relies on the knowledge of having seen such objects and recalling its physical features such as shape, size, weight to estimate feasible grasps. In such a scenario, knowledge of an object’s features is key to executing a successful grasp. This paper aims to provide this ’recall’ ability to robots by proposing a methodology to represent human memory of objects with a dataset of objects and their physical features. A joint probability distance metric is derived, which can match the natural language descriptions to reference object features so as to recall and identify a particular object from the reference dataset, thereby facilitating better grasp planning. Experiments were performed to evaluate the accuracy of object recall, and simulation of an anthropomorphic robot hand was conducted for object grasping based on the recalled object features. The experiment results showed the accuracy of the proposed metric and effectiveness in object grasping.
Erector spinae plane versus paravertebral nerve blocks for postoperative analgesia after breast surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

Background Paravertebral nerve blocks (PVBs) are frequently used to treat pain during and following breast surgery, but have various undesirable risks such as pneumothorax. The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) also provides perioperative breast analgesia, but is purported to be easier to administer with a favorable safety profile. However, it remains unknown if the new ESPB provides comparable analgesia as the decades-old PVB technique. Methods Subjects undergoing unilateral or bilateral non-mastectomy breast surgery were randomized to a single-injection ESPB or PVB in a subject-blinded fashion (ropivacaine 0.5% with epinephrine; 20 mL unilateral or 16 mL/side for bilateral). We hypothesized that (1) analgesia would be non-inferior in the recovery room as measured on a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) with ESPB, and (2) opioid consumption would be non-inferior in the operating and recovery rooms with ESPB. Results Both pain scores and opioid consumption were higher in subjects with ESPBs (n=50) than PVBs (n=50; median NRS 3.0 vs 0; 95% CI −3.0 to 0; p=0.0011; and median morphine equivalents 2.0 vs 1.5 mg; 95% CI −1.2 to −0.1; p=0.0043). No block-related adverse events occurred in either group. Conclusions PVBs provided superior analgesia and reduced opioid requirements following non-mastectomy breast surgery. To compare the relatively rare complications between the techniques will require a sample size 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than the current investigation; however, without a dramatic improvement in safety profile for ESPBs, it appears that PVBs are superior to ESPBs for postoperative analgesia after non-mastectomy breast surgery. Trial registration number NCT03549234.
Semi-solid alkali metal electrodes enabling high critical current densities in solid electrolyte batteries

The need for higher energy-density rechargeable batteries has generated interest in alkali metal electrodes paired with solid electrolytes. However, metal penetration and electrolyte fracture at low current densities have emerged as fundamental barriers. Here we show that for pure metals in the Li–Na–K system, the critical current densities scale inversely to mechanical deformation resistance. Furthermore, we demonstrate two electrode architectures in which the presence of a liquid phase enables high current densities while it preserves the shape retention and packaging advantages of solid electrodes. First, biphasic Na–K alloys show K+ critical current densities (with the K-β″-Al2O3 electrolyte) that exceed 15 mA cm‒2. Second, introducing a wetting interfacial film of Na–K liquid between Li metal and Li6.75La3Zr1.75Ta0.25O12 solid electrolyte doubles the critical current density and permits cycling at areal capacities that exceed 3.5 mAh cm‒2. These design approaches hold promise for overcoming electrochemomechanical stability issues that have heretofore limited the performance of solid-state metal batteries. A challenge with the use of metal anodes in batteries is their inability to sustain structural stability, especially at high currents. Here the authors examine electrochemomechanical properties of metal anodes and demonstrate an effective semi-solid electrode approach at practically relevant conditions.
“Pointing at Shadows”: Wallace, Wittgenstein, and the Problem of Putting Pain into Words

This article demonstrates that the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein exerted an important – and under-recognized – influence on David Foster Wallace’s fictive representations of clinical depression...
Heart Rate Variability in Schizophrenia and Autism

Suppressed heart rate variability (HRV) has been found in a number of psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia and autism. HRV is a potential biomarker of altered autonomic functioning that can predict future physiological and cognitive health. Understanding the HRV profiles that are unique to each condition will assist in generating predictive models of health. In the current study, we directly compared 12 adults with schizophrenia, 25 adults with autism, and 27 neurotypical controls on their HRV profiles. HRV was measured using an electrocardiogram (ECG) channel as part of a larger electroencephalography (EEG) study. All participants also completed the UCLA Loneliness Questionnaire as a measure of social stress. We found that the adults with schizophrenia exhibited reduced variability in R-R peaks and lower low frequency power in the ECG trace compared to controls. The HRV in adults with autism was slightly suppressed compared to controls but not significantly so. Interestingly, the autism group reported feeling lonelier than the schizophrenia group, and HRV did not correlate with feelings of loneliness for any of the three groups. However, suppressed HRV was related to worse performance on neuropsychological tests of cognition in the schizophrenia group. Together, this suggests that autonomic functioning is more abnormal in schizophrenia than in autism and could be reflecting health factors that are unique to schizophrenia.
A novel partial SOI LDMOSFET with periodic buried oxide for breakdown voltage and self heating effect enhancement

Abstract In this paper a partial silicon on insulator (PSOI) lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (LDMOSFET) with periodic buried oxide layer (PBO) for enhancing breakdown voltage (BV) and self-heating effects (SHEs) is proposed for the first time. This new structure is called periodic buried oxide partial silicon on insulator (PBO-PSOI). In this structure, periodic small pieces of SiO2 were used as the buried oxide (BOX) layer in PSOI to modulate the electric field in the structure. It was demonstrated that the electric field is distributed more evenly by producing additional electric field peaks, which decrease the common peaks near the drain and gate junctions in the PBO-PSOI structure. Hence, the area underneath the electric field curve increases which leads to higher breakdown voltage. Also a p-type Si window was introduced in the source side to force the substrate to share the vertical voltage drop, leading to a higher vertical BV. Furthermore, the Si window under the source and those between periodic pieces of SiO2 create parallel conduction paths between the active layer and substrate thereby alleviating the SHEs. Simulations with the two dimensional ATLAS device simulator from the Silvaco suite of simulation tools show that the BV of PBO-PSOI is 100% higher than that of the conventional partial SOI (C-PSOI) structure. Furthermore the PBO-PSOI structure alleviates SHEs to a greater extent than its C-PSOI counterpart. The achieved drain current for the PBO-PSOI structure (100 μA), at drain–source voltage of VDS = 100 V and gate–source voltage of VGS = 25 V, is shown to be significantly larger than that in C-PSOI and fully depleted SOI (FD-SOI) structures (87 μA and 51 μA respectively). Drain current can be further improved at the expense of BV by increasing the doping of the drift region.
Text Mining for Studying Management’s Confidence in IPO Prospectuses and IPO Valuations

Understanding pricing strategies in the context of the Initial Public Offering (IPO) process has been receiving much attention. Most prior studies have however focused on information sources from post issuance periods, and understanding such strategies from the management’s perspective during the IPO process is still an open research issue. Form 424 variants, as finalized IPO prospectus approved by Security Exchange Committee (SEC), contain rich and genuine information about the issuing firms. In this study, we analyze the inter-relationships between the management’s confidence (through the proxy of sentiments expressed in textual contents in the Management’s Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) sections in the prospectus) and the pre-/post-IPO valuations. We develop an analytical framework namely FOCAS-IE (Feature-Oriented, Context-Aware, Systematic Information Extraction) to derive sentiments from the MD&A sections. Further, we construct predictive models using information extracted using FOCAS-IE to predict IPO pricings. The results have shown to outperform results from prior related studies.
Multiparametric MR assessment of pediatric brain tumors

MR assessment of pediatric brain tumors has expanded to include physiologic information related to cellular metabolites, hemodynamic and diffusion parameters. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between MR and proton MR spectroscopic imaging in children with primary brain tumors. Twenty-one patients (mean age 9 years) with histologically verified brain tumors underwent conventional MR imaging, hemodynamic MR imaging (HMRI) and proton MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). Fourteen patients also had diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWMRI). Metabolic indices including choline-containing compounds (Cho), total creatine (tCr) and lipids/lactate (L) were derived by proton MRSI, relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) by HMRI, and apparent tissue water diffusion coefficients (ADC) by DWMRI. Variables were examined by linear regression and correlation as well as by ANOVA. Cho (suggestive of tumor cellularity and proliferative activity) correlated positively with rCBV, while the relationship between Cho and ADC (suggestive of cellular density) was inverse ( P<0.001). The relationship between rCBV and ADC was also inverse ( P=0.004). Cho and lipids (suggestive of necrosis and/or apoptosis) were not significantly correlated ( P=0.51). A positive relationship was found between lipids and ADC ( P=0.002). The relationships between Cho, rCBV, ADC and lipids signify that tumor physiology is influenced by the tumor's physical and chemical environment. Normalized Cho and lipids distinguished high-grade from low-grade tumors ( P<0.05). Multiparametric MR imaging using MRSI, HMRI and DWMRI enhances assessment of brain tumors in children and improves our understanding of tumor physiology while promising to distinguish higher- from lower-malignancy tumors, a distinction that is particularly clinically important among inoperable tumors.
Identification and Aflatoxin Production of Molds Isolated from Country Cured Hams

Of 562 molds isolated from country cured hams, 403 isolates were of the genus Penicillium, 121 were Aspergillus, and 36 were Cladosporium, Alternaria, and other genera.
New Insights on the Thermal Decomposition of Ammonium Perchlorate from Studies on Very Large Single Crystals

Surprisingly, it appears that past studies on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate have not included measurements on relatively large single crystals. As described below, studies on crystals larger than 2 or 3 mm provide new insights on the thermal decomposition processes in these and other materials. Also, the information obtained from large crystals obviously applies to microcrystals or powders.
ACCURATE DEUTERON--DEUTERON ELASTIC SCATTERING CROSS SECTIONS.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the accurate deuteron–deuteron elastic scattering cross sections at 12.305 MeV with relative errors of 0.5% and a scale error of about 0.4%. The energy is chosen to complement t+p scattering and reactions at 13.6 MeV. The deuteron beam from the Los Alamos tandem Van de Graaff accelerator is passed through a gas target with thin Havar foil windows, and the scattered deuterons are detected by a single E-ΔE detector arrangement using solid-state detectors. Amplified pulses gated by the E-ΔE coincidence are digitized and sent to an online computer for mass analysis and storage. There is lesser absolute error in this experiment. The deuterium gas used is approximately 98% pure and the major contaminant is hydrogen. During bombardment, the ionized deuterium interacts with organic compounds slowly increasing the fraction of the hydrogen. The absolute error is the quadratic sum of the relative and scale errors.
Natural Resource Use and Cultural Change: Nipa Hut Shingle Processing with Nypa fruticans, Arecaceae, in Palawan, Philippines

Geographers have long been interested in how people utilize resources (e.g. Denevan 1992; Sayre 2008). This study looks at the nipa palm (Nypafruticans Wurmb.; Arecaceae), a unique palm in that it is the only species in the Arecaceae family considered a mangrove. This palm is important for communities throughout South and Southeast Asia, and now grows in parts of Africa. In all of these areas, nipa plays a central role for coastal and riverine people as part of maintaining a healthy coastal ecosystem, and for the goods that people make from the palm material (Hamilton and Murphy 1988; Havemann 2003). This study will focus on how women are connected to, and depend upon, the nipa palm.
Minimization of dynamic and static power through joint assignment of threshold voltages and sizing optimization [logic IC design]

We describe an optimization strategy for minimizing total power consumption using dual threshold voltage (Vth) technology. Significant power savings are possible by simultaneous assignment of Vth with gate sizing. We propose an efficient algorithm based on linear programming that jointly performs Vth assignment and gate sizing to minimize total power under delay constraints. First, linear programming assigns the optimal amounts of slack to gates based on power-delay sensitivity. Then, an optimal gate configuration, in terms of Vth and transistor sizes, is selected by an exhaustive local search. Benchmark results for the algorithm show 32% reduction in power consumption on average, compared to sizing only power minimization. There is up to a 57% reduction for some circuits. The flow can be extended to dual supply voltage libraries to yield further power savings.