cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the dissolution of gold in K2Qx and Na2Qx fluxes (Q=S, Se). Formation of KAuS5, KAuSe5, CsAuSe3, KAuSe2 and NaAuSe2: low-dimensional Au+ and Au3+ compounds with poly- and mono-chalcogenide ligands

Abstract Five compounds of gold, KAuS 5 , KAuSe 5 , CsAuSe 3 , KAuSe 2 and NaAuSe 2 are reported. Their preparation was accomplished by dissolving gold in molten alkali polychalcogenide salts in the temperature range of 250–350 °C. KAuS 5 and KAuSe 5 crystallize in the space group Ibam with a =8.310(2) A, b =10.758(3) A, c =15.468(4) A, V =1383 A 3 , and a =8.625(6) A, b =11.293(9) A, c =16.425(11) A, V =1600 A 3 , respectively. CsAuSe 3 , crystallizes in the space group C2/c with a =6.483(3) A, b =13.789(5) A, c =7.651(3) A, β =112.17(3)°, V =633 A 3 . KAuSe 2 crystallizes in the space group P4/mbm with a = b =7.699(3) A, c =3.665(1) A, V =217 A 3 . Finally NaAuSe 2 crystallizes in the space group P2 1 /c with a =6.991(8) A, b =8.374(9) A, c =6.724(8) A, β =105.23(9)°, V =379.8 A 3 . KAuS 5 and KAuSe 5 have one-dimensional infinite [AuQ 5 ] − chains with linear Au + atoms connected with Q 5 2− ligands. There are close Au-Au interactions between the chains. CsAuSe 3 has a similar one-dimensional structure but the [AuSe 3 ] − chains are helical and there are no Au-Au interactions between the chains. KAuSe 2 and NaAuSe 2 are Au 3+ compounds where the gold atoms are in square planar geometry. The K + salt has infinite ribbons of [AuSe 2 ] − but the Na salt has corrugated layers of [AuSe 2 ] − . Spectroscopic characterization of the compounds is reported.
Interference Test Analysis in Naturally Fractured Reservoirs

The directional flow properties of a reservoir are very important for the design of reservoir development and waterflooding. For a reservoir with natural fractures, the permeability is controlled by the preferred orientation of the fractures. This paper presents the results of an investigation for determining the fracture orientation from interference tests. The pressure response is analyzed based on the double porosity model proposed by Warren and Root. The calculations are performed numerically by use of Stephest Laplace inversion transform. The results show that the transition flow period depends not only on the fracture flow parameters, but also on the distance between the observation well and the active well. Based on this characteristic, a new method is presented to determine the fracture orientation and permeability components as well as the fracture-flowing parameters.
Regional wall motion abnormality in apical ballooning syndrome (Takotsubo/stress cardiomyopathy): importance of biplane left ventriculography for differentiating from spontaneously aborted anterior myocardial infarction

Understanding the precise distribution of the regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) in apical ballooning syndrome (ABS) is important because the cardiomyopathy can mimic an acute anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The aim of the study was to quantify the severity and distribution of RWMA in ABS, compare it to anterior STEMI, and correlate with clinical features. RWMA (normal = 1, hypokinetic = 2, akinetic = 3) was quantified from the biplane left ventriculogram using a nine-segment model in 95 ABS and 17 anterior STEMI patients at the time of their presentation. Regional wall motion score index (RWMSI) was higher in ABS [2.1 (1.9, 2.1)] compared to anterior STEMI [2.0 (1.8, 2.0)], P = 0.024]. The region that most clearly differentiated ABS from anterior STEMI was the posterolateral segment (sensitivity 81% and specificity 100%) which was hypocontractile in 81% of ABS, but none of the STEMI patients (P < 0.001). RWMSI in ABS had a modest positive correlation with the troponin T levels (r = 0.23, P = 0.029). Patients with ABS with ST-segment elevation had the highest RWMSI [2.1(2.0, 2.2)], while those with non specific changes had the lowest [1.9 (1.8, 2.1)] (P = 0.007). In conclusion, patients with ABS have greater and more diffuse RWMA compared to anterior STEMI. The presence of systolic dysfunction in the posterolateral segment in the left anterior oblique projection of the left ventriculogram most accurately distinguishes ABS from an anterior STEMI highlighting the utility of biplane angiography for this purpose. The severity of RWMA correlates with the extent of troponin release and ECG abnormality.
Effects of growth hormone on glucose utilization in diaphragm muscle in the absence of increased lipolysis.

Three hr after the intravenous injection of 100 μg of growth hormone to hypophysectomized rats, there is a diminution in glucose uptake by diaphragm muscle in vitro. No evidence for increased mobilization of FFA from adipose tissue of the same animals was revealed by measurement of FFA and glycerol production in vitro or the content of FFA in the adipose tissue at the time of excision. Treatment of the rats with actinomycin blocked the decrease in glucose uptake caused by growth hormone. Hemidiaphragms from growth hormone-treated rats were refractory to the insulin-like action of growth hormone in vitro. Refractoriness was partially overcome by actinomycin. These data suggest that the effects of growth hormone on glucose utilization in diaphragm muscle are not mediated by increased mobilization of FFA, but rather may reflect a hormone-induced changed in genetic expression. (Endocrinology 81: 1099, 1967)
Online view maintenance under a response-time constraint

A materialized view is a certain synopsis structure precomputed from one or more data sets (called base tables) in order to facilitate various queries on the data. When the underlying base tables change, the materialized view also needs to be updated accordingly to reflect those changes. We consider the problem of batch-incrementally maintaining a materialized view under a response-time constraint. We propose techniques for selectively processing updates to some base tables while keeping others batched, with the goal of minimizing the total maintenance cost while meeting the response-time constraint. We reduce this to a generalized paging problem, where the cost of evicting a page is a concave non-decreasing function of the number of continuous requests seen since the last time it was evicted. Our main result is an online algorithm that achieves a constant competitive ratio for all concave cost functions while relaxing the response-time constraint by a constant factor. For several special classes of cost functions, the competitive ratio can be improved with simpler, more intuitive algorithms. Our algorithms are based on emulating the behavior of an online paging algorithm on a page request sequence carefully designed from the cost function. The key novel technical ideas are twofold. The first involves discretizing the cost function, so that there is a collection of periodic paging sequences, with page sizes decreasing geometrically, which approximates the behavior of the original function. The second involves designing an online view maintenance algorithm based on the paging process, by emulating the behavior of the paging scheme in recursively defined phases.
Microscale biomechanics: Studies of Neurogenesis and Stem Cell Differentiation under Micromechanical Influences

Two types of stem cells, one from neonatal rat brains and the other from hydra body columns, are being studied with quantified mechanical stimulations. MEMS polysilicon clamp and ratchet microstructure has been designed to exert mechanical tension along radial glial processes between groups of neural stem cells to study the effect of tension on cerebral cortex neurogenesis. Preliminary studies show that embryonic brain tissue survives under tension for at least six days. Neurospheres have been successfully cultured on poly-dimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) substrate for eight days and exhibit radial extensions which appear to support neuronal migration. Stretching the PDMS using the clamp and ratchet would produce tension in these radial extensions which may modulate neuronal migration, a key process in cerebral cortex development. To study the responses of hydra stem cells to mechanical stimuli, a 6-foot water column is constructed to observe hydra regeneration, and thus stem cell differentiation, under various levels of static pressure. Several dissected hydras were injected into a PDMS trap and then lowered into the water column at specific depths. There appears a connection between the level of environmental pressure, available resources, and the ability of the hydra to regenerate. The preliminary results from these two diverse types of stem cells support the hypothesis that mechanical stimulations are important factors that influence stem cell fates
Identification of symptom domains in ulcerative colitis that occur frequently during flares and are responsive to changes in disease activity

Background: Ulcerative colitis disease activity is determined by measuring symptoms and signs. Our aim was to determine which symptom domains are frequent and responsive to change in the evaluation of disease activity, which are those defined by three criteria: 1) they occur frequently during flares; 2) they improve during effective therapy for ulcerative colitis; and 3) they resolve during remission. Methods: Twenty-eight symptom domains, 16 from standard indices and 12 novel domains identified by ulcerative colitis patient focus groups, were evaluated. Sixty subjects with ulcerative colitis were surveyed, rating each symptom on the three criteria with a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale. Frequent and responsive symptoms were defined a priori as those whose median Visual Analogue Scale rating for all 3 criteria was significantly greater than 50. Results: Thirteen of the 28 symptom domains were identified as both frequent in ulcerative colitis flares and responsive to changes in disease activity. Seven of these 13 symptom domains were novel symptoms derived from ulcerative colitis patient focus groups including stool mucus, tenesmus, fatigue, rapid postprandial bowel movements, and inability to differentiate liquid or gas from solid stool when rectal urgency occurs. Ten of the 16 symptom domains from standard indices were either infrequent or unresponsive to changes in disease activity. Conclusion: Only some of the symptoms of ulcerative colitis that are important to patients are included in standard indices, and several symptoms currently measured are not frequent or responsive to change in ulcerative colitis patients. Developmen t of survey measures of these symptom domains could significantly improve the assessment of disease activity in ulcerative colitis.
Encapsulation of the uranyl dication

We report here the application of self-assembly to the sequestration of uranyl ion, the dominant form of uranium on Earth. The assembly presents the ion with convergent carboxylate ligands, isolates it from solvent, encapsulates it with aromatic panels and allows its extraction from aqueous solutions in the presence of excess brine.
Operating the Solar Mesosphere Explorer with weakened power storage capabilities

The precession of the orbit plane of the Solar Mesosphere Explorer Satellite since its launch in October 1981 has result in periods of zero orbital eclipse each year since 1986. This has produced temperatures of 40-60 degrees C onboard the satellite, contributing to the failure of one battery and an extreme decrease in the capability of the other. In 1988, alterations to the mission operations plane became necessary to minimize operational dependence on power storage and to preserve battery capacity. The remaining battery was unable to prevent undervoltage conditions during orbital eclipse, requiring the development of recovery techniques to be executed from satellite memory each orbit. These techniques were modified and improved until spacecraft undervoltage became transparent to controllers. Continued decrease in capacity and battery temperatures as high as 47 degrees C in mid-November of 1988 made battery conditioning cycles impossible during this period of full sun. The battery remained offline, charged when necessary, as the power system analysts worked to preserve its capacity and looked ahead toward spring of 1989, when the remaining battery would again supply the full spacecraft power load. All efforts to restore the spacecraft failed. On 15 May 1989 the mission was terminated. >
Gβγ-dependent Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Activation in Hearts with in Vivo Pressure Overload Hypertrophy

Activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinases is coupled to both phosphotyrosine/growth factor and G protein-coupled receptors. We explored the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation in myocardium during in vivo pressure overload hypertrophy in mice. Cytosolic extracts from wild type hypertrophied hearts showed a selective increase in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase γ isoform. To address the role of G protein-coupled receptor-mediated activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, we used transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of a Gβγ sequestering peptide. Extracts from hypertrophied transgenic hearts showed complete loss of phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation, indicating a Gβγ-dependent process. To determine the class of G proteins that contribute Gβγ dimers for in vivophosphoinositide 3-kinase activation, two strategies were used: 1) transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of a Gq inhibitor peptide and 2) pertussis toxin treatment prior to pressure overload in wild type mice. Pressure overloaded Gq inhibitor transgenic mice showed a complete absence of phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation, whereas pretreatment with pertussis toxin showed robust phosphoinositide 3-kinase activation. Taken together, these data demonstrate that activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase during in vivo pressure overload hypertrophy is Gβγ-dependent and the Gβγ dimers arise from stimulation of Gq-coupled receptors.
Application of the 32-P gonadotrophin assay: HCG, PMS, and the effect of 6M urea upon these trophins.

Data are presented which indicate that the chick testis is stimulated by human chorionic gonadotrophin. Incubation of human chorionic gonadotrophin with 6M urea significantly decreases the gonadotrophic activity of this hormone when stimulation is measured by the 32P assay. Moreover, using this same endpoint as a measure of gonadotrophic activity, the activity of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin is little affected by urea incubation. (Endocrinology 79: 1159, 1966
Prader-Willi Syndrome: An Update and Review for the Primary Pediatrician

Prader-Willi syndrome, the first known human genomic imprinting disorder, is one of the most common micro-deletion syndromes. Prader-Willi syndrome is caused by the absence of certain paternally inherited genes on the long arm of chromosome 15, resulting in a complete absence of the active copy of the genetic information in this region. It is most commonly known for its food-related characteristics of hyperphagia, food-seeking behavior, and consequent obesity. Primary care physicians play an important role in the care of children with Prader-Willi syndrome, from recognizing the presenting signs and symptoms at its various stages to understanding their unique medical, developmental, behavioral, and dietary issues. They can also serve as a valuable source of support and advocacy for the family. This article reviews the current state of knowledge about Prader-Willi syndrome and discusses up-to-date understanding of the management of this condition.
Controversy over radioiodine ablation in thyroid cancer: who benefits?

Abstract Recent studies have proposed that overdiagnosis is probably the principal cause of the increased incidence of thyroid cancer. The controversy around radioiodine ablation is complicated by the ever increasing numbers of small, low-risk thyroid cancers being diagnosed. This article examines the history and evolving epidemiology of the disease and treatment.
Classification With the Sparse Group Lasso

Classification with a sparsity constraint on the solution plays a central role in many high dimensional signal processing applications. In some cases, the features can be grouped together, so that entire subsets of features can be selected or discarded. In many applications, however, this can be too restrictive. In this paper, we are interested in a less restrictive form of structured sparse feature selection: We assume that while features can be grouped according to some notion of similarity, not all features in a group need be selected for the task at hand. The Sparse Group Lasso (SGL) was proposed to solve problems of this form. The main contributions of this paper are a new procedure called Sparse Overlapping Group (SOG) lasso, an extension to the SGL to overlapping groups and theoretical sample complexity bounds for the same. We establish model selection error bounds that specializes to many other cases. We experimentally validate our proposed method on both real and toy datasets.
Antenna Subarray Partitioning with Interference Cancellation for Multi-User Indoor Terahertz Communications

In this paper, we study a multi-user indoor Terahertz (THz) communication system with multiple antenna subarrays. By exploiting the characteristics of the THz channel and the capabilities of large antennas, we design a hybrid beamforming scheme to compensate the severe path loss while keep the system in low complexity. In particular, with the analog beamsteering searching in radio frequency (RF) domain, antenna subarrays are partitioned on a user basis, where data streams are transmitted and steered via a group of subarrays to a specific user. Then, the zero- forcing digital beamformer is implemented at baseband for interference cancellation among different users. Simulation results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid beamforming scheme for the multi-user THz system, which shows great advantages over the schemes with random subarray assignment and analog-only beamsteering.
The Effectiveness of the Political Consultant as a Campaign Resource

Professional political consultants have acquired a mythic ability to single-handedly deliver victory for their client-candidates. Yet, among political scientists, factors other than consultant use appear to explain the difference between electoral success and failure. To this point, however, little quantitative work has been done to measure the impact political consultants have on American elections. In this article I will examine the relative influence political consultants and financial support from the political parties can have upon U.S. House elections.Definitions and DataFor my purposes, a political consultant is anyone who worked in two or more congressional and/or statewide campaigns during the most recent campaign cycle, was among the highest grossing consultants in his/her field, or was a member of the American Association of Political Consultants. This operationalization is based on Larry Sabato's definition of a political consultant as “a campaign professional who is engaged primarily in the provision of advice and services (such as polling, media creation and production, and directmail fundraising) to candidates, their campaigns, and other political committees.” Noting that not every campaign staffer who is paid for his/her work qualifies as a consultant, Sabato narrowed the category of professional political consultants to “the relatively small and elite corps of interstate political consultants who usually work on many campaigns simultaneously and have served hundreds of campaigns in their careers” (1981, 8). The operational definition employed here focuses attention on only those campaign operatives who are “political consultants” in the most meaningful sense of the phrase.
Wing effects on asymmetric vortex formation for a ship-launched missile

Wind tunnel tests were performed on a vertically-launched surface-to-air missile model to investigate the effects of low-aspect-ratio strakes and wings on the side forces and yawing moments induced by nose-generated asymmetric vortices at high angles of attack. Force and moment data were collected for angles of attack from 0 to 90 deg at a Reynolds number, based on model diameter, of 1.1 x lo5, and at a Mach number of 0.1. In a second series of tests at 50 deg angle of attack, flowfield measurements were made at two crossplane locations for vortex positions and strengths. Three body configurations were tested. Induced side forces and yawing moments were found to be maintained with the addition of wings and strakes. At the onset of the asymmetric vortices, yawing moments were of opposite sign to the induced side forces, indicating the dominance of afterbody side forces. However, as side forces increased with angle of attack, the forebody vortices quickly became dominant. Velocity vector plots, total pressure loss contours, and vorticity contours all proved useful in characterizing the lee flowfield. Though the lee flowfield for the two winged configurations (0 and 45 deg roll angle) differed greatly, both maintained identical levels of yawing moment coefficient .
Board game strategies as an introductory CS course project

This tutorial presents introductory-level projects based on designing and programming player strategies for a well-established board game. Board games are typically discrete, where the game state can be stored in basic data structures, and a variety of search techniques can be used to evaluate possible player moves. They therefore provide a natural context for many early CS topics. An NSF-funded study just completed by the presenters has confirmed that the open-ended strategy component makes for a more motivating project. This tutorial will discuss the projects and games used and their relevance to typical topics in a lower-level data structures course in detail. All materials will be provided and the attendees will be prepared to incorporate the projects smoothly into their courses.
Removal of massive ovarian tumor: case report and a critical review of surgical management and postoperative care.

A 31-year-old woman had a massive ovarian tumor and multiple associated metabolic abnormalities. Preoperative care included correction of cachexia-induced dehydration, hyperkalemia, azotemia, anemia, and hypoproteinemia. Hyperalimentation was also instituted because of profound malnutrition. Complete cardiovascular monitoring was used preoperatively to maximize her status and specifically to improve intravascular volume and cardiac output. At surgery, a 60-65- kg ovarian mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of low malignant potential was removed, and a Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted to monitor therapy for resultant hypovolemic and splanchnic shock. Postoperative complications included adult respiratory distress, sepsis, hemorrhagic ulcerative cytomegalic virus colitis, and acute tubular necrosis. Eventually the patient died of hemorrhagic necrotizing cytomegalic virus pneumonitis. The surgical therapy of massive ovarian tumors and resultant complications are reviewed.
Modification of Hepatic Venous Conduit to Manage Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations

While the Fontan operation is a reliable treatment option for many complex congenital heart defects, the development of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) remains a problematic outcome for some Fontan patients. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations stem from an imbalance of hepatic blood flow in the pulmonary system. Balancing this hepatic flow has shown promising results in the treatment of PAVMs. We report the clinical course of a young patient with heterotaxy syndrome and an unbalanced right dominant atrioventricular septal defect. This patient developed PAVMs following a Fontan procedure, however, the PAVMs were resolved following the revision of the original Fontan conduit to a bifurcated conduit.
Technique creating and protection of intelligent property right in local high colleges

This article discussed the actuality and problems of protecting intelligent property right in process of technique creating in high schools on the basis of creative contents in technique and the important position of high colleges in creative system in local technique. Ultimately put forward to enhance the protection of intelligent property right and make concrete measures of creative technique in high colleges combined with entering to WTO.
Endocrine Modulation of Uterine Blood Flow in Pregnancy

Uterine blood flow increases 15- to 20-fold during pregnancy. The fact that pregnancy is also characterized by dramatic increases in the production rate and plasma concentrations of estrogenic and progestational sex steroids has prompted investigators to explore a cause and effect relationship between these endocrine and physiologic changes. This article reviews the evidence that pregnancy- related increases in uterine blood flow are, at least in part, sex-steroid induced.
Routing of Axons at the Optic Chiasm

The central mystery of brain development is how the precise point-to-point connectivity of billions of neurons is achieved. An important aspect of this problem concerns the pathfinding behavior of axons: What determines the branch taken at each fork of a pathway? In the developing visual system, retinal ganglion cell axons from the two eyes intersect below the diencephalon, forming the optic chiasm. Here some axons continue in the same direction to innervate the opposite side of the brain, while others turn to innervate the same side, making the chiasm a major trajectory choice point. Throughout the developing nervous system, growing axons are confronted with a series of such choice points as they move toward and synapse with specific targets. The rules governing such choices are poorly understood. Understanding how axons choose which way to go in the optic chiasm may help to elucidate how fibers in general find their way to their targets. In the developing visual system of vertebrates, large numbers of fibers are confronted with the same ipsilateral/contralateral choice; the choice is made in a structure physically separate from the brain and free of other fiber tracts, and the eyes in many species are accessible for experimental manipulation during embryogenesis. Thus, this system is a powerful one for exploration of the rules that regulate laterality choice.
95 : Type I interferon regulates acute IL-5 and IL-13 expression in human memory CD4+ T cells

Type I Interferon (IFN- α / β ) is a critical anti-viral cytokine and is currently being used to treat Hepatitis C viral infections and multiple sclerosis, among other diseases. Although the positive regulatory effects of this cytokine have been studied, less is known about its role as a negative regulator of gene expression. Previously, we demonstrated that IFN- α / β suppresses Th2 development in human naive CD4+ T cells by negatively regulating GATA3 expression, leading to the suppression of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13. Based on this data, we were interested in how IFN- α / β might affect other T cell types. In the current study, we interrogated the effects of IFN- α / β on human memory CD4+ T cells. We hypothesized that IFN- α / β has similar negative regulatory effects on memory CD4+ T cells, leading to decreased Th2 cytokine expression. Human memory CD4+ T cells were acutely stimulated in the presence of IFN- α . Interestingly, IL-5 and IL-13 gene expression was suppressed, however, IL-4 expression was unaffected. Further, IFN- α / β signaling, but not IFN- γ or IFN- λ , suppressed IL-5 and IL-13 expression. Nuclear run-on studies demonstrated that IFN- α / β signaling suppressed de novo transcription of IL-5 and IL-13, and this suppression did not require the translation of interferon-sensitive genes. Our data indicate that this negative regulatory pathway acted upstream of gene expression, and suggested that IFN- α / β was able to acutely suppress specific gene expression. Currently, we are assessing direct STAT2 binding by ChIP-Seq, which will identify potential cis-regulatory regions necessary for IL-5 and L-13 gene modulation. Together, these results suggest that IFN- α / β could have many benefits in suppressing multiple aspects of Th2 development and effector function in atopic asthma.
Two Dimensional Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy of Catalysts on a Surface

2D SFG spectroscopy is used to characterize the orientation and vibrational dynamics of a catalytic monolayer on a gold surface. We found that the catalysts are influenced by the image dipole on the gold surface.
Risks of Serious Toxicities from Intermittent versus Continuous Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Population Based Study

Purpose: Randomized trials have shown that intermittent androgen deprivation therapy for patients with advanced prostate cancer may improve sexual and physical functioning compared to continuous androgen deprivation therapy without compromising survival. To our knowledge it is unknown whether intermittent androgen deprivation therapy alters the risk of serious toxicities associated with continuous androgen deprivation therapy.Materials and Methods: We performed a population based cohort study of 9,772 men 66 years old or older who were diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer from 2002 to 2011 and treated with androgen deprivation therapy. Intermittent androgen deprivation therapy was defined as a single 90-day interval between 2 androgen deprivation therapy sessions during which patients visited their physicians or underwent prostate specific antigen testing. Outcomes included acute myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, type 2 diabetes and fracture. We used Cox proportional hazard models to estima...
Boron Dipyridylmethene (DIPYR) Dyes: Shedding Light on Pyridine-Based Chromophores

Boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives have found widespread utility as chromophores in fluorescent applications, but little is known about the photophysical properties of pyridine-based BODIPY analogues, dipyridylmethene dyes. Indeed, it has been reported that boron difluoride dipyridylmethene (DIPYR) is nonemissive, and that derivatives of DIPYR have modest, if any, luminescence. In this report, we explore this little-touched area of chemical space and investigate the photophysical properties of three simple DIPYR dyes: boron dipyridylmethene, boron diquinolylmethene, and boron diisoquinolylmethene. The three dyes strongly absorb in the blue-green part of the spectrum (λem = 450–520 nm, e = 2.9–11 × 104 M–1 cm–1) and display green fluorescence with high quantum yields (ΦPL = 0.2, 0.8, and 0.8, respectively). Key photophysical properties in these systems were evaluated using a combination of TD-DFT and extended multiconfigurational quasidegenerate second-order perturbation theory (XMCQDPT2) methods an...
Search for sparse active inputs: a review

The theory of Compressed Sensing (highly popular in recent years) has a close relative that was developed around thirty years earlier and has been almost forgotten since --- the design of screening experiments. For both problems, the main assumption is sparsity of active inputs, and the fundamental feature in both theories is the threshold phenomenon: reliable recovery of sparse active inputs is possible when the rate of design is less than the so-called capacity threshold, and impossible with higher rates. Another close relative of both theories is multi-access information transmission. We survey a collection of tight and almost tight screening capacity bounds for both adaptive and non-adaptive strategies which correspond to either having or not having feedback in information transmission. These bounds are inspired by results from multi-access capacity theory. We also compare these bounds with the simulated performance of two analysis methods: (i) linear programming relaxation methods akin to basis pursuit used in compressed sensing, and (ii) greedy methods of low complexity for both non-adaptive and adaptive strategies.
Building Better Tumor Models: Organoid Systems to Investigate Angiogenesis

Cancer remains a leading cause of death in the United States and other developed countries. In nearly all cases, the cause of death is related to complications associated with tumor metastasis to distant sites such as the brain, lung, liver, and bone. A central feature of tumor progression is the acquisition of a blood supply, which provides nutrients for the growing tumor as well as conduits for transport of cancer cells. Our understanding of how a tumor acquires and manipulates a blood supply has been gleaned largely from animal models, but more recent advances in tissue engineering and microfabrication have led to clever 3D in vitro models of tumors that include blood vessels. This chapter will first briefly review the process of blood vessel growth including our knowledge of blood vessels within the cancer microenvironment, and discuss the most recent advances to mimic blood vessel growth in the tumor microenvironment using 3D in vitro culture methods. Finally, we discuss several important factors that control blood vessel growth including hypoxia, cellular metabolism, and tissue mechanics, which provide rich opportunities for future investigation.
Mobile acoustic transects miss rare bat species: implications of survey method and spatio-temporal sampling for monitoring bats

Due to increasing threats facing bats, long-term monitoring protocols are needed to inform conservation strategies. Effective monitoring should be easily repeatable while capturing spatio-temporal variation. Mobile acoustic driving transect surveys (‘mobile transects’) have been touted as a robust, cost-effective method to monitor bats; however, it is not clear how well mobile transects represent dynamic bat communities, especially when used as the sole survey approach. To assist biologists who must select a single survey method due to resource limitations, we assessed the effectiveness of three acoustic survey methods at detecting species richness in a vast protected area (Everglades National Park): (1) mobile transects, (2) stationary surveys that were strategically located by sources of open water and (3) stationary surveys that were replicated spatially across the landscape. We found that mobile transects underrepresented bat species richness compared to stationary surveys across all major vegetation communities and in two distinct seasons (dry/cool and wet/warm). Most critically, mobile transects failed to detect three rare bat species, one of which is federally endangered. Spatially replicated stationary surveys did not estimate higher species richness than strategically located stationary surveys, but increased the rate at which species were detected in one vegetation community. The survey strategy that detected maximum species richness and the highest mean nightly species richness with minimal effort was a strategically located stationary detector in each of two major vegetation communities during the wet/warm season.
Evaluating Safety Impacts of Access Management Alternatives with the Surrogate Safety Assessment Model

In a traditional safety impact analysis, it is necessary to have crash data on existing roadway conditions and a few years must pass before accumulating additional crash data to evaluate the safety impact of an improvement. This is a time-consuming approach and there remains uncertainty in the crash data integrity. The surrogate safety assessment model (SSAM) was developed for resolving these issues. With SSAM, a conflict analysis is performed in a simulated environment. A planned improvement alternative is modeled and no physical installation of the alternative is needed. This study evaluated if SSAM can be used to assess the safety of a highway segment in terms of the number and type of conflicts and to compare the safety effects of multiple access management alternatives. An evaluation of the effect of converting a two-way left-turn lane (TWLTL) into a raised median on a section of an urban street was performed using SSAM working on VISSIM simulation’s trajectory files. The analysis showed that a raise...
Surface design of orthopaedic drug delivery implants: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of bone-derived apatites

Incorporation of foreign ions onto a biomineral surface as well as removal from it of native (physiological) ions during deproteination procedures, are discussed in view of surface design of orthopaedic implants serving as drug delivery carriers. Surface properties of bone-derived apatites, purified at low temperature in non-aqueous medium, and of several commercial samples are examined via XPS technique. It has been demonstrated that, in spite of the fact that the initial bone demineralized matrix is derived from the same bovine bone, different deproteination procedures lead to different surface properties. Correlation between carbon 1s deconvoluted peak and the percentage of the residual organic fraction on the bone-derived apatites’ surface at different stages of purification has been established.
A combined fermentation and ethanol-assisted liquefaction process to produce biofuel from Nannochloropsis sp.

Abstract A combined pretreatment, fermentation and ethanol-assisted liquefaction process was studied to produce biofuels and chemicals from marine microalga Nannochloropsis sp. Wet (∼80% moisture) and dry microalgal biomass were initially pretreated with dilute acid (3% H2SO4) and subsequently fermented with yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. By pretreatment and fermentation, about 10% of required ethanol in liquefaction was produced and the lipid content of fermented microalgal biomass was increased by 40%. Following fermentation, liquefaction assisted with 15% (v/v) ethanol (2:1 ethanol to algae ratio) at 265 °C converted fermented microalgae to crude biodiesel, aqueous products and solid residues. This combined algae to liquid process could increase the crude biodiesel yield by three-fold compared to liquefaction of microalgae. The main advantage of the process is the utilization of wet algae in essential ethanol production within the process to enhance the crude biodiesel production by ethanol-assisted liquefaction.
Post-Chacoan Social Integration at the Hinkson Site, New Mexico

ABSTRACTThe century following the collapse of Chaco is often viewed as a time of cultural backsliding. However, imposing sites with Chaco-inspired public architecture provide evidence of large communities, dating between A.D. 1200 and 1275, that laid the organizational foundations of well-known Pueblo IV towns. This article reports on excavations at one such Zuni-area settlement, the Hinkson site. In this site, 32 residential room blocks surround a great house complex that includes an unroofed, oversize great kiva, a nazha, and roads. The Hinkson site appears to be the center of a 250 square kilometer community with 70 room blocks and nearly 900 rooms. Recognition of these multi-room block communities with public architecture permits a reformulation of current concepts of post-Chacoan, Anasazi social integration and provides a more plausible bridge between the Chacoan and Pueblo IV periods.
All-terrain vehicle use related fracture rates, patterns, and associations from 2002 to 2015 in the USA

Abstract Background Since their introduction to USA markets in the late 20th century, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) have been a significant source of trauma. Many paediatric studies have demonstrated the disproportionate rate in which minors are affected by ATV-related trauma, but no studies have been performed on a large sample size spanning all age and geographic ranges. This study is the first to analyze ATV-related fracture rates, patterns, and associated risks across all ages nationwide. Methods & statistical analysis The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried for ATV-related trauma for the years 2002–2015. The data were analyzed by age, sex, race, alcohol usage, helmet usage, type of injury, fracture location, and disposition from the emergency department (ED). Continuous data were analyzed using the t-test (2 groups) or ANOVA (≥3 groups). Discrete data were analyzed using χ2 tests. SUDAAN 10™ software was used to account for the stratified and weighted nature of the data. Significance was set at p Results There were an estimated 1,862,342 ED visits for ATV-related injuries from 2002 to 2015; 482,501 (25.9%) sustained fractures with a mean age of 27.5 years. Among those with fractures, 75.7% were male, 28.5% resulted in hospital admission, 43.9% occurred at home, and 57.5% were unhelmeted. Anatomically, 51.8% involved the upper extremity, 23.6% involved the lower extremity, 6.4% involved the spine, 8.5% involved the skull/face, and 9.7% involved the ribs/sternum. Alcohol use was most frequently associated with skull (13.2%) and cervical spine (13.0%) fractures. Patients with skull or facial fractures were unhelmeted 88% of the time, and 87% of skull fractures were associated with brain injury. ATV-related fractures peaked in 2007 at 44,283 and trended downward through 2014. Conclusion This study is the first of its kind to analyze ATV-related trauma over all age groups throughout the entire USA. It can serve as a reference for clinical decision-making and future studies. It also reinforces the need for ATV regulation advocacy, specifically helmet use.
Optimization of a tandem ion exchange—extraction chromatographic scheme for the recovery of strontium from raw urine

A previously reported ion-exchange/extraction chromatographic scheme for the recovery of radiostrontium from urine for subsequent determination is systematically optimized to minimize reagent consu...
Metabolic studies with perfused cirrhotic liver.

Summary 1.Oxygen consumption in perfused cirrhotic rat livers was lower than in normal controls. 2.This appears to be due to a lower number of units capable of accepting molecular oxygen in the cirrhotic than in the normal livers. The response of the electron transport chain to the addition of 2,4-dinitrophenol was similar in the cirrhotic and the normal livers. 3.The rate of oxidation of added ethanol was lower in the perfused cirrhotic livers than in the normal livers. 4.The rate of release of glucose was similar in the cirrhotic and the normal livers. 5.During 2 hr of perfusion, the production of lactate plus pyruvate as an index of glycolysis remained constant in the cirrhotic livers but fell progressively in the normal livers.
Shoo fly don't bother me: Flies track social primates and carry viable anthrax

Flies-a small name for an enormous taxonomic group of over 110,000 described species that have unique ecological roles. Nonbiting flies ingest organic material in faecal matter or carrion, which is rich in microbes and nutrients that benefit both adults and their offspring (maggots). These are often referred to as "filth flies" because they are often pests in human settlements and responsible for the spread of enteric pathogens. Filth flies associate with human populations; however, whether this association is simply due to the presence of organic waste produced, or if flies move with social groups remains unknown. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Gogarten et al. (2019) use a unique combination of field methods and molecular tools to show that filth flies (predominantly Muscidae [house flies] and Calliphoridae [blow flies]) associate and move with social nonhuman primate (NHP) groups (mangabeys and chimpanzees) for up to 12 days and over 1 km. Filth flies captured near these groups were found to have pathogen DNA on them from the causative agents of sylvatic anthrax and yaws. Furthermore, the authors were able to show that the anthrax bacteria on the flies was viable. Previous research emphasized sylvatic anthrax as a major conservation threat to wildlife at this field site (Hoffmann et al., 2017), highlighting the significance of filth flies as potential vectors of anthrax. The authors present a suite of methods and approaches that utilize flies to better understand rainforest biodiversity, pathogen transmission potential, and filth fly-host associations. This work represents new directions and opportunities to integrate entomology into field research and exploit the natural history of flies to understand the pathogen landscape and address outstanding questions in ecology and evolution.
Implementation of a Quality Improvement Initiative to Decrease Opioid Prescribing in General Surgery.

Abstract Background There is increasing need to avoid excess opioid prescribing after surgery. We prospectively assessed overprescription in our hospital system and used these data to design a quality improvement intervention to reduce overprescription. Materials and methods Beginning in January 2017, an e-mail-based survey to assess the quantity of opioids used postoperatively as well as patient-reported pain control was sent to all surgical patients in a 23-hospital system. In January 2018, as a quality improvement initiative, guidelines were given to surgeons based on patient consumption data. Prescription and consumption were then tracked prospectively. Wilcoxon signed-rank, analysis of variance, and Cuzick trend tests were used to assess for overprescription and changes over time in opioid prescribing and consumption. Results We included 2239 patients in our cohort. The amount prescribed (median [IQR]: 30 [24-45] versus 18 [12-30], P Conclusions Patients used far fewer opioids than prescribed after common adult general surgery procedures. When surgeons were provided with patient consumption data, the number of opioids prescribed decreased significantly.
Chlorophyll-a and total suspended solids retrieval and mapping using Sentinel-2A and machine learning for inland waters

Abstract Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) are both key indicators of the biophysical status of inland waters, and their continued monitoring is essential. Existing conventional methods (e.g., in situ monitoring) have shown that they are impractical due to their time and space limitations. The recently operated Sentinel-2A satellite offers the potential to have higher temporal, spatial, and spectral resolution images with no cost for monitoring water quality parameters of inland waters. The main aim of this study was to develop a semi-empirical model for predicting water quality parameters by combining Sentinel-2A data and machine learning methods using samples collected from several water reservoirs within the southern part of the Czech Republic, Central Europe. A combination of 10 spectral bands of the Sentinel-2A and 19 spectral indices, as independent variables, were used to train prediction models (i.e., Cubist) and then produce spatial distribution maps for both Chl-a and TSS. The results showed that the prediction accuracy based on Sentinel-2A was adequate for both Chl-a ( R 2 = 0.85 , RMSE p = 48.57 ) and TSS ( R 2 = 0.80 , RMSE p = 19.55 ). The spatial distribution maps derived from Sentinel-2A performed well where Chl-a and TSS were relatively high. The temporal changes in both Chl-a and TSS could be seen in the distribution maps. The temporal changes are showing that The values of TSS dramatically changed in fishponds compared to sand lakes over time which might be due to indifferent management practices. Overall, it can be concluded that Sentinel-2A, when coupled with machine learning algorithms, could be employed as a reliable, inexpensive, and accurate instrument for monitoring the biophysical status of small inland waters like fishponds and sandpit lakes.
Local Cortical Circuit Features Arise in Networks Optimized for Associative Memory Storage.

Local circuits in different cortical areas and animal species share ubiquitous features of synaptic connectivity and neural spiking activity. For example, neurons in local cortical circuit are more likely to be bidirectionally connected and to exhibit particular connectivity patterns among three or
Notes From the Eye of the Storm: Trainees at the Frontlines of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global health emergency that has changed our world in an unprecedented way. As cases throughout the United States are steadily rising, we are only now getting a picture of its true extent. The numbers are staggering, and health care systems are
Large Symptomatic Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Chronic contained rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm presents as persistent back pain as it is being sealed by anterior spinal ligament. Repair should be performed on urgent basis as failure to do so will most likely result in rupture becoming unsealed. At present endovascular repair should be preferred in patients with contained rupture if anatomy of the aneurysm is favorable.