cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Update on PHELIX pulsed-power hydrodynamics experiments and modeling

Summary form only given. The PHELIX pulsed-power driver is a 300 kJ, portable, transformer-coupled, capacitor bank capable of delivering 3-5 MA, 10 μs pulse into a low inductance load. Here we describe further testing and hydrodynamics experiments. First, a 4 nH static inductive load has been constructed. This allows for repetitive high-voltage, high-current testing of the system. Results are used in the calibration of simple circuit models and numerical simulations across a range of bank charges (±20 <; V0 <; ±40 kV). Furthermore, a dynamic liner-on-target load experiment has been conducted to explore the shock-launched transport of particulates (diam. ~ 1 μm) from a surface. The trajectories of the particulates are diagnosed with radiography. Results are compared to 2D hydro-code simulations. Finally, initial studies are underway to assess the feasibility of using the PHELIX driver as an electromagnetic launcher for planer shock-physics experiments.
Margin of Safety for Discharge After Apnea in Preterm Infants

Objective. Most neonatologists include an apnea-free period in the criteria for the discharge of preterm infants. However, the length of time one should wait after the cessation of apnea before sending an infant home without a monitor is debated. We undertook this study in an attempt to define a minimal and safe observation period between the time of the last apnea episode and discharge. Methods. We reasoned that in infants with idiopathic apnea of prematurity, the intervals between days on which apnea occurs gradually increase until some point at which clinically significant apnea ceases. Therefore, knowledge about the intervals between days on which apnea occurred just before the last apnea would provide a reasonable estimate of the minimal safe observation interval between the last apnea and discharge. We reviewed the charts of 266 infants born in 1993 and 1994 at ≤32 weeks9 gestational age or weighing ≤1500 g at birth from two institutions to determine the intervals between the day on which the last apnea occurred and the previous two days on which apnea occurred. One hundred seventy-five infants were excluded because they never experienced apnea, or data about the last apnea was missing, or they were on xanthines during the period encompassing the last 3 apnea days, or they weighed Results. The median duration of the intervals between the 2 days on which apnea occurred previous to the day on which the last apnea occurred were 3.0 and 2.0 days and the median duration of the MAXINT was 4.0 days. On careful examination of the charts, it was determined that each of 13 infants with a MAXINT preceding the day on which the last apnea occurred of greater than 8 days had some other condition that might result in apnea, including residual lung disease, sepsis, surgery, and so forth. In contrast, among the group of infants with a MAXINT of ≤8 days, at least 1 infant at each MAXINT (eg, 1 to 8) had significant apnea with no other explanation other than prematurity. Conclusions. We conclude that otherwise healthy preterm infants continue to have apneas separated by as many as 8 days before the last apnea before discharge. Conversely, infants with longer apnea intervals often have identifiable risk factors other than apnea of prematurity.
Unique Kir2.x Properties Determine Regional and Species Differences in the Cardiac Inward Rectifier K+ Current

The inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) 2.x channels mediate the cardiac inward rectifier potassium current (I K1 ). In addition to differences in current density, atrial and ventricular I K1 have differences in outward current profiles and in extracellular potassium ([K + ] o ) dependence. The whole-cell patch-clamp technique was used to study these properties in heterologously expressed Kir2.x channels and atrial and ventricular I K1 in guinea pig and sheep hearts. Kir2.x channels showed distinct rectification profiles: Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 rectified completely at potentials more depolarized than −30 mV (I≈0 pA). In contrast, rectification was incomplete for Kir2.3 channels. In guinea pig atria, which expressed mainly Kir2.1, I K1 rectified completely. In sheep atria, which predominantly expressed Kir2.3 channels, I K1 did not rectify completely. Single-channel analysis of sheep Kir2.3 channels showed a mean unitary conductance of 13.1±0.1 pS in 15 cells, which corresponded with I K1 in sheep atria (9.9±0.1 pS in 32 cells). Outward Kir2.1 currents were increased in 10 mmol/L [K + ] o , whereas Kir2.3 currents did not increase. Correspondingly, guinea pig (but not sheep) atrial I K1 showed an increase in outward currents in 10 mmol/L [K + ] o . Although the ventricles of both species expressed Kir2.1 and Kir2.3, outward I K1 currents rectified completely and increased in high [K + ] o -displaying Kir2.1-like properties. Likewise, outward current properties of heterologously expressed Kir2.1-Kir2.3 complexes in normal and 10 mmol/L [K + ] o were similar to Kir2.1 but not Kir2.3. Thus, unique properties of individual Kir2.x isoforms, as well as heteromeric Kir2.x complexes, determine regional and species differences of I K1 in the heart.
Triplex formation by a psoralen-conjugated oligodeoxyribonucleotide containing the base analog 8-oxo-adenine.

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing thymidine and 8-oxo-2'-deoxyadenosine can form pyr.pur.pyr type triplexes with double-stranded DNA. Unlike triplexes whose third strands contain thymidine and deoxycytidine, the stability of these triplexes is independent of pH. We have prepared d-ps-TAAATAAATTTTTAT-L [I(A)], where A is 8-oxo-2'-deoxyadenosine, ps is 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8- trimethylpsoralen and L is a 6-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)hexyl linker. The oligomer is designed to interact with a homopurine sequence in the promoter region of the human gene coding for the 92 kDa form of collagenase type IV. Oligomer I(A) and oligomer I(C), which contains 2'-deoxycytidine in place of 8-oxo-2'-deoxycytidine, both form stable triplexes at pH 6.2, but only I(A) forms a stable triplex with a model duplex DNA target at pH 7.5, as determined by UV melting experiments. Triplex formation is stabilized by the presence of the psoralen group. Upon irradiation both I(A) and I(C) form photoadducts with the DNA target at pH 6.2, but only I(A) forms a photoadduct at pH 7.5. In these photoreactions oligomer I(A) appears to selectively form a photoadduct with a C in the purine-rich strand of the duplex target. Although a T residue is present in the pyrimidine-rich strand of the target at the duplex/triplex junction, essentially no adduct formation takes place with this strand, nor is interstrand cross-linking observed. The extent of photoadduct formation decreases with increasing temperature, behavior which is consistent with the UV melting curve of the triplex. A tetramethylrhodamine derivative of I(A) was prepared and found to cross-link less extensively than I(A) itself. Oligomer I(A) is completely resistant to hydrolysis when incubated for 24h in the presence of 10% fetal bovine serum at 37 degree C, although it is hydrolyzed by S1 nuclease. The properties of oligomer I(A) suggest that 8-oxo- containing oligomers may find utility as antigene oligonucleotide reagents.
Stem Cell Transplantation for Stroke: Does It Work, and If So, How?

An increasing number of experiments in animal stroke models demonstrated that a variety of different types of stem cells implanted directly into the central nervous system or delivered systemically beneficially affect functional outcome. In these experiments, stem cells are given days to weeks after …
EVOLUTION OF THE CONTINENTAL LITHOSPHERE

▪Abstract Stable cratons and stable continental platforms are salient features of the Earth. Mantle xenoliths provide detailed data on deep structure. Cratonal lithosphere is about 200 km thick. It formed in the Archean by processes analogous to modern tectonics and has been stable beneath the larger cratons since that time. Its high viscosity, high yield strength, and chemical buoyancy protected it from being entrained by underlying stagnant lid convection and by subduction. Chemically buoyant mantle does not underlie platforms. Platform lithosphere has gradually thickened with time as convection waned as the Earth's interior cooled. The thermal contraction associated with this thickening causes platforms to subside relative to cratons. At present, the thickness of platform lithosphere is comparable to that of cratonal lithosphere.
Surfactant Protein A Is a Principal and Oxidation-sensitive Microbial Permeabilizing Factor in the Alveolar Lining Fluid*

We have reported that surfactant protein A kills some Gram-negative organisms by increasing membrane permeability. In this study, we investigated the physiologic importance of this activity and the effect of oxidative stress on the antimicrobial functions of SP-A in vitro and in vivo. Concentrated bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from SP-A/ mice increased the permeability of the Escherichia coli K12 cell membrane to a greater extent than lavage from SP-A/ animals. Similarly, calciumdependent surfactant-binding proteins of SP-A/ mice increased membrane permeability more than those from SP-A/ mice and produced greater zonal killing of agar-embedded bacteria in a radial diffusion assay. Exposure of human SP-A to copper-initiated surfactant phospholipid peroxidation or to free radicals generated by human neutrophils in vitro increased the level of SP-A-associated carbonyl moieties and blocked the permeabilizing function of the protein. We also found that exposure of mice to 90% O2 for 4 days, sufficient to lead to consumption of glutathione, oxidation of protein thiols, and accumulation of airspace protein-associated carbonyl moieties, blocked the permeabilizing activity of lavage fluid from SP-A/ mice. We conclude that SP-A is a major microbial permeablizing factor in lavage fluid and that oxidative stress inhibits the antibacterial activity of SP-A by a mechanism that includes oxidative modification and functional inactivation of the protein. Surfactant proteins A and D, also known as the pulmonary collectins, play important roles in the innate immune defense of the lung, including the agglutination, opsonization, and augmentation of intraphagocytic killing of a variety of inhaled pathogens (1). We have recently reported that the pulmonary collectins also directly inhibit the growth of microorganisms by induction of membrane permeability (2, 3). Nosocomial pneumonias are a common complication of prolonged intensive care unit stays. Supplemental oxygen therapy is extensively used in this setting, resulting in conditions that favor formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) 1 and damage to airway cells and extracellular molecules in the alveolar lining fluid. We recently reported that SP-A is oxidatively modified and functionally inactivated, with respect to interaction with phospholipids, upon exposure of SP-A to lipid peroxidation, in vitro (4). We postulate that oxidative damage of SP-A may also affect the host defense activities of the protein. In this study, we examined the relative physiologic importance of the permeabilizing activity of SP-A in the lung, and the effects of oxidizing stimuli on the antimicrobial activity of SP-A and the alveolar lining fluid.
BRAIN: innovative neurotechnologies for imaging and therapeutics

Conceived with the aim of meeting the needs of the neurobiology and clinical communities, the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Technologies (BRAIN) Initiative builds on the lessons learned from major projects in genetics, such as the Human Genome Project. It concentrates on the use of new imaging technologies in conjunction with genomics to inform therapeutic decisions.
Behavioral model composition in simulation-based design

We present a simulation and design framework for simultaneously designing and modeling electromechanical systems. By instantiating component objects and connecting them to each other via ports, a designer can configure complex systems. This configuration information is then used to automatically generate a corresponding system-level simulation model. The building block of our framework is the component object. It encapsulates design data and behavioral models and their inter-relationships. Component objects are composed into systems by connecting their ports. However, when converting a system configuration into a corresponding simulation model, the corresponding models for the component objects do not capture the physical phenomena at the component interfaces the interactions. To obtain an accurate composition, the interaction dynamics must also be captured in behavioral models. In this paper, we introduce the concept of an interaction model that captures the dynamics of the interaction. When two ports are connected, there is an intended interaction between the two components. For composition of component objects to work, an interaction model must be introduced between each pair of connected behavioral models. We illustrate these ideas using an example.
Charged micelle halo mechanism for agglomeration reduction in metal oxide particle based polishing slurries

A method for chemically stabilizing metal oxide polishing slurries to prevent their agglomeration while maintaining their surface activity is demonstrated experimentally. Negatively charged ceria, zirconia, and alumina particles are reversibly size-stabilized under low ionic strength conditions at and above their isoelectric points using anionic surfactants. Stability is imparted only at surfactant concentrations above the critical micelle concentration and when the particle and the micelle have like-signed charges. Zeta potential measurements demonstrate that little adsorption of anionic surfactant occurs under conditions where the particles are negatively charged. Changes to pH, hydrophobicity, and ionic strength disrupt the surfactant's ability to size-stabilize the slurries. These results suggest that the charged micelles electrosterically hinder the agglomeration of oxide particles. Because the stabilization method does not rely on adsorption, the particle surface remains accessible for chemical reactions, such as those involved in polishing. Metal oxide slurries stabilized by this method remove material at a rate comparable to that of unstabilized slurry. In addition, stabilized slurry is easier to filter, which improves the quality of the polished surface. Stabilizing colloids by this method may prove valuable for systems where particle surface functionality is important, such as those used in ceramics processing, optical polishing, and chemical-mechanical planarization.
The Role of Urine Toxicology in Chronic Opioid Analgesic Therapy

The current trend of treating chronic nonmalignant pain with opioid therapy means that pain management nurses are increasingly involved in the care of patients who are prescribed and using potent opioid analgesics on a daily basis. Although demonstrated to be quite effective in certain patients, sanctioned access to these medications brings with it risks for abuse, addiction, and diversion. Urine toxicology analysis is a valuable, yet underutilized, tool to monitor patterns of medication use and potential use of illicit drugs to evaluate the effect of these on health outcomes. This review provides a guide for the use of urine toxicology in the nursing management of chronic pain patients on opioid therapy, detailing the information provided by urine toxicology analysis, the benefits and limitations of urine drug testing, principles of sample collection, and correct interpretation of findings. It is emphasized that the results of urine toxicology analysis should never be used in isolation to identify abuse, addiction, or diversion, and that patterns of medication and other drug use should always be evaluated with respect to evidence of improved functionality. Nurses involved in the care of patients with chronic pain are encouraged to consider urine toxicology analysis as an integral component in care plan for those on chronic opioid therapy, and to knowledgeably implement and interpret this powerful tool in the practice of pain care.
Nano-sized TiO/sub 2/ thin film for alcohol sensing application

A nano-sized titanium oxide (TiO/sub 2/) thin film for alcohol sensing application is presented. TiO/sub 2/ thin films with different doping concentrations on alumina substrates were prepared using sol-gel process using spin coating technique for ethanol and methanol alcohol. Experimental results indicated that the sensor is able to monitor alcohols selectively at ppm levels. The chemical composition of the films was analyzed by XPS, and RBS. The XPS and RBS results indicated that the films are stoichiometric with carbon as the dominant impurity on the surface. The morphologies and crystalline structures of the films were studied by SEM, and XRD. XRD patterns showed that the films are pure anatase phase up to an annealing temperature of 600/spl deg/C. As the annealing temperature increased to 800/spl deg/C a small amount of rutile phase formed along with the anatase phase. The SEM pictures showed that the doped films are more uniform in grain size and porous. Experimental results highlighted that the relative change of the film's conductance is as high as 61 folds at an operating temperature of 400/spl deg/C for 1000 ppm ethanol.
Theory of some Carbon Solids

Starting from properties of the carbon atom, it is possible to explore the structural stability and properties of various forms of carbon. A discussion of the theoretical approach and the relevant atomic characterisitcs will be given followed by example of applications to existing and hypothetical materials formed from carbon and related elements.
SPATIOTEMPORAL HYPERDIMENSIONS IN PALEONTOLOGY

Abstract It is commonly recognized that paleontological and other biological data have numerous qualitative dimensions as well as some quantitative ones; but the fact that the latter include up to 24 or more distinct spatiotemporal dimensions has not been pointed out. Paleontologists can hold these in mind simultaneously, without effort or confusion, by virtue of these dimensions' hierarchical logical arrangement. This observation may point to a useful way of conceptualizing multiple spatiotemporal dimensions in the physical sciences.
Atmospheric Transformations of Trace Metals: Evidence for Aerosol Sulfur Association with Metals from Soil Minerals in Eastern North America and the Potential for Solubilization of Aluminum and Iron Before Deposition from the Atmosphere

Alkaline soil mineral aerosol may be rendered soluble in the atmosphere by reaction of dust particles with strongly acidic surface coatings formed by adsorption of pollution or natural sulfur, nitrogen, or other acid precursors. The resulting solubilized trace metals, upon deposition to the surface, may be more biologically available than the metals in insoluble mineral form. As evidence for the process, the variability in time sequence aerosol composition, measured at 9 sites in the northeastern U.S. by PIXE analysis of filter samples, has been examined using factor analysis and multiple linear regression. At all sites, 84%–91% of the variance is accounted for by 3 or 4 factors, including a mainly sulfur component that also contains Al and other soil mineral metals at concentrations high enough to account for soluble Al measured in northeastern U.S. lakes. Atmospheric deposition of metals after solubilization by reaction of airborne soil mineral particles with sulfuric acid is considered to be likely.
Evaluation of the effect of data quality on the profile uncertainty of critical dimension small angle x-ray scattering

A line grating prepared via a self-aligned quadruple patterning method was measured using critical dimension small angle x-ray scattering. A Monte Carlo Markov chain algorithm was used to analyze the uncertainty of the model fit over subsets of the full angular range and for a time series with decreasing signal-to-noise in order to determine the effect of the data quality on the final profile shape uncertainty. These results show how the total measurement time can be reduced while maintaining satisfactory profile shape uncertainty. We found that the typical measurement conditions are highly oversampled and can be reduced considerably with only marginal effect on the shape uncertainty. A comparison is made between the synchrotron measurements and a laboratory system, demonstrating that both measurements result in similar structures.
In Search of Subnational Constitutionalism

Two recent trends, one favoring federalism as a form of governmental organization and the other favoring written constitutions, have lately combined to produce an impressive proliferation of subnational constitutions. Documents that can fairly be described as constitutions now govern the affairs of subnational units - states, provinces, cantons, Lander - in federal states on every continent. What remains unclear, however, is whether the proliferation of subnational constitutions indicates a corresponding spread of the practice of subnationalism constitutionalism - whether, that is, the appearance of subnational constitutions around the globe evinces a spreading ideological commitment to a strong role for subnational governments in shaping the lives, and protecting the liberty, of citizens of federal states. This paper examines some aspects of the context and conditions in which subnational constitutions have emerged and finds the evidence mixed. On one hand, the rise of ethnocultural self-determination as a justification for federalism, and the presence in many subnational constitutions of provisions directly protecting human rights, are consistent with an ideology of subnational constitutionalism. Other considerations, however, tend to undermine the possibility of a thriving subnational constitutionalism. These include the ready availability of national constitutional politics as a forum for resolving significant social and political questions; the practice in many parts of the world of resorting to extraconstitutional politics to resolve fundamental issues of governance and identity; the rise, especially in Europe, of subsidiarity as the prevailing political theory of subnational power; and the growing emphasis around the globe on supranational and international regimes as primary protectors of human rights.
On the strategic choice between capital and labor mobility

Abstract This paper analyzes the strategies of two governments when choosing between capital and labor mobility. For each type of factor mobility, the Nash equilibria under both income taxes and quotas on factor flows are derived. From each country's point of view, an income tax dominates a quota. The paper also shows that in a strategic environment, Ramaswami's result that a country prefers the restricted inflow of a scarce factor to the restricted outflow of an abundant factor continues to hold for some initial factor endowments, but the opposite result may obtain for other factor endowments.
HMGB1 interacts with xpa to facilitate the processing of DNA interstrand crosslinks in human cells

Many effective agents used in cancer chemotherapy cause DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs), which covalently link both strands of the double helix together resulting in cytotoxicity. ICLs are thought to be processed by proteins from a variety of DNA repair pathways; however, a clear understanding of ICL recognition and repair processing in human cells is lacking. Previously, we found that the high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein bound to triplex-directed psoralen ICLs (TFO-ICLs) in vitro, cooperatively with NER damage recognition proteins, promoted removal of UVC-induced lesions and facilitated error-free repair of TFO-ICLs in mouse fibroblasts. Here, we demonstrate that HMGB1 recognizes TFO-ICLs in human cells, and its depletion increases ICL-induced mutagenesis in human cells without altering the mutation spectra. In contrast, HMGB1 depletion in XPA-deficient human cells significantly altered the ICL-induced mutation spectrum from predominantly T→A to T→G transversions. Moreover, the recruitment of XPA and HMGB1 to the ICLs is co-dependent. Finally, we show that HMGB1 specifically introduces negative supercoils in ICL-containing plasmids in HeLa cell extracts. Taken together, our data suggest that in human cells, HMGB1 functions in association with XPA on ICLs and facilitates the formation of a favorable architectural environment for ICL repair processing.
Thrombin receptor structure and function.

Thrombin is a multifunctional serine protease generated at sites of vascular injury. While it is best known for its ability to cleave fibrinogen and trigger fibrin formation, thrombin is also a powerful agonist for a variety of cellular responses. First and foremost, thrombin is the most potent activator of platelets in vitro. Thrombin is also chemotactic for monocytes, and is mitogenic for lymphocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular smooth muscle cells. Thrombin acts on the vascular endothelium to stimulate production of prostacyclin, plasminogen activator inhibitor, and the potent smooth muscle cell mitogen platelet-derived growth factor. Thrombin also induces neutrophil adherence to the vessel wall by an endothelial-dependent mechanism, probably by causing surface expression of GMP-140 on the endothelial cell and directly activates neutrophils themselves. Teleologically, these disparate functions of thrombin may be unified by viewing thrombin as an orchestrator of the response to vascular injury or wounding, mediating not only hemostatic but inflammatory and proliferative or reparative responses.1
EMP-002a Phase Shift through the Ionosphere

In this note we review the derivation and use of the Ionospheric Transfer Function (ITF) in the DIO- RAMA model to calculate the propagation of a broad band ElectroMagnetic Pulse (EMP) through the Ionosphere in the limit of geometric optics. This note is intended to resolve a misunderstanding between the NDS VVA and EMP modeling teams regarding the appropriate use of the phase and group velocities in DIORAMA. The di erent approaches are documented in EMP-002 note, \Phase vs. Group" [1], generated by the LLNL DIORAMA VVA team, and the subsequent response from the DIORAMA EMP modeling team' [2].
Anatomical Variation of the Tarsus in Common Inbred Mouse Strains.

Rodent models are used for a variety of orthopedic research applications; however, anatomy references include mostly artistic representations. Advanced imaging techniques, including micro-computed tomography (microCT), can provide more accurate representations of subtle anatomical characteristics. A recent microCT atlas of laboratory mouse (Mus musculus) anatomy depicts the central and tarsal bone III (T3) as a single bone, differing from previous references. Fusion of tarsal bones is generally characterized as pathological secondary to mutations associated with growth factors, and normal variation has not been documented in the mouse tarsus. Therefore, it is unclear if this fusion is a normal or a pathological characteristic. The aim of this study is to characterize the tarsus of the laboratory mouse and compare it to the rat and selected outgroup species (i.e., white-footed mouse) via microCT and histology to determine if the central and T3 are separate or fused into a single bone. Laboratory mice (C57/Bl6 [n = 17] and BalbC [n = 2]) and rats (n = 5) were scanned with microCT. A representative laboratory mouse from each strain was evaluated histologically via serial sagittal sections through the mid-tarsus. General pedal anatomy was similar between all species; however, the central and T3 bones were fused in all laboratory mice but not the rat or white-footed mouse. A band of hyaline cartilage was identified within the fused bone of the laboratory mice. We conclude that the fusion found is a normal characteristic in laboratory mice, but timing of the fusion remains ambiguous. Anat Rec, 300:450-459, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Abstract WP268: Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Upregulates Superoxide Dismutase 3 in Neurons via Activation of Myeloid Zinc Finger-1

Objective: To determine whether leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) upregulates superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3), a neuroprotective antioxidant enzyme, through the transcription factor myeloid zinc finger-1 (MZF-1). Hypothesis: MZF-1 facilitates LIF-mediated neuroprotection by increasing transcription of the SOD3 gene in neurons. Methods: After middle cerebral artery occlusion or sham surgery, male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with PBS or LIF (125 μg/kg) (n=4 per group). Rats were euthanized 72 h after injury and western blotting was used to measure MZF-1 protein expression in brain tissue. For in vitro studies, rat neurons were transfected with scrambled or MZF-1 siRNA (n=3 per group). Neurons were treated with PBS or 200 ng/mL LIF prior to 24 h in vitro ischemia induced by oxygen glucose deprivation. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was measured to assess neuronal death. MZF-1 levels were quantified in cultured neurons with immunocytochemistry. SOD3 and MZF-1 mRNA levels were measured with real-time PCR. Results: LIF (0.938 OD units ± 0.170), but not PBS (0.562 OD units ± 0.223), significantly increased MZF-1 protein expression in ipsilateral tissue 72 h after stroke compared to sham surgery (0.411 OD units ± 0.039, p Conclusions: MZF-1 plays a fundamental role in a novel neuroprotective pathway by enhancing SOD3 expression and provides insight regarding protection by antioxidant enzymes during stroke.
Integration of Desire, Sexual Orientation, and Female Embodiment of a Transgender Woman Previously Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Report

This article explores the relationship between ASD characteristics and gender identity in a transgender female adult psychotherapy patient and the implications of these on her self-narrative and se...
Bayesian Channel Estimation Algorithms for Massive MIMO Systems With Hybrid Analog-Digital Processing and Low-Resolution ADCs

We address the problem of channel estimation in massive multiple-input multiple-output (Massive MIMO) systems where both hybrid analog-digital processing and low-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are utilized. The hardware-efficient architecture is attractive from a power and cost point of view, but poses two significant channel estimation challenges. One is due to the smaller dimension of the measurement signal obtained from the limited number of radio frequency chains, and the other is the coarser measurements from the low-resolution ADCs. We address this problem by utilizing two sources of information. First, by exploiting the sparse nature of the channel in the angular domain, the channel estimate is enhanced and the required number of pilots is reduced. Second, by utilizing the transmitted data symbols as the “virtual pilots,” the channel estimate is further improved without adding more pilot symbols. The constraints imposed by the architecture, the sparsity of the channel and the data aided channel estimation are treated in a unified manner by employing a Bayesian formulation. The quantized sparse channel estimation is formulated into a sparse Bayesian learning framework, and solved using the variational Bayesian method. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can efficiently estimate the channel even with the architectural constraints, and that significant improvements are enabled by leveraging the transmitted data symbols.
Detergent Desorption of Membrane Proteins Exhibits Two Kinetic Phases.

Gradual dissociation of detergent molecules from water-insoluble membrane proteins culminates in protein aggregation. However, the time-dependent trajectory of this process remains ambiguous because the signal-to-noise ratio of most spectroscopic and calorimetric techniques is drastically declined by the presence of protein aggregates in solution. We show that by using steady-state fluorescence polarization (FP) spectroscopy the dissociation of the protein–detergent complex (PDC) can be inspected in real time at detergent concentrations below the critical micelle concentration. This article provides experimental evidence of the coexistence of two distinct phases of the dissociations of detergent monomers from membrane proteins. We first noted a slow detergent predesolvation process, which was accompanied by a relatively modest change in the FP anisotropy, suggesting a small number of dissociated detergent monomers from the proteomicelles. This predesolvation phase was followed by a fast detergent desolvat...
Filling a Geographical Gap: New Paleoecological Reconstructions From the Desert Southwest, USA

In 1916 the time stamp for quantitative palynology was set with Lennart von Post’s initial paper on pollen analysis and environmental change in the Scandinavian peat bogs. His subsequent work and reviews provided us with a map of the known palynological world into the 1930s. This map had, and to this day still has, many substantial holes of knowledge. In particular, environmental reconstruction in arid lands remain much less known, largely due to the paucity of depositional environments in these areas as well as challenges with preservation in regions either uniformly dry or subjected to strong wet/dry cycles. In over a decade of work we have examined linkages between wetland development and episodes of wet and arid conditions. Desert wetland or cienegas are groundwater fed systems that appear sensitive to changes in groundwater recharge. These systems appear to “grow” during times of wet periods potentially associated with greater El Nino activity, suggesting an important linkage to winter precipitation amounts and frequency. Preservation of pollen is also important, as episodes of aridity can be identified as times of poor pollen preservation and quantities. We assess modern El Nino events, as analogs of past conditions, to provide context on the atmospheric controls for delivery of moisture into the desert southwest during winter. This analysis demonstrates that the anomalous and persistent moisture delivered into the region during El Nino events allow for the growth of cienegas, preservation of pollen and the production of fuels necessary to support an active fire regime. This paper examines sites from the American Deserts from the US/Mexico Border (hereinafter "southwestern deserts") and presents findings and new approaches that embody the spirit of investigation initiated by von Post’s original work in paleoenvironmental research.
Public Health Seminar: Classics to Contemporary Cases for a New Pedagogy:

This best practice article explains a Public Health Seminar course that represents an innovative approach to public health pedagogy with demonstrated learning impacts. Reflecting many of the new Co...
Human middle-ear muscles rarely contract in anticipation of acoustic impulses: Implications for hearing risk assessments.

Abstract The current study addressed the existence of an anticipatory middle-ear muscle contraction (MEMC) as a protective mechanism found in recent damage-risk criteria for impulse noise exposure. Specifically, the experiments reported here tested instances when an exposed individual was aware of and could anticipate the arrival of an acoustic impulse. In order to detect MEMCs in human subjects, a laser-Doppler vibrometer (LDV) was used to measure tympanic membrane (TM) motion in response to a probe tone. Here we directly measured the time course and relative magnitude changes of TM velocity in response to an acoustic reflex-eliciting (i.e. MEMC eliciting) impulse in 59 subjects with clinically assessable MEMCs. After verifying the presence of the MEMC, we used a classical conditioning paradigm pairing reflex-eliciting acoustic impulses (unconditioned stimulus, UCS) with various preceding stimuli (conditioned stimulus, CS). Changes in the time-course of the MEMC following conditioning were considered evidence of MEMC conditioning, and any indication of an MEMC prior to the onset of the acoustic elicitor was considered an anticipatory response. Nine subjects did not produce a MEMC measurable via LDV. For those subjects with an observable MEMC (n = 50), 48 subjects (96%) did not show evidence of an anticipatory response after conditioning, whereas only 2 subjects (4%) did. These findings reveal that MEMCs are not readily conditioned in most individuals, suggesting that anticipatory MEMCs are not prevalent within the general population. The prevalence of anticipatory MEMCs does not appear to be sufficient to justify inclusion as a protective mechanism in auditory injury risk assessments.
Perceptions of the Willingness of Part-Time Instructors in Community Colleges in the U.S. to Engage in Professional Development Opportunities and the Best Method(s) of Delivering These Experiences

Higher education personnel have found that the use of part-time teachers helps to meet the institutional needs of maintaining current and relevant training programs in the technology driven climates of new and emerging career and technical areas; providing training programs on an occasional, on-demand basis; and reducing the risk of offering ongoing programs for which low enrollments are anticipated. Additionally, numerous part-time faculty have been hired to maintain close ties with business and industry as many are practitioners in the field in which they are teaching. In this way, colleges can remain on the cutting edge in the face of changing career needs, skill expectations, and the world of work (Leslie, 1998;Phillippe & Patton, 2000). Community colleges have begun to realize that these very same part-time faculty/industry practitioners strengthen their career and technical programs with the application of real world perspectives. In fact, many new skills-related technology courses often have required the expertise that full-time faculty do not have.
Severe Trauma and Hemorrhage Leads to Platelet Dysfunction and Changes in Cyclic Nucleotides in The Rat.

Introduction Rats subjected to polytrauma and hemorrhage develop a coagulopathy that is similar to acute coagulopathy of trauma in humans, and is associated with a rise in prothrombin time and a fall in clot strength. Because platelet aggregation accounts for a major proportion of clot strength, we set out to characterize the effects of polytrauma on platelet function. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with isoflurane. Polytrauma included laparotomy and damage to 10 cm of the small intestines, right and medial liver lobes, right leg skeletal muscle, femur fracture, and hemorrhage (40% of blood volume). No resuscitation was given. Blood samples were taken before and after trauma for the measurement of impedance electrode aggregometry, and intracellular levels of cyclic adenosine and guanosine monophosphate (cAMP, cGMP), inositol trisphosphate (IP3), and adenosine and guanosine triphosphates (ATP, GTP). Results Polytrauma significantly increased the response of collagen (24%) and thrombin (12%) to stimulate platelet aggregation. However, aggregation to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or arachidonic acid (AA) was significantly decreased at 2 (52% and 46%, respectively) and 4 h (45% and 39%). Polytrauma and hemorrhage also led to a significant early rise in cAMP (101 ± 11 to 202 ± 29 pg/mL per 1,000 platelets), mirrored by a decrease in cGMP (7.8 ± 0.9 to 0.6 ± 0.5). In addition, there was a late fall in ATP (8.1 ± 0.7 to 2.2 ± 0.6 ng/mL per 1,000 platelets) and GTP (1.5 ± 0.2 to 0.3 ± 0.1). IP3 rose initially, and then fell back to baseline. Conclusions Polytrauma and hemorrhage led to a deficit in the platelet aggregation response to ADP and AA after trauma, likely due to the early rise in cAMP, and a later fall in energy substrates, and may explain the decrease in clot strength and impaired hemostasis observed after severe trauma.
The burden of HIV among female sex workers, men who have sex with men and transgender women in Haiti: results from the 2016 Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) study.

Introduction Despite the higher risk of HIV among female sex workers (FSWs), men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW), these populations are under-represented in the literature on HIV in Haiti. Here, we present the first nationally representative estimates of HIV prevalence and the first care and treatment cascade for FSWs, MSM and TGW in Haiti. We also examine the social determinants of HIV prevalence in these groups and estimate FSW and MSM population size in Haiti. Methods Data were collected between April 2016 and February 2017 throughout the 10 geographical departments of Haiti. The Priorities for Local AIDS Control Efforts (PLACE) method was used to: (1) recruit participants for a behavioural survey; (2) provide rapid testing, counselling and linkage to care for syphilis and HIV; and (3) measure viral load using dried blood spots for participants testing HIV positive. Results Study participants included 990 FSWs, 520 MSM and 109 TGW. HIV prevalence was estimated at 7.7% (95% CI 6.2%, 9.6%) among FSWs, 2.2% (0.9%, 5.3%) among MSM and 27.6% (5.0%, 73.5%) among TGW. Of participants who tested positive for syphilis, 17% of FSWs, 19% of MSM and 74% of TGW were co-infected with HIV. Economic instability and intimate partner violence (IPV) were significantly associated with HIV among MSM; food insecurity, economic instability and history of rape were significantly associated with HIV among TGW. Fewer than one-third of participants living with HIV knew their status, and more than a quarter of those who knew their status were not on treatment. While approximately four in five FSW and MSM participants on treatment for HIV were virally suppressed, viral suppression was less common among TGW participants at only 46%. Conclusions This study demonstrates a need for targeted interventions to prevent and treat HIV among key populations in Haiti. Potential high-impact interventions may include venue-based, peer navigator-led outreach and testing for HIV and syphilis and improving screening and case management for structural violence and IPV. TGW are in urgent need of such interventions due to our observations of alarmingly high HIV prevalence and low frequency of HIV viral suppression among TGW.
Religiosity Predicts Evidentiary Standards

Research shows that religious and nonreligious individuals have different standards of evidence for religious and scientific claims. Here, in a preregistered replication and extension of McPhetres ...
Sensory Inhibition Is Related to Variable Speech Perception in Noise in Adults With Normal Hearing.

Purpose Speech perception in noise (SPiN) varies widely in individuals with normal hearing, which may be attributed to factors that are not reflected in the audiogram, such as inhibition. However, ...
On providing smoking cessation services in alcohol and other drug treatment settings: Results from a U.S. national survey of attitudes among recovering persons.

Abstract Background Nicotine addiction through cigarette use is highly prevalent among individuals suffering from alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems and remains a prominent risk factor for morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. Whereas most people agree that providing smoking cessation services (SCS) to this vulnerable population is vitally important, the timing of such service provision has been hotly debated, including whether such services should be excluded, available (but not offered), offered, or fully integrated into AOD treatment settings. Important stakeholders in this debate are those in recovery from AOD problems who, in addition to having often been AOD treatment patients themselves, frequently hold influential clinical, research or policy positions and thus can influence the likelihood of SCS provision. This study sought to understand the attitudes of this important stakeholder group in providing SCS in AOD treatment settings. Method We assessed a national cross-sectional sample of individuals in recovery from an AOD problem (n = 1973) on whether SCS should be: a. excluded; b. available; c. offered; or d. integrated into AOD services. We estimated associations between participants' demographic, clinical, and recovery support service use history, and SCS attitude variables, using multinomial logistic regression. Results Roughly equal proportions endorsed each attitudinal position (23.5% excluded, 25% available, 24.6% offered; 26.9% integrated). Correlates of holding more positive SCS implementation attitudes were Black race; primary substance other than alcohol, greater intensity of former or recent smoking, and less mutual-help organization participation; older individuals achieving recovery between 30 and 40 years ago also had more positive attitudes toward integrating SCS. Conclusions About half of those sampled were either against SCS inclusion in AOD settings or were in favor of making it “available” only, but not in offering it or integrating it. This oppositional pattern was accentuated particularly among those with primary alcohol problem histories and those participating in mutual-help organizations. Given the universally well-known negative health effects of smoking, understanding more about the exact reasons why certain groups of recovering persons may endorse such positions is an area worthy of further investigation, as it may uncover potential barriers to SCS implementation in AOD treatment settings.
The Student with a Chronic Health Condition: Hillary Hampton, a Second-Year Medical Student with Crohn’s Disease

A second-year medical student develops abdominal pain and diarrhea, which she attributes to a busy schedule and poor nutrition. She loses weight and experiences joint pain and stiffness. After several months, she visits her physician and is diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. She manages well until beginning her internal medicine clerkship. Long days in clinic leave little time for self-care, and bouts of diarrhea begin to occur frequently. The student makes frequent exits to the restroom and carries a change of clothes at all times. She tells her counselor about her condition but rejects his advice to register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS), for fear that the label of “disability” will negatively impact future opportunities. Soon thereafter, in a clinical competency meeting, a faculty member mentions concern with this student’s frequent absences from the clinical setting, late arrivals, and disengaged appearance. The committee discusses this as a possible professionalism concern but decides to delay the filing. The student’s counselor, present during this discussion, privately contacts the student to explain the perception of her behavior. After realizing the potential negative consequences of not disclosing the disability, she decides to contact ODS.