cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coagulation factor V: a plethora of anticoagulant molecules.

Purpose of review Thrombin is necessary for survival and is produced after activation of prothrombin by prothrombinase at the site of a vascular injury. While the enzyme component of prothrombinase alone, factor Xa, bound to a membrane surface can activate prothrombin, incorporation of the cofactor molecule, factor Va, into prothrombinase results in a five orders of magnitude increase in the catalytic efficiency of factor Xa that provides the physiologic pathway for thrombin generation. While the kinetic constants and the identity of peptide bonds cleaved in prothrombin to generate alpha-thrombin have been long established, the peptidyl portions of the factor Va molecule responsible for its interactions with factor Xa, prothrombin, and the lipid surface are still the subject of intense investigation. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge with respect to the interactions of the factor Va molecule with the various components of prothrombinase. Recent findings Binding sites for factor Xa have been identified on both the heavy and light chains of factor Va. Two amino acid regions that interact with factor Xa have been delineated on the heavy chain of the cofactor. It has also been demonstrated that the carboxyl-terminal portion of the heavy chain of factor Va contains hirudin-like motifs and appears to be responsible for the interaction of factor Va with prothrombin. This region of the molecule is important for procofactor activation by thrombin as well as cofactor function. Finally, the membrane-binding site of factor Va is contributed by several elements of the light chain and involves both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Summary The absence or dysfunction of factor Va leads to hemorrhagic diseases while prolonged existence of the active cofactor species is associated with thrombosis. Thus, modulation of the incorporation of factor Va into prothrombinase in vivo by using synthetic peptides that have the potential to impair factor Va binding to any of the components of prothrombinase, will allow for control of the rate of thrombin generation at the site of vascular damage. As a consequence, a systematic definition of the regions of factor Va governing its incorporation within prothrombinase will provide the scaffold for the synthesis of potent anticoagulant molecules that could modulate thrombin formation and suppress excessive clotting in thrombotic individuals.
Vibrotactile pattern recognition on the arm and torso

A tactile display for use in navigation has been designed and evaluated. In these experiments, the ability of subjects to identify patterns of vibrotactile stimulation was tested using tactile displays mounted on the arm and torso. The performance of two types of motors (pancake and cylindrical) was also compared at both sites. The results indicated that identification of the vibrotactile patterns was superior on the torso as compared to the forearm, with subjects achieving 99-100% accuracy with seven of the eight patterns presented.
Pharmacoinvasive Strategy for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Wading Through the Treatment Options

The contemporary management of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) involves a series of timely decisions, including the primary reperfusion strategy and a triage and transfer strategy for patients presenting to a facility not capable of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Even for PCI-eligible patients presenting to a PCI-capable hospital, there are a myriad of choices. To start, what is the optimal thienopyridine? Which parenteral anticoagulant should be used? Is a glycoprotein IIbIIIa inhibitor needed? Then, add the questions of dosing; timing and duration of drug administration; and patient-specific factors, such as age, bleeding risk, or prior stroke. Once a culprit lesion is identified, should thrombectomy be performed? Is a drug-eluting stent (DES) or bare-metal stent best for the patient and lesion, and if a DES, which specific type? Although we have information on several of the possible combinations, we cannot extrapolate to all possible options. Article see p 297 The number of decisions increases when a patient with STEMI presents to a non-PCI-capable hospital. Although primary PCI is recognized as the preferred reperfusion strategy, geographical or logistical considerations may limit this option. Numerous studies tested the combination of fibrinolysis with or without glycoprotein IIbIIIa inhibition immediately followed by PCI or facilitated PCI as a means to early and sustained reperfusion of the infarct artery. Compared to primary PCI, the facilitated approach results in higher mortality; nonfatal reinfarction; bleeding; and stroke, including hemorrhagic stroke.1 The caveat is that if primary PCI is not an option, and fibrinolytic therapy is part of the primary reperfusion strategy, a strategy of routine or adjunctive PCI is superior to rescue or selective ischemia-guided PCI with respect to adverse events.2,3 This approach is now referred to as a pharmacoinvasive strategy in lieu of the terms facilitative or rescue .4 Patients …
Epistemic autonomy through adaptive sensing

Sensors and effectors determine how events in the world at large are related to the internal informational states of organisms and robotic devices. Sensors determine what kinds of distinctions (perceptual categories, features, primitives) can be made on the environment. By "evolving the sensors" perceptual repertoires can be adaptively altered and/or enlarged. To the extent that devices can adaptively choose their own feature primitives for themselves, they gain a greater measure of "epistemic autonomy" vis-a-vis their designers. Such devices are useful in ill-defined situations where the designer does not know a priori what feature primitives are adequate or optimum for solving a particular task. Several general strategies for adaptively altering or augmenting sensor function are proposed: 1) prosthesis: adaptive fabrication of new front-ends for existing sensors (e.g. telescopes), 2) active sensing: using motor-actions to alter what is sensed through interaction (poking, pushing, bending), 3) sensory evolution: adaptive construction of entirely new sensors (adaptive antibody construction, Gordon Pask's electrochemical device) and 4) internalized sensing: "bringing the world into the device" by creating internal, analog representations of the world out of which internal sensors extract newly-relevant properties (perceptual learning). Since many neural sensory representations appear to be analog and iconic in nature, neural assemblies can be adaptively formed to function as internal sensors that can switch behavior according to new perceptual categories.
Socioeconomic factors differentiating maternal and child health-seeking behavior in rural Bangladesh: A cross-sectional analysis

Background There has been an increasing availability and accessibility of modern health services in rural Bangladesh over the past decades. However, previous studies on the socioeconomic differentials in the utilization of these services were based on a limited number of factors, focusing either on preventive or on curative modern health services. These studies failed to collect data from remote rural areas of the different regions to examine the socioeconomic differentials in health-seeking behavior.
Effects of watermelon supplementation on aortic blood pressure and wave reflection in individuals with prehypertension: a pilot study.

r esults There was a significant treatment effect (change in the value of watermelon minus placebo from baseline to 6 weeks) on bPP (−8 ± 3 mm Hg, P 0.05) on bSBP, brachial diastolic BP (DBP), aortic DBP, Tr, P1, HR, and carotid–femoral PWV.
Sequential multisine excitation signals for system identification of large space structures

In this paper, we present a novel sequence of multisine excitation signals that are more time efficient than sine dwell excitation while eliminating the effects of nonlinearity induced harmonics from the frequency response data. The sequential multisine excitation signal is demonstrated on the deployable optical telescope testbed at Air Force Research Laboratory.
Time-dependent models of accretion discs formed from compact object mergers

We present time-dependent models of the remnant accretion discs created during compact object mergers, focusing on the energy available from accretion at late times and the composition of the disc and its outflows. We calculate the dynamics near the outer edge of the disc, which contains the majority of the disc's mass and determines the accretion rate on to the central black hole. This treatment allows us to follow the evolution over much longer time-scales (100s or longer) than current hydrodynamic simulations. At late times the disc becomes advective and its properties asymptote to self-similar solutions with an accretion rate M d ∞ t -4/3 (neglecting outflows). This late-time accretion can in principle provide sufficient energy to power the late-time activity observed by Swift from some short-duration gamma-ray bursts. However, because outflows during the advective phase unbind the majority of the remaining mass, it is difficult for the remnant disc alone to produce significant accretion power well beyond the onset of the advective phase. Unless the viscosity is quite low (α ≤ 10 -3 ), this occurs before the start of observed flaring at ∼30 s; continued mass inflow at late times thus appears required to explain the late-time activity from short-duration gamma-ray bursts. We show that the composition of the disc freezes-out when the disc is relatively neutron rich (electron fraction Y e ≃ 0.3). Roughly 10 -2 M ⊙ of this neutron-rich material is ejected by winds at late times. During earlier, neutrino-cooled phases of accretion, neutrino irradiation of the disc produces a wind with Y e ≃ 0.5, which synthesizes at most ∼10 -3 M ⊙ of 56 Ni. We highlight what conditions are favorable for 56 Ni production and predict, in the best cases, optical and infrared transients peaking ∼0.5-2d after the burst, with fluxes a factor of ∼10 below the current observational limits.
‘A most diabolical deed’: infanticide and Irish society, 1850–1900ELAINE FARRELL

With this exquisitely researched and engaging book, Elaine Farrell (Queen's University Belfast) has crafted a remarkable work of women's history. Based on a careful analysis of over 4600 infanticid...
Effect of the Oxygen Partial Pressure on the Microstructure and Properties of Barium Strontium Titanate Thin Films Synthesized by Pulsed Laser Deposition

Barium strontium titanate (BSTO) films were synthesized by the pulsed laser deposition technique (PLD) on silicon substrates at room temperature. The BSTO film synthesis took place at constant laser energy, 500 mJ, and partial oxygen pressure of 3, 15, 30, 45, 100 mTorr. All films were post annealed at 750 °C in a tube furnace in an oxygen atmosphere. The microstructure, crystallinity and lattice constant of the BSTO films were studied with the aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photon tunneling microscopy (PTM) and Glancing Angle X-ray Diffraction analysis (GAXRD). The hardness and modulus of elasticity of the films were studied with the aid of a nanohardness indenter. The film stoichiometry was determined with the aid of Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS). The results of this research will be combined with the results of our previous work [1] on the effect of substrate temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the BSTO films in order to construct a structural zone model (SZM) of the BSTO films synthesized by PLD.
Opportunistic medium access for wireless networking adapted to decentralized CSI

Relative to a centralized operation, opportunistic medium access capitalizing on decentralized multiuser diversity in a channel-aware homogeneous slotted Aloha system with analog-amplitude channels has been shown to incur only partial loss in throughput due to contention. In this context, we provide sufficient conditions for stability as well as upper bounds on average queue sizes, and address three equally important questions. The first one is whether there exist decentralized scheduling algorithms for homogeneous users with higher throughputs than available ones. We prove that binary scheduling maximizes the sum-throughput. The second issue pertains to heterogeneous systems where users may have different channel statistics. Here we establish that binary scheduling not only maximizes the sum of the logs of the average throughputs, but also asymptotically guarantees fairness among users. The last issue we address is extending the results to finite state Markov chain (FSMC) channels. We provide a convex formulation of the corresponding throughput optimization problem, and derive a simple binary-like access strategy
Epitope Mapping of Ibalizumab, a Humanized Anti-CD4 Monoclonal Antibody with Anti-HIV-1 Activity in Infected Patients

Ibalizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds human CD4, the primary receptor for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). With its unique specificity for domain 2 of CD4, this antibody potently and broadly blocks HIV-1 infection in vitro by inhibiting a postbinding step required for viral entry but without interfering with major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II)-mediated immune function. In clinical trials, ibalizumab has demonstrated anti-HIV-1 activity in patients without causing immunosuppression. Thus, a characterization of the ibalizumab epitope was conducted in an attempt to gain insight into the underlying mechanism of its antiviral activity as well as its safety profile. By studying mouse/human chimeric CD4 molecules and site-directed point mutants of CD4, amino acids L96, P121, P122, and Q163 in domain 2 were found to be important for ibalizumab binding, with E77 and S79 in domain 1 also contributing. All these residues appear to cluster on the interface between domains 1 and 2 of human CD4 on a surface opposite the site where gp120 and the MHC-II molecule bind on domain 1. Separately, the epitope of M-T441, a weakly neutralizing mouse monoclonal antibody that competes with ibalizumab, was localized entirely within domain 2 on residues 123 to 125 and 138 to 140. The results reported herein not only provide an appreciation for why ibalizumab has not had significant adverse immunological consequences in infected patients to date but also raise possible steric hindrance mechanisms by which this antibody blocks HIV-1 entry into a CD4-positive cell.
Quantification of Spice Mixture Compositions by Electronic Nose: Part I. Experimental Design and Data Analysis Using Neural Networks

ABSTRACT: A quantitative procedure was developed to predict the composition of ternary ground spice mixtures using an electronic nose. Basil, cinnamon, and garlic were mixed in different compositions and presented to an e-nose. Nineteen training mixtures were used to build predictive models. Model performance was tested using 5 other mixtures. Three neural network structures—multilayer perceptron (MLP), MLP using principal component analysis as a preprocessor (PCA-MLP), and the time-delay neural network (TDNN)—were used for predictive model building. All 3 neural network models predicted the testing mixtures' compositions with a mean square error (MSE) equal or less than 0.0051 (in a fraction domain where sum of fractions = 1). The TDNN provided the smallest MSE.
Powers and Principalities: Initial Reflections toward a Post-Capitalist Pastoral Theology

The author argues that for the last three decades pastoral theology, in keeping with most disciplines in the humanities, has implicitly accepted the normativity of capitalism. Thus capitalism has not undergone rigorous analysis or critique. This has become problematic in light of increasing evidence that the culture of late capitalism (neoliberalism) has become globally hegemonic, and is undermining social, interpersonal and psychological well-being. Operating in paradigmatic fashion, neoliberalism has founded new forms of suffering while transforming previous types of suffering into novel mutations. Unless pastoral theology incorporates awareness of these developments into its analyses of suffering, and into its theories for alleviating suffering, it will risk a crisis of credibility. The author concludes with a summary of five characteristics for a pastoral theology that no longer naturalizes capitalism.
Engaging a Developmentally Disabled Community through Arts-Based Service-Learning.

This study examined whether teaching in a community arts organization that provides services for people with developmental disabilities enabled preservice art teachers to better understand diverse contexts of art programs and the benefits of teaching the arts to others. Through this activity, the author also examined whether preservice art teachers became more civic-minded individuals. Preservice art teachers applied course concepts in a community setting by teaching art lessons to people with disabilities. Pretest and posttest questionnaires, students’ reflections, and observation were used to study changes in preservice art teachers’ perceptions by considering variables and indicators from a model proposed by Amy Driscoll et al. (1998) to assess students involved in service-learning. Preservice art teachers showed a reduction in anxiety around this community, leadership development, strong relationship building, and a change in perceptions about community engagement and outreach. However, results revealed shortcomings in realizing concern for social justice implicit in the goals of this study.
Gait selection in the brush-tail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), the northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), and the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

La demande de 3 especes de Marsupiaux a ete etudiee a l'aide d'enregistrement video et analysee image par image
Thermal performance evaluation of dual-side cooling for a three-dimensional (3D) chip stack: Additional cooling from the laminate (substrate) side

When a 3D chip stack is composed of some memories and a logic device such as processor, the logic device has been assumed to be located as a bottom chip in wide I/O and HBM applications. On the other hand, for high-end server applications, a processor needs to be located as a top chip because it needs to be cooled efficiently. In this case, many Through Silicon Vias (TSVs) are necessary in a memory (bottom chip), because a processor (top chip) requires many electrical connections (power, ground, signal) with a substrate [1]. However, when effective cooling from the bottom side of chips ( from the substrate side) is achieved, a processor can be located as a bottom chip, and only a small numbers of TSVs are required in a processor which electrically connects a memory and a substrate [2,3].
Administration of Melatonin and Metformin Prevents Deleterious Effects of Circadian Disruption and Obesity in Male Rats

Circadian disruption and obesity synergize to predispose to development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), signifying that therapeutic targeting of both circadian and metabolic dysfunctions should be considered as a potential treatment approach. To address this hypothesis, we studied rats concomitantly exposed to circadian disruption and diet-induced obesity (CDO), a rat model recently shown to recapitulate phenotypical aspects of obese T2DM (eg, circadian disruption, obesity, insulin resistance, and islet failure). CDO rats were subsequently treated daily (for 12 wk) by timed oral gavage with vehicle, melatonin (a known chronobiotic), metformin, or combination treatment of both therapeutics. Melatonin treatment alone improved circadian activity rhythms, attenuated induction of β-cell failure, and enhanced glucose tolerance. Metformin alone did not modify circadian activity but enhanced insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Importantly, the combination of melatonin and metformin had synergistic actions to modify progression of metabolic dysfunction in CDO rats through improved adiposity, circadian activity, insulin sensitivity, and islet cell failure. This study suggests that management of both circadian and metabolic dysfunctions should be considered as a potential preventative and therapeutic option for treatment of obesity and T2DM.
America's Need for a Foreign Language Requirement

In lieu of an abstract, below is the article's first paragraph. In the world we live in today, international relations are something that Americans should take extremely seriously. September 11, 2001 completely changed the way Americans see the world and the way the world sees us. Now more than ever, America should be teaching its youth about foreign affairs and governments. The first step in this process would be teaching a foreign language. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol6/iss1/5 America's Need for a Foreign Language Requirement By Vanessa Cardinale
Is sodium a superconductor under high pressure

Superconductivity has been predicted or measured for most alkali metals under high pressure, but the computed critical temperature (Tc) of sodium (Na) at the face-centered cubic (fcc) phase is vanishingly low. Here we report a thorough, first-principles investigation of superconductivity in Na under pressures up to 260 GPa, where the metal-to-insulator transition occurs. Linear-response calculations and density functional perturbation theory were employed to evaluate phonon distributions and the electron-phonon coupling for bcc, fcc, cI16, and tI19 Na. Our results indicate that the maximum electron-phonon coupling parameter, λ, is 0.5 for the cI16 phase, corresponding to a theoretical peak in the critical temperature at Tc≈1.2 K. When pressure decreases or increases from 130 GPa, Tc drops quickly. This is mainly due to the lack of p-d hybridization in Na even at 260 GPa. Since current methods based on the Eliashberg and McMillian formalisms tend to overestimate the Tc (especially the peak values) of alkal...
Patterns of distracted driving behaviors among young adult drivers: Exploring relationships with personality variables

Abstract The current study sought to identify naturally occurring profiles of distracted driving behaviors; to distinguish personality traits associated with these profiles; and lastly to examine relationships between distracted driving behaviors and perception of risk. Self-reported information on distracted driving behaviors (i.e., frequency of engagement and perceived level of distraction) and personality characteristics were collected online from 266 young adult drivers from two academic institutions. The most commonly reported distracting behaviors were talking with passengers, programming music, eating or drinking, and using navigation. Latent profile analysis revealed 3 profile classes of distracted driving, with the personality trait of extraversion emerging as a consistent predictive indicator of level of distracted driving, including in high-risk situations such as inclement weather and in free-flowing, high speed traffic. In terms of level of perceived risk, the profile class with the lowest engagement in distracted driving behavior tended to rate the behaviors at most distracting, relative to higher-engagement groups. The profile class that engaged in the highest level of distracted driving reported such behaviors as moderately distracting, despite engaging in them. This class also yielded the highest levels of extraversion, suggesting that this personality trait may relate to consistently higher levels of distracted driving behaviors, despite perceiving them as risky. This information may be useful for identifying young adults at highest risk of engaging in distracted driving, as well as for tailoring initiatives to decrease rates of distracted driving, potentially cutting down incidents in this high-risk population.
“Uncle Wiggly Wings”: Children, chocolates, and the Berlin Airlift

ABSTRACTThis article examines Operation Little Vittles (OLV), American pilot Gail Halvorsen's project dropping candy parachutes over blockaded Berlin in 1948. Halvorsen's actions inspired Americans across the globe to contribute to the humanitarian effort, resulting in an international operation providing sweets for children of the city. American response and engagement with the project illustrated the propaganda potential of the candy exchange, while simultaneously demonstrating the power of democracy's promise at a critical moment in post-World War II history. OLV promoted an image of abundance and compassion at a time when hearts and minds provided one of the greatest assets against Soviet expansion. By framing this story as an act of heroism benefitting innocent children, Americans overcame residual hostilities of the occupation and fostered a new relationship with the former enemy. The popularity of Little Vittles successfully mobilized the American people for participation in a global Cold War and h...
A Case Report of Severe Type B Lactic Acidosis Following First Dose of Nivolumab in a VHL-Mutated Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

We report a case of severe type B lactic acidosis (LA) in a 51-year-old male, 12 days after he received his first dose of nivolumab for metastatic Von Hippel Lindau (VHL)-mutated, clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Throughout his hospital course, infection, hypoperfusion, and tissue necrosis were not identified. We propose that his LA may have resulted from either inherent tumor glycolysis or immune activation and enhanced metabolism. The patient’s course was complicated by acute renal failure, and his LA rose progressively, eventually necessitating daily hemodialysis (HD). After receiving five consecutive days of HD, the patient started everolimus daily with the intent of reducing glycolytic metabolism. Subsequently, the rate of lactic acid production slowed, and HD was no longer required after two doses of everolimus. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of type B LA following nivolumab administration, and the use of everolimus to treat type B LA in a patient with renal cancer.
Impact of the Metabolic Syndrome on Mortality is Modified by Objective Short Sleep Duration

Background To examine whether objective sleep duration is an effect modifier of the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on all‐cause and cardiovascular disease/cerebrovascular mortality. Methods and Results We addressed this question in the Penn State Adult Cohort, a random, general population sample of 1344 men and women (48.8±14.2 years) who were studied in the sleep laboratory and followed up for 16.6±4.2 years. MetS was defined by the presence of 3 or more of obesity (≥30 kg/m 2 ), elevated total cholesterol (≥200 mg/dL), triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL), fasting glucose (≥100 mg/dL), and blood pressure (≥130/85 mm Hg). Polysomnographic sleep duration was classified into clinically meaningful categories. Among the 1344 participants, 22.0% of them died during the follow‐up. We tested the interaction between MetS and polysomnographic sleep duration on mortality using Cox proportional hazard models controlling for multiple potential confounders ( P Conclusions The risk of mortality associated with MetS is increased in those with short sleep duration. Short sleep in individuals with MetS may be linked to greater central autonomic and metabolic dysfunction. Future clinical trials should examine whether lengthening sleep improves the prognosis of individuals with MetS.
Changes in Use of Anticoagulation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Within a Primary Care Network Associated With the Introduction of Direct Oral Anticoagulants.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and the decision to anticoagulate is a common problem faced by primary care physicians. Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is underused, despite its clear benefits with regard to stroke prevention. We examined OAC usage between 2010 and 2015, following the introduction of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and specifically assessed whether more patients were anticoagulated over time. The study cohort included adult patients aged 18 and older with AF cared for in an 18-practice primary care network between 2010 and 2015. AF status was assigned each calendar year using a validated electronic health record algorithm. We examined OAC usage over time in all patients with AF, and in patients at high risk of stroke (CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc ≥ 2). The proportion of the population with AF increased over time (2010: 4,920 patients [3.5%], 2015: 6,452 patients [4.0%]). There was no increase in the proportion of patients prescribed any OAC treatment from 2010 (57.0%) to 2015 (57.4%) (p = 0.41). Similarly, in patients at high risk of stroke, the proportion anticoagulated did not increase over time (2010: 61.1%, 2015: 61.7%, p = 0.51). Over the study period, DOAC usage increased from 0.31% of all patients with AF in 2010 to 18.3% in 2015 (p
'Standing on [Transparent] Shoulders': Applying Open Source Approaches to Qualitative Management Research

Qualitative management research, like most every field of research, faces questions of transparency and reproducibility. In this chapter, I argue that qualitative researchers can learn and benefit from the practices of free and open-source software. I thus detail key challenges that qualitative research confronts, as well as ways in which an open-source approach can address these challenges. I then turn attention to the barriers to implementing such an approach. Finally, I reflect on how the field might work to overcome these barriers. Ultimately, I argue, free and open-source software simultaneously serves as a template, a cautionary tale and a source of inspiration for increasing transparency in qualitative research.
Dosimetric comparison to the heart and cardiac substructure in a large cohort of esophageal cancer patients treated with proton beam therapy or Intensity-modulated radiation therapy.

Abstract Purpose To compare heart and cardiac substructure radiation exposure using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) vs. proton beam therapy (PBT) for patients with mid- to distal esophageal cancer who received chemoradiation therapy. Methods and materials We identified 727 esophageal cancer patients who received IMRT (n = 477) or PBT (n = 250) from March 2004 to December 2015. All patients were treated to 50.4 Gy with IMRT or to 50.4 cobalt Gray equivalents with PBT. IMRT and PBT dose–volume histograms (DVHs) of the whole heart, atria, ventricles, and four coronary arteries were compared. For PBT patients, passive scattering proton therapy (PSPT; n = 237) and intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT; n = 13) DVHs were compared. Results Compared with IMRT, PBT resulted in significantly lower mean heart dose (MHD) and heart V5, V10, V20, V30, and V40 as well as lower radiation exposure to the four chambers and four coronary arteries. Compared with PSPT, IMPT resulted in significantly lower heart V20, V30, and V40 but not MHD or heart V5 or V10. IMPT also resulted in significantly lower radiation doses to the left atrium, right atrium, left main coronary artery, and left circumflex artery, but not the left ventricle, right ventricle, left anterior descending artery, or right coronary artery. Factors associated with lower MHD included PBT (P Conclusions In patients with mid- to distal esophageal cancer, PBT results in significantly lower radiation exposure to the whole heart and cardiac substructures than IMRT. Long-term studies are necessary to determine how this cardiac sparing effect impacts the development of coronary artery disease and other cardiac complications.
Coordinated control and optimization of DC power systems

While many advantages can be offered by DC-based integrated power system, it is a challenging task to continuously maintain optimal performance with a dynamic load profile. Coordination between the real-time controllers and system optimizer is not a trivial task in such conditions. Some of the protection schemes provide fault detection and isolation functions, but do not consider system level optimization constraints or power balance after fault isolation. In this paper, a novel methodology is introduced to control and optimally reconfigure a DC power system automatically detecting system disturbances. The proposed method includes autonomous fault detection and coordination of real-time constraint restricted problem formulation to optimize the system performance. A DC-bus distribution system developed for the U.S. Coast Guard's 270-ft Medium Endurance Cutter using Simulink's Simscape toolbox was used in this paper and bidirectional communication between the control and optimization system is implemented using CPLEX/MATLAB API. The simulation result demonstrates a successful performance over the scenarios considered. DC power system, shipboard power, protection, optimization.
Pseudomonadales Orla-Jensen 1921, 270AL

The family Pseudomonadaceae was circumscribed for this volume on the basis of phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences; the family contains the general Pseudomonas (type genus), Azomonas, Azotobacter, Cellvibrio, Mesophilobacter, Rhizobacter, and Rugamonas. Serpens is also included.
Push-out behavior of headed shear studs welded on thin plates and embedded in UHPC

Abstract A novel repair method has been developed for steel bridge girders with corrosion damage at the ends. The concept involves welding headed studs to the intact portion of the web plate and encasing them in Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). This creates a bearing force transfer mechanism to bypass the corroded web plate. Since the headed studs play a crucial role in transferring the shear forces to the UHPC, a careful study is needed to validate their shear capacity when welded to thin web plates typical of steel girders. This paper presents the experimental results from a series of push-out specimens with studs welded to a 9.5-mm thick plate extracted from an old steel bridge. The objective of the study is to understand the influence of design parameters including diameter, spacing and layout on the capacity and failure mechanism of headed studs in UHPC. The experimental results indicate that the capacity was consistently higher than that predicted by design codes such as AASHTO or Eurocode-4. The results show that studs with significantly smaller spacing than what is typically used in practice reach their full capacity. This enables placement of many studs in small regions of the web as may be required in this repair design. The consistent mode of failure was shear rupture at the stud shank. Based on these results, an existing capacity formulation was refined for headed studs embedded in UHPC.
Special Invited Paper

A point process system is a random operator assigning a nonnegative integer-valued measure to a random nonnegative integer-valued measure. We define certain parameters for such a system and discuss the problem of estimating these parameters. We also consider the related problem of measuring the degree of association of two point processes.
Sub-Harmonic Synchronization of Kerr Frequency Combs

We experimentally demonstrate sub-harmonic synchronization of separated soliton-modelocked Kerr frequency combs. Through passive optical coupling between microresonators, we demonstrate entrainments between combs with mode spacings related by integer factors of 2 and 3.© 2019 The Author(s)
A Pilot Evaluation of a Treatment Package to Teach Social Conversation via Video-Chat

By engaging with family members through video-chat technology, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may access additional opportunities to develop social connections to build familial cohesion and access emotional support. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a behavioral intervention package in teaching social conversation via video-chat. Using a non-concurrent multiple-baseline across participants with an embedded alternating treatments design, three seven-year-old males with ASD were taught two variations of a social conversation. Their conversation skills generalized to unfamiliar adults, some of whom had no prior experience with children with ASD. When visual supports were removed, participants appropriately varied their social conversations. Social conversations continued to occur 2 weeks following the completion of the study. Results and implications are discussed.
Treatment Effects, Comparisons, and Randomization

The causal estimands of interest in a clinical trial are treatment effects, and a treatment effect is a comparison of the outcomes for the same patients, or for similar groups of patients, on diffe...
Clean indoor air laws, cigarette excise taxes, and smoking: Results from the current population survey-tobacco use supplement, 2003–2011

There was an increase in the number and coverage of state and local clean indoor air laws in the US during the past fifteen years. These laws coincided with increases in federal, state, and local cigarette excise taxes. In light of these changes, the objective of this study was to examine the association between clean indoor air laws, cigarette excise taxes and smoking patterns between 2003 and 2011. Using data on 62,165 adult participants in the 2003 and 2010/2011 Current Population Survey-Tobacco Use Supplement who reported smoking cigarettes in the past year, we examined the association of state and county workplace, bar, and restaurant clean indoor air laws and cigarette excise taxes with quitting and current every-day smoking. Between 2003 and 2011, quitting increased and daily smoking among those who continued to smoke decreased significantly. Participants living in states and counties with higher excise taxes and more comprehensive clean indoor air laws had a higher likelihood of quitting and lower likelihood of everyday smoking. Based on the assumption of no uncontrolled confounding, changes in taxes and laws accounted for 64.8% of the increase in smoking cessation and all of the reduction in everyday smoking. Implementation of state and county-level clean indoor air laws and cigarette taxes appears to have achieved the intended goal of encouraging smokers to either quit or reduce their frequency of smoking.
Light-Sheet Microscopy and Its Potential for Understanding Developmental Processes.

The ability to visualize and quantitatively measure dynamic biological processes in vivo and at high spatiotemporal resolution is of fundamental importance to experimental investigations in develop...
Effects of Technology-Supported Language Experience Approach for English Learners With Exceptional Needs

The language experience approach (LEA) to reading instruction uses learner-dictated passages to foster reading development. In this study, researchers explored LEA instruction for English learners ...
Multilingual News–An Investigation of Consumption, Querying, and Search Result Selection Behaviors

With the global expansion of the Internet and the World Wide Web, users are becoming increasingly diverse, particularly in terms of languages. In fact, there are now many users online who are polyg...
Multiple sclerosis and the choroid plexus: emerging concepts of disease immunopathophysiology

Abstract Background The coexistence of multiple sclerosis and intracranial neoplasms is very rare, and whether this occurrence can be explained by a causal relationship or by coincidence remains a matter of debate. Possible roles of the choroid plexus as a site of tumor cell invasion and lymphocyte infiltration into the central nervous system have been hypothesized in recent studies. Methods We describe a 13-year-old boy with concurrent multiple sclerosis and choroid plexus papilloma, then review the published literature with a focus on the pathophysiologic mechanisms of neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis and the potential role of the choroid plexus in this process. Results A growing body of evidence suggests that both physical and functional dysregulation of the choroid plexus may be a common mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of central nervous system inflammation. Conclusions In multiple sclerosis, the choroid plexus could act as a gateway for lymphocyte entry from the peripheral blood into the central nervous system at its earlier stages. However, future studies are needed to identify whether structural alterations of the choroid plexus play a role in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis and to provide suitable models to determine their consequences.
Graphene Antidot Terahertz Plasmonic Metasurfaces Employing Self-Aligned Metal Cores for Sensing Applications

Surface plasmons in graphene have great potential for molecular sensing applications thanks to their exceedingly high sensitivity to environmental changes. Here, we demonstrate a type of hybrid graphene–metal metasurface that supports strong graphene plasmonic resonances in the terahertz range. Each unit cell of such a hybrid metasurface consists of a graphene antidot enclosing a metal disk realized using a self-aligned photolithography process. This hybrid design combines the advantages of both graphene- and metal-based photonic structures, leading to ∼3 times stronger tunable plasmonic resonances and an order of magnitude larger near-field intensity enhancement with respect to those of bare graphene antidot metasurfaces.
Leiomyosarcoma of the skin: review of the literature with an emphasis on prognosis and management

Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the skin is rare, and no management guideline currently exists. Although LMS is historically classified as either dermal (cutaneous) or subcutaneous, definition for its classfication is inconsistent in the literature. Studies on the managenent of LMS are scarce, and there is no consensus on the appropriate surgical margin for the treatment of LMS. While a 1 cm margin may be sufficient in cutaneous LMS, wider margins may be required for subcutaneous tumors. Mohs micrographic surgery is a promising surgical modality for the treatment of cutaneous LMS. In this review, current knowledge on LMS is summarized and a practical approach to the management of this rare neoplasm is proposed.
Heidegger’s Socrates: “Pure Thinking” on Method, Truth, and Learning

This speculative essay develops a unique understanding of Socrates by reading Heidegger in relation to contemporary Platonic scholarship arising from the Continental tradition, which embraces Plato’s Socrates as a non-doctrinal philosopher. The portrait of Heidegger’s Socrates that emerges is related to contemporary education and its drive toward emphasizing an academic focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) at the exclusion of the Liberal Arts, with the goal of showing that other forms of “knowledge,” such as the philosophical “truth” emerging from the relationship between the human and the unfolding of Being, while stifled or neglected in STEM curricula, are also crucial to our continued development as human beings. Ultimately, the essay seeks to draw out an authentic vision of paideia by turning to the valuable, albeit limited, writings of Heidegger focused specifically on the historical philosopher Socrates, as opposed to Plato.
Introduction to the Public Affairs Triumvirate: A Guiding Principle for Higher Education Strategy in the Community

This chapter is an introduction of a newfound higher education leadership strategy within the Public Affairs Triumvirate, the guiding principle of the book. In the earliest stage of a “science to service to philosophy” perspective, the conceptual model, the label, and the author’s motivation to present the Public Affairs Triumvirate leadership approach is presented and Public Affairs is defined to give the reader a clear understanding of this multi-dimensional discipline. The Public Affairs forces or sciences of Community, Organization, and Administration, and a trilogy of components within each science is introduced to establish the premise to enhance community policy connections in order to establish comprehensive and creative solutions for leaders in higher education.
Critical language pedagogy: interrogating language, dialects, and power in teacher education

In recent years, there has been a growing debate among literacy and language teachers regarding whether English Language Arts (ELA) teachers need to embed different English varieties and dialects i...
Malignancies associated with DPP4 inhibitors and GLP1 receptor agonists: Data from a large real-world database.

1567Background: DPP44 inhibitors (DPP4i) and GLP1 receptor agonists (GLP1Ra) control type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by promoting GLP-1 pathway; its activation can lead to dysplasia or tumor inhibition base...
The Somatopic Black Female Body within Archipelagic Space and Time in Octavia Butler’s Wild Seed

Hamilton uses Ramona Fernandez’s idea of the “somatope,” which expands upon Mikhail Bakhtin’s notion of the “chronotope,” and Elaine Stratford et al.’s concept of the archipelago to bridge the gap between the somatopic black body of Anyanwu, the co-protagonist of Butler’s Wild Seed, and archipelagic spatiality. According to Hamilton, archipelagic studies allows us to think through the various kinds of relations Anyanwu’s black somatopic body might have, maintains the body’s relationship to consciousness, history, and subjectivity, and goes beyond linear and binary relationships, so we can get at the political implications of a “raced spatiotemporality.” The significance of reading Wild Seed through an archipelagic model, Hamilton concludes, is that it allows us to engage American literature and history from a black feminist perspective.
‘Standing in the kitchen’: race, gender, history and the promise of performativity

Threaded with racialized and gendered pathologies, Black folx wrestle with a normative gaze that understands them as irrational, unintelligent, and deserving of constant surveillance. In this way, ...
A Bioengineered Neuregulin-Hydrogel Therapy Reduces Scar Size and Enhances Post-Infarct Ventricular Contractility in an Ovine Large Animal Model

The clinical efficacy of neuregulin (NRG) in the treatment of heart failure is hindered by off-target exposure due to systemic delivery. We previously encapsulated neuregulin in a hydrogel (HG) for targeted and sustained myocardial delivery, demonstrating significant induction of cardiomyocyte proliferation and preservation of post-infarct cardiac function in a murine myocardial infarction (MI) model. Here, we performed a focused evaluation of our hydrogel-encapsulated neuregulin (NRG-HG) therapy’s potential to enhance cardiac function in an ovine large animal MI model. Adult male Dorset sheep (n = 21) underwent surgical induction of MI by coronary artery ligation. The sheep were randomized to receive an intramyocardial injection of saline, HG only, NRG only, or NRG-HG circumferentially around the infarct borderzone. Eight weeks after MI, closed-chest intracardiac pressure–volume hemodynamics were assessed, followed by heart explant for infarct size analysis. Compared to each of the control groups, NRG-HG significantly augmented left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.006) and contractility based on the slope of the end-systolic pressure–volume relationship (p = 0.006). NRG-HG also significantly reduced infarct scar size (p = 0.002). Overall, using a bioengineered hydrogel delivery system, a one-time dose of NRG delivered intramyocardially to the infarct borderzone at the time of MI in adult sheep significantly reduces scar size and enhances ventricular contractility at 8 weeks after MI.