cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes into high temperature resin using dry mixing techniques

As part of an ongoing effort to develop multifunctional advanced composites, blends of PETI330 and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were prepared and characterized. Dry mixing techniques were employed and the maximum loading level of the MWNT chosen was based primarily on its effect on melt viscosity. The PETI330/ MWNT mixtures were prepared at concentrations ranging from 3 to 25 wt %. The resulting powders were characterized for homogeneity, thermal and rheological properties and extrudability as continuous fibers. Based on the characterization results, samples containing 10, 15 and 20 wt % MWNTs were chosen for more comprehensive evaluation. Samples were also prepared using in situ polymerization and solution mixing techniques and their properties were compared with the ball-mill prepared samples. The preparation and characterization of PETI330/ MWNT nanocomposites are discussed herein.
How Values in Scientific Discovery and Pursuit Alter Theory Appraisal

Philosophers of science readily acknowledge that nonepistemic values influence the discovery and pursuit of scientific theories, but many tend to regard these influences as epistemically uninteresting. The present paper challenges this position by identifying three avenues through which nonepistemic values associated with discovery and pursuit in contemporary pollution research influence theory appraisal: (1) by guiding the choice of questions and research projects, (2) by altering experimental design, and (3) by affecting the creation and further investigation of theories or hypotheses. This analysis indicates that the effects of these values are sufficiently complex and epistemically significant to merit further attention.
Patterns of within-species body size variation of birds: strong evidence for Bergmann's rule

Aim The aim of this study is to test whether Bergmann's rule, a general intraspecific tendency towards larger body size in cooler areas and at higher latitudes, holds for birds throughout the world. Location This study includes information on species of birds from throughout the world. Methods I gathered data on body size variation from the literature and used two general meta-analytical procedures to test the validity of Bergmann's rule in birds: a modified vote-counting approach and calculation of overall effect sizes. Related species may show similar body size trends, thus I performed all analyses using nonphylogenetic and phylogenetic methods. I used tests of phylogenetic signal for each data set to decide which type of statistical analysis (nonphylogenetic or phylogenetic) was more appropriate.
Controlled Alteration of Wideband Radar Oata

A procedure is described for obtaining weights for a transversal filter which will degrade the range resolution and alter the sidelobe levels of the sampled version of a time envelope whose spectrum is band. limited and known. The two general cases of super-and sub-Nyquist rate sampling are discussed.
A general model for simulating the effects of landscape heterogeneity and disturbance on community patterns

An individual-based, spatially explicit stochastic lattice model, CAPS, was designed to examine multiple processes responsible for spatial patterns of abundance and diversity of sessile species in heterogeneous landscapes. Species simulated by CAPS differ in habitat preferences (niche width), dispersal of propagules, and relative fecundity. The spatial distribution of habitat types are represented as heterogeneous gridded landscapes. The outcome of competition and establishment processes in successive generations is determined locally via a seed lottery. A series of 200 year-long simulations was performed to investigate the effects of variation in species characteristics and competition, landscape heterogeneity, and disturbance on patterns of species abundances. The outcome of competition was most sensitive to differences in fecundity between species, the spatial distribution of suitable habitat and the initial distribution of species. Species with a narrow niche were confined to a single habitat type and remained at or near their initialization sites. Broader niches resulted in increasing niche overlap and competition but enhanced species mobility, allowing abundance levels to approach expected values determined by map resources. Even so, initial distributions still affected the spatial patterns of species distributions at year 200. Disturbance regimes were simulated by varying the frequency, extent and spatial pattern of disturbances. Disturbance events removed species from affected sites but did not otherwise alter habitat characteristics. Results showed that disturbances may lead to a reversal in competition and establishment, dependent on species-specific differences in fecundity and dispersal. Although intermediate levels of disturbance frequency and extent increased the probability of species coexistence, the spatial pattern of disturbance played an unexpectedly important role in the tradeoff between dispersal and fecundity. The ability to simulate multiple factors affecting patterns of persistence, abundance and spatial distribution of species provided by CAPS allows new insight into the temporal and spatial patterns of community development.
Mismatch Reduction for Transistors in High-Frequency Differential Analog Signal Paths

An analog calibration technique is described in this chapter, which aims at lessening the mismatch between transistors in the differential high-frequency signal path of analog CMOS circuits. It can be applied for offset reduction in high-speed amplifiers and comparators in which short-channel devices are utilized to minimize bandwidth reduction from parasitic capacitances. In general, it is suitable for RF applications in which direct matching of the transistors is undesired because sophisticated layout practices would increase the coupling between high-frequency signal paths. The methodology involves auxiliary devices that sense the existing mismatch as part of a feedback loop for error minimization. This mismatch reduction technique is demonstrated for a differential amplifier as well as for IIP2 improvement of a double-balanced mixer.
Measurement of mode field profiles and bending and transition losses in curved optical channel waveguides

Curved, single-mode, silicon oxynitride optical ridge channel waveguides have been characterized by measuring mode field profile alteration, bending loss, and transition loss. The results were compared to theoretical calculations. Near field imaging of the channel mode field profiles showed the effect of bend radius on mode shape. Good agreement was obtained between the measurements and profiles obtained from two-dimensional (2-D) beam propagation method calculations. The exponential dependence of bending loss on bend radius and the variation of transition loss on the lateral offset between channels having different bend radius were successfully modeled by two simple theories.
Child mortality and socioeconomic status: An examination of differentials by migration status in South Africa

This study examines child mortality and socioeconomic status among migrants and nonmigrants. It also examines child mortality by migration status in all quintiles of socioeconomic status, comparing immigrants to the native-born and internal migrants to nonmigrants. The results show that among migrants, child mortality decreased faster as socioeconomic status increased than among nonmigrants. The results also show a cross-over in the likelihood of child mortality by immigration status as socioeconomic status increased. In the poorest socioeconomic quintiles immigrants had a greater likelihood of child mortality than the native-born while in the wealthiest quintiles child mortality was greater among the native-born.
The Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act of 2011: Analysis and Case Law Developments

Federal practice and procedure is notoriously complex. Often issues — circuit splits and incoherent legal standards — arising out of those complexities fester for years without congressional attention. But Congress had been paying attention. Significant procedural reform legislation had been sifting through Congressional committees since 2005, the purpose of which was to clarify some of the more problematic areas of federal practice and procedure in the context of subject matter jurisdiction, removal, and venue. Although not perfect — the legislation did not address some of the more controversial issues — the Federal Courts Jurisdiction and Venue Clarification Act of 2011 (“JVCA”) in part achieves its goal of clarification reasonably well. Signed by President Obama on December 7, 2011, the JVCA became effective on January 6, 2012. This paper analyzes the JVCA’s provisions, and discusses the emerging case law interpreting the new amended provisions and shows where and how the JVCA clarified the law in some respects, but further muddied the waters in others.
Fixed Interval Smoothing

We now come to the final topic in this text, fixed interval smoothing. Just as we have seen with other topics in past chapters, this is an easy problem to state and very complex problem to solve.
Corrosion mitigation via a pH stabilization method in monoethanolamine-based solutions for post-combustion CO2 capture

Abstract A pH stabilization method was investigated to mitigate corrosion in aqueous 5 M monoethanolamine for post-combustion CO2 capture. The room temperature pH of a naturally aerated CO2-loaded solution (i.e., 9.7) was adjusted with NaHCO3 powders to 9.3 and 9.1, and its effect on corrosion of A106 carbon steel was studied. Lower pH initially accelerated corrosion but promoted protective FeCO3 layer formation and subsequently A106 passivation (i.e., Fe3O4 formation). Dissolved oxygen also played a pivotal role by functioning as an additional oxidizer, retarding FeCO3 formation via preferentially oxidizing Fe2+ to form rust, and promoting passivation of A106 under the FeCO3 layer.
On the semantics of R2RML and its relationship with the direct mapping

The W3C Relational Database to RDF (RDB2RDF) standards are positioned to bridge the gap between Relational Databases and the Semantic Web. The standards consist of two interrelated and complementary specifications: Direct Mapping of Relational Data to RDF and R2RML: RDB to RDF Mapping Language. In this paper we present initial results on the formal study of the R2RML mapping language by defining its semantics using Datalog. We prove that there are a total of 57 distinct Datalog rules which can be used to generate RDF triples from a relational table. Additionally, we provide insights on the relationship between R2RML and Direct Mapping.
Characteristics of terrestrial basaltic rock populations: Implications for Mars lander and rover science and safety

Abstract We analyzed the morphometry of basaltic rock populations that have been emplaced or affected by a variety of geologic processes, including explosive volcanic eruptions (as a proxy for impact cratering), catastrophic flooding, frost shattering, salt weathering, alluvial deposition, and chemical weathering. Morphometric indices for these rock populations were compared to an unmodified population of rocks that had broken off a solidified lava flow to understand how different geologic processes change rock shape. We found that a majority of rocks have an sphericity described as either a disc or sphere in the Zingg classification system and posit that this is a function of cooling fractures in the basalt (Zingg [1935] Schweiz. Miner. Petrogr. Mitt., 15, 39–140). Angularity (roundness) is the most diagnostic morphometric index, but the Corey Shape Factor (CSF), Oblate–Prolate Index (OPI) and deviation from compactness (D) also sometimes distinguished weathering processes. Comparison of our results to prior analyses of rock populations found at the Mars Pathfinder, Spirit, and Curiosity landing sites support previous conclusions. The observation that the size-frequency distribution of terrestrial rock populations follow exponential functions similar to lander and orbital measurements of rocks on Mars, which is expected from fracture and fragmentation theory, indicates that these distributions are being dominantly controlled by the initial fracture and fragmentation of the basalt.
A Study of the so-called Implantation of the Bacillus Bulgaricus

ing bacilli found in the fermented milk Yahourth were able to check the growth of putrefactive bacteria in the intestines, in all the articles published in attempted confirmation of his claims, the methods used to identify the bacillus are inadequately described. This work was undertaken with the purpose of determining, in the light of a better understanding of the cultural peculiarities of the bacillus bulgaricus, whether or not a true implantation took place. In the human intestine there occur normally bacilli that culturally and morphologically resemble this bacillus very closely. The group of organisms, which includes the bacillus bulgaricus, is distinguished from other groups of bacteria by the ability of its members to grow in media containing considerable amounts of acid; because of this characteristic, these bacilli are called aciduric or acid-tolerant organisms. In a previous paper1 the writer was able to show that, contrary to the usual statement, these bacteria grow luxuriantly in an ordinary laboratory medium, viz., unneutralized meat-peptone broth containing glucose or other suitable carbohydrate, and that agar prepared from this broth, with or without the addition of 0.2 percent of sodium oleate, is an excellent solid medium. It was also shown that while the bacillus bulgaricus, from its cultural and perhaps biochemical properties, also belongs to this group of sugar fermenting, acid-tolerating organisms, it differs from the bacteria of the type of the bacillus acidophilus in failing to ferment maltose. Some strains do not attack saccharose.
How to Recognize a “Beast Quake” and a “Dance Quake”

Any good seismologist–carryball (i.e., American football) fan remembers the “beast quake” of 2011. Seahawks fans’ exuberant reactions to a Marshawn Lynch (in beast mode) run caused the stadium to shake enough to be well recorded on a strong‐motion seismograph a block away (Vidale, 2011). With the Seahawks at home for the National Football Conference (NFC) Championship playoffs, both last year and this year, the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) received permission to install some seismometers in the stadium. Motivations for the experiment included testing the field and telemetry equipment, examining analysis and display techniques, and practicing quick reactions to mobilize field experiments. With PNSN students and staff who are also Seahawks fans, it was not hard to get volunteers to do the installations and monitor the on‐field actions and the resulting seismograms. Last year, additional beast quakes were recorded, although none were as high on the beast scale as the 2011 original event. Rapid data acquisition and web‐based, real‐time seismogram displays allowed a viewer to anticipate a successful play before it would be seen on live television (which was delayed about 15 s from real time). This was all fun stuff for many, with the PNSN webservers getting a good test in providing high‐traffic service. Public interest in the real‐time seismograms was so great that the …
Progress in epidemiology and prevention strategy research of herpes zoster

Objective To understand the surveillance status and progress in epidemiological research of herpes zoster in the world and provide evidence for the epidemiological research and the development of feasible surveillance protocol of herpes zoster in Beijing. Methods The analysis was conducted on the surveillance data and epidemiological research literatures of herpes zoster in USA,Canada,Australia and European countries collected through PubMed Database and the domestic literatures related collected through Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database. Result The sentinel surveillance for herpes zoster is currently conducted in USA,Canada,the United Kingdom and France respectively. The surveillance data indicated that the incidence of herpes zoster in age group 65 years increased with year. The incidence in females was higher in males. The risk factors related with herpes zoster included age,gender, mechanical trauma and immunization function. Conclusion The incidence of herpes zoster is closely related with age. The impact is more serious in the elderly. Herpes zoster has not been included in the management for communicable disease in China,it is necessary to strengthen the surveillance for herpes zoster.
Cooperative multi-quadrotor pursuit of an evader in an environment with no-fly zones

We investigate the cooperative pursuit of an evader by a group of quadrotors in an environment with no-fly zones. While the pursuers cannot enter into no-fly zones, the evader may freely move through zones to avoid capture. Once the evader enters a no-fly zone, the pursuers calculate a reachable set of evader positions. Using tools from Voronoi-based coverage control applied to the evader's reachable set, we provide an algorithm that distributes the pursuers around the zone's boundary and minimizes the capture time once the evader leaves the no-fly zone. Robust model predictive control (RMPC) tools are used to control the quadrotors and to ensure that they always remain in free space. We demonstrate the performance of our proposed algorithms through a series of experiments on KMEL Nano+ quadrotors.
Local Recurrence and Survival Following Nerve-Sparing Radical Cystoprostatectomy

AbstractFrom March 1982 through July 1988, 76 men underwent nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy for carcinoma of the bladder at our hospital. Of the 76 patients 2 (2.6%) had positive surgical margins (dome of the bladder and left ureter) and neither had positive margins at the site of nervesparing modifications. Of 3 patients (3.9%) who had local recurrence none had positive surgical margins. The 5-year actuarial local recurrence rate is 7.5%. Thirteen of 76 patients (17%) died of transitional cell carcinoma and 7 (9%) died of other causes, while 53 (70%) are alive without evidence of disease with a mean followup of 38.4 months. The 5-year actuarial survival rates are 64% over-all, 68% without disease and 78% disease-specific. Of the 42 evaluable men who underwent cystoprostatectomy alone 27 (64%) are potent, compared to 2 of the 12 men (17%) who also underwent urethrectomy. We conclude that the nerve-sparing modifications do not compromise cancer control, that local recurrence and survival rates are...
Language Style Matching in Romantic Partners’ Conflict and Support Interactions:

This study examined the association between language style matching (LSM), subjective perceptions of interaction quality (perceived responsiveness and affect), and partner behavior in two communication contexts: conflict and social support. Romantic couples (N = 91) engaged in a video-recorded discussion of either a relationship stressor or one partner’s personal stressor (a social support discussion). LSM was associated with unique outcomes in each communication setting. Higher LSM was associated with lower subjective perceptions of responsiveness and less positive emotion for partners discussing relationship stressors but more positive emotion for partners in social support discussions. Furthermore, higher LSM was associated with more critical and negative interpersonal behavior and less responsive and caring behavior during discussions of relationship stressors but was unrelated to behavior in support discussions. Findings suggest that LSM does not uniformly signal interpersonal rapport (as often assum...
Dimension as a way of describing the idea of ultimate reality in contemporary physics and theology

Analyse des concepts de realite ultime communs a la physique contemporaine et a la theologie. A partir de l'examen des notions d'hyperespace physique et de dimensionalite superieure, l'A. montre que la methodologie propre a la recherche consacree a la signification et a la realite ultimes (URAM) peut etre appliquee a la religion
Targeting Bromodomains in Myeloma

Abstract SCI-6 In cancer, epigenetic proteins are among the most promising and intently pursued targets in drug discovery. This relates to the growing appreciation that cancer growth pathways are centrally influenced by proteins that modify chromatin. Already, inhibitors of DNA methyltransferases and histone deacetylases have demonstrated substantial clinical efficacy, leading to regulatory approval for use in hematologic malignancies. These events have triggered intense competition to develop inhibitors of the chromatin-modifying enzymes known as epigenetic “writers” and “erasers.” Perhaps owing to perceptions regarding the feasibility of targeting protein-protein interactions, small-molecule inhibitors of chromatin-binding modules or epigenetic “readers” have received considerably less attention. Recently, we reported the first potent small-molecule inhibitor of human bromodomains, JQ1, which exhibits selectivity for the BET family of bromodomain-containing transcriptional coactivators. Of broad relevance to cancer, we demonstrated that c-Myc expression is critically dependent on BRD4 function and localization to discrete upstream regulatory regions. Exposure of cancer cells to JQ1 prompts immediate downregulation of c-Myc expression, leading to suppression of a transcriptional program associated with proliferation, survival, and metabolic adaptation. In translational models of MYC-dependent hematologic malignancies, in particular multiple myeloma, the efficacy of JQ1 treatment establishes a mechanistic rationale for the leveraged clinical development of drug-like JQ1 derivatives. Toward this objective, we have completed chemical optimization of novel, drug-like inhibitors of BET bromodomains as reagents capable of supporting human clinical investigation. This research has established the feasibility of inhibiting epigenetic reader proteins with efficient, cell-permeable small molecules. In addition, we have developed a high-throughput platform for modeling mechanism-based, drug-drug combinations to achieve synergy in translational model systems of multiple myeloma. In support of an open-innovation model of chemical biology, we have created a chemical probe allowing the broad study of chromatin biology, which has already been provided to more than 350 academic, governmental, and industrial laboratories worldwide. Together, we have rapidly identified mechanism-based opportunities for clinical translation in cancer. Disclosures: Bradner: SHAPE Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Acetylon Pharmaceuticals: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees; Tensha Therapeutics: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity9s Board of Directors or advisory committees.
Visualizing the three-dimensional structure of the local interstellar medium and possible physical causes for this structure

Analysis of high-resolution interstellar absorption lines observed in the ultraviolet spectra of nearby stars provides the basis for identifying 15 partially ionized warm "clouds" of interstellar gas located within a few parsecs of the Sun. We show visualizations of these clouds as seen from different directions. The presence of discrete clouds implies one or more physical processes that establish these structures and the presence of gas with very different properties between these clouds. While classical models of the interstellar medium based on the assumptions of pressure and ionization equilibrium in a nonmagnetic medium are not consistent with observations, dynamical simulations without these assumptions are likely more realistic. Possible physical processes that could structure the clouds include ram pressure, magnetic fields, and photoionization by extreme-ultraviolet radiation. We describe the available evidence concerning these three processes.
SEVERELY ELEVATED CREATINE KINASE IN A CASE OF GIULLAIN-BARRÉ SYNDROME

Guillain-Barre syndrome is the most common cause of acute neuromuscular paralysis in the western world. Subtypes of Guillain-Barre can cause both demyelinating and axonal damage to peripheral nerves, however skeletal muscle is not thought to be directly affected. We report the case of a 43 year-old male who presented with subacute progressive symmetrical limb weakness and sensory loss. Clinical examination, CSF assessment and neurophysiological testing were consistent with a diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome. Serology confirmed recent Campylobacter infection. Following admission the patient developed severe aching pain in his thighs, treated initially with tramadol and amitriptyline, and also displayed signs of significant autonomic instability. Over a 20-day period his serum CK progressively increased, to a peak of 17,423 IU/L, with associated severe renal impairment. Following this peak, the CK gradually improved back to normal. This is the largest rise in CK ever reported in Guillain-Barre syndrome, and has a number of possible explanations. Release of muscular CK in GBS could be a result of rapid extensive denervation due to axonal degeneration of motor terminals, thus causing hyperexcitability in regional muscles. Alternatively, and given the associated autonomic changes, there may have been a co-existing neuroleptic malignant syndrome, or an iatrogenic serotonin syndrome.
Protein structural motifs in prediction and design

The Protein Data Bank (PDB) has been an integral resource for shaping our fundamental understanding of protein structure and for the advancement of such applications as protein design and structure prediction. Over the years, information from the PDB has been used to generate models ranging from specific structural mechanisms to general statistical potentials. With accumulating structural data, it has become possible to mine for more complete and complex structural observations, deducing more accurate generalizations. Motif libraries, which capture recurring structural features along with their sequence preferences, have exposed modularity in the structural universe and found successful application in various problems of structural biology. Here we summarize recent achievements in this arena, focusing on subdomain level structural patterns and their applications to protein design and structure prediction, and suggest promising future directions as the structural database continues to grow.
Heterogeneity in body size and habitat complexity influence community structure

ABSTRACTFood web studies commonly ignore individual variation within a population and variation in the environment and assume these factors have insignificant effects on community dynamics relative to interspecific interactions. However, variation in body sizes within a population (size structure) and the physical structure of habitats (habitat complexity) can both affect interspecific interactions independently, with possible interactive effects. Using experimental mesocosms, we examined effects of predator size structure and habitat complexity on predation by two common predators in fishless ponds: larval aquatic beetles (Cybister fimbriolatus) and larval dragonflies (Anax junius). Cannibalism, intraguild predation, and predation on shared prey were measured at two levels of habitat complexity crossed with six size-structured pairs of predators. We found that highly complex habitats sustain a higher prey density because prey can take refuge from predators. Additionally, size structure had direct (size b...
Coronary anatomy and the 12-lead electrocardiogram: how to tell who is hurting

Knowledge of how the coronary arteries, cardiac topography, and the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) link together is imperative if the electrical tracing is to be interpreted correctly. Advanced practice nurses not familiar with the ECG may be intimidated by attempts to identify the disease process of myocardial infarctions. This article reviews coronary anatomy and cardiac topography and then links them to the 12-lead ECG for determining areas of myocardial ischemia, injury, and death.
A Comparison of Millimeter Wave and Eddy Current Detection of Surface Breaking Defects in Conducting Materials

The detection of surface breaking defects in conducting materials is an important aspect of nondestructive evaluation (NDE). Eddy current NDE methods have been used effectively for the detection of fatigue cracks and other surface breaking flaws in conducting materials [1], however, a detracting characteristic is that the eddy current transducer must be placed in close proximity to the test specimen. Since millimeter wave energy can propagate in air and does not require a couplant, millimeter wave NDE offers an alternative technique with the significant advantage of detection in a stand off mode of operation. Millimeter wave NDE has been shown to be effective at detecting small cracks [2–3], however, some methods under study require that the transducer be in close proximity with the specimen and thus suffer from the same disadvantages as eddy current techniques. This paper compares the detection capabilities of surface breaking flaws on conducting materials for millimeter wave NDE in the stand off mode and conventional eddy current NDE.
HYDROELECTRIC DEVELOPMENT OF A LARGE IRRIGATION SYSTEM

The Columbia Basin Irrigation System has a number of natural and man-made sites where the flowing water drops 10 meters or more. This paper describes the program to develop hydroelectric power plants at five of these sites. Plant sizes range from 2 MW to 92 MW. Environmental and social effects are discussed in the context of the U.S. government licensing process.
Differential retinal-defocus magnitude during eye growth provides the appropriate direction signal.

Introduction The rate of ocular growth can be modified by the imposition of either plus or minus lenses before the eyes, which creates changes in retinal defocus. Several hypotheses with relatively complicated mechanisms have been proposed to explain these changes, but the underlying mechanism has remained elusive. Material and methods Our new analysis using schematic models, however, provides a relatively simple and logically-consistent explanation of how retinal defocus magnitude alone during ocular growth gives the requisite sign for an appropriate change in ocular growth rate. Results During a normal genetically-determined incremental increase in axial length, the presence of either an imposed plus or minus lens results in an increase or decrease, respectively, of the blur circle magnitude. Neuromodulators in the retina are proposed to regulate the sensitivity to retinal-image contrast by means of a local feedback mechanism, and the alteration in retinal-image contrast associated with the change in blur circle causes an increase or decrease, respectively, in the rate of release of neuromodulators as well as the rate of proteoglycan synthesis, the latter being associated with the structural integrity of the sclera. Conclusion This provides the critical sign, as well as amplitude, information needed to modulate appropriately the rate of eye growth, to result in a decrease or increase, respectively, in the rate of ocular growth.
Adverse Drug Events as a Reason for Adult Hospitalization: A Nationwide Readmission Study.

Background: Adverse drug events (ADEs) are common; however, there are limited data on the impact of ADEs on post-discharge outcomes. Objectives: To identify ADEs responsible for readmission within ...
Rippled β-Sheet Formation by an Amyloid-β Fragment Indicates Expanded Scope of Sequence Space for Enantiomeric β-Sheet Peptide Coassembly

In 1953, Pauling and Corey predicted that enantiomeric β-sheet peptides would coassemble into so-called "rippled" β-sheets, in which the β-sheets would consist of alternating l- and d-peptides. To date, this phenomenon has been investigated primarily with amphipathic peptide sequences composed of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acid residues. Here, we show that enantiomers of a fragment of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide that does not follow this sequence pattern, amyloid-β (16-22), readily coassembles into rippled β-sheets. Equimolar mixtures of enantiomeric amyloid-β (16-22) peptides assemble into supramolecular structures that exhibit distinct morphologies from those observed by self-assembly of the single enantiomer pleated β-sheet fibrils. Formation of rippled β-sheets composed of alternating l- and d-amyloid-β (16-22) is confirmed by isotope-edited infrared spectroscopy and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Sedimentation analysis reveals that rippled β-sheet formation by l- and d-amyloid-β (16-22) is energetically favorable relative to self-assembly into corresponding pleated β-sheets. This work illustrates that coassembly of enantiomeric β-sheet peptides into rippled β-sheets is not limited to peptides with alternating hydrophobic/hydrophilic sequence patterns, but that a broader range of sequence space is available for the design and preparation of rippled β-sheet materials.
Rehabilitation Considerations in Pediatric Brain Tumors

The goal of this paper is to provide an evidence-based update for rehabilitation providers to guide rehabilitation treatment plans during the care of children with brain tumors across the lifespan. Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in children, and overall the second most common cancer type in children. In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised classification of these tumors to incorporate molecular parameters. Rehabilitation providers have a role throughout the continuum of care in this population, providing preventative, restorative, supportive, and palliative rehabilitation. There remains a paucity of pediatric specific literature related to rehabilitation in pediatric brain tumors. Much of what we know related to the rehabilitative care of children with pediatric brain tumors is extrapolated from research focusing on adults with cancer or those with other acquired brain injuries. However, pediatric cancer patients do benefit from care from a rehabilitative team, which includes a pediatric physiatrist.
Graph Recurrent Networks With Attributed Random Walks

Random walks are widely adopted in various network analysis tasks ranging from network embedding to label propagation. It could capture and convert geometric structures into structured sequences while alleviating the issues of sparsity and curse of dimensionality. Though random walks on plain networks have been intensively studied, in real-world systems, nodes are often not pure vertices, but own different characteristics, described by the rich set of data associated with them. These node attributes contain plentiful information that often complements the network, and bring opportunities to the random-walk-based analysis. However, it is unclear how random walks could be developed for attributed networks towards an effective joint information extraction. Node attributes make the node interactions more complicated and are heterogeneous with respect to topological structures. To bridge the gap, we explore to perform joint random walks on attributed networks, and utilize them to boost the deep node representation learning. The proposed framework GraphRNA consists of two major components, i.e., a collaborative walking mechanism - AttriWalk, and a tailored deep embedding architecture for random walks, named graph recurrent networks (GRN). AttriWalk considers node attributes as a bipartite network and uses it to propel the walking more diverse and mitigate the tendency of converging to nodes with high centralities. AttriWalk enables us to advance the prominent deep network embedding model, graph convolutional networks, towards a more effective architecture - GRN. GRN empowers node representations to interact in the same way as nodes interact in the original attributed network. Experimental results on real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of GraphRNA compared with the state-of-the-art embedding algorithms.
Honey and poison: Reframing the pagan past at ǫgvaldsnes and elsewhere

Author(s): Wellendorf, J | Abstract: The Ǫgvaldsnes episode from Oddr munkr's Olafs saga Tryggavasonar and Acallam na Senorach, two roughly contemporary and somewhat similar texts, show how different strategies have been employed to reframe the pagan past and neutralise the poison of this material that worried early doctors of the church such as St Basil. The two texts propose different answers to Alcuin's oft-cited question about the relationship between Christianity and pagan traditions. Both solutions entail depriving the former divinities of their numinous powers, but each strategy also comes at a price. The Old Norse text opts for demonisation and exclusion while the Irish text strives for domestication and subordination. It is not claimed that these two texts are representative of the ways in which the Old Norse and Irish traditions at large handled this question. Rather, the choices of these strategies are probably dictated by the particular historical circumstances of each author, their respective aims, and the literary circuit to which they belonged. Some parallels with the two main texts and alternative ways of reframing the pagan past are also briefly discussed.
Developmental Timing is Everything (Part II): Gating of High Temperature Responses by the Circadian Clock.

Arabidopsis ( Arabidopsis thaliana ) seedlings exposed to heat stress (>42°C) suffer high lethality rates unless exposed to milder heat (37°C) beforehand. This pre-exposure distinguishes basal from acquired thermotolerance and has been extensively studied over the years. However, experimental
Electrically-Coupled Goubau-Line-Based Wireless Power Transfer System

The first end-to-end Goubau-line-based wireless power transfer system with high efficiency is demonstrated in this paper. The wide spatial distribution of its electromagnetic fields and the lack of significant radiation are two of the most desirable characteristics of the Goubau line for mid-distance wireless powering applications. In this work, we demonstrate a measured RF efficiency of 35% to a single receiver at a distance of 0.5 m for a 233 MHz signal. Further, the performance of multi-receiver power transmission is also examined, as well as the addition of a rectification block, rounding out the wireless power transfer system. Practical advantages of this system over existing state-of-the-art systems are also discussed.
The Effect Of The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program On Mortality.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest food assistance program in the United States. Although participation in it has been shown to reduce food insecurity, there is com...
Early Outcomes of Scapholunate Injuries With Concomitant Distal Radius Fractures

Background: There is limited literature regarding the treatment of concomitant scapholunate ligament (SL) injuries in acute distal radius fractures (DRFs). We hypothesized that surgical treatment of SL injuries in adult patients with DRFs leads to improved functional outcomes. Methods: A retrospective review was made of 42 adult patients who underwent surgical treatment of a DRF with a SL injury between 2005 and 2013. In all, 39 of the 42 patients sustained an intra-articular DRF (AO B or C). SL injury was diagnosed by SL diastasis > 3 mm on posteroanterior (PA) radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, or with wrist arthroscopy. Patients were divided into 3 groups: 23 had a SL repair and were treated within 21 days of injury (acute), 8 underwent SL repair greater than 21 days from injury (subacute/chronic), and 11 did not undergo repair (non-operative). Median overall time to clinical follow-up was 5.1 years. Mayo Wrist Scores (MWS) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores were used to evaluate functional outcome. Results: Clinical outcomes measured by the MWS at final follow-up (6 months-12 years) showed no significant differences between the 3 groups. Of patients treated acutely, 17.3% had good to excellent MWS. MWS at 1-year follow-up was 68.4, 70, and 64 in the acute, subacute/chronic, and non-operative groups, respectively. DASH scores were 16.7, 14.3, and 11.8 in the acute, subacute/chronic, and nonoperative groups, respectively, at a mean of 7.8 years. Conclusions: At mid-term follow-up, all 3 treatment groups had similar DASH scores to the general population. There were no statistical functional differences between any of the groups based upon MWS or DASH scores.
Challenging Sequential Bitstream Processing via Principled Bitwise Speculation

Many performance-critical applications traverse bitstreams with bitwise computations for better performance or higher space efficiency, such as multimedia processing and bitmap indexing. However, when these bitwise computations carry dependences, the entire bitstream traversal becomes serial, fundamentally limiting the scalability. In this work, we show that bitstream-carried dependences are actually "breakable" in many cases, with the adoption of a systematic treatment - principled bitwise speculation (PBS). The core idea of PBS stems from an analogy drawn between bitstream programs and sequential circuits, both of which transform binary sequences. In this new perspective, it becomes natural to model the dependences in bitstream programs with finite-state machines (FSM), a basic model for sequential circuits. To achieve this, PBS features an assembly of static analyses that reason about bitstream programs down to the bit level to identify the bits causing dependences, then it treats the value combinations of dependent bits as states to construct FSMs. The modeling, for the first time, enables the use of FSM speculation techniques to parallelize bitstream programs. Basically, by leveraging the state convergence of FSMs, the values of dependent bits can be predicted with much higher accuracies. In cases the prediction fails, PBS tries to directly "rectify" the wrong outputs based on bitwise logic, minimizing the mis-speculation costs. In addition, FSM shows even higher execution efficiency than the original program in some cases, making itself an optimized version to accelerate serial bitstream processing. We prototyped PBS using LLVM. Evaluation with real-world bitstream programs confirms the effectiveness of PBS, showing up to near-linear speedup on multicore/manycore machines.
Cervical carcinoma in the setting of uterovaginal prolapse: comparing standard versus tailored management.

Objectives Cervical cancer in the setting of uterovaginal prolapse is exceedingly rare. Altered anatomy can complicate treatment of underlying cancer. We first present a rare case of cervical cancer with invasion of uterovaginal prolapse as well as a systematic review of similar reported cases in the literature. The objective of this study was to compare the practice patterns and outcomes regarding cervical cancer with invasion of procidentia. Methods We conducted a systematic search of online databases (PubMed, Embase, Medline and the Cochrane Library) from 1990 to 2018 of all the cases of cervical cancer associated with stage III-IV uterovaginal prolapse. Patient demographics, pathology, surgical management, chemotherapy, radiation and disease-free survival were compared. Results Fifteen reported cases of cervical cancer in the setting of procidentia were identified (squamous cell carcinoma-14, clear cell carcinoma-1). The mean age at diagnosis was 74 years (range 54-89). Thirteen percent (n = 2) of cases presented with FIGO stage I disease, 67% (n = 10) with stage II, and 20% (n = 3) with stage III. All cases had stage III-IV uterovaginal prolapse. 73% (11) were treated surgically including nine patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy. Among patients who underwent primary surgery, 7% (1) received adjuvant chemotherapy, 33% (5) adjuvant radiotherapy and 21% (3) both adjuvant chemotherapy and radiation. 33% (5) of surgical cases included procedures to address the pelvic organ prolapse (colpoclesis (n = 3), uterosacral suspension (n = 1) and anterior posterior repair (n = 1)). Two patients died from the disease within 12 months, one patient died from other causes within 1 month, and the remainder of patients were free of disease at last reported follow-up (Table 1). Conclusions Cervical cancer in the setting of stage III-IV uterovaginal prolapse can be managed successfully with standard treatment strategies (primary surgery with adjuvant therapy as necessary versus chemoradiation). When patients are surgical candidates, techniques to address the underlying prolapse can be used for symptomatic improvement.
Can we reduce phosphorus runoff from agricultural fields by stimulating soil biota

When fertilizer phosphorus (P) is applied to soils, the P can run off fields and cause harmful algal blooms. Due to its chemistry, much of the added P that does not run off can bind to soil particles and become inaccessible to plants. In natural systems, microbial and faunal decomposers can increase soil P accessibility to plants. We tested the hypothesis that this may also be true in agricultural systems, which could increase P application efficiency and reduce runoff potential. We stimulated soil fauna with sodium (Na+ ) and microbes with carbon (C) by adding corn (Zea mays L.) stover and Na+ solution to plots in conventionally managed corn fields in northwestern Ohio. Stover addition increased microbial biomass by 65 ± 12% and respiration by 400-700%. Application of stover with Na+ increased soil detritivore fauna abundance by 51 ± 20% and likely did not affect the other invertebrate guilds. However, soil biological activity was low compared with natural systems in all treatments and was not correlated with instantaneous measures of P accessibility, though cumulative P accessibility over the course of the growing season was correlated with microbial phosphatase activity (slope = 1.01, p < .01) and respiration (slope = 0.42, p = .02). Therefore, in agricultural systems, treatments to stimulate decomposers already in those systems may be ineffective at increasing soil P accessibility in the short term, but in the long term, higher microbial activities can be associated with higher soil P accessibility.
Evaluating the quality of multiple-choice questions in a NAPLEX preparation book.

Abstract Introduction: There is a plethora of preparatory books and guides available to help study for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). However, the quality of questions included has not been scrutinized. Our objective was to evaluate the quality of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) construction in a commonly used NAPLEX preparatory book. Methods: Five students and two faculty members reviewed MCQs from the RxPrep 2018 edition course book. Item structure and utilization of case-based questions were evaluated using best practices for item construction. Frequency of item writing flaws (IWF) and utilization of cases for case-based questions was identified. Results: A total of 298 questions were reviewed. Twenty-seven (9.1%) questions met all best practices for item construction. Flawed questions contained an average of 2.53 IWF per MCQ. The most commonly identified best practice violations were answer choices containing differing length and verb tense (21%) and question stems containing too little or too much information necessary to eliminate distractors (16.6%). Of the case-based questions, the majority (61.9%) did not require utilization of the provided case. Conclusions: This pilot analysis identified that a majority of MCQs in one NAPLEX preparatory source contained IWF. These results align with previous evaluations of test-banks in published books outside of pharmacy. Further evaluation of other preparatory materials, to expand on the findings from this pilot analysis, are needed to evaluate the pervasiveness of IWF in preparatory materials and the effect of flawed questions on utility of study materials.
Growth-Mindset Interventions at Scale: Experimental Evidence From Argentina:

This is one of the first evaluations of a “growth-mindset” intervention at scale in a developing country. I randomly assigned 202 public secondary schools in Salta, Argentina, to a treatment group ...