cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning and Language Disorders

Learning and language disorders frequently complicate attention deficit disorder, and their recognition and remediation are essential for the successful management of ADHD. Specific learning disorders that involve the “three Rs” are termed dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Dyslexia or reading disability is the prototype of learning disabilities. Speech and language disorders include dysarthrias, or disorders of articulation, and aphasias or dysphasias, inabilities to comprehend and use language despite normal hearing and intellect.
Feasibility of Micro-Plasma Transistor Devices in LTCC

The project will determine if making a novel micro-plasma transistor device (MPT device) in LTCC is feasible and advantageous. MPT devices control plasma, created by an antenna, by using electrodes. Using LTCC could be beneficial due to its properties involving plasma erosion and the ability for integrated 3D electronic construction. The layer construction of LTCC makes it relatively easy to implement the design, using five layers to produce a variety of configurations. The device will consist of source, gate, and drain electrodes on different layers of LTCC, with the antenna creating the plasma. The MPT device will be fabricated using DuPont 951 LTCC tapes and the ceramic MEMS fabrication process. A test matrix will be made to understand how micro-plasma transistors behave in LTCC. The matrix will include variations in hole diameter and operational parameters such as electrode configuration and voltage. The MPT device will be tested at BSU using a vacuum chamber and associated electronic hardware. After ...
Wolves’ Tongues and Mercury: Pharmaceutical Cures for Cancer

Early modern patients diagnosed with cancer were positioned at the centre of debates about gender, the nature of disease, anatomy and the humours. More practically, they also found themselves with a malady that was often painful and disfiguring and had the potential to end their lives. Confronted with such an illness, what was to be done? The following two chapters examine how cancer sufferers, and the medical practitioners who attended to them, attempted to stem or reverse the effects of this disease. I will argue that, in their most potent forms, cancer treatments continued the conceptual separation of patient from disease which was visible in zoomorphic and anthropomorphic descriptions of cancer’s character. In so doing, they diminished the patient’s role in their own cure, while foregrounding an adversarial relationship between medical practitioners and ‘rebellious’ cancerous tumours. Throughout the early modern period, cancer treatments provoked fierce debate over both the nature of disease and the proper limits of medical intervention.
Robust data transmission and recovery of images by compressed sensing for structural health diagnosis

Summary Digital cameras are cost-effective vision sensors and able to directly provide two-dimensional information of structural condition in monitoring and assessment applications. For example, digital cameras are essential components of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and robotic agents for mobile sensing and inspection of pipelines, buildings, transportation infrastructure, etc, especially in post-natural disaster and man-made extreme events assessment. Additionally, while surveillance cameras have been widely used for transportation systems (e.g., traffic monitoring), if appropriately mounted on the large-scale structures such as the bridges, they can continuously monitor the structural condition under operational loads and hazards, complementing the regular visual inspection and assessment conducted by experts. In these or other applications, efficiently and reliably transferring the structural images or videos, which are as such large-scale, are important and challenging, especially in wireless platform that is either required (e.g., UAVs and robotic agents) or more suitable (e.g., camera monitoring networks) with only limited power and communication resources. This paper studies the computational algorithms for efficient and reliable transmission of the structural monitoring images; in particular, the compressed sensing (CS) technique is explored for robust data transmission and recovery. The sparse representation or data structure of the structural images is exploited, leading to the CS based central strategy: on some sparse domain, randomly encode large-scale image data into few relevant coefficients, which are then transferred (robust to random data loss) and recovered (in base station) for subsequent structural health diagnosis. Image data of bench scale pipe structure, concrete structure and full scale stay cable are employed for validation of the CS based method. Its performance is also compared with traditional transform coding and low-dimensional encoding (sampling), and their advantages and drawbacks are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Immigrants and Health Status: Unknown? Distorted?

Edited byJacquelyn H. Flaskerud, PhD, RN, FAANUniversity of California, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, California, USAThe topic of this column came to me in a roundabout way. The 2015 January/Febr...
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Alumina Based Ceramics with Changed Amounts of β-Lanthanaluminate

The relation between mechanical properties and the microstructure of alumina based ceramics to which LBA (LaAl11O18) was incorporated by in-situ reaction was examined. The dispersion of LBA and the addition of a small amount of silica produced changes in the microstructure. Even if the amount of dispersed LBA was varied, LBA was distributed uniformly in the alumina matrix. The shape of alumina changed from equiaxial to plateletlike by addition of a small amount of silica. Strength showed a maximum when the amount of dispersed LBA was 20vol%, regardless of the presence or not of silica. The fracture toughness value was improved slightly (up to 4MPa·m1/2) for LBA dispersed specimens without silica. On the other hand, when a small amount of silica was added, the fracture toughness was improved further, reaching a maximum of 6.4MPa·m1/2 for a 10vol% of LBA. Thereafter the fracture toughness value decreased when the amount of LBA increased. The improvement in the fracture toughness of the material is attributed to the operation of mechanisms of bridging and crack deflection promoted by changes in the microstructure of the ceramic material.
Potassium-induced cell swelling in Necturus gallbladder epithelium.

In Necturus gallbladder epithelium, elevation of mucosal K+ to 95 mM in the presence of 10 mM Na+ resulted in cell swelling at a rate of 3.2% original volume per minute, followed by volume-regulatory shrinking. When Na+ was completely removed from or when amiloride (10(-4) M) was added to the mucosal medium, K+-induced cell swelling was abolished. In the presence of 10 mM Na+, 1 mM Ba2+ abolished and substitution of mucosal Cl- by NO-3 had no effect on K+-induced swelling. Thus solute entry following elevation of mucosal K+ is effected by separate K+ and Cl- pathways. Furthermore, substitution of 95 mM K+ for Na+ in the mucosal bathing medium leads to the development of a Cl- conductance in the basolateral membrane as long as some Na+ remains in the medium. However, cell swelling induced by mucosal dilution does not lead to the appearance of a Cl- conductance. Thus the activation of this conductance requires both swelling and membrane depolarization. These results show that 1) high mucosal K+ leads to cell swelling due to the entry of Cl- along with K+ and the Cl- can enter across either membrane, 2) the Cl- pathways require the presence of mucosal Na+, and 3) cell volume regulation is activated by an increase in volume per se, i.e., a hyposmotic exposure is not required for volume regulation to occur.
Fractalkine-Induced MFG-E8 Leads to Enhanced Apoptotic Cell Clearance by Macrophages

Clearance of apoptotic cells is crucial to maintain cellular function under normal and pathological conditions. We have recently shown that administration of immature dendritic cell-derived exosomes to septic animals promotes phagocytosis of apoptotic cells and improves survival by providing milk fat globule epidermal growth factor-factor VIII (MFG-E8). MFG-E8 acts as an opsonin for apoptotic cells to be engulfed by phagocytosis. In the present study we investigated whether the CX3C-chemokine fractalkine (CX3CL1) promotes apoptotic cell clearance through the induction of MFG-E8 in peritoneal macrophages. Cultured rat peritoneal macrophages (pMϕ) and RAW264.7 macrophages were stimulated with LPS and CX3CL1. MFG-E8 expression was assessed by Western blot, cytokine secretion was assessed by ELISA, and phagocytosis of apoptotic thymocytes was determined by microscopy. For in vivo studies, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) was used to induce sepsis in rats and mice. LPS significantly decreased MFG-E8 levels and phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, whereas CX3CL1 induced MFG-E8 expression in both nonstimulated and LPS-stimulated pMϕ, without affecting TNF-α and IL-6 release. Anti-MFG-E8 blocking antibodies completely abrogated the prophagocytic effect of CX3CL1. Twenty hours after the induction of sepsis in rats via CLP, plasma CX3CL1 levels as well as MFG-E8 production in peritoneal macrophages decreased by 21% and 56%, respectively. Administration of CX3CL1 on the other hand induced MFG-E8 and prevented tissue injury. We conclude that CX3CL1 induces MFG-E8 in vitro and in vivo and enhances clearance of apoptotic cells in an MFG-E8-dependent manner. These findings suggest a possible novel treatment for patients in sepsis.
Introduction: Dramaturgies of Value in Market Places

The contemporary dominance of global capitalism rests strongly on the continued ideological vigor of a particular notion of `the market’ as much as it does on the availability of capital, the efficiency of distribution systems and the exploitation of labor. In prevailing conceptions, as many point out, ‘the market’ arises as a kind of supra-intelligence, even a kind of a deity (Frank 2000), that is said to effectively arrange social and economic life according to an unbending, and ultimately unerring, calculus of value — an idea clearly descendent from Adam Smith (Carrier 1997; Slater and Tonkiss 2001). In its present day manifestation, the neoclassical ideology of the market informs a neoliberal politics that exhorts, in ways that Smith never intended, the absolute right-of-way for commerce to shun governmental regulation or public oversight (Comaroff and Comaroff 2000).
Toward Ambient Armor: Can New Materials Change Longstanding Concepts of Projectile Protection?

Materials that protect against the high strain rate loading of a projectile have traditionally been constrained by their use on the target of protection. Here the possibility of new materials, particularly carbon nanocomposites, are explored for projectile protection removed off of the target and placed along the trajectory at an intermediate location. A mathematical model of such Ambient Armor (AA) separates the impact, capture, and energy dissipation of an incident projectile into each of three stages, respectively. A distinct scaling of the projectile to composite area ratio and areal density ratio is derived for a given requisite stopping distance. As an example, the model predicts that a 1 g and 800 m s21 small projectile could be decelerated to 3 m s21 within 6–9 m using a 2.34 3 104 layer monolayer graphene nanocomposite at 0.02 volume fraction. For larger projectiles with higher kinetic energy, a tandem system using a second composite body with the specified area density is explored with the idea of making the projectile gyroscopically unstable for rapid deceleration and subsequent interception. Off target reinforcement or AA may in general allow for the exploration of a broader range of material properties for projectile protection.
Long-Term Effect of Sirolimus on Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D Levels in Patients With Lymphangioleiomyomatosis.

Background Sirolimus reduces serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor D (VEGF-D); the size of chylous effusions, lymphangioleiomyomas, and angiomyolipomas; and stabilizes lung function in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). Methods To determine whether reductions in VEGF-D levels are sustained over time, as well as parallel changes in lung function and lymphatic disease, we evaluated 25 patients with LAM and measured VEGF-D levels, lung function, and extent of lymphatic disease before and during sirolimus therapy. Results Treatment with sirolimus stabilized FEV 1 and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (Dlco) over a period of 4.5 ± 1.6 years, caused resolution of lymphatic disease, and reduced the size of angiomyolipomas and VEGF-D levels (3,720 ± 3,020 pg/mL to 945 ± 591 pg/mL; P 1 % predicted and Dlco % predicted were reduced from –7.4% ± 1.4% to –0.3% ± 0.5% ( P P P 1 and Dlco during sirolimus therapy. The magnitude of VEGF-D decline was not related to the effect on lung function. Patients with lymphatic disease had higher serum VEGF-D levels, a greater reduction in VEGF-D levels, and better long-term sustained improvement in lung function during sirolimus therapy than did those without lymphatic disease. Conclusions Sirolimus therapy stabilizes lung function over many years of therapy while producing a sustained reduction in VEGF-D levels in patients with elevated levels preceding therapy. An association was not demonstrated between the magnitude of VEGF-D decline and the beneficial effect of sirolimus on lung function. Persistent improvement in lung function was observed in patients with lymphatic disease.
A novel in vitro analog expressing learning-induced cellular correlates in distinct neural circuits

When presented with noxious stimuli, Aplysia exhibits concurrent sensitization of defensive responses, such as the tail-induced siphon withdrawal reflex (TSWR) and suppression of feeding. At the cellular level, sensitization of the TSWR is accompanied by an increase in the excitability of the tail sensory neurons (TSNs) that elicit the reflex, whereas feeding suppression is accompanied by decreased excitability of B51, a decision-making neuron in the feeding neural circuit. The goal of this study was to develop an in vitro analog coexpressing the above cellular correlates. We used a reduced preparation consisting of buccal, cerebral, and pleural-pedal ganglia, which contain the neural circuits controlling feeding and the TSWR, respectively. Sensitizing stimuli were delivered in vitro by electrical stimulation of afferent nerves. When trained with sensitizing stimuli, the in vitro analog expressed concomitant increased excitability in TSNs and decreased excitability in B51, which are consistent with the occurrence of sensitization and feeding suppression induced by in vivo training. This in vitro analog expressed both short-term (15 min) and long-term (24 h) excitability changes in TSNs and B51, depending on the amount of training administered. Finally, in vitro application of serotonin increased TSN excitability without altering B51 excitability, mirroring the in vivo application of the monoamine that induces sensitization, but not feeding suppression.
Institutional design of ecolabels: Sponsorship signals rule strength

Ecolabels are designed to help consumers identify environmentally superior products and services; however, they are not all created equal. Some ecolabels have strong rules that promote environmental improvements, while others have weaker rules that permit free-riding. Because information about ecolabel design and rule strength is typically not readily available at the point of purchase, consumers struggle to differentiate stronger ecolabels from weaker ones. We investigate whether ecolabel sponsorship is a signal that can help consumers distinguish between ecolabels according to the quality of their institutional design. Using data of 189 prominent ecolabels, we find that while most ecolabels have basic rules for environmental performance, monitoring, and conformance, the strength of these rules varies across labels according to sponsoring organization. Independent sponsors have the strongest ecolabel rules, followed by governments. Industry sponsored ecolabels have the weakest rule structures. Taken as a whole, these findings suggest that sponsorship may provide important information about whether an ecolabel is designed with rules that effectively condition firms to promote meaningful environmental improvements.
Life-threatening airway bleeding after palliation of single ventricle congenital heart disease.

Objective To describe acute and mid-term outcomes following presentation with, and treatment for, life-threatening airway bleeding (hemoptysis) in palliated single ventricle congenital heart disease (SV-CHD). Methods Case series of patients with SV-CHD who presented to a large congenital heart centre with hemoptysis between 2004 and 2015. Results Twenty-one episodes of hemoptysis occurred in 12 patients (58% female, median 10.5 (IQR 7.2, 16.4) years). First hemoptysis episode occurred after Fontan completion (n=8), after superior cavopulmonary anastomosis (SCPA, n=3) and in one shunt-dependent patient. Bronchoscopy was performed in conjunction with catheterisation in 14/21 (67%) initial catheterisations. A specific anatomic source of airway bleeding was identified in 95% of bronchoscopy cases and was uniformly distributed in all lobar segments. Transcatheter intervention with systemic-to-pulmonary collateral artery (SPC) occlusion was performed in 28/30 catheterisations. Apart from increased airway bleeding during interventional bronchoscopy (37%), there were no procedural complications. Median hospital length of stay was 9.0 (3.5, 14.5) days with patients undergoing 1.0 (1.0,2.0) catheterisations per episode of hemoptysis. Two SCPA patients did not survive to discharge. During a median follow-up of 32.5 (12.5, 87.5) months, freedom from mortality was 75%, with all three deaths occurring in the SCPA group by 4 months posthemoptysis. Recurrent hemoptysis occurred in 60% of patients. Conclusions Despite the potentially life-threatening nature of hemoptysis in patients with SV-CHD, a policy of bronchoscopic evaluation and transcatheter treatment is safe and may contribute to low mortality at mid-term follow-up in Fontan patients. Hemoptysis in SCPA patients may portend a poor prognosis. Recurrent hemoptysis is common.
Time-Gated Optical Diffraction Tomography

Optical diffraction tomography algorithms typically assume weak scattering, and are therefore not applicable to multiple-scattering objects. A time-gating approach extending the validity of these algorithms is proposed and numerically demonstrated.
The Potential and Pitfalls of a Dye-Assisted Paper-Based Assay for Blood Grouping.

Zhang and colleagues (1) recently developed a new method for rapidly determining the ABO type of blood, also known as “blood grouping.” Much of the speed of the technique is attributed to the fact that no centrifugation is needed to separate serum from erythrocytes. In addition to being able to rapidly determine the blood group, the system can be used to determine the presence or absence of several additional antigens on red blood cells (RBCs).2 To evaluate the potential utility of the methods of Zhang and colleagues, one needs to understand the approaches that are currently applied for blood grouping, which vary between laboratories and between countries. The most important role of pretransfusion testing is to ensure that a patient does not receive ABO-incompatible RBCs. To avoid this situation, it is critically important to accurately determine a patient's blood group. Most healthcare facilities use redundant processes to ensure that the patient's blood group has been determined accurately. Blood bank laboratories generally utilize 2 approaches to determine a patient's blood type. The “front type” detects the ABO antigens on erythrocytes, whereas the “back type” detects IgM antibodies to ABO antigens in the serum or plasma. Starting in the early 1900s, these tests have been performed by mixing erythrocytes and serum in tubes followed by visual assessment for the presence of agglutination. Although the tube methods are simple, many institutions have switched to alternative methods employing gel or solid-phase technology. These newer technologies can avoid the deficiencies inherent in tube methods such as variability in pipetting reactants and inconsistency in grading reaction strengths. The gel technology also uses lower sample volumes than tubes (2). Both approaches are appealing to blood banks because they have been largely automated. All of the aforementioned approaches, i.e., tubes, gels, and solid phase, require multistep processes. …
Shape-Selective Growth, Patterning, and Alignment of Cubic Nanostructured Crystals via Self-Assembly

This paper reports the preparation of cubically ordered, self-assembled nanostructural crystals on micropatterned surfaces. Large ordered arrays of octahedral crystals were formed on substrates with triangular-shaped micropatterns that match the shape of the {111} surface morphology of the crystals. Many crystals became self-aligned in X, Y, and Z orientations through the interaction with the matching micropatterns. However, line micropatterns did not produce such well-defined crystals and crystal alignment. This work is among the first examples to show 3D crystal alignment independent of the long rodlike micellar structure that is characteristic of the hexagonal phases. Significantly, it also suggests that the geometry of the underline patterns has a large effect on the crystal morphology and orientation. We hope that these results will be helpful in developing microdevices based on self-assembled nanoscale materials.
The Brain that Longs to Care for Others: The Current Neuroscience of Compassion

Abstract The practice and teaching of compassion have an extensive history reaching back literally thousands of years. Compassion is most commonly defined as a sensitivity to the suffering of another and a desire to alleviate that suffering. We review here the current neuroscience of compassion and conceptualize this critical human virtue as hierarchically and temporally organized by affective, motivational-intentional, self-other differentiated, and higher order regulatory components. We further present an integrated theory for the neuroscience of compassion and review supportive research. Directions for future investigations into the neuroscience of compassion are also offered.
Circulating and Tissue Markers in the Longitudinal Management of Breast Cancer Patients

In the United States in 1992 there will be 180,000 cases of breast cancer and more than 45,000 deaths from that disease. It has been suggested that more than 90% of the deaths could be avoided if there was early detection and treatment1. Breast self-examination, clinical examination and mammography are the current screening procedures for breast cancer. There are no tumor markers or other laboratory tests that are useful in this regard. The mortality rate from breast cancer in women who avail themselves of screening programs is 50% lower at 5 years than women who have not been screened2.
THE STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF TETRAD

This chapter describes the structure and method of the TETRAD program. The TETRAD program helps to search for good models of correlation or covariance data. The chapter focuses on the methodological principles behind TETRAD, how they are realized in the program, and how these principles can be used with the program in searching for good causal models. It presents the output the program provides, describes some of the calculations that go into the output, and illustrates how the output can be used to find good causal models. The TETRAD program operates in two modes. One mode provides the user with information to conduct a breadth-first search, one edge at a time. The other, more automatic mode, conducts a search that does not necessarily proceed one edge at a time, but that may consider several simultaneous additions to an initial model. The two modes can be used together. TETRAD requires the user to provide the computer with a directed graph, representing an initial causal model, and a set of variances and co variances, or correlations, for the measured variables in the model. Given a data set and an initial model, the TETRAD program will compute all of the tetrad equations implied by the model.
Determinations of Dipole Moments for Liquid–Liquid Extraction Reagents

A liquid capacitance cell was developed, tested, and utilized to accurately measure dielectric constants of polar molecules. Coupled with additional measurements of the refractive index, dipole moments of three different extraction reagents were determined. The extraction reagents are of interest for liquid–liquid extraction processes for metal ions, including treatment of used nuclear fuel. The dipole moment is a key parameter for accurate and successful simulation of these types of processes. In this work, we report on the measurements, the determined dipole moments, as well as details of the development of the cell, including design considerations and possible improvements.
Study the effect of different terminal substituents on the liquid crystalline properties of the new synthesized 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives

A new series of 4-(5-(p-tolyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-3-yl)phenyl substitutedbenzoate, (IIIx) incorporating ester linkage with various substituted groups in various positions on the phenyl ring were synth...
When I Was a Swahili Woman: The Possibilities and Perils of “Going Native” in a Culture of Secrecy:

Combining evocative and analytic autoethnography, I explore the ambiguous and ambivalent relationship between conversion, “going native,” and socialization through a case study of my own experience...
Tready: a privacy centric open source home security system

Current home security solutions have become generally available to consumers without requiring a high level of technical expertise. These solutions generally detect motion and alert consumers through their mobile devices when motion is detected, where consumers can then view video and optionally save the video. While the devices for these solutions can be expensive, most solutions also require a monthly subscription for consumers to have full access to their data. Additionally, videos that are captured are stored in a cloud service where sensitive videos may be stored or access to these videos is not fully controlled by the user. To address these concerns, we propose Tready: an open source solution that aims to provide core features of available home security solutions with a focus on privacy. Tready does not require a cloud service to store videos and therefore does not require a subscription. The service exists within a consumer's network and is accessible from a mobile device where consumers can receive alerts when motion is detected. Consumers have full access to their data and can save videos to their device without incurring additional fees. Additionally, Tready devices use low cost Raspberry Pi computers to detect and store data which are a fraction of the cost of today's available solutions. In evaluating Tready, we found it is highly effective in detecting motion and providing an alternative solution with a focus on privacy, reducing cost, and providing full access to data.
Translocation in the staminal hairs ofSetcreasea purpurea

Previously reported studies of cell ultrastructure and molecular probe passage in immature staminal hairs were extended to kinetic studies. The rate of transport of carboxyfluorescein into the cytoplasm in individual cells was monitored with a video analyzer and transport coefficients were determined. Carboxyfluorescein was found to traverse 5 cells in less than 5 minutes. The values of transport coefficients differed between cells and this was taken to mean that some cells are more closely coupled than others.
Pilot study to assess the use of a fluorescence imaging system for assessment of amputation healing.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to use a fluorescence imaging system (FIS) (SPYElite, NOVADAQ, US) during lower extremity amputations and develop parameters to predict amputation healing, for which there are no proven, objective tests. We hypothesised that the FIS may identify areas of poor perfusion at the time of amputation and predict potential healing complications. There are no studies involving the FIS used in this study in lower extremity amputation. METHOD: This prospective cohort study involved patients requiring either below- or above-knee-amputation at one, mid-western medical centre. The FIS was used as per manufacturer's instructions after wound closure and before dressing. Procedure and operative management was unchanged. Through the FIS, perfusion values were plotted along the amputation site to visualise and quantify intraoperative perfusion and to compare with 30-day postoperative amputation healing. RESULTS: Surgeons determined that all of the 18 participants had adequate perfusion at surgical wound closure. At 30 days, two subjects had wound dehiscence or infection; these correlated with low perfusion values on the FIS imaging. A further six subjects had marginal or low perfusion values, but did not develop wound failure. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to use the FIS during amputation, however it did not perfectly predict healing course based on vascular perfusion. There were interesting patterns of poor perfusion that correlated with areas of dehiscence or infection but other patients had reduced perfusion that healed well. Due to the small sample size, no discernible perfusion value differences existed between patients who healed and patients with healing complications. A future, larger study may show that the FIS can be predictive of patient healing and aid decisions for intraoperative revision.
Management and outcome of intracranial hemorrhage in patients with left ventricular assist devices.

Objective As the use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) has expanded, cerebrovascular complications have become an increasing source of morbidity and mortality in this population. Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in particular remains a devastating complication in patients who undergo LVAD placement with no defined management guidelines. The authors therefore reviewed surgical and anticoagulation management and outcomes of patients with LVADs who presented to their institution with ICH. Methods This retrospective cohort study assessed outcomes of patients who underwent LVAD placement at a single institution between 2007 and 2016 and in whom imaging demonstrated ICH. Results During the study period, 281 patients had a HeartMate II or HeartWare LVAD placed. There were 37 episodes of ICH (recurrent in 3 cases). ICHs were categorized as intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH; n = 22, 59%), subdural hemorrhage (SDH; n = 6, 16%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH; n = 9, 24%). Neurosurgical intervention was deemed necessary in 27.3%, 66.7%, and 0% of patients with IPH, SDH, and SAH, respectively; overall survival > 30 days for each type of hemorrhage was 41%, 83%, and 89%, respectively. No patients had LVAD thrombus as a result of reversal of anticoagulation. Combined with prior reports, good outcomes are seen more often following surgery for SDH than for IPH (57% vs 7%, p = 0.004) in patients who underwent VAD placement. Conclusions Patients with IPH who undergo LVAD placement have poor outcomes regardless of anticoagulation reversal or neurosurgical intervention, whereas those with SDH may have good outcomes with medical and surgical intervention, and those with SAH appear to do well without anticoagulation reversal or surgery. When needed, anticoagulation reversal was not associated with an increase in LVAD thrombosis in this series.
Freedom From Choice and the Power of Models: in Honor of Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli

Discovery, invention, and design are all about models. When we say "Joseph Priestly discovered oxygen in 1774," we do not mean that Priestly dug up a canister of oxygen, recognized it as something new, and released it, for the first time, into the air. We mean instead that Priestly came up with a model for the composition of air and the role of one of its components. The model was the discovery, not the O$_2$ molecule. Models in engineering and science are strongly affected by the modeling paradigm within which a model is constructed. Priestly's paradigm was firmly rooted in a theory of phlogiston, a fire-like element released in combustion, and his inability to break out of this rut made his work more like idiosyncratic philosophy than like science. The constraints of a modeling paradigm can be debilitating, but at the same time, they are essential. The constraints define the "platform" in "platform-based design." No effective modeling paradigm lacks constraints, and those constraints do not just limit our thinking, they also enable our thinking. In engineering, constraints are even more important because models that cannot be turned into real, working systems are not useful models. Whereas in science the value of a model lies in how well it matches a pre-existing physical system, in engineering, the value of a manufactured physical system lies in how well it matches a model. Sangiovanni-Vincetelli has pointed out that modeling constraints provide a "freedom from choice" that makes it easier to build models for which we can create matching physical realizations. Because of this, engineers strive to grow the number of relevant modeling paradigms, those for which we can build effective physical realizations, whereas scientists strive to shrink the number of relevant paradigms, those needed to explain the physical world.
A low-water crossing impacts Northern Hog Sucker Hypentelium nigricans movement in an Ozark stream

Streams are complex systems that rely on connectivity to maintain natural ecological function. Low-water crossings are common in small-intermediate sized streams and can restrict longitudinal movem...
Fungicide Sensitivity Survey of Plasmopara viticola Populations in Georgia Vineyards

Grapevine downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is among the most damaging diseases of grapes globally and in the viticultural regions of Georgia (U.S.A.). Although management of this diseas...
Quantifying road traffic impact on air quality in urban areas: a Covid19-induced lockdown analysis in Italy

Abstract Covid19-induced lockdown measures caused modifications in atmospheric pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions. Urban road traffic was the most impacted, with 48–60% average reduction in Italy. This offered an unprecedented opportunity to assess how a prolonged (∼2 months) and remarkable abatement of traffic emissions impacted on urban air quality. Six out of the eight most populated cities in Italy with different climatic conditions were analysed: Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, and Palermo. The selected scenario (24/02/2020–30/04/2020) was compared to a meteorologically comparable scenario in 2019 (25/02/2019–02/05/2019). NO2, O3, PM2.5 and PM10 observations from 58 air quality and meteorological stations were used, while traffic mobility was derived from municipality-scale big data. NO2 levels remarkably dropped over all urban areas (from −24.9% in Milan to −59.1% in Naples), to an extent roughly proportional but lower than traffic reduction. Conversely, O3 concentrations remained unchanged or even increased (up to 13.7% in Palermo and 14.7% in Rome), likely because of the reduced O3 titration triggered by lower NO emissions from vehicles, and lower NOx emissions over typical VOCs-limited environments such as urban areas, not compensated by comparable VOCs emissions reductions. PM10 exhibited reductions up to 31.5% (Palermo) and increases up to 7.3% (Naples), while PM2.5 showed reductions of ∼13–17% counterbalanced by increases up to ∼9%. Higher household heating usage (+16–19% in March), also driven by colder weather conditions than 2019 (−0.2 to −0.8 °C) may partly explain primary PM emissions increase, while an increase in agriculture activities may account for the NH3 emissions increase leading to secondary aerosol formation. This study confirmed the complex nature of atmospheric pollution even when a major emission source is clearly isolated and controlled, and the need for consistent decarbonisation efforts across all emission sectors to really improve air quality and public health.
Surface Charge and Electrostatic Spin Crossover Effects in CoN4 Electrocatalysts

Carbon materials doped with nitrogen and 3d transition metals have attracted a great deal of interest for catalyzing electrochemical reactions such as water splitting, oxygen reduction, and carbon ...
Mosaic cis-regulatory evolution drives transcriptional partitioning of HERVH endogenous retrovirus in the human embryo

Abstract The human endogenous retrovirus type-H (HERVH) family is expressed in the preimplantation embryo. A subset of these elements are specifically transcribed in pluripotent stem cells where they appear to exert regulatory activities promoting self-renewal and pluripotency. How HERVH elements achieve such transcriptional specificity remains poorly understood. To uncover the sequence features underlying HERVH transcriptional activity, we performed a phyloregulatory analysis of the long terminal repeats (LTR7) of the HERVH family, which harbor its promoter, using a wealth of regulatory genomics data. We found that the family includes at least 8 previously unrecognized subfamilies that have been active at different timepoints in primate evolution and display distinct expression patterns during human embryonic development. Notably, nearly all HERVH elements transcribed in ESCs belong to one of the youngest subfamilies we dubbed LTR7up. LTR7 sequence evolution was driven by complex mutational processes, including multiple recombination events between subfamilies, that led to transcription factor binding motif modules characteristic of each subfamily. Using a reporter assay, we show that one such motif, a predicted SOX2/3 binding site unique to LTR7up, is essential for robust promoter activity in induced pluripotent stem cells. Together these findings illuminate the mechanisms by which HERVH diversified its expression pattern during evolution to colonize distinct cellular niches within the human embryo.
Data Analytics for Air Travel Data: A Survey and New Perspectives

From the start, the airline industry has remarkably connected countries all over the world through rapid long-distance transportation, helping people overcome geographic barriers. Consequently, this has ushered in substantial economic growth, both nationally and internationally. The airline industry produces vast amounts of data, capturing a diverse set of information about their operations, including data related to passengers, freight, flights, and much more. Analyzing air travel data can advance the understanding of airline market dynamics, allowing companies to provide customized, efficient, and safe transportation services. Due to big data challenges in such a complex environment, the benefits of drawing insights from the air travel data in the airline industry have not yet been fully explored. This article aims to survey various components and corresponding proposed data analysis methodologies that have been identified as essential to the inner workings of the airline industry. We introduce existing data sources commonly used in the papers surveyed and summarize their availability. Finally, we discuss several potential research directions to better harness airline data in the future. We anticipate this study to be used as a comprehensive reference for both members of the airline industry and academic scholars with an interest in airline research.
Influence of the medical examiner on cadaver organ procurement.

Patients who die from severe head injuries constitute a major reservoir of potential kidney donors, for such injuries usually occur in otherwise healthy individuals. Death from injury mandates a medical examiner's investigation, and jurisdiction over the body occurs at the moment of pronouncement of death. In Florida, when any person dies of criminal violence, by accident, by suicide, suddenly when in apparent good health, when unattended by a practicing physician or other recognized practitioner, in any prison or penal institution, in police custody, in any suspicious or unusual circumstances, by criminal abortion, by poison, by disease constituting a threat to public health, by disease, injury, or toxic agent from employment; or when a dead body is brought into the state without proper medical certification; or when a body is to be cremated, dissected, or buried at sea, the medical examiner shall determine the cause of death and shall make or have performed such examinations, investigations, and autopsies as he shall deem necessary [1]. It is the duty of any person who becomes aware of such a death under the circumstances described above to report such death and circumstances immediately to the medical examiner [2].
Leader–member exchange in nonprofit sport organizations

Numerous human resource studies examining the relationship between leaders and followers have found that employees' high levels of leader–member exchange (LMX) are associated with higher job satisfaction and a greater intention to stay with their organizations. Considering the nature of voluntary work in nonprofit sport organizations, leader–member relations may be one of the most important factors influencing volunteer workers' commitment. This study examines the influences of LMX dimensions (Affect, Loyalty, Contribution, and Professional Respect) of volunteer leaders and followers on job satisfaction and assesses the influences of LMX dimensions and job satisfaction of volunteer leaders and followers on intention to stay with their organizations. The findings imply a strong value in positive reciprocal relationships between leaders and followers for enhancing job satisfaction and retention.
Optimal prechirping for dispersion-managed transmission of return-to-zero pulses

We present analytic expressions that predict the transmission dynamics of chirped return-to-zero (CRZ) pulses in dispersion-managed fibers. The theory enables us to efficiently calculate the prechirping required to optimize system performance.
Scheduling Recurrent Precedence-Constrained Task Graphs on a Symmetric Shared-Memory Multiprocessor

We consider approaches that allow task migration for scheduling recurrent directed-acyclic-graph (DAG) tasks on symmetric, shared-memory multiprocessors (SMPs) in order to meet a given throughput requirement with fewer processors. Within the scheduling approach proposed, we present a heuristic based on grouping DAG subtasks for lowering the end-to-end latency and an algorithm for computing an upper bound on latency. Unlike prior work, the purpose of the grouping here is not to map the subtask groups to physical processors, but to generate aggregated entities, each of which can be treated as a single schedulable unit to lower latency. Evaluation using synthetic task sets shows that our approach can lower processor needs considerably while incurring only a modest increase in latency. In contrast to the work presented herein, most prior work on scheduling recurrent DAGs has been for distributed-memory multiprocessors, and has therefore mostly been concerned with statically mapping DAG subtasks to processors.
Lymphocyte β2‐Receptor Activity, Metoprolol Kinetics, and Response to Metoprolol in Hypertensive Black Men

Study Objectives. To evaluate whether variability in S-metoprolol kinetics and lymphocyte β2-receptor-mediated cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation is related to the variability in antihypertensive response to metoprolol of black men. Design. Prospective, unblinded study. Setting. University-based preventive medicine clinic. Patients. Twelve hypertensive black men. Measurements and Main Results. Ambulatory blood pressure was measured over 24 hours before and after metoprolol administration. Ex vivo responsiveness of lymphocyte β2-receptors to isoproterenol was established for each subject before initiating metoprolol therapy. Plasma samples were collected over 12 hours at the conclusion of the study, from which metoprolol enantiomer concentrations were determined by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography, and kinetic values were calculated. The 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure responses to metoprolol were highly variable, with systolic blood pressure responses ranging from −13 to +33 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure responses ranging from −15 to +15 mm Hg. There was a significant relationship between the metoprolol-induced change in systolic blood pressure and the maximum lymphocyte β2-receptor cAMP production (y = 0.47x −7.79; r2 = 0.49, p<0.05) such that those with the highest maximum cAMP production had the greatest blood pressure increases during metoprolol therapy. There was no relationship between S-metoprolol concentration and blood pressure response. Mean oral clearance values for S- and R-metoprolol were 1320 and 2346 ml/minute, respectively. Conclusions. Lymphocyte β2-receptor data suggest that individuals most responsive to β-receptor stimulation may be at greatest risk of blood pressure elevation during β2-receptor blockade. The metoprolol enantiomer kinetic data are markedly different from previously published data and may represent racial differences in pharmacokinetics.
Obesity, insulin resistance and the prevalence of atopy and asthma in US adults

To cite this article: Ma J, Xiao L, Knowles SB. Obesity, insulin resistance and the prevalence of atopy and asthma in US adults. Allergy 2010; 65: 1455–1463. Abstract Background: The roles of obesity and insulin resistance in asthma and atopy are not well understood. We investigated whether there is an association of obesity and insulin resistance with asthma and atopy prevalence in US adults. Methods: Data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression, controlling for sex, age, ethnicity, income, and smoking status. Obesity was measured by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, and insulin resistance by the homeostasis model assessment. Asthma was defined by self-report of ever receiving a diagnosis and still having asthma currently, and atopy by any positive specific serum IgE responses to a panel of aeroallergens. Results: Neither obesity measure nor insulin resistance was associated with atopy. Obesity was positively associated with asthma overall (odds ratio [OR] for obese vs normal BMI = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.76, 2.96; OR for obese vs normal waist circumference = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.22, 2.51) but insulin resistance was not (OR = 1.26; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.98). Obesity was also associated with nonatopic asthma (OR for obese vs normal BMI = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2, 5.2; OR for obese vs normal waist circumference = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.54), while obese BMI was also associated with atopic asthma (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.37, 3.03). Obesity remained independently associated with all asthma outcomes after controlling for insulin resistance. Conclusion: Obesity was independently associated with asthma, and atopic and nonatopic asthma, after controlling for insulin resistance and socio-demographic factors. There was no evidence that insulin resistance was associated with atopy or asthma.