cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GLIP: A Concurrency Control Protocol for Clipping Indexing

Multidimensional databases are beginning to be used in a wide range of applications. To meet this fast-growing demand, the R-tree family is being applied to support fast access to multidimensional data, for which the R+-tree exhibits outstanding search performance. In order to support efficient concurrent access in multiuser environments, concurrency control mechanisms for multidimensional indexing have been proposed. However, these mechanisms cannot be directly applied to the R+-tree because an object in the R+-tree may be indexed in multiple leaves. This paper proposes a concurrency control protocol for R-tree variants with object clipping, namely, Granular Locking for clipping indexing (GLIP). GLIP is the first concurrency control approach specifically designed for the R+-tree and its variants, and it supports efficient concurrent operations with serializable isolation, consistency, and deadlock-free. Experimental tests on both real and synthetic data sets validated the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed concurrent access framework.
Quaternion Analysis Tools for Engineering and Scientific Applications

Q UATERNION algebra has found a number of applications for engineering and scientific problems, including fluidmechanics [1], quantum mechanics [2,3], robotics [4,5], and spacecraft attitude control [5,6]. Unfortunately, the literature available for supporting engineering applications is diffuse for matrix applications, as well as virtually nonexistent for handling scalar linear and quadratic equations. Very little general-purpose software is available for computing quaternion math models. This Note fills an unmet need for providing a convenient reference for quaternion calculations relevant to engineering and scientific applications. Equally important, the Note provides a compendium of examples and techniques for evaluating scalar linear and quadratic equations, as well as linear matrix equations, matrix inversion, and eigensolutions. Basic operations are defined for all intrinsic operations ( , , , =, ) and standard software library function (e.g., sin, cos, ln , exp, cosh,a tan, etc.). A comprehensive solution is presented for handling scalar linear equations, in which many special-case solutions are identified. Particular care is given to identifying the equation coefficient conditions required for generating singular solutions. Numerical algorithms are presented for solving scalar quadratic equations. A previously unknown singularity has been identified that has hampered the solution for quadratic equations, and a new algorithm is presented for analytically eliminating the quadratic matrix-valued singularity for solving scalar quadratic equations. Three strategies are presented for handlingN Nmatrix operations: 1) purely N N quaternion operations, 2) dimension-doubling routines using 2N 2N complex operations, and 3) dimensionquadrupling 4N 4N real operations.Many numerical examples are presented in which Quadpack95, a FORTRAN 95/2003 program developed by the author, is used for evaluating all of the quaternion calculations. II. Quaternion Math Models
A molecular dynamics study of the effect of pentacene polymorphs on C60 surface adsorption and diffusional properties and the tendency to form nanowires

Using atomic-scale molecular dynamics and energy minimisation techniques with semi-empirical molecular mechanics 3 potential energy functions, we consider the adsorption of a C60 molecule on pentacene in the known thin film and bulk phases and a series of hypothetical, variably angled, pentacene structures. The thin film phase has a more energetically isotropic surface than the bulk, and exhibits diffusion coefficients that are twice as high, potentially leading to preferable characteristics for ordered film growth. For the variably angled pentacene structures, where the long axis is parallel to the substrate, a relationship was discovered between the angle that the pentacene short axis makes with the surface normal (controlled by the underlying substrate) and the adsorption characteristics of C60. There is a transition of the dominant energy minima from between the pentacene rows at low values of ϕ1 to within the rows at high values of ϕ1, where ϕ1 is the angle the bottom pentacene short axis makes with ...
Aggregate Skyline: Analysis for Online Users

Aggregation is among the core functionalities of OLAP systems. Frequently, such queries are issued in decision support systems to identify interesting groups of data. In conventional settings, the queries take a long time to compute (hours!) and produce massive result-sets at varying degrees of aggregation. Providing real time analysis results to web users can enhance the utility of sites dealing with large amounts of data. However, to do so, needs succinct ways of capturing interesting analysis results rather than complex offline analysis. The result set should be presentable in a few web pages. Furthermore, such results should be computed quickly and updated in the background whenever possible. We propose skyline queries over aggregated data as a means of providing succinct but interesting analysis results. We support aggregation functions from a large class of monotonous functions that can be specified at runtime, thereby allowing user customization of the analysis. We explore a family of algorithms which try to consume only as many data records as are necessary to compute the skyline and identify an optimal algorithm within the family. We further refine the algorithm by taking into account system issues such as disk behavior which are often ignored but have strong impact on real system performance. Experimental results provide strong validation for the performance and progressive nature of the algorithm.
SDX: a software defined internet exchange

BGP severely constrains how networks can deliver traffic over the Internet. Today's networks can only forward traffic based on the destination IP prefix, by selecting among routes offered by their immediate neighbors. We believe Software Defined Networking (SDN) could revolutionize wide-area traffic delivery, by offering direct control over packet-processing rules that match on multiple header fields and perform a variety of actions. Internet exchange points (IXPs) are a compelling place to start, given their central role in interconnecting many networks and their growing importance in bringing popular content closer to end users. To realize a Software Defined IXP (an "SDX"), we must create compelling applications, such as "application-specific peering"---where two networks peer only for (say) streaming video traffic. We also need new programming abstractions that allow participating networks to create and run these applications and a runtime that both behaves correctly when interacting with BGP and ensures that applications do not interfere with each other. Finally, we must ensure that the system scales, both in rule-table size and computational overhead. In this paper, we tackle these challenges and demonstrate the flexibility and scalability of our solutions through controlled and in-the-wild experiments. Our experiments demonstrate that our SDX implementation can implement representative policies for hundreds of participants who advertise full routing tables while achieving sub-second convergence in response to configuration changes and routing updates.
Occupational Therapy Students' Attitudes Toward Service Learning

Service-learning experiences have been implemented in occupational therapy curriculums for a variety of purposes directed toward students' understanding the aging population. However, few studies have examined how the students' attitudes are affected by the service-learning experience. Sixty-eight occupational therapy students in a required geriatrics course engaged in service learning with elders. They were given a pre- and posttest and participated in focus groups to measure attitudes. Their attitudes prior to and after the experience demonstrated little change. The experiences seemed to change their perceptions from an idealistic outlook to a more realistic one, which may better prepare them for practice.
Polymerase (Pol) III TATA Box-Binding Protein (TBP)-Associated Factor Brf Binds to a Surface on TBP Also Required for Activated Pol II Transcription

The TATA box-binding protein (TBP) plays an essential role in transcription by all three eukaryotic nuclear RNA polymerases, polymerases (Pol) I, II, and III. In each case, TBP interacts with class-specific TBP-associated factors (TAFs) to form class-specific transcription initiation factors. For yeast Pol III transcription, TBP associates with Brf (from TFIIB-related factor) and B", two Pol III TAFs, to form Pol III transcription factor TFIIIB. Here, we identify TBP surface residues that are required for interaction with yeast Pol III TAFs. Ninety-one human TBP surface residue mutants with radical substitutions were analyzed for the ability to form stable gel shift complexes with purified Brf and B" and for their activities for in vitro synthesis of yeast U6 snRNA. Mutations in a large positively charged epitope extending from the top (that is, on the surface opposite the DNA-facing “saddle” of TBP) and onto the side of the first TBP repeat inhibited binding to Brf (residues K181, L185, R186, E206, R231, L232, R235, K236, R239, Q242, K243, K249, and F250). A triple-mutant TBP (R231E + R235E + R239S) had greatly reduced activity for yeast U6 snRNA gene transcription while remaining active for Pol II basal transcription. Similar results were observed when selected mutations were introduced into yeast TBP at equivalent positions. A C-terminal fragment of Brf lacking the region of homology with TFIIB retains the ability to bind TBP-DNA complexes (G. Kassavetis, C. Bardeleben, A. Kumar, E. Ramirez, and E. P. Geiduschek, Mol. Cell. Biol. 17:5299–5306, 1997); the same TBP mutations reduced binding by this fragment. Mutations in TBP residues that interact with TFIIB did not affect Brf binding or U6 gene transcription. These results indicate that Brf and TFIIB interact differently with TBP. An extensively overlapping epitope on the top surface of TBP was found previously to be required for activated Pol II transcription and has been hypothesized to interact with Pol II TAFs. Our results map the surface of TBP that interacts with Brf and suggest that Pol II and Pol III TAFs interact with the same surface of TBP.
Dietary fructose induces a wide range of genes with distinct shift in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in fed and fasted rat liver

Dietary fructose has been suspected to contribute to development of metabolic syndrome. However, underlying mechanisms of fructose effects are not well characterized. We investigated metabolic outcomes and hepatic expression of key regulatory genes upon fructose feeding under well defined conditions. Rats were fed a 63% (w/w) glucose or fructose diet for 4 h/day for 2 weeks, and were killed after feeding or 24-hour fasting. Liver glycogen was higher in the fructose-fed rats, indicating robust conversion of fructose to glycogen through gluconeogenesis despite simultaneous induction of genes for de novo lipogenesis and increased liver triglycerides. Fructose feeding increased mRNA of previously unidentified genes involved in macronutrient metabolism including fructokinase, aldolase B, phosphofructokinase-1, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and carbohydrate response element binding protein (ChREBP). Activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme for ChREBP activation, remained elevated in both fed and fasted fructose groups. In the fasted liver, the fructose group showed lower non-esterified fatty acids, triglycerides and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein mRNA, suggesting low VLDL synthesis even though plasma VLDL triglycerides were higher. In conclusion, fructose feeding induced a broader range of genes than previously identified with simultaneous increase in glycogen and triglycerides in liver. The induction may be in part mediated by ChREBP.
Emerging oral antiplatelet therapies for acute coronary syndromes.

AbstractEmergency department physicians, along with hospitalists and interventional cardiologists, provide first-line care for patients experiencing symptoms potentially associated with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Because these health care providers encounter and manage patients with varying degrees of risk, a clear understanding of the modes of action, benefits, and limitations of various therapeutic options is crucial for achieving optimal outcomes in the acute-care setting. Oral antiplatelet therapy has a major role in the acute care of patients with suspected ACS due to the critical role of platelets in the pathophysiology of disease. The current standard-of-care oral antiplatelet therapy for ACS is aspirin in combination with a P2Y12 adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor antagonist, most commonly clopidogrel. Aspirin and P2Y12 antagonists have both demonstrated efficacy in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with ACS, but are also associated with increased bleeding risk compared with cont...
Heterodera glycines Infection Increases Incidence and Severity of Brown Stem Rot in Both Resistant and Susceptible Soybean

Tabor, G. M., Tylka, G. L., Behm, J. E., and Bronson, C. R. 2003. Heterodera glycines infection increases incidence and severity of brown stem rot in both resistant and susceptible soybean. Plant Dis. 87:655-661. Growth chamber experiments were conducted to investigate whether parasitism by Heterodera glycines, the soybean cyst nematode, increases incidence and severity of brown stem rot (BSR) of soybean, caused by Phialophora gregata, in both resistant and susceptible soybean cultivars. Soybean genotypes with various combinations of resistance and susceptibility to both pathogens were inoculated with P. gregata alone or P. gregata plus H. glycines. In most tests of H. glycines-susceptible genotypes, incidence and severity of internal stem discoloration, characteristic of BSR, was greater in the presence than in the absence of H. glycines, regardless of susceptibility or resistance to BSR. There was less of an increasing effect of H. glycines on stem symptoms in genotypes resistant to both BSR and H. glycines; however, P. gregata colonization of these genotypes was increased. Stems of both a BSR-resistant and a BSRsusceptible genotype were colonized earlier by P. gregata in the presence than in the absence of H. glycines. Our findings indicate that H. glycines can increase the incidence and severity of BSR in soybean regardless of resistance or susceptibility to either pathogen. Additional keywords: BSR, pathogen interaction, Phialophora gregata, SCN
Polystyrenes -- A Review of the Literature on the Products of Thermal Decomposition and Toxicity

The current English literature through 1984 on the products of pyrolysis and combustion from polystyrenes and the toxicity of those products is reviewed. Among 57 compounds detected by chemical analyses of the thermal decomposition products produced under various atmospheric conditions (vacuum, inert and oxidative), the main volatile component is the styrene monomer, Evidence is provided that the mass fraction of styrene increases with furnace temperatures at least through 500°C. At 800°C and above, the concentration of styrene decreases. In oxidative atmospheres, carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxidative hydrocarbons are formed. The concentrations of CO and CO2 are a function of temperature and combustion conditions, i.e. greater amounts are produced in the flaming than in the non-flaming mode. Eleven different test procedures were used to evaluate the toxicity of the pyrolysis and combustion atmospheres of polystyrenes. The more toxic environments produced under flaming conditions appear to be mainly attributed to CO and CO2 but rather to some other toxicant, probably the styrene monomer. When compared with other common materials used in buildings and residences, polystyrenes, in general, are among the least toxic.
Fail-safe testing of safety-critical systems: a case study and efficiency analysis

This paper proposes an approach for testing of safety-critical systems. It is based on a behavioral and a fault model. The two models are analyzed for compatibility, and necessary changes are identified to make them compatible. Then, transformation rules are used to transform the fault model into the same model type as the behavioral model. Integration rules define how to combine them. This approach results in an integrated model which then can be used to generate tests using a variety of testing criteria. The paper illustrates this general framework using a CEFSM for the behavioral model and a fault tree for the fault model. We apply the technique to an aerospace launch system. We also investigate the scalability of the approach and compare its efficiency with integrating a state chart and a fault tree.
Spontaneous redistribution after reperfusion: A unique property of AIP 201, an ultrasound contrast agent☆

Abstract Objectives. We sought to determine the mechanism of spontaneous redistribution of AIP 201 microbubbles after reperfusion from a single left heart injection performed during coronary occlusion. Background. AIP 201, an ultrasound contrast agent consisting of 10-μm sized microbubbles, has demonstrated spontaneous myocardial redistribution in preliminary studies. Methods. Myocardial video intensity (VI) and radiolabeled microsphere-derived myocardial blood flow (MBF) were measured serially after reperfusion in seven dogs undergoing an AIP 201 injection during coronary occlusion. The behavior of these bubbles was also assessed in the rat spinotrapezius muscle using intravital microscopy (IM), both with and without ultrasound. The effect of ultrasound on these bubbles was also determined in vitro. Results. A spontaneous and gradual increase in myocardial VI was noted after reperfusion, which was related to the magnitude of increase in MBF to that region (r = 0.82, p Conclusions. The magnitude of redistribution of AIP 201 microbubbles to the reperfused myocardium is related to changes in MBF and occurs from their dislodgement from microbubble aggregates entrapped in large arterioles. In vitro microbubble aggregation seen during ultrasound exposure was not reproduced in vivo. These results may have important implications for studying the effects of interventions in acute coronary syndromes and after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
ACUTE PULMONARY EFFECTS OF INHALED WOLLASTONITE FIBERS ARE DEPENDENT ON FIBER DIMENSIONS AND AEROSOL CONCENTRATIONS

Occupational exposure to asbestos fibers has been associated with the development of pulmonary fibrosis (i.e., asbestosis), bronchogenic carcinoma and mesothelioma. Therefore, the commercial use of asbestos is likely to be curtailed or limited in the near future and mineral fiber substitutes are currently being promoted to fill the void. Wollastonite fibers are natural acicular calcium silicate minerals which have been proposed as alternatives for asbestos in applications such as brake linings, wallboard and insulation materials. Wollastonite fiber diameters are generally in the 1–10 µm range with an average diameter of 3.5 µm (Vu, 1988).
Cloud regime evolution in the Indian monsoon intraseasonal oscillation: Connection to large-scale dynamical conditions and the atmospheric water budget

We examine the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) of the Indian summer monsoon to establish the connections of cloud regimes to large-scale dynamical states defined by dynamical convergence and moisture advection. Over the Indian subcontinent, the developing phase toward ISO peaks (rainfall maximum) is associated with positive anomalies of moisture advection leading in 4–6 days to positive anomalies of dynamical convergence, triggering abrupt transitions from shallow cumulus to deep convections in 1–2 days. The decaying phase toward ISO troughs (rainfall minima) is associated with negative anomalies of moisture advection and decreasing dynamical convergence, accompanying opposite transitions in cloud regimes. Due to northward propagation of anomalies, processes over the Indian Ocean are similar but lead those over the subcontinent by ~10 days. During the transitions cirrus clouds always accompany but lag deep convective clouds by ~10 days. Over the equatorial Indian Ocean cirrus clouds are modulated by equatorial waves.
Conditional Survival as a Patient Centered Metric for Patients with Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma

Prognosis of appendiceal adenocarcinoma patients is based on burden of disease, histology, and nature of therapy, which remains static despite time in follow-up. We hypothesized that conditional survival provides an informative metric that allows patients better understanding of their disease. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database, patients with appendiceal adenocarcinoma from 1988 to 2012 were included. Actuarial Life table analyses and Kaplan–Meier curves were used for statistical inference. Of 5,952 patients, the median age was 60 years (IQR 50–72) and 52 % were female. Histologies included were adenocarcinoma (NOS 37 %), mucinous adenocarcinoma (MA 53 %), and signet ring cell (SRC 10 %). Five-year overall survival (OS) at diagnosis for patients with metastatic disease was 11 % (NOS), 45 % (MA), and 8 % (SRC), respectively. Annual conditional probability of survival from years 1–5 after diagnosis for patients with SRC with metastatic disease was 55, 60, 68, 55, and 82 % compared with 84, 86, 86, 88, and 92 % with MA. Probability of surviving the first year after extended surgery was 77 % (NOS), 85 % (MA), and 75 % (SRC). Those that survived 5 years after surgery had a 94 % (NOS), 93 % (MA), and 86 % (SRC) probability of surviving the sixth year. In the setting of dismal cumulative probability of survival (or overall survival), conditional probability is more informative in providing prognostication. This distinction might be important for patients especially with SRC who may live in constant fear of disease. Such data can be used to reassure patients and perhaps modify surveillance strategies for patients.
Strengthening Auditor Independence by Reducing the Need for it: Reestablishing Audits as Control and Premium Signaling Mechanisms

As recent scandals have demonstrated, ensuring the independence of auditors from the publicly traded clients whose books they inspect is one of the most vexing problems in the financial world today. Arguably, the imposition of a mandatory audit system through the 1930s federal securities laws created the modern problem of auditor independence. Since then, numerous attempts to fix the problem have failed. The core issue is that the statutory audit is simply a commodified cost of doing business for issuers that imposes an impossible obligation to serve an unspecified "investing public" on the auditors. Yet, this investing public neither hires, fires, nor controls the auditors. Instead, the audit relationship is managed by the board of the company being audited. The resultant conflict of interest has proven to be insurmountable even after multiple reform efforts. The conceptual solution is to both "decommodify" the audit and place control of it squarely in the hands of shareholders. To achieve this, the author proposes a tripartite remedy: first, the SEC should retire its "statutory audit" rules under the 1934 Securities Exchange Act (while retaining the public offering audit requirements of the 1933 Securities Act) in favor of market-driven private audits; second, state corporations law or federal securities law should be altered to give an express audit right to shareholders that they would exclusively control, with expenses reimbursed by the company; and third, the licensing and regulation of CPAs must be strengthened and either harmonized or unified.
Polydiacetylene-coated polyvinylidene fluoride strip aptasensor for colorimetric detection of zinc(II).

We report a new polydiacetylene (PDA) sensor strip for simple visual detection of zinc ions in aqueous solution. The specificity of this sensor comes from Zn2+ DNA aptamer probes conjugated onto PDA. Effects of aptamer length and structure on the sensitivity of PDA’s color transition were first investigated. PDA conjugated with the optimal aptamer sequence was then coated onto a strip of polyvinylidene fluoride membrane and photopolymerized by UV exposure. The newly developed sensor successfully exhibited a blue-to-red chromatic change in a semi-quantitative manner in response to zinc ions. No discernable change was observed in solutions containing other common ions. Advantages of this sensor include its ease of fabrication, high specificity, and equipment-free detection, all of which are desirable for in-field applications and use in resource-limited settings.
Fertility of blind women

Light and light-dark cycles have a marked effect in regulating the reproductive cycles of some mammals. During long nights and short days or after blinding, gonadal atrophy will occur in the Syrian Golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus . This phenomenon has been shown to be mediated by stimulation of the pineal gland .' Moreover, the light-dark cycle may have a similar endocrine effect in human beings under certain circumstances. For example, in northern Finland most conceptions occur during the summer .2 However, a preliminary study of blind women indicated that blindness seems to have no longterm effect on fertility . 3 The present study includes data from the preliminary study as well as additional data gathered since that time .
Can we make a carpet smart enough to detect falls

In this paper, we have enhanced smart carpet, which is a floor based personnel detector system, to detect falls using a faster but low cost processor. Our hardware front end reads 128 sensors, with sensors output a voltage due to a person walking or falling on the carpet. The processor is Jetson TK1, which provides more computing power than before. We generated a dataset with volunteers who walked and fell to test our algorithms. Data obtained allowed examining data frames (a frame is a single scan of the carpet sensors) read from the data acquisition system. We used different algorithms and techniques, and varied the windows size of number of frames (WS ≥ 1) and threshold (TH) to build our data set, which later used machine learning to help decide a fall or no fall. We then used the dataset obtained from applying a set of fall detection algorithms and the video recorded for the fall pattern experiments to train a set of classifiers using multiple test options using the Weka framework. We measured the sensitivity and specificity of the system and other metrics for intelligent detection of falls. Results showed that Computational Intelligence techniques detect falls with 96.2% accuracy and 81% sensitivity and 97.8% specificity. In addition to fall detection, we developed a database system and web applications to retain these data for years. We can display this data in realtime and for all activities in the carpet for extensive data analysis any time in the future.
Application of Urologic Ultrasound in Pelvic and Transplant Kidneys

This chapter will address the assessment of conditions associated with congenital pelvic and transplant kidneys utilizing ultrasound imaging. The diagnostic and interventional role of ultrasound in allografts will also be reviewed.
Enabling new pedagogies in operating systems and networking courses with state of the art open source kernel and virtualization technologies

This paper discusses the design and implementation of a set of laboratories for undergraduate courses in Operating Systems Concepts (OSC) and Networking (NET). More specifically, we focus on exploring how state of the art Linux kernel and virtualization technologies can be leveraged to implement new pedagogical strategies focused on problem-based, active and authentic learning. The Linux Loadable Kernel Modules (LKM) technology is leveraged to scaffold the learning of a production-level kernel's internals in OSC labs which draw their inspiration from root-kit development techniques. The User Mode Linux (UML) and Manage Large Networks (MLN) virtualization and provisioning technologies are deployed in networking labs to allow students to experiment hands-on with virtual networks created on-demand to illustrate widely used networking protocols. We focus on establishing the benefits of the proposed approaches by stressing the topics and pedagogies they enable instructors to engage their students in, compared to existing educational practices
Influence of sex on the number of circulating endothelial microparticles and microRNA expression in middle‐aged adults

What is the central question of this study? Are there sex-related differences in the number of circulating endothelial microparticles (EMPs) and microparticle microRNA expression in middle-aged adult humans? What is the main finding and its importance? Although the numbers of circulating endothelial microparticles do not differ between middle-aged men and women, there are sex-related differences in the expression of miR-125a in activation-derived EMPs and miR-34a in apoptosis-derived EMPs. Differences in circulating endothelial microparticle microRNA content may provide new insight into the sex-related disparity in the risk and prevalence of vascular disease in middle-aged adults. The aims of this study were to determine: (i) whether circulating concentrations of endothelial microparticles (EMPs) differ in middle-aged men compared with women; and (ii) whether there are sex-related differences in microRNA expression in EMPs. Peripheral blood was collected from 30 sedentary adults: 15 men (56 ± 6 years old) and 15 women (56 ± 5 years old). Endothelial microparticles were defined by markers of activation (CD62e+ ) or apoptosis (CD31+ /CD42b- ) by flow cytometry. Expression of microRNA (miR-34a, 92a, 125a and 126) in activation- and apoptosis-derived EMPs was measured by RT-PCR. Circulating activation- (33 ± 31 versus 39 ± 35 microparticles μl-1 ) and apoptosis-derived EMPs (49 ± 54 versus 42 ± 43 microparticles μl-1 ) were not significantly different between men and women. Expression of miR-125a (2.23 ± 2.01 versus 6.95 ± 3.99 a.u.) was lower (∼215%; P < 0.05) in activation-derived EMPs, whereas expression of miR-34a (1.17 ± 1.43 versus 0.38 ± 0.35 a.u.) was higher (∼210%; P < 0.05) in apoptosis-derived EMPs from men compared with women. Expression of microRNA in circulating EMPs may provide new insight into sex-related differences in cardiovascular disease.
Aging and Non-sirtuin Histone Modifications

Histones, once thought of as static structural elements, are now known to be dynamic and integral elements of the machinery responsible for regulating gene transcription. Modification of histones and/or DNA can alter the strength of their association and thus, together, modulate transcriptional activity. Acetylation of histones neutralizes their positively charged, lysine-rich amino-terminal tails, loosening the histone–DNA contacts, thus making DNA more accessible at these specific sites for transcription. It is widely accepted that there is a direct correlation between histone acetylation and transcriptional activity for a given segment of chromatin. Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) facilitate histone acetylation and are thus believed to act as transcriptional activators. In contrast, histone deacetylases (HDACs) remove acetyl groups from histones and thereby repress transcription by compacting DNA. The balance between the activity of HATs and HDACs regulates transcription, but with aging this balance is lost, leading to either gene overactivity (e.g., in cancer cells) or gene repression that can lead to neurodegeneration during the aging process.
Appropriate Use of Prophylactic Antibiotic Agents in Gynecologic Surgeries at a Midwestern Teaching Hospital.

Abstract Background: The purpose of this study was to establish compliance with guidelines published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) regarding prophylactic antibiotic use in gynecologic surgery at our institution, and define areas of improvement to promote antibiotic stewardship. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study at a single, large tertiary care and teaching hospital in Kansas. Patients who underwent inpatient or outpatient gynecologic surgery during 2013 were included. Based on published guidelines for prophylactic antibiotic agents for gynecologic surgery by ACOG, procedures were classified as antibiotic-indicated or antibiotic-not-indicated. Chi-square and Fisher exact test analysis were used to identify factors associated with antibiotic use. Results: Of the 1,735 cases eligible for inclusion, 1,045 (60.2%) had antibiotic agents recommended per guidelines, and appropriate antibiotic agents were given in 1,031 (98.7%) of those cases. In 690 (3...
Identifying strain localization and dislocation processes in fatigued Inconel 718 manufactured from selective laser melting

Abstract The microstructure and fatigue behavior of additive manufactured Inconel 718 (IN718) were studied using digital image correlation (DIC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The samples were produced with selective laser melting and underwent two different heat treatments (stress relieved and fully post-processed) that produced different microstructures. The solidification process led to the formation of dendrites where misorientation between each branch was accommodated with dislocations, producing subgranular cell structures. EDS observations revealed that Ti and Nb segregate to the cell and grain boundaries, forming carbides. The stress relieved sample retained the cell boundaries, which acted as barriers for dislocation propagation, thereby distributing strain evenly throughout the microstructure. In contrast, the post-processed sample contained no cell boundaries, and strain was localized at the grain boundaries. Mechanical tests showed that the precipitates and the annealing twins in the post-processed sample were much more effective at improving the strength than small grain size and cell boundaries found in the stress relieved sample.
Priorities in the Cardiovascular Care of Breast Cancer Survivors

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women with more than 3 million breast cancer survivors in the United States alone. Survivors of breast cancer suffer from an increased burden of cardiovascular risk factors and disease. The focus of this review is to describe the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in breast cancer survivors, including the cardiovascular concerns observed with common cancer therapies. Strategies to improve upon the early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease, including clinical prediction algorithms, biomarkers, and imaging measures are also reviewed, and the use of cardioprotective therapies to mitigate risk are summarized. Finally, the need for evidence-based research to inform and improve upon the multidisciplinary care of this growing population is highlighted.
Retrograde jejunojejunal intussusception in a pregnant female after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Adult intussusception is a rare complication after laparoscopic Roux-En-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) surgery. Incidence of intussusception is on the rise as the demand of bariatric surgeries is increased to treat morbid obesity. Among the bariatric surgeries, LRYGB gastric bypass results in significantly higher weight loss with thinning of the mesentery resulting in increased risk for intussusception. Majority of intussusception cases after gastric bypass have been reported in non-pregnant patients. We report a case of retrograde jejunojejunal intussusception in 6 weeks pregnant female following laparoscopic gastric bypass, which was diagnosed with abdominal magnetic resonance imaging and managed successfully with resection and revision of the anastomosis.
Some Main Features of Modernization of Ancient Family Law in Thailand

Thailand is a country of statutory law. Even before the work on modern codes was first undertaken towards the end of the last century, the entire field of ordinary civil and criminal justice was covered by written law. Although much legislation enacted at various times embodied new or modified legal rules, most other legislation was simply the expression of long established custom, and ancient Thai family law was customary in this sense.
Numerical Experiments with Various Formulations for Two Phase Flow in Petroleum Reservoirs

Two phase immiscible flow in petroleum reservoirs is considered. Various formulations of the governing equations that describe this flow, including phase, global, and weighted formulations, are numerically experimented. Mixed finite element methods are used to solve these formulations. Our experiments show that the numerical results obtained using the phase and global formulations match well in terms of production rates, characterization curves, and water cuts.
Ultra Low Voltage SRAM Design

Aggressive scaling of the supply voltage to SRAMs greatly minimizes their active and leakage power, a dominating portion of the total power in an increasing number of applications. Hence, highly energy-constrained systems, where performance requirements are secondary, benefit greatly from SRAMs that provide read and write functionality at the lowest possible voltage, particularly down to 0.3 V. However, conventional bit-cells and architectures, designed to operate at nominal supply voltages, come far short of achieving the voltage scalability required. This chapter investigates the basic degradation mechanisms in the underlying MOSFET devices, and the resulting failures modes plaguing low-voltage SRAMs. Specific solutions to manage all of these are analyzed with respect to the associated density, performance, and power trade-offs. Actual design examples are cited that achieve full read and write functionality down to 0.3 V, where the leakage-power savings can exceed a factor of 50 compared to nominal supplies.
On the Use of Graph Transformation in the Formal Specification of Model Interpreters

Model-based development necessitates the transformation of models be- tween different stages and tools of the design process. These transformations must be precisely, preferably formally, specified, such that end-to-end semantic interoperability is maintained. The paper introduces a graph-transformation-based technique for spec- ifying these model transformations, gives a formal definition for the semantics of the transformation language, describes an implementation of the language, and illustrates its use through an example.
Managing cyclic vomiting syndrome in children: beyond the guidelines.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) in children is characterized by frequent hospitalizations, multiple comorbidities, and poor quality of life. In the absence of robust data, the treatment of CVS remains largely empiric starting with the 2008 NASPGHAN Consensus Statement recommendations of cyproheptadine for children < 5 years of age and amitriptyline for those ≥ 5 years with propranolol serving as the second-line agent. Comprehensive management begins with lifestyle alterations, and extends to medications, supplements, and stress reduction therapies. Standard drug therapy is organized by the four phases of the illness: (1) interictal (preventative medications and mitochondrial supplements), (2) prodromal (abortive agents), (3) vomiting (fluids/energy substrates, antiemetics, analgesics, and sedatives) and (4) recovery (supportive care and nutrition). Because the response to treatment is heterogeneous, clinicians often trial several different preventative strategies including NK1 antagonists, cautious titration of amitriptyline to higher doses, anticonvulsants, Ca2+-channel blockers, and other TCA antidepressants. When the child remains refractory to treatment, reconsideration of possible missed diagnoses and further mono- or combination therapy and psychotherapy can be guided by accompanying comorbidities (especially anxiety), specific subphenotype, and when available, genotype. For hospital intervention, IV fluids with 10% dextrose, antiemetics, and analgesics can lessen symptoms while effective sedation in some instances can truncate severe episodes. Conclusion: Although management of CVS remains challenging to the clinician, approaches based upon recent literature and accumulated experience with subgroups of patients has led to improved treatment of the refractory and hospitalized patient.
A Preliminary Study of the Effect of Early Aerobic Exercise Treatment for Sport-Related Concussion in Males

Objective:To study the effect of early prescribed aerobic exercise versus relative rest on rate of recovery in male adolescents acutely after sport-related concussion (SRC).Design:Quasi-experimental design.Setting:University sports medicine centers.Participants:Exercise group (EG, n = 24, 15.13 ± 1.
Optimal trajectory generation for time-to-contact based aerial robotic perching

Many biological organisms (e.g. insects, birds, and mammals) rely on the perception of an informational variable called time-to-contact (TTC) to control their motion for various tasks such as avoiding obstacles, landing, or interception. TTC, defined as the required time to contact an object if the current velocity is maintained, has been recently leveraged for robot motion control in various tasks. However, most existing robotic applications of TTC simply control the TTC to be constant or constantly decreasing, without fully exploring the applicability for TTC. In this paper, we propose two-stage TTC based strategies and apply them to aerial robotic perching. With the proposed strategies, we can generate reference trajectories for TTC to realize the non-zero contact velocity required by perching, which is impossible for constant or constantly decreasing TTC strategy, but of critical importance for robust perching performance. We conduct simulations to verify the superiority of the proposed strategies in terms of shorter time for perching and satisfying more constraints. Further, with properly designed controllers, we perform experiments on a palm-size quadcopter to track the planned reference trajectories and realize aerial robotic perching. The research presented in this paper can be readily applied to the control of flying robot for perching with visual feedback, and can inspire more alternative forms of TTC based planning and control for robotic applications.
How Not to be a Troll: Practicing Rhetorical Technofeminism in Online Comments

Abstract This article addresses the problem of toxic troll commenting culture through a rhetorical technofeminist approach that sits at the intersections of technologies, bodies, identities, power, and rhetoric. From this rhetorical technofeminist framework, we analyze toxic commenting culture and offer creative possibilities for resisting such oppressive power formations and social practices. We apply the framework to a first-year writing seminar to analyze and confront toxic commenting culture before offering additional research and pedagogical sites to address socio-technological challenges and oppressive power formations in society.
Activation behavior for ion permeation in ion-exchange membranes: Role of ion dehydration in selective transport

Abstract We explored the mechanisms governing the selectivity of anion- and cation-exchange membranes for the transport of four monovalent anions (i.e., fluoride, chloride, bromide, and nitrate) and four monovalent cations (i.e., sodium, potassium, cesium, and ammonium), respectively. Our ion adsorption and transport tests with mixed ion solutions reveal that an ion with larger ionic radius and lower hydration energy is more favorably adsorbed onto the ion-exchange membrane but diffuses more slowly through the polymer matrix compared to an ion with smaller ionic radius and higher hydration energy. Individual anion (as sodium salt) or cation (as chloride salt) permeation tests at different temperatures were performed to evaluate the activation behavior of ion transport through the ion-exchange membranes by calculating the energy barrier and pre-exponential factor (i.e., the ion flux when the energy barrier is negligible) for ion transport from an Arrhenius-type equation. Our results show that an ion with smaller ionic radius and higher hydration energy experiences higher energy barrier (e.g., fluoride, 10.3 kcal mol−1) and possesses higher pre-exponential factor compared to an ion with larger ionic radius and lower hydration energy (e.g., bromide, 4.6 kcal mol−1). This correlation corroborates our main hypothesis that the activation behavior observed for ion transport is a result of ion dehydration at the water-membrane interface. Our proposed ion selectivity mechanism elucidates how ion dehydration governs the extent of ion permeation into the membrane and the subsequent transport through the charged polymer matrix. Future membrane design that promotes dehydration of target ions is challenging but can result in unprecedented ion selectivity.
The Coming of the Fifteenth Amendment: The Republican Party and the Right to Vote in the Early Reconstruction Era

The year 2019 marks the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of one of the most significant moments in American constitutional history. On February, 25, 1869, more than two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives approved the proposed Fifteenth Amendment. The next day, the Senate followed suit, and the proposed amendment was sent to the state legislatures for ratification. After being ratified by the requisite number of states, the Fifteenth Amendment became the last of the three Reconstruction amendments that fundamentally transformed both the structure of the Constitution and the nature of American federalism. The Fifteenth Amendment differed from its predecessors in a number of important ways. First, it was the only one of the Reconstruction amendments and remains the only part of the entire Constitution to focus explicitly on race. In addition, the amendment became the first provision of the Constitution to limit the power of the state governments to establish the qualifications for voters in elections for state office, providing that “[t]he right of citizens…to vote…shall not be denied or abridged…on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude” and also vesting Congress with the authority to enforce this command by adopting “appropriate legislation.” Thus, among other things, the Fifteenth Amendment provided the most plausible source of congressional authority for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965—a statute which was and continues to be, by any standard, one of the most important civil rights measures ever adopted by Congress. Nonetheless, unlike the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, legal scholars have shown little or no interest in exploring the background of the Fifteenth Amendment. This article is the first to describe both the sequence of events that led to the passage and ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment and the forces that shaped the amendment itself.
Histological and chemical analysis of human iliac crest cartilage. I. Observations on trunk growth.

The iliac crest is a traction epiphysis where large bundles of collagen fibers insert. In the child it is formed by a large mass of hyaline cartilage overlying a growth plate. Cartilage cell divisions in the hyaline cartilage and in the growth plate are more numerous during both periods of rapid trunk growth, infancy and adolescence. Enchondral ossification as seen in the long bones occurs in the iliac crest growth plate in between areas where calcification and ossification takes place resembling that at the insertions of certain ligaments. A secondary center of ossification develops in the middle of the crest cartilage during adolescence. In many areas bone forms directly over the cartilage, replacing it, resembling the “creeping replacement” observed in healing of aseptic bone necrosis. The galactosamine concentration in the iliac crest cartilage of normal children decreases sharply during the first two years of life. Then, it declines gradually until nine to twelve years of age, and then, again, increases until sixteen years of age. This increase takes place at the time when the adolescent growth spurt occurs. Glucosamine concentration remains nearly constant throughout the age range studied. Hydroxyproline increases sharply during infancy and stays unchanged thereafter.