cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TINU (Tubulointerstitial Nephritis Uveitis) Can Be Associated with Chorioretinal Scars

AbstractPurpose: To report a case series of patients with chorioretinal lesions secondary to tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis (TINU).Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients with TINU.Results: We found 4 patients (3 with a possible or probable diagnosis of TINU and 1 with a definite diagnosis of TINU) and multiple chorioretinal lesions.Conclusion: Tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis usually presents with anterior uveitis, but chorioretinal lesions do occur and may facilitate the diagnosis.
Natural Crossing of Peanut in Virginia

Pedigreed natural crossing has been suggested as a technique for increasing the number of hybrids in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) breeding programs, when used in conjunction with the conventional crossing procedure. Since the success of this technique is dependent upon the natural crossing frequencies, a study was conducted from 1984-1986 to determine the current natural crossing frequency in Virginia peanut breeding plots. The cultivar Florigiant was used as the female parent, and the genetic line Krinkle was used as the male parent in a field plot each year. Krinkle has a dominant leaf characteristic easily identified in the hybrid progeny. Seed harvested from the Florigiant parent were planted in subsequent years, and the percentage of Krinkle plants determined for calculating the frequency of outcrossing. The frequency varied with environment from 2.8% in 1984 to 0.0% in 1986. The rate in 1984 was about four times the amount of natural crossing previously reported in Virginia. These results indicate that isolation distances between cultivars in seed fields may need to be greater than in current regulations, and cultivars need to be closely rogued for off-type plants during seed increase.
Size-Specific Mortality and Natural Selection in Freshwater Turtles

Abstract We present evidence of an opportunity to measure the strength of natural selection on body size through size-specific winter mortality of freshwater turtles. Data were collected from three overwintering sites along the Missouri River floodplain in central Missouri. Carcasses and live captures of four species indicated that mortality was nonrandomly distributed among species and may be explained by differences in overwintering behaviors. Analyses of mean body size within age classes for two species demonstrated standardized selection differentials ranging from 0.23–0.98 (standard deviation units) against small-sized (juvenile) individuals. Our study provides evidence of winterkill as a selective force on body size and of a possible adaptive mechanism for Bergmann's Rule.
Trends in mammography utilization for breast cancer screening in a Middle-Eastern country: Lebanon 2005–2013

Abstract Introduction In Lebanon, annual national breast awareness campaigns were started in 2002 during the international breast month of October to promote the utilization of mammography for women aged ≥40. The impact of the campaigns has been assessed periodically since 2003. Results of 2003–2005 campaigns have been published previously. Objectives To measure the prevalence of two behavioral outcomes of interest: ever-use of mammography, and repeat mammography in the previous 12 months among ever-users. The prevalence was described by region and age group. The aim was to document the effectiveness of the program towards reaching a nationally defined goal of 80% screening coverage. Methods The survey’s sampling frame was developed incrementally, and since 2005 it has included women aged ≥40 from all areas of Lebanon. The sample size has also increased incrementally from 1200 in 2005 to 2400 in 2013. Results have been tabulated biannually and presented as historical trends with regional and demographic variations covering a 9-year period. Results In all six consecutive surveys presented here, the mean age of participating women was about 50 years. Year-by-year increases in utilization indicators were detected, with consistent differences in favor of the more urban areas in and around the capital city Beirut and its suburbs (Greater Beirut or GB). By 2013, ever-utilization had reached 43% (41–45) and recent mammography 20% (18–22) nationwide. Utilization was significantly more important in the age group 50–59 compared with the age group 40–49 or ≥60. While recent rates have increased nationwide, they have reached a plateau of about 25% in GB and are tending to the same level in other areas. Discussion and conclusions While initial progress was slow, it has been accelerating in the last 4–5 years, indicating that the message is being accepted by a larger audience of targeted women at each iteration. However, concern remains that women between 40 and 50 and those >60 are not responding as well as desired to the screening message, for reasons currently under investigation.
Dibromido[1,1′-dibutyl-2,2′-(pentane-1,1-di­yl)di-1H-benzimidazole]­copper(II)

In the title compound, [CuBr2(C27H36N4)], the CuII ion exhibits a distorted tetra­hedral coordination geometry provided by two bromide ions and by chelation of two imine N-atom donors from a bis­(benzimidazole) ligand. Chelation results in a six-membered boat-shaped ring which links the benzimidazole groups. Each bis­(benzimidazole) fragment contains three n-butyl substituents, two of which have the expected trans conformation; the third exhibits the higher-energy cis conformation, an orientation consistent with several short intra­molecular C—H⋯Br inter­actions. Essentially planar (r.m.s. deviations of 0.0101 and 0.0183 A) benzimidazole groups are oriented so as to give the bis­(benzimidazole) fragment a V-shaped appearance in profile with the cis and trans n-butyl groups directed to opposite sides of the planes. In the crystal, columns of mol­ecules along the b-axis direction form layers parallel to the (202) planes. Within a given column, the mol­ecules are linked by C—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds. The mol­ecules in adjacent columns are also linked by inter­molecular C—H⋯π interactions, forming a three-dimensional network.
A theory of interactions between polarizable dielectric spheres

Surface charging or polarization can strongly affect the nature of interactions between charged dielectric objects, particularly when sharp dielectric discontinuities are involved. By relying on a generalized image method, we derive an analytical, perturbative theory of the polarization and the interactions between charged particles in many-body systems. The validity and accuracy of the theory are established by comparing its predictions to full-blown numerical solutions. The importance of polarizability is then demonstrated for clusters of dielectric spheres, as well as a periodic crystal of charged dielectric spheres arranged into a NaCl-type lattice. The analytical framework for understanding the consequences of polarization will enable molecular simulations of large systems of polarizable particles.
The Role of Dilution Gas in Plasma Deposition of Amorphous Hydrogenated Carbon

We have studied the effect of hydrogen dilution on the structural and optical properties of plasma-deposited amorphous hydrogenated carbon. Electron spin resonance reveals that the dangling bond density does not change with hydrogen dilution, presumably because there is an excess of hydrogen present during these depositions. Information from 13C NMR, however, shows that hydrogen dilution induces changes in composition, hydrogenation, sp2/sp3 carbon bonding ratio, and the size of sp2 bonded clusters. These changes modify the electronic band structure, as observed by shifts in optical measurements.
Liquefaction of Branches of Fraxinus Chinensis Roxb.in the Tetralin-phenol Hydrogen-donor Solvents

The effects of five factors on residue rate during the liquefaction of branches of Fraxinus chinensis Roxb.in tetralin-phenol hydrogen-donor solvents were investigated by orthogonal test.The optimal conditions were:reaction temperature 150℃,time 2.5h,mass ratio of wood to phenol 1∶6,catalyst(H2SO4) dosage 6.5%,tetralin dosage 20%.The liquefaction efficiency was 96% in above conditions.The sequence of factors were: timetemperaturemass ratio of wood to phonol=catalyst dosagetetralin dosage.The bigger of time,mass ratio of wood to phenol,and tetralin dosage,the smaller of residue rate of liquefaction or the higher of liquefaction efficiency.
Biomechanical model of batoid (skates and rays) pectoral fins predicts the influence of skeletal structure on fin kinematics: implications for bio-inspired design

Growing interest in the development of bio-inspired autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) has motivated research in understanding the mechanisms behind the propulsion systems of marine animals. For example, the locomotive behavior of rays (Batoidea) by movement of the pectoral fins is of particular interest due to their superior performance characteristics over contemporary AUV propulsion systems. To better understand the mechanics of pectoral fin propulsion, this paper introduces a biomechanical model that simulates how batoid skeletal structures function to achieve the swimming locomotion observed in nature. Two rays were studied, Dasyatis sabina (Atlantic ray), and Rhinoptera bonasus (cownose ray). These species were selected because they exhibit very different swimming styles (undulation versus oscillation), but all use primarily their pectoral fins for propulsion (unlike electric rays or guitarfishes). Computerized tomography scans of each species were taken to image the underlying structure, which reveal a complex system of cartilaginous joints and linkages. Data collected from these images were used to quantify the complete skeletal morphometry of each batoid fin. Morphological differences were identified in the internal cartilage arrangement between each species including variations in the orientation of the skeletal elements, or radials, and the joint patterns between them, called the inter-radial joint pattern. These data were used as the primary input into the biomechanical model to couple a given ray skeletal structure with various swimming motions. A key output of the model is an estimation of the uniaxial strain that develops in the skeletal connective tissue in order for the structure to achieve motions observed during swimming. Tensile load tests of this connective tissue were conducted to further investigate the implications of the material strain predictions. The model also demonstrates that changes in the skeletal architecture (e.g., joint positioning) will effect fin deformation characteristics. Ultimately, the results of this study can be used to guide the design of optimally performing bio-inspired AUVs.
Sunday rites or Sunday rights? Anglo-Jewish traders and the negotiability of the mid-century Sabbath

In 1936, the Shops (Sunday Trading Restriction) Act banned the Sunday serving of customers in England and Wales, thus implementing a ‘national’ day of rest for shopkeepers and their assistants. The statute made a controversial exception for ‘observant’ Jews to trade on Sunday morning, provided they closed their establishments on the Jewish (Saturday) Sabbath. This article analyses the previously unused records of the Jewish tribunal established as part of the 1936 Act, a legal-religious intermediary which examined the cases of Jewish traders accused of turning religious tolerance into commercial advantage by opening on both Saturday and Sunday. A close reading of this tribunal engages with scholarship on the struggles of small shopkeepers in the interwar and wartime periods, the manifestation of anti-Semitism in twentieth-century Britain, and new histories of individualism and lived religion. In the 1930s and 1940s, fascists, parliamentarians and even Anglo-Jewish community leaders pinpointed the opportun...
Inherited and acquired disorders of vitamin D metabolism.

Many human diseases have previously been characterized by their sensitivity or resistance to vitamin D, although direct information about mechanisms has been lacking. The development and application of radioisotopic materials and specific quantitative assays for vitamin D sterols have permitted direct analyses of vitamin D metabolism in patients affected by these diseases. Since there have been reviews of vitamin D metabolism in recent years (1–3), I shall confine this review to more recent studies of conditions which reflect inherited or birth-related, and acquired difficulties in vitamin D sterols’ supply, metabolism and biological effects.
The Impact of Metabolic Syndrome on 30-Day Complications Following Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background The arthroplasty population increasingly presents with comorbid conditions linked to elevated risk of postsurgical complications. Current quality improvement initiatives require providers to more accurately assess and manage risk presurgically. In this investigation, we assess the effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS), as well as the effect of body mass index (BMI) within MetS, on the risk of complication following hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods We queried the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for total hip or knee arthroplasty cases. Thirty-day rates of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)-reportable complications, wound complications, and readmissions were compared between patients with and without a diagnosis of MetS using multivariate logistic regression. Arthroplasty cases with a diagnosis of MetS were further stratified according to World Health Organization BMI class, and the role of BMI within the context of MetS was assessed. Results Of the 107,117 included patients, 11,030 (10.3%) had MetS. MetS was significantly associated with CMS complications (odds ratio [OR] = 1.415; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.306-1.533; P P P 40 group was associated with significantly higher risk of CMS complications, wound complications, and readmission compared to the lower MetS BMI groups. Conclusion MetS is an independent risk factor for CMS-reportable complications, wound complications, and readmission following total joint arthroplasty. The risk attributable to MetS exists irrespective of obesity class and increases as BMI increases.
Collaborative Random Faces-Guided Encoders for Pose-Invariant Face Representation Learning

Learning discriminant face representation for pose-invariant face recognition has been identified as a critical issue in visual learning systems. The challenge lies in the drastic changes of facial appearances between the test face and the registered face. To that end, we propose a high-level feature learning framework called “collaborative random faces (RFs)-guided encoders” toward this problem. The contributions of this paper are three fold. First, we propose a novel supervised autoencoder that is able to capture the high-level identity feature despite of pose variations. Second, we enrich the identity features by replacing the target values of conventional autoencoders with random signals (RFs in this paper), which are unique for each subject under different poses. Third, we further improve the performance of the framework by incorporating deep convolutional neural network facial descriptors and linking discriminative identity features from different RFs for the augmented identity features. Finally, we conduct face identification experiments on Multi-PIE database, and face verification experiments on labeled faces in the wild and YouTube Face databases, where face recognition rate and verification accuracy with Receiver Operating Characteristic curves are rendered. In addition, discussions of model parameters and connections with the existing methods are provided. These experiments demonstrate that our learning system works fairly well on handling pose variations.
Establishing the distribution of satellite lesions in intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer: implications for focused radiotherapy

In focused radiotherapy for prostate cancer (PC), a full dose of radiation is delivered to the index lesion while reduced dose is delivered to the remaining prostate to reduce morbidity. As PC is commonly multifocal, we investigated whether baseline clinical characteristics or multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) may be useful to predict the actual pathologic distribution of PC in men with intermediate- or high-risk PC, which may better inform how to deliver focused radiotherapy. A retrospective single-institutional study was performed on 71 consecutive men with clinically localized, intermediate- or high-risk PC who underwent mpMRI followed by radical prostatectomy (RP) from January 2012 to December 2012. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate preoperative predictors for satellite lesions. Performance characteristics of mpMRI to detect satellite lesions and the extent of prostate disease (one hemi-gland vs both) were also evaluated. In all, 50.7% had satellite lesions on mpMRI. On RP specimen analysis, 66.2% had satellite lesions and 55.3% of these satellite lesions had pathologic Gleason score (pGS)⩾3+4. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy for mpMRI detecting a satellite lesion being present in the RP specimen were 59.6%, 66.7%, 77.8%, 45.7% and 62.0%, respectively. The presence of MRI satellite lesions was the only preoperative predictor significantly associated with finding satellite lesions on final pathology (hazard ratio (HR), 2.95, P=0.040). There was agreement in 76.1% of the entire cohort for unilateral vs bilateral disease when incorporating both biopsy and mpMRI information and comparing with the RP specimen. In intermediate risk or greater PC, only the presence of mpMRI satellite lesions could predict for pathologic satellite lesions. While combining biopsy and mpMRI information may improve preoperative disease localization, the relatively high incidence of bilateral hemi-gland involvement with pGS ⩾7 satellite lesions makes it challenging to appropriately select men eligible for hemi-gland therapy.
The relationship between color cycles in home furnishings and apparel, 1969–2009

Fashion is visible in many product categories; color can be an important component in consumers’ product selection decisions. The current phenomenon of fast fashion suggests color cycles have shortened and overlapped between product categories, however no current research has explored the length or speed of color cycles in the current consumer-centric market. Three research questions concerning apparel and home furnishing furnishings were proposed, what (1) parallel color cycles or trends can be identified; (2) are the comparative lengths of color cycles in apparel and home furnishings; and (3) colors exhibited evidence of a time lag between 1969-2009. Content analysis was applied to colors seen in two interiors and two apparel magazines. Few parallel or sequential trends were observed between apparel and home furnishings. Overall, this research showed that color cycles in these consumer product sectors are complex phenomena that deserve more research.
Surviving at a distant site: The organotropism of metastatic breast cancer

Many cancers demonstrate a non-random distribution of sites for distant relapse while others have the propensity to metastasize to multiple organ systems. One of the notable recent findings is that the breast cancer subtypes differ not only in their biological characteristics as primary tumors but also in their capacity for metastatic progression. This information could potentially be utilized in treatment decision making and surveillance strategies.
Design of mechanical metamaterials for simultaneous vibration isolation and energy harvesting

Through finite element analysis and a 3D printing assisted experimental study, we demonstrate a design of mechanical metamaterials for simultaneous mechanical wave filtering and energy harvesting. The mechanical metamaterials compromise a square array of free-standing cantilevers featuring piezoelectric properties being attached to a primary structural frame. A complete bandgap has thus been created via the strong coupling of the bulk elastic wave propagating along the structural frame and the distributed local resonance associated with the square array of piezoelectrically active cantilevers. Operating within the stop-band, external vibration energy has been trapped and transferred into the kinetic energy of the cantilevers, which is further converted into electric energy through mechano-electrical conversion of its integrated piezoelectric elements. Therefore, two distinct functions, vibration isolation and energy harvesting, are achieved simultaneously through the designed mechanical metamaterials.
Modelling Receivables and Deferred Revenues to Detect Revenue Management

This study develops and calibrates a revenue accruals model. Changes in accounts receivable and deferred revenues are modelled using the respective income statement and cash flow numbers (i.e., revenues and cash flows from sales) that relate directly to the accruals’ origination and reversal. Compared to existing models, the proposed specification explains more variation in the data and, in simulations with seeded revenue manipulation, exhibits greater detection power and less bias. Furthermore, the abnormal revenue estimates are positively associated with cases of revenue misstatements identified by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Results imply that researchers, auditors, and regulators interested to detect earnings management should focus on modelling specific accruals. As a practical matter, to detect revenue management, they should consider broadening their scope to examine not only accounts receivable but also current and long‐term deferred revenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Design, Operation, and Modeling of a Vertical APCVD Reactor for Silicon Carbide Film Growth

An atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) reactor utilizing a unique vertical geometry which enables 3C-SiC films to be grown on two, 4-inch diameter Si wafers has been constructed. Contrary to expectations, 3C-SiC films grown in this reactor are thickest at the downstream end of the substrates. To better understand the reason for the thickness distribution on the wafers, an axisymmetric finite-element model of the gas flow in the reactor was constructed. The model uses the ANSYS53 Flowtran package and includes compressible and temperature-dependent fluid properties in laminar or turbulent flow. It does not include reaction chemistry or unsteady flow. The ANSYS53 results predict that the cool, inlet fluid falls through the inlet pipe and the warm, diffuser region like a jet. This jet impinges on top of the susceptor and gets diverted to the reactor side walls, where it flows to the bottom of the reactor, turns, and slowly rises along the face of the susceptor. This may explain why the SiC films are thickest at the downstream side of the wafers, as gas containing fresh reactants first passes over this region. Modeling results are presented for both one atmosphere and one half atmosphere reactor pressure.
Large-scale gradient elution chromatography

The goal of this chapter is to provide practical strategies for large scale separations by gradient elution chromatography. A detailed model has been developed for gradient elution systems considering interference effect, longitudinal diffusion, film mass transfer, intraparticle diffusion, mixing mechanism of the mobile phases, Langmuir-type adsorption and desorption kinetics. This detailed model can be solved by an efficient and robust numerical procedure. Hence, the optimizaton strategy of gradient elution has been developed through the calculation using this detailed model. This detailed model can precisely predict the band position, profile and width at various gradient concentrations, gradient periods, flowrates, and column lengths, in fair agreement with the experimental results. As a result of optimization, an optimal column length may exist. All the input parameters in this model have been either experimentally measured or estimated through empirical correlations. An alternative instrument for large-scale production using gradient elution has been suggested compared with conventional gradient elution instrument. The tolerance of the gradient elution processes to the fluctuation of input parameters has also been discussed.
Therapy of serious infections with cefamandole.

Forty-four patients with serious bacterial infections were treated with cefamandole in a dose of 1–2 g every four to six hours. Thirty-two patients were cured and six were markedly improved. Three of six failures were due to super-infection with cephalothin-resistant microorganisms. The overall bacteriologic response was 80%. In 12 of 13 patients with bacteremia the blood was sterilized. Ten of 14 patients with gram-negative bacillary infections responded to treatment. Six of these were due to cephalothin-resistant microorganisms, three of which responded. Fifteen patients who were treated had a history of penicillin allergy. There were no serious reactions although skin rash did develop. Phlebitis was uncommon.
Regaining Access to Capital Markets: An Overview of Issues and Strategies

This article discusses issues related to regaining market access for countries that have undergone sovereign debt restructurings. Defaults and restructurings may have adverse consequences for the debtor government’s access to capital post-crisis, leading to exclusion from capital markets and higher interest premia. However, the empirical evidence on this matter is inconclusive. While some earlier contributions conclude that default premia in sovereign credit markets are negligible, particularly in the medium and long run, more recent studies find that debt restructurings can have a substantial and longer-lasting impact on post-crisis market access conditions, with preemptive restructurings being associated with shorter periods of market exclusion. Strategies for regaining market access should be designed carefully, facilitated by enabling domestic macroeconomic and debt management strategies, and implemented when international financial conditions are favorable.
Eigen Decomposition of Cardiac Synchronous EEGs for Investigation of Neural Effects of Tempo and Cognition of Songs

There is growing evidence of palliative effects of listening to songs on neural and cardiovascular function. It is also known that listening to songs can entrain cardiac variability. These results suggest that the neural changes in response to listening to songs in turn affect cardiac rhythm. How these effects come about is less clearly known. Therefore, investigation of the changes in neural rhythms that are synchronous with cardiac rhythm is likely to shed further light on the mechanisms via which songs produce these effects. Towards this aim, we conducted eigen decomposition of cardiac-synchronized EEGs to investigate the effects of tempo and cognition by auditory stimuli (listening to songs). For evaluating the effects of tempo, songs of slow and fast tempo were used, and for cognition, each subjects' favorite song was used. ECG and six EEGs (F3, F4, T3, T4, P3, P4) were recorded as subjects listened to songs. For cardiac synchronization, R waves from the ECG were localized and the EEGs during 300-millisecond segments ending at each R wave were extracted. Eigen decomposition of the covariance matrix of these EEG segments was performed. Results from 14 subject showed that, compared with other locations, P3 appears to have the ability to discriminate between songs. All songs lowered the second and the third largest eigenvalues compared to control, among these, the slow tempo song induced more significant decreases in T3, T4 and P3. During the slow song, 80% of the variance in all six EEGs could be represented with less eigenvalue/vectors while during the favorite song this number was larger. These results show that eigen decomposition of cardiac synchronized EEGs has the potential to investigate effects of music on neural and cardiovascular systems.
Divorce Among Physicians and Medical Trainees.

Life was good. I had just completed my second year as an attending cardiologist and felt settled in my new, post-training life. I was engaged in meaningful work, earned a good income, experienced both autonomy and support, enjoyed my colleagues, and had reasonable work-life integration. I liked my
Comparison of Ideal Cardiovascular Health Attainment and Acculturation among Asian Americans and Latinos.

Objective: To determine the association between language and ideal cardiovascular health among Asian Americans and Latinos. Design/ Study Participants: Cross-sectional study using 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of Asian Americans (n=2,009) and Latinos (n=3,906). Interventions: Participants were classified according to language spoken at home (only/mostly English spoken, both English and native language spoken equally, or mostly/only native language spoken). Outcomes: Ideal, intermediate and poor cardiovascular health status for smoking, blood pressure, glucose level, and total cholesterol. Results: The majority of Asian Americans and Latinos had ideal smoking status, but those who only/mostly spoke English were more likely to smoke compared with those who spoke only/mostly spoke their native language. Approximately one third of Asian Americans and Latinos had intermediate (ie, borderline or treated to goal) levels of cardiovascular health for blood pressure, glucose level and total cholesterol. In ad­justed models, those who spoke only/mostly their native language were significantly less likely to have poor smoking or hyperten­sion status than those who spoke only/ mostly English. Among Latinos, only/mostly Spanish speakers were more likely to have poor/ intermediate glucose levels (PR=1.35, 95% CI =1.21, 1.49) than those who spoke only/ mostly English, becoming statistically non-significant after adjusting for education and income. Conclusion: We found significant variation in ideal cardiovascular health attainment by language spoken at home in two of the larg­est immigrant groups in the United States. Findings suggest the need for language and culturally tailored public health and clinical initiatives to reduce cardiovascular risk in di­verse populations. Ethn Dis. 2019;29(2):287- 296; doi:10.18865/ed.29.2.287
Self-reported social impairments predict depressive disorder in adults with autism spectrum disorder:

In adults with autism spectrum disorder, co-occurring psychiatric conditions are prevalent, and depression is one of the most common co-occurring disorders. This study examined the relationship bet...
Formulation of thrombin-inhibiting hydrogels via self-assembly of ionic peptides with peptide-modified polymers

Cell therapy for spinal cord injuries offers the possibility of replacing lost cells after trauma to the central nervous system (CNS). In preclinical studies, synthetic hydrogels are often co-delivered to the injury site to support survival and integration of the transplanted cells. These hydrogels ideally mimic the mechanical and biochemical features of a healthy CNS extracellular matrix while also providing the possibility of localized drug delivery to promote healing. In this work, we synthesize peptide-functionalized polymers that contain both a peptide sequence for incorporation into self-assembled peptide hydrogels along with bioactive peptides that inhibit scar formation. We demonstrate that peptide hydrogels formulated with the peptide-functionalized polymers possess similar mechanical properties (soft and shear-thinning) as peptide-only hydrogels. Small angle neutron scattering analysis reveals that polymer-containing hydrogels possess larger inhomogeneous domains but small-scale features such as mesh size remain the same as peptide-only hydrogels. We further confirm that the integrated hydrogels containing bioactive peptides exhibit thrombin inhibition activity, which has previously shown to reduce scar formation in vivo. Finally, while the survival of encapsulated cells was poor, cells cultured on the hydrogels exhibited good viability. Overall, the described composite hydrogels formed from self-assembling peptides and peptide-modified polymers are promising, user-friendly materials for CNS applications in regeneration.
How to Discover Antiviral Drugs Quickly.

Dynamic Developments in Screening Candidate Drugs Molecular-dynamics simulations together with virtual high-throughput screening provide a means of quick evaluation of existing drugs for antiviral ...
#StayCentred: Maintaining Personal Education at Centre College During COVID-19

The transition to a remote teaching and learning environment was quick and painful at times, and yet it was a learning experience for everyone. The chemists at Centre College utilized new (to them) technology to reimagine the typical face to face interactions with students and colleagues. From Slack to Pear Deck to Zoom classrooms, the faculty and students engaged with a variety of platforms to continue to learn remotely despite the challenges of the global pandemic. The faculty learned the value of utilizing different types of technology, and the students learned some important skills and content.
Assessment of Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking: Measuring APA Goal 2 Student Learning Outcomes:

Goal 2 of the APA Goals for Undergraduate Major in Psychology, Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking, addresses the development of scientific reasoning and problem-solving, including effective r...
Direct Travel Time of X-ray Class Solar Storms

Plasma from solar events such as coronal mass ejections and solar flares can impact the Earth’s magnetosphere and cause disruptions of electrical systems on the ground. Warning systems exist to help prepare people for possible disruptions. Generally, it is thought that there would be a few days’ warning. However, larger flares on the scale of the Carrington Event have much faster travel times. For X-ray class flares above X of 17 with data available, all have travel times to one astronomical unit of 30 h or less. Since those are more likely to have the greatest impact on the operation of electrical systems, their travel time is more important than the average event.
Perspective on advances in InAsSb type II superlattices grown on virtual substrates

Metamorphic InAs1−xSbx/InAs1−ySby strained layer superlattice (SLS) structures allow for great flexibility of engineering artificial band structures and, therefore, the design of new optical and electrical properties. By using tailored virtual substrates, the average lattice constant of the SLS can be chosen anywhere between 0.606 nm (InAs) and 0.648 nm (InSb), which allows for flexibility in the choice of compositions and thicknesses of the constituent layers. These parameters can then be tuned in a wide range, which is not possible when using binary substrates. Specifically, the layer thicknesses can be nearly arbitrarily small. Short period InAs1−xSbx/InAs1−ySby SLSs exhibit strong optical absorption and improved perpendicular carrier transport and can demonstrate Dirac-type carrier dispersion, a large g-factor, and deep band inversion. The prospects for the development of devices based on these structures are discussed.
Detecting Depression and Predicting its Onset Using Longitudinal Symptoms Captured by Passive Sensing: A Machine Learning Approach With Robust Feature Selection

We present a machine learning approach that uses data from smartphones and fitness trackers of 138 college students to identify students that experienced depressive symptoms at the end of the semester and students whose depressive symptoms worsened over the semester. Our novel approach is a feature extraction technique that allows us to select meaningful features indicative of depressive symptoms from longitudinal data. It allows us to detect the presence of post-semester depressive symptoms with an accuracy of 85.7% and change in symptom severity with an accuracy of 85.4%. It also predicts these outcomes with an accuracy of >80%, 11–15 weeks before the end of the semester, allowing ample time for pre-emptive interventions. Our work has significant implications for the detection of health outcomes using longitudinal behavioral data and limited ground truth. By detecting change and predicting symptoms several weeks before their onset, our work also has implications for preventing depression.
Survey of the use of digital technologies to combat COVID-19

As the world continues to encounter challenges related to public health and economic well-being, technology and big data can be used to carry out analyses and provide predictions concerning the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic. This information allows virologists and epidemiologists to understand the Coronavirus better. Historically, medical experts relied on hospital records and medical publications to manage pandemics. However, this approach proved to be slow and inefficient when it comes to predicting a disease's course. Using contemporary technologies for collecting and analyzing information is a fast and efficient way.
The global burden of 29 cancer groups from 2010 to 2019: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease study 2019.

10577Background: Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and global efforts to reduce health loss from cancer require systematic estimates that can measure progress from natio...
PostureMonitor: Real-Time IMU Wearable Technology to Foster Poise and Health

This paper presents the prototype development and verification of a simple wearable posture monitor system, based on a miniature MEMS Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The Inertial Measurement Unit uses accelerometers and gyroscopes to estimate the orientation of the module through sensor fusion algorithms. The system provides a warning to the user wearing it when he/she is departing by an adjustable margin from the posture indicated to the system as correct. Continuous real-time warnings of this type will help the user acquire good posture habits, which has the potential to prevent or assuage health problems caused by chronic bad posture.
Politics, Early Warning Systems, and Credit Rating Agencies

The Financial Crisis in the late 1990s and the ongoing crisis have showed the importance of creating an early warning system (EWS) to lessen economic, political, and foreign policy fallout. Surprisingly, the EWS literature rarely considers the role of political institutions to detect economic dangers that can be harbingers of conflict. Controlling for common explanations in the literature, we use panel data for fifty developing countries from 1987 to 2004 to investigate the effect of political determinants for predicting economic crises. Although most political variables appear to have little influence in forecasting defaults or currency crises, models specified with bond ratings from the credit rating agencies can be helpful for predicting the onset of crisis. Our research is a first step toward gaining insights into how best to anticipate crisis that may prove beneficial particularly in light of the current global crisis.
In-Situ Monitoring Of Corrosion During A Laboratory Simulation Of Oxalic Acid Chemical Cleaning

The Savannah River Site (SRS) will disperse or dissolve precipitated metal oxides as part of radioactive waste tank closure operations. Previously SRS used oxalic acid to accomplish this task. To better understand the conditions of oxalic acid cleaning of the carbon steel waste tanks, laboratory simulations of the process were conducted to determine the corrosion rate of carbon steel and the generation of gases such as hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Open circuit potential measurements, linear polarization measurements, and coupon immersion tests were performed in-situ to determine the corrosion behavior of carbon steel during the demonstration. Vapor samples were analyzed continuously to determine the constituents of the phase. The combined results from these measurements indicated that in aerated environments, such as the tank, that the corrosion rates are manageable for short contact times and will facilitate prediction and control of the hydrogen generation rate during operations.
Seeking for alpha-helical propensity in a receptor-bound conformation of glucagon-like peptide-1.

Introduction Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a 30 amino acid-containing gastrointestinal hormone released from L-cells in small intestine [1]. It enhances glucose-dependent insulin secretion; stimulates pancreatic β-cell growth; suppresses glucagon secretion; and lowers gastric emptying. Due to its highly favorable physiological functions for treating diabetes, it has been considered as a potent therapeutic agent for diabetes. To improve potency of a peptide hormone, structure-activity relationship studies are typically conducted, and structural information of how the peptide interacts with its receptor often provides useful insights. A 2D-NMR study of GLP-1 bound to a dodecylphosphocholine micelle revealed two α-helical segments between residues 13-20 and 24-35 which are connected by a linker region (residues 22-23) [2]. However, the membrane-like environment provided by micelles cannot properly mimic complex interactions between GLP-1 and its cognate receptor. Thus, to explore the presence and location of α-helices in GLP-1 when it binds to its receptor, we have designed and synthesized a series of conformationally constrained GLP-1 analogues. The conformational restriction used in this study is the formation of a lactam bridge between Lys at the i position and Glu at the i+4 position, which in general induces and stabilizes an α-helical structure [3]. We have positioned lactam bridges at various regions of GLP-1 and questioned the presence and location of α-helices in the receptor-bound conformation of GLP-1 by making the cyclic peptides interact with the receptor [4]. For instance, a peptide containing a correctly folded structure at a correct location will be awarded with high receptor binding affinity compared to a misfolded one or one at a misplaced position. For this study, residues that are known to be important for receptor binding and signal transduction like His7, Phe12, Ile29, and Trp31, were not substituted.
“[S]ur les ailes de l'imagination”

In his Confessions (1782, 1789) Jean-Jacques Rousseau asserts the central importance of memory in his life, because it is only through memory that he can be fully present to himself. His most complete celebration of the present through the medium of memory is in the Fifth Walk of his Reveries (1782), where he recollects his short stay on the island of Saint-Pierre (1765) by way of his ecstatic experience of “le sentiment de l'existence.” The unhappy celebrity writer near the end of his life turns to imaginatively enhanced recollections to supplement his actual experiences on the island by way of a Romantic mnemotherapy as a compensatory mode of remembrance. Rousseau's differing autobiographical accounts (in his Confessions and Reveries) of his time as a happy recluse on the island are a poeticized version of the biographical facts, and it is only in his final and unfinished work that Rousseau realized most fully the therapeutic strategy of a healing recherche du temps perdu in the prose poetry of the Fifth Walk that constitutes a central document of European Romanticism.
Solid state laser technology - A NASA perspective

With the advent of the Space Station Program within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), significant opportunities to conduct lidar experiments from space will emerge in the decade of the 1990’s to measure critical geophysical properties of the terrestrial atmosphere, land and oceans. The previous paper has discussed the concept of the Earth Observation System (EOS), with emphasis on those unique measurement requirements for lidar needed from a polar orbiting platform. Detailed scientific opportunities for a variety of remote sensor experiments can be found in a recently published NASA document.1 In that document, it is apparent that many of the non-lidar experiments have a strong heritage in previous satellite and Shuttle flight experiments. In the case of lidar, the heritage lies in a long series of aircraft and ground-based experiments2, in addition to a strong technology base which has been developed since the middle 60’s3. Laser technology, just as microelectronics technology, is rapidly evolving with a concurrent need within NASA to maintain a strong technological base. For the last decade, NASA has sponsored research in gas lasers, including CO2 and excimer lasers, dye lasers and to some degree in the ruby and Nd:YAG laser technology.
Sustained Reduction of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Rates Using Real-Time Course Correction With a Ventilator Bundle Compliance Dashboard.

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of practice bundles on reducing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) has been questioned. OBJECTIVE To implement a comprehensive program that included a real-time bundle compliance dashboard to improve compliance and reduce ventilator-associated complications. DESIGN Before-and-after quasi-experimental study with interrupted time-series analysis. SETTING Academic medical center. METHODS In 2007 a comprehensive institutional ventilator bundle program was developed. To assess bundle compliance and stimulate instant course correction of noncompliant parameters, a real-time computerized dashboard was developed. Program impact in 6 adult intensive care units (ICUs) was assessed. Bundle compliance was noted as an overall cumulative bundle adherence assessment, reflecting the percentage of time all elements were concurrently in compliance for all patients. RESULTS The VAP rate in all ICUs combined decreased from 19.5 to 9.2 VAPs per 1,000 ventilator-days following program implementation (P<.001). Bundle compliance significantly increased (Z100 score of 23% in August 2007 to 83% in June 2011 [P<.001]). The implementation resulted in a significant monthly decrease in the overall ICU VAP rate of 3.28/1,000 ventilator-days (95% CI, 2.64–3.92/1,000 ventilator-days). Following the intervention, the VAP rate decreased significantly at a rate of 0.20/1,000 ventilator-days per month (95% CI, 0.14–0.30/1,000 ventilator-days per month). Among all adult ICUs combined, improved bundle compliance was moderately correlated with monthly VAP rate reductions (Pearson correlation coefficient, −0.32). CONCLUSION A prevention program using a real-time bundle adherence dashboard was associated with significant sustained decreases in VAP rates and an increase in bundle compliance among adult ICU patients. Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol. 2015;36(11):1261–1267
A real-time, mobile timed up and go system

With the growing population of the elderly, the need for mobile health solutions is also increasing. We propose a system which allows patients to perform basic stroke rehabilitation tests from their own homes. This drastically cuts down on patient/therapist visits, freeing up therapists for more pressing work. This paper will focus on the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) portion of our system. Our system requires very little setup, is relatively low cost, and is able to provide immediate feedback to the user. Our results show that the timing portion of the system is on par with and in some cases may be better than current physical therapy methods, with an RMSE of 0.907 seconds. Our system also tracks the angles of the knee and ankle. The knee results are more accurate than similar systems, with an RMSE of 3.03°.