cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential hypertensive protease expression in the thoracic versus abdominal aorta

Abstract Background Hypertension (HTN), which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, can drive pathologic remodeling of the macro- and microcirculation. Patterns of aortic pathology differ, however, suggesting regional heterogeneity of the pressure-sensitive protease systems triggering extracellular matrix remodeling in the thoracic (TA) and abdominal aortas (AA). This study tested the hypothesis that the expression of two major protease systems (matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs] and cathepsins) in the TA and AA would be differentially affected with HTN. Methods Normotensive (BPN3) mice at 14-16 weeks of age underwent implantation of osmotic infusion pumps for 28-day angiotensin II (AngII) delivery (1.46 mg/kg/day; BPN3+AngII; n = 8) to induce HTN. The TA and AA were harvested to determine levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, and membrane type 1-MMP, and cathepsins S, K, and L were evaluated in age-matched BPN3 (n = 8) control and BPH2 spontaneously hypertensive mice (non-AngII pathway; n = 7). Blood pressure was monitored via CODA tail cuff plethysmography (Kent Scientific Corporation, Torrington, Conn). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting/zymography were used to measure MMP and cathepsin messenger RNA expression and protein abundance, respectively. Target protease values were compared within each aortic region via analysis of variance. Results Following 28 days infusion, the BPN3+AngII mice had a 17% increase in systolic blood pressure, matching that of the BPH2 spontaneously hypertensive mice (both P P P P Conclusions By using two different models of HTN, this study has identified pressure-dependent as well as AngII-dependent regional alterations in aortic gene expression of MMPs and cathepsins that may lead to differential remodeling responses in each of the aortic regions. Further studies will delineate mechanisms and may provide targeted therapies to attenuate down-stream aortic pathology based on demonstrated regional heterogeneity.
It's Time for Faculty to Coopt Assessment

With persistent public criticism and declining economic health, public higher education will continue to face the types of external threats that generated the initial demands for assessment in the 1980s. It is the contention of this author that how higher education responds to current external threats will affect its future. This paper represents an attempt to explain and understand the responses of higher education to external threats through an application of Philip Selznick’s (1966) concept of cooptation.
24-bit significand multiplier for FPGA floating-point multiplication

This paper presents a 24-bit significand multiplier for single-precision floating-point multiplication that is optimized for Xilinx FPGAs with 6-input LUTs. The design combines a 24 × 7 LUT-based multiplier and one embedded multiplier to implement a 24 × 24 unsigned multiplier. The proposed design uses 35% fewer LUTs and is 1.11 times faster than a LogiCORE multiplier that also uses one embedded multiplier. A truncated- matrix version that allows faithful rounding uses 78% fewer LUTs and is 1.17 times faster than a LogiCORE multiplier that uses one embedded multiplier. Both designs are comparable in speed to a LogiCORE multiplier that uses two embedded multipliers.
A Flow Simulation of an Axisymmetric Supersonic Inlet with Support Struts and Annular Bypass Duct

A Reynolds-averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) solver was used to study the flow through an axisymmetric, supersonic inlet with an annular bypass duct at freestream Mach numbers of 0, 0.3 and 1.7. The effects of struts in the flowfield and shock wave boundary layer interaction on total pressure recovery and distortion were studied. Three dimensional calculations were performed at angles of attack (AOA) of 0 ◦ and 3 ◦ at cruise, and 0 ◦ and 5 ◦ at takeoff. Two orientations of struts with respect to the crossflow direction were studied. The effect of reversed flow in the bypass duct at low Mach numbers was studied.
Behaviour of crystalline–amorphous interfaces in energetic aggregates subjected to coupled thermomechanical and laser loading

The behaviour of energetic aggregates was investigated for quasi-static compression and high strain rate thermomechanical compression behaviour that is coupled to laser irradiation. A dislocation-d...
Spoken Language Understanding for a Nutrition Dialogue System

Food logging is recommended by dieticians for prevention and treatment of obesity, but currently available mobile applications for diet tracking are often too difficult and time-consuming for patients to use regularly. For this reason, we propose a novel approach to food journaling that uses speech and language understanding technology in order to enable efficient self-assessment of energy and nutrient consumption. This paper presents ongoing language understanding experiments conducted as part of a larger effort to create a nutrition dialogue system that automatically extracts food concepts from a user's spoken meal description. We first summarize the data collection and annotation of food descriptions performed via Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT), for both a written corpus and spoken data from an in-domain speech recognizer. We show that the addition of word vector features improves conditional random field (CRF) performance for semantic tagging of food concepts, achieving an average F1 test score of 92.4 on written data; we also demonstrate that a convolutional neural network (CNN) with no hand-crafted features outperforms the best CRF on spoken data, achieving an F1 test score of 91.3. We illustrate two methods for associating foods with properties: segmenting meal descriptions with a CRF, and a complementary method that directly predicts associations with a feed-forward neural network. Finally, we conduct an end-to-end system evaluation through an AMT user study with worker ratings of 83% semantic tagging accuracy.
Enhanced tubuloglomerular feedback during peritubular infusions of angiotensins I and II.

Experiments were performed in pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized rats to determine whether increases in intrarenal generation of angiotensin II (ANG II) can enhance the sensitivity of the tubuloglom...
Progress in Sinonasal Imaging

Imaging of sinonasal structures has evolved from standard radiographs to the much more complicated and informative techniques used today. The plain radiograph was useful when the surgical techniques practiced were primarily aimed at the maxillary and frontal sinuses. With a better understanding of the mucociliary clearance of the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses, the surgical technique was shifted to the ethmoid sinuses and became more focal, thus needing a better understanding and display of the intricate morphology of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Polytomography was a step above plain radiographs and was first used in the display of the regional anatomy for the development of functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Polytomography was quickly replaced by computed tomography, as this imaging technique provides a much more detailed view of the sinonasal architecture than does polytomography. Magnetic resonance imaging has also shown usefulness in imaging this morphological area, as it provides better soft tissue resolution, but it does not allow good visualization of bony structures. Newer computer systems with software capable of reconstructing the digitized information into a 3-dimensional display further enhance our understanding of the regional morphology and afford an improved means of correlating the imaging and endoscopic information. Furthermore, stereotactic navigation systems allow surgeons the ability to visualize the endoscope-instrument tip position, as instruments are actively being used during surgery, on the computed tomographic and/or magnetic resonance images. There is a persistent trend toward reducing the size of the imaging equipment to render it more mobile (computed tomography) and adapt it for operating room use.
Clot strength as measured by thrombelastography correlates with platelet reactivity in stroke patients

Objective Platelet reactivity may be important in the management of patients with stroke. However, degree of platelet reactivity has not been correlated with Thrombelastography (TEG(®)) parameters in stroke. We sought to detect a correlation between TEG(®) values and clot platelet reactivity in ex vivo clots of stroke patients. Methods We collected venous blood from 40 patients with stroke. TEG(®) measurements were carried out and residual clots were fixed in 10% formalin immediately following completion of TEG(®). The formalin specimens were embedded in paraffin blocks, cut at 4 micrometers, and stained with CD 61 (immunohistochemical stain used to detect platelets) with appropriate controls. Under light microscopy, three pathologists blinded to TEG(®) results independently graded CD61 intensity (how aggregated/intense the CD61 stained) into a low and high group, as a proposed measurement representing the platelet reactivity of the clot. We compared pre-tPA-TEG(®) values among groups with different CD 61 intensities. Results After adjusting for confounding factors, we found statistically significant correlation between CD61 staining and several TEG(®) parameters (Delta and CD61 staining intensity (p=0.047); Angle and CD61 staining intensity grade (p=0.04); and G and CD61 staining intensity grade (p=0.04)). Conclusions Clot strength on TEG(®) as measured by Delta, Angle, and G correlates with a clot with greater platelet reactivity.
Environmental Aspects Connected with “High Water” Protection of Venice

In this case-study engineering and environmental aspects of the project for “high water” protection of the lagoon of Venice are described.
Parallelisms and Contrasts in the Diverse Ecologies of the Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi Complexes of Bacteria in the Far Western United States

Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi are two tick-borne bacteria that cause disease in people and animals. For each of these bacteria, there is a complex of closely related genospecies and/or strains that are genetically distinct and have been shown through both observational and experimental studies to have different host tropisms. In this review we compare the known ecologies of these two bacterial complexes in the far western USA and find remarkable similarities, which will help us understand evolutionary histories and coadaptation among vertebrate host, tick vector, and bacteria. For both complexes, sensu stricto genospecies (those that infect humans) share a similar geographic range, are vectored mainly by ticks in the Ixodes ricinus-complex, utilize mainly white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) as a reservoir in the eastern USA and tree squirrels in the far west, and tend to be generalists, infecting a wider variety of vertebrate host species. Other sensu lato genospecies within each complex are generally more specialized, occurring often in local enzootic cycles within a narrow range of vertebrate hosts and specialized vector species. We suggest that these similar ecologies may have arisen through utilization of a generalist tick species as a vector, resulting in a potentially more virulent generalist pathogen that spills over into humans, vs. utilization of a specialized tick vector on a particular vertebrate host species, promoting microbe specialization. Such tight host-vector-pathogen coupling could also facilitate high enzootic prevalence and the evolution of host immune-tolerance and bacterial avirulence.
Intake of Genistein and Daidzein Ameliorates Adiposity and Metabolic Syndrome in High Fat Fed C57BL/6J Mice

IntroductionGenistein and daidzein are isoflavones abundant in soybean. These isoflavones have been shown to have a weak but significant estrogenic effect and other studies have shown isoflavones m...
O MPLA e a governação : entre internacionalismo progressista marxista e pragmatismo liberal-nacionalista

This paper presents an analysis of Angolan politics since independence up to nowadays from two opposite political standings strongly influencing the postindependence path of the country, explaining not only the disputes at stake but also the policies and strategies adopted. This paper contrasts the positions characterized as liberal national-pragmatism and Marxist progressive internationalism, according to criteria of ideology influencing political management, political economy and foreign policy. The analysis identifies the matrix which, although under different camouflage, discourses and actors, presents a medium and long-term coherency and a guiding line for the political-economy path followed by the party-in power since 1975. The work is structured in two major parts, historically sequencial, the first focused to introduce the theme and its political implications over the administration of Agostinho Neto (1975-1979), while the second is dedicated to the much longer administration of Jose Eduardo dos Santos, from 1979 up to nowadays, going through different international and national contexts over the years.
Prediabetes : A Worldwide Epidemic

Prediabetes, defined by blood glucose levels between normal and diabetic levels, is increasing rapidly worldwide. This abnormal physiologic state reflects the rapidly changing access to high-calorie food and decreasing levels of physical activity occurring worldwide, with resultant obesity and metabolic consequences. This is particularly marked in developing countries. Prediabetes poses several threats; there is increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and there are risks inherent to the prediabetes state, including microvascular and macrovascular disease. Studies have helped to elucidate the underlying pathophysiology of prediabetes and to establish the potential for treating prediabetes and preventing T2DM.
Creativity Dancing on the Boundaries between Fine Art, Human Performance and Space: Tracking the Gaze in Museums and Galleries

Using an eye-tracker to record gaze patterns of viewers, this exploratory, interdisciplinary study examined how the use of priming questions affected the gaze patterns of museum visitors as the visitors looked at paintings and one sculpture. The data was shared with participants to engage them in the research process. The study demonstrated that gaze patterns changed in relation to the type of question the viewers were asked. Reflective questions elicited an open gaze; fact-finding questions produced a direct gaze dependent on the configuration of the image. Viewers enjoyed becoming aware of their biological behavior during the aesthetic experience of viewing the paintings.
Protease Inhibitors: Their Role as Modifiers of Carcinogenic Processes

Nutrition may play a pivotal role in helping to prevent major diseases in man. For example, some constituents of our diet contribute to the prevention of cancer, whereas others have the opposite effect. Therefore, what we eat may contribute to our survival or to our demise. Evolution has not been selective in favor of the longevity of any particular species, including man. The increasing life span of man was accomplished by medical successes such as the elimination of infectious diseases through the use of antibiotics and vaccines. However, these measures have had only limited success in combating the two major causes of death in man — heart failure and cancer. Here, it is an appropriate nutrition which may offer opportunities to prevent them. The evidence for this has come from epidemiological studies which show that these diseases are directly related to the quantity of meat which is consumed. Meat is the major source of fat and protein in our diet. Thus, the Western diet, which consists of a high proportion of meat and fat, and a low proportion of vegetables, appears to contribute to a higher occurrence of breast, colon and prostate cancers (Tannenbaum and Silverstone, 1953; Wynder et al., 1971; Armstrong and Doll, 1975; Carroll, 1975; Phillips, 1975; Correa, 1981; Enstrom, 1981; Appleton and Campbell, 1983). In contrast, diets rich in certain vegetables such as rice, maize and beans, lower the incidence of these cancers (Correa, 1981). Plant seeds contain high concentrations of protease inhibitors which are particularly effective in inhibiting digestive enzymes of insects (Birk, 1974). Even in processed foods such as breads and cereals, seeds are still active in preventing cancer as has been shown by a lower incidence of oral and pharyngeal cancers in populations consuming such diets (Winn et al., 1984). These findings were corroborated by model animal experiments in which diets containing protease inhibitors inhibited the carcinogenic process(es). Among protease inhibitors, the heat-stable Bowman-Birk inhibitor isolated from soybeans was found to be one of the most potent in preventing colon cancer in mice (A. Kennedy, personal communication).
Mapping the Identification and Possible Advancement of an Entrepreneurial Idea

What are the processes through which entrepreneurial ideas originate? We introduce a theoretical model describing these processes. Central to the concept of entrepreneurship is the creation of valu...
Optimizing hemodynamics of transcatheter aortic valve‐in‐valve implantation in 19‐mm surgical aortic prostheses

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate the feasibility of achieving good hemodynamic results with valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (ViV TAVR) for degenerated 19 mm surgical bioprosthetic valves. BACKGROUND Considerable controversy exists regarding ViV TAVR within 19mm surgical prostheses due to concerns of elevated valve gradients and mortality. METHODS Among all patient undergoing ViV TAVR between 7/2016 and 4/2017 for symptomatic severe bioprosthetic aortic stenosis (AS), five had a 19 mm surgical valve in place and were included in this publication. None of the patients had patient-prosthesis mismatch. Aggressive post-dilation was performed in four out of five cases using a special technique we describe below. RESULTS In all cases, mean aortic valve (AV) gradients significantly improved post-ViV TAVR, particularly after post-dilation. Interestingly, high pressure post-dilation of the ViV resulted in an increase in the diameter of surgical valve stent frame dimensions in nearly all patients who underwent post-dilation. CONCLUSIONS Good hemodynamic outcome is possible with aggressive post-dilation in patients with 19 mm failed surgical bioprostheses. High-risk patients with 19 mm failed surgical prostheses who do not otherwise have viable surgical options should be considered for ViV TAVR.
Experimental studies on eutectic formation between metallic fuel and HT-9M cladding in a single-pin core structure of a sodium-cooled fast reactor

Abstract Metallic fuel relocation experiments were conducted in which molten uranium was dropped into the cladding of a single fuel pin where eutectic interaction between fuel and cladding led to the release of eutectic fuel mixture into a narrow sodium channel. The thermal hydraulic relocation behavior of the molten uranium was analyzed in a previous study. Here, the extent of the eutectic formation was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). The SEM/EDS analysis confirmed that cladding failure was caused by eutectic penetration. The eutectic penetration initiated around the boundary between cladding and uranium fuel, progressed into the cladding, and caused the cladding failure. Near the cladding failure region, the original cladding shape was unrecognizable, and many cracks, breakthroughs, and partial losses of the cladding were observed. The main components of the cladding failure region were UFe2 and U6Fe, which are the key components in the eutectic penetration.
On-Demand versus Maintenance Inhaled Treatment in Mild Asthma.

U.S. and international guidelines for the treatment of mild persistent asthma recognize three distinct goals of therapy: to relieve and control symptoms, to prevent exacerbations, and to reduce los...
Tonic and Phasic Firing of Rat Hippocampal Complex-Spike Cells in Three Different Situations: Context and Place

The firing of hippocampal complex-spike cells has previously been demonstrated to be related to a rat’s position in its environment. In this paper we examine the firing of individual complex-spike cells in three familiar environments: an Olton radial maze, an operant chamber with a DRL-16 schedule in effect, and a home box with the rat’s pups. We have found that individual neurons have spatial fields in several environments, and that the position of the fields is stable within an environment but unpredictable from one environment to the next. We have also found that tonic firing rates are stable in one environment but vary dramatically and unpredictably from one situation to another. The results are interpreted in terms of a hippocampal context system.
Managing a Successful Materials/Logistics Management Operation

During the past decade, materials/logistics managers have made considerable progress in the coordination and integration of their activities into the mainstream of the organization’s total operation. During this period, materials/logistics management has been recognized by other management groups as a vital part of an efficient and successful operation, not just something that can be considered as an afterthought. Materials/logistics managers still must take an aggressive role in making both these groups and top management recognize the importance of M/L management. There are many stories and situations, especially in the implementation and development of new production processes and new highly technical products, where disastrous results have occurred because M/L management was not involved in the initial planning stage of the projects.
Digital Modeling for Bioarchaeologists

The creation of digital repositories of human skeletal remains offers bioarchaeologists a variety of potential means of aiding efforts related to curation and analysis. We present a discussion of how issues of preservation and access can affect research and argue that digital repositories not only maintain a record of objects but that the digital format allows researchers to expand their studies to include otherwise inaccessible collections. Digital models can be utilized by bioarchaeologists to collect and analyze a wide variety of quantitative and qualitative data. We review several digital capture methods employed by bioarchaeologists, including CT scanning, laser scanning, and photogrammetry. While photogrammetry is underutilized by bioarchaeologists, we point out its many advantages over other methods.
Print News and Raise Hell: The Daily Tar Heel and the Evolution of a Modern University

The Daily Tar Heel (DTH) has been a fixture at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill since February 23, 1893. Although that date does not make it the oldest student newspaper in the country ...
Analysis of Outcomes Between Traditional Open versus Mini-Open Approach in Surgical Treatment of Spinal Metastasis.

Objective The treatment of spinal metastasis carries significant surgical morbidity, and decompression and stabilization are often necessary. Less invasive techniques may reduce risks and postoperative pain. This study describes the differences between a mini-open (MO) procedure and a traditional open surgery (OS) for symptomatic spinal metastasis, and reports differences in outcome for similar patients undergoing each procedure. Methods We describe a MO technique and retrospective analysis of 20 OS patients who were matched to 20 MO patients by histology, spinal region, and levels instrumented. MO surgery combined a traditional midline exposure for tumor resection with transfascial pedicle screw fixation. Outcome measures included estimated blood loss (EBL), operative time (OT), length of stay (LOS), transfusion rate, complication rate, ASIA Impairment Scale motor score (AMS), and pain scores. Statistical analysis used unpaired t tests and Fisher exact test. Results Average age of the patients was 58.3 years. Forty-eight percent of patients were women. Average number of levels treated was 5.9. Both groups had similar LOS (P = 0.98), OT (P = 0.30), perioperative complication rates (P = 0.51), transfusion rates (P = 0.33), and AMS (P = 0.17). EBL was found to be significantly lower in the MO group than the open group (805 ± 138 mL vs. 1732 ± 359 mL, respectively; P = 0.019). The MO group had a significant reduction in postoperative pain (−1.71 ± 0.5 vs. 0.33 ± 0.7, P = 0.018). Conclusions Although further studies are needed, the MO approach appears to result in decreased blood loss and postoperative pain, without compromising neural element decompression or spinal stability. These findings are consistent with the use of muscle sparing, minimally invasive pedicle screw fixation.
The Busy Beaver Method

This paper exploits computational complexity notions to obtain a simpler construction of a solution to Post's problem which is different from previous constructions involving the priority method. Moreover, the set constructed admits a rather explicit description.
Group Conformity in Social Networks

Diffusion in social networks is a result of agents’ natural desires to conform to the behavioral patterns of their peers. In this article we show that the recently proposed “propositional opinion diffusion model” could be used to model an agent’s conformity to different social groups that the same agent might belong to, rather than conformity to the society as whole. The main technical contribution of this article is a sound and complete logical system describing the properties of the influence relation in this model. The logical system is an extension of Armstrong’s axioms from database theory by one new axiom that captures the topological structure of the network.
Virtually spinning hyperbolic manifolds

We give a new proof of a result of Sullivan [Hyperbolic geometry and homeomorphisms, in Geometric topology (ed. J. C. Cantrell), pp. 543–555 (Academic Press, New York, 1979)] establishing that all finite volume hyperbolic n-manifolds have a finite cover admitting a spin structure. In addition, in all dimensions greater than or equal to 5, we give the first examples of finite-volume hyperbolic n-manifolds that do not admit a spin structure.
Abstract IA12: Epigenetic therapy—potential efficacy for enhancing immune checkpoint therapy

Despite the tremendous contribution made to date by immune checkpoint therapy to cancer management, most patients with the most common and deadliest forms of advanced cancer still do not receive durable benefit. Achieving manifest responses initially, understanding what predicts and contributes to long-term overall survival, and how to reverse initial or evolved resistance are all still major challenges to be addressed. Developing combinatorial approaches that may contribute to all of the above issues is a major goal, and epigenetic therapy is in play as one strategy for this purpose. Key specific points of the overall potential for the merits of combining this latter approach with immune checkpoint and other immunotherapies will be discussed in this presentation and include: 1) Critical steps in tumor immune evasion are under epigenetic control and can be reversed experimentally. There is evidence emerging that this also may be accomplished in patients and with epigenetic therapy drugs clinically available and in clinical trials such as DNA methyltransferase (DNMTis) and histone deactylase inhibitors (HDACis). The above steps for these drugs include restoration of tumor antigen presentation processes, restoration of tumor cell signaling for attraction of key antitumor subsets of immune cells, repulsion from tumors of key cells that promote immune tolerance, and repression of key oncogenic signaling pathways that otherwise suppress these above tumor immune attraction signals. 2) Key facets of immune tolerance inherent to signaling in immune cell subsets are under the control of epigenetic processes, and these too can be reversed by the types of drugs listed above, including T-cell and other immune cell exhaustion signaling, behavior of key ligands and receptors on immune cells critical for their migration to tumor cell sites and attack of cancer cells. Key experimental data for the above processes, coming from our own lab group and many collaborations within our participation in the Van Andel Institute – Stand Up To Cancer (VAI-SU2C) epigenetic therapy dream team, will be presented to support the hypotheses articulated above. Barriers to achieving efficacy of the approach, including which drugs will ultimately prevail, how to best sequence administration of the drugs, what cancer stages are most optimal for therapy institution, and what molecular parameters are promising for predicting efficacy, will also be discussed. Citation Format: Stephen B. Baylin. Epigenetic therapy—potential efficacy for enhancing immune checkpoint therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2019 Nov 17-20; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(3 Suppl):Abstract nr IA12.
Ophthalmic examination, biometry, and histologic findings in captive inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps)

Objective To report ophthalmic examination, biometry, phenol red thread test (PRTT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and histologic findings from a private collection of inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps). Animals studied Fourteen inland bearded dragons. Procedures Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed on all animals, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein stain, phenol red thread test, and rebound tonometry. B-mode ultrasonography was used to measure anterior chamber depth, axial lens thickness, vitreal chamber depth, and axial globe length. Horizontal corneal diameter was estimated using ImageJ software. Histologic assessment was obtained for one of the bearded dragons that died following the study period. Results The median PRTT value was 7.27 mm/15 seconds. Mean IOP was 6.29 ± 1.60 mm Hg and 2.14 ± 1.37 mm Hg using the dog and undefined calibration settings, respectively. Median axial globe length was 11.75 mm. Mean anterior chamber depth and mean lens thickness were 2.06 ± 0.35 mm and 3.38 ± 0.45 mm, respectively. Median vitreal chamber depth was 6.79 mm. Mean horizontal corneal diameter was 5.138 ± 0.346 mm. Two distinct ocular phenotypes were observed, with two of the bearded dragons having corneal globosa, deep anterior chambers, and tufts of iridal vessels and fibrillar material extending into the anterior chamber. Conclusions The ultrasound biometry, PRTT, and rebound tonometry results may serve as a guideline for ophthalmic parameters in healthy bearded dragons. Examination and testing of greater numbers of animals are necessary to establish true reference ranges and determine if the observed ocular phenotypes represent normal variants or pathologic changes.
Structural Motifs, Disorder, and the Efficacy of Viral Vaccines

Abstract We demonstrate that it is possible to draw direct numerical correlations between virus particles and effective virus-like particle (VLP) derived vaccines through extraction of a Bragg-Williams order parameter from electron microscopy. The method has its roots in studies of disorder in metal alloys, and is adapted to describe the type and occurrence of structural motifs within the arrangement of viral coat proteins, captured by the value of the order parameter as a measure of disorder. A conventional approach to viral vaccine design consists of replicating select proteins to create a VLP designed to trigger an immune response while remaining non-infectious. Understanding variations between viruses and vaccine strains therefore tends to focus on differences between proteins, which can be characterized through genetic analysis. While such an approach provides vital information about the functioning and interactions of the proteins, it does not yet yield an early-stage pathway towards predicting the efficacy of a vaccine, and so large-scale clinical trials are required to obtain critical information. With the urgency associated with pandemics, including Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) originating from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, there is a need for earlier indications of whether a vaccine has the necessary characteristics. Application of the methodology to Dengue and influenza virus particles indicates that temperature and pH during incubation could potentially be exploited to fine-tune the order parameter of VLP-based vaccines to match the corresponding virus. Additionally, utilization of an Ising model plot reveals a clear relationship between case fatality rate and order parameter for distinct virus families.
Suture Anchor Repair with V-Y Plasty and Achilles Allograft Augmentation for Chronic Quadriceps Tendon Injury.

Abstract Despite an overall incidence that remains low, quadriceps tendon injuries represent a common disorder of the knee extensor mechanism. Persistent pain, weakness, and loss of terminal extension can lead to poor clinical outcomes and significant functional impairment. In the acute setting, approach to management often includes primary repair of the injured tendon that can lead to excellent clinical outcomes. However, a delayed or missed diagnosis can bring forth a clinical scenario that can be difficult to manage thereafter. In the chronically injured tendon, challenges can be linked to limited tendon excursion, poor tissue quality, and increased risk of reinjury.
Development of a Headspace Sampling–Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Method for the Analysis of Fireground Contaminants on Firefighter Turnout Materials

Firefighting is classified as a 2B-possibly carcinogenic profession by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Firefighters are exposed to a host of toxic fireground contaminants su...
Research Cooperative Groups in Pediatric Palliative Care Research.

Research cooperative groups aim to facilitate collaborative and rigorous palliative care research. The purpose of this article is to (1) demonstrate how cooperative groups are taking formal and sus...
Modulation of N-terminal methyltransferase 1 by an N6-methyladenosine-based epitranscriptomic mechanism

Protein α-N-methylation is an evolutionarily conserved type of post-translational modification; however, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms for this modification. Methylation at the N6 position of adenosine in mRNAs is dynamic and modulates their stability, splicing, and translational efficiency. Here, we found that the expression of N-terminal methyltransferase 1 (NTMT1) protein is altered by depletion of those genes encoding the reader/writer/eraser proteins of N6-methyladenosine (m6A). We also observed that MRG15 is N-terminally methylated by NTMT1, and this methylation could also be modulated by reader/writer/eraser proteins of m6A. Together, these results revealed a novel m6A-based epitranscriptomic mechanism in regulating protein N-terminal methylation.
The Law and Significance of Plessy

In this article, the author explores the legal history that precluded and followed the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, setting up the historical context and significance of the case. Here, powell shows the embeddedness of structural racism in the American legal system and the slow work done to untangle racism from the law.
Tracking of Labelled Stem Cells Using Molecular MR Imaging in a Mouse Burn Model in Vivo as an Approach to Regenerative Medicine

Therapies based on stem cell transplants offer significant potential in the field of regenerative medicine. Monitoring the fate of the transplanted stem cells in a timely manner is considered one of the main limitations for long-standing success of stem cell transplants. Imaging methods that visualize and track stem cells in vivo non-invasively in real time are helpful towards the development of successful cell transplantation techniques. Novel molecular imaging methods which are non-invasive particularly such as MRI have been of great recent interest. Hence, mouse models which are of clinical relevance have been studied by injecting contrast agents used for labelling cells such as super-paramagnetic iron-oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles for cellular imaging. The MR techniques which can be used to generate positive contrast images have been of much relevance recently for tracking of the labelled cells. Particularly when the off-resonance region in the vicinity of the labeled cells is selectively excited while suppressing the signals from the non-labeled regions by the method of spectral dephasing. Thus, tracking of magnetically labelled cells employing positive contrast in vivo MR imaging methods in a burn mouse model in a non-invasive way has been the scope of this study. The consequences have direct implications for monitoring labeled stem cells at some stage in wound healing. We suggest that our approach can be used in clinical trials in molecular and regenerative medicine.
Replication and extension of the link between the cardiovascular system and sensitivity to social pain in healthy adults

Resting blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV) are linked to physical pain. Research also shows a link between social pain and physical pain, and an inverse association between resting BP and social pain. However, little is known regarding the relationship between resting HRV and social pain. Therefore, the present study aimed to replicate the link between social pain and physical pain, and the inverse relationship between resting BP and social pain, and explore the relationship between resting HRV and social pain. One-hundred twenty three healthy adults completed 1) resting cardiovascular measurements of BP and low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) HRV powers, 2) social pain sensitivity assessment via the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE) and Mehrabian's Sensitivity to Rejection (MSR) scales, and 3) physical pain sensitivity assessment via subjective pain responses during cold pressor test. The results indicated that no association was observed between social pain and physical pain, whereas resting BP was inversely associated with the MSR scores. Resting LF-HRV was inversely associated with social pain, whereas resting HF-HRV was positively associated with social pain. These findings suggest that physical pain and social pain may share biological substrates that are involved in BP regulation and pain control.
A Preliminary Study of BEST in CLASS–Elementary on Teacher Self-Efficacy, Burnout, and Attributions:

Student problem behaviors in early elementary school have been associated with increased teacher burnout, negative emotions, and stress, along with negative student outcomes, including increased ri...
Omental Free Flap Coverage for Extracavitary Vascular Bypass Graft Salvage.

Background Prosthetic vascular graft infection is a serious complication associated with significant morbidity and mortality often requiring graft excision and numerous additional operations. Pedicled flaps are often used for the coverage of exposed deep tissue or hardware for graft salvage. In the absence of pedicled options, the properties of omentum make it an excellent choice for free flap tissue coverage, particularly in cases involving implanted prostheses. Methods A 63-year-old woman developed a mycotic right subclavian arterial aneurysm requiring ligation and extra-anatomic bypass grafting to restore right-sided intracranial and right upper extremity arterial perfusion. Subsequent wound breakdown and poor healing left the grafts exposed, resulting in contamination. Given the profound risks associated with graft excision in this patient, salvage was attempted with IV antibiotics, serial wound/graft washouts, and graft coverage with an omental free flap. Results The patient tolerated the procedure well. The remainder of her hospital course was uneventful, and she was discharged home in good clinical condition. She will remain on long-term suppressive antibiotics per Infectious Disease recommendations. Conclusions Contemporary literature reporting novel and effective applications of omental free flap coverage is rare. This report demonstrates that omental free flap coverage is safe and can provide healthy tissue to protect implanted grafts and even aid in the salvage of infected extra-anatomic bypass grafts.
Anesthetic Considerations in Children with Pulmonary Hypertension

Pediatric pulmonary hypertension is a deleterious hemodynamic state that poses significant perioperative challenges. An increasing number of children with pulmonary hypertension are presenting for general surgical procedures. Identification of at-risk patients allows us to anticipate and manage any perioperative problems that may arise. Infants and neonates as well as those with severe pulmonary hypertension (systemic or suprasystemic PAP) are at highest risk for adverse events under anesthesia. When managing these children in the operating room it is best to avoid periods of hypoxia, hypercarbia, hypothermia, acidosis, and light anesthesia as this can trigger a pulmonary hypertensive crisis. Multidisciplinary care and communication is of paramount importance when caring for this high-risk population.
Causes of the Financial Crisis and Great Recession: The Role of U.S. Monetary Policy

Abstract This paper focuses on the role U.S. monetary policy may have played in creating the U.S. housing boom/bust cycle that caused the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and consequently the “Great Recession”. Both capital inflows and looser U.S. mortgage lending terms and standards (to the extent that these are independent of monetary policy) suggest an alternative source of funds to fuel the initial increase in housing demand and also to sustain the boom. We find the argument that U.S. monetary policy solely caused the housing price boom/bust cycle less than completely convincing.
Concurrent Treatment of Marital and Child Behaviour Problems in Behavioural Family Therapy

Much research has demonstrated that marital discord and divorce are risk factors for the development of childhood behavioural and emotional disorders. Although theoretical models and research programs that focus attention on possible mechanisms of influence are scarce, it is clear that marital discord can powerfully influence children via its effect on spouse's parenting behaviour. Thus, marital discord can represent a significant impediment for intervention programs that aim to help children by providing parent training. It is argued that marital and child focused interventions can be successfully integrated in behavioural family therapy. A description of the process and content elements of such an integration is presented, and future directions for research and practice are discussed.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecies in Ability Settings

Previous research has demonstrated that one person's expectations can influence the behavior of another person, thereby creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. This study examined the effects of ability-based expectations in an experiment in which some participants ("coaches") were assigned false expectations of the basketball free-throw shooting ability of other participants ("players"). Coaches allocated more opportunities to players for whom the false expectation was positive, and fewer shots to players for whom the false expectation was negative. In turn, players who were allocated more shots made a higher percentage of them, thereby confirming their coaches' expectations about their shooting ability, and were more confident in their shooting ability following the task, than players who were allocated fewer shots.
Control-on-request: Short-burst assistive control for long time horizon improvement

This paper introduces a new control-on-request (COR) method that improves the capability of existing shared control interfaces. These COR enhanced interfaces allow users to request on-demand bursts of assistive computer control authority when manual / shared control tasks become too challenging. To enable the approach, we take advantage of the short duration of the desired control responses to derive an algebraic solution for the optimal switching control for differentiable nonlinear systems. These solutions minimize control authority while generating immediate and optimal degrees of improvement in system trajectories. The technique avoids the iterative constrained optimization required to derive traditional finite horizon optimal switching control solutions for nonlinear system and allows optimal control responses on time-frames otherwise infeasible. An interactive example illustrates how users can use COR interfaces to request real-time bursts of control assistance to help stabilize an unstable system.
Lattices on Nonuniform Trees

Let X be a locally finite tree, and let G = Aut(X). Then G is a locally compact group. We show that if X has more than one end, and if G contains a discrete subgroup Γ such that the quotient graph of groups Γ\\X is infinite but has finite covolume, then G contains a nonuniform lattice, that is, a discrete subgroup Λ such that Λ\G is not compact, yet has a finite G-invariant measure.
Dialect boundaries and phonological change in upstate New York

Three possible reasons for dialect differences between nearby communities: • Speed of diffusion: a sound change that originated in one community may simply not have had enough time yet to spread to the other. • Social or demographic factors: e.g., one community may resist another’s dialect features for cultural or ideological reasons. • Internal constraints: a dialect feature of one community may be structurally incompatible with the existing dialect features of the other community. In the third case, comparing sound changes that can diffuse across dialect boundaries with those that don’t can illuminate the structures and constraints underlying phonological change.
Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are the most well-characterized tissue-specific stem cell. Over 50 years of basic research and clinical application has provided insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of HSC biology. HSC undergo self-renewal by symmetric or asymmetric division, or differentiation to common myeloid progenitors and progressively more differentiated myeloid and lymphoid progeny. The chemokine SDF-1/ CXCL12 produced by marrow reticular cells plays a central role in regulating HSC migration and homing. HSC reside within a three-dimensional multicellular signaling unit or “niche” within the bone marrow. Within the niche HSC can be sustained in a dormant G0 state. Accumulating genetic and functional data indicate molecular cross-talk between HSCs and osteoblasts, endothelial cells, and perivascular reticular cells that compose the endosteal and vascular niches. This involves large number of molecules (cytokines, chemokines, integrins, morphogens, and their receptors). The cytokines c-Kit ligand and thrombopoietin in particular are critical for HSC maintenance and self-renewal. The morphogens (Notch ligands, Wnt, Hedgehog, TGFβ, and BMP) also have variable and overlapping roles in supporting HSC self-renewal. Many of these secreted signaling molecules bind to the extracellular matrix and do not diffuse far or are presented by niche cells in transmembrane form (e.g., Jagged-Notch, Kit Ligand-c-Kit, Angiopoietin1-Tie2). Increased understanding of the molecular basis of HSC regulation will ultimately lead to protocols for maintenance and expansion of HSCs in vitro for clinical use in cell and gene therapies.