cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Basis of DNA Recognition in the Immune System

Recognition of microbial nucleic acids is one strategy by which mammalian hosts respond to infectious agents. Intracellular DNA that is introduced into cells during infection elicits potent inflammatory responses by triggering the induction of antiviral type I IFNs and the maturation and secretion of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18. In addition, if nucleases, such as DNase II or DNase III (Trex1), fail to clear self-DNA, accumulated DNA gains access to intracellular compartments where it drives inflammatory responses leading to autoimmune disease. In this review, we discuss a rapidly evolving view of how cytosolic DNA-sensing machineries coordinate antimicrobial immunity and, if unchecked, lead to autoimmune disease.
Exploring the additive effects of drug misuse treatment and Twelve-Step involvement: does Twelve-Step ideology matter?

Previous research revealed an additive effect of recovery activities in that those who attended Twelve-Step meetings on a weekly basis during and after outpatient drug-user treatment had higher rates of abstinence compared to those who participated in either treatment or Twelve-Step programs alone. The current investigation extends the previous research by examining the possible effects of Twelve-Step ideology on participation in Twelve-Step programs and abstinence from drug use. The findings from this treatment outcomes study indicate that the acceptance of Twelve-Step ideology, particularly strong agreement with the need for frequent, lifelong attendance at Twelve-Step meetings, and the need to surrender to a “higher power” are significant predictors of weekly or more frequent attendance at Twelve-Step meetings independent from other potentially mediating variables. Twelve-Step ideology, specifically the notion that controlled or nonproblematic drug use is not possible, predicted abstinence independent ...
Estimating Graph Parameters Using Graph Grammars

Stochastic graph grammars are probabilistic models suitable for modeling relational data, complex organic molecules, social networks, and various other data distributions [1]. In this paper, we demonstrate that such grammars can be used to reveal useful information about the underlying distribution. In particular, we demonstrate techniques for estimating the expected number of nodes, the expected number of edges, and the expected average node degree, in a graph sampled from the distribution. These estimation techniques use the underlying grammar, and hence do not require sampling. Experimental results indicate that our estimation techniques are reasonably accurate.
Polymerization of olefins through heterogeneous catalysis. XVI. Design and control of a laboratory stirred bed copolymerization reactor

A novel lab-scale stirred bed gas phase reactor system has been designed and constructed for investigating the kinetic behaviour of olefin copolymerization reactions using heterogeneous catalysts. The system, equipped for basic temperature and pressure control, also includes an on-line composition control system which maintains close control of reactor composition for gaseous and liquid monomers as well as for hydrogen. With this apparatus, it is now possible to investigate the fundamental kinetic features of the catalyst system with high precision. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 373–382, 1997
Bioavailability of Metals in Contaminated Sediments

Bioavailability controls the transfer of metals from sediments to ecological receptors and humans. It can rarely be predicted from total metal concentrations because it is affected by metal geochemistry in sediments as well as the biochemistry, physiology, and behavior of benthic organisms. There is no single approach for including bioavailability in risk assessments because of variability in site specific conditions and the difficulty of validating methods. Acid-volatile sulfide and simultaneously extracted metals are useful in predicting bioavailability in anoxic sediments containing sulfides that react to form insoluble metal complexes. This method can be improved by adjusting for organic carbon and other ligands that also bind free metals. Site-specific desorption Kd values calculated by sequential extraction methods can be useful in predicting bioavailable metal fractions in oxic and anoxic sediments. A modified desorption distribution coefficient (Kdg) can be calculated by extraction with the digestive gut fluids of sediment feeding organisms to account for the effects of ingestion on metal release from sediments. Recently developed in situ measurement technologies can accumulate dissolved metals in a controlled fashion that may correspond with bioavailable metal fractions in sediment. Successful evaluation of bioavailability requires the selection of methods suitable for the organisms and sediment environments under consideration. A weight-of-evidence approach that incorporates multiple lines of evidence can help address uncertainties and increase the likelihood of incorporating bioavailability into remedial decisions.
Stirring the soup of innate immunity in the acute coronary syndromes

This editorial refers to ‘Cellular actors, Toll-like receptors, and local cytokine profile in acute coronary syndromes’[†][1], by C.A. Wyss et al. , on page 1457 Organisms have developed multiple host defence mechanisms through the millennia to deal with invading pathogens. The innate immune system constitutes one such protective pathway. Activation of innate immunity uses receptors on the surfaces of various cells that respond to a fairly restricted number of molecular patterns characteristic of pathogenic organisms. The engagement of these receptors rapidly triggers an intracellular signalling cascade that leads to the production of proinflammatory cytokines, lipids, and microbicidal substances, among other defensive mediators. Members of these families of ‘pattern recognition receptors’ include the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), scavenger receptors, and the receptors for advanced glycation end-products (RAGEs) ( Figure 1 ). Ligands for these pattern recognition receptors include bacterial peptidoglycans, endotoxins, and other microbial cell wall constituents. The ancient, innate arm of host defences can thus mobilize very quickly in response to a limited repertoire of stimuli, and unleash a non-specific panel of proinflammatory substances. The adaptive arm of the immune response exhibits exquisite selectivity and great diversity, and arose much later in phylogeny. Each antibody, or antigen receptor on T lymphocytes, recognizes a very limited sphere of structures, in contrast to the promiscuity of the pattern recognition receptors that signal the afferent limb of innate immunity. The adaptive immune response mobilizes quite slowly to engender the generally more targeted and restricted inflammatory response than that generated by innate immunity. Together, these two complementary arms of host defences protect the species … [1]: #fn-1
Evidence-Based Practice: Ethical Questions for Nursing

Evidence-based nursing practice is a global phenomenon, the purpose of which is to standardize and guide nursing practice based on exclusionary quantitative scientific inquiry. What are the origins of this standard terminology found in medicine, nursing, and other healthcare professions? What are the educational and ethical implications for evidence-based nursing practice from a nursing theoretical perspective? The author will begin a discussion of ethical questions for the discipline to consider as the evidence-based practice movement gains momentum in healthcare arenas worldwide.
Modeling correlations in web traces and implications for designing replacement policies

A number of web cache-related algorithms, such as replacement and prefetching policies, rely on specific characteristics present in the sequence of requests for efficient performance. Further, there is an increasing need to synthetically generate long traces of web requests for studying the performance of algorithms and systems related to the web. These reasons motivate us to obtain a simple and accurate model of web request traces.Our Markovian model precisely captures the degrees to which temporal correlations and document popularity influence web trace requests. We describe a mathematical procedure to extract the model parameters from real traces and generate synthetic traces using these parameters. This procedure is verified by standard statistical analysis. We also validate the model by comparing the hit ratios for real traces and their synthetic counterparts under various caching algorithms.As an important by-product, the model provides guidelines for designing efficient replacement algorithms. We obtain optimal algorithms given the parameters of the model. We also introduce a spectrum of practicable, high-performance algorithms that adapt to the degree of temporal correlation present in the request sequence, and discuss related implementation concerns.
Rapid service creation using the JUNOS SDK

The creation of services on IP networks is a lengthy process. The development time is further increased if this involves the equipment manufacturer adding third-party technology in their product. In this work we describe how the JUNOS SDK (part of Juniper Networks Partner Solution Development Platform) facilitates innovation and can be used to considerably shorten the development cycle for the creation of services based on embedding third-party software into Juniper Networks routers. We describe how the JUNOS SDK exposes programmatic interfaces to enable packet manipulation by third-party software and how it can be used as a common platform for deploying unique services through the combination of multiple components from multiple parties.
Detecting static occlusion edges using foreground patterns

Static occlusions are a common impediment to successful object tracking in many realistic scenes. Knowledge about the locations of occlusions in the field of view of video cameras can allow tracking algorithms to successfully handle occlusion events. We present a simple and efficient rule-based method for finding large, rigid occluders in a scene by analysis of images from a single camera. Pixels along occlusion edges are identified through specific spatiotemporal patterns occurring in the binary foreground segmentation masks obtained from the input video. The final output of our algorithm is a binary mask indicating the locations of static occluders in the scene. We present experimental results from several outdoor scenes and compare the performance of the algorithm with a previously proposed method.
Intramyometrial Injection of Vasopressin in Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy

Abstract Study Objective To investigate the effectiveness of vasopressin in reducing blood loss in laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LSH). Design Retrospective chart analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting University-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients In all, 143 women who had LSH for benign gynecologic disease. Interventions Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy. Measurements and Main Results From January 2001 through December 2006, 143 patients were identified who had consecutive, successful LSH performed by different gynecologic laparoscopists. There were no exclusion criteria. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether intramyometrial vasopressin injection was used intraoperatively to reduce blood loss; 77 (54%) patients received intramyometrial vasopressin injection and 66 (46%) did not. The 2 groups were compared with regard to blood loss, operating time, uterine weight, hospital stay, concomitant salpingo-oophorectomy, perioperative complications, and patient characteristics including age, gravity, parity, body mass index, surgical history, and number of cesarean deliveries. No difference existed in the first postoperative day decrease in hemoglobin between the vasopressin and control group (2.3 ± 0.9 vs 2.1 ± 1.2 g/dL, respectively, p = .56). No significant difference existed between the groups with respect to operating time (146.9 ± 52.6 vs 131.9 ± 42.8 min, p = .07) or uterine weight (145.4 ± 121.8 vs 119.5 ± 66.9 g, p = .14). All other parameters and patient characteristics were similar between the 2 groups except for the duration of hospital stay. Patients who received intramyometrial vasopressin injection experienced a slightly longer duration of hospital stay (1.4 ± 0.7 vs 1.1 ± 0.4 days, p = .02). Conclusion Our study does not support the routine use of intramyometrial vasopressin injection during LSH to reduce blood loss.
Butterfly Migrations in Florida: Seasonal Patterns and Long-Term Changes

Flight traps at Gainesville, in north-central Florida, operating from 1984 to spring 2000, separated butterflies migrating into the Florida peninsula (SSE ± 90°) from those migrating out of the Florida peninsula (NNW ± 90°). Five species flew southward in the fall and northward in the spring: Phoebis sennae (L.), Agraulis vanillae (L.), Junonia coenia (Hubner), Urbanus proteus (L.), and Eurema lisa (Boisduval & LeConte). Five species had significant northward flights in spring but no significant migration in fall: Pieris rapae (L.), Vanessa virginiensis (Drury), Vanessa atalanta (L.), Eurytides marcellus (Cramer), and Libytheana bachmanii (Kirtland). Danaus plexippus (L.) had a southward flight in fall but no significant migration in spring. Eurema daira (Godart) switched from a net movement northward in early fall to a net movement southward in late fall, whereas Eurema nicippe (Cramer) maintained a net movement northward throughout the fall. The major migrants differed significantly in the seasonal timing and duration of peak migration. When the numbers trapped were greatest, the proportion of those flying in the migratory direction was greatest. The numbers of spring migrants of A. vanillae increased during the course of the study, whereas both the spring and fall migrations of J. coenia declined. The fall migrations of P. sennae and U. proteus declined sharply. In 1990–1999, the fall migrations of P. sennae and U. proteus averaged only 37 and 15% of what they had averaged in 1984–1989. Reduced planting of soybeans in source areas for migrants probably contributed to these steep declines.
Like Newsroom, like Classroom: Women Journalism Educators Temper the Times

Abstract In step with the journalism community, women educators fashioned for themselves a national presence in the 1970s. In stages that mirrored those of the profession, educators brought forward gender concerns, to have them addressed in ad hoc fashion by their national association. The women engaged in two decades'of committee activism to gain decision-making power at a national level and to open the door for the next generation of feminist media scholarship. This article charts the issues that women educators faced and the actions they pursued as the Committee on the Status of Women (1972–1990). Tracing the development of this Committee points to the progress brought about by women journalism educators as they strove to gain a voice in national affairs. Likewise, it reflects women's standing and their struggles fir recognition across the profession.
Comparison of rotational imaging optical coherence tomography and selective plane illumination microscopy for embryonic study

The mouse is a common model for studying developmental diseases. Different optical techniques have been developed to investigate mouse embryos, but each has its own set of limitations and restrictions. In this study, we imaged the same E9.5 mouse embryo with rotational imaging Optical Coherence Tomography (RI-OCT) and Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM), and compared the two techniques. Results demonstrate that both methods can provide images with micrometer-scale spatial resolution. The RI-OCT technique was developed to increase imaging depth of OCT by performing traditional OCT imaging at multiple sides and co-registering the images. In SPIM, optical sectioning is achieved by illuminating the sample with a sheet of light. In this study, the images acquired from both techniques are compared with each other to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of each technique for embryonic imaging. Since 3D stacks can be obtained by SPIM from different angles by rotating the sample, it might be possible to build a hybrid setup of two imaging modalities to combine the advantages of each technique.
Passivation of GaAs Laser Mirrors by Ion-Beam Deposited Al2O3

The use of ion-beam sputtered Al2O3 to passivate the mirrors of semiconductor injection lasers is described. Dense films, which offer considerable protection against corrosion, can be deposited without damage to the crystal surface. The overall quality of the passivation is demonstrated by long-term stress testing of the lasers.
Analogy Breakers; A Reality Check on Emerging Technologies

Courts naturally and necessarily turn to analogical reasoning to incorporate cyber-technologies into existing doctrinal rules. And when it comes to criminal procedure, the preferred form of legal reasoning has been mono-analogous. The term “mono-analogical” designates a brand of analogical reasoning where only a single dimension of a subject is mapped. I argue that the prevailing mono-analogical approach to cyber-issues (which places near-exclusive emphasis on a technological instrument's functional role) is indeterminate, undisciplined, and in disregard of the subtler lessons of landmark Fourth Amendment opinions such as United States v. Knotts and Kyllo v. United States.This article suggests, as an alternative, a poly-analogous approach: one that respects the necessity for functional comparisons but at the same time gives due credit to the practical dimensions of emerging technologies. Such practical dimensions can be incorporated into prevailing doctrine with little difficulty. The “analogy breaker,” applicable across the spectrum of criminal procedure doctrine, will help courts identify the essence of precedent and, as a result, effectively mediate old criminal procedure rules and new technologies.
Discussion about Some Problems in Chinese Medical Materials Market Administration

The article discussed some problems in drug administration, based onexperiences in Juhuayuan Chinese medical materials market. Then we considered thatether methods、means of drug administration, the elevation of drug standard, approvalnumber of Chinese traditional medicine, or GAP are help to consummate and promoteChinese medical materials administration.
Refractory heterotopic ossification with complications.

Background: Heterotopic ossification (HO) following spinal cord injury can lead to various complications, including venous thrombosis, autonomic dysreflexia, and pressure ulcers. We report refracto...
PHARMACOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF CATECHOLAMINE NEURONS IN THE RAT SYMPATHETIC GANGLION

The effects of cholinergic and catecholaminergic (CA) drugs on norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and its metabolite dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in rat sympathetic ganglia were studied. Based on these biochemical results a schema is presented which shows how the principal cells, small intensely fluorescent (SIF) cells and non-CA interneurons interact and where these drugs might exert their effects.
Facebook Traffic Pattern Analytics

This paper presents a study of applying a new data pattern recognition approach, called Product Coefficients (PCs), to discover patterns of Facebook network and service traffic. It includes three parts: 1) collection of service response time and packages as the initial data set, 2) preprocessing of the data sets and discovers of PCs values as patterns of the data set. 3) displaying of the patterns for simple outlier detection. Additional research is ongoing related to the post processing of PCs values for prediction, e.g. using machine learning to decide if outliers are indicators of a security attack. The key contribution of this work is the application of PCs method to some practical Facebook traffic data.
Better Communication = Better Teams: A Communication Exercise to Improve Team Performance

Background: Teams are a basic way of organizing work in many professional and personal settings. However, misunderstandings among team members can lead to poor performance, hurt feelings, and lack of motivation to attack subsequent tasks. A common source of such misunderstandings is miscommunication caused by differences in how people interpret everyday words and phrases. Team members might interpret these differences as a natural occurrence of group work, if they notice them at all. Research questions: We seek to answer two research questions regarding miscommunication within teams: (1) Can a communication exercise create awareness among team members of the danger of miscommunication? (2) What benefits do team members gain from the exercise? Situating the case: We describe a classroom exercise that relies on an integrative model for improving communication within teams. We also present evidence of the exercise's effectiveness in raising awareness and fostering accommodation and social learning among team members. Our approach is similar to that used in other cases. How this case was studied: We used 13 teams from three classes during the course of a regular semester. A communication exercise we have used for many years was conducted as part of team formation activities early in the semester. Team discussions regarding exercise results formed the basis for team members to analyze their communication during the semester. About the case: A significant variance of understanding among people as to the meaning of several of the focal terms can lead to suboptimal outcomes for any given work the team is tasked to achieve. In this case, we describe a study designed to improve communication among team members and, thus, lessen the likelihood of such a negative outcome. Results: Team members reported better awareness of communication issues and improved team functioning as a result of having completed the exercise. Conclusion: We find that a shared understanding of terminology is an important part of training leaders and managers to help teams reduce common miscommunication problems in the workplace.
Birds at the Winter Feeder do not Recognize an Artificially Coloured Predator

It is supposed that coloration may affect the recognition of predators by prey species; nevertheless, the significance of the coloration and its particular components in the recognition process remains unknown. We presented dummies of the European sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) with changed body coloration, but with all other typical features preserved (body size and shape, beak, eyes, legs), to great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) visiting a winter feeder. A pigeon (Columba livia f. domestica) dummy was used as a harmless control. Neither tit species showed passive avoidance in the presence of a dummy with an artificial, violet-white chequered coloration. They obviously did not consider such an object to be a predator despite the presence of the raptor beak, eyes and talons. Sparrowhawk dummies with the coloration completely changed (altered with those of a harmless European robin) or with the typical colour feature removed (barred pattern on the underparts) were considered to be as dangerous as the unmodified sparrowhawk. We discuss the possibility that the effect of salient raptor-like features such as beak shape, eye coloration, and leg and talons shape overwhelmed the effect of body coloration in these cases. Birds visiting the feeder probably were able to generalize the vigilance towards the sparrowhawk to other realistically coloured dummies, but not to the non-natural dummy.
Duration of Antecedent Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC) Abnormalities Predicts Response and Survival Rates In De Novo and Secondary AML.

Abstract Abstract 1040 Introduction: Secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) is a heterogeneous disease classification comprising patients (pts) with a history of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and pts with prior exposure to chemotherapy or radiation. Though sAML pts typically have lower complete remission (CR) and worse overall survival (OS) rates with induction chemotherapy, it is unknown whether pts with antecedent CBC abnormalities but without formal hematologic diagnoses prior to AML display similar poor outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all pts with newly diagnosed, pathologically-confirmed AML treated with cytarabine-based induction chemotherapy at a single institution between 1997 and 2008 to identify both those with known antecedent hematologic disorders and those with antecedent CBC abnormalities irrespective of preceding myeloid diagnosis. sAML was classified as AML from MDS, AML from MPN, and therapy-related AML (t-AML); these groups were compared to pts classified as de novo AML with antecedent CBC abnormalities using univariate and multivariate regression analyses and recursive partitioning to determine cut-points. A CBC abnormality was defined as persistent white blood cell count (WBC) 12 k/uL, hemoglobin 16 g/dL, or platelet count 500 k/uL. Results: Of 413 AML pts who received induction chemotherapy, 140 were identified with sAML or antecedent CBC abnormalities; 46 (33%) had t-AML, 41 (29%) had AML from MDS, 23 (16%) had AML from MPN, and 30 (21%) had de novo AML with an antecedent CBC abnormality. The median age at AML diagnosis was 62 years (range 24–77) and differed among groups (MDS 67 years, MPN 61, t-AML 80, and de novo 62, p=.003); 49% were male. Overall, the median time from identification of a CBC abnormality to AML diagnosis was 5 months (range 2–83). The time from preceding event to sAML differed among groups (MDS 7 months, MPN 50, t-AML 53, p Conclusions: The presence of an antecedent CBC abnormality of greater than 10 months in both de novo and sAML patients negatively impacts CR and OS following induction chemotherapy. These pts should be considered for alternative therapeutic approaches. Download : Download high-res image (176KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Ignition in an Atomistic Model of Hydrogen Oxidation.

Hydrogen is a potential substitute for fossil fuels that would reduce the combustive emission of carbon dioxide. However, the low ignition energy needed to initiate oxidation imposes constraints on the efficiency and safety of hydrogen-based technologies. Microscopic details of the combustion processes, ephemeral transient species, and complex reaction networks are necessary to control and optimize the use of hydrogen as a commercial fuel. Here, we report estimates of the ignition time of hydrogen–oxygen mixtures over a wide range of equivalence ratios from extensive reactive molecular dynamics simulations. These data show that the shortest ignition time corresponds to a fuel-lean mixture with an equivalence ratio of 0.5, where the number of hydrogen and oxygen molecules in the initial mixture are identical, in good agreement with a recent chemical kinetic model. We find two signatures in the simulation data precede ignition at pressures above 200 MPa. First, there is a peak in hydrogen peroxide that sign...
Mechanisms of Metabolite Transfer between Enzymes: Diffusional versus Direct Transfer

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the mechanisms of metabolite transfer among enzymes. A part of the paradigm of biochemistry has been that mechanisms of in vivo metabolism can be understood by piecing together pathways from knowledge of the properties of individual enzymes. The chapter focuses on two types of metabolite transfer mechanisms that have been proposed to occur in vivo . Direct transfer is a mechanism, in which the common metabolite is transferred not by release into a common aqueous pool, but rather by formation of a transient ternary complex. The direct transfer mechanism postulates specific binding of the two enzymes to form ternary transfer complexes. Because of this, transfer could not proceed by this mechanism at an appreciable rate in dilute solution. Two types of experiments have been used to assess the possible mechanisms of transfer of NADH among dehydrogenases. If direct transfer exists, sufficient ternary complex must be formed to be detected by physical methods. Using an abbreviated kinetic model of the proposed cycle, several novel methods of regulating the cycle that are consequences of the tight, direct transfer-mediated coupling assumed to exist among the enzymes have been uncovered.
Differential binding affinities and allosteric conformational changes underlie interactions of Yorkie and a multivalent PPxY partner

Tondu domain-containing growth inhibitor (Tgi) is one of a growing number of multivalent PPxY proteins that regulate cell growth via interactions with the tandem WW domains of the transcription coactivator protein, Yorkie (Yki). These proteins are attractive candidates for targeted drug design, but the substantial amount of disorder predicted from their primary sequences makes structural studies that are foundational to drug design challenging. We have successfully overexpressed full length recombinant Tgi and Yki, experimentally confirmed that intrinsic structural disorder is common to both proteins, and assessed binding of the Yki WW domains to the three Tgi PPxY motifs using nuclear magnetic resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry. We find that the tandem WW domains positively cooperate to engage all three PPxY sites with a broad range of affinities. The first PPxY motif that is quite distant from the other two serves as the “binding initiation” site and is essential for high-affinity interactio...
An educational initiative to improve medical student awareness about brain death.

Abstract Objective Medical student knowledge about brain death determination is limited. We describe an educational initiative to improve medical student awareness about brain death and assess the impact of this initiative. Subjects and methods Beginning in July 2016, students at our medical school were required to attend a 90-min brain death didactic and simulation session during their neurology clerkship. Students completed a test immediately before and after participating in the initiative. Results Of the 145 students who participated in this educational initiative between July 2016 and June 2017, 124 (86%) consented to have their data used for research purposes as part of a medical education registry. Students correctly answered a median of 53% of questions (IQR 47–58%) on the pretest and 86% of questions (IQR 78–89%) on the posttest (p Conclusions Incorporation of simulation in undergraduate medical education is high-yield. At our medical school, knowledge about brain death and comfort performing a brain death exam or talking to a family about brain death was limited prior to development of this initiative, but awareness and comfort dealing with brain death improved significantly after this initiative.
Short-range contacts govern the performance of industry-relevant battery cathodes

Abstract Fundamental understanding of how processing affects composite battery electrode structure and performance is still lacking, especially for industry-relevant electrodes with low fractions of inactive material. This work combines rheology, electronic conductivity measurements, and battery rate capability tests to prove that short-range electronic contacts are more important to cathode rate capability than either ion transport or long-range electronic conductivity. LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2, carbon black, and polyvinylidene difluoride in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone represent a typical commercial electrode with
Data-Based Interval Hitting Program for a Collegiate Tennis Player: A Case Report

Interval hitting programs (IHP) exist for many overhead sports. Due to the paucity of tennis IHPs, we determined the need for a data-based approach. This case report describes a pilot approach to an IHP for a 21-year-old female tennis player following rotator cuff surgery. Recorded matches were used to acquire necessary data. We approximated the athlete’s workload by calculating total match volume. The athlete completed a 6-week IHP, progressing toward total match volume, before successfully returning to competition. A sport-specific IHP, based on an individual’s preinjury performance, can play a key role in rehabilitating common musculoskeletal injuries among tennis players.
Implementing Community-Created Self-Management Support Tools in Primary Care Practices: Multimethod Analysis From the INSTTEPP Study.

Purpose With one-half of Americans projected to be living with at least one chronic condition before 2020, enhancing patient self-management support (SMS) may improve health-related behaviors and clinical outcomes. Routine SMS implementation in primary care settings is difficult. Little is known about the practice conditions required for successful implementation of SMS tools. Methods Four primary care practice-based research networks (PBRNs) recruited 16 practices to participate in a boot camp translation process to adapt patient-centered SMS tools. Boot camp translation sessions were held over a 2-month period with 2 patients, a clinician, and a care manager from each practice. Qualitative case comparison and qualitative comparative analysis were used to examine practice conditions needed to implement SMS tools. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research guided data collection and analysis. Results Four different practice conditions affected the implementation of new SMS tools: functional practice organization; system that enables innovation and change; presence of a visible, activated champion; and synergy and alignment of SMS changes with other work. Qualitative comparative analysis suggested that it was necessary to have an enabling system, a visible champion, and synergy for a practice to at least minimally implement the SMS tools. Sufficiency testing, however, failed to show robust consistency to satisfactorily explain conditions required to implement new SMS tools. Conclusions To implement tailored self-management support tools relatively rapidly, the minimum necessary conditions include a system that enables innovation and change, presence of a visible champion, and alignment of SMS changes with other work; yet, these alone are insufficient to ensure successful implementation.
MINDFULNESS-BASED ART PSYCHOTHERAPY GROUP FOR OLDER ADULTS USING DIGITAL TOOLS

Introduction Art therapy is effective for older adults by stimulating cognitive processes, helping to externalize and express emotions, and creating the potential for meaningful activity. Mindfulness has been shown to improve working memory and focus, and enhance integration of verbal and nonverbal processing. Phototherapy involves taking, viewing, manipulating, and interpreting photographs as a therapeutic process. Because of its relatively easy accessibility, spontaneity, and the ability to easily correct errors, phototherapy is an especially approachable form of art therapy compared to painting or drawing. The explosion of digital tools for phototherapy in the past 5 years offers the capability to maximize the potential of this modality by facilitating combination of both mindfulness and phototherapy for exponential treatment impact. In this study we report preliminary findings from a digital phototherapy-based mindfulness group in the SAGE program within the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean. The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and qualitative effectiveness of a mindfulness-based phototherapy group for older adults experiencing anxiety and depression. Methods This was an observational pilot study of a 13-week group of 4 older women. Each session was 60 minutes long, which was later expanded to 75 minutes to allow times for mindfulness exercises and group sharing. Each participant learned how to take pictures and use the MyMoments, Union, Fuse, & Collage apps on their iPhone and iPad. Effectiveness was evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively, by collecting unstructured participant feedback at Week 13 and administering the Rosenburg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and the Day to Day Experiences Scale at baseline and Week 13. Results We demonstrated that an approach combining digital phototherapy with mindfulness is feasible and possible to implement in a group of older adults. We also demonstrated the feasibility of teaching this cohort the use of apps for phototherapy in a group setting. While we did not conduct quantitative analysis of intervention efficacy, we noted 3 out of 4 patients scored higher on the Day to Day Experiences Scale at Week 13 compared to baseline; in addition, on the RSES at Week 13, participants endorsed statements indicative of higher self-esteem compared to baseline. Qualitative feedback indicated that participants felt a sense of mastery and continued interest in both mindfulness and phototherapy practices. Conclusions Our preliminary study points to the vast potential of incorporating technologies to accelerate and expand the process of art therapies such as phototherapy. Our findings bear replication and quantitative validation but point to the possibility of improving self-esteem and mindfulness skills in older adults. They may also serve as a model of how to incorporate digital tools into the process of clinical care in group and individual settings. This research was funded by This study was supported by the McLean Hospital Division of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Endoscopic Management of Benign Submucosal Tumors

Benign submucosal tumors in the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract are typically discovered incidentally either on routine or surveillance upper endoscopies. Common pathologies include leiomyomas, lipomas, carcinoids, cysts, and ectopic pancreas tissue. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) should be performed preoperatively to assess the depth of penetration prior to consideration for endoscopic intervention. The two most common techniques for endoscopic excision of benign lesions are endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), which is used for masses smaller than 2 cm, and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), which is used for masses larger than 2 cm. Two alternative techniques of unroofing and enucleation are less commonly employed but appear effective.
Association between pulmonary function and left ventricular volume and function in duchenne muscular dystrophy

Introduction Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by absence of the subsarcolemmal protein dystrophin, present in skeletal muscles and cardiomyocytes. We hypothesized that progressive respiratory and left ventricular (LV) insufficiencies in DMD could be parallel and interrelated phenomena. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 27 patients with DMD. Our primary objective was to compare the rates of decline between pulmonary function test (PFT) measures (forced expiratory volume in the first second, forced vital capacity, peak expiratory flow rate, maximal inspiratory/expiratory pressure) and echocardiographic estimates of LV end-diastolic volume and LV ejection fraction. Results The rates of decline/year of PFTs and LV estimates were not significantly different. Pulmonary function test measures of ventilatory efficiency and strength had strong intercorrelations. Pulmonary function tests and LV estimates had weak but statistically significant correlations. Discussion A comparable rate of decline in PFTs and LV indices in DMD provides evidence for concurrently progressive deterioration in respiratory and LV functions. Muscle Nerve, 2019.
The ACT NOW Clinical Practice Survey: Gaps in the Care of Infants With Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) has increased fivefold over the last 10 years. Standardized NOWS care protocols have revealed many improved patient outcomes. Our objective for this study is to describe results of a clinical practice survey of NOWS management practices designed to inform future clinical studies in the diagnosis and management of NOWS. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered to medical unit directors at 32 Institutional Development Award States Pediatric Clinical Trial Network and 22 Neonatal Research Network sites in the fall of 2017. Results are presented as both the number and percentage of positive responses. Ninety-five percent Wilson confidence intervals (CIs) were generated around estimates, and χ2 and Fisher’s exact tests were used to compare the association between unit type and reporting of each protocol. RESULTS: Sixty-two responses representing 54 medical centers were received. Most participating NICU and non-ICU sites reported protocols for NOWS management, including NOWS scoring (98% NICU; 86% non-ICU), pharmacologic treatment (92% NICU; 64% non-ICU), and nonpharmacologic care (79% NICU; 79% non-ICU). Standardized protocols for pharmacologic care and weaning were reported more frequently in the NICU (92% [95% CI: 80%–97%] and 94% [95% CI: 83%–98%], respectively) compared with non-ICU settings (64% [95% CI: 39%–84%] for both) (P CONCLUSIONS: Observed variations in care between NICUs and non-ICUs revealed opportunities for targeted interventions in training and standardized care plans in non-ICU sites.
Effects of Vocal Training on Students’ Voices in a Professional Drama School:

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of vocal training on acoustic and aerodynamic characteristics of student actors’ voices.Study DesignProspective cohort study.Setting...
Moving towards Inclusive Education for All: Examining Stakeholder Perceptions of Educating Students with Special Needs in Schools Operated by the Jordan Field of the UNRWA.

Perceptions of inclusive education in schools operated by the Jordan field of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were explored through multiple embed...
A meta-analysis of the effect of substance use interventions on emotion outcomes.

Objective Emotional distress has been posited as a key underlying mechanism in the development and maintenance of substance use disorder (SUD), and patients seeking SUD treatment are often experiencing high levels of negative emotion and/or low levels of positive emotion. But the extent to which SUD interventions impact emotional outcomes among general SUD populations is yet unquantified. The current meta-analysis aims to fill this gap. Method A total of 11,754 records were screened for randomized, controlled trials examining the effect of behavioral SUD interventions on emotion outcomes. Our search yielded a total of 138 effect sizes calculated based on data from 5,146 individuals enrolled in 30 independent clinical trials. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to calculate pooled effect sizes, and metaregression analyses examined study-level moderators (e.g., intervention type). Results Findings indicated a small but significant effect of SUD interventions on emotion outcomes, d = 0.157, 95% CI [0.052, 0.262] (k = 30). The effect size for negative emotion was nominally bigger, d = 0.162, 95% CI [0.056, 0.269] (k = 30), whereas the effect for positive emotion did not reach statistical significance, d = 0.062, 95% CI [-0.089, 0.213] (k = 7). Studies featuring SUD interventions designed to specifically target emotions (i.e., affect-regulation, mindfulness-based treatments) produced larger reductions in negative emotion compared with studies featuring interventions that did not contain specific emotion modules (e.g., contingency management). Conclusions Findings suggest that SUD interventions-especially mindfulness-based and affect-regulation treatments-indeed significantly reduce negative emotion, although relatively small effect sizes indicate potential room for improvement. Conclusions regarding positive emotion should be considered preliminary because of the limited numbers of samples assessing these outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Lower hydrogen flux leads to larger carbon isotopic fractionation of methane and biomarkers during hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis

Abstract The isotopic composition of lipid biomarkers and biomass in sedimentary environments are widely used to infer microbial metabolisms and constrain carbon cycling processes. It has been observed that metabolic energy availability in the form of H2 impacts the stable carbon isotopes of CH4 during hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis, but it is unknown whether this relationship extends to lipids and amino acids. Since lipids and amino acids are long-lived, they can be used to reconstruct past conditions over geologic timescales. Therefore, the controls on their isotopic signatures are important to constrain to better interpret past environments. In this study, the isotopic distributions of carbon metabolized and reduced by the hyperthermophile Methanocaldococcus jannaschii were quantified following growth at 82 °C in a chemostat with high (80–83 µM) and low (15–27 µM) H2 concentrations. As has been shown previously, the stable carbon isotope fractionation factors for CH4 were >15‰ larger in low H2 experiments than in high H2 experiments. Lipid biomarkers and amino acids were similarly impacted with approximately 10‰ larger fractionation factors under low H2 conditions. The increase in fractionation factors can be related to the lower availability of thermodynamic energy, suggesting that even larger fractionation factors would be observed in methanogens living close to their threshold energy needs, as they do in most environments. The resulting isotopic signatures of long-lived lipid biomarkers synthesized by hydrogenotrophic methanogens may become as ‘superlight’ as those synthesized by archaea carrying out the anaerobic oxidation of methane. These results help to describe the underlying mechanisms that determine the isotopic composition of long-lived biomarkers and provide constraints for interpreting these signatures in the environment.
Treatment of retroperitoneal kaposiform hemangioendothelioma: 2 case reports

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is an uncommon vascular tumor that affects young children. It frequently affects the trunk, limbs, head and face, but rarely the retroperitoneal area. This retrospective study analyzed two cases of retroperitoneal KHE admitted to the Children's Hospital of Fudan University, and investigated the clinical characteristics and treatment of this disease.