cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The sirtuins promote Dishevelled-1 scaffolding of TIAM1, Rac activation and cell migration

Rac1-GTPases serve as intermediary cellular switches, which conduct transient and constitutive signals from upstream cues, including those from Ras oncoproteins. Although the sirtuin1 (SIRT1) deacetylase is overexpressed in several human cancers and has recently been linked to cancer cell motility as a context-dependent regulator of multiple pathways, its role in Rac1 activation has not been reported. Similarly, SIRT2 has been demonstrated to be upregulated in some cancers; however, studies have also reported its role in tumor suppression. Here, we demonstrate that SIRT1 and SIRT2 positively regulate the levels of Rac1-GTP and the activity of T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1 (TIAM1), a Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF). Transient inhibition of SIRT1 and SIRT2 resulted in increased acetylation of TIAM1, whereas chronic SIRT2 knockdown resulted in enhanced acetylation of TIAM1. SIRT1 regulates Dishevelled (DVL) protein levels in cancer cells, and DVL along with TIAM1 are known to augment Rac activation; however, SIRT1 or 2 has not been previously linked with TIAM1. We found that diminished sirtuin activity led to the disruption of the DVL1-TIAM1 interaction. We hence propose a model for Rac activation where SIRT1/2 positively modulates the DVL/TIAM1/Rac axis and promotes sustained pathway activation.
Poverty Measurement with Ordinal Data

The Foster, Greer, Thorbecke (1984) class nests several of the most widely used indices in theoretical and empirical work on economic poverty. Use of this general class of indices, however, presupposes a dimension of well-being that, like income, is cardinally measurable. Responding to recent interest in dimensions of well-being where achievements are recorded on an ordinal scale, this paper introduces a general methodology for constructing ordinal indices of poverty and, in particular, shows how this methodology may be applied to construct an ordinal analogue of the popular FGT class of indices. The resulting ordinal FGT indices retain the simplicity of the classical FGT indices and also many of their desirable features, including additive decomposability. To illustrate their use, we apply the ordinal FGT indices to self-reported data on health status in Canada and the United States.
Effect of repeated exposure to alcohol on the response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of the rat: II. Role of the length and regimen of alcohol treatment.

Background: Prior exposure to alcohol alters the adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) response to a second drug challenge administered several days later. We used three models of alcohol treatment to investigate the mechanisms that may be involved in this phenomenon. Methods: Adult male rats were exposed to alcohol vapors daily for 3 days (4 ‐ 4.5 hr/day) and then were exposed to shocks or an intragastric injection of alcohol 7 days later (group A); were injected daily with alcohol (4.5 g/kg intragastrically) for 3 days and then exposed to shocks or an intragastric injection of alcohol 7 days later (group B); or were exposed to alcohol vapors for 6 days and exposed to shocks or an intragastric injection 24 hr later (group C). Control animals were not exposed to the vapors or received the appropriate vehicle. Results: Compared with animals administered the vehicle, rats of groups A and B that had been exposed to alcohol all exhibited a significantly decreased ACTH response to a second drug challenge. In contrast, their ACTH response to footshocks was statistically comparable to that of vehicle-pretreated animals. Rats of group C that had been exposed to alcohol for 6 days also showed decreased ACTH release when injected with alcohol 7 days later while responding normally to shocks. Measurement of anterior pituitary proopiomelanocortin indicated that alcohol pretreatment had produced a 54% increase of these transcripts in group C and a 27% decrease in group A. There were no changes in pituitary receptors type 1 for corticotropin-releasing factor (CRFR1) in any of the groups. Conclusion: Regardless of whether they are delivered shortly before an acute alcohol injection or several days earlier, alcohol vapors or injections interfere with the ACTH response to the drug but not to shocks. Our results also suggest that changes in ACTH responses may not be correlated directly with small changes in pituitary pro-opiomelanocortin or CRFR1 mRNA levels.
"El inmortal" de Jorge Luis Borges: El yo, aleph absolutos y vocabularios finales

Una obra frecuentemente consultada por Jorge Luis Borges fue Matematicas e imaginacion, de E. Kasner y J. Newman, en la que se discute la teoria de los conjuntos (que es la rama de la matematica que estudia la relacion entre conjuntos), propuesta por el matematico Georg Cantor (1845-1918), y mediante la cual se crea la aritmetica transifinita (que va mas alla de la finita) y se establece un sistema epistemico para representar los diversos niveles del infinito. Asi, Cantor le asigna a estas infinitudes la primera letra del alfabeto hebreo, el Aleph, seguido de un determinado numero, dependiendo del nivel de infinitud (Aleph-cero, Aleph-uno, etc.). Borges, de esta manera, teje varias de sus narraciones en las que se trata el tema del infinito y del absoluto; un ejemplo de ello es la coleccion de relatos bajo el titulo El Aleph, que abre con el cuento "El inmortal" y cierra con el quele da el titulo a la coleccion. Este ensayo tiene el proposito de estudiar "El inmortal" bajo la optica cantoriana, para hablar de un absoluto en particular: el yo, y sugerir que no es posible establecer un vocabulario final, o una definicion definitiva sobre el tema en cuestion. Esta imposibilidad, propone Borges, esta dada en parte por la finitud linguistica, mientras que por otro lado la falibilidad de la memoria juega tambien un papel crucialen todo intento de definicion. Sin embargo, como buen ironista, Borges, a traves de "El inmortal", es capaz de proveer una redescripcion del tema en cuestion mediante un lenguaje transfinito, sin pretender establecer un vocabulario final sobre el tema sino, al contrario, tratando de resolver ciertas paradojas a la vez que revela otras, promoviendo de esta manera el permanente dialogo entre las distintas disciplinas. Aunque este ensayose enfoca en el analisis de "El inmortal", a fin de desarrollar el tema propuesto, tambien estudia otros relatos contenidos en El Aleph, y utiliza un acercamiento teorico que se enmarca en la filosofia de la lengua.
Antibody and CD8+ T cell memory response to influenza A/PR/8/34 infection is reduced in treadmill-exercised mice, yet still protective

Moderate exercise may decrease the severity of influenza infection and reduce lung viral load. The possibility that an exercise-associated reduction in lung viral load early in infection could contribute to decreased serum antibody and reduced memory response were investigated. BALB/c mice exercised for 8 wk and were then infected with influenza A/PR/8/34 (intranasal route). Influenza-specific serum antibody was assessed for 6 mo post primary infection, at which time mice were infected again with influenza A/PR/8/34. After primary infection, exercise reduced morbidity/mortality, attenuated lung cytokines, and decreased serum anti-influenza IgG and IgG2a from day 14 to day 180 post primary infection. After secondary infectious challenge, exercised mice did not show any signs of illness, but had reduced serum anti-influenza IgG and IgG2a, increased IgG1, and reduced influenza-specific recruited and resident CD8+ granzyme B+ T cells within the lungs. When influenza virus was administered by an intraperitoneal route during primary infection, exercise did not alter serum anti-influenza IgG, IgG1, or IgG2a, suggesting the exercise effect was specific to the lung environment. Exercise-induced enhancement of respiratory host defense to primary influenza infection results in decreased serum antibody and lung CD8+ T cell memory response, but does not compromise resistance to secondary infectious challenge.
The Elusive Scope of Descriptions

Sentences with more than one quantifier often exhibit ambiguities. For example, ‘Every miner went to a meeting’ has two readings depending on whether we take there to be one meeting that every miner went to or (possibly) different meetings corresponding to each miner. This paper discusses the theory that such ambiguities are directly akin to quantifier scope ambiguities in logic. Certain syntactic and semantic evidence suggests that with indefinite and definite descriptions, such as ‘a meeting’ and ‘the president’, these ambiguities are better understood in some other way, either as being due to quantifier domain restrictions or choice functions. This paper discusses the major considerations in this debate by way of an introduction to the type of research being conducted at the intersection of linguistics and philosophy of language.
Digital spectra of non-uniformly sampled signals: theories and applications. III. A robust sampling time offset estimation algorithm for ultra high speed waveform digitizers using interleaving

For pt.II see IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, vol.37, no.3 (Sept. 1988). The author presents an algorithm for estimating the sampling time offsets of the parallel sampling paths of an ultra-high-speed waveform digitizing system that is realized by interleaving many sample-and-hold and A/D (analog/digital) converter modules. One obvious application of this algorithm is to feed these estimates back to adjustable delay units in all the sampling paths to compensate the sampling time offsets. Simulation results indicate that with an 8-bit quantizer the residual timing error can be reduced to just about 0.05% of the sampling period. >
Establishing Linear Viscoelastic Conditions for Asphalt Binders

The linear viscoelastic regime is defined in terms of the constitutive relationship between the stress and the strain. The set of equations that define the fundamental linear viscoelastic material properties in the time and frequency domains and their relationship to one another is based on the validity of the linearity principle. A material must obey two simultaneous conditions to be linear viscoelastic: the homogeneity (also called proportionality) condition and the superposition principle. On the basis of these considerations a testing procedure was developed to check linear viscoelastic conditions for tests performed on asphalt binders with the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), the bending beam rheometer (BBR), and direct tension (DT). The testing procedure for the DSR requires performing strain sweeps and multiwave single-point tests. For the BBR, tests performed using different constant loads are required. In addition, the recovery part of the specification test is recorded. For the DT, tests performed at different strain rates and relaxation tests performed at different strain levels are required. When applied to asphalt binder data, the testing procedure found no departure from viscoelastic conditions for the DSR and BBR test data. However, the DT procedure indicated a departure from linear viscoelastic conditions.
Thermal Memory and Phase Conjugation Experiments in Incommensurate Barium Sodium Niobate

It is known that thermal memory in incommensurate (IC) insulators arises from the “decoration” of anti-phase boundaries of the IC structure by charged defects. In materials such as BaMnF4 and Ba2NaNb5O15 that are simultaneously IC and ferroelectric, it is possible to determine the sign and diffusivity of the charged defects by four-wave mixing experiments of the type used in phase conjugate optics. Our result in Ba2NaNb5O15 is that the sign of the carriers is the same as that of the electro-optic coefficients r12, r23, r33; these coefficients are known to have the same sign, but its absolute sense is not available in the literature.
Are They Not All the Same?: Racial Heterogeneity Among Black Male Undergraduates

An erroneous assumption is often made that Black men, one of the most stereotyped groups on college and university campuses, all share common experiences and backgrounds. Using Celious and Oyserman's (2001) Heterogeneous Race Model as a conceptual framework, we explored within-group differences among Black male undergraduates at three private institutions. Data collected from 39 participants reveal insights into the origins and characterizations of diversity among Black men, as well as the stereotypes, competition, and social distance associated with racial heterogeneity. Implications for Black male solidarity on campuses where few are enrolled and expanding conceptualizations of interacting "across difference" are offered at the end of this article.
Shifting Gender Boundaries: Women's Inroads into Academic Sociology

Using a queuing framework, the authors investigate explanations for women's inroads into academic sociology since 1970. Women's entry has occurred most dramatically among sociology doctorates, with women now representing about half of all those awarded PhDs. Access to faculty positions has been more modest: Approximately one in four faculty members are currently women. From a systematic review of research on women's achievements in sociology, publications produced by sociology's professional association, and other statistical sources, the authors focus on three major explanations for women's increased access to academic sociology. First, men eschewed graduate training in sociology as research and development funding dropped, real earnings declined, and the academic labor market contracted. Second, in the 1970s academic employers increasingly turned to women, in part because of the salience of anti-discrimination legislation and also because women sociologists generated pressure for change. Third, women th...
Some Dilemmas in Comparative Research

There has been a revolution in comparative politics. But as with X all revolutions, it is difficult to date its beginning, hard to chart its course, and now, when the revolution has become established, difficult to say what has been accomplished. The publication of Political Oppositions in Western Democracies, edited by Robert A. Dahl, provides a good occasion to reconsider the revolution and to review some of the problems that have emerged. It is a good occasion because the book is both a splendid comparative work and one that illustrates some of the dilemmas of comparative research.
The Ethics of Prayer in Counseling

Spirituality has become increasingly important in counseling, with prayer being the spiritual intervention of choice for Christian counselors. The controversial nature of including prayer in counseling requires careful consideration of ethical issues. This article addresses the intersection of spiritual interventions, particularly prayer, with client welfare, multicultural sensitivity, values, and countertransference. The authors consider the ethical mandates, articulate concerns, and make recommendations.
ALTERNATIVES FOR RECONSTRUCTION AFTER LARYNGOPHARYNGECTOMY: THE JEJUNUM INTERPOSITION AUTOGRAFT

There are several options for reconstructing circumferential defects of the hypopharynx and cervical esophagus after total laryngopharyngectomy. Both myocutaneous pedicled flaps (pectoralis, trapezius) and fasciocutaneous free flaps (radial forearm, lateral arm, lateral thigh) can be useful for partial defects; however, because of bulk or lack of length, they may not be appropriate for total circumferential defects. The jejunum free flap has proven to be an effective alternative in these circumstances. Jejunum free flaps allow for a complete single-staged reconstruction, early restoration of normal deglutition, and accommodation of a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis. Complications such as graft failure and fistula formation are potentially serious problems; however, the overall success rates of jejunum free tissue transfer make it a favorable reconstructive alternative.
A Gibbs-potential-based formulation for obtaining the response functions for a class of viscoelastic materials

In this article, we demonstrate the use of a Gibbs-potential-based formulation as a means for developing a thermodynamically consistent model for a class of viscoelastic fluids of the rate type. Since one cannot always use a formulation based on a Helmholtz potential to model rate-type models, the formulation takes on added significance. The salient features of this approach are the following: — this approach provides a thermodynamical rationalization of many commonly used models that are developed on purely phenomenological grounds; furthermore, the study provides a framework for generating other classes of models and allows for a relatively straightforward means for the inclusion of thermal effects, — the approach provides a simple means for including anisotropic effects without the need for directors or other new internal variables, and — the approach does not use any additional variables (such as conformation tensors or elastic strains measured from stress free configurations) other than the current (or Cauchy) stress, the current mass density and the velocity gradient. We also show how the entire structure of the theory is obtained from just two scalar functions, the Gibbs potential and the rate of dissipation function.
Uptake of circulating insulin-like growth factor-I into the cerebrospinal fluid of normal and diabetic rats and normalization of IGF-II mRNA content in diabetic rat brain

Brain injury has been prevented recently by systemic administration of human insulin-like growth factor-I (hIGF-I). It is widely believed that protein neurotrophic factors do not enter the brain from blood, and the mechanism by which circulating hIGF-I may be neuroprotective is uncertain. This investigation tested the hypothesis that hIGF-I is taken up into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the circulation. 125I-hIGF-I was injected subcutaneously into rats. The 125I-IGF-I recovered from CSF and plasma were indistinguishable in size from authentic 125I-hIGF-I on SDS-PAGE. An ELISA was used that detected immunoreactive hIGF-I, but not rat IGF-I, rat IGF-II, human IGF-II, or insulin. Osmotic minipumps were implanted for constant subcutaneous infusion of various hIGF-I doses. Uptake into CSF reached a plateau at plasma concentrations above approximately 150 ng/ml hIGF-I; the plateau was consistent with carrier-mediated uptake. The plasma, but not CSF, hIGF-I level was significantly reduced in streptozotocin diabetic vs. nondiabetic rats, and uptake of hIGF-I into CSF was nonlinear with respect to plasma hIGF-I concentrations. Nonlinear uptake excluded leakage or transmembrane diffusion of IGF-I from blood into CSF as a dominant route for entry, but the site and mechanism of uptake remain to be established. The IGF-II mRNA content per milligram brain (P < 0.02) as well as per poly(A)+ RNA (P < 0.05) was significantly increased towards normal in diabetic rats treated by subcutaneous administration of hIGF-I vs. vehicle. This effect of circulating hIGF-I may have been due to regulation of IGF-II gene expression in the choroid plexus and leptomeninges, structures at least in part outside of the blood–central nervous system barrier. These data support the hypothesis that circulating IGF-I supports the brain indirectly through regulation of IGF-II gene expression as well as by uptake into the CSF. J. Neurosci. Res. 59:649–660, 2000 © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Tele-Underwriting Process And Protective Value Study

A primary objective of the study is to discuss the process of tele-underwriting and its associated benefits and costs. Tele-interviewing or tele-underwriting offers insurers an effective alternative to more traditional methds by complementing physician reports and other medical status reports, thus reducing underwriting expenses. The telel-underwriting system involves a call center that gathers medical information through a phone interview with applicants, reducing errors associated with paper handlings. Then, a detailed statistically analysis can be performed for determining what type(s) of paramedic exams are needed. It can be an efficient system as long as the benefit of the tele-underwriting services exceeds its cost. Large insurers can have an in-house call center or small firms can use an outsourcing services of tele-underwriting. Nine out of ten customers are satisfied with the tele-underwriting services. However, each firm must consider the costs associated with the tele-underwriting system. Therefore, a cost/benefit or protective value study is essential for the success of the program.
AN AXIOMATIZATION OF WANSING'S EXPANSION OF NELSON'S LOGIC

A b s t r a c t. The present note offers an axiomatization for an expansion of Nelson’s logic motivated by Heinrich Wansing which serves as a base logic for the framework of nonmonotonic reasoning considered by Dov Gabbay and Raymond Turner. We also show that the expansion of Wansing is not conservative over intuitionistic logic, but at least as strong as Jankov’s logic.
Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Carriage among Beefpacking Workers in a Midwestern United States Slaughterhouse

Occupational contact with livestock is an established risk factor for exposure to livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), particularly among industrial swine workers. While S. aureus is known to infect cattle, livestock-associated S. aureus carriage among workers in the beef production chain has received limited attention. Beefpacking workers, who slaughter, butcher and process cattle, have intensified exposure to potentially infectious animal materials and may be at risk of livestock-associated S. aureus exposure. We conducted a cross-sectional study of beefpacking workers (n = 137) at an industrial slaughterhouse in the Midwestern United States to evaluate prevalence and characteristics of S. aureus nasal colonization, specifically the absence of the scn gene to identify putative association with livestock, antibiotic susceptibility, presence of Panton-Valentin leukocidin (PVL) genes lukS-PV and lukF-PV, and spa type. Overall prevalence of S. aureus nasal carriage was 27.0%. No workers carried livestock-associated MRSA. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus isolates (MSSA) recovered from five workers (3.6%) lacked the scn gene and were considered putative livestock-associated S. aureus (pLA-SA). Among pLA-SA isolates, spa types t338, t748, t1476 and t2379 were identified. To our knowledge, these spa types have not previously been identified as associated with livestock. Prevalence of human-adapted MRSA carriage in workers was 3.6%. MRSA isolates were identified as spa types t002, t008 and t024, and four of five MRSA isolates were PVL-positive. To date, this is the first study to indicate that industrial beefpacking workers in the United States may be exposed to livestock-associated S. aureus, notably MSSA, and to spa types not previously identified in livestock and livestock workers. Occupational exposure to livestock-associated S. aureus in the beef production chain requires further epidemiologic investigation.
Comparative Optimism and Event Skewness

Comparative judgment biases—wherein a majority of people report being above- or below-average in their abilities, traits, or future events—are a robust phenomenon in psychology. A recent explanation for these biases has focused on people's awareness that many comparative judgment domains form skewed distributions, and, hence, a majority of people can feasibly be above or below average. Indeed, this prior research found that comparative biases for abilities emerged more for skewed (vs. normal) distributions. In the current research, we attempted to (i) conceptually replicate this finding in a comparative likelihood context and (ii) provide evidence of an alternative explanation for the prior results. Replicating prior research, three correlational studies and one experimental study found that event skewness was related to direct comparative likelihood judgments for health events, such that comparative optimism emerged more for events judged or manipulated to come from positively skewed distributions than from negatively skewed distributions. However, event skewness was unrelated to indirect comparisons (absolute self minus absolute other). Moreover, consistent with an egocentric-processes account, absolute self-judgments were more predictive of direct comparisons than were absolute other judgments and showed the same association with event skewness as direct comparisons. Implications for explaining and interpreting comparative judgment biases are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification and characterization of DC-SIGN-binding glycoproteins in allergenic foods

Background DC-SIGN (dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing nonintegrin) is a C-type lectin receptor expressed on macrophages and dendritic cells. DC-SIGN has high affinity for fucosylated glycans in several plant glycoproteins and pathogens. DC-SIGN is thought to be crucial for the development of allergic sensitization. However, the precise role of DC-SIGN in food allergy pathogenesis is not yet understood. Objective We sought to characterize DC-SIGN-binding glycoproteins in a panel of allergenic and non-allergenic foods. Methods Fluorescent-labeled peanut and soy extracts were used to test protein binding to human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) by flow cytometry. DC-SIGN-blocking assays were performed by incubating DCs with food extracts followed by staining with anti-DC-SIGN antibody. Using a DC-SIGN-Fc chimera, food extracts were tested for binding by ELISA and autoradiography. IgE immunoblotting was performed with pooled sera from food-allergic subjects. DC activation and maturation were assessed by flow cytometry. Results and conclusions We demonstrate that peanut agglutinin, a minor peanut allergen, is a novel ligand for DC-SIGN. Peanut agglutinin activates DCs to induce the expression of costimulatory molecules in vitro. We present a comprehensive report on the characterization of DC-SIGN-binding proteins in common allergenic foods such as peanut, soy, tree nuts, egg, and milk. Foods that rarely induce allergy, such as pine nuts, chickpea, and corn, showed no binding to DC-SIGN. Several DC-SIGN-binding proteins show reactivity in serum IgE immunoblots. We have also identified novel non-IgE-binding proteins that interact with DC-SIGN; these proteins may be important for regulating immune responses to these foods.
DETERMINISTIC AND STOCHASTIC ANALYSIS OF FRACTIONALLY DAMPED STRINGS

Abstract Differential equations of motion of many systems moving in a fluid are described more accurately using a fractional derivative model. For example, a large plate completely immersed in a fluid medium and connected to a spring is defined by a second order differential equation containing a 3/2 order derivative term (Torvik and Bagley, 1984). A spherical particle moving in a viscous fluid experiences Basset force, which is described by a fractional derivative term (Basset, 1888; Mainardi, 1997; Tatom, 1988). It is therefore conjectured that a string moving in a fluid would experience a fractional damping force. Thus, many engineering applications containing strings and ropes such as open air high voltage transmission lines, bridges, and structures may require fractional derivatives to model them accurately. In this paper, we present a deterministic and stochastic model of a fractionally damped string. In this model, the viscous damping resulting from the string motion in a fluid is expressed by a fractional derivative. In this study, the fractional derivative is defined in the Caputo sense because it requires the normal boundary conditions to solve the problem. Using the method of separation of variables, a set of eigenfunctions is identified, and the response of the system is written as a linear combination of these functions. The properties of the eigenfunctions are used to reduce the space-time differential equation of the system into a set of infinite fractional differential equations defined in time domain only. A Laplace transform technique is used to obtain the fractional Green's function and a Duhamel integral type expression for the response of the system. For stochastic analysis, the input force is treated as a random process with specified mean and correlation functions. An expectation operator is applied on a set of expressions to obtain the stochastic behavior of the system. Several special cases are considered and closed form expressions are found for these cases. The approach is general and it can be applied to all those systems for which the existence of eigenmodes is guaranteed.
Charging and uncharging a neutral polymer in solution: a small-angle neutron scattering investigation.

Aqueous formulations containing polymers and surfactants find several applications in pharmaceutics, coatings, inks, and home products. The association between polymers and surfactants contributes greatly to the function of these complex fluids, however, the effects of polar organic solvents, ubiquitous in formulations, remain mostly unexplored. We have analyzed small angle neutron scattering (SANS) data to determine the conformation of a “model” nonionic polymer, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), in aqueous solutions as affected by the presence of an ionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and subsequent addition of short-chain alcohol (ethanol or 2-propanol). PEO chains (MW = 90 000) are Gaussian in dilute aqueous solutions, but become polyelectrolyte-like upon the addition of 30 mM SDS, with about 6 SDS micelles bound to each PEO chain. Micelles associated with polymer are similar in structure and interactions to micelles that form in aqueous solutions in the absence of polymer. Addition of alcohol a...
Diffusion of oxygen in the Al2O3 oxidation product of TiAl3

The oxidation behavior of TiAl3 was investigated. The studies were carried out using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in the temperature range from 1123 to 1273 K in a 1 atm pure oxygen environment. Samples were analyzed using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersion X-ray analysis techniques. The oxidation product was determined to be Al2O3 over the temperature range of the investigation. The parabolic-rate constant for TiAl3 was deduced and compared with those for Ti, TiAl, and Ti3Al. The electronprobe microanalysis technique was used to obtain concentration profiles for O, Al, and Ti in the oxide layer and the matrix alloy. The parabolic-rate data were used to calculate the diffusivities of oxygen at various temperatures. The activation energy for diffusion was determined to be 337.66 kJ/mol, while the frequency factor (D0) was 167.2 × 10−4 m2/s.
Management Approaches to Stomal and Peristomal Complications: A Narrative Descriptive Study.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify optimal interventions for selected complications based on WOC nurse experts' judgment/expertise. Methods A cross-sectional quantitative descriptive design with qualitative, narrative-type components was used for this study. Following validation rating of appropriateness of interventions and quantitative rankings of first-, second-, and third-line approaches, participants provided substantive handwritten narrative comments about listed interventions. Comments were organized and prioritized using frequency count. Results Narrative comments reflected the quantitative rankings of efficacy of approaches. Clinicians offered further specific suggestions regarding product use and progression of care for selected complications. Conclusions Narrative analysis using descriptive quantitative frequency count supported the rankings of most preferred treatments of selected stomal and peristomal complications. Findings add to the previous research on prioritized approaches and evidence-based practice in ostomy care.
Incidence and Factors Predicting Skin Burns at the Site of Indifferent Electrode during Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) has become a mainstay for treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Skin burns at the site of an indifferent electrode patch have been a rare, serious, and likely an underreported complication of RFA. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of skin burns in cardiac RFA procedures performed at one institution. Also, we wanted to determine the factors predicting skin burns after cardiac RFA procedures at the indifferent electrode skin pad site. Methods. A retrospective case control study was performed to compare the characteristics in patients who developed skin burns in a 2-year period. Results. Incidence of significant skin burns after RFA was 0.28% (6/2167). Four of the six patients were female and all were Caucasians. Four controls for every case were age and sex matched. Burn patients had significantly higher BMI, procedure time, and postprocedure pain, relative to control subjects (p < 0.05, one-tailed testing). No one in either group had evidence of dispersive pad malattachment. Conclusions. Our results indicate that burn patients had higher BMI and longer procedure times compared to control subjects. These findings warrant further larger studies on this topic.
Application of Checklist Method to Hygienic Evaluation of Central Air Conditioning Systems in Public Places

[Objective]To examine the validity of checklist method for hygienic evaluation of central air conditioning systems(CACS) in public places.[Methods]The CACS of 37 public construction projects were selected for hygienic evaluation using self-administered checklist,and then the evaluation results were analyzed with SPSS 19.0.[Results]Issues of CACS installation were identified in about one third projects including indirect indoor fresh air inlet,insufficient distance between fresh air inlet and pollution sources,condensate pipes without water seal,and sundries in equipment rooms.Only 16.2% projects were installed air purification and disinfection devices.None of the projects provided windows for cleaning and disinfection.The evaluation results of the same checklist item showed no significant differences among projects of hospitals,commercial buildings,and public traffic constructions(P0.05);meanwhile,statistical differences were found among various check list items of the same project(P0.05).[Conclusion]Hygienic problems exist in running CACS in public place,and the checklist method can be employed to the hygienic evaluation of CACS.
Next-Generation Sequencing

Next-generation sequencing (NGS), otherwise known as deep or massively parallel sequencing, refers to the technological advances in DNA sequencing instrumentation that enable the generation of hundreds of thousands to millions of sequence reads per run. Sequencing of the human genome, which was once a >10-year endeavor by the NIH at the cost of approximately $3 billion (1), can now be done routinely on a single instrument. Rapid advances in technology led to the first-ever FDA clearance of an NGS instrument, the Illumina MiSeq, in 2014 (2), and the development of rapid, miniaturized sequencing devices such as the Oxford Nanopore are ongoing (3). The applications of NGS are wide-ranging and include (i) whole-genome sequencing, (ii) pathogen discovery, (iii) metagenomic/microbiome analyses, (iv) transcriptome profiling, and (vi) infectious disease diagnosis. Here we will focus on NGS technology and the last three applications, because the first two topics are described in detail elsewhere.
Introduction, Objectives, and an Alternative

The results of nonrandomized epidemiologic investigations have a direct impact on all aspects of health interventions. Studies of social, environmental, behavioral, and molecular risk factors associated with the incidence of particular diseases lead to primary public health interventions aimed at preventing the disease from occurring. Few studies of etiologic relations allow for the exposure to be assigned by randomization because of ethical constraints; participants cannot be randomized ethically to an exposure that might cause harm. Secondary interventions aim to reduce the disease burden by detecting disease before symptoms manifest, so that treatments can more effectively cure the disease or reduce its morbidity. While many studies of disease-screening programs are conducted by randomized designs, some have been conducted using nonrandomized designs (Weiss, 1994). In addition, the efficacy of screening programs established by randomized designs is often compared with its effectiveness measured by nonrandomized designs (Weiss, 1994), and history of screening can be an important confounder of etiologic relations (Weiss, 2003). Tertiary interventions, or medical interventions, aim to reduce the disease burden by curing the disease or by reducing its morbidity. Ideally, the efficacy of medical interventions is established by randomized study designs. However, such designs are sometimes unethical when patients cannot be assigned to a valid comparison group. For example, patients cannot be assigned to receive a placebo or to receive no therapy when there are accepted medical interventions available. When such a comparison group is required, nonrandomized designs are the only alternative. The medical literature contains a continuous and vigorous discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of nonrandomized versus randomized controlled trial evidence (Barton, 2000; Ioannidis et al., 2001a, b) and about the role of both in evidence-based medicine. Randomized controlled trials and nonrandomized studies have complementary roles (Sorensen et al., 2006), particularly when external validity, feasibility, and ethical concerns are paramount. Furthermore, nonrandomized designs provide a measure of the effectiveness of therapies – for which efficacy has been established by randomized designs – in clinical practice settings that involve patients with characteristics that differ from the clinical trial subjects (e.g., the elderly or other underserved subpopulations). Thus, nonrandomized epidemiologic research contributes to the knowledge base for disease prevention, early detection, and treatment.
Unraveling the Evolutionary Determinants of Sleep

Despite decades of intense study, the functions of sleep are still shrouded in mystery. The difficulty in understanding these functions can be at least partly attributed to the varied manifestations of sleep in different animals. Daily sleep duration can range from 4–20 hrs among mammals, and sleep can manifest throughout the brain, or it can alternate over time between cerebral hemispheres, depending on the species. Ecological factors are likely to have shaped these and other sleep behaviors during evolution by altering the properties of conserved arousal circuits in the brain. Nonetheless, core functions of sleep are likely to have arisen early and to have persisted to the present day in diverse organisms. This review will discuss the evolutionary forces that may be responsible for phylogenetic differences in sleep and the potential core functions that sleep fulfills.
Abstract A56: Physician consultations, prostate cancer knowledge, and PSA screening in African American men: Are the conversations effective?

African American (AA) men are more likely to develop and die from prostate cancer (PCa) yet less likely to receive information about screening from physicians. Although guidelines espouse shared decision-making regarding PCa screening and PSA testing, studies reveal lack of consistency. Several studies demonstrate that PCa knowledge strongly influences informed decisions, and that engaging interactions are especially important for AA men who are more likely to progress from early stage to aggressive end-stage PCa at an earlier age and faster rate than other populations. This study evaluated the frequency of physician-patient conversations among AA men and whether this translated into increased PCa knowledge and PSA testing. In this study, self-identified Black men ages 21-85 donated blood and completed a health survey (n=414) via Project C.H.A.N.G.E. (Changing Health in Adult Men with New and Great Experiences), a transdisciplinary cross-sectional study conducted at Loma Linda University. PCa knowledge following physician conversations in light of socio-economic and health care variables was evaluated using univariate, bivariate, and multiple regression analyses. PSA values were measured with ELISA. Our results revealed that 52.7% of participants had never discussed the pros and cons of PCa screening with their physicians. The likelihood of physician-patient conversations increased with age (p.001), and health insurance positively predicted these discussions (p.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated ethnicity and high school education as predictors of improved PCa knowledge (p.001). We found that 38.5% of men who had discussed PCa screening with a physician and 28.5% who had not discussed PCa screening had PSA values that could be considered high-risk for PCa diagnosis. These findings expose a remaining deficiency in physician compliance regarding national guidelines for shared decision-making conversations with high-risk men. This is problematic as a large group of AA men at evident risk for PCa have not ever discussed this disease with their physicians and may be harboring undetected PCa. Encouraging more effective interactions between AA men and their physicians concerning PCa screening and PSA testing has the potential to reduce PCa health disparities. Citation Format: Leanne Woods-Burnham, Laura Stiel, Colwick Wilson, Susanne Montgomery, Carlos A. Casiano. Physician consultations, prostate cancer knowledge, and PSA screening in African American men: Are the conversations effective? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A56.
Photopheresis: Advances and Use in Systemic Sclerosis

Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (photopheresis, ECP) is a cell-based immunomodulatory treatment that separates leukocytes from peripheral blood, exposes them to a photosensitizing agent followed by ultraviolet A light, and then reinfuses them back into the patient. ECP has been found to be effective for graft versus host disease, transplant rejection, and various autoimmune diseases. The mechanism is not well understood but studies have shown clinical benefit in the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc). This review examines the ECP technique, advances in our knowledge of its mechanism, and the data supporting its use in SSc-like fibrosing diseases and in SSc itself. Multiple lines of evidence support ECP use in SSc. ECP generates apoptotic cells and dendritic cells, induces production of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and increases regulatory T cell numbers. Clinical studies have generally demonstrated improvement, especially the skin, in SSc patients receiving ECP. ECP may be an effective and safe procedure for the treatment of SSc.
An RNA structure-mediated, posttranscriptional model of human α-1-antitrypsin expression

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects over 65 million individuals worldwide, where α-1-antitrypsin deficiency is a major genetic cause of the disease. The α-1-antitrypsin gene, SERPINA1, expresses an exceptional number of mRNA isoforms generated entirely by alternative splicing in the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR). Although all SERPINA1 mRNAs encode exactly the same protein, expression levels of the individual mRNAs vary substantially in different human tissues. We hypothesize that these transcripts behave unequally due to a posttranscriptional regulatory program governed by their distinct 5'-UTRs and that this regulation ultimately determines α-1-antitrypsin expression. Using whole-transcript selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation by primer extension (SHAPE) chemical probing, we show that splicing yields distinct local 5'-UTR secondary structures in SERPINA1 transcripts. Splicing in the 5'-UTR also changes the inclusion of long upstream ORFs (uORFs). We demonstrate that disrupting the uORFs results in markedly increased translation efficiencies in luciferase reporter assays. These uORF-dependent changes suggest that α-1-antitrypsin protein expression levels are controlled at the posttranscriptional level. A leaky-scanning model of translation based on Kozak translation initiation sequences alone does not adequately explain our quantitative expression data. However, when we incorporate the experimentally derived RNA structure data, the model accurately predicts translation efficiencies in reporter assays and improves α-1-antitrypsin expression prediction in primary human tissues. Our results reveal that RNA structure governs a complex posttranscriptional regulatory program of α-1-antitrypsin expression. Crucially, these findings describe a mechanism by which genetic alterations in noncoding gene regions may result in α-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
Mark bevirʼs democratic governance in radical democratic perspective

I have taken this essay on Mark Bevirʼs latest book as an opportunity to critically reflect on diverse perspectives within radical democratic theory. My first aim here is to simply describe Bevirʼs historical and interpretive account of governance in general, interdisciplinary terms. My second aim is the more specific, disciplinary one of comparing the scholarly contributions of Mark Bevirʼs Democratic Governance with those of Chantal Mouffeʼs The Democratic Paradox and Archon Fungʼs Empowered Participation, two influential publications in contemporary political theory. I conclude by discussing the relative powers and limits of Bevirʼs genealogical, Mouffeʼs deconstructive, and Fungʼs procedural approaches to radical democratic theory.
Post-Conflict Environmental Health Risk: The Role Of Risk Analysis In Foreign Policy

This study examines the valuable role that risk analysis and disaster research can play in redefining national security, particularly for postconflict construction and development policies. Drawing from environmental risk assessment methodologies, this research highlights how environmental changes before and during conflict can alter risk vulnerabilities, putting particular groups at greater risk and increasing chances for future conflict. Violent conflicts have increasingly affected civilian populations, with armed groups often specifically targeting coping mechanisms and preexisting networks of social relations. Combined with changes to environmental conditions such as contaminants, resource stocks or living conditions, long-term population vulnerability may be created or worsened. Use of landmines, forced migration, destruction of housing and infrastructure, and psychosocial effects of conflict can interact to increase adverse health risks, and it is necessary to identify those groups most at risk and provide suitable policy responses. Case studies from the Balkans will be used to analyze how vulnerable populations are identified in conflict situations, and what lessons this may draw for security and redevelopment policies at the international level.
An Autotrophic System for the Bioremediation of Perchlorate from Groundwater

In the past 5 years, advances in ion chromatography have allowed the detection of the perchlorate ion (ClO4 −) at levels as low as 4 μg L−1 1. The California Department of Health Services (CDHS) has advised that wells containing more than 18 μg L−1 ClO4 − not be used as aeven though there is no federal drinking water standard for ⊗44 wells in California have ClO4 − at detectable levels and 38 wells exceed the CDHS action level of 18 μg ClO4 − L−1 2. In Riverside and San Bernardino, California, some drinking water wells contain up to 216 μg L−1 ClO4 − and 9 wells have been closed in this area.2 Because of the unknown health effects of ClO4 −, which may include adverse effects on the thyroid gland,3,4 there is an urgent need to devise methods to remove ClO4 − from groundwater and drinking water.5,6
Executive Insights: Global Portfolio Planning and Market Interconnectedness:

Previous approaches to portfolio analysis in international markets focused on the country as the basic portfolio unit and relied on an assessment of market attractiveness and competitive strength t...