cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On force-tracking impedance control of robot manipulators

A reference force-tracking impedance control system is proposed, consisting of a conventional impedance controller in the inner-loop and a trajectory modifying controller in the outer-loop for force-tracking. The design of the outer-loop is presented and the stability of the two-loop control system is analyzed. A computationally efficient control algorithm for the inner-loop is suggested. Simulation results are presented. The controller is able to achieve excellent position and force-tracking with unknown environment stiffness and the presence of a burr on the tracking surface. >
Review of computer vision education

Computer vision is becoming a mainstream subject of study in computer science and engineering. With the rapid explosion of multimedia and the extensive use of video and image-based communications over the World Wide Web, there is a strong demand for educating students to become knowledgeable in computer imaging and vision. The purpose of this paper is to review the status of computer vision education today.
The Use of Conceptual and Pedagogical Tools as Mediators of Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions of Self as Writers and Future Teachers of Writing

This study examined a writing methods course for early childhood preservice teachers (PSTs). Addressing the concerns for the teaching of writing, the course sought to engage PSTs in learning designed to create cognitive shifts concerning their perceptions about writing. The goal of the study was to analyze how a writing methods course mediated PSTs’ knowledge of the tools necessary for them to be successful teachers of writing and how PSTs’ development as teachers of writing changed. Activity theory was employed as the analytic lens addressing the social context of learning and content knowledge acquisition. Data included course writing and responses to open-ended reflective essay items (N = 258). Findings include the utility of conceptual and pedagogical tools to develop PSTs’ understandings of writing and the ways teaching decisions can be developed. Additional findings address shifts in PSTs’ thinking about themselves as writers and future teachers of writing.
Measuring sulfide accumulation in diffusive gradients in thin films by means of purge and trap followed by ion-selective electrode

A procedure for measuring in situ sulfide concentrations by coupling diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) to solid-state ion-selective electrodes (ISE) is described and evaluated. Laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the coupling of these techniques, and these results were compared to the previously used methods of computer imaging densitometry (CID) and methylene blue. An average elution efficiency of 89%, as detected by ISE, was determined for a series of solutions containing amounts of sulfide ranging from 0.009 to 2.50 micromol. The validity of the standard mass-transfer equation for sulfide accumulation by DGT probes and subsequent detection by ISE was tested by measuring the mass of sulfide collected over time and with respect to varying diffusive gel thicknesses. Regressions of the sulfide mass accumulation versus the independent variables of time and inverse diffusive thickness proved to be linear. The use of DGT coupled to ISE provides a preconcentration method for sulfide that improves the detection limit (DL) over other techniques. This alternative method provides quantitative measurements of DGT-captured sulfide from solutions with a detection limit of at least 0.1 micromol/L for a 24-h deployment. The DGT technique also provides potential advantages in understanding sulfide speciation over existing methods.
Methods for selecting crossover designs with applications to an experiment with two factors in a split plot

Crossover designs are commonly used in animal health studies to compare the effects of various treatments on an outcome. If the treatments consist of combinations of factors, special attention may be necessary in designing and analyzing the experiment. For example, concerns about cross-contamination may require that animals be segregated into separate rooms according to levels of an inoculation factor while placing no restrictions on the other factor(s). This results in a split-plot design. Issues relating to the design and analysis of such studies are discussed. A simple method is presented through which the potentially daunting task of determining contrast variances for estimating and testing effects of interest is reduced to a series of easy SAS runs. Comparisons of these variances across different experimental plans allows selection of a best set of treatment sequences. The method is demonstrated on a 2×2 split-plot crossover design with four periods for a study on ruminal subacute acidosis in feedlot cattle, though it is applicable to any crossover experiment.
Perioperative Outcomes after Lung Resection in Obese Patients.

Background Obesity is a growing epidemic in the developed world. However, little is known about the impact of obesity on the perioperative morbidity and mortality after lung resection. Patients and Methods We analyzed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2005 to 2010 to determine whether obesity is a risk factor for perioperative morbidity and mortality after pulmonary resection. Demographic, clinical, intraoperative, and morbidity and mortality data were collected. Multivariable predictors of morbidity and mortality were determined using regression analysis. Results A total of 5,216 lung resections were identified (1,372 wedges, 3,713 lobectomies, and 131 pneumonectomies). The median age was 66 years and 2,587 (49.6%) were females. The body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) of the patients was as follows: 192 (3.7%) 30. In-hospital mortality and all-cause morbidity was 2.4% (n = 127) and 14.5% (n = 757) for the entire cohort of patients, respectively. BMI was not found to be a predictor of increased mortality or morbidity, even in the morbidly obese (BMI > 35). Rather, age, approach (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery vs. open), parameters assessing performance status, operative time, and preoperative radiation therapy were the predictors of morbidity and mortality. Conversely, being overweight (BMI 25–30) approached significance as a multivariate predictor for decreased pulmonary complications (odds ratio, 0.77 [0.592–1.004]; p = 0.054) consistent with the “obesity paradox” observed after nonbariatric general surgery. Conclusion Our large national study shows that obesity does not negatively impact perioperative mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing lung resection. Surgical resections should not be denied to obese (BMI > 30) patients.
Is GABA Neurotransmission Enhanced in Auditory Thalamus Relative to Inferior Colliculus

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central auditory system. Sensory thalamic structures show high levels of non-desensitizing extrasynaptic GABAA recepto...
Vital Pulp Therapy Survivability Based on Radiographic Depth of Caries

VITAL PULP THERAPY SURVIVABILITY BASED ON RADIOGRAPHIC DEPTH OF CARIES By Aaron T Schmick DMD A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University. Viginia Commonwealth University, 2016 Thesis Advisor: Patrice Wunsch, DDS, MS Associate Professor, Department of Pediatric Dentistry Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective chart review was to determine if the survival of two methods of vital pulp therapy (VPT) were influenced by the pre-operative radiographic depth and location of caries. Methods: Electronic patient records (axiUm®) that contained the procedure codes D3120, Indirect Pulp Therapy (IPT), or D3220, Therapeutic Pulpotomy (TP), were queried. Qualifying charts’ pre-operative and post-operative radiographs were viewed in MiPACS® by two raters. Visit records were queried again to identify any other treatment failures. Results: A total of 568 primary molars met the eligibility criteria. There was a difference in survival depending upon the treatment procedure (P < .0001), with D3220 having a significantly higher failure rate than D3120. In the 182 total cases with caries 2/3 to encroaching the pulp, therapy success was greater with IPT (P < .0001). Conclusion: IPT results in longer overall clinical success even at the deepest level of caries.
A One-Level Mesoscale Model for the Diagnosing or Short-Term Forecasting of Surface Winds in Complex Terrain

Complex terrain, which comprises mountains and perhaps both land and water surfaces, can greatly modify synoptic-scale weather in the lower troposphere. The flow of air can be blocked or channeled by mountains; air over land and over water can be differentially heated, as can air against slopes and away from slopes; and air flowing over land and over water can be differentially retarded by friction. These processes produce circulations that are tens to hundreds of kilometers across and last from hours to a day-much smaller than the synoptic scale but larger than the local scale. They are mesoscale circulations. They powerfully affect local weather, and in complex terrain they pose an important forecasting and diagnostic problem.
Defining the Protein-Protein Interaction Network of the Human Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Family

Protein tyrosine phosphorylation, which plays a vital role in a variety of human cellular processes, is coordinated by protein tyrosine kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Genomic studies provide compelling evidence that PTPs are frequently mutated in various human cancers, suggesting that they have important roles in tumor suppression. However, the cellular functions and regulatory machineries of most PTPs are still largely unknown. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the protein-protein interaction network of the human PTP family, we performed a global proteomic study. Using a Minkowski distance-based unified scoring environment (MUSE) for the data analysis, we identified 940 high confidence candidate-interacting proteins that comprise the interaction landscape of the human PTP family. Through a gene ontology analysis and functional validations, we connected the PTP family with several key signaling pathways or cellular functions whose associations were previously unclear, such as the RAS-RAF-MEK pathway, the Hippo-YAP pathway, and cytokinesis. Our study provides the first glimpse of a protein interaction network for the human PTP family, linking it to a number of crucial signaling events, and generating a useful resource for future studies of PTPs.
Survival Outcome of Young Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients in the Era of Novel Therapies

Abstract Abstract 2950 Background: The median age of patients diagnosed with MM is approximately 70 years, and it is a relatively uncommon disease in the younger population. Both conventional chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation (SCT) have favorably impacted the overall survival (OS) of young MM patients. The median survival of patients Methods: Records of 1538 patients presenting between 01/99 to12/08 were reviewed. The demographics, features and therapeutic interventions in patients up to 45 years of age at diagnosis were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The survival outcome of this group was compared with the remainder of the cohort using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: One-hundred (6.5%) out of 1538 newly diagnosed MM patients were ≤ 45 years of age at diagnosis. The median follow-up of this group of young patients was 86 months. The disease and patient characteristics are outlined in table 1 . A median of 5 regimens (range 1–14) was administered, and 85% patients had received high-dose therapy. 15 patients underwent allogeneic SCT after at least one prior autologous SCT. Novel agents were used both in the front-line and relapsed setting (lenalidomide 60%, thalidomide 56%, pomalidomide 9% and bortezomib 49%), and 45% of initial regimens were novel agent based. The 5 and 7-year OS from diagnosis was 69% and 59%, respectively and the median OS was 93 months. In contrast, the median OS of patients >45 years diagnosed during this period was 53 months (P=0.001, figure 1). Table 1: . Baseline characteristics of young, newly diagnosed myeloma patients Parameter No. of Evaluable Patients Values Range Age (years) 100 Median 41.3 22-45 Gender (M:F) 100 1.2:1 Hemoglobin (g/dl) 96 Median 11.1 5-15.6 Calcium (mg/dl) 81 Median 9.5 8.2-16 Creatinine 82 Median 1.1 0.4–16.2 Beta 2 microglobulin 85 Median 2.8 0.1-36 Albumin 71 Median 3.7 1.8–5.5 ISS 66 1 33 (50 %) 2 14 (21 %) 3 19 (29 %) Kappa vs. Lambda 98 1.6:1 Bone marrow PCs (%) 98 40 1-95 Cytogenetics 64 Abnormal 8 (12.5%) FISH 38 Abnormal 30 (79%) PCLI(%) 64 Median 0.4 0-7 PCLI ≥1 19 (30%) PCLI ≥3 5 (8%) Mayo Risk Stratification 42 High risk 12 (29%) Plasmacytoma(s) 100 34 AL amyloidosis 15 Performance Status (≥2) 86 10 (12%) Abbreviations: M male, F female, ISS International staging system, PCs plasma cells, PCLI plasma cell labeling index. Download : Download high-res image (23KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusion: A marked improvement in OS of young patients with MM diagnosed in the novel agent era is noted in comparison to the historical control of similar age group. In addition, the age associated survival benefit in the younger patient population prevails in the era of novel therapies. Disclosures: Gertz: Celgene: Honoraria. Lacy: Celgene: Research Funding. Dispenzieri: Binding site: Honoraria; Celgene: Research Funding. Kyle: Millennium: Consultancy; Binding Site: Honoraria. Kumar: Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Genzyme: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria.
Characteristic Regimes of Transitional Separation Bubbles in Unsteady Flow

This experimental investigation deals with transition phenomena of a separated boundary layer under unsteady inlet flow conditions. The main purpose of this investigation is to understand the influence of the rotor-stator interaction in turbomachinery on the subsequent, highly loaded boundary layer. The research project is divided into two phases. In the first phase, which has been completed recently, only the variation of mean velocity caused by upstream blades was simulated in the experiments while the free-stream turbulence intensity was retained at a constant low level. The experiments are carried out in an Eifel-type wind tunnel to investigate the laminar separated boundary layer of a flat plate under oscillating inlet conditions. The adverse pressure gradient, similar to that of turbomachines, is generated by the contoured upper wall. The unsteadiness is produced by a rotating flap located downstream of the test section. The reduced frequency, the amplitude and the mean Reynolds number are varied to simulate the conditions prevailing in turbomachines. In addition to the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability of the separated shear layer, a lower frequency instability was observed. This is frequently referred to as `free shear layer flapping' and results in two distinctly different ways of re-attachment, depending primarily on the Reynolds number. For low momentum thickness Reynolds numbers at the separation point, large-scale vortices locked to the frequency of the unsteady main flow are identified. They originate nearly at the top of the separation bubble and are ejected downstream. A fully turbulent boundary layer develops after these vortices mix out. For higher Reynolds numbers, transition is completed within a short length of the free shear layer and there-attachment region. The characteristic momentum thickness Reynolds number separating these two regimes in unsteady flow is about 125. The Strouhal number (reduced frequency) does not appear to have any significant effect. Based on the experimental results, this behaviour is discussed in some detail.
Thermotropic mesophases and mesophase transitions of linear, flexible macromolecules

The field of mesophases is subdivided into six different phases: liquid crystals, plastic crystals, condis crystals and the corresponding LC, PC, and CD glasses. Liquid and plastic crystals are the traditional phases with positional and orientational disorder, respectively. Condis crystals are conformationally disordered. On hand of tables of thermodynamic transition parameters of small and large molecules it is shown that the orientational order in liquid crystals is only a few per cent of the total possible, while the positional order in plastic crystals is virtually complete. Condis crystals have a wide variety of different degrees of conformational disorder. The glass transitions of all mesophases are similar in type. Macromolecules in the liquid crystalline state produce high orientation on deformation. Plastic crystals consist always of small molecules. Condis crystals may under proper conditions anneal to extended chain crystals.
Multiscale Imaging of Activity in Cortex

We describe experiments combining cellular resolution 2-photon Ca2+ imaging with cortex-wide ‘mesoscopic’ Ca2+ imaging and whole brain fMRI to examine network structure and development in awake, behaving mice.
Developmental approaches to the memory process.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the application of developmental approaches for explaining the processes of learning and memory. In the second half of 19th century, scientists from different fields, ranging from histology to psychiatry, proposed that memory and development were intimately linked to subtle changes in neural processes. It was suggested that this formation of new synaptic connections between neurons due to learning and the frequent use of a synapse might produce growth similar to that produced by exercising a muscle, thereby strengthening pre-existing connections. Both theories assumed that the structural plasticity, found during the development process, is present in adulthood as well. The neocortex retains considerable structural plasticity in response to differential housing into adulthood, as is expected for experience-dependent mechanisms designed for learning. Studies on humans, primates, and other animals have shown that human brain can reorganize the stored information in an experience-dependent fashion, validating the continued use of animal models of experience-dependent plasticity. This evidence validates the learning-induced changes in the number of synapses, glial cell morphology, and neuron-glia communication in many brain regions of both young and mature animals. Such effects are seen across a number of species, including non-mammalian, and across types of experience, from light deprivation to maze learning; and are correlated with changes in neuronal function and behavior. This suggests that evolution may not have established two separate mechanisms for developmental plasticity and memory. This chapter proposes that learning results in the formation of new synapses as well as new neurons that are involved in the permanent encoding of the memory as alterations in the circuitry of the brain systems in which the memory is stored.
Toward high-speed transcranial photoacoustic imaging using compact near-infrared pulsed LED illumination system

Quantification of brain function is a significant milestone towards understanding of the underlying workings of the brain. Photoacoustic (PA) imaging is the emerging brain sensing modality by which the molecular light absorptive contrast can be non-invasively quantified from deep-lying tissue (~several cm). In this BRAIN initiative effort, we propose high-speed transcranial PA imaging using a novel, compact pulsed LED illumination system (Prexion Inc., Japan) with 200-uJ pulse energy for 75-ns duration, and pulse repetition frequency (PRF) up to 4kHz at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths of 690-nm and 850-nm switchable in real-time. To validate the efficacy of the proposed system, preliminary ex vivo experiments were conducted with mice skull and human temporal bone, which included vessel-mimicking tubes filled with 10% Indian Ink solution and light absorptive rubber material, respectively. The results indicated that significant PA contrast, 150% signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), can be achieved through the mice skull only with 64 subsequent frame averaging. The minimal number of frames for averaging required was only 16 to generate signal above background noise, leading to 250 Hz frame rate in the strictest temporal frame separation. Furthermore, distinguishable PA contrast was achieved with human temporal bone with 64-frame averaging. Overall, the preliminary results indicate that the LED illumination system can be a cost-effective solution for high-speed PA brain imaging in preclinical and clinical applications, compared to expansive and bulky Nd:YAG laser systems commonly used in PA imaging.
New lumboperitoneal shunt catheter

A new catheter is described for percutaneous lumboperitoneal shunts. The method of introduction and indications for this shunt are reviewed.
Differentiation, materiality, and power: Towards a political economy of fossil fuels

Abstract Current Political Science approaches to the role of energy and fossil fuels in international relations are overwhelmingly based on two widely disseminated, but unhelpful practices: the artificial subsuming of other fossil fuels to oil, and the perception of energy power as state-centered influence. The issue of the differences between various fossil fuels has not been dealt with explicitly, yet it has key implications for the way in which energy is translated into power. On the basis of a structured comparison between the three most commonly used fossil fuels — oil, natural gas and coal — this article compares their key physical characteristics in order to understand how these affect secondary features (such as those having to do with and transportability, obstructability, size and location of typical markets, type of processing required, cartel possibilities, and substitutability), all of which affect relationships between actors and the ability to use energy as means of constitutive and relational power.
Integrated Treatment Principles and Strategies for Patients with Eating Disorders, Substance Use Disorder, and Addictions

Currently, there are no evidence-based treatments or established treatment protocols for patients that present with both eating disorders and substance use disorders/addictions. The lack of available integrated treatment programs, at all levels of care, has left the dually diagnosed patient vacillating between these two disorders. Eating disorder treatment programs frequently exclude patients with active substance use disorders, and addiction programs regularly exclude or do not effectively treat patients with eating disorders. Often, these patients are referred to addiction treatment programs prior to entering into eating disorder treatment. This approach is problematic, as both disorders are associated with high rates of relapse following treatment. Sequential treatments focus on the most acute disorder first, often utilizing multiple providers in different locations, with different theoretical orientations, staff training, and treatment protocols, which can make continuity of care quite difficult. Developing a comprehensive integrated approach to the treatment of comorbid patients will improve treatment delivery, reduce time in treatment, lower overall treatment costs, improve treatment outcome, and lessen consumer confusion. This chapter will provide a definition, rationale, and the basic principles of an integrated treatment model with applicability to those working to develop and provide integrated services for these dually diagnosed patients.
Aging Demographics and Anesthesia

Over the last century, life expectancy in the USA has increased dramatically. Only 100 years ago, it was common for people to die prior to their 50th birthday. The average age of the US population increased by as much as 14 years between 1900 and 1940. Of children born today, 95 % will exceed 50 years of age with many living well into their 80s.
Biomechanical Aspects of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) and its Risk of Rupture: Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) Studies

A series of numerical studies to elucidate the effect of various biomechanical parameters on AAA disease progression and its risk of rupture is presented, highlighting a methodology based on biomechanical considerations for a reliable patient specific prediction of AAA risk of rupture. Fluid structure interaction simulations of normal aortas, non-ruptured, and contained ruptured AAA (rAAA) were conducted in patient specific geometries reconstructed from CT scans. The models included the arterial wall, intraluminal thrombus (ILT), and calcifications. Parametric studies of the effects of iliac bifurcation and neck angulation, and of hypertension were also conducted. Advanced constitutive material models included wall anisotropy and structural strength of the aorta. Our studies demonstrate that the anisotropic simulations showed higher peak wall stresses as compared to isotropic ones, indicating that the latter may underestimate the AAA risk of rupture. The ILT appeared to provide a cushioning effect reducing the stresses, while small calcifications appeared to weaken the wall and contribute to the rupture risk. The location of the maximal wall stresses and rupture potential index (RPI) in ruptured AAA simulations overlapped the actual rupture region, demonstrating the predictive capabilities of the methodology. Parametric studies of the AAA iliac bifurcation and neck angulation in idealized streamlined AAA geometries indicated a trend of increasing peak wall stresses with increasing iliacs and neck angulation, with the appearance of two local minima in the iliac bifurcation angle peak stresses pointing to the possibility of an adaptation response in an attempt to achieve a temporary reduction of the peak wall stresses during the disease progression. Such geometric parametric dependence can be further used to augment AAA diagnostics. This may help clinicians estimate the AAA risk of rupture to establish whether a risky surgical intervention is warranted.
Single-Phase Flow in Homogeneous Porous Media: Darcy’s Law

The process of single-phase flow in rigid porous media is of importance to a variety of engineers and scientists who are concerned with problems ranging from the financial aspects of oil movement in petroleum reservoirs to the social problems of groundwater flows in polluted aquifers. In this chapter we will explore the simplest aspect of this problem i.e., incompressible flow in homogeneous porous media, while in Chapter 5 we will explore the problem of flow in heterogeneous media. Our treatment of homogeneous porous media is based on prior studies by Whitaker (1986d), Barrere et al. (1992), and Quintard and Whitaker (1994c).
Food Cognition and Nutrition Knowledge

Abstract Eating is inherently social and cultural, and as food generalists, children face a difficult task in learning to consume a diet that is both culturally and biologically appropriate. In this chapter, we provide an overview of children's early thinking and behavior in the food domain, focusing especially on the important role that social learning plays in guiding children's knowledge, preferences, and choices. An additional goal of the chapter is to highlight the role that carefully controlled laboratory studies can play in the quest to explain—and potentially improve—children's eating.
SQUIRE-EDU (Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence in Education): Publication Guidelines for Educational Improvement

The SQUIRE 2.0 (Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence) guidelines were published in 2015 to increase the completeness, precision, and transparency of published reports about efforts to improve the safety, value, and quality of health care. The principles and methods applied in work to improve health care are often applied in educational improvement as well. In 2016, a group was convened to develop an extension to SQUIRE that would meet the needs of the education community. This article describes the development of the SQUIRE-EDU extension over a three-year period and its key components. SQUIRE-EDU was developed using an international, interprofessional advisory group and face-to-face meeting to draft initial guidelines; pilot testing of a draft version with nine authors; and further revisions from the advisory panel with a public comment period. SQUIRE-EDU emphasizes three key components that define what is necessary in systematic efforts to improve the quality and value of health professions education. These are a description of the local educational gap; consideration of the impacts of educational improvement to patients, families, communities, and the health care system; and the fidelity of the iterations of the intervention. SQUIRE-EDU is intended for the many and complex range of methods used to improve education and education systems. These guidelines are projected to increase and standardize the sharing and spread of iterative innovations that have the potential to advance pedagogy and occur in specific contexts in health professions education.
Brain-Derived Microparticles (BDMPs) Contribute to Neuroinflammation and Lactadherin Reduces BDMP Induced Neuroinflammation and Improves Outcome After Stroke

Microparticles (MPs, ~size between 0.1 and 1 mm) are lipid encased containers derived from intact cells which contain antigen from the parent cells. MPs are involved in intercellular communication and regulate inflammation. Stroke increases secretion of brain derived MP (BDMP) which activate macrophages/microglia and induce neuroinflammation. Lactadherin (Milk fat globule-EGF factor-8) binds to anionic phospholipids and extracellular matrices, promotes apoptotic cell clearance and limits pathogenic antigen cross presentation. In this study, we investigate whether BDMP affects stroke-induced neuroinflammation and whether Lactadherin treatment reduces stroke initiated BDMP-induced neuroinflammation, thereby improving functional outcome after stroke. Middle aged (8-9 months old) male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCAo) stroke, and BDMPs were extracted from ischemic brain 24 h after dMCAo by ultracentrifugation. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to dMCAo and treated via tail vein injection at 3 h after stroke with: (A) +PBS (n = 5/group); (B) +BDMPs (1.5 × 108, n = 6/group); (C) +Lactadherin (400 μg/kg, n = 5/group); (D) +BDMP+Lactadherin (n = 6/group). A battery of neurological function tests were performed and mice sacrificed for immunostaining at 14 days after stroke. Blood plasma was used for Western blot assay. Our data indicate: (1) treatment of Stroke with BDMP significantly increases lesion volume, neurological deficits, blood brain barrier (BBB) leakage, microglial activation, inflammatory cell infiltration (CD45, microglia/macrophages, and neutrophils) into brain, inflammatory factor (TNFα, IL6, and IL1β) expression in brain, increases axon/white matter (WM) damage identified by decreased axon and myelin density, and increases inflammatory factor expression in the plasma when compared to PBS treated stroke mice; (2) when compared to PBS and BDMP treated stroke mice, Lactadherin and BDMP+Lactadherin treatment significantly improves neurological outcome, and decreases lesion volume, BBB leakage, axon/WM injury, inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory factor expression in the ischemic brain, respectively. Lactadherin treatment significantly increases anti-inflammatory factor (IL10) expression in ischemic brain and decreases IL1β expression in plasma compared to PBS and BDMP treated stroke mice, respectively. BDMP increases neuroinflammation and aggravates ischemic brain damage after stroke. Thus, Lactadherin exerts anti-inflammatory effects and improves the clearance of MPs to reduce stroke and BDMP induced neurological deficits.
Abstract WP124: Ataste 2: Assessment of Anti-Hypertensive Treatment and Acute Stroke Treatment Efficiency 2

Introduction: Treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with tPA must be rapid for timely cerebral reperfusion. Anti-hypertensive (AHT) medication may be required to lower blood pressures prior to t...
Sustainable manufacturing of sensors onto soft systems using self-coagulating conductive Pickering emulsions

Compliant sensors based on composite materials are necessary components for geometrically complex systems such as wearable devices or soft robots. Composite materials consisting of polymer matrices and conductive fillers have facilitated the manufacture of compliant sensors due to their potential to be scaled in printing processes. Printing composite materials generally entails the use of solvents, such as toluene or cyclohexane, to dissolve the polymer resin and thin down the material to a printable viscosity. However, such solvents cause swelling and decomposition of most polymer substrates, limiting the utility of the composite materials. Moreover, many such conventional solvents are toxic or otherwise present health hazards. Here, sustainable manufacturing of sensors is reported, which uses an ethanol-based Pickering emulsion that spontaneously coagulates and forms a conductive composite. The Pickering emulsion consists of emulsified polymer precursors stabilized by conductive nanoparticles in an ethanol carrier. Upon evaporation of the ethanol, the precursors are released, which then coalesce amid nanoparticle networks and spontaneously polymerize in contact with the atmospheric moisture. We printed the self-coagulating conductive Pickering emulsion onto a variety of soft polymeric systems, including all-soft actuators and conventional textiles, to sensitize these systems. The resulting compliant sensors exhibit high strain sensitivity with negligible hysteresis, making them suitable for wearable and robotic applications.
Comprehensive review on immunopathogenesis, diagnostic and epidemiology of Senecavirus A.

Senecavirus A (SVA), formerly known as Seneca Valley virus, is a single-strand, positive-sense RNA virus in the family Picornaviridae. This virus has been associated with recent outbreaks of vesicular disease (SVA-VD) and epidemic transient neonatal losses (ETNL) in several swine-producing countries. The clinical manifestation of and lesion caused by SVA are indistinguishable from other vesicular diseases. Pathogenicity studies indicate that SVA could regulate the host innate immune response to facilitate virus replication and the spread of the virus to bystander cells. SVA infection can induce specific humoral and cellular responses that can be detected within the first week of infection. However, SVA seems to produce persistent infection, and the virus can be shed in oral fluids for a month and detected in tissues for approximately two months after experimental infection. SVA transmission could be horizontal or vertical in infected herds of swine, while positive animals can also remain subclinical. In addition, mice seem to act as reservoirs, and the virus can persist in feed and feed ingredients, increasing the risk of introduction into naive farms. Besides the pathological effects in swine, SVA possesses cytolytic activity, especially in neoplastic cells. Thus, SVA has been evaluated in phase II clinical trials as a virotherapy for neuroendocrine tumors. The goal of this review is summarize the current SVA-related research in pathogenesis, immunity, epidemiology and advances in diagnosis as well as discuses current challenges with subclinical/persistent presentation.
Redemptive Stories and Those Who Tell Them are Preferred in the U.S

The present studies examined the common, but untested, theoretical assumption that those in the United States prefer negative past experiences, such as trauma, to be redeemed, to be resolved in some positive or growth-promoting fashion. Narratives of six types of traumatic events were rated by U.S adults (n = 1872) across six samples and two studies. Confirming pre-registered hypotheses, there was a reliable preference for stories that were redeemed compared to stories that ended negatively, as well as for the narrators of redemptive stories, who were judged as likable and to have desirable personality traits. There was no support for the hypothesis that redemptive stories would be viewed as more common than non-redemptive stories, or that the relation between story type and preference would be mediated by Belief in a Just World. Implications include the compulsory nature of storying trauma and potential risks of these cultural expectations.
Novelistic Style and the Disappearance of Breakfast

This chapter takes up modernism fiction, focusing on Joyce, Kafka, Beckett, and Virginia Woolf. The key distinction here is between Joyce and Kafka. James Joyce is to be understood as a transitional figure. He belongs more in the Victorian era than the modernism because of his sense of language’s positivistic relationship to the real. Joyce believed language could describe not only the outward world as the nineteenth-century realists did. He also believes it can fully describe the inward world, which he develops in Ulysses. The dividing line here between Victorian and modernist fiction is the attitude toward language and mimesis that Kafka and Beckett develop. Language is a structure that cannot in principle describe all that is there, especially in inward reality. This attitude toward the language problem—which is also the problem of mimesis and style—distinguishes Kafka and Beckett from Joyce and Woolf. It is a pattern that also holds for the upcoming chapters on painting and music. This chapter concludes with a discussion of Virginia Woolf and the concept of art as festive, which can be considered as a nonrepresentational way of thinking about mimesis.
A candidate gene for the determination of rice resistant to rice false smut

In recent years, rice false smut (RFS) has grown from being a minor to a major disease affecting rice productivity. The genetic basis of the host’s defense against RFS is currently under-researched. In this study, a rice variety Nanjing11 with stable resistance to RFS from years under naturally infected field condition was identified. The genetic analysis showed that the RFS resistance of Nanjing11 was controlled by a single dominant gene, tentatively termed as false smut resistance 1 (FSR1), which was mapped to a 220-kb interval on the long arm of chromosome 1 by using an F2 population bred from the cross Nanjing11 (RFS resistant) x CG3 (RFS susceptible). In this 220-kb region, DNMT2 (LOC_Os01g42630) was considered the most likely candidate gene for the RFS resistance of Nanjing11 on the basis of sequence variation and transcriptional responses to Ustilaginoidea virens infection. The result of this study lays the foundations for cloning and functional analysis of FSR1 and application of this gene.
Process optimization of twin-screw melt granulation of fenofibrate using design of experiment (DoE).

Abstract The purpose of this study was to optimize the melt granulation process of fenofibrate using twin-screw granulator. Initial screening was performed to select the excipients required for melt granulation process. A 3 × 3 factorial design was used to optimize the processing conditions using the % drug loading (X1) and screw speed (X2) as the independent parameters and granule friability (Y1) % yield (Y2) as the dependent parameters. The effect of the independent parameters on the dependent parameters was determined using response surface plots and contour plots. A linear relationship was observed between % drug loading (X1) and % friability (Y1) and a quadratic relationship was observed between the independent parameters (X1 and X2) and % yield (Y2). The processing conditions for optimum granules were determined using numerical and graphical optimization and it was found that 15% drug loading at 50 rpm results in maximum % yield of 82.38% and minimum friability of 7.88%. The solid-state characterization of the optimized granules showed that the drug turned from crystalline state to amorphous state during melt granulation process. The optimized granules were compressed into tablets using Purolite® as the super disintegrating agent. The optimized formulation showed >85% drug release in 0.75% SLS solution within 60 min.
Estimating the effects of slicing on the electrophysiological properties of spinal motoneurons under normal and disease conditions.

Although slice recordings from motoneurons are being widely used, the effects of slicing on the measured motoneuron electrical properties under normal and disease conditions have not been assessed....
Evaluating buprenorphine prescribing and opioid-related health outcomes following the expansion the buprenorphine waiver program.

Abstract Aims To evaluate associations between new types of buprenorphine waivers (nurse practitioner and physician assistant [NP/PA]; 275-patient limit [MD/DO-275]) and both buprenorphine prescribing and health outcomes. Methods Using comprehensive county-level data from California 2010–2018, we modeled quarterly associations between numbers of NP/PA and MD/DO-275 waivers and rates of buprenorphine prescribing, opioid-related deaths, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations among all counties and separately among metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties using Poisson regression models with county and quarter fixed effects and adjusting for time-varying covariates. Results Each additional NP/PA and MD/DO-275 waiver was associated with a 2.6% (95%CI: 1.1–4.1%) and 5.8% (4.1–7.4%) increase in buprenorphine prescribing among nonmetropolitan counties, respectively. Each additional MD/DO-275 waiver was associated with a 2.8% (1.0%–4.6%) increase in buprenorphine among metropolitan counties. There were no statistically significant associations between NP/PA waivers and buprenorphine prescribing among metropolitan counties or among either waiver type and opioid-related health outcomes. Conclusions NP/PA waivers were associated with increased buprenorphine prescribing among nonmetropolitan counties and MD/DO-275 waivers were associated with increased buprenorphine prescribing among both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan counties.
Depression in Adolescents

Depression in Adolescents Depression in adolescents is increasing at a greater rate than in adults. Change in appetite, loss of energy, and insomnia may be more apparent than mood changes. Pharmaco...
تقدير تأثير الفاقد في أهم المحاصيل المصرية من الفاکهة والخضر علي عوائد صادرات تلک المحاصيل Estimating the Effect of Wastage in The Most Important Egyptian Crops of Fruits and Vegetables on Its Export Returns

تعد مشکلة الفاقد في المحاصيل الزراعية بصفة عامة ومحاصيل التصدير من الخضر والفاکهة علي وجه الخصوص من أهم المشاکل التي يعاني منها المقتصد الزراعي المصري، حيث يؤدي ذلک الفاقد إلي إنخفاض کبير نسبيا في فائض الإنتاج من تلک المحاصيل، الأمر الذي يؤثر سلبا علي عوائد صادراتها. ولقد أوضحت نتائج البحث أن محصولي البرتقال والبطاطس المصرية إحتلا المرتبة الثالثة والرابعة علي التوالي من حيث الأهمية النسبية لقيمة محاصيل التصدير الزراعية خلال الفترة 2000-2011م بمتوسط بلغ حوالي 176.5، 97 مليون دولار لکل منهما علي الترتيب تمثل حوالي 10%، 5% من متوسط إجمالي قيمة الصادرات الزراعية المصرية والبالغ نحو 1.8 مليار دولار خلال نفس الفترة. کما أشارت نتائج تحليل البيانات أن متوسط کمية الفاقد من البرتقال المصري خلال فترة الدراسة بلغ حوالي 202 ألف طن ، تقدر قيمتها بحوالي 76 مليون دولار (بأسعار صادرات تلک الفترة)، في حين أوضحت نتائج تقديرات التنبؤ لکمية الفاقد من البرتقال خلال الفترة 2012- 2020م أن متوسط تلک الکمية قدر بحوالي 383 ألف طن، تقدر قيمتها بحوالي 173 مليون دولار (بأسعار صادرات البرتقال التي تم التنبؤ بها خلال فترة التنبؤ). أما بالنسبة لمحصول البطاطس فأوضحت النتائج أن متوسط کمية الفاقد لهذا المحصول خلال الفترة 1980-2011م بلغ حوالي 213 ألف طن بمتوسط قيمة بلغ حوالي 57 مليون دولار، في حين أشارت تنبؤات الفاقد خلال الفترة 2012-2020م إلي أن متوسط کمية الفاقد من محصول البطاطس المصرية قدر بحوالي 643 ألف طن، تقدر قيمتها بحوالي 186 مليون دولار.
Job Satisfaction and Evidence of Burnout Comparing Arab and Non-Arab Urologists with a Migration Background Working in German Hospitals

Background In German hospitals, severe shortage of physicians can currently be partially compensated by hiring foreign physicians. Results on job satisfaction (JS) and physician burnout (PBO) in this important occupational group are currently not available. Methods The cross-sectional “Assessment of their urological work environment by foreign clinicians in Germany (EUTAKD)” study was conducted in 2020 using a 101-item questionnaire among physicians working in German urological departments who were born in a country outside Germany and having non-German citizenship. This study compared JS and the occurrence of PBO between Arab (group A, n = 57) and non-Arab (group B, n = 39) participants. Results Significant group differences with advantages for group B were analyzed in overall JS and also in other JS items. High scores in the PBO dimensions, that is, “emotional exhaustion” and “depersonalization,” were shown by 27.9 and 51.5% of the study participants, respectively, although there were no group differences found (p = 0.972 and 0.237, respectively). Conclusion Prospective longitudinal studies of appropriate intervention measures aimed at increasing JS and decreasing PBO are needed.
Online Route Replanning for Scalable System-Optimal Route Planning

Route planning in transportation networks is typically performed as a single optimization at trip departure. In this paper, we consider the impact of within-trip replanning on the performance of the overall network in a fully-algorithmic route selection scenario. An experimental study of three real road networks using synthetic demand demonstrates in over 200 trials the effects of replanning with respect to the replanning rate and the adoption rate of replanning. Overall network travel times are reduced by up to 48.49% from a baseline where all drivers are assigned a single route, demonstrating the profound effect of dynamic within-trip replanning. These observations are part of our work exploring a system-optimal route planning strategy that is robust to network size and conditions.
Assisted Robust Reward Design

Real-world robotic tasks require complex reward functions. When we define the problem the robot needs to solve, we pretend that a designer specifies this complex reward exactly, and it is set in stone from then on. In practice, however, reward design is an iterative process: the designer chooses a reward, eventually encounters an "edge-case" environment where the reward incentivizes the wrong behavior, revises the reward, and repeats. What would it mean to rethink robotics problems to formally account for this iterative nature of reward design? We propose that the robot not take the specified reward for granted, but rather have uncertainty about it, and account for the future design iterations as future evidence. We contribute an Assisted Reward Design method that speeds up the design process by anticipating and influencing this future evidence: rather than letting the designer eventually encounter failure cases and revise the reward then, the method actively exposes the designer to such environments during the development phase. We test this method in a simplified autonomous driving task and find that it more quickly improves the car's behavior in held-out environments by proposing environments that are "edge cases" for the current reward.
Direct RF modulation 256QAM microwave system

A 2 GHz common carrier system utilizing 256-QAM for high spectrum efficiency is described. A simplification in system design is accomplished by the use of direct RF modulation and demodulation rather than a more traditional IF (intermediate frequency) heterodyne approach. Technical considerations for this direct approach are discussed. The use of automatic power control results in reduced battery requirements, improved reliability, and easier frequency coordination. With inclusive M12 muldems, extensive error correction, and time domain equalization techniques, the radio system provides 12 DS1 (19 MBS) in a 3.5 MHz bandwidth. >
The Physical Education Movement in Soviet Russia

(1930). The Physical Education Movement in Soviet Russia. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 1, No. 6, pp. 7-41.