cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insertion loss of personal protective clothing

Abstract The use of personal protective clothing that covers the head is a common practice in many industries. Such personal protective clothing will impact the sound pressure level and the frequency content of sounds to which the wearer will be exposed. The use of such clothing, then, may impact speech and alarm audibility. A measure of the impact of such clothing is its insertion loss. Insertion loss measurements were performed on four types of personal protective clothing which utilize cloth and plastic hood configurations to protect the head. All clothing configurations tested at least partially cover the ears. The measurements revealed that insertion loss of the items tested was notable at frequencies above 1000 Hz only and was a function of material stiffness and acoustic flanking paths to the ear. Further, an estimate of the clothing's noise reduction rating reveals poor performance in that regard, even though the insertion loss of the test articles was significant at frequencies at and above 1000 Hz.
Erythropoietin ameliorates renal dysfunction during endotoxaemia

Background. Sepsis has a high mortality (50–80%) when associated with acute renal failure (ARF). Oxidant injury and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines have been shown to increase with endotoxaemia-related ARF. Since erythropoietin (EPO) has been demonstrated to possess anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, EPO may have therapeutic efficacy for treating ARF associated with endotoxaemia. Methods. Wild-type mice were given 2.5 mg/kg of intraperitoneal (i.p.) endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and studied 16 h later. Thirty minutes prior to LPS, the mice were given either EPO or vehicle. Results. During endotoxaemia, EPO was found to significantly attenuate the renal dysfunction, as assessed by glomerular filtration rate (48.1 � 12.4ml/min vs 136.7 � 30.2, P < 0.05). Renal blood flow and mean arterial pressure were not significantly different between the two groups. The renal dysfunction during endotoxaemia was associated with a decrease in renal superoxide dismutase (SOD). The EPO-related renal protection was associated with reversal of the effects of endotoxin on renal SOD. Conclusion. This is the first demonstration of a renal protective effect of EPO on endotoxin-related renal dysfunction.
Answering imprecise queries over web databases

The rapid expansion of the World Wide Web has made a large number of databases like bibliographies, scientific databases etc. to become accessible to lay users demanding "instant gratification". Often, these users may not know how to precisely express their needs and may formulate queries that lead to unsatisfactory results.
Effects of parental presence and child characteristics on children's neuropsychological test performance: Third party observer effect confirmed

An observer's presence during neuropsychological testing can impair task performance in adults, but this phenomenon has yet to be examined as it pertains to neuropsychological testing of children. The current study focused on parental presence effects on nonverbal intelligence and verbal learning performance of children aged 6 to 8 years. Each of 53 children completed one form of the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence-3rd Edition (TONI-3) and the Selective Reminding Test (SRT) with his/her parent in the room and an alternate form of each with only the experimenter with the child in the testing room. Of several possible covariates, only the child's age was significant and included in final analyses. Using a doubly multivariate MANCOVA it was discovered that parent's observation status significantly interacted with the order of observation to impact task performance. This significant effect can mainly be attributed to a steeper positive slope (i.e., children's greater improvement over time) for TONI-3 T scores in children whose parent observed first; children whose parents were absent for the first half of testing improved to a lesser extent over time. No significant relationship was found between observation and SRT scores. These results lend some support to the assertion of previous studies that the presence of third party observers may affect the validity of neuropsychological test results.
Bevacizumab-Induced Oral Mucositis in Background of Cutaneous Plaque-Type Psoriasis

OBJECTIVE:To report the serial development of oral mucositis following infusion of bevacizumab in a young woman with a malignant brain tumor and history of cutaneous psoriasis.CASE SUMMARY:A 29-year-old woman with a history of active cutaneous psoriasis and a malignant glioneuronal tumor was treated with bevacizumab for 2.5 years. With each infusion of bevacizumab, she developed oral mucositis within 36 hours. She received temozolomide as part of concurrent therapy with radiation and as maintenance therapy; it was discontinued after continuous therapy for 1.5 years. Bevacizumab 10 mg/kg was added after 7 cycles of maintenance temozolomide, as the tumor had minimal response and evidence of increased perfusion with angiogenesis on imaging studies. All medication, including temozolomide, was evaluated and eventually discontinued, with the exception of bevacizumab, which remained the drug suspected of causing the mucositis.DISCUSSION:Oral mucositis is a frequent adverse effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy, but h...
Prediction of S-glutathionylated Proteins Progression in Alzheimer's Transgenic Mouse Model Using Principle Component Analysis

To date, prediction of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is mainly based on clinical criteria because no well-established biochemical biomarkers for routine clinical diagnosis of AD currently exist. We developed an approach to aid in the early diagnosis of AD by using principal component analysis (PCA)-based spectral analysis of oxidized protein electrophoretic profiling. We found that the combination of capillary electrophoresis and PCA analysis of S-glutathionylation distribution characterization can be used in the sample classification and molecular weight (Mw) prediction. The comparison of leave-one-out AD versus non-AD gives the sensitivity of 100% and 93.33% in brain tissues and blood samples, respectively, while the specificity of 100% in brain and 90.0% in blood samples. Our findings demonstrate that PCA of S-glutathionylation electrophoretic profiling detects AD pathology features, and that the molecular weight based electrophoretic profiling of blood and brain S-glutathionylated proteins are sensitive to change, even at the early stage of the disease. Our results offer a previously unexplored diagnostic approach by using electrophoretic characteristics of oxidized proteins to serve as a predictor of AD progression and early stage screening.
Research approaches in the development of interventions against vector-borne infection.

The conceptual basis of public health entomology developed at the turn of the twentieth century with the seminal experiments that guided the first vector-directed interventions. Within 50 years, technological advances built confidence in the power of research to resolve threats posed by vector-borne pathogens. Hope that the resulting diseases might be eliminated by time-limited interventions, however, soon became remote, thereby intensifying research efforts in vector biology. Beginning in the 1960s, US investigator-initiated grant proposals in vector biology were reviewed by a panel of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that considered all proposals relating to \`Tropical Medicine and Parasitology' (TMP). Following the recommendation of a conference held in 1978, proposals relating to insect physiology came to be reviewed by TMP. A standing \` ad hoc entomology' study section was formed in 1982 to deal with this influx of proposals. Another conference, held in 1993, encouraged consideration of proposals relating to vector transgenics by that study section. By 1994, this diversion caused the community of US public health entomologists to petition, in vain, for a return to the original concept of vector biology. By 2003, so many molecular proposals were submitted that entomological studies containing a field component were removed to an epidemiological study section distinct from TMP. In 2002, only half as many vector biology training programs could be identified in the US as in 1982, with a proportionate loss of associated faculty. A conference convened by the Institute of Medicine in 2003 concluded that the `human resource capacity' in the US suitable for dealing with vector-related issues in health should be rebuilt. Although the development of such a discipline would depend largely on the system of investigator-initiated research proposals awarded by NIH, private donors and foundations seem likely to play an important role in this dynamic. The meld of vector biology, insect physiology and vector transgenics that will characterize the faculty that produces this new generation of public health entomologists remains to be defined.
Moving Toward Understanding the Proteome Involved in Substance Abuse.

Addiction to alcohol and other drugs of abuse is a persistent mental health disorder adversely affecting the individuals with the disorder as well as society at large. Initial substance use and subsequent chronic abuse affect multiple brain systems and biological pathways. The transition to a substance use disorder entails interacting molecular components within the central nervous system (CNS), forming a dense network of proteins capable of being usurped by abused substances. Deciphering the affected components throughout the life cycle of addiction is essential for understanding the neurobiological complexity of this mental health disorder and for rational design of pharmacotherapies. Since the end of the 20th century, there has been a steady increase in the number of publications using proteomicsbased approaches (Figure 1). Proteomics seeks to conduct an unbiased, simultaneous assessment of all the proteins altered by an experimental condition. Using two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis followed by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization tandem time-of-flight, Salling et al. (1) examined expression changes for a subset of proteins within the amygdala following a period of ad libitum alcohol consumption. Paired with proprietary bioinformatics software, which assists in the curation of the existing biomedical literature (Ingenuity Pathway Analysis; QIAGEN, Redwood City, California), the authors identified two main literatureassociated networks for proteins altered within the amygdala of adult male C57BL/6J mice voluntarily consuming alcohol. Following the proteomics findings, Salling et al. (1) focused their efforts on calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CAMKIIα) and through a series of elegant experiments demonstrated the physiologic relevance of CAMKIIα within the central amygdala on alcohol drinking behavior. The GENCODE consortium currently estimates that between 19,881 and 21,936 protein-coding genes exist in the mammalian genome. The two-dimensional differential ingel electrophoresis experiments conducted by Salling et al. (1) identified 29 proteins extracted from the amygdala, leaving .99% of the amygdala proteome open to future scrutiny. Only a small portion of all proteomics studies published to date have focused on either the amygdala or alcohol-related research (Figure 1). Technical limitations surrounding current proteomics methodologies and the complexity of the CNS and addiction research significantly hinder the widespread adoption of functional proteomics experimental designs. Any individual brain region contains a heterogeneous mixture of numerous CNS cell types, wherein specific proteins may show distinctive expression patterns. Characterizing the abundance and distribution of the complete proteome among discrete neuronal and glial cells is a daunting task, yet one that must be
Development of a Statistical Model for the Prediction of Common Vestibular Diagnoses

Importance Treatment of patients with vestibular disorders can be complex, requires lengthy clinic visit time, and uses greater clinical resources for diagnosis. A pre-encounter intake questionnaire may predict the most common disorders, allowing for more efficient allocation of resources and use of clinicians. Objective To develop a statistical model for predicting vestibular diagnoses, prior to clinical evaluation, from an intake questionnaire. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective review of 414 consecutive new vestibular patient intake questionnaires (September 2012 through January 2014) and associated medical records with performance of logistic regression analyses and development of predictive models (July 2013 through May 2015). Interventions Use of a vestibular intake questionnaire for triaging of new patients with complaints of dizziness. Main Outcomes and Measures Predictors for the diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), Meniere’s disease, and vestibular migraine. Results Of the 414 questionnaires analyzed, 381 (92%) had clinician information necessary to define a final diagnosis. Patients were 34% male and had a mean (range) age of 57 (19-91) years. Of the diagnoses, 183 (48%) were ear related (including 103 BPPV and 49 Meniere's disease), 141 (37%) neurological (including 109 vestibular migraine), 36 (9%) medical, 8 (2%) of psychological origin, 46 (12%) of unknown etiology, and 33 (9%) other causes. The diagnosis of BPPV could be predicted from 4 variables with a sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 65%. The diagnosis of Meniere’s disease could be predicted from 5 variables with a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 85%. The diagnosis of vestibular migraine could be predicted from 4 variables with a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 59%. Conclusions and Relevance A pre-encounter history questionnaire can provide useful diagnostic information for common vestibular disorders. This can help direct appointment scheduling to improve clinical efficiency, time to intervention, and use of resources. Further refinement may enable the use of shorter questionnaires or screening algorithms.
Effect of Elastic Stress on Phase Selection in a Binary System

Elastic stress arising from differences in lattice parameters between phases is known to alter both qualitatively and quantitatively the characteristics of phase equilibria in coherent systems. One important consequence of misfit or epitaxial strain is the possible existence of several linearly stable equilibrium states: For a given composition, temperature and applied stress, different combinations of volume fraction and corresponding phase compositions render the free energy of the system a minimum. Here, we examine how epitaxial stresses influence phase equilibria in a binary alloy when the system can select from three different phases. In particular, we show the existence of several equilibrium states with different combinations of phases that minimize the system free energy.
Simulation and test validation of windshield subject to pedestrian head impact

A Finite Element (FE) model is established to simulate the pedestrian head impact with windshield, which is one of the major reasons for pedestrian severe injury or fatality. In the FE model, shell and solid elements represented different layers of a windshield. Major strain principal was used to deal with the failure of glass and no failure was assumed for the PVB interlayer. The simulation results were validated by the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) pedestrian head-to-shield impact tests using the Head Injury Criterion (HIC). The HIC value and windshield crack range show that the modeling method can effectively predict the pedestrian head injury and the failure pattern of windshield. This will be helpful for pedestrian safety evaluation and automotive development.
An Analysis Pattern for the Request and Allocation of Limited Resources.

In many situations the number of available resources is smaller than the requests for them. For example, tickets for a popular sports game are sold out far before the date of play; a well-paid position in a company may have many applicants; in China, stocks are always sold out when first offered because of their lower price. These are nonreusable resources in that, from the system point of view, there is no provision for the return of the resource and its future allocation. This is in contrast with reusable resources such as vehicles, hotel rooms, and airplane seats, which are returned after use and scheduled to be used again in the future.
Childcare, language-use, and vocabulary of second-generation Latino immigrant children growing up in a new immigrant enclave in the United States

ABSTRACTWe utilize a within-group framework to understand the association between childcare type and the language-use and vocabulary of second-generation Latino immigrant children. The sample was drawn from a study of a suburban/rural immigrant community to study the role of home experiences on the early language and literacy of young Latino preschoolers (N = 77). We found that Latino families were more likely to use parental care (67%) than other types of childcare. We also found that children in parental care are more likely to spoken to in English by household member, and children in parental care had lower English and Spanish vocabulary scores on average than children attending other types of childcare setting. We highlight factors that situate the results within the experiences that families face as they navigate an early education context with limited community and institutional supports for children’s Spanish language development within formal and informal care settings.
Tennessee's Drug-Free Zone Law: A Comparative Analysis

Effective policy implementation is significant to any legal regime. This report is the first academic work to squarely confront the failing efforts of Tennessee’s Drug-free Zone Law (“DFZL”). Contemporary research and statistical data demonstrates that DFZLs throughout the U.S. are failing to effectively implement the policy behind the laws and are causing unintended, negative consequences. Drug-free zone legislation aims to ensure the safety and well-being of children and their surrounding communities by discouraging drug activity near locations children frequent, such as schools or parks. In this effort, jurisdictions prohibit drug activity within a certain proximity of contemplated locales. Findings, however, demonstrate that the buffer zones employed under these laws, when not adequately tailored to the jurisdictional needs of a state, often render the primary deterrent value of the law ineffective and cause significant disparate impacts on minorities and lower-income classes. This report uses statistical research and comparative analysis to analyze the current state of drug-free zone legislation in the United States. The insight provided demonstrates that Tennessee is likely suffering from unintended effects of its DFZL. This report proposes an immediate reformation of Tennessee’s DFZL, and at its very least, serves as a call to action for the Tennessee General Assembly to implement an institutionally driven evaluation of the law in an effort to ensure the effectiveness and value of the legislation.
Lasers feel the Z-pinch

The applications of wire-array "Z-pinches"are experiencing a renaissance. In recent years, researchers at Sandia in the US, Imperial College in the UK, and the Troitsk Institute in Russia, among others, have managed to perfect the art of using ultra-short current pulses to produce an intense source of X-rays. Such a source can be used to drive thermonuclear fusion, to simulate the plasmas that are found near the surface of neutron stars, or to produce jets similar to those in astrophysical phenomena (see Physics World May 2000 pp39–43).
Derivation and Validation of a Record Linkage Algorithm between EMS and the Emergency Department

Background: Linking EMS electronic patient care reports (ePCRs) to ED records can provide clinicians access to vital information that can alter management. It can also create rich databases for research and quality improvement. Unfortunately, previous attempts at ePCR - ED record linkage have had limited success. Objective: To derive and validate an automated record linkage algorithm between EMS ePCR9s and ED records using supervised machine learning. Methods: All consecutive ePCR9s from a single EMS provider between June 2013 and June 2015 were included. A primary reviewer matched ePCR9s to a list of ED patients to create a gold standard. Age, gender, last name, first name, social security number (SSN), and date of birth (DOB) were extracted. Data was randomly split into 80%/20% training and test data sets. We derived missing indicators, identical indicators, edit distances, and percent differences. A multivariate logistic regression model was trained using 5k fold cross-validation, using label k-fold, L2 regularization, and class re-weighting. Results: A total of 14,032 ePCRs were included in the study. Inter-rater reliability between the primary and secondary reviewer had a Kappa of 0.9. The algorithm had a sensitivity of 99.4%, a PPV of 99.9% and AUC of 0.99 in both the training and test sets. DOB match had the highest odd ratio of 16.9, followed by last name match (10.6). SSN match had an odds ratio of 3.8. Conclusions: We were able to successfully derive and validate a probabilistic record linkage algorithm from a single EMS ePCR provider to our hospital EMR.
A Spontaneous Structural Transition of {U24Pp12} Clusters Triggered by Alkali Counterion Replacement in Dilute Solution

A transition between two isomeric clusters involving the change of the main skeleton structure of a well-defined, rigid molecular cluster [(UO2 )24 (O2 )24 (P2 O7 )12 ]48- , {U24 Pp12 }, is achieved by simply introducing proper alkali cations into its dilute aqueous solution. While the unique structural transition can be triggered by introducing any of the Na+ /K+ /Rb+ /Cs+ alkali ions, the two isomers, Li/Na-{U24 Pp12 } and Na/K-{U24 Pp12 }, as typical macroions, can accurately choose among different alkali counter-cations based on their hydrated sizes, and the ion selectivity process clearly showed endothermic features. The preferred K+ and Rb+ ions have suitable sizes to be incorporated into the proper windows on {U24 Pp12 } nanocapsules, as supported by the transition points in both ITC studies and IR measurements.
Genetic Testing in Liver Disease: What to Order, in Whom, and When

Genetic causes of liver disease lead to a wide range of presentations, from mildly abnormal liver tests to acute liver failure. This article discusses the indications for testing and what to test for hereditary hemochromatosis, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis, lysosomal acid lipase deficiency, Gilbert syndrome, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and Wilson disease.
MICROBIAL FORMATION OF HYDROCARBONS

The chemical nature and general pathways of synthesis of microbial hydrocarbons are reviewed with emphasis on the relevancy of microorganisms as hydrocarbon producers.
The Logic of Polarizing Populism: State Crises and Polarization in South America:

What explains high party polarization in younger developing democracies? This article examines and explains variation during South America’s recent left turn period, making two key claims. Extremel...
11.11 – Silane-initiated Carbocyclization Catalyzed by Transition Metal Complexes

A number of transition metal complexes catalyze the cyclization/hydrosilylation of diynes, enynes, dienes, and related substrates to form silylated carbocycles and heterocycles. These transformations lead to a significant increase in molecular complexity arising from formation of a C–C bond and a functionalized C–Si bond. Examples include the Ni(0)-, Pd(ii)-, Pt(ii)-, and Rh(i)- catalyzed cyclization/hydrosilylation of 1,6- and/or 1,7-diynes to form silylated dialkylidene cycloalkanes and heterocycles. Similarly, both rhodium(i) and lanthanide metallocene complexes catalyze the cyclization/hydrosilylation of enynes to form silylated alkylidene cycloalkanes and heterocycles. Lanthanide metallocene and cationic Pd(ii) complexes that contain bidentate nitrogen ligands catalyze the cyclization/hydrosilylation of dienes; enantiomerically, pure palladium pyridine–oxazoline complexes catalyze the asymmetric cyclization/hydrosilylation of dienes. Rhodium carbonyl complexes and low-valent nickel and titanium complexes catalyze the cyclization/hydrosilylation of δ,ω- and ω,e-unsaturated carbonyl compounds to form silylated carbocyclic and heterocyclic alcohols. In addition to cyclization/hydrosilylation, transition metal complexes catalyze a number of related carbocyclization processes in which silylative or silane-initiated cyclization is coupled with additional C–C or C–X bond-forming processes. As examples, rhodium carbonyl complexes catalyze the cyclization/silylation/carbonylation of 1,6-diynes to form bicyclo[3.3.0]octenones and/or bicyclo[3.3.0]octa-1,5-dien-3-ones, and also catalyze the cyclization/silylformylation of 1,6-enynes to form silylated cyclopentane carboxaldehydes. Lanthanide metallocene complexes and cationic palladium complexes catalyze the cascade cyclization/hydrosilylation of trienes and/or dieneynes to form silylated polycyclic derivatives. Similarly, rhodium carbonyl complexes catalyze the silane-initiated cascade cyclization of trienes and enediynes to form tethered and fused silylated polycycles and/or carbonylated polycycles. Palladium complexes catalyze the cyclization/silylstannylation of diynes, enynes, and yneallenes, the cyclization/disilylation of bis(dienes), and the cyclization/borylsilylation of enynes and diynes. A number of related metallative carbocyclization protocols that employ hydrostannanes, borylstannanes, and hydrogermanes have also been reported.
Depsipeptides and Cyclodepsipeptides

This chapter focuses on depsipeptides and cyclodepsipeptides. A solid-phase synthesis of valinomycin was described in 1971, and one of the key steps, cyclization of D-Val-L-Lac-Val-D-Hyv- 3 , was achieved as earlier described by Shemyakin and colleagues using thionyl chloride. The Rydon group focused on the preparation of four polydepsipeptides. In this work, L-2-hydroxy-4-methylpentanoic acid was prepared from Leu, depside coupling being induced by DCCI in Py, and polymer formation being initiated by treating an acid chloride hydrochloride with triethylamine.
Palliative Care Screening: Appraisal of a Tool to Identify Patients' Symptom Management and Advance Care Planning Needs.

Background The palliative care needs of hospitalized patients often go unmet, resulting in unrelieved symptoms and a lack of understanding about advance care planning. Objectives This article analyzes the 10-item Palliative Assessment Screening Tool (PAST) to determine if the PAST aids in the identification of hospitalized patients with palliative care needs and facilitates completion of advance directives. Methods A systematic review of studies published from 2012-2016, as well as a retrospective chart review, were used to analyze the PAST. For this 12-week pilot study, all adult patients either admitted or transferred to a 24-bed medical-surgical oncology/orthopedic unit were assessed by the bedside nurse for their potential palliative needs. Findings Using the PAST seems to improve the identification of patients with palliative needs, leading to better management of symptoms. The PAST is also likely useful in facilitating the completion of advance directives, but this requires further study.
Measuring Perceived Usability: SUS, UMUX, and CSUQ Ratings for Four Everyday Products

ABSTRACTThis research continued previous investigation of the relationships among measures of perceived usability: the System Usability Scale (SUS), three metrics derived from the Usability Metric ...
Enhancement of light trapping for thin film solar cells

Light trapping is one of the key challenges for next generation thin film solar cells. In this work, we have identified the distinct light trapping effects for short and long wavelength solar spectrum range, by investigating lighting trapping structures on both sides of Si thin film solar cells. The sub-wavelength photonic front surface by wet etching and multi-layer photonic crystal reflector on the bottom surface are studied in detail for its solar energy absorption characteristics. Our study reveals the drastic difference of the light trapping effects within the solar spectrum wavelength. This work may provide guidance for the efficiency enhancement for next generation thin film photovoltaic cells.
Teaching Ethics in Educational Leadership Using the Values–Issues–Action (VIA) Model:

Educational leaders are faced with multiple ethical decisions every day. This article presents the Values–Issue–Action (VIA) Model as a tool for developing ethical decisions in K-12 schools. The mo...
Electron-Phonon Scattering in the Presence of Soft Modes and Electron Mobility in SrTiO 3 Perovskite from First Principles

Structural phase transitions and soft phonon modes pose a long-standing challenge to computing electron-phonon ($e$-ph) interactions in strongly anharmonic crystals. Here we develop a first-principles approach to compute $e$-ph scattering and charge transport in materials with anharmonic lattice dynamics. Our approach employs renormalized phonons to compute the temperature-dependent $e$-ph coupling for all phonon modes, including the soft modes associated with ferroelectricity and phase transitions. We show that the electron mobility in cubic ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ is controlled by scattering with longitudinal optical phonons at room temperature and with ferroelectric soft phonons below 200 K. Our calculations can accurately predict the temperature dependence of the electron mobility in ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ between 150--300 K, and reveal the microscopic origin of its roughly ${T}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ trend. Our approach enables first-principles calculations of $e$-ph interactions and charge transport in broad classes of crystals with phase transitions and strongly anharmonic phonons.
Generating keV ion distributions for nuclear reactions at near solid-density using intense short-pulse lasers

Our understanding of a large range of astrophysical phenomena depends on a precise knowledge of charged particle nuclear reactions that occur at very low rates, which are difficult to measure under relevant plasma conditions. Here, we describe a method for generating dense plasmas at effective ion temperatures >20 keV, sufficient to induce measurable charged particle nuclear reactions. Our approach uses ultra-intense lasers to drive micron-sized, encapsulated nanofoam targets. Energetic electrons generated in the intense laser interaction pass through the foam, inducing a rapid expansion of the foam ions; this results in a hot, near-solid density plasma. We present the laser and target conditions necessary to achieve these conditions and illustrate the system performance using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, outline potential applications and calculate expected nuclear reaction rates in the D(d,n) and 12C(p,γ) systems assuming CD, or CH aerogel foams. Studying nuclear reactions in an astrophysical plasma environment is challenging but laboratory experiments can mimic such extreme conditions. Here the authors discuss the potential use of intense laser-produced dense plasma to find the rates of nuclear reactions in plasma-screened conditions.
Hypervelocity impact of PrintCast 316L/A356 composites

Abstract Shielding elements used to protect against micrometeoroids and orbital debris (MMOD) (e.g., standard and stuffed Whipple shields, multi-shock shields) typically incorporate thin bumper sheets that intercept and vaporize incident MMOD traveling at speeds in excess of several km/s. In some applications, however, space limitations prevent the use of large stand-offs, and components must instead be protected by a single monolithic shielding element. Electronics, for example, are often only protected by their housing. With such applications in mind, we describe a class of spatially efficient composite shielding elements fabricated using a hybrid additive manufacturing approach termed PrintCasting. The PrintCast process consists of two steps: First selective laser melting is used to fabricate a lattice preform in the shape of the final component. Next this preform is infiltrated with a liquid metal that has a melting point lower than that of the lattice. The resulting solidified part is a periodic interpenetrating composite in which each constituent forms a continuous network. Using a combination of hypervelocity impact experiments and shock transmission calculations, we demonstrate that these interpenetrating composite shielding elements mitigate spallation and other failure modes through multiple internal shock reflections at the buried heterophase interfaces.
Stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase enzyme activity and mRNA levels are not different in subcutaneous adipose tissue from Angus and American Wagyu steers

We proposed that greater stearoyl Enzyme activities and mRNA concentrations, as coenzyme A (COLI) desaturase enzyme activity caused measured by laser densitometry of slot-blot autoradio- the elevated monounsaturated fatty acids observed in grams, were not significantly different between the American adipose tissue. StearoY' CoA two breeds at this stage of growth. This investigation desaturase mRNA concentrations and enzyme activi- has demonstrated that, at this stage of maturity, ties were measured in subcutaneous adipose samples differences in fatty acid composition between Angus from Angus (n = 5) and American Wagyu (n = 5), fed and American Wagyu steers cannot be attributed to to the Japanese market end point. A rat liver stearoyl relative amounts of stearoyl CoA desaturase mRNA. tivity. CoA desaturase cDNA clone was used to measure the differences in stearoyl CoA desaturase enzyme ac-
TIMSS 2015: Illustrating Advancements in Large-Scale International Assessments.

International large-scale assessments of student achievement such as International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study ...
18 Examining women’s perceptions of maternity care in public and private sectors of national guard hospitals in saudi arabia: a qualitative study

Background High-quality maternity care dramatically reduces infant and maternal morbidity and mortality. Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of the quality of care because it demonstrates the difference between what the patient expects and the current level of care received. Vision 2030 represents a blueprint for Saudi Arabia’s future that is focused on improving the quality of healthcare through privatization. In support of that vision, Saudi women gained back the majority of their rights including autonomy to make their own healthcare decisions. While some research has elucidated women’s satisfaction with their maternity care within the public sector, none has examined it within the private sector or compared it across sectors. With transformation towards Vision 2030 underway, this study is designed to measure and compare women’s satisfaction with their labor and delivery care in the public and private sectors of two National Guard hospitals in Jeddah and Riyadh. Methods A convenience sample of 80 women across the public and private sectors of National Guard hospitals in Jeddah and Riyadh were recruited. Participants consented to the study and completed 20-minute, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded. Codes were analyzed using grounded theory to build a conceptual framework regarding women’s satisfaction with their labor and delivery care across sectors and locations. Frameworks were compared to draw distinctions in perceptions across sectors and locations. Results Preliminary results reveal that women within the public sector feel less satisfied with their care compared with women in the private sector because of lack of privacy and nurses’ less-careful attention to their concerns. Women within the private sector did not face those issues and also expressed great doctor–patient relationships. Conclusion Women within the private sectors of National Guard hospitals feel more satisfied with care, particularly when it comes to privacy and the care provided by nurses. As Saudi Arabia transitions to privatization, careful attention should be paid to how women within the public sector are transitioned during the privatization efforts. Specifically, attention should be given to the privacy that women receive during labor and delivery, as well as how women are cared for by nursing staff. How to maintain the level of the care provided in the private sector of hospitals while expanding care to meet the needs of all women given finite resources is a direction for future research.
Chapter 7 – Vibrios

Vibrios inhabit coastal ecosystems throughout the world, and foodborne diseases associated with these species are generally attributed to seafood consumption. Major pathogens include V. cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and V. vulnificus. Cholera, a disease with epidemic potential, is caused by cholera toxin-producing V. cholerae and is characterized by massive diarrheal symptoms that contrast to the milder, watery diarrhea from V. parahaemolyticus infections. V. vulnificus is the leading cause of fatalities associated with seafood-borne infections in the USA, but life-threatening disease is limited to individuals with underlying conditions related to immune status and serum iron levels. Efforts to reduce Vibrio infections include pre-harvest monitoring and post-harvest processing (PHP) of oysters, but outbreaks of V. parahaemolyticus on the US Pacific coast and sporadic cases of V. vulnificus associated with Gulf coast oysters still persist. The potential public health threat for the US seafood industry is highlighted by the emergence of V. cholerae disease in Florida.
Diet Quality and Visceral Adiposity among a Multiethnic Population of Young, Middle, and Older Aged Adults.

Author(s): Panizza, Chloe E; Wong, Michael C; Kelly, Nisa; Liu, Yong En; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Lowe, Dylan A; Weiss, Ethan J; Heymsfield, Steven B; Kennedy, Samantha; Boushey, Carol J; Maskarinec, Gertraud; Shepherd, John A | Abstract: BackgroundVisceral adiposity, more so than overall adiposity, is associated with chronic disease and mortality. There has been, to our knowledge, little research exploring the association between diet quality and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) among a mulitethnic population aged 18-80 y.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this cross-sectional analysis was to examine the association between diet quality [Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) scores] and VAT among a multiethnic population of young, middle, and older aged adults in the United States. Secondary objectives were to repeat these analyses with overall adiposity and blood-based biomarkers for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk as outcome measures.MethodsA total of 540 adults (dropped out: nn=n4; age: 18-40 y, nn=n220; 40-60 y, nn=n183; 60-80 y, nn=n133) were recruited across 3 sites (Honolulu County, San Francisco, and Baton Rouge) for the Shape Up! Adults study. Whole-body DXA, anthropometry, fasting blood draw, and questionnaires (food frequency, physical activity, and demographic characteristics) were completed. Linear regression was used to assess the associations between HEI-2010 tertiles and VAT and secondary outcome measures among all participants and age-specific strata, while adjusting for known confounders.ResultsVAT, BMI (kg/m2), body fat percentage, total body fat, trunk fat, insulin, and insulin resistance were inversely related to diet quality (all P values ln0.004). When stratified by age, diet quality was inversely associated with VAT among participants aged 60-80 y (P ln0.006) and VAT/subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) among participants aged 40-60 y (P ln0.008).ConclusionsHigher-quality diet was associated with lower VAT, overall adiposity, and insulin resistance among this multiethnic population of young, middle, and older aged adults with ages ranging from 18 to 80 y. More specifically, adherence to a high-quality diet may minimize VAT accumulation in adults aged 60-80 y and preferentially promote storage of SAT compared with VAT in adults aged 40-60 y.This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03637855.
Aspectos éticos de la pandemia por COVID-19 en pediatría

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted different ethical dilemmas inday-to-day patient care. We analyzed the crisis caused by the pandemic and evaluate general aspects of ethical analysis in clinical practice and the context of the health crisis. In addition, we review some relevant ethical aspects related to the proportionality of the implemented measures, the palliative care management, and the challenges generated due to the lack of resources and professional duties, in relation to patients infected with COVID-19 and those chronic patients whose outpatient control is delayed.
Transcriptomics reveals specific molecular mechanisms underlying transgenerational immunity in Manduca sexta

The traditional view of innate immunity in insects is that every exposure to a pathogen triggers an identical and appropriate immune response and that prior exposures to pathogens do not confer any protective (i.e., adaptive) effect against subsequent exposure to the same pathogen. This view has been challenged by experiments demonstrating that encounters with sublethal doses of a pathogen can prime the insect's immune system and, thus, have protective effects against future lethal doses. Immune priming has been reported across several insect species, including the red flour beetle, the honeycomb moth, the bumblebee, and the European honeybee, among others. Immune priming can also be transgenerational where the parent's pathogenic history influences the immune response of its offspring. Phenotypic evidence of transgenerational immune priming (TGIP) exists in the tobacco moth Manduca sexta where first-instar progeny of mothers injected with the bacterium Serratia marcescens exhibited a significant increase of in vivo bacterial clearance. To identify the gene expression changes underlying TGIP in M. sexta, we performed transcriptome-wide, transgenerational differential gene expression analysis on mothers and their offspring after mothers were exposed to S. marcescens. We are the first to perform transcriptome-wide analysis of the gene expression changes associated with TGIP in this ecologically relevant model organism. We show that maternal exposure to both heat-killed and live S. marcescens has strong and significant transgenerational impacts on gene expression patterns in their offspring, including upregulation of peptidoglycan recognition protein, toll-like receptor 9, and the antimicrobial peptide cecropin.
Team-based Learning to Promote the Development of Metacognitive Awareness and Monitoring in Pharmacy Students

Objective. To evaluate the metacognitive abilities of pharmacy students and determine whether introducing the concept along with team-based learning (TBL) enhances metacognition. Methods. Pharmacy students completed a Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and a low-stakes pretest during the first class that evaluated students’ knowledge about the therapeutic concepts that would be taught through TBL. The same questions were administered on the comprehensive final examination for the course. For each of the course assessments, students were asked to indicate their understanding of the topic and predict their performance. Actual performance was measured as a result of each assessment. Results. The pre-MAI composite score was 77.3%. Scores significantly improved by the end of the course to 84.6%. There were significant differences in both declarative knowledge and conditional knowledge when evaluating performance groups. Students in the middle performance group demonstrated the greatest ability to predict their performance on the final examination. Though these were not significant, students in the low group overestimated their performance, while students in the high group underestimated their performance. Baseline grade point average was the only factor predictive of the final examination score and the final course grade. Conclusion. Pedagogies such as TBL may support development of metacognitive skills in pharmacy students. However, intentional guidance provided by an instructor is required to improve pharmacy students’ regulation of cognition skills.
Enhancing Task fMRI Preprocessing via Individualized Model-Based Filtering of Intrinsic Activity Dynamics

Brain responses recorded during fMRI are thought to reflect both rapid, stimulus-evoked activity and the propagation of spontaneous activity through brain networks. In the current work we describe a method to improve the estimation of task-evoked brain activity by first "filtering-out" the intrinsic propagation of pre-event activity from the BOLD signal. We do so using Mesoscale Individualized NeuroDynamic (MINDy) models built from individualized resting-state data (MINDy-based Filtering). After filtering, time-series are analyzed using conventional techniques. Results demonstrate that this simple operation significantly improves the statistical power and temporal precision of estimated group-level effects. Moreover, estimates based upon our technique better generalize between tasks measuring the same construct (cognitive control) and better predict individual differences in behavior. Thus, by subtracting the propagation of previous activity, we obtain better estimates of task-related neural activity.
Site Specific Lysine Acetylation of Histones for Nucleosome Reconstitution using Genetic Code Expansion in Escherichia coli.

Acetylated histone proteins can be easily expressed in Escherichia coli encoding a mutant, Ne-acetyl-lysine (AcK)-specific Methanosarcina mazi pyrrolysine tRNA-synthetase (MmAcKRS1) and its cognate tRNA (tRNAPyl) to assemble reconstituted mononucleosomes with site specific acetylated histones. MmAcKRS1 and tRNAPyl deliver AcK at an amber mutation site in the mRNA of choice during translation in Escherichia coli. This technique has been used extensively to incorporate AcK at H3 lysine sites. Pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) can also be easily evolved to incorporate other noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) for site specific protein modification or functionalization. Here we detail a method to incorporate AcK using the MmAcKRS1 system into histone H3 and integrate acetylated H3 proteins into reconstituted mononucleosomes. Acetylated reconstituted mononucleosomes can be used in biochemical and binding assays, structure determination, and more. Obtaining modified mononucleosomes is crucial for designing experiments related to discovering new interactions and understanding epigenetics.