cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Links between type I interferons and the genetic basis of disease in mouse lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), like other autoimmune diseases, is a complex genetic trait with contributions from both major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes and multiple non-MHC genes. Most of the contributing genes have yet to be identified. Studies of mouse models of lupus have provided important insight into the immunopathogenesis of lupus-like IgG autoantibody production and lupus nephritis, and genetic analyses of these mice are helping to unravel the complex and heterogeneous genetic basis of disease. Recent studies in both human SLE and mouse models of lupus have emphasized a potential role of type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) in the initiation and perpetuation of disease. There is now increasing interest in genes that affect IFN-alpha/beta expression-activity and IFN-regulated target genes that may be involved in the disease process. One example is interferon-inducible gene 202 (Ifi202), which has been identified as a major candidate susceptibility gene in the New Zealand hybrid model of lupus. Studies suggest that increased expression of this transcription factor leads to lupus through inhibition of lymphocyte apoptosis, although its effects on immune function are extremely complex and have yet to be fully defined. This review will focus on the genetic basis of disease in mouse lupus with a special emphasis on those genetic contributions that may affect IFN-alpha/beta activity and those that may be target genes of IFN-alpha/beta action.
Bistable vector fields are axiom A

Recently L. Wen showed that if a C 1 vector field (on a smooth compact manifold without boundary) is both structurally stable and topologically stable then it will satisfy Axiom A. The purpose of this note is to indicate how results from an earlier paper can be used to simplify somewhat Wen's argument.
The Spike Protein of Murine Coronavirus Mouse Hepatitis Virus Strain A59 Is Not Cleaved in Primary Glial Cells and Primary Hepatocytes

Mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 (MHV-A59) produces meningoencephalitis and severe hepatitis during acute infection. Infection of primary cells derived from the central nervous system (CNS) and liver was examined to analyze the interaction of virus with individual cell types derived from the two principal sites of viral replication in vivo. In glial cell cultures derived from C57BL/6 mice, MHV-A59 produces a productive but nonlytic infection, with no evidence of cell-to-cell fusion. In contrast, in continuously cultured cells, this virus produces a lytic infection with extensive formation of syncytia. The observation of few and delayed syncytia following MHV-A59 infection of hepatocytes more closely resembles infection of glial cells than that of continuously cultured cell lines. For MHV-A59, lack of syncytium formation correlates with lack of cleavage of the fusion glycoprotein, or spike (S) protein. The absence of cell-to-cell fusion following infection of both primary cell types prompted us to examine the cleavage of the spike protein. Cleavage of S protein was below the level of detection by Western blot analysis in MHV-A59-infected hepatocytes and glial cells. Furthermore, no cleavage of this protein was detected in liver homogenates from C57BL/6 mice infected with MHV-A59. Thus, cleavage of the spike protein does not seem to be essential for entry and spread of the virus in vivo, as well as for replication in vitro.
The Effects of Moderate Ethanol Consumption on the Liver of the Monkey, Macaca fascicularis

Background: Although evidence has accumulated for the cardioprotective effects of moderate ethanol consumption, little is known about the effects on the liver of consuming the equivalent of two drinks per day. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of moderate ethanol administration on the hepatic content of enzymes involved in ethanol oxidation, on hepatic lipid accumulation, and on serum markers of liver function/damage in the monkey, Macaca fascicularis. Methods: Ovariectomized, adult monkeys were maintained for 34 months on an atherogenic diet containing cholesterol 1.21 mg/kJ. They were trained to drink ethanol plus vehicle at a dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight, which was administered 5 days a week for 2 years. Blood was collected for ethanol concentrations (1 hr after ethanol administration) and was also assayed for γ-glutamyltransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities. Liver obtained at necropsy was analyzed for triglyceride and cholesterol contents and for alcohol dehydrogenase, cytochrome P450 2E1, and cytochrome P450 3A4 by Western blots. Results: The blood ethanol concentrations measured 1 hr after ethanol administration were relatively constant over the 2-year dosing period. Hepatic levels of alcohol dehydrogenase and the cytochrome P450s were not significantly different between ethanol-consuming animals and control animals. Ethanol-associated increases in liver triglyceride were not significant due to high variability in hepatic lipid content in both the controls and ethanol consumers. However, covariance analyses using pretreatment concentrations of plasma cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I suggested that the ethanol-related increase in hepatic free cholesterol was significant. Relative to controls, alcohol consumers had higher levels of serum ALT and a transient increase in ALP at 5 months. Conclusions: The observations made in this study on primates administered an atherogenic diet suggest that moderate ethanol ingestion has modest effects on the liver, including slightly increased ALT and ALP values. However, additional studies will be required to verify that this level of consumption is hepatotoxic when ingested over extended periods. This is still a concern because some human studies suggest that levels of ethanol considered to be cardioprotective cause liver injury when consumed over a lifetime.
Transposons and genome evolution in plants

Although it is known today that transposons comprise a significant fraction of the genomes of many organisms, they eluded discovery through the first half century of genetic analysis and even once discovered, their ubiquity and abundance were not recognized for some time. This genetic invisibility of transposons focuses attention on the mechanisms that control not only transposition, but illegitimate recombination. The thesis is developed that the mechanisms that control transposition are a reflection of the more general capacity of eukaryotic organisms to detect, mark, and retain duplicated DNA through repressive chromatin structures.
The Transparency of Ocean Barriers to Rossby Waves: The Rossby Slit Problem

Abstract The transmission of barotropic Rossby wave energy through a meridional barrier pierced only by narrow gaps is studied with a quasigeostrophic model. The incident Rossby wave has the form of either a plane wave or a localized beam of wave energy. The application of Kelvin’s theorem on a contour girdling the separated segments of the barrier demonstrate the necessity for wave transmission and helps determine the amplitude of the transmitted wave. When the meridional scale of the incident wave is much larger than the gaps in the barrier, the transmission becomes independent of the gap width. The problem of a barrier with two or three gaps is discussed. In the former case a single bubble of wave energy issues from the region spanned by the separated barrier segment. When a third gap or slit is allowed, the structure of the transmitted wave alters depending on the symmetry of the wave field and the angle of the incidence of the ray trajectory of the incident wave.
Strategy and Cooperation in National Responses to International Tax Arbitrage

International tax arbitrage may be loosely defined as a phenomenon in which an inconsistency in the substantive law of two or more jurisdictions yields a tax benefit that would not be available if the laws of the relevant jurisdictions were completely harmonized. Taxpayers engaging in international tax arbitrage may, for example, be able to duplicate valuable tax attributes, such as deductions or losses. Unlike instances of aggressive tax planning in which taxpayers push statutory tax provisions or judicial anti-abuse doctrines to their limits, international tax arbitrage typically involves cases in which the taxpayer is indisputably compliant with domestic law. Although the U.S. government has sought to eliminate such arbitrage opportunities in a number of instances, either through legislation or regulation, its policy reasons for attacking transactions in which taxpayers are fully compliant with the law have remained opaque. The literature on the subject has explored a number of possible justifications, ranging from the existence of implicit, though initially obscured, assumptions in domestic law to considerations of worldwide efficiency. A common strand running through this literature is the attempt to determine the problem that arbitrage transactions present. Once one has identified the problem, if any, the appropriateness of the governmental response can then be assessed. This article argues that rather than presenting a potential problem, international tax arbitrage may present governments with strategic opportunities to further their interests in the location and control of international investment. Understanding governmental interests in this context depends crucially on distinguishing between cases of direct versus portfolio investment and cases of inbound versus outbound capital flows. Depending on the circumstances, a government s strategic interests may be best served by curtailing, ignoring, or possibly even creating arbitrage opportunities.
14. Robotic Esophageal Surgery

Anatomic considerations of the esophagus lend itself quite well to robotic dissections. Robotic assisted minimally invasive surgery allows for precise dissection and manipulation in a confined operating space. Our chapter examines the application to and feasibility of surgical robotic technology to various esophageal surgical procedures, including transthoracic and transhiatal esophagectomy, myotomy for achalasia, and benign resection of localized esophageal mass. References are included that provide additional technical information on these extremely advanced procedures.
Comparison of Foundation Design Specifications for Vibratory Machines

AbstractCriteria for designing foundations for vibrating equipment come from published standards, recommended practices, internal company standards, and manufacturer requirements. The criteria from one source to another can vary significantly by including or omitting specific design recommendations or by providing different values for prescribed limitations. A comparison of amplitude criteria and several discussions of different practices and approaches can be found in ACI 351.3R, Foundations for Dynamic Equipment. With an update of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) report in progress, this paper provides updated comparative data between selected currently published and company specifications. Criterion topics include when a dynamic analysis is required, machine vibration limits, human vibration limits, resonant frequency range, geotechnical impedance calculation methods, and foundation sizing criteria. In addition, the background and merits of specific criteria are discussed in the paper to provide s...
Realigning Metrics of Economic Well-Being in Residential and Commercial Development Through Sustainable Land Use Planning

This brief essay assesses the key role that environmental conservation plays in achieving stability in housing markets. The essay reiterates the many calls for a shift away from metrics of economic growth — like Gross Domestic Product and New Home Starts — that are currently fundamentally at odds with the protection of global natural capital, and that in particular threaten the non-renewable land base. The essay argues that while work should continue to change the ex-post metrics that we utilize to determine economic well-being within nations, the ex-ante use of more stringent land use regulatory controls can actually obviate the urgency to adjust those metrics by decoupling the replacement of natural capital from metrics of economic growth.
Itinerant Merchandising in the Ante-bellum South

Because of his antiquity the peddler occupies a distinguished position in the history of merchandising. Some historians have credited him with being the earliest business man or petty capitalist in western European economy, while others have seriously questioned his primacy in this respect; all agree, however, that he made his appearance very early in the history of merchandising. From his beginning he seems to have exercised most of the economic functions which have characterized him throughout his history. The transportation and retailing of goods to a scattered and rural market unable as yet to support the settled petty capitalist have generally been the function of the peddler. From the earliest times, too, he has traded his wares for the products of his customers, thus promoting commerce where money has been scarce and where people have lacked local agents to transport their surplus to outside markets. Always he has found the arrival of settled petty capitalists and the conditions which have given rise to them a competitive menace, and he has been able to survive only when he has modified his plan of operations so drastically as to destroy much of his original pattern of conduct.
Insulin sensitivity of adipocytes from inbred mouse strains resistant or sensitive to diet-induced obesity

We evaluated insulin sensitivity in epididymal adipocytes from two mouse strains shown to be either sensitive (AKR/J, n = 14) or resistant (SWR/J, n = 12) to the development of obesity when fed a high-fat diet. Half of each strain was fed a chow (CH) diet (12% fat), and half received a sweetened condensed milk (CM) diet (33% fat). After 1 wk, epididymal adipose depots were removed and digested with collagenase, and glucose transport was measured with labeled 2-deoxyglucose. Plasma glucose and insulin were slightly higher in AKR/J than SWR/J mice (glucose: 139.7 vs. 118.8 mg/dl, P < 0.06; insulin: 3.45 vs. 2.99 ng/ml, P < 0.04). One week of high-fat feeding increased adipose depot mass and carcass lipid in both strains to approximately the same extent. Adipocytes from AKR/J mice had greater insulin-stimulated glucose transport compared with SWR/J mice at both submaximal and maximal insulin levels (P < 0.0001). Short-term feeding of the high-fat diet increased AKR/J adipocyte insulin sensitivity but decreased the sensitivity of SWR/J adipocytes to insulin. The differences in adipocyte insulin sensitivity between strains were not explained by differences in adipocyte cell size. Access to the high-fat CM diet for 12 wk increased total dissected adipose depot size by 209% in the AKR/J mice and 82% in the SWR/J mice. These data clearly demonstrate that the two strains differ in adipocyte insulin sensitivity as well as sensitivity to dietary obesity. Increased adipocyte insulin sensitivity could contribute to a predisposition to increase adipose tissue lipid stores with diets high in fat content.
The Removal of Typical UV Filters in Urban Wastewater Reclamation Plant

Recently, there is increasing public concern about the secondary effects of personal care products, as ingredients of these products may enter the aquatic environment and reach detectable and potentially harmful concentrations. In this paper, concentrations of four typical UV filters including ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate(EHMC),benzophenone-3(BP-3),4-methylben-zoylmethane(4-MBC),octocrylene(OC)were examined in each treatment process of the wastewater reclamation plant(WWRP)located in Tianjin. The solid phase extraction(SPE),gas chromatographic(GC),and mass spectrometric analyses(MS)were used for the separation and determination of UV filters. All four UV filters were detected in the influent during the three sampling campaigns(February, July and September),and the concentrations ranged from 34ng·L-1 to 2128ng·L-1. The concentrations of the four UV filters are higher in July and September than that in February. The removal efficiencies ranged from 8% to 21% for the selected UV filters during coagulation-flocculation treatment. The ozonation treatment achieved the maximum removal(16%~29%),on the contrary, the continuous microfiltration(CMF)achieved the minimal removal(3.6%~8.5%). The total removal efficiencies varied from 28.3% to 43.1%. These results indicated that the UV filters were not completely removed during WWRP treatment and may be carried over into the aquatic environment. Reclaimed water must be carefully planned and regulated to prevent adverse health effects and ensure safe water reuse.
MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF FERRITE TRANS- FORMATION OF LOW CARBON STEEL THROUGH LOW TEMPERATURE HEAVY DEFORMATION

The influence of hot deformation on the incubation period of ferrite transformation was calculated to determine the conditions under which deformation induced transformation occurs. Furthermore, the austenite-ferrite transformation start temperature during deformation(Ar3d) was predicted in three grades of low-carbon steels under different processing parameters. Results indicate that Ar3d temperature decreases as carbon content increases for the same processing parameters; whereas Ar3d temperature increases as strain rate decreases or strain increases for the same steel grade. On the basis of transformation kinetics and thermodynamics, the nucleation and growth of spherical ferrite grain on austenite grain boundary have been investigated. In view of enhancement of deformation on transformation, the basic kinetics model was established to simulate deformation induced transformation behavior, in which the influence of the deformation stored energy and effective deformation ledge on the nucleation and growth was considered. The simulated results are in good agreement with experimental results. Therefore, all of these indicate that this model can be used to simulate this kind of transformation.
Corporate acculturation neglect in cross-border acquisitions: the case of Denmark and the United States

ABSTRACTThis study examines the impact of national culture on employee perceptions of internal communication during at Danish–American corporate cross-border acquisition. Twenty interviews were collected comprised of employees, managers, and chief executive officer whose organisations were directly involved in a cross-border acquisition. A modified constant comparative analysis of the data revealed that the three following identifiers were prominent as invaders to a successful Danish–American cultural integration: awareness of hierarchical communication differences; communication as misdirection; and reflection on consequences. The ways in which the acquisitions were mishandled led to the identification of a process we have labelled corporate acculturation neglect (CAN). CAN in acquisitions occurs when the acquired party feels that their familiar corporate culture has been neglected in favour of the communicative preferences of the acquiring company, resulting in feelings of frustration, uncertainty, and ...
Beyond area relationships: Extinction and recolonization in molecular marine biogeography

In vicariance biogeography, the traditional focus on solely determining area relationships can obscure biologically interesting complexity. Even in the case of neighboring sister areas, the rise and fall of barriers to dispersal can yield a complex pattern of vicariance and interchange. Vicariance biogeographers view incongruent historical patterns as noise that must be filtered out. Here, we sharpen the focus of vicariance biogeography, and attempt to identify organismal characteristics that unite sets of taxa with congruent histories. Emphasizing examples from coastal marine invertebrates, we apply this perspective to two well-studied model systems: the southeastern United States, and the trans-Arctic interchange through the Bering Strait.
Application of capacitance resistance models to determining interwell connectivity of large-scale mature oil fields

In view of the problems existing in the application of Capacitance Resistance Models (CRMs) to large-scale mature oil fields, Capacitance Resistance Model for Producers (CRMP) was selected for analysis, a simplified procedure for applying CRMP to large-scale mature oil fields was proposed, and some examples were analyzed. Several strategies were presented to optimize the solution method, in order to shorten the solution time and speed up convergence rate. These include the implementation of a global optimization algorithm, parameter scaling, and analytical development of gradient vector and Hessian matrix of the CRMP objective function. These improvements enable the application of CRMP to large-scale problems. Stepwise history matching was shown to be an effective technique to improve reliability of the analysis. Our analysis shows that, the connectivity obtained by the presented method agrees with the interpreted connectivities from the observed CO2 injection and production signals, which proves the reliability of the presented method. The connectivity of an injector to the nearby producers can be analyzed based on the CRMP results, and the analysis can be used for related studies, such as determining current water injectors suited for CO2 injection, or current CO2 injectors not suited for CO2 injection.
Regulation of ERK phosphorylation in differentiated arterial muscle of rabbits

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases participate in cell signaling, regulating cell growth. In differentiated cells, the role ERK plays is less w...
A 1.7nW PLL-assisted current injected 32KHz crystal oscillator for IoT

This paper presents a PLL-assisted crystal oscillator using a current switching phase detector (PD) with intrinsic 90° phase offset for IoT applications. The PLL provides accurate pulse injection timing into the XO, sustaining its oscillation at only 100mV amplitude and ensuring robustness operation across PVT. This technique achieves high energy injection efficiency and avoids the use of power hungry amplifiers. Measured power is 1.7nW at room temperature and operation is demonstrated from −20–80°C and across 3 corner wafers.
Love and Death in the Stone Age: What Constitutes First Evidence of Mortuary Treatment of the Human Body?

After we die, our persona may live on in the minds of the people we know well. Two essential elements of this process are mourning and acts of commemoration. These behaviors extend well beyond grief and must be cultivated deliberately by the survivors of the deceased individual. Those who are left behind have many ways of maintaining connections with their deceased, such as burials in places where the living are likely to return and visit. In this way, culturally defined places often serve as metaphors of social association and shared experience. Humans are the only kind of animal that buries their dead, and this gesture is preserved in Paleolithic sites as early as 120,000 years ago. Though not the only method of honoring the dead in human cultures, the emergence of burial traditions in the Middle Paleolithic (Mousterian) implies that both Neandertals and early anatomically modern humans (AMH) had already begun to conceive of the individual as unique and irreplaceable. Claims of primitive mortuary behavior in earlier periods than the Middle Paleolithic fall short in that they lack any signs of positive social-spatial associations between the deceased and survivors. The archaeological evidence for burial behavior in the Middle Paleolithic provides the first clear translation of mourning into a stereotypical action. These burials therefore may represent the first ritualized bridge between the living and the deceased in human evolutionary history.
Perioperative Morbidity of Open Versus Minimally Invasive Partial Nephrectomy: A Contemporary Analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

Abstract Introduction and Objectives: In recent years, there has been a shift to minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MIPN) with the dissemination of robot-assisted technology. However, contempo...
Evolving autonomous learning in cognitive networks

There are two common approaches for optimizing the performance of a machine: genetic algorithms and machine learning. A genetic algorithm is applied over many generations whereas machine learning works by applying feedback until the system meets a performance threshold. These methods have been previously combined, particularly in artificial neural networks using an external objective feedback mechanism. We adapt this approach to Markov Brains, which are evolvable networks of probabilistic and deterministic logic gates. Prior to this work MB could only adapt from one generation to the other, so we introduce feedback gates which augment their ability to learn during their lifetime. We show that Markov Brains can incorporate these feedback gates in such a way that they do not rely on an external objective feedback signal, but instead can generate internal feedback that is then used to learn. This results in a more biologically accurate model of the evolution of learning, which will enable us to study the interplay between evolution and learning and could be another step towards autonomously learning machines.
Instantaneous and cycle optimization of fuel usage on a dual fuel vehicle leveraging gasoline and natural gas

Recent increases in natural gas supply have led to a desire to leverage this fuel in the transportation sector. Dual fuel engines provide a platform on which to use natural gas efficiently; these e...
Cryotherapy for persistent Barrett's esophagus after radiofrequency ablation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and Aims A small but significant proportion of patients with Barrett's esophagus (BE) have persistent dysplasia or intestinal metaplasia (IM) after treatment with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Cryotherapy is a cold-based ablative modality that is increasingly being used in this setting. We aimed to better understand the efficacy of second-line cryotherapy in patients with BE who have persistent dysplasia or IM after RFA by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of Pubmed, EMBASE, and Web of Science through September 1, 2017. Articles were included for meta-analysis based on the following inclusion criteria: ≥5 patients with BE treated with RFA had persistent dysplasia or IM; they subsequently underwent ≥1 session of cryotherapy with follow-up endoscopy; the proportions of patients achieving complete eradication of dysplasia (CE-D) and/or IM (CE-IM) were reported. The main outcomes were pooled proportions of CE-D and CE-IM by using a random effects model. Results Eleven studies making up 148 patients with BE treated with cryotherapy for persistent dysplasia or IM after RFA were included. The pooled proportion of CE-D was 76.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 57.7-88.0), with substantial heterogeneity (I 2 = 62%). The pooled proportion of CE-IM was 45.9% (95% CI, 32.0-60.5) with moderate heterogeneity (I 2 = 57%). Multiple preplanned subgroup analyses did not sufficiently explain the heterogeneity. Adverse effects were reported in 6.7% of patients. Conclusion Cryotherapy successfully achieved CE-D in three fourths and CE-IM in half of patients with BE who did not respond to initial RFA. Considering its favorable safety profile, cryotherapy may be a viable second-line option for this therapeutically challenging cohort of patients with BE, but higher-quality studies validating this remain warranted.
Protein Electrophoresis: A Tool for the Reptilian and Amphibian Practitioner

ABSTRACT This review is intended to introduce reptilian and amphibian practitioners to the practice and benefits of protein electrophoresis as a supplemental diagnostic tool. Protein electrophoresi...
Stress resistance and lifespan enhanced by downregulation of antimicrobial peptide genes in the Imd pathway

Biological behaviors and longevity of ectothermic animals are remarkably influenced by ambient temperature. Development at 18°C significantly enhances the stress resistance of adult flies with more accumulation of nutrients (especially fat) in the body than development at 25°C. Gene expression analysis between the flies developed at 18°C and 25°C revealed that the Immune deficiency (Imd) pathway, including the downstream antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), is downregulated in the flies developed at 18°C. When hypomorphic imd mutant flies with reduced AMP expressions were developed at 25°C, they showed induced stress resistance with higher fat content in the body similar to the wild-type flies developed at 18°C. However, severe hypomorphic imd mutants could not enhance stress resistance due to the downregulation of another downstream JNK pathway that expresses stress tolerance genes. Interestingly, the downregulation of AMP genes, itself, extended lifespan with increased stress resistance. Especially, fat body-specific downregulation of Imd AMP genes exhibited a longer lifespan with higher heat resistance. The fat body is known to function in metabolic homeostasis, stress tolerance, growth, and longevity in Drosophila. Here, we provide the first evidence that mild downregulation of the Imd pathway with AMP genes increases fat content, stress resistance, and lifespan in adult flies.
Effects of Sodium Pentachlorophenate on Several Estuarine Animals: Toxicity, Uptake, and Depuration

Several estuarine animals were exposed to sodium pentachlorophenate (Na-PCP), in flow-through toxicity tests. The following are test animals and their 96-hr LC50 values: grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), > 515 μg/l brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), > 195 μg/1; longnose killifish (Fundulus similis), > 306 μg/1; pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), 53.2 μg/1; and striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), 112 μg/1. The 192-hr EC50 (effect measured was shell deposition) for the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) was 76.5 μg/1.
Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Treatment Approach in Adults

Since its recognition as a distinct clinical entity in the mid 1990s, eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) has emerged as one of the most common and most readily treatable causes of dysphagia in adults. Over the past 15 years, studies have identified a number of medical, dietary, and endoscopic therapies that are highly effective at remedying the symptoms, signs, and histopathology of EoE in both children and adults. This chapter will focus on the management of EoE in adults based primarily upon the adult literature with reference to key pediatric studies.
Time Response of Polarization Switching in Ge Hafnium Zirconium Oxide Nanowire Ferroelectric Field-effect Transistors

Negative-capacitance field-effect transistors (NC-FETs) or ferroelectric field-effect transistors (Fe-FETs), realized by replacing high-k dielectric in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) with a ferroelectric insulator, have been extensively studied recently for potential digital logic or non-volatile memory applications. Steep-slope NC-FETs have attracted a lot of attention to break the Boltzmann limit of subthreshold swing (SS) in a MOSFET. Hysteresis-free sub-60 mV/dec NC-FETs at room temperature have been demonstrated very recently by static DC measurements1-3. However, one of the major concerns in NC-FETs is its operating speed, which might be limited by the slow polarization reversal in ferroelectric films due to heavy atom re-positioning4,5. A Fe-FET is a proper structure to study the ferroelectric switching speed due to the very pronounced counterclockwise hysteresis loop in its transfer curve, and it is used as a detector to measure the switch speed of the ferroelectric gate.
Social media hoaxes, political ideology, and the role of issue confidence

Abstract Applying motivated reasoning theory, this study explores how people pay attention to politicized science issues and engage in supportive actions in social media. In doing so, the role of issue confidence was closely investigated. The current study adopts a non-profit organization’s use of political ideology and hoaxes in promoting labeling issues for GMO (genetically modified organisms) products. Results from an online survey with an embedded experiment showed that issue confidence is related to an individual’s motivation to engage in the GMO labeling issue, unlike factual knowledge or literacy. Findings suggested that social media hoaxes can activate individuals’ issue confidence. The present study discussed not only the effects of issue confidence and social media hoaxes but also ethical considerations of hoax-spreading by activists.
Educating Nursing Home Staff in Dementia Sensitive Communication: Impact on Antipsychotic Medication Use.

Abstract Objectives An educational program to enhance communication in nursing home dementia care increased person-centered communication by staff and resulted in reduced resident behavioral symptoms measured as resistiveness to care. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate effects on resident antipsychotic medication use in participating nursing homes. The National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care set a goal of reducing antipsychotic medications in nursing homes by 15% during the study period. Design A post hoc analysis of Nursing Home Compare data was used to evaluate change in antipsychotic medication rates in nursing homes receiving the communication education versus the corresponding statewide average change. Setting and Participants Eleven nursing homes participated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial from 2011 to 2013 in one Midwestern state. Measures Antipsychotic medication rates were abstracted from Nursing Home Compare data sets. Antipsychotic medication rates were compared for each participating nursing home for the 2 quarters before and the 2 quarters after the communication intervention. To control for other factors supporting reduction in antipsychotic use, changes in the participating nursing homes were compared to the state average change for the corresponding quarters using a 1-sample t test. Results Antipsychotic medication use decreased on average by 4.88 percentage points (22.9%) in participating nursing homes compared to the state average decrease of 0.68 percentage points (2.7%) during the same period (P = .06). Conclusions A clinically meaningful reduction in antipsychotic medication usage occurred in the nursing homes that received communication education. Measurable changes in communication and behavioral symptoms were reflected in reductions in antipsychotic medication usage. Improving staff communication has the potential to reduce inappropriate antipsychotic medication use in long-term care.
Differentiating Footprints of Sympatric Rodents in Coastal Dune Communities: Implications for Imperiled Beach Mice

Abstract Identifying techniques for conducting frequent, effective, and inexpensive monitoring of small mammals can be challenging. Traditional approaches such as livetrapping can be laborious, expensive, detrimental to animal health, and ineffective. Passive approaches such as tracking (e.g., from tracks on the ground or footprints collected at a tracking station) have been shown to lessen those burdens, but a problem with tracking, particularly for rodents, is the uncertainty in identifying species from footprints. To address the need for a more accurate method of identifying small mammal tracks, we measured footprints from live-captured rodents and developed a classification tree for distinguishing between subspecies and species using footprint widths treated as having known or unknown identification. We captured rodents within or near the coastal dunes of Florida and Alabama with a focus on areas occupied by threatened and endangered beach mice Peromyscus polionotus subspp., whose populations warrant ...
On the Accuracy of Vaisala RS41 versus RS92 Upper-Air Temperature Observations

AbstractThe accuracy of Vaisala RS92 versus RS41 global radiosonde soundings, emphasizing stratospheric temperature, is assessed from January 2015 to June 2017 using ~311 500 RS92 and ~65 800 RS41 ...
Historizando la escuela primaria bilingüe para los sordos

This text presents an overview of deafness and the education of deaf people anchored on Cultural Studies and Deaf Studies. New ways of seeing, understanding and acting were created through time that has brought different meanings and conceptions. Therefore, this paper's objective is to present deaf education through an analysis of historical aspects and legal texts until the current bilingual education scenario. It is an exploratory and bibliographic study, based on theoretical sources such as books, articles and legal texts relevant to the topic. Results point to countless challenges in education in Brazil, such as the sparse qualification of the teachers, low salaries, high rates of grade retention and evasion, among others. The education of the deaf, as seen, suffers from the same influences, added to the constructed beliefs and the social imagery, focusing on disabilities and impossibilities of deaf people.
A Puzzle of Racial Attitudes: A Measurement Analysis of Racial Attitudes and Policy Indicators:

In the 1970s and 1980s, researchers argued that a new dimension of racial prejudice, termed “symbolic racism” and later “racial resentment,” emerged among white Americans as their endorsement of tr...
Progress in laser cooling semiconductor nanocrystals and nanostructures

Over the past two decades, there have been sizable efforts to realize condensed phase optical cooling. To date, however, there have been no verifiable demonstrations of semiconductor-based laser cooling. Recently, advances in the synthesis of semiconductor nanostructures have led to the availability of high-quality semiconductor nanocrystals, which possess superior optical properties relative to their bulk counterparts. In this review, we describe how these nanostructures can be used to demonstrate condensed phase laser cooling. We begin with a description of charge carrier dynamics in semiconductor nanocrystals and nanostructures under both above gap and below-gap excitation. Two critical parameters for realizing laser cooling are identified: emission quantum yield and upconversion efficiency. We report the literature values of these two parameters for different nanocrystal/nanostructure systems as well as the measurement approaches used to estimate them. We identify CsPbBr3 nanocrystals as a potential system by which to demonstrate verifiable laser cooling given their ease of synthesis, near-unity emission quantum yields and sizable upconversion efficiencies. Feasibility is further demonstrated through numerical simulations of CsPbBr3 nanocrystals embedded in an aerogel matrix. Our survey generally reveals that optimized semiconductor nanocrystals and nanostructures are poised to demonstrate condensed phase laser cooling in the near future. Advances toward cooling semiconductor nanostructures using light have been reviewed by researchers in the US. Laser light can cool clouds of atoms to ultralow temperatures. Cooling of solids works because when light absorbed by matter is re-emitted, it can carry some of the matter’s thermal energy with it. To date only gases have been successfully cooled to very low temperatures. Masaru Kuno and colleagues from the University of Notre Dame summarize why achieving the optical cooling of solids is so difficult and how the properties of semiconductor nanocrystals might make laser cooling possible. The authors believe that laser cooling in semiconductors could be demonstrated in the near future, offering the potential for integrating this effect into optoelectronic devices. Overview of up-conversion based condensed phase laser cooling of semiconductor nanostructures. Two critical parameters dictate the likelihood of realizing solid state optical refrigeration: nanostructure emission quantum yield and up-conversion efficiency. This review summarizes both parameters for existing high emission quantum yield semiconductor nanostructures such as CdSe and CsPbBr3. CsPbBr3 nanocrystals, in particular, possess optimal parameters for cooling, namely near unity emission quantum yields and up-conversion efficiencies up to 75%. This makes them promising materials for verifiable demonstrations of condensed phase laser cooling.
Immunotransplant: Preventing Unintended Consequences.

Summary: T-cell transfer into lymphodepleted recipients results not only in homeostatic activation of the infused cells but also in T-cell inhibition due to upregulation of immune checkpoint receptors including PD-1 and CTLA4, thereby mitigating T-cell efficacy. Dual checkpoint blockade of PD-1 and CTLA4 in conjunction with lymphodepletion—an “immunotransplant”—uncouples the T-cell inhibition from activation and amplifies the T-cell antitumor immune response. See related article by Marshall et al., p. 1520.
Expression of PTEN, Lgr5 and β-catenin in intestinal injury and repair model

Objective To establish necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) model as non-operative NEC patients in neonatal rat,and observe the expression variety of PTEN,Lgr5 and β-catenin at different time after NEC,aiming to explore the role of PTEN,Lgr5 and β-catenin in intestinal ischemic injury and biological repair.Methods The hypoxia and cold stimulation were conducted to establish intestine repair NEC model in neonatal rats.Neonatal rats were divided into control and experimental groups.Ileocecal bowel tissues were harvested different time points (24,72 and 120 h) after last hypoxia and cold administration.The PTEN,Lgr5 and β-catenin mRNA expression levels in intestinal tissue was detected via real-time PCR.Results NEC model was successfully established through administration of hypoxia and cold.Compared the control group,PTEN,Lgr5 and β-catenin mRNA expression levels in experimental group were significantly higher at 24 h (P＜0.05).However,their expression increasing was not significantly at 72 h and 120 h.Conclusions Hypoxia and cold can be used to establish NEC model.In early phase of intestine injury,PTEN,Lgr5 and β-catenin mRNA expression levers increased,which probably correlates to promotion of stem cells in intestinal tissue.While in late phase of intestine injury and repair,their expression increasing is not significantly,which is the reflect to negative regulative activity of β-catenin and stem cells proliferation speed,as well as stem number. Key words: Rats; Enterocolitis, necrotizing; Models, animal; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; beta catenin
Next-generation humanized patient-derived xenograft mouse model for pre-clinical antibody studies in neuroblastoma

Faithful tumor mouse models are fundamental research tools to advance the field of immuno-oncology (IO). This is particularly relevant in diseases with low incidence, as in the case of pediatric malignancies, that rely on pre-clinical therapeutic development. However, conventional syngeneic and genetically engineered mouse models fail to recapitulate the tumor heterogeneity and microenvironmental complexity of human pathology that are essential determinants of cancer-directed immunity. Here, we characterize a novel mouse model that supports human natural killer (NK) cell development and engraftment of neuroblastoma orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (O-PDX) for pre-clinical antibody and cytokine testing. Using cytotoxicity assays, single-cell RNA-sequencing, and multi-color flow cytometry, we demonstrate that NK cells that develop in the humanized mice are fully licensed to execute NK cell cytotoxicity, permit human tumor engraftment, but can be therapeutically redirected to induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Although these cells share phenotypic and molecular features with healthy controls, we noted that they lacked an NK cell subset, termed activated NK cells, that is characterized by differentially expressed genes that are induced by cytokine activation. Because this subset of genes is also downregulated in patients with neuroblastoma compared to healthy controls, we hypothesize that this finding could be due to tumor-mediated suppressive effects. Thus, despite its technical complexity, this humanized patient-derived xenograft mouse model could serve as a faithful system for future testing of IO applications and studies of underlying immunologic processes.
Reaction pathways for the formation of five-membered rings onto polyaromatic hydrocarbon framework

Abstract Experimental and theoretical evidences accumulated over the years have highlighted the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as molecular precursors to soot particles. However, many of their physical and chemical characteristics are still under debate, as well as the mechanisms that drive their transition from gaseous species to solid carbonaceous particles. The formation of five-membered rings can be described with three types of reactive sites present on hydrocarbons: (1) a “free-edge” reactive site and a C3 gas phase species (C2 + C3), (2) a “zig-zag” site and a C2 gas phase species (C3 + C2), and (3) an “armchair” site and a C1 gas phase species (C4 + C1). In this work, we focus our attention on the last two categories and use ab initio G3-type electronic structure calculations to explore systematically possible reaction pathways leading to the formation of five-membered rings. Specifically, our study reports on reaction pathways leading to the formation of acenaphthene and acenaphthylene starting from the zig-zag type site on naphthalene and to the formation of five-membered ring in the form of fluorene and 4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene starting from the “armchair” site on biphenyl or phenanthrene. The relative importance of the new reaction pathways has been investigated in a 0-D Closed Homogeneous Batch Reactor, where the conditions are taken from experimental data. Furthermore, the new reaction pathways, together with temperature dependent rate constants, provide a more complete description of the formation of embedded five-membered rings, such as methylene-bridged PAHs identified in catechol pyrolysis, that can play an important role not only in the gas-phase chemistry of aromatics but also as pathways to five-membered rings on armchair sites and cross-linking for soot models.
Expert Perspective: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Rheumatologic Complications

Rheumatologists increasingly receive consults for patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer. ICIs can cause inflammatory syndromes known as immune-related adverse events (IRAEs). Several rheumatic IRAEs have been reported, including inflammatory arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and myositis. For patients who present with musculoskeletal symptoms while receiving ICI therapy, it is important to have an algorithm for evaluation. The differential diagnosis includes a range of musculoskeletal syndromes, such as crystalline arthritis, mechanical issues, and osteoarthritis, in addition to IRAEs. After diagnosing a rheumatic IRAE, rheumatologists must work with the patient and the oncologist to form a treatment plan. Treatment of IRAEs is guided by severity. Evidence for management is limited to observational studies. Inflammatory arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica are treated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs in mild cases, glucocorticoids for moderate-to-severe cases, and sometimes require other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Myositis due to ICIs can be accompanied by myocarditis or myasthenia gravis. Glucocorticoids and withholding the ICI are usually required to treat myositis; some patients with severe myositis require intravenous immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis. Further research is needed to optimize treatment of IRAEs that does not compromise the antitumor effect of ICIs.