cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation effects on strain compensated quantum dot solar cells

The effects of alpha-particle irradiation on the current-voltage characteristics and spectral responsivity of GaAs-based p-type / intrinsic / n-type solar cell devices containing 5-layers of InAs quantum dots (QD) grown with strain-compensation layers were investigated. The devices were subjected to ∼4.2 MeV alpha-particle irradiation and the variation in the air mass zero short circuit current, open circuit voltage, fill factor, efficiency, and spectral responsivity were monitored as function of fluence and displacement damage dose. The measured spectral responsivity values of the quantum dot solar cell at wavelengths above and below the GaAs bandgap were used to investigate the rate of degradation in the InAs QDs in comparison to that of bulk GaAs. A computational model was developed to study the effects of strain on the energy threshold for atomic displacement (knock-out energy) of indium and arsenic within an InAs QD. Using the many-body Tersoff potentials, the energy of the primary knock-on atom occupying various sites within the lattice was calculated as a function of strain. The observed increases in minimum knock-out energy and interstitial-site energy with strain suggest a potential mechanism for the increased radiation tolerance observed in Stranski-Krastanow grown QDs.
The Fontan operation with a fenestrated patch—rationale and results

A fenestration in the atrial septum may be temporarily beneficial in high–risk patients undergoing the modified Fontan operation. The venous system is decompressed into the left atrial cavities resulting in an improvement in the systemic output at the expense of a moderate arterial desaturation due to a right–to–left shunt. Two groups of patients undergoing the modified Fontan operation were compared. Those treated with the classic operation (non–fenestrated Fontan group, n=56) had lower prevalence of preoperative risk factors for the Fontan operation than those undergoing the Fontan operation with a fenestrated patch (n=91). Nevertheless, early results of mortality, repair take–down and morbidity (duration of pleuropericardial effusions) were comparable or better in the fenestrated Fontan group. By regression analysis the presence of a fenestrated patch was the major determinant in the reduction in the amount and duration of postoperative effusion. Of the early 73 survivors in the fenestrated Fontan group, fifty tolerated the closure of the fenestration, which occurred either spontaneously (five cases) or was achieved by a clamshell device during cardiac catheterization. Eleven patients failed the first attempt at fenestration closure, but this was successful at the second attempt a few months later. Coil embolization of arterial collaterals to the lung circulation and balloon dilatation of pulmonary artery stenoses were required in some cases. Other patients following the Fontan operation with a fenestrated patch showed an improvement of their ventricular function which was initially impaired. This favorable experience demonstrates the usefulness of the “fenestrated Fontan approach” in patients who are suboptimal candidates for the classic operation, provided that the preoperative risk factors are potentially reversible.
Stress, Support, and Deafness: Perceptions of Infants' Mothers and Fathers.

Data on parenting stress, life stress, and social support were collected from 20 mothers and 16 fathers whose infants' hearing impairments were diagnosed uery early (mean age = 2.8 months) and from...
Activity and weight loss in relation to solar radiation in the polymorphic land snail Cepaea nemoralis

Shell spectral reflectance, activity and weight loss in the land snail Cepaea nemoralis were examined to test whether solar radiation has different effects on the behavioural and physiological responses of different morphs. A uniform area from the empty shells of different morphs was cut and a spectrophotometer was used to measure the spectral reflectance at wavelengths from 220 nm to 800 nm. Snails were put into cages made of mesh hardware cloth, and their activities were observed from dawn onwards on two hot, dry days. Weight loss of snails under shade and under direct sunlight was also measured. The results show that unbanded morphs reflect more light than five-banded ones, but the yellow morphs reflect only a little more than pink morphs. Five-banded morphs became inactive more quickly than unbanded ones from dawn onwards, but the differences in activity patterns were not significant between pink and yellow morphs. There are significant differences in percent weight loss between snails placed under direct sunlight and under shade. The weight loss of different morphs under shade was not statistically different. But when exposed to sunlight, five-banded morphs lost more weight than pink and yellow unbanded morphs. Because of their lower reflectance of solar radiation, the five-banded morphs are, in a hot, arid climate, at a selective disadvantage compared to unbanded morphs. However, they can avoid such selective disadvantage by actively seeking a shaded area, as all other morphs do in the field. Such behavioural habitat selection could help the maintenance of genetic polymorphisms in natural populations.
The Uptake of Radioactivity by Fish and Shellfish I. 134Caesium by Whole Animals

The uptake of 134Cs by 36 species of marine and freshwater fish and shellfish has been measured, and for selected species has been shown to depend on a power of the weight. For plaice, lobster, and eel, over thousand-fold ranges of weight, the uptake varies according to ω0.78. The times taken to reach half-equilibrium concentrations vary according to a value between ω0.25 and ω0.29, e.g. for a 100-fold increase in weight there is a 3.5-fold increase in half-value time.
Induction and regulation of juvenile hormone esterases during the last larval instar of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni

Juvenile hormone esterase titres were monitored in gate I and gate II last instar larvae of Trichoplusia ni using JH 111 as substrate. Two peaks of activity were observed for both gate 1 and gate II larvae. although the first and second juvenile hormone esterase peaks for the gate II larvae are extended and delayed one day. respectively. Head or thoracic ligations before the prepupal stage lower or block the appearance of both esterase peaks. Juvenile hormone 1 and Ii. as well as homo and dihomo juvenoids can induce the second juvenile hormone esterase peak in both normal and ligated larvae, and increase the esterase titre during the first peak in nonligated larvae. Induction of the juvenile hormone esterases is possible in non-ligated larvae as soon as the moult to the last instar has occurred and in ligated larvae as soon as the first esterase peak has started to decline. Distinct mechanisms of regulation are present for the first and second juvenile hormone esterase peaks. Juvenile hormone does not appear to be involved in regulating its own metabolism by directly inducing the first esterase peak: however. evidence isconsistent with a brief burst of juvenile hormone which occurs prior to pupation inducing the production of the second peak of juvenile hormone esterase activity. KPI. Word Imkz: Trichoplusia ni. juvenile hormone. juvenoids. anti-juvenile hormone, juvenile hormone esterase, juvenile hormone-regulation. induction-juvenile hormone esterase, ecdysone.
Simultaneous versus sequential information processing

a b s t r a c t Subjects update prior information simultaneously versus sequentially. The mean prediction is remarkably close to the correct Bayesian estimate with simultaneous information, but differs significantly conditional on whether good news precedes bad news or vice versa.
Conductivity and the electric modulus in polymers

At relatively high temperatures and low frequencies the electrical properties of many polymers are dominated by ionic conductivity. In cases where the glass transition is obscured by conductivity, it can be revealed by treating the data din terms of the elctric modulus. The magnitude of the activation energy for conductivity (24-67 kcal/mol) for nylons 6, 66, and 6I, poly(butylene terephtalate) and polycarbonate indicates that the transport of charged particles requires the motion of polymer segments
Imaging of Urethral Bulking Agents A Sonographer’s Perspective

Urethral bulking is an office procedure for treatment of stress urinary incontinence that has increased in popularity in recent years. Numerous types of urethral bulking agents have been used since...
Deficient BH4 production via de novo and salvage pathways regulates NO responses to cytokines in adult cardiac myocytes

Adult rat cardiac myocytes typically display a phenotypic response to cytokines manifested by low or no increases in nitric oxide (NO) production via inducible NO synthase (iNOS) that distinguishes them from other cell types. To better characterize this response, we examined the expression of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-synthesizing and arginine-utilizing genes in cytokine-stimulated adult cardiac myocytes. Intracellular BH4 and 7,8-dihydrobiopterin (BH2) and NO production were quantified. Cytokines induced GTP cyclohydrolase and its feedback regulatory protein but with deficient levels of BH4 synthesis. Despite the induction of iNOS protein, cytokine-stimulated adult cardiac myocytes produced little or no increase in NO versus unstimulated cells. Western blot analysis under nonreducing conditions revealed the presence of iNOS monomers. Supplementation with sepiapterin (a precursor of BH4) increased BH4 as well as BH2, but this did not enhance NO levels or eliminate iNOS monomers. Similar findings were confirmed in vivo after treatment of rat cardiac allograft recipients with sepiapterin. It was found that expression of dihydrofolate reductase, required for full activity of the salvage pathway, was not detected in adult cardiac myocytes. Thus, adult cardiac myocytes have a limited capacity to synthesize BH4 after cytokine stimulation. The mechanisms involve posttranslational factors impairing de novo and salvage pathways. These conditions are unable to support active iNOS protein dimers necessary for NO production. These findings raise significant new questions about the prevailing understanding of how cytokines, via iNOS, cause cardiac dysfunction and injury in vivo during cardiac inflammatory disease states since cardiac myocytes are not a major source of high NO production.
In VitroEstrogenicity of the Catechol Metabolites of Selected Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Abstract A considerable body of work has demonstrated that phenolic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) metabolites, structural analogues to estradiol, bind to the soluble estrogen receptor (ER) and that hydroxy PCB-ER complexes will translocate into the nucleus and bind to ER response elements in cultured cells. Although catechol estrogens exhibit weak estrogenic activity, the catechol PCB metabolites which are structurally similar to these ER agonists have gone untested for potential estrogenicity. In the present work we have assessed the estrogenicity of this second group of PCB metabolites, the catechols. The test compounds used in the present study were chosen to elucidate the effects of chlorine and catechol position on in vitro estrogenicity. Cultured HeLa cells, transfected with the estrogen reporter gene ERET81CAT and mouse ER cDNA, were incubated with PCB catechols. The cells were harvested at 28 h posttransfection and assayed for chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) activity. The responses elicited by the PCB catechols tested fell within the range of effect measured for the catechol estrogens and phenolic PCBs, and were within the range previously reported for other “environmental estrogens” such as nonylphenol and o,p′-DDT. Maximal measured responses were achieved at concentrations approximately two to three orders of magnitude higher than that of 17-β-estradiol, indicating that PCB catechols have estrogenic activity in vitro. The extent of chlorination and the position of the catechol (3,4 vs 2,3 substitution) were important in determining estrogenicity in the compounds tested. The 2,3-catechol showed no detectable activity in this system, while activity of the 3,4-catechols increased with the degree of chlorination. The observed estrogenicity of PCB catechols suggests that further oxidative metabolism of estrogenic PCB phenolic metabolites would not necessarily result in lowering the total estrogenic burden of a PCB-exposed organism. The present results imply that if estrogenic activity is assigned to an individual phenol, the potential contribution of its catechol metabolites to the total estrogenic burden should also be taken into consideration.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE pH OF HOME-CANNED PEPPERS

The influence of recipe and raw material on the pH of home-canned peppers was investigated. Acidification levels specified in typical recipes were compared with those found in similar commercial products having acceptable pH values. Green and red peppers representing 12 varieties were analyzed for pH, acidity, and response to acidulation in the raw state and after canning with and without added vinegar. Hungarian Wax and Sweet Cherry peppers were more highly buffered than the other cultivars analyzed, requiring the addition of 1 tbsp vinegar (5% acidity) per pint jar of canned product to reduce the pH to or below 4.6. No less than that quantity of vinegar should be added.
Sister telomeres rendered dysfunctional by persistent cohesion are fused by NHEJ

Telomeres protect chromosome ends from being viewed as double-strand breaks and from eliciting a DNA damage response. Deprotection of chromosome ends occurs when telomeres become critically short because of replicative attrition or inhibition of TRF2. In this study, we report a novel form of deprotection that occurs exclusively after DNA replication in S/G2 phase of the cell cycle. In cells deficient in the telomeric poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase tankyrase 1, sister telomere resolution is blocked. Unexpectedly, cohered sister telomeres become deprotected and are inappropriately fused. In contrast to telomeres rendered dysfunctional by TRF2, which engage in chromatid fusions predominantly between chromatids from different chromosomes (Bailey, S.M., M.N. Cornforth, A. Kurimasa, D.J. Chen, and E.H. Goodwin. 2001. Science. 293:2462–2465; Smogorzewska, A., J. Karlseder, H. Holtgreve-Grez, A. Jauch, and T. de Lange. 2002. Curr. Biol. 12:1635–1644), telomeres rendered dysfunctional by tankyrase 1 engage in chromatid fusions almost exclusively between sister chromatids. We show that cohered sister telomeres are fused by DNA ligase IV–mediated nonhomologous end joining. These results demonstrate that the timely removal of sister telomere cohesion is essential for the formation of a protective structure at chromosome ends after DNA replication in S/G2 phase of the cell cycle.
Neuroimmune Regulation of Neurophysiology in the Cerebellum

Recent studies have established the existence of an innate immune system in the central nervous system (CNS) and implicated a critical role for this system in both normal and pathological processes. Astrocytes and microglia, normal components of the CNS, are the primary cell types that comprise the innate immune system of the CNS. Basic to their role during normal and adverse conditions is the production of neuroimmune factors such as cytokines and chemokines, which are signaling molecules that initiate or coordinate downstream cellular actions. During adverse conditions, cytokines and chemokines function in defensive and repair. However, if expression of these factors becomes dysregulated, abnormal CNS function can result. Both neurons and glial cells of the CNS express receptors for cytokines and chemokines, but the biological consequence of receptor activation has yet to be fully resolved. Our studies show that neuroadaptive changes are produced in primary cultures of rat cerebellar cells chronically treated with the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) and in the cerebellum of transgenic mice that chronically express elevated levels of IL-6 in the CNS. In the cerebellum in culture and in vivo, the neuroadaptive changes included alterations in the level of expression of proteins involved in gene expression, signal transduction, and synaptic transmission. Associated with these changes were alterations in neuronal function. A comparison of results from the cultured cerebellar cells and cerebellum of the transgenic mice indicated that the effects of IL-6 can vary across neuronal types. However, alterations in mechanisms involved in Ca2+ homeostasis were observed in all cell types studied. These results indicate that modifications in cerebellar function are likely to occur in disorders associated with elevated levels of IL-6 in the cerebellum.
한국연구재단 지원 사업의 문제점과 개선 방안에 대한 제언 (Critiques of Korea Research Foundation (KRF)'s Research-Supporting Practice and Some Recommendations)

Korean Abstract: 이 글은 한국연구재단에서 주관하고 있는 각종 연구 지원 사업들을 비판적으로 개관한 후, 특히 연구재단이 개인 및 공동 연구 지원 사업의 신청 자격 요건과 선행 연구 업적을 평가 산정하는 방식이 지닌 문제점을 지적하고 그 대안을 모색하기 위해서 쓰인다. 현행 신청 자격 요건은 합리적인 근거를 갖추지 않은 채 연구 지원 사업에 대한 신청 자격을 자의적으로 제한하고 있고, 학술 저서와 역서 등 기존의 연구 업적을 평가하는 데 있어서도 불합리한 규정이 있다. 이 글에서 필자는 선행 연구 업적을 산정하는 기간을 대폭 연장하거나 아예 폐지할 것을 주장하고, 학술지에 논문을 게재하는 행위와 구별되는 독립적인 저서의 출간이나 역서의 발행에 대해서 제대로 된 평가 기준을 도입할 것을 제안한다.English Abstract: The goal of this paper is to critically examine various research-supporting activities done by the Korea Research Foundation(KRF), especially focusing on its highly restrictive evaluating practice for a researcher-applicant’s prior research achievements and its unreasonable criteria for converting the applicant’s independent book publication and translation activities into an academic qualification index. In this paper, the author argues that the current KRF’s prior research qualification requirements deprives many researchers-applicants of the opportunity to apply for financial supports for both individual and collective research programs. In addition, the current KRF’s research supports has been biased toward underestimating the academic efforts and quality of the applicant’s independent (non-journal) book publication and translation activities.The author argues that the KRF should relax the current arbitrary qualification restrictions either by lengthening the time-period for evaluating the applicant’s prior research activities or abolishing such restrictions altogether. It is also recommended that the non-journal academic activities such as the book publication and/or translation activities should be reevaluated appropriately according to their academic quality and efforts, when the KRF determines applicants’ prior research achievements and their qualifications.
Why Has Copyright Expanded? Analysis and Critique

Numerous commentators have decried the growth of copyright holder rights in recent decades. Copyright's expansion is widely said to be inimical to copyright's core goals and economic rational. If so, why has that expansion occurred? Without question, there are multiple causes. This essay surveys and critiques a number of them, beginning with the copyright industries' raw political muscle and moving to the rhetorical and theoretical frameworks for expansion.
Evaluation of a Cholesterol Kit

A rapid "kit" method (Chole-Tech) for cholesterol determination in serum was evaluated by comparison with the Abell method in one clinical laboratory and with the Bloor method in another. Discrepancies between individual results of these standard technics and the Chole-Tech method were so great and so random that the results cannot be considered comparable. The Chole-Tech method is too unreliable for clinical use. All laboratory kits should be critically appraised before use. Accuracy and specificity must not be sacrificed for convenience.
Equality or Equivalence: A Very Brief Survey of Lex Talionis as a Concept of Justice in the Bible

This essay discusses lex talionis as a concept of justice in the Bible. I trace the historical development of lex talionis in the early legal texts of ancient Mesopotamian societies. Specifically, I analyze the three iterations of the lex talionis in the Bible and compare them to the Mesopotamian law “codes.” What all three iterations have in common is that none of them lends definite support to reading the lex talionis as either corporeal or compensatory justice. Whereas the Laws of Hammurabi articulates the lex talionis as mirror justice – literally, an eye for an eye – the Pentateuch takes a more ambivalent approach that also includes a conception of justice as “equivalence.” In providing close textual readings of these ancient texts, I aim to provide a very brief introduction to the concept of justice itself.
Federalism and Community in Historical Perspective

The conduct of contemporary scientific inquiry has both helped and hindered the study of politics. Technical specialization, highly developed computer facilities, and improved methods of data collection, measurement, and hypothesis testing have greatly enlarged our store of knowledge, testing many first assumptions along the way. Yet, these same technological advances and their divisions of labor also have tended to foster intellectual parochialism and a kind of "apolitical political science" which draws attention away from the study of political principles and their actualization.1
Attraction of Neoaplectana carpocapsae (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) to Common Excretory Products of Insects

Dauerlarvae of the insect-parasitic nematode Neoaplectana carpocapsae were either strongly attracted to or repelled by various concentrations of known constituents of insect feces. These included uric acid, xanthine, allantoin, ammonia, and arginine (attractants) and allantoic acid (repellent). Dauerlarvae exhibited aggregating behavior adjacent to paper treated with uric acid, suggesting that high concentrations were an arrestant. Certain combinations of uric acid, xanthine, allantoin, allantoic acid, and arginine greatly increased, decreased or masked the attractiveness of these chemicals.
A Multi-Phasic Continuum Damage Mechanics Model of Mechanically Induced Increased Permeability in Tissues

Recently, we have reported enhanced permeability of tissues due to in vivo treatment with pulsed high intensity focused ultrasound (pHIFU). This new therapy has shown promise as a way of increasing the penetration of large drug molecules, both out of the vasculature and through the tissue. To date, no clear physical model of tissue exists that can account for these effects. A new model is proposed that clearly establishes the link between tissue structure and fluid flow properties on one hand, and the history of applied mechanical forces on the other. The model draws inspiration from two different theoretical fields of materials science, multi-phase theory and continuum damage mechanics. The theory differs from the traditional bi-phasic solid-fluid model of tissues in that the fluid part here is broken into trapped (moving with the solid) and free (moving through the solid) parts. A damage-like variable links the effective elasticity of the tissue to the ratio of the trapped to free fluids. As the damage increases, the tissue becomes, in effect, less stiff and more permeable. Release of elastic energy drives the process. A distribution of energy barriers opposes the process and governs how the fluid is released as damage increases.
Stimulation of Gastric Secretion by Urticariogenic Wetting Agent (Tween 20) and Its Inhibition by Benadryl

Summary1. Tween 20 produces urticaria and stimulates gastric secretion when injected intravenously in a dose of 0.8 mg/kg in dogs with gastric pouches.2. Pretreatment with benadryl (10 mg/kg intravenously) prevents or reduces the urticariogenic and secretory effects of Tween 20 in most instances.3. Inasmuch as benadryl does not inhibit histamine-stimulated gastric secretion, the mode of action of benadryl in counteracting Tween 20 stimulated secretion must involve another mechanism.
Dissolution of uranium oxides from simulated environmental swipes using ammonium bifluoride

An analytical chemistry method has been developed to quantitatively recover microgram quanties of solid uranium oxides from swipe media using ammonium bifluoride (ABF, NH4HF2) solution. Recovery of uranium from surrogate swipe media (filter paper) was demonstrated at initial uranium loading levels between 3 and 20 µg filter−1. The optimal conditions for extracting U3O8 and UO2 are using 1 % ABF solution and incubating at 80 °C for one hour. The average uranium recoveries are 100 % for U3O8, and 90 % for UO2. With this method, uranium concentration as low as 3 µg filter−1 can be recovered for analysis.
Remote and in-situ analysis

As analysis continues to move out from the laboratory into the factory, the high cost of multiple on-line instruments and the conservative technology needed for unattended operation in a hostile environment have become serious limitations.
Ultrapressure liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry assay using atmospheric pressure photoionization (UPLC-APPI-MS/MS) for quantification of 4-methoxydiphenylmethane in pharmacokinetic evaluation

4-Methoxydiphenylmethane (4-MDM), a selective augmenter of Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase (LTA4H), is a new anti-inflammatory compound for potential treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Currently, there is no liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for the quantification of 4-MDM. A major barrier for developing the LC-MS/MS method is the inability of electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) to ionize 4-MDM due to its hydrophobicity and lack of any functional group for ionization. With the advent of atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) technique, many hydrophobic compounds have been demonstrated to ionize by charge transfer reactions. In this study, a highly sensitive ultrapressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay using atmospheric pressure photoionization (UPLC-APPI-MS/MS) for the quantifications of 4-MDM in rat plasma has been developed and validated. 4-MDM was extracted from the plasma by solid phase extraction (SPE) and separated chromatographically using a reverse phase C8 column. The photoionization (PI) was achieved by introducing anisole as a dopant to promote the reaction of charge transfer. The assay with a linear range of 5 (LLOQ)-400ngmL(-1) met the regulatory requirements for accuracy, precision and stability. The validated assay was employed to quantify the plasma concentrations of 4-MDM after an oral dosing in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.
Optimum Design of Regenerative Heat Exchangers

An optimum design was proposed of the regenerative heat exchangers based on improved genetic algorithm.The six dependent variables,i.e.,the diameter,length of thermal storage part,flow area ratio of cold and hot fluids,rotor velocity,and average temperature at the outlet of flue gas of the heat exchangers,were taken as optimum design variables,the annual operating cost of the heat exchanger was taken as optimizing-target function,and it was solved using improved genetic algorithm considering the technology limited by technical conditions and structure restriction.The optimum result shows that the annual cost of the heat exchanger was evidently decreased.
Human resource management practices and organizational effectiveness: internal fit matters

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test alternative conceptualizations of the relationship between systems of human resource management (HRM) practices and organizational effectiveness. The authors describe a framework suggesting a complex relationship between HRM practices and organizational effectiveness, test this approach empirically in a large sample of US motor carriers, and compare the results to those derived using other approaches prevalent in the strategic HRM literature. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a large scale cross-sectional survey design. In a sample of US motor carriers, questionnaires completed by senior HRM department staff were used as the primary data. The data were supplemented by organizational effectiveness data reported by motor carriers to the US Government. Findings – The results support the general hypothesis that HRM practices enhance organizational effectiveness, provide some evidence that HRM practices can enhance each other’s effectiveness, and unders...
The kinetics of the acrosome reaction of human spermatozoa and its correlation with in vitro fertilization.

Objective To study the reaction pattern of acrosome reaction in human semen and correlate it to the results of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Design The percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa of 41 IVF semen samples was determined after 0, 2, 4, and 24hours of incubation in human tubal fluid medium supplemented with 10% human pool serum. Setting St. Radboud Hospital, Catholic University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Patients Forty-one IVF couples. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measure Acrosome reaction was determined using fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugated concanavalin A lectin. To avoid false-positive signals from dead spermatozoa, the sperm viability was determined. Results Three kinetic patterns of acrosome reaction could be distinguished: (1) normal reacting pattern (percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa 5% at 4hours; 75% fertilization in IVF); (2) a quickly reacting pattern (percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa >10% at 2hours; 22% fertilization in IVF); and (3) a nonreacting pattern (percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa Conclusions The timing of acrosome reaction and the percentage of acrosome-reacted spermatozoa are very important parameters in IVF.
Perceptions of Inequality and Social Justice in the Arab Region

A disquieting fact, that motivated a renewed interest toward the understanding of the distributional features, in both the academic and policy environment, is the increase in inequality in many industrialized countries over the last decades, accompanied by a general increase of the social discontent. These issues have become even more important in the wake of the worldwide social movements generated by the 2008 financial crisis.Recent research suggests that rising inequality not only characterizes the industrialized world, but it also affects many other countries, including those generally thought to be rather egalitarian. In addition, there is growing consensus that high inequality may be among the causes of slow poverty reduction, despite rapid economic growth, especially in central and southern Africa. The social movements that characterized the 2011 Arab uprisings were also fundamental in emphasizing this issue in the context of the Arab world; many pointed to high and rising inequality as one of the factors that determined its establishment. However, such view seemed to be in contradiction with the conventional measures of income inequality, which were not high in that region. The aim of this paper is to explore perceptions of inequality and social justice in the Arab region. By performing a detailed analysis for each sub-group of the population, mainly defined according to the most relevant socio-economic characteristics, this paper also seeks to identify the determinants of such perceptions. As a results, this paper helps us to understand why we should not constrain ourselves to the mere measurement of inequality. The analysis contained in this paper is realized by making use of two surveys. The first is the Sixth World Value Survey (WVS), the most recent available survey, for 11 Arab countries, namely Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Yemen. The second is the Arab Barometer for 12 Arab countries, namely Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen. The analysis is performed looking at the whole population and at the main reference groups, defined on the base of gender, educational level and income status. Overall and country specific results are provided.
Analysis of the medication reconciliation process conducted at hospital admission

Objective: To analyze the outcomes of a medication reconciliation process at admission in the hospital setting. To assess the role of the Pharmacist in detecting reconciliation errors and preventing any adverse events entailed. Method: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the medication reconciliation activity during the previous six months. The study included those patients for whom an apparently not justified discrepancy was detected at admission, after comparing the hospital medication prescribed with the home treatment stated in their clinical hospital records. Those patients for whom the physician ordered the introduction of home medication without any specification were also considered. In order to conduct the reconciliation process, the Pharmacist prepared the best pharmacotherapeutical history possible, reviewing all available information about the medication the patient could be taking before admission, and completing the process with a clinical interview. The discrepancies requiring clarification were reported to the physician. It was considered that the reconciliation proposal had been accepted if the relevant modification was made in the next visit of the physician, or within 24-48 hours maximum; this case was then labeled as a reconciliation error. For the descriptive analysis, the Statistics® SPSS program, version 17.0, was used. Outcomes: 494 medications were reconciled in 220 patients, with a mean of 2.25 medications per patient. More than half of patients (59.5%) had some discrepancy that required clarification; the most frequent was the omission of a medication that the patient was taking before admission (86.2%), followed by an unjustified modification in dosing or way of administration (5.9%). In total, 312 discrepancies required clarification; out of these, 93 (29.8%) were accepted and considered as reconciliation errors, 126 (40%) were not accepted, and in 93 cases (29,8%) acceptance was not relevant due to a change in the situation of the patient. The highest opportunities for improvement were identified in the Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine and Surgery Units, and in the following therapeutic groups: blood and hematopoietic organs, cardiovascular system, and nervous system. Conclusions: In our hospital, only a third of interventions were accepted and acknowledged as reconciliation errors. However, the medication reconciliation process conducted at admission by a Pharmacist has proven to be useful in order to identify and prevent medication errors. A better understanding of the cases in which interventions were not accepted could lead to an improvement in outcomes in the future.
P164 “Reverse” transfusion related acute lung injury? A complicated granulocyte transfusion case report

A 64 year old female who was 22 days status post stem cell transplant reinfusion for leukemia and graft failure had fevers of unknown origin (Tmax 102.9 °F) and was severely neutropenic (ANC = 20/μL) without improvement on broad spectrum antimicrobials. Granulocyte transfusion support was initiated. Within 3 h of the 1st transfusion, the patient developed pulmonary distress requiring supportive care including intubation and a transfusion reaction investigation was initiated for a suspected diagnosis of Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI). Classical TRALI is typically a 2-hit event that is partly due to HLA or HNA antibodies in plasma-rich blood products reacting with patient granulocytes in the pulmonary vasculature leading to pulmonary edema that often requires ventilator support. The granulocyte donor was a known platelet donor that was confirmed negative for HLA antibodies. Two days prior to granulocyte transfusion, the patient had HLA antibody identification performed using single antigen beads (SAB) with a 99% cPRA for potential humoral graft failure. Review of the donor’s HLA typing revealed a strong incompatibility. Post- granulocyte transfusion SAB testing on the patient revealed a substantial isolated decrease in donor specific antibody (DSA) strength. Donor HLA typing and DSA results are presented in Table 1. The patient also received liposomal amphotericin B within 24 h of the transfusion, which is also known to cause pulmonary compromise when associated with granulocyte transfusions. Although this case, like most, cannot be clearly classified as definitive TRALI, possible “reverse” TRALI may have contributed to the patient’s pulmonary complications post granulocyte transfusion. The treating institution now requests HLA-selected (HLA-A and -B only) granulocyte products for patients that are known to be sensitized to HLA Class I antigens. Download : Download high-res image (86KB) Download : Download full-size image
Effect of Polypropylene Fibers on Durability Characteristics of No-Aggregate Concrete

Objective: To study the effect of Polypropylene Fiber (PF) on the durability of No-Aggregate Concrete (NAC), replacing aggregates completely by incorporating fly ash and minimal water for hydration. Method: The chemical durability characteristics such as water absorption, sorptivity and resistance to acid attack are tested for NAC with PF in 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 percentage of volume replacement with fly ash and compared with control NAC. The reason for using PF is to improve the tensile strength of NAC. In the previous study conducted on NAC steel fibers were used, which settled down due to high relative density. Findings: The test results on water absorption show that PF with 0.4 percentage of volume replacement with fly ash offers better resistance. Even though the water absorption for other volume fractions do not vary significantly at the age of 28 days. This is due to the pores which will get subsequently filled by secondary C-S-H gel at later ages leading to less absorption. The test results for sorptivity and resistance to acid attack reveal that PF with 0.6 percentage of volume replacement with fly ash offers better resistance compared to other volume fractions. As pozzolonic reaction of fly ash is directly related to permeability, considerable imperviousness may develop at later ages. The results on resistance to acid attack for NAC with PF shows considerable loss in strength. This cannot be justified at this stage as only visual inspection is done, but the penetration of acid is not measured. However, the surface of the specimen turned softer but they are structurally intact. Improvement: The test results presented in this paper are at early ages and these parameters are under study for later ages up to 180 days.
Signaling pathways as therapeutic targets in biliary tract cancer.

Introduction: The incidence of biliary tract cancer (BTC) is increasing, and the disease is frequently diagnosed during advanced stages, leading to poor overall survival. Limited treatment options ...
The unknown burden and cost of celiac disease in the U.S

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that results from exposure to gluten in genetically susceptible individuals and leads to a range of gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms. Areas covered: In order to evaluate the literature with respect to burden associated with celiac disease in the U.S. and identify any knowledge gaps, we performed a literature review of journal articles published between 2000–2016. We note that celiac disease is a prevalent condition associated with a significant burden of disease through its impact on morbidity, quality of life, as well as through increased costs associated with its diagnosis and management. At the same time, knowledge gaps exist in our understanding of the precise epidemiologic burden in the U.S.; the trade-offs between burden and benefit of a gluten-free diet; and better estimation of the costs of diagnosis, treatment and management.Expert commentary: Additional research is necessary to better understand these gaps to be able to r...
Determining interface properties limiting open-circuit voltage in heterojunction solar cells

The development of new thin-film photovoltaic (PV) absorbers is often hindered by the search for an optimal heterojunction contact; an unoptimized contact may be mistaken for poor quality of the underlying absorber, making it difficult to assess the reasons for poor performance. Therefore, quantifying the loss in device efficiency and open-circuit voltage (VOC) as a result of the interface is a critical step in evaluating a new material. In the present work, we fabricate thin-film PV devices using cuprous oxide (Cu2O), with several different n-type heterojunction contacts. Their current-voltage characteristics are measured over a range of temperatures and illumination intensities (JVTi). We quantify the loss in VOC due to the interface and determine the effective energy gap at the interface. The effective interface gap measured by JVTi matches the gap measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, albeit with higher energy resolution and an order of magnitude faster. We discuss potential artifacts in JVTi ...
Propagation of Thuja x ‘Green Giant’ by Stem Cuttings: Effects of Growth Stage, Type of Cutting, and IBA Treatment

Abstract Stem cuttings of Thuja L. x ‘Green Giant’ (‘Green Giant’ arborvitae), consisting of 22 cm (8.6 in) terminals (tips of first-order laterals) or 20 cm (7.8 in) laterals (side shoots removed from those portions of terminal cuttings inserted into the rooting medium), were collected on three dates associated with specific stock plant growth stages (softwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood) and treated with indolebutyric acid (IBA) in 50% isopropanol ranging from 0 to 9000 ppm (0.9%). Regardless of cutting type or auxin treatment, cuttings rooted in high percentages at each growth stage. Overall rooting for softwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood, cuttings was 85%, 86%, and 96%, respectively. Semi-hardwood cuttings were the only cuttings in which percent rooting was affected by IBA treatment or cutting type, with lateral cuttings rooting in higher percentages than terminal cuttings (92% vs. 79%, respectively), while IBA concentrations of 3000 (0.3%) or 6000 ppm (0.6%) proved optimal for both cutting types. ...
Seasonal Mortality of Cassida rubiginosa (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Due to Incomplete Development and Parasitism in Southwestern Virginia

Releases of Cassida rubiginosa Muller in Montgomery Co. in Virginia in 1973 have been successful and the beetle is consistently the most conspicuous defoliator of Canada thistle in southwestern Vir...
Increased Brain Glucose Uptake After 12 Weeks of Aerobic High-Intensity Interval Training in Young and Older Adults.

Context: Aerobic exercise training can increase brain volume and blood flow, but the impact on brain metabolism is less known. Objective: We determined whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) increases brain metabolism by measuring brain glucose uptake in younger and older adults. Design: Brain glucose uptake was measured before and after HIIT or a sedentary (SED) control period within a larger exercise study. Setting: Study procedures were performed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Participants: Participants were younger (18 to 30 years) or older (65 to 80 years) SED adults who were free of major medical conditions. Group sizes were 15 for HIIT (nine younger and six older) and 12 for SED (six younger and six older). Intervention: Participants completed 12 weeks of HIIT or SED. HIIT was 3 days per week of 4 3 4 minute intervals at over 90% of peak aerobic capacity (VO) with 2 days per week of treadmill walking at 70% VO. Main Outcome Measures: Resting brain glucose uptake was measured using F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans at baseline and at week 12. Scans were performed at 96 hours after exercise. VO was measured by indirect calorimetry. Results: Glucose uptake increased significantly in the parietal-temporal and caudate regions after HIIT compared with SED. The gains with HIIT were not observed in all brain regions. VO was increased for all participants after HIIT and did not change with SED. Conclusion: We demonstrate that brain glucose metabolism increased after 12 weeks of HIIT in adults in regions where it is reduced in Alzheimer’s disease. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 103: 221–227, 2018)
Optimizing duodenoscope reprocessing: rigorous assessment of a culture and quarantine protocol

Background and Aims Iatrogenic infections related to duodenoscopes remain a top concern for medical centers where ERCP is performed. We assessed the long-term results and impact of key interventions in the optimization of a rigorous "culture and quarantine" program for duodenoscope reprocessing. Methods We reviewed a prospectively collected, quality assurance database of all duodenoscope cultures (n = 4307) obtained for the initial 3-year duration of culture and quarantine from 2014 to 2017 in a single U.S.-based, high-volume endoscopy center. All duodenoscopes were subject to manual cleaning and automated reprocessing and drying, followed by sampling using a modified protocol developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Duodenoscopes were cultured per-use. Results A total of 4307 duodenoscope cultures were obtained during the study period. High-concern organisms were isolated from 33 of these cultures, resulting in a .697% high-level disinfection defect rate. Statistically significant interventions included withdrawal of a high-frequency culture-positive duodenoscope (scope A) from clinical service in addition to implementation of new manufacturer-recommended cleaning protocols. Withdrawal of a second high-frequency culture-positive duodenoscope (scope B) and a mandatory device retrofit had no effect on the observed rate of positive duodenoscope cultures. Conclusions Withdrawal of duodenoscopes with a high rate of culture positivity and optimizing manual cleaning practices have contributed to an overall decline in the high-level disinfection defect rate. A stringent culture and quarantine protocol allowed identification of the culprit endoscopes. There remains a much-needed role for an inexpensive and highly reliable method to check on the adequacy of reprocessing given the inherent complexity of these tasks.
Introduction to Algebra. By A. I. Kostrikin

(1984). Introduction to Algebra. By A. I. Kostrikin. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 91, No. 5, pp. 322-323.
Improved muscle-derived expression of human coagulation factor IX from a skeletal actin/CMV hybrid enhancer/promoter

Hemophilia B is caused by the absence of functional coagulation factor IX (F.IX) and represents an important model for treatment of genetic diseases by gene therapy. Recent studies have shown that intramuscular injection of an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector into mice and hemophilia B dogs results in vector dose–dependent, long-term expression of biologically active F.IX at therapeutic levels. In this study, we demonstrate that levels of expression of approximately 300 ng/mL (6% of normal human F.IX levels) can be reached by intramuscular injection of mice using a 2- to 4-fold lower vector dose (1 × 1011 vector genomes/mouse, injected into 4 intramuscular sites) than previously described. This was accomplished through the use of an improved expression cassette that uses the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early enhancer/promoter in combination with a 1.2-kilobase portion of human skeletal actin promoter. These results correlated with enhanced levels of F.IX transcript and secreted F.IX protein in transduced murine C2C12 myotubes. Systemic F.IX expression from constructs containing the CMV enhancer/promoter alone was 120 to 200 ng/mL in mice injected with 1 × 1011vector genomes. Muscle-specific promoters performed poorly for F.IX transgene expression in vitro and in vivo. However, the incorporation of a sequence from the -skeletal actin promoter containing at least 1 muscle-specific enhancer and 1 enhancer-like element further improved muscle-derived expression of F.IX from a CMV enhancer/promoter-driven expression cassette over previously published results. These findings will allow the design of a clinical protocol for therapeutic levels of F.IX expression with lower vector doses, thus enhancing efficacy and safety of the protocol.