cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics and Mechanisms for Reactions of Fe(II) with Iron(III) Oxides

Uptake of Fe(II) onto hematite (α-Fe2O3), corundum (α-Al2O3), amorphous ferric oxide (AFO), and a mixture of hematite and AFO was measured. Uptake was operationally divided into adsorption (extractable by 0.5 N HCl within 20 h) and fixation (extractable by 3.0 N HCl within 7 d). For 0.25 mM Fe(II) onto 25 mM iron(III) hematite at pH 6.8: (i) 10% of Fe(II) was adsorbed within 1 min; (ii) 20% of Fe(II) was adsorbed within 1 d; (iii) uptake slowly increased to 24% of Fe(II) during the next 24 d, almost all adsorbed; (iv) at 30 d, the uptake increased to 28% of Fe(II) with 6% of total Fe(II) fixed; and (v) uptake slowly increased to 30% of Fe(II) by 45 d with 10% of total Fe(II) fixed. Similar results were observed for 0.125 mM Fe(II) onto 25 mM iron(III) hematite, except that percent of adsorption and fixation were increased. There was adsorption but no fixation for 0.25 mM Fe(II) onto corundum [196.2 mM Al(III)] at pH 6.8, for 0.125 mM Fe(II) onto 25 mM iron(III) hematite at pH 4.5, and for 0.25 mM Zn(II) ...
Borders to cross: Identifying sources of tension in mentor–intern relationships

Abstract We used border crossing as a theoretical framework to explore the tensions that developed between two mentor–intern pairs during the course of a yearlong internship in high schools in the United States. Interviews with mentors and interns, and observations of planning sessions, teaching episodes, and follow-up conferences indicated that differing conceptions of mentoring, expectations related to communication, and beliefs about teaching formed the primary borders that the pairs had to navigate. Findings from the study suggest that the university must take a greater role in fostering communication between mentors and interns, and in providing on-going support to mentors engaged in teacher education.
Taste Thresholds of Butter Volatiles in Deodorized Butteroil Medium

SUMMARY —Taste thresholds of 31 volatile compounds found in butter were measured in deodorized butteroil and thresholds of seven volatiles were measured in fresh butter. Thresholds of mixtures of each of the major classes of volatile compounds (free fatty acids from C2 through C12, gamma-lactones from C7 through C11, even-numbered deltalactones from C8 through C14 and methyl ketones from C3 through C13 except C12 were determined as well as thresholds of single compounds of these classes. Butyric acid, diacetyl, delta-decalactone, 2-nonanone, gamma-undecalactone and n-hexanal, oftreported constituents of milk fat, had thresholds in butteroil of 0.66, 0.055, 1.4, 7.7, 0.95 and 0.19 ppm, respectively. The threshold of a mixture of free fatty acids from C2 through C12 was 0.55 ppm. Synergistic interactions among methyl ketones and free fatty acids were pronounced and interactions among aldehydes were weak, while interactions among lactones were not apparent.
Improved electrochemical biosensor response via metal oxide pre-oxidation of chemical interferents

Typical biological samples are inherently complicated. They may contain a myriad of compounds that are electroactive at the same potential as that used in many electrochemical biosensors. Therefore, a biosensor design feature must be included that either eliminates or blocks the interferents from generating false positive signals. The ability to use an insoluble compound, that of MnO2, in order to oxidize interferents such as ascorbic acid, acetaminophen and uric acid, was investigated in a prototype sensor system at a bias potential of 0.6 V versus Ag/AgCl. Unlike previous work with these materials, a difference between the ability for the metal oxide to oxidize the interferents was observed. Most effective was the capability of MnO2 to oxidize uric acid. Alternatively, the MnO2 had little effect on acetaminophen. The study is both introduced and results are discussed within the context of an implantable glucose sensor.
The status of theoretical L-subshell ionization cross sections for protons

Accuracy of PIXE analyses depends on inner-shell ionization cross sections. These cross sections are often calculated in the ECPSSR theory; results of its variant (that uses DHS wavefunctions) are employed in the GUPIX package. While the ECPSSR theory agrees well with massive compilations of K x-ray production, it deviates systematically from Lsubshell data – in particular, L1 and L2 cross sections. Various modifications of the ECPSSR theory and their results are reviewed versus the empirical database from Orlic for 0.3–3.5 MeV protons on 45 6 Z2 6 92 targets. Comparison with this database does not give a clear choice between the ECPSSR and the ECPSSR with all modifications. Independently of the chosen theory and because of the increasing scatter in the data with the decreasing proton energy, PIXE packages that may rely on reference cross sections for L1 x-ray production in lanthanides by 0.2-MeV protons could err by an order of magnitude in the determination of the concentration of these elements. 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Interleukin-13 upregulates eotaxin expression in airway epithelial cells by a STAT6-dependent mechanism.

Interleukin (IL)-13 is a T helper 2‐derived cytokine that has recently been implicated in allergic airway responses. We hypothesized that IL-13 may regulate expression of eotaxin in airway epithelium. We found that IL-13 upregulated eotaxin messenger RNA and protein synthesis in the airway epithelial cell line BEAS-2B; this effect showed synergy with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- � and also was inhibited by the glucocorticoid budesonide. To establish the mechanisms of eotaxin upregulation by IL-13, cells were transfected with an eotaxin promoter‐luciferase reporter plasmid and transcription was activated by IL-13 (1.7-fold) and TNF- � (2.8-fold). The combination of IL-13 and TNF- � additively activated the promoter constructs (4.1-fold). Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 6 by IL-13 was confirmed by nuclear protein binding to a DNA probe derived from the eotaxin promoter. Activation of eotaxin transcription by IL-13 and the additive effect with TNF- � were lost in plasmids mutated at a putative STAT6 binding site. Cotransfection with a wild-type STAT6 expression vector significantly enhanced activation of the eotaxin promoter after IL-13 stimulation (6-fold induction). A significant increase of eotaxin protein secretion in the supernatant of STAT6 wild-type‐transfected cells was observed after IL-13 stimulation. Cotransfection with a dominant negative STAT6 mutant expression vector inhibited activation of the eotaxin promoter by IL-13. These results indicate that IL-13 stimulates eotaxin expression in airway epithelial cells and that STAT6 plays a pivotal role in this response. Asthma is a disease characterized by the infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes into airway epithelium and subsequent epithelial damage and tissue remodeling (1‐4). T helper (Th) 2 cells and their cytokine products play a crucial role in this process. Interleukin (IL)-13 is one of the important Th2-type cytokines which have been implicated and are upregulated in asthma (5‐7). Recent studies indicate that IL-13 can induce pathologic changes reminiscent of asthma in animals, including infiltration of eosinophils and mononuclear cells, epithelial damage, hyperplasia of goblet cells, and subepithelial fibrosis (8‐10). IL-13 probably plays important roles as a mucus-stimulating cytokine (8, 11) as well as in the recruitment of eosinophils. Endothelial cell expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, an adhesion molecule involved in eosinophil recruitment, has been shown to be induced by IL-13 (12, 13).
Real-time implementation of new adaptive detection structures using the DSP56001

Real-time implementations of two adaptive detection structures using the DSP56001 digital signal processor (DSP) are analyzed and tested. The normalized least-mean-square (NLMS) algorithm is utilized to implement the detection structures. Experimental results show that the new detection structure can increase the detection performance by decreasing the detection threshold in excess of -12 dB more than that of the conventional detection structure. Assembly code for the detector is also included. >
Perceived risk and the selection of a retail patronage mode

Consumers can select products from a wide variety of retail patronage alternatives. This article examines the amount of perceived risk that is associated with shopping at six different patronage modes. Department and specialty stores are generally considered low risk modes, while media advertisements represent the highest risk alternative. This research also examines the importance of various risk-handling tactics that may help the consumer deal with the perceived risk involved with the selection of a particular retail patronage mode.
BGP safety with spurious updates

We explore BGP safety, the question of whether a BGP system converges to a stable routing, in light of several BGP implementation features that have not been fully included in the previous theoretical analyses. We show that Route Flap Damping, MRAI timers, and other intra-router features can cause a router to briefly send “spurious” announcements of less-preferred routes. We demonstrate that, even in simple configurations, this short-term spurious behavior may cause long-term divergence in global routing. We then present DPVP, a general model that unifies these sources of spurious announcements in order to examine their impact on BGP safety. In this new, more robust model of BGP behavior, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for safety, which furthermore admits an efficient algorithm for checking BGP safety in most practical circumstances — two complementary results that have been elusive in the past decade's worth of classical studies of BGP convergence in more simple models. We also consider the implications of spurious updates for well-known results on dispute wheels and safety under filtering.
Longitudinal Associations Between Teasing and Health-related Quality of Life Among Treatment-seeking Overweight and Obese Youth

Objectives To examine concurrent and prospective associations between perceptions of teasing and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over the course of a behavioral/educational intervention and the subsequent year in a sample of overweight and obese children and adolescents. Method A clinical sample of 93 overweight or obese youths (ages 7–17 years) and 1 parent/guardian completed measures of teasing and HRQOL at pre- and posttreatment and follow-up assessments. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the factor structure of the measures and to assess prospective associations over a 15-month period. Results Results indicate that, concurrently, weight-related teasing is inversely associated with HRQOL and that, prospectively, HRQOL is inversely associated with subsequent teasing. Conclusions Study findings are suggestive of a directional relationship with lower quality of life predicting subsequent higher levels of teasing. Results suggest the potential for interventions designed to improve HRQOL to reduce teasing experiences for overweight and obese youth.
Vacancy breathing by grain boundaries—a mechanism of memristive switching in polycrystalline oxides

It is widely believed that switching to the conductive state in memristive materials is triggered by the external field that drives defect dynamics. In polycrystalline materials, grain boundaries are further believed to cause switching by enabling faster defect motion. Here, we report a firstprinciple study of oxygen vacancy dynamics at a grain boundary (GB) in polycrystalline ZnO and show that switching to the conductive state is triggered by a recombination-enhanced motion of vacancies perpendicular to the GB. We call this mechanism the “breathing” trigger of memristive switching.
Dialyser reuse-associated mortality and hospitalization risk in incident Medicare haemodialysis patients, 1998–1999

Background. The reuse of haemodialysers has been practiced in the United States for >20 years. We investigated mortality and hospitalization risk according to various reuse practices, testing the hypothesis that outcomes are improved in patients treated with dialysers cleaned with bleach and sterilized with formaldehyde. Methods. We studied 1998 and 1999 incident Medicare haemodialysis patients, with follow-up through December 31, 2000 (49 273 patients). Clinical conditions and dialysis therapy were characterized from Medicare claims data. Included were patients who could be linked to a dialysis provider. Demographic characteristics were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medical Evidence Report. Mortality information was obtained from the CMS ESRD Death Notification; hospitalization information, from Medicare in-patient claims files. Data on reuse practices were obtained from the annual survey of haemodialysis units conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results. Cox regression analyses found no significant differences in mortality or first-hospitalization risk for patients in dialysis units not using bleach as a cleaning agent. Outcomes for patients treated in units using glutaraldehyde did not vary according to use of bleach. In the analysis of first-hospitalization risk, there was no difference according to various germicide/bleach combinations. Overall, there was no significant difference in relative risk of death or in hospitalization risk among the reuse groups (including the no-reuse group). Conclusions. For the 1998–1999 period, reuse practices were not associated with a survival advantage or disadvantage. Our findings may reflect the National Kidney Foundation’s 1997 introduction of clinical practice guidelines, the intent of which was to bring about increased consistency of care within the dialysis community in the United States.
SFR-116 Long term follow-up after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy as a final step for the treatment of morbid obesity

Methods: Between January 2004 and October 2010, 4 patients with GGF underwent metabolic testing during an oral glucose tolerance test pre-and postrepair. Data was collected on glucose, insulin, ghrelin, GIP, GLP-1, and PYY. Results: There was no significant difference between preoperative and postoperative levels of fasting glucose, glucose area under curve (AUC), fasting insulin, peak insulin, insulin AUC, ghrelin nadir, GIP peak, GIP AUC, GLP-1 peak, GLP-1 AUC, PYY peak, PYY AUC. There was a significant decrease in fasting ghrelin (459.5 vs 267.0 pg/ml, p 0.029) and percent maximum suppressed ghrelin (383.7 vs 187.9, p 0.027). Conclusion: GGF repair re-establishes duodenal bypass without altering the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. Ghrelin levels decrease significantly after GGF repair, likely due to partial gastrectomy associated with the repair. Notably, though, GGF fistula repair does not increase GLP-1, GIP, or insulin levels significantly, suggesting that duodenal bypass is not the mechanism by which RYGB elevates incretin levels.
Determination of Heavy Metals in Crawfish (Procambrus clarkii) by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectrometry: A Study over the Season in Southwest Louisiana

Abstract Six metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, lead, iron, and zinc) were determined by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry in crawfish (tails and whole bodies) and soil in the vicinity of the crawfish, in a season of 4 months (February through May) in southwest Louisiana. Cadmium and lead were not found in the tail or whole body. Nickel was found in some samples of tail but mostly in the April and May samples. Copper, iron, and zinc were found in both tail and whole body of the crawfish. Limited soil sampling showed no cadmium, nickel, or copper in soil, but levels of iron, lead, and zinc were detected.
Tracking Rapid HIV Testing Through the Cultural Circuit Implications for Technical Communication

The cultural studies model of the cultural circuit can help students track the larger circulation and transformation of technical communication in order to ethically critique and respond to it. Applying the model to specific cases of technology and its accompanying documentation (in this case the OraQuick rapid HIV test) can illustrate for students the ethical necessity of extending the usual focus on production to distribution, marketing, interpretation, and use. Students can then channel this awareness to their own writing projects, taking action to ensure that these projects are responsive and empowering to those whom they affect.
Multiculturalism and the Limits of Dialogue

How should competing demands for culture and women's rights be resolved? Many theorists insist that dialogue is necessary to adjudicate these claims and advance social justice. Alternatively, I argue that dialogue framed through the prism of culture versus women's rights reinforces essentialized identities that divide women and does little to challenge unequal relations of power. Moreover, at best, it offers women in cultural groups uneven protection and remediation, while simultaneously increasing state regulatory power. I develop this argument theoretically and then illustrate these outcomes through a case study identified by Monique Deveaux as an exemplar of her dialogical approach: customary marriage reform in South Africa.
Grading Technology Allows Teachers to Maximize Technology Infusion in the Classroom

Education courses now involve homework assignments that require technology skill as well as domain knowledge. Yet there is little pedagogical and technological support for teaching “What” (statistical mean) while simultaneously teaching “How” (use the =average (Range) function in Excel). The authors’ concept describes a conceptual approach and a methodology that helps teachers leverage their domain knowledge and helps students learn both a new topic and a new information technology skill. While teachers will allocate more time towards preparing homework, far less time is spent overall in administering and grading assignments. This approach scales to any class size, thus removing grading burdens imposed by large class sizes. The huge burden of grading lessons is removed, leaving that time free to improve the teaching.
Squamous Cell Cancer of an Unknown Primary Head and Neck Site: Is Upfront Neck Dissection Still Relevant in the Era of Chemoradiation?

(NPM) is commonly used but often results in incomplete pain control and is associated with its own side effects. Single-institution retrospective reports have provided evidence that prophylactic gabapentin (GP) may reduce the need for NPM in patients undergoing RT, however the ideal dosing schedule is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the use of 300 mg 3 times daily (TID) of GP in a community oncology center will result in reduced need for NPM or reduced weight loss (WL) in patients undergoing RT with or without chemotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer. Materials/Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of all patients treated with RT for oropharyngeal cancer in our clinic over the last 33 months. From these data, we stratified patients by the use of GP and compared the amount of NPM, the time to initiation of NPM, and the amount of WL between patients who did and did not receive GP. Two-tailed t tests were used to determine significance with a for significance set at P .05. Results: From November 2012 through July 2015, 64 patients with oropharyngeal cancer completed their prescribed RT course and at least 1 month of post-RT follow-up at our institution. Thirty-one patients received GP (at least 300 mg TID) within the first 2 weeks of RT. Patients who received GP had less unintentional WL (9.03 vs 15.82 lbs, PZ.004) and initiated NPM later in their RT course (34.6 vs 22.3 days, P<.001). On subset analysis, patients who underwent upfront surgery and patients with p16-positive disease had less unintentional WL with the use of GP. Oropharyngeal subsite did not influence the effect of GP. No adverse effects were attributed to GP. Conclusion: Patients who initiated at least 300 mg TID of GP within the first 2 weeks of RT for oropharyngeal cancer experienced less WL and a longer time to initiation of NPM compared to those that did not initiate GP. These differences were independent of oropharyngeal subsite. No adverse effects were attributed to GP. Patients who underwent upfront surgery and patients with p16-positive disease derived the greatest benefit from the use of GP. These data support continued exploration of GP use in this patient population. Our institution intends to continue to explore the effect of higher GP dosing in future patients to elucidate potential dose-response relationships. Author Disclosure: T. Dong: None. A. Reed: None. G.C. Jones: None. D. Scoble: None. J. Deeken: None. G.K. Bajaj: None.
Membracidae of Guatemala

As a result of a rather intensive and very successful collecting trip in Guatemala in 1942, it has been possible not only to recognize practically all of the species of Membracidae which have been reported from that country, but to add a large number of new locality records and to describe sixteen new species.
The Early Diagnosis of Acute and Latent Plumbism

Information gained from the evaluation of laboratory findings is only of importance when it aids in establishing diagnosis, in choosing therapeutic agents, or in indicating the probable prognosis. In order to accomplish this end it is necessary that such findings furnish information far enough in advance of clinical signs and symptoms to enable the introduction of therapeutic measures in time to avoid, or lessen the severity of a crisis. This is of even greater importance when dealing with the introduction and absorption into the body of a substance which in excessive amounts may cause an acute toxic condition, or produce such an effect at a later date by its accumulation in the body and its subsequent release due to a lowering of the normal tolerance and some uncontrollable change in the equilibrium of physiological and biological factors. Among such toxic agents lead occupies a prominent position. Although no single sign or symptom may be considered pathognomonic of plumbism, certain diagnostic features have been attributed to acute and chronic lead poisoning. These have been classified and discussed in detail by Jones, Harris, Shie, Aub and his associates, Lowy and Levinson, Vogt and McKhann, Mitchell, Johnson, and Kehoe. In order to facilitate the tabulation of our data we have grouped them in the manner shown in table 1.
Static Balancing of Articulated Wheeled Vehicles by Parallelogram- and Spring-Based Compensation

Articulated wheeled vehicles (AWVs) offer superior uneven terrain traversal capabilities by virtue of the superior reconfigurability within their articulated structure. However, this capability can be realized only at the price of increased actuation-based equilibration, oftentimes solely to support the gravitational loading. Hence, the simultaneous reduction of the overall actuation remains one of the critical challenges in such AWVs.
Current situation assessment of occupational hazards in an energy-saving building product company in Haidian District of Beijing

[Objective]To analyze the current situation of occupational hazards in an energy-saving building product company in Haidian District of Beijing,evaluate the control effect of occupational hazards in the enterprise,propose the improving measures, and protect the health of workers.[Methods]The field occupational health survey was performed in the working place,to analyze the occupational hazard factors and detect its concentration.[Results]The construction site,general layout,production process and equipment layout,workshop building design and emergency rescue measures in this enterprise were in accordance with the relevant laws and standards. The major occupational hazard factors were wood dust,noise and benzene. The time weighted average( TWA) concentration of wood dust in the west and east polishing point of wood processing workshop was 3. 5 mg / m3and 2. 5 mg / m3,which exceeded the national occupational health limits. 8 hour equivalent sound level in the peripheral milling post and dowel hole punch post of wood processing workshop,and profiling milling machine post of assembly workshop was respectively 89. 4 dB( A), 90. 3 dB( A) and 95. 5 dB( A),which exceeded the national occupational health limits. The concentrations( intensities) of other occupational hazard factors met the relevant national requirements. [Conclusion]The current situation of occupational hazards in this enterprise is not optimistic,and some occupational prevention measures must be improved. It is necessary to improve the noise proof and dustproof measures in the over-standard sites,strengthen the individual protection,to meet the requirements of the relevant laws and h standards.
Explaining the Politics of Privatization

The neoliberal programme of the Thatcher and Major administrations in Britain provides a clear and well-developed case for examining the role of New Right ideas in policy-making. Described by journalist Peter Jenkins as ‘The Thatcher Revolution’, the Conservative governments after 1979 broke the Keynesian social democratic mold that had dominated British politics after WWII. Britain offers the leading case of privatization, where privatization started and has gone the farthest and is most clearly theorized as a governing ideology and analyzed by a wide range of scholars.
Extremely scaled planar bulk CMOS: challenges and options

Maintaining electrostatic integrity at deeply scaled gate length and improving device transport are two of the lop challenges in extremely scaled planar CMOS technology. For planar bulk CMOS, gate stack scaling continues to be the most effective way of increasing gate control and suppressing short channel effect. However, with the nitrided oxide at the gate leakage limit that circuit designers are willing to tolerate, high-k gate dielectric becomes a necessity for 45 nm node and beyond. To meet performance targets, dual work-function metal gate enhances channel inversion carrier density and gate control by eliminating gate depletion. The ideal gate stack depends on the application: dual work-function metal gate would be required for high performance technology; poly and high-k might be a viable combination for low power products. On the other hand, the importance of carrier transport enhancement is critical if the gate thickness scaling stagnates, or if lithography limitations cause the device gate length to scale less aggressively than the gate thickness. The current activities of device transport improvements focus on channel strain and substrate material engineering. The strain techniques examined range from process induced local strain, e.g., recessed epi-SiGe at S/D, to wafer level global strain, e.g., strain Si on relaxed SiGe virtual substrate. Interesting and promising results and analyses have been reported on even more sophisticated multi-layer heterostructure substrates involving strained SiGe. The talk will give an overview of the challenges mentioned and options for continuing scaling of planar bulk Si CMOS technology.
Numerical simulation of microwave ablation incorporating tissue contraction based on thermal dose

Tissue contraction plays an important role during high temperature tumor ablation, particularly during device characterization, treatment planning and imaging follow up. We measured such contraction in 18 ex vivo bovine liver samples during microwave ablation by tracking fiducial motion on CT imaging. Contraction was then described using a thermal dose dependent model and a negative thermal expansion coefficient based on the empirical data. FEM simulations with integrated electromagnetic wave propagation, heat transfer, and structural mechanics were evaluated using temperature-dependent dielectric properties and the negative thermal expansion models. Simulated temperature and displacement curves were then compared with the ex vivo experimental results on different continuous output powers. The optimized thermal dose model indicated over 50% volumetric contraction occurred at the temperature over 102.1 ?C. The numerical simulation results on temperature and contraction-induced displacement showed a good agreement with experimental results. At microwave powers of 55 W, the mean errors on temperature between simulation and experimental results were 8.25%, 2.19% and 5.67% at 5?mm, 10?mm and 20?mm radially from the antenna, respectively. The simulated displacements had mean errors of 16.60%, 14.08% and 23.45% at the same radial locations. Compared to the experimental results, the simulations at the other microwave powers had larger errors with 10?40% mean errors at 40 W, and 10?30% mean errors at 25 W. The proposed model is able to predict temperature elevation and simulate tissue deformation during microwave ablation, and therefore may be incorporated into treatment planning and clinical translation from numerical simulations.
Patient derived xenografts of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A potential tool for personalized medicine.

344Background: Historically, upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC) are treated similarly to urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). However, compared to UCB, UTUC demonstrates a more aggressive clinical course which may be explained by significant differences in mutational frequencies between UTUC and UCB that were reported using a customized exon capture sequencing assay (the MSK-IMPACT assay). A major limitation in the advancement of the UTUC field is the lack of appropriate models specific to the disease. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate preclinical models that would recapitulate treatment responses observed in patients. Methods: 35 surgical specimens from nephroureterectomy of patients with UTUC were implanted into immunocompromised NOD-SCID IL2Rg−/− (NSG) mice. The histological and the genomic characterization of patient tumors and PDXs were examined by a board certified pathologist and MSK-IMPACT assay, respectively. Cell lines were also established to assess histologic ...
Capitalizing on Federal Agencies’ Intentions To Protect Youth Working in Agriculture

Nearly 750,000 youth work on farms across the United States. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (U.S. DOL) Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Hazardous Occupations Orders for Agriculture (HOOA) applies to approximately 37% of these youth. The HOOA regulations had not been updated since their inception in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. An attempt by U.S. DOL to update the regulations in 2011 was met with fierce opposition by the agricultural community, and the proposed updated regulations were withdrawn. One impactful outcome of these two events was a rededication by USDA and the farm community to address agricultural youth farm safety through education rather than through regulation. An agriculturally based National Steering Committee has developed consensus Belief Statements and Guiding Principles to proactively influence agricultural youth safety. In this case, USDA was clearly a ‘sphere of influence’ for youth agricultural safety.
Importance of FNA Technique for Decreasing Non-diagnostic Rates in Thyroid Nodules.

To identify potential interventions that may lower the high non-diagnostic rates associated with ultrasound guided (US) fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of the thyroid nodule. A case series of 164 thyroid nodule US-guided FNA was identified retrospectively. The following variables were analyzed in regards to diagnostic and non-diagnostic sampling: patient age, gender, size of nodule, biopsy technique (capillary vs. aspiration), needle gauge (23 vs. 25), and physician experience. The FNA diagnosis, and final pathology, when applicable, was recorded for each sample using the Bethesda criteria. Data was analyzed using the Fisher’s exact test or the chi square test. After multivariate logistic regression, capillary action was independently associated with lower non-diagnostic rates (p = 0.01), while increasing patient age was associated with higher non-diagnostic rates (p = 0.018). Physician experience (p = 0.014) was not independently associated with lower non-diagnostic rates. Nodules that were “cystic >50%” were significantly more likely to yield a non-diagnostic result (p < 0.0001). After taking into account confounding variables, including physician experience, our data reveals a statistically significant decrease in non-diagnostic rates with the use of capillary action vs. aspiration technique in US-guided FNA. A major focus in healthcare today is providing cost-effective and minimally invasive care to the patient. In the setting of a rising incidence of thyroid disease, we believe our study demonstrates the need for a prospective analysis of the relationship between technique and non-diagnostic rates.
Quantitation of phenylbutyrate metabolites by UPLC-MS/MS demonstrates inverse correlation of phenylacetate:phenylacetylglutamine ratio with plasma glutamine levels.

Abstract Urea cycle disorders (UCDs) are genetic conditions characterized by nitrogen accumulation in the form of ammonia and caused by defects in the enzymes required to convert ammonia to urea for excretion. UCDs include a spectrum of enzyme deficiencies, namely n -acetylglutamate synthase deficiency (NAGS), carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I deficiency (CPS1), ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTC), argininosuccinate lyase deficiency (ASL), citrullinemia type I (ASS1), and argininemia (ARG). Currently, sodium phenylbutyrate and glycerol phenylbutyrate are primary medications used to treat patients with UCDs, and long-term monitoring of these compounds is critical for preventing drug toxic levels. Therefore, a fast and simple ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for quantification of phenylbutyrate (PB), phenylacetate (PA), and phenylacetylglutamine (PAG) in plasma and urine. The separation of all three analytes was achieved in 2 min, and the limits of detection were
Live-cell time-lapse imaging and single-cell tracking of in vitro cultured neural stem cells - Tools for analyzing dynamics of cell cycle, migration, and lineage selection

Neural stem cell (NSC) cultures have been considered technically challenging for time-lapse analysis due to high motility, photosensitivity, and growth at confluent densities. We have tested feasibility of long-term live-cell time-lapse analysis for NSC migration and differentiation studies. Here, we describe a method to study the dynamics of cell cycle, migration, and lineage selection in cultured multipotent mouse or human NSCs using single-cell tracking during a long-term, 7-14 day live-cell time-lapse analysis. We used in-house made PDMS inserts with five microwells on a glass coverslip petri-dish to constrain NSC into the area of acquisition during long-term live-cell imaging. In parallel, we have defined image acquisition settings for single-cell tracking of cell cycle dynamics using Fucci-reporter mouse NSC for 7 days as well as lineage selection and migration using human NSC for 14 days. Overall, we show that adjustments of live-cell analysis settings can extend the time period of single-cell tracking in mouse or human NSC from 24-72 h up to 7-14 days and potentially longer. However, we emphasize that experimental use of repeated fluorescence imaging will require careful consideration of controls during acquisition and analysis.
Multi-task sparse screening for predicting future clinical scores using longitudinal cortical thickness measures

Cortical thickness estimation performed in-vivo via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an effective measure of brain atrophy in preclinical individuals at high risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the high dimensionality of individual cortical thickness data coupled with small population samples make it challenging to perform cortical thickness feature selection for AD diagnosis and prognosis. Thus far, there are very few methods that can accurately predict future clinical scores using longitudinal cortical thickness measures. In this paper, we propose an unsupervised dictionary learning algorithm, termed Multi-task Sparse Screening (MSS) that produces improved results over previous methods within this problem domain. Specifically, we formulate and solve a multi-task problem using extracted top-p significant features from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) longitudinal data. Empirical studies on publicly available longitudinal data from ADNI dataset (N = 2797) demonstrate improved correlation coefficients and root mean square errors, when compared to other algorithms.
2-Aminopurine mutagenesis in Escherichia coli.

Base analog mutagens are structurally modified bases which sufficiently mimic the natural bases to be incorporated into DNA but whose specificity of incorporation and subsequent templating properties lead to mutation [17, 19]. Two base analogs are quite predominant in mutational literature, the pyrimidine analog 5-bromo-uracil (5BU) and the purine analog 2-aminopurine (2AP). While this study does draw from our knowledge of 5BU-induced mutagenesis, our experimental efforts have concentrated on 2-aminopurine and some related purine analogs. The chemical and biological properties of 2AP have recently been reviewed by Ronen (see Ref. 49).
The New Alsea Watershed Study

The original Alsea Watershed Study assessed the effects of timber harvesting on water, aquatic habitat, and salmonid resources using a paired-watershed approach. The New Alsea Watershed Study provides an opportunity to evaluate water resource and salmonid resource responses to current forest practices compared to undisturbed conditions. It also allows a comparison to the original study results that included an extreme manipulation in the 1960s. Flynn Creek was an undisturbed control watershed in the original study and remains an undisturbed Natural Research Area under the USDA Forest Service. Deer Creek was partially cut and demonstrated the effectiveness of streamside management zones in the original study. Needle Branch was completely clearcut with subsequent slash burning, with no streamside vegetative buffers. Needle Branch experienced some of the most dramatic water quality impacts for temperature and dissolved oxygen ever observed in response to forest management. Increases in discharge, sediment, and nutrients were also measured, although these changes were more subtle. The water quality impacts observed for Needle Branch, especially temperature, are sometimes erroneously cited as the inevitable consequence of clearcutting in the Pacific Northwest. The regenerated forest in the Needle Branch watershed is again ready for commercial harvest. The proposed timber harvesting plan in Needle Branch involves two harvesting units and will provide an opportunity to assess cumulative effects on water resources. This new study, using paired watersheds, synoptic surveys of water quality, and biological monitoring, will test how effective current forest practices are in maintaining water quality.
Successes and Problems Encountered While Breeding for Enhanced N2 Fixation in Alfalfa

We initiated a modest research effort on breeding alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) for increased N2 fixation in 1974. This project became the first concentrated effort in the U. S. to breed a forage legume for increased N2 fixation. Now six years later we are taking this opportunity to look at the project in retrospect and to examine both the successes and the problems that we have encountered. Hopefully our experiences will be useful in projecting future advances and in suggesting methodologies and philosophies that can be utilized in other breeding programs for N2 fixation.
Co-pyrolysis of lignin and plastics using red clay as catalyst in a micro-pyrolyzer.

Abstract In the current study, low-density polyethylene and polystyrene were co-pyrolyzed with dealkaline lignin in a micro-reactor at 500 °C with and without low-cost red clay catalyst. The products were analyzed with GC-MS/FID to quantify phenolic compounds, alkanes and alkenes. The synergistic effect between plastics and lignin was studied by comparing the carbon yield of compounds from co-pyrolysis with that from individual pyrolysis. The co-pyrolysis of lignin and polystyrene was also performed at 600, 700 and 800 °C to examine the effect of pyrolysis temperature. The study explores a novel approach to enhance lignin depolymerization with red clay catalyst while utilizing waste plastics.
Neighborhood poverty and hemodynamic, neuroendocrine, and immune response to acute stress among patients with coronary artery disease.

Living in neighborhoods characterized by poverty may act as a chronic stressor that results in physiological dysregulation of the sympathetic nervous system. No previous study has assessed neighborhood poverty with hemodynamic, neuroendocrine, and immune reactivity to stress. We used data from 632 patients with coronary artery disease. Patients' residential addresses were geocoded and merged with poverty data from the 2010 American Community Survey at the census-tract level. A z-transformation was calculated to classify census tracts (neighborhoods) as either having 'high' or 'low' poverty. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, rate-pressure product, epinephrine, interleukin-6, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were measured before and after a public speaking stress task. Multilevel models were used for repeated measures and accounting for individuals nested within census tracts. Adjusted models included demographics, lifestyle and medical risk factors, and medication use. Another set of models included propensity scores weighted by the inverse probability of neighborhood status for sex, age, race, and individual-level income. The mean age was 63 years and 173 were women. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants living in high (vs. low) poverty neighborhoods had similar hemodynamic values at rest and lower values during mental stress for systolic blood pressure (157 mmHg vs. 161 mmHg; p = 0.07), heart rate (75 beats/min vs. 78 beats/min; p = 0.02) and rate-pressure product (11839 mmHg x beat/min vs 12579 mmHg x beat/min; p = 0.01). P-values for neighborhood poverty-by-time interactions were <0.05. Results were similar in the propensity weighted models. There were no significant differences in inflammatory and epinephrine responses to mental stress based on neighborhood poverty status. A blunted hemodynamic response to mental stress was observed among participants living in high poverty neighborhoods. Future studies should explore whether neighborhood poverty and blunted hemodynamic response to stress translate into differences in long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
Fast and Precise Detection of Internal Short Circuit on Li-Ion Battery

Internal Short Circuit (ISC) is a critical safety issue on the Li-Ion Batteries (LIBs) for different applications such as cell-phones, laptops, electrical vehicles and airplanes. Thermal runaway is a consequence of ISC, if the ISC on a LIB is not accurately detected as fast as possible. The ISC on LIB can be modeled by a resistance on the terminal of battery. In the proposed technique, an accurate and fast estimation of short circuit resistance of ISC is derived by calculating the internal resistance of the battery. To reach these goals, two circuits are proposed which can detect the internal short circuit of single-cell LIBs. One of the detection circuits uses a test resistance and a power switch (resistor-based) and the other circuit uses an inductor with the H-bridge (inductor-based) to detect the ISC of LIBs. Moreover, two detection techniques for detecting ISC of multi-cell LIBs are proposed based on the single-cell resistor-based ISC detection technique. As will be shown in the simulation and experimental results, the proposed circuits can accurately detect the ISC of LIB, if measurements of terminal voltages of LIB are precisely obtained.
Co-Delivery of Timolol and Brimonidine with a Polymer Thin-Film Intraocular Device.

Abstract Purpose: We developed a polycaprolactone (PCL) co-delivery implant that achieves zero-order release of 2 ocular hypotensive agents, timolol maleate and brimonidine tartrate. We also demons...
Environments of Dying, Death, and Caregiving at End-of-Life

The process of dying, the provision of care associated with the end of life, and rituals of mourning and memorialization are all profoundly shaped by the physical places and social environments in ...
Magnetic Resonance Image Analysis

The great advances made in neuroimaging technology during the last decade provide an unparalleled opportunity for neuroscientists to measure gross brain structure with a high degree of precision. However, this opportunity has yet to be fully realized, largely because the development of reliable, valid, and efficient means of quantifying all the information contained within the digital display has lagged far behind the ability to acquire these images. Bigler’s review (1994) demonstrated that even though many studies have employed neuroimaging methods to investigate brain-behavior relationships, the vast majority have not employed quantitative techniques (Figure 1) but rather have relied on binary, clinical readings of pathology (present or absent) and hemisphere or quadrant analyses. While such approaches are appropriate for detecting gross structural abnormalities (e.g., infarct) and active pathological processes (e.g., tumor) responsible for frank nondevelopmental neurologic disorders, the literature in neuropsychology suggests that this approach is sorely inadequate for illuminating the neuropathology of disorders where there is likely congenital or developmental disturbance (e.g., schizophrenia, dyslexia).
Visualization of H atoms in the X‐ray crystal structure of photoactive yellow protein: Does it contain low‐barrier hydrogen bonds?

The hydrogen bond (HB) between 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (HC4) and glutamic acid E46 of photoactive yellow protein is exceptionally strong. In the 0.82-a resolution X-ray structure for this protein (PDB ID: 1NWZ), the OH…O distance is only 2.57 a. The position of the H atom between these two O atoms has not been determined in that structure, and in the absence of that information, it is impossible to determine whether or not this HB is a low-barrier HB (LBHB), as was proposed recently based on neutron structures of this protein (Yamaguchi et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009, 106: 440-444). Residual electron density maps computed using the 1NWZ data reveal that this H atom is 0.92 a from the Oe2 atom of E46 and 1.67 a from the O4 ' of HC4, and that the OH…O bond angle is 167°. These observations indicate that E46 is protonated, and HC4 is deprotonated, as was originally suggested, and that the HB in question is not an LBHB.
Energy extraction from nuts: walnuts, almonds and pistachios.

The bioaccessibility of fat has implications for satiety and postprandial lipidaemia. The prevailing view holds that the integrity of plant cell wall structure is the primary determinant of energy and nutrient extraction from plant cells as they pass through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. However, comparisons across nuts (walnuts, almonds and pistachios) with varying physical properties do not support this view. In the present study, masticated samples of three nuts from healthy adults were exposed to a static model of gastric digestion followed by simulated intestinal digestion. Primary outcomes were particle size and lipid release at each phase of digestion. Walnuts produced a significantly larger particle size post-mastication compared with almonds. Under gastric and intestinal conditions, the particle size was larger for walnuts compared with pistachios and almonds (P 0·05). Microstructural examination showed ruptured and fissured cell walls that would allow digestion of cellular contents, and this may be governed by internal cellular properties such as oil body state. Furthermore, the cell walls of walnuts tend to rupture rather than separate and as walnut tissue passes through the GI tract, lipids tend to coalesce reducing digestion efficiency.