cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous Determination of TBHQ、BHA and BHT in Food by Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous separation and determination of TBHQ,BHA and BHT.The sample was extracted with methanol.The detection of TBHQ,BHA and BHT was carried out by HPLC using Eclipse plus C18(250 mm × 4.6 mm,5 μm)column as separation col-Hmn,0.02 mmol/L ammonium acetate solution-methanol as mobile phase.The UV detecting wavelength was set at 280 nm.The result indicated that the calibration curves of thiophanate-methyl and carbendazim were linear in the range of 0.5~420 mg /L with limits of detection of 0.03,0.03 and 0.05 mg/kg,respectively.The spiked recoveries of thiophanate-methyl and carbendazim were in the range of 83.45%~108.42% with RSDs not more than 12.79%.
139 Bispecific Antibody-Redirected Immunotherapy of Her2/neu-expressing Uterine Cancer.

Purpose of Study Cytokine-induced killer cells (CIKs) are ex vivo activated and expanded CD8+ natural killer T cells that have been shown to have cytotoxic activity against cancers in randomized clinical trials. We determined the cytotoxic activity of CIK cells against endometrioid and serous papillary (UPSC) uterine cancer cell lines and evaluated the ability of trastuzumab and Her2xCD3 bispecific antibodies to enhance CIK-mediated cytotoxicity in Her2/neu-expressing uterine cancer cells. Methods CIKs were generated by activating donor T cells with interferon-gamma followed by stimulation with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody and interleukin-2. CIKs were characterized using FACS analysis. Expression of Her2/neu on uterine cancer cell lines was demonstrated by immunofluorescence microscopy. The cytotoxicity of CIKs was quantified by 4-hour 51 Cr release assays against uterine cell lines HEC-1A (endometrioid) and SPEC-2 (UPSC). Bispecific antibodies against Her2/neu (BSAbHer2) were designed using chemical conjugation methods. Anti-NKG2D monoclonal antibodies were used in antibody blocking assays. Results CIKs developed cytotoxic activity after 10 to 14 days of culture. Using FACS analysis, we found that the population of CD3+ CD8+ T cells increased from 24% to 56% over 21 days, while the CD3+ CD56+ T cells increased from 7% to 14%. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that both cell lines overexpressed Her2/neu. Cytotoxicity assays were performed at effector to target (E:T) ratios of 10:1, 20:1, 40:1, and 100:1 with increasing E:T ratio correlating directly with mean percent specific lysis. At the 100:1 E:T ratio, the mean percent lysis of CIKs against HEC-1A and SPEC-2 cells was 38.8% (± 0.21) and 35% (± 3.4), respectively. Trastuzumab did not affect the cytotoxic activity of CIKs. However, BSAbHer2 redirection significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of CIKs against HEC-1A and SPEC-2 cells with a mean percent lysis of 66.3% (± 1.0) and 50% (± 2.7), respectively. Anti-NKG2D antibodies significantly reduced CIK activity by 49% and 47% in HEC-1A and SPEC-2 cells, respectively. Conclusion CIK cells have cytotoxic activity both endometrioid and UPSC cell lines. Redirection by BSAbHer2 significantly increased CIK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against Her2/neu-expressing cell lines. The mechanism of CIK cytotoxicity appears to be partly mediated by the NKG2D receptor.
Predictors of Current and Longer-Term Patterns of Abundance of American Pikas (Ochotona princeps) across a Leading-Edge Protected Area.

American pikas (Ochotona princeps) have been heralded as indicators of montane-mammal response to contemporary climate change. Pikas no longer occupy the driest and lowest-elevation sites in numerous parts of their geographic range. Conversely, pikas have exhibited higher rates of occupancy and persistence in Rocky Mountain and Sierra Nevada montane ‘mainlands’. Research and monitoring efforts on pikas across the western USA have collectively shown the nuance and complexity with which climate will often act on species in diverse topographic and climatic contexts. However, to date no studies have investigated habitat, distribution, and abundance of pikas across hundreds of sites within a remote wilderness area. Additionally, relatively little is known about whether climate acts most strongly on pikas through direct or indirect (e.g., vegetation-mediated) mechanisms. During 2007–2009, we collectively hiked >16,000 km throughout the 410,077-ha Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, in an effort to identify topographic, microrefugial, and vegetative characteristics predictive of pika abundance. We identified 411 apparently pika-suitable habitat patches with binoculars (in situ), and surveyed 314 of them for pika signs. Ranking of alternative logistic-regression models based on AICc scores revealed that short-term pika abundances were positively associated with intermediate elevations, greater cover of mosses, and taller forbs, and decreased each year, for a total decline of 68% during the three-year study; whereas longer-term abundances were associated only with static variables (longitude, elevation, gradient) and were lower on north-facing slopes. Earlier Julian date and time of day of the survey (i.e., midday vs. not) were associated with lower observed pika abundance. We recommend that wildlife monitoring account for this seasonal and diel variation when surveying pikas. Broad-scale information on status and abundance determinants of montane mammals, especially for remote protected areas, is crucial for land and wildlife-resource managers trying to anticipate mammalian responses to climate change.
Going Under and Coming Round: Anesthesia, Narrative, and Trauma

General anesthesia is of course valued for sparing patients the physical pain and psychological trauma of being sensate and conscious during surgery, but it also poses a specific challenge to the narrative continuity often seen as a defining aspect of human identity and of mental health. The patient is (arguably) absented from the scene in which his or her body is (arguably) traumatized, and then returns to awareness to find a body that has been changed. This rupture in continuity presents a challenge to coherent first-person narration. Examining some of the strategies used by writers to represent the gap opened up by anesthesia, I suggest that such accounts illuminate our understanding of the connections between narrative rupture, trauma, and an ethical responsibility to recognize the possibility of sentience, and hence the capacity for suffering, in anaesthetized patients.
Spent Nuclear Fuel is not the Problem [Point of View]

Why are terms like “dread,” “danger,” and “intractable” applied to describe the management of the spent nuclear fuel produced by today’s commercial nuclear reactors? The small mass and compact form of this spent fuel are the most positive attributes of nuclear power, when compared to the massive volumes of waste we discharge when fossil fuels are burned.
Learning Environment Through Modelling and Computing

Mathematical modelling and computing are important in mathematics education and mathematical modelling because, in addition to enabling the learning of mathematics in a contextual way, it gives students the opportunity to develop their potential. Computing facilitates visualizations and offers precise and quick answers and, because it enables mathematical work through experiment form, it allows the student to exploit the concepts in an autonomous way, trying out changes and variations and drawing conclusions. The joint work of computing with modelling has brought new possibilities to modelling. Many of the difficulties in the modelling process were overcome by the ease of data collection and handling, and by the representations management with software and using the Internet. This paper presents a characterization and utilization of mathematical learning environment through mathematical modelling and computing.
Studies of Energetic Heterogeneity of Porous Solids by Using Gas Chromatographic Data

A comprehensive description of gas/solid adsorption chromatography is presented with a special emphasis placed on the use of retention data for characterizing surface properties of porous solids. It is shown that the retention measurements, which are often used to calculate adsorption isotherms and heats of adsorption, can be also utilized to estimate surface heterogeneity of solids in terms of the adsorption energy. An experimental illustration of this approach is presented for hydrocarbons on porous silicas and carbons.
Piously creative: Islam, art, and creativity in Stuttgart, Germany

AbstractMuch has been said in recent years about Muslims in Europe. Most debates focus on controversies to do with Islam. Less is written about the creative contributions of pious Muslims to culture and society. This paper examines creative contributions of pious Muslims in Stuttgart, Germany. Over the past half century, Muslims have become creative urban contributors, cultural producers and stakeholders. Analysing exemplary artistic and creative contexts (mosque design, a creative cake-making, modest Islamic fashion), this paper explores artistic work and creative contributions of pious Muslims in Stuttgart. I illustrate how Muslims participate in urban cultural contexts and ingeniously remake urban spaces, materials culture and the broader cultural landscape. I argue that pious Muslims are relevant creative urban cultural producers. Theoretically, this paper situates religion in the realm of urban art and creativity, and inserts instances of faith-based/inspired creative expressions into debates about u...
A spike-based long short-term memory on a neurosynaptic processor

Low-power brain-inspired hardware systems have gained significant traction in recent years. They offer high energy efficiency and massive parallelism due to the distributed and asynchronous nature of neural computation through low-energy spikes. One such platform is the IBM TrueNorth Neurosynaptic System. Recently TrueNorth compatible representation learning algorithms have emerged, achieving close to state-of-the-art performance in various datasets. An exception is its application in temporal sequence processing models such as recurrent neural networks (RNNs), which is still at the proof of concept level. This is partly due to the hardware constraints in connectivity and syn-aptic weight resolution, and the inherent difficulty in capturing temporal dynamics of an RNN using spiking neurons. This work presents a design flow that overcomes the aforementioned difficulties and maps a special case of recurrent networks called Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) onto a spike-based platform. The framework is built on top of various approximation techniques, weight and activation discretization, spiking neuron sub-circuits that implements the complex gating mechanisms and a store-and-release technique to enable neuron synchronization and faithful storage. While many of the techniques can be applied to map LSTM to any SNN simulator/emulator, here we demonstrate this approach on the TrueNorth chip adhering to its constraints. Two benchmark LSTM applications, parity check and Extended Reber Grammar, are evaluated and their accuracy, energy and speed tradeoffs are analyzed.
Optimizing ERG Measures of Scotopic and Photopic Critical Flicker Frequency.

A visual response to flickering light requires complex retinal computation, and thus ERG measures are an excellent test of retinal circuit fidelity. Critical flicker frequency (CFF) is the frequency at which the retinal response is no longer modulated. Traditionally, CFF is obtained with a series of steady flicker stimuli with increasing frequencies. However, this method is slow and susceptible to experimental drift and/or adaptational effects. The current study compares the steady flicker method to CFF measurements obtained using a frequency sweep protocol. We introduce a light source programmed to produce a linear sweep of frequencies in a single trial. Using the traditional steady flicker method and a criterion response of 3 μV, we obtained a scotopic CFF of 18.4 ± 0.66 Hz and a photopic CFF of 44.4 ± 1.67 Hz. Our sweep flicker method, used on the same animals, produces a waveform best analyzed by Fourier transform; wherein a 6.18 log μV2 threshold was found to yield CFF values equal to those of the steady flicker method. Thus, the two flicker ERG techniques give comparable results, under both dark- and light-adapted conditions, and the flicker sweep method is faster to administer and analyze and may be less susceptible to blinking, breathing, and eye movement artifacts.
Service in the Gulf War and Significant Health Problems: Focus on the Central Nervous System

The consensus of several studies on health among Gulf War (GW)-deployed veterans is that they have elevated symptom complaints. Central nervous system (CNS) symptoms among these veterans have been assessed in several investigations. Studies have disagreed as to whether there are neuropsychological deficits in GW-deployed veterans relative to controls. When differences between these groups have been found, they have often been attributed to stress or psychiatric factors, although exposures to neurotoxic substances present in the GW theatre have also been indicted as possible explanations. A review of the existing literature as well as the 5 papers contained in this issue of Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment suggests that the neuropsychological and health symptom sequelae of GW zone service are multidetermined and cannot easily be explained on the basis of simplistic models of causation. Psychological, historical, and exposure parameters must be considered in the scientific evaluation of this problem.
Drug-induced hiccups

Pharmacotherapeutic agents are uncommonly associated with hiccups. Corticosteroids and benzodiazepines have been the drug classes mentioned most frequently in the literature as being associated with the development of hiccups. However, by using a strict criterion, there is currently insufficient evidence for any drug to be considered causative in the etiology of hiccups.
Wearable Technologies for Enhanced Soldier Situational Awareness

We present a design and functional prototype of a wearable technology for command and control of a remotely-operated ground vehicle used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. A novel interface using hand motions, gestures, and a hands-free display allows the operator to control the robot using standard military hand and arm signals. We leverage existing lightweight wearable sensing and feedback mechanisms to allow soldiers the ability to maintain situational awareness while providing instructions to their robotic squad members. This paper presents recent test results of the system and its sensors using the proposed feedback and control mechanisms.
School Job Placement: Can It Avoid Reproducing Social Inequalities?.

BackgroundLabor market entry is difficult for two-year college graduates. Job search literature focuses on personal connections, but disadvantaged students often lack useful contacts. Moreover, emp...
The Art of Political Control in China

When and why do people obey political authority when it runs against their own interests to do so? This book is about the channels beyond direct repression through which China's authoritarian state controls protest and implements ambitious policies from sweeping urbanization schemes that have displaced millions to family planning initiatives like the one-child policy. Daniel C. Mattingly argues that China's remarkable state capacity is not simply a product of coercive institutions such as the secret police or the military. Instead, the state uses local civil society groups as hidden but effective tools of informal control to suppress dissent and implement far-reaching policies. Drawing on evidence from qualitative case studies, experiments, and national surveys, the book challenges the conventional wisdom that a robust civil society strengthens political responsiveness. Surprisingly, it is communities that lack strong civil society groups that find it easiest to act collectively and spontaneously resist the state.
Phases of He 3 and He 4 Monolayer Films Adsorbed on Basal-Plane Oriented Graphite

Heat capacities of ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ and ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ monolayers adsorbed on "Grafoil" graphite substrates at low temperatures are qualitatively different from previous results using other adsorbents. The present study consists of a detailed survey of many samples conducted in two similar but independent calorimeters: the fractional coverages ranged from 5 to 115% of a completed first layer and the temperature range extended from 0.04 to above 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} K. Several distinct thermodynamic regimes are seen, some of which correspond closely with well-known theoretical models as well as others that had not been predicted. At moderate densities and temperatures the behavior resembles that of two-dimensional gases. Departures from ideality are correlated with quantum-mechanical virial corrections for interacting molecules. In this range of coverages the ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ specific heats begin to rise at $T\ensuremath{\lesssim}{3}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ K, forming strong rounded peaks near 1\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$, on the other hand, shows a monotonic decrease with falling temperature until $T\ensuremath{\simeq}{0.2}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ K, then (for a narrow range of coverages) reversing the trend to form rounded maxima near 100 m\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. At the lowest temperatures the ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ appears to enter a two-dimensional ($2D$) Fermi-liquid regime. At higher coverage both ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ and ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ undergo second-order phase transitions to regular arrays in registry with the substrate. In the critical region that heat capacities have symmetric peaks of logarithmic shape, with coefficients in close quantitative agreement with exact $2D$ Ising models. Above critical density the ordering peaks disappear and $2D$ liquid and solid behavior is seen. ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ at high density and low $T$ is Debye-like, with characteristic temperatures ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{2D}$ equal to ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{3D}$ of hcp solid ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ of the same interatomic spacing. At higher $T$ the $2D$ solid appears to transform to a $2D$ fluid by a continuous process, and pronounced heat-capacity peaks associated with the transformation are located at temperatures near the melting points of hcp ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ having the same interatomic spacing. At very low coverage the $2D$ gas character gives way to a regime resembling a low-density $2D$ solid.
Short-term Load Forecasting on Smart Meter via Deep Learning

Smart metering has grabbed significant attention in recent years, particularly for the utility providers who plan the energy resources and take control actions to balance the electricity demand and supply by load forecasting. Currently, load forecasting is performed at the aggregated level, not at an individual level because it is highly uncertain and complex. Specifically, the performance of short-term forecasting is affected significantly by the variance of load uncertainty. Moreover, limited work has been done to help users choose the optimal usage plan. In this paper, we evaluate several deep learning models for load forecasting. In addition, we employ deep learning techniques to provide the optimal power plan for users based on their power usage. Experimental results using the data from the Irish Social Science Data Archive demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.
Machine learning surrogates for molecular dynamics simulations of soft materials

Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations accelerated by high-performance computing (HPC) methods are powerful tools to investigate and extract the microscopic mechanisms characterizing the properties of soft materials such as self-assembled nanoparticles, virus capsids, confined electrolytes, and polymeric fluids. In this paper, we extend the idea developed in our earlier work of integrating machine learning (ML) methods with HPC-accelerated MD simulations of soft materials in order to enhance their predictive power and advance their applications for research and educational activities. Parallelized MD simulations of self-assembling ions in nanoconfinement are employed to demonstrate our approach. We find that an artificial neural network-based regression model successfully learns nearly all the interesting features associated with the output ionic density profiles over a broad range of ionic system parameters. The ML model generates predictions that are in excellent agreement with the results from MD simulations. The inference time associated with the ML model is over a factor of 10,000 smaller than the corresponding parallel MD simulation time. Through this demonstration, we introduce a “machine learning surrogate” for MD simulations of soft-matter systems. We develop and deploy a web application on nanoHUB to realize the advantages associated with the ML surrogate. The results demonstrate that the performance of MD simulations can be further enhanced by using ML, enabling rapid and accurate simulation-driven exploration of the soft material design space.
The Theory of Collectors in Gaseous Discharges

When a cylindrical or spherical electrode (collector) immersed in an ionized gas is brought to a suitable potential, it becomes surrounded by a symmetrical space-charge region or "sheath" of positive or of negative ions (or electrons). Assuming that the gas pressure is so low that the proportion of ions which collide with gas molecules in the sheath is negligibly small, the current taken by the collector can be calculated in terms of the radii of the collector or sheath, the distribution of velocities among the ions arriving at the sheath boundary and the total drop of potential in the sheath. The current is independent of the actual distribution of potential in the sheath provided this distribution satisfies certain conditions.
Increased risk for lead exposure in children through consumption of produce grown in urban soils.

Abstract Childhood Pb exposure is associated with a multitude of poor health outcomes. In food-insecure areas, growing fresh produce in backyard gardens or on vacant industrial properties is seen as an option for parents. The question arises, could Pb accumulate in consumable tissues of common produce when grown in metals-rich soils at concentrations that would pose a risk to children. This study investigated factors contributing to the accumulation of Pb in consumable tissues of nine common produce crops grown in metals-rich soils from backyard gardens and a former industrial property. Pb in consumable tissues was directly quantified at concentrations less than 1 μg g−1 via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) using protocols specifically developed for use in plant matrices. The accumulation of Pb in prepared raw consumable tissues in three Pb-rich soils was the greatest in modified taproot crops (mean Pb of 11.8 ± 14.6 μg g−1; turnip, beetroot, radish, carrot), with lesser concentrations in fruits (mean Pb of 2.0 ± 3.0 μg g−1; tomato, pepper), and potatoes (mean Pb of 0.7 ± 1.1 μg g−1). An exposure risk evaluation using the USFDA IRL for Pb indicates that consumption of less than 1 g of certain produce grown in this study, including produce grown in garden soils from residential properties, drastically increases the risk of Pb exposure in children. This study further indicates that the proportion of Pb contributed to the daily body burden in children from food is far greater than previously understood, and in all modeled cases, the contribution of Pb from food on a daily basis far outweighs the contribution of Pb from drinking water. For an average child, after addressing over-riding soil/dust impacts, addressing food quality is critical to minimizing Pb exposure.
An antibody-free dual-biomarker rapid enrichment workflow (AnDREW) improves the sensitivity of malaria rapid diagnostic tests.

Abstract Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are critical to the success of malaria elimination campaigns. These tests are rapid, user-friendly, and field-deployable to resource-limited regions. However, RDTs demonstrate poor sensitivity because they can only tolerate a small (5 μL) volume of blood, which limits the amount of protein biomarker delivered to the test. We have developed the An tibody-free D ual-biomarker R apid E nrichment W orkflow (AnDREW) for purifying histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) and Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (PLDH) from large volume (150 μL) blood samples. We used Zn(II)NTA and aptamer-conjugated magnetic beads to capture HRP2 and PLDH, respectively. Both biomarkers were then eluted into RDT-compatible volumes using ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). We optimized both bead conjugates individually by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and then combined the optimized capture and elution assays for both biomarkers to produce the AnDREW. The AnDREW-enhanced RDTs exhibited a 11-fold and 9-fold improvement in analytical sensitivity for detection of HRP2 and PLDH, respectively, when compared to unenhanced RDTs. Moreover, the limit of detection for PLDH was improved 11-fold for the AnDREW-enhanced RDTs (3.80 parasites/μL) compared to unenhanced RDTs (42.31 parasites/μL). Importantly, the AnDREW utilizes a pan-specific PLDH aptamer and improves upon existing methods by eluting both biomarkers without complexed antibodies.
Creating Brønsted acidity at the SiO2-Nb2O5 interface

Abstract Catalytically active acid sites associated with the silica-niobia interface were probed with a series of overcoated SiO2 on Nb2O5 (SiO2/Nb2O5) mixed oxide materials prepared by deposition of tetraethyl orthosilicate onto niobic acid (Nb2O5·nH2O) or calcined niobia (Nb2O5). NH3 TPD and pyridine DRIFTS studies indicated that the speciation of acid sites in the materials evolved as a function of SiO2 loading, impacting the quantity and stability of Bronsted sites. Catalyst activity was highly dependent on SiO2 loading in the liquid phase hydroalkoxylation of dihydropyran with n-octanol. At SiO2 surface densities corresponding to approximately 1 Si per 2 surface Nb, the activity of these catalysts passed through a maximum approximately 20 times higher than the activity of calcined Nb2O5. Apparent reaction barriers measured over the most active SiO2/Nb2O5 catalysts were 10 kJ/mol lower than those measured over niobic acid, suggesting that the OH features unique to the SiO2-Nb2O5 interface were slightly more reactive than those on niobic acid.
Spatial Organization and Recruitment of Non-Specific T Cells May Limit T Cell-Macrophage Interactions Within Mycobacterium tuberculosis Granulomas

Tuberculosis (TB) is a worldwide health problem; successful interventions such as vaccines and treatment require a 2better understanding of the immune response to infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In many infectious diseases, pathogen-specific T cells that are recruited to infection sites are highly responsive and clear infection. Yet in the case of infection with Mtb, most individuals are unable to clear infection leading to either an asymptomatically controlled latent infection (the majority) or active disease (roughly 5%-10% of infections). The hallmark of Mtb infection is the recruitment of immune cells to lungs leading to development of multiple lung granulomas. Non-human primate models of TB indicate that on average <10% of T cells within granulomas are Mtb-responsive in terms of cytokine production. The reason for this reduced responsiveness is unknown and it may be at the core of why humans typically are unable to clear Mtb infection. There are a number of hypotheses as to why this reduced responsiveness may occur, including T cell exhaustion, direct downregulation of antigen presentation by Mtb within infected macrophages, the spatial organization of the granuloma itself, and/or recruitment of non-Mtb-specific T cells to lungs. We use a systems biology approach pairing data and modeling to dissect three of these hypotheses. We find that the structural organization of granulomas as well as recruitment of non-specific T cells likely contribute to reduced responsiveness.
Perioperative Cardiovascular Evaluation

SUMMARY Thorough evaluation of the patient by history, physical examination, and appropriate special studies can identify the patient who is at risk for pulmonary complications associated with surgery and anesthesia. Once identified, such patients can be prepared for surgery and managed appropriately to eliminate or minimize the effects of such complications.
Involving the Audience: A Rhetorical Perspective on Using Social Media to Improve Websites: by Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch. New York, NY: Routledge, 2019, 200 pp., $31.96 (paperback), $19.98 (ebook), ISBN 9780815384540

Technical and professional communication (TPC) is largely marked by attentiveness to audience. Blakeslee (2009) underscores this facet of the field’s character, urging scholars to explore how the g...
Clinical outcomes and resource utilization analysis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Background and aim The literature is lacking on associations of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) related outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of RA on clinical outcomes and hospital resource utilization in patients undergoing ERCP. Methods The National Inpatient Sample database was used to identify hospitalized patients who had underwent an ERCP study from 2012 to 2014 using International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Edition (ICD-9) codes. Primary outcomes were mortality, hospital charges, and length of stay. Secondary outcomes were ERCP-related complications. Chi-squared tests for categorical data and independent t-test for continuous data were utilized. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess the primary outcomes. Results There was 83 890 ERCP procedures performed, of which 970 patients had RA. In patients with RA, 74.2% were female, and the average age was 65.7 years. RA primary outcomes of mortality rate and hospital cost were lower and statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in secondary outcomes except for lower cholecystectomy rates in RA patients. Conclusion With a high inflammatory state, it was hypothesized that RA would be associated with worse outcomes after ERCP. Yet, the primary outcomes of mortality and hospital cost were found to be lower than controls, with no difference in secondary outcomes. We posit that immunosuppressants used to treat RA provides a protective effect to overall complications with ERCP.
A Study on the Association of Socioeconomic and Physical Cofactors Contributing to Power Restoration After Hurricane Maria

The electric power infrastructure in Puerto Rico suffered substantial damage as Hurricane Maria crossed the island on September 20, 2017. Despite significant efforts made by authorities, it took almost a year to achieve near-complete power recovery. In this study, we used spaceborne daily nighttime lights (NTL) imagery as a surrogate measure of power loss and restoration. We quantified the spatial and temporal extent of loss of electric power and trends in gradual recovery at the 889 county subdivisions for over eight months and computed days without service at the above tabulation areas. We formulated a Quasi-Poisson regression model to identify the association of the features from physical and socioeconomic domains with the power recovery effort. According to the model, the recovery time extended for areas closer to the landfall location of the hurricane, with every 50-kilometer increase in distance from the landfall corresponding to 30% fewer days without power (95% CI = 26% – 33%). Road connectivity was a major issue for the restoration effort, areas having a direct connection with hi-speed roads recovered more quickly with 7% fewer outage days (95% CI = 1% – 13%). The areas which were affected by moderate landslide needed 5.5% (95% CI = 1% – 10%), and high landslide areas needed 11.4% (95% CI = 2% – 21%) more days to recover. Financially disadvantaged areas suffered more from the extended outage. For every 10% increase in population below the poverty line, there was a 2% increase in recovery time (95% CI = 0.3% – 2.8%).
“To Their Benefit”: Tracing (Pp)an-Africanism Through Nonformal Black Educational Space

Drawing from the histories of nonformal Black education, (Pp)an-Africanist scholarship, and critical qualitative research, this participatory ethnographic study documents an organic conception of p...
Effects of Compounded Precipitation Pattern Intensification and Drought Occur Belowground in a Mesic Grassland

Climate change is altering precipitation regimes globally, with expectations of intensified precipitation patterns (for example, larger but fewer rainfall events) and more frequent and extreme drought. Both aspects of precipitation change can impact ecosystem function individually, but it is more likely that they will occur in combination. In a central US mesic grassland, we imposed an extreme 2-year drought (growing season precipitation reduced by 66%) on plots with a long-term (16-year) history of exposure to either ambient or intensified precipitation patterns (average threefold increase in event size and threefold decrease in event number during the growing season). While this intensified pattern did not alter total precipitation amount, it generally led to ecosystem responses consistent with a drier environment (for example, reduced soil moisture, aboveground net primary production (ANPP), and soil CO2 flux, but little evidence for altered root biomass). Surprisingly, this history of intensified precipitation patterns did not affect the response of ANPP to the subsequent extreme drought. In contrast, previous exposure to intensified precipitation patterns reduced root production and muted soil CO2 flux responses to rainfall events during drought. Reduced root production in plots experiencing compounded precipitation extremes was driven not by the dominant C4 grass species, Andropogon gerardii, but collectively by the subdominant species in the plant community. Overall, our results reveal that compound changes in precipitation patterns and amount affected this grassland in ways that were less apparent (that is, belowground) than responses to either change individually and significantly reduced ecosystem carbon uptake.
Physics-Imposed Resolution and Robustness Issues in Seismo-Acoustic Parameter Inversion

Adaptive optimization schemes have become important tools for rapid matched field environment inversion. In spite of several successful applications to both synthetic and real data it has been found that these algorithms often fail to converge to the correct solution even for relatively simple environments. We use the theoretical Cramer-Rao resolution bounds to demonstrate that this lack of robustness is a result of the adaptive use of the local parameter sensitivity to adjust the search space. Thus, the waveguide physics yields highly inhomogeneous and coupled resolution properties within even a limited parameter space, which often forces adaptive optimization schemes to converge on a wrong local minimum of the cost function.
Probing electrode/electrolyte interfaces in situ by X-ray spectroscopies: old methods, new tricks

Electrode/electrolyte interfaces play a vital role in various electrochemical systems, but in situ characterization of such buried interfaces remains a major challenge. Several efforts to develop techniques or to modify existing techniques to study such interfaces are showing great promise to overcome this challenge. Successful examples include electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM), surface-sensitive vibrational spectroscopies, environmental transmission electron microscopy (E-TEM), and surface X-ray scattering. Other techniques such as X-ray core-level spectroscopies are element-specific and chemical-state-specific, and are being widely applied in materials science research. Herein we showcase four types of newly developed strategies to probe electrode/electrolyte interfaces in situ with X-ray core-level spectroscopies. These include the standing wave approach, the meniscus approach, and two liquid cell approaches based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy. These examples demonstrate that with proper modifications, many ultra-high-vacuum based techniques can be adapted to study buried electrode/electrolyte interfaces and provide interface-sensitive, element- and chemical-state-specific information, such as solute distribution, hydrogen-bonding network, and molecular reorientation. At present, each method has its own specific limitations, but all of them enable in situ and operando characterization of electrode/electrolyte interfaces that can provide important insights into a variety of electrochemical systems.
Halotolerance of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum delta H and Marburg.

Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum delta H and Marburg were adapted to grow in medium containing up to 0.65 M NaCl. From 0.01 to 0.5 M NaCl, there was a lag before cell growth which increased with increasing external NaCl. The effect of NaCl on methane production was not significant once the cells began to grow. Intracellular solutes were monitored by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as a function of osmotic stress. In the delta H strain, the major intracellular small organic solutes, cyclic-2,3-diphosphoglycerate and glutamate, increased at most twofold between 0.01 and 0.4 M NaCl and decreased when the external NaCl was 0.5 M. M. thermoautotrophicum Marburg similarly showed a decrease in solute (cyclic-2,3-diphosphoglycerate, 1,3,4,6-tetracarboxyhexane, and L-alpha-glutamate) concentrations for cells grown in medium containing > 0.5 M NaCl. At 0.65 M NaCl, a new organic solute, which was visible in only trace amounts at the lower NaCl concentrations, became the dominant solute. Intracellular potassium in the delta H strain, detected by atomic absorption and 39K NMR, was roughly constant between 0.01 and 0.4 M and then decreased as the external NaCl increased further. The high intracellular K+ was balanced by the negative charges of the organic osmolytes. At the higher external salt concentrations, it is suggested that Na+ and possibly Cl- ions are internalized to provide osmotic balance. A striking difference of strain Marburg from strain delta H was that yeast extract facilitated growth in high-NaCl-containing medium. The yeast extract supplied only trace NMR-detectable solutes (e.g., betaine) but had a large effect on endogenous glutamate levels, which were significantly decreased. Exogenous choline and glycine, instead of yeast extract, also aided growth in NaCl-containing media. Both solutes were internalized with the choline converted to betaine; the contribution to osmotic balance of these species was 20 to 25% of the total small-molecule pool. These results indicate that M. thermoautotrophicum shows little changes in its internal solutes over a wide range of external NaCl. Furthermore, they illustrate the considerable differences in physiology in the delta H and Marburg strains of this organism.
Preparation of anomeric pairs of 1-thioglycosides: use of anomerization catalyzed by boron trifluoride

Abstract Anomeric pairs of some alkyl 1-thioaldopyranosides of d -galactose, d -glucose, d -mannose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -glucose, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- d -galactose, and l -fucose were prepared. The per- O -acetylated, 1,2- trans anomers of 6-(trifluoroacetamido)hexyl 1-thioaldopyranosides and 5-(methoxycarbonyl)pentyl 1-thioaldopyranosides were anomerized with boron trifluoride in dichloromethane. The anomeric mixtures were then separated by chromatography, using columns of either silica gel or an ion-exchange resin. De-blocking of the separated compounds provided pure anomers of 6-aminobexyl 1-thioaldopyranosides or 5-carboxypentyl 1-thioaldopyranosides. The aglycons of the latter glycosides were further extended by reaction with aminoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal, which, after deacetalization of the products, provided an ω-aldehydo group. These series of glycosides could be readily coupled to proteins or solid matrices.
The Risk and Reward of a Double-Edgedsword: Effects of a Merit Payprogram on Intrinsic Motivation

Merit pay plans are becoming increasingly popular in nonprofit organizations, despite their downside risk. One risk is the potential negative effect of the plan on employees’ intrinsic motivation. The authors investigated employee motivation in a study of a nonprofit organization before and after the implementation of a merit pay system. Results suggest that merit pay produced a decline in intrinsic motivation for employees initially highly intrinsically motivated. Justice-related factors also had an effect. Employees who indicated a preference for merit pay and believed that their performance was appraised unfairly experienced a significant decline in intrinsic motivation after the merit pay plan was implemented.
Interannual and longer term variability of upper-air circulation over the tropical Atlantic and West Africa in boreal summer

The 1958-1997 National Center for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP-NCAR) upper-air data set and surface ship observations have been analysed for the July-August extremum of the annual cycle in the tropical Atlantic-West African sector and the core of the Sahel rainy season. (i) In the long-term mean, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) sits over the warmest surface waters in the Atlantic near 8°-11°N, with another lower-tropospheric convergence maximum near 20°N over West Africa. The Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ) is found at 200 hPa and 5°-8°N, and the West African Mid-Tropospheric Easterly Jet is found at 600 hPa and 15°-18°N. (ii) During years of extreme drought in the Sahel, the band of warmest surface waters is displaced southward and concomitant with this is a southward shift of the strongest lower-tropospheric convergence, ascending motion and upper-tropospheric divergent outflow, as well as a weakened TEJ. (iii) During the low/warm as opposed to the high/cold Southern Oscillation (SO) phase, the Sahel tends to be drier, but differences in circulation are not pronounced except for westerly wind departures in the upper troposphere. (iv) Over the 40-year record, the decreasing Sahel rainfall has been accompanied by statistically significant trends towards increasing upper-tropospheric convergence, mid-tropospheric subsidence and lower-tropospheric divergence and outflow, a southward shift of the wind confluence, as well as the weakening of the lower-tropospheric westerly monsoon flow and the TEJ. The study thus substantiates the characteristics of upper-air circulation and its variability, as captured by the NCEP-NCAR Reanalysis.
Ptpmeg is required for the proper establishment and maintenance of axon projections in the central brain of Drosophila.

Ptpmeg is a cytoplasmic tyrosine phosphatase containing FERM and PDZ domains. Drosophila Ptpmeg and its vertebrate homologs PTPN3 and PTPN4 are expressed in the nervous system, but their developmental functions have been unknown. We found that ptpmeg is involved in neuronal circuit formation in the Drosophila central brain, regulating both the establishment and the stabilization of axonal projection patterns. In ptpmeg mutants, mushroom body (MB) axon branches are elaborated normally, but the projection patterns in many hemispheres become progressively abnormal as the animals reach adulthood. The two branches of MB α/β neurons are affected by ptpmeg in different ways; ptpmeg activity inhibits α lobe branch retraction while preventing β lobe branch overextension. The phosphatase activity of Ptpmeg is essential for bothα and β lobe formation, but the FERM domain is required only for preventing α lobe retraction, suggesting that Ptpmeg has distinct roles in regulating the formation of α and β lobes. ptpmeg is also important for the formation of the ellipsoid body (EB), where it influences the pathfinding of EB axons. ptpmeg function in neurons is sufficient to support normal wiring of both the EB and MB. However, ptpmeg does not act in either MB or EB neurons, implicating ptpmeg in the regulation of cell-cell signaling events that control the behavior of these axons.
Is Locally Led Conservation Planning Working? A Farm Town Case Study1

Abstract A qualitative case study of a rural Illinois community whose water supply has been compromised by a farm chemical is used to highlight the social, cultural, and economic factors that shape locally led planning efforts of a type now being advocated by natural resources governmental agencies. The paper answers the question: why did the central Illinois watershed planning effort craft a cooperative rather than a conflictual solution? Trust of and attachment to farmers, both evidence of social capital, helped community members to balance economic, social and health risks. The balance arrived at created a tacit mandate for a farmer-led planning committee to solve the atrazine problem in a way acceptable to farmers and townspeople. The cooperative solution represents a consensus: concerns remain, but people are willing to support the plan. Consensus also demonstrates that planning as a positive action can create new social capital, which can support further planning.
1.3.2 Context‐Based Measurement of Requirements Instability

Requirements instability has always been and continues to be one of the more significant challenges for system development programs. Historical results across industry show that programs struggle and often fail to achieve stable and mature requirements baselines, and the impact of requirements instability on program cost, schedule and technical baselines is significant. This paper looks at some of the factors that affect requirements instability, and it outlines an approach for measuring requirements instability that takes contextual influences into account in order to provide insight as to why the requirements on a given program are unstable.
The impact of maternal age, body mass index and maternal weight gain on the glucose challenge test in pregnancy.

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine whether maternal age, prepregnancy and mid-trimester body mass index (BMI), or excessive mid-pregnancy weight gain predict abnormal glucose challenge test (GCT) results.Methods. A retrospective chart review of 75 consecutive singleton pregnancies was performed. Patients were screened at 24–28 weeks of gestation with a 50-g oral GCT. Prepregnancy BMI and pregnancy weight gain up to the time of GCT testing, as well as other demographic data, were recorded. Statistical analysis included regression analysis and Student's t-test, receiver–operator characteristic curve and multivariate logistic regression.Results. Maternal age and prepregnancy and mid-trimester BMI were significantly higher in women with an abnormal GCT (p < 0.05). A direct correlation was found between these parameters and GCT results (R2 = 0.08, R2 = 0.102 and R2 = 0.116, respectively; p < 0.05). Mid-trimester maternal BMI of ≥30 kg/m2 and maternal age ≥32 years are the optimal predictors of a...
A parent's guide to Asperger's Syndrome and High-functioning Autism - how to meet the challenge and help your child thrive by Sally Ozonoff, Geraldine Dawson and James Mcpartland.

The Guilford Press; New York, NY, USA Softback, ISBN 1–57230–531–2, ZAR231,16 Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2005, 17(2): 79