cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Prospective Research on Technical Assessment Indices of Emergency Management Capability in Urban Power Network

The technical assessment index system of emergency management capability is one of the most important components of emergency management in urban power network. In this paper a fundamental framework conception for building technical assessment indices of emergence management capability in urban power network is proposed. In the aspect of emergency case analysis,outage risk of urban power network,tolerance degree of power custormers and power supply restoration capability the technical assessment indices of emergence management capability in urban power network is researched,and the development trend of assessment technique of emergence management capabilty in urban power network is pointed out. Research results of this paper are available for reference to the construction and development of emergence management of urban power networks in China.
Establishment the infant mouse model of acute peritonitis caused by cecal ligation perforation

Objective To establish an infant mouse model of polymicrobial acute peritonitis,which is similar to clinical syndrome.Methods we established a surgical connection between the cecum and the peritoneum(by placing a sterile 18-gauge silicon tube across the cecum)which allowed the exit of intestinal bacteria to the peritoneal cavity.The general situation and the time of death were recorded.One week later,the mice were killed and abdominal fluid was collected for bacteria culture in Luria-Bertani agar.The livers,spleens and kidneys were dissected and generated for pathological examination.Results The experiment groups showed typical clinical syndrome of peritonitis.The 48-hour mortality rate was 50%,the weight of mice decreased progressively.Abdominal fluid cultures were positive.Moreover,the pathological examination of liver and adipose tissue around the kidney revealed inflammatory cells infiltration.Conclusions The infant mouse model of polymicrobial peritonitis is constructed successfully,providing a useful tool to develop new diagnostic methods and therapeutic interventions.
The Rationale of Urinary Diversion in Cancer Patients

Abstract A retrospective review of 218 consecutive nephrostomies done on uremic cancer patients has revealed an alarming incidence of postoperative morbidity and mortality. This review has raised legitimate questions regarding the value of palliative urinary diversion. We present a rationale to assist physicians in the management of this clinical problem.
Aging of the Brain and Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common progressive dementia syndrome of the elderly. Because of prevalence, lack of mechanism-based treatments, care costs, and impact on individuals and families, AD is an extraordinarily challenging disease. It is characterized by dysfunction and death of specific populations of neurons, particularly those in neural systems involved in memory and cognition, and by intracellular and extracellular protein aggregates (tau and Aβ peptides) in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and amyloid plaques, respectively. Genetic evidence indicates that the inheritance of mutations in several genes causes autosomal dominant familial AD (fAD) and the majority of mutations increase the levels of toxic Aβ amyloid peptide species in the brain. In this review, we describe the clinical features, diagnostic studies, the neuropathology, and the biochemistry of the disease with a particular focus on the amyloid precursor protein and β- and γ-secretase enzyme activities which generate the Aβ peptide. Taking advantage of this new information, and the ability to manipulate genes, it is has been possible to produce transgenic models of the disease and to target genes encoding proteins critical in the disease pathways. In turn, this information has been used to develop experimental therapeutics, including strategies to reduce secretase activities and to clear the amyloid peptide from the brain. These discoveries offer genuine hope for the development of mechanism-based therapeutics for this illness.
Dual effect of deferoxamine on free radical formation and reoxygenation injury in isolated hepatocytes

The effects of low concentrations (10 and 100 microM) and high concentrations (1, 10, and 20 mM) of deferoxamine (DFO) on superoxide (O2-.) formation, lipid peroxidation, and cell injury were studied in freshly isolated perfused rat hepatocytes during a 2-h reoxygenation period after 2.5 h of anoxia. O2-. production was measured by lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence, lipid peroxidation by malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, and cell injury by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. On reoxygenation and in the absence of DFO, O2-. generation increased 11-fold, MDA increased 3.7-fold, and LDH release practically doubled. Low concentrations of DFO had no effect on O2-. generation but decreased MDA and LDH release from 44 to 75%. High concentrations of DFO significantly depressed O2-. formation, with very little additional effect on MDA or LDH release. These experiments illustrate in a biological system the dual effect of DFO: 1) at low Concentrations, DFO acts as a specific iron chelator and inhibits lipid perox...
Effect of Selected Dietary Buffers Upon Utilization of Concentrate- Or Roughage-Based Cattle Diets: Laboratory Studies

Four chemical buffers were evaluated with in vitro rumen fermentation studies using both an 80% concentrate and a 50% roughage diet. Treatments included a positive control (PC), negative control (NC) and four buffered diets in which 500 mg of either CaHPO4, CaCO3, NaHCO3 or Na4P2O7 were added. The PC consisted of unbuffered diet with one part rumen fluid and four parts McDougall's artificial saliva. In the unbuffered NC and buffered treatments, three-fourths of the artificial saliva was replaced by iso-osmotic saline. In the concentrate-based diet, NaHCO3 and Na4P2O7 elevated (P less than .05) pH above the NC. Starch digestion and total VFA were increased (P less than .05) by NaHCO3 compared with the NC while the molar proportion of individual VFA was not altered. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate had no effect on starch digestion or total VFA, but did increase (P less than .05) the molar proportion of acetic acid. Regarding the 50% roughage diet, both NaHCO3 and Na4P2O7 elevated (P less than .05) starch and cellulose digestion and total VFA compared with the NC. Both NaHCO3 and Na4P2O7 increased (P less than .05) the molar proportion of acetate to equal that of the PC. Tetrasodium pyrophosphate decreased (P less than .05) apparent starch digestion compared with the NC, but increased (P less than .05) the molar proportion of acetate. Compared with the NC, CaHPO4 and Na4P2O7 increased the quantity of microbial alpha-amino N in both diets. Soluble P was highly correlated with microbial protein synthesis in both the concentrate- and roughage-based diets (.92 and .90, respectively).
Julian Barnes: A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters (1989)

In Julian Barnes’s third novel, Flaubert’s Parrot (1984), Braithwaite, the protagonist spends the duration of the book searching for Flaubert’s parrot, an emblem for him of the authenticity of the past. But “all around is wreckage,” amidst which “some delicate things have survived.” Barnes instances one in particular: A parrot’s perch catches the eye. We look for the parrot. Where is the parrot? We still hear its voice; but all we can see is a bare wooden perch. The bird has flown. (58)
The design of peptide-amphiphiles as functional ligands for liposomal anticancer drug and gene delivery

Liposomal nanomedicine has led to clinically useful cancer therapeutics like Doxil and DaunoXome. In addition, peptide-functionalized liposomes represent an effective drug and gene delivery vehicle with increased cancer cell specificity, enhanced tumor-penetrating ability and high tumor growth inhibition. The goal of this article is to review the recently published literature of the peptide-amphiphiles that were used to functionalize liposomes, to highlight successful designs that improved drug and gene delivery to cancer cells in vitro, and cancer tumors in vivo, and to discuss the current challenges of designing these peptide-decorated liposomes for effective cancer treatment.
Concomitant Absence and Rolandic Epilepsy

Of 80 children with absence epilepsy (CAE) and 42 with Rolandic epilepsy (BECCT), five (3 girls and 2 boys) had both syndromes, in a study at the University of Berne, Switzerland.
Issues of International Students' Academic Adaptation in the ESL Writing Class: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Despite the contribution to economic and social impact on the institutions in the United States, international students’ academic adaptation has been always challenging. The study investigated international graduate students’ academic adaptation scales via a survey questionnaire and explored how international students are academically adapted in the U.S. college setting through qualitative research with class observations, field notes, and semistructured interviews. In addition, the use of lexical bundles was examined as one of the academic literacy adaptation indicators. The quantitative and qualitative results revealed international graduate students’ academic adaptation in different angles. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Innovation with scale: turning large class sizes into opportunities for pedagogical innovation

Being an effective teacher is challenging; to do so when your enrollment doubles or triples can be overwhelming. To teach at scale requires the application of new teaching strategies, techniques, and tools to meet the demands of increasing enrollment. These large classes also present opportunities to innovate, either in terms of pedagogy or via inclusion of technological solutions. Where faculty may have been able to rely on charm and charisma as means of connecting to students, large lectures make connecting to students difficult. Research has shown that learner-centered strategies affect student perceptions of their learning [1], and that peer-based instruction [2] and mentoring improve student outcomes. Our panel seeks to share a range of adaptations, innovations, and practical strategies for facilitating rich learning experiences for undergraduates in large learning environments.
Extremes of projections of functional time series on data–driven basis systems

The paper is concerned with the extreme behavior of projections of time series of functions onto data-driven basis systems, for example, on the estimated functional principal components. The coefficients of these projections, called the scores, encode the shapes of the curves. Within the framework of functional data analysis, the extreme shapes are those corresponding to multivariate extremes of the scores. The scores are not directly observable, and must be computed from the data. Even for iid Gaussian functions, they form a triangular array of dependent non–Gaussian vectors. Thus, even though the extreme behavior of the population scores of Gaussian functions follows from well–known results, it is not clear what the extreme behavior of their approximations computed from the data is. We clarify these issues for Gaussian functions and for more general functional time series whose projections are in the Gumbel domain of attraction.
Jacobian Matrices and Lyapunov Exponents

The Lyapunov exponent λ represents a measure of stable or unstable change in the nonlinear behavior of systems. This exponent can be calculated as the real components of the eigenvalue solutions to the differential equations describing a system. They can be linked to transition points between single period and period doubling events in bifurcation diagrams as a system changes its periodicity; such behavior ultimately leads to the transition points for chaotic behavior. The measure provides relevant applications for mapping dynamic changes in health and medicine. Zurek describes this process as the stretching and squeezing of a dynamical system, simultaneous with the decoherence and regained coherence, respectively, of a wavefunction.
Micromotors for "Chemistry-on-the-Fly".

This perspective reviews mobile micro/nanomotor scaffolds for performing “chemistry-on-the-fly”. Synthetic nano/micromotors offer great versatility and distinct advantages in diverse chemical applications owing to their efficient propulsion and facile surface functionalization that allow these mobile platforms to move and disperse reactive materials across the solution. Such dynamic microreactors have led to accelerated chemical processes, including organic pollutant degradation, metal chelation, biorecognition, redox chemistry, chemical “writing”, and a variety of other chemical transformations. Representative examples of such micromotor-enhanced chemical reactions are discussed, focusing on the specific chemical role of these mobile microreactors. The advantages, gaps and limitations of using micromotors as mobile chemical platforms are discussed, concluding with the future prospects of this emerging field. We envision that artificial nano/micromotors will become attractive dynamic tools for speeding up...
The Effect of Plant Source on the Properties of Lignin-Based Polyurethanes

This work increases our understanding of the effect of plant source on the mechanical and morphological properties of lignin-based polyurethanes. Lignin is a polymer that is synthesized inside the plant cell wall and can be used as a polyol to synthesize polyurethanes. The specific aromatic structure of the lignin is heavily reliant on the plant source from which it is extracted. These results show that the mechanical properties of lignin-based polyurethanes differ based on lignin’s plant source. The morphology of lignin-based polyurethanes was examined using atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy and the mechanical properties of the lignin-based polyurethane samples were measured using dynamic mechanical analysis and Shore hardness (Type A). The thermal analysis and morphology studies demonstrate that all polyurethanes prepared form a multiphase morphology. In these polyurethanes, better mixing was observed in the wheat straw lignin polyurethane samples leading to higher moduli than in the hardwood lignin and softwood lignin polyurethanes whose morphology was dominated by larger aggregates. Independent of the type of the lignin used, increasing the fraction of lignin increased the rigidity of polyurethane. Among the different types of lignin studied, polyurethane with wheat straw soda lignin exhibited storage moduli ~2-fold higher than those of polyurethanes incorporating other lignins. This study also showed that during synthesis all hydroxyl groups in the lignin are not available to react with isocyanates, which alters the number of cross-links formed within the polyurethane and impacts the mechanical properties of the material.
Elastomeric diaphragm pump driven by fluid electrode dielectric elastomer actuators (FEDEAs)

Advances in soft robotics and fluidic medical devices motivate the development of large, soft pumps that can efficiently pressurize and/or control volumes of fluid. Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) have gathered recent interest due to their low cost, large strains, power efficiency, and high energy density. However, developing reliable, compliant electrodes for DEAs remains an open problem due to challenges with patterning robust conductors that do not appreciably stiffen the actuators. In this work, we present a method for utilizing fluid electrodes to drive an elastomeric diaphragm pump, where a dielectric elastomer membrane separates the internal fluid of the pump, which we connect to a power supply, from an external fluid connected to ground. Two one-way check valves govern the flow of fluid into and out of the internal chamber of the pump. When we apply a voltage to the internal fluid with respect to the external, grounded fluid, the electric field across the dielectric membrane induces an electrostatic force on the membrane, which compresses the membrane and causes it to expand outward, causing an increase in the volume of the internal chamber of the pump. This volume increase draws fluid in through the input check valve. When the electric field is removed, the elastic restoring force of the membrane returns the internal chamber of the pump to its original volume, forcing the excess fluid through the output check valve. This soft pump has a minimum of moving parts, operates silently, and obviates the need for the lubrication and maintenance required of traditional diaphragm pumps. This research opens the door for low-cost, silent, elastomeric pumps for biomedical or soft robotic applications, especially where excess noise, vibration, or contaminating materials are a concern.
Macroscopic Freestanding Nanosheets with Exceptionally High Modulus

Macroscopic single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films of nanoscale thickness have significant potential for an array of applications that demand thin, transparent, conductive coatings. Using macroscopic micrometer thick polystyrene sheets as a reference, we characterize the elastic response of freestanding multifunctional SWCNT nanosheets possessing both exceptionally high Young’s modulus and good durability. Thin SWCNT films (20–200 nm thick) asymmetrically “doped” with dilute concentrations of superparamagnetic colloids were suspended in ethanol as freestanding nanosheets. Through repeated and controlled deformation in an external magnetic field, we measure the temporal relaxation of nanosheet curvature back to equilibrium. From the relaxation time and its dependence on nanosheet thickness and length, we extract the SWCNT nanosheet modulus through a simple viscoelastic model. Our results are consistent with nearly ideal SWCNT rigidity percolation with moduli approaching 200 GPa and limited plasticity fo...
Parainfluenza Virus in Hospitalized Adults: A 7-Year Retrospective Study

Background Parainfluenza virus (PIV) is a cause of respiratory tract infection in children and the immunocompromised population, but its clinical manifestations, impact, and outcomes in hospitalized adults are not well studied. Methods This retrospective study included adults (≥18 years old) admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital or Prentice Women's Hospital (both in Chicago, Illinois) between 1 August 2009 and 31 July 2016 with a positive molecular test result for PIV. Epidemiologic, clinical, and outcomes data were collected from the enterprise data warehouse and patient electronic health records after institutional review board approval. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Results A total of 550 adults with a positive molecular test for PIV were identified. Differences in seasonality, clinical presentation, and prevalence between the different PIV serotypes (PIV-1, PIV-2, and PIV-3) were identified. The most common signs/symptoms were cough (88%), productive sputum (55%), fever (63%), and dyspnea (49%). Of the patients administered antibiotics, 349 (79.6%) had no confirmed bacterial infection throughout their hospitalization. The average length of hospitalization was 7.7 days. Presence of bacterial coinfection (P = .01), fungal coinfection (P < .01), decreased body mass index (P = .03), and increased respiratory rate (P < .01) were associated with significant differences in mortality rates. Conclusions PIV infection is associated with substantial morbidity in hospitalized adults. Such data will be useful in understanding the impact on epidemiology and outcomes if a PIV-specific vaccine becomes available. Furthermore, this highlights the need for novel preventive and therapeutic approaches to PIV infection.
Allograft-Prosthesis Combinations in Limb Salvage Surgery

Replacement of bone and cartilage following wide excision of a bone tumor involving a major joint is one of the most. challenging orthopaedic operations. Surgical approaches to this problem currently include the use of osteoarticular allografts [l], prosthetic devices [2], and a combination of allografts and prosthetic devices [3]. Although their durability makes prosthetic devices attractive, attachment of bone and soft tissues to these devices remains a problem. Osteoarticular allografts have the potential to replace bone and cartilage with the same tissue and are therefore biologically attractive, but joint degeneration may limit the long-term success of these grafts. Combinations of allografts and prosthetic devices have been proposed as ideal solutions for the problems of biological replacement of bone and successful substitutes for cartilage. To evaluate this approach, we reviewed our experience in the use of allograft-prosthetic combinations in limb-salvage surgery.
The Triad Model: Emotional Conflict as an Interactive Process:

The development of coping skills plays a vital role in each child's mental health. This article first looks at the transaction among coping skills and environmental demands, then conflict developme...
Dangerous New Identity: Is Change Needed in Determining Transgender Participation in Athletics Through New Gender Identity?

This Article will address the “unfair advantage” the male-to-female athletes have over their females in sports that require a high degree of strength and power. Mixed Martial Artist Fallon Fox is a an ideal example for this issue because a high contact sport high intensity and “hyper-masculine” like Mixed Martial Arts is a good demonstration to illustrate the unfair advantage newly identified females have over their opponents after being a male, physically and legally in society for an extensive period of time. Part II of this article will summarize the policies governing transgender athlete participation in Sport. Further, this section will note some of the tests that sports governing bodies use in determining whether a transgender athlete should be identified in athletics as her newly legal gender.Part III will discuss the difference in cross-sectional musculature, hormone composition, and DNA relevant to both males and females, and discuss why even hormonal therapy and other forms of surgery that will aid in a “gender change” will still leave a natal male with a far superior athletic advantage over a male; especially done after a certain age. This article will conclude by contending a modification in the current guidelines for depicting whether a transgender should be allowed to participate.
Clinical importance of pre-morteum blood lymphocytes in cadaver donor tissue typing

We have refined our immunomagnetic bead (IM bead) procedures to isolate pure and viable lymphocyte subpopulation from premorteum (PM) blood for cadaver donor HLA typing, preliminary and final crossmatches (XMs). The results of 1220 XMs were compared using T/B lymphocytes isolated either from PM blood or spleen/lymphnode (SPLN) tissue. IM bead technique was used to isolate T/B cells from PM blood and nylon wool column (NWC) techique was used to isolate T/B cells from SPLN. When we compared the outcome of 800 T-cell crossmatches using T cells from PM blood or SPLN of 5 separate cadaver donors, NWC TXMs tended to be more falsenegative for high PRA (>10%, total 500 XMs) as well as low PRA (<10%, total 300 XMs) did not reach statistical significance. In contrast, NW BXM (420 B XM) were found to be far more false negative than IM bead BXM regardless of the PRA of the patients. In order to ensure that NWC BXMs were indeed false negative, 23 sera with known anti-DR antibodies were BXMed where antigen-specific B cells were isolated by both the techniques. Our results showed that IM bead BXM identified the DR specificities greater than 90% of the time, the titers of ab specificities were stronger (1 :8). In comparison, NWB cell XMs were weak (titers 1 :2), and the false negative rate for some ab was as high as 73%. Using IM bead and NWC techniques we compared our turnaround time (TAT) for cadaver donor typing, preliminary and final XMs. Using PM blood with IM bead, our TAT was less than 5 hours for the entire cadaver donor work-up. In contrast, TAT from SPLN with NWC technique was as long as 8 hours. We also compared graft survival statistics of 153 patients transplanted on a basis of negative T/BXM using either PM blood lymphocytes (98 patients) or SPLN lymphocytes (55 patients). However, lymphocytes in either case were isolated by IM bead assay. We found no adverse outcome due to usage of PM blood lymphocytes in terms of long- or short-term graft survival or incidence of hyperacute rejection. In fact, cold ischemia time (CIT) was much shorter (median 12 hours) in the PM group versus more than 20 hours in SPLN group. In summary, PM blood is an ideal source of T/B lymphocytes for the solid organ pretransplant work-up and final XM.
The Absolute Ought and The Godly Person of a Higher Order

We have seen that personal being is an identity affixed to the I as the source-pole of acts, an identity which these acts constitute. The formulation of the task of being a person approaches an analytic proposition: The human is capable of a substantial personal identity across the flux of changing experiences, i.e., is capable of true self-preservation, when he or she is capable of preserving the true self substantially, i.e., through position-takings which are irrevocable and unregrettable. Our discussions of the common life, the original primal encompassing “we,” and the analogy of love have urged that the true self to be preserved is a social self. In this chapter we wish to establish more firmly this claim. We shall see that what Husserl calls “the absolute ought” is, first of all, the general framework within which true self-identity gets sorted out as a matter of prudence, telos,and duty in conjunction with the interpersonal-social sense of the true self. Universal ethical love becomes the name of the intentionality of this overriding “must” (Soll); the divine personality of a higher order is the ultimate name of the true self-preservation which alone can fulfill the immanent ideal of the ethical reduction which gives rise to the inquiry into this overriding ought. We best start by returning to some aspects of the ethical reduction.
Concerning trends in allopathic medical school faculty rank for Indigenous people: 2014-2016.

Background: Trends in faculty rank according to racial and ethnic composition have not been reviewed in over a decade.Objective: To study trends in faculty rank according to racial and ethnicity wi...
Beyond “Ethical Awareness“: Incorporating Prejudice Reduction Curricula into the Management Classroom

This article suggests that as faculty educate and train future public and nonprofit sector administrators student biases and prejudices be directly confronted through a curriculum in prejudice redu...
Designing dependencies

Given a binary recursively enumerable relation R, one or more logic programs over a language L can be constructed and interconnected to produce a dependency relation D on selected predicates within the Herbrand base B L of L isomorphic to R. D can be, optionally, a positive, negative or mixed dependency relation. The construction is applied to representing any effective game of the type introduced by Gurevich and Harrington, which they used to prove Rabin's decision method for S2S, as the dependency relation of a logic program. We allow games over an infinite alphabet of possible moves. We use this representation to reveal a common underlying reason, having to do with the shape of a program's dependency relation, for the complexity of several logic program properties.
Nomenclature Inconsistency and Selective Outcome Reporting Hinder Understanding of Stem Cell Therapy for the Knee.

Background:The prospect of treating knee cartilage injury/pathology with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has garnered considerable attention in recent years, but study heterogeneity and a lack of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) preclude quantitative analysis. The purpose of this review was to prov
An in situ investigation on the origins and processing of circumstellar oxide and silicate grains in carbonaceous chondrites

NASA Cosmochemistry and Emerging Worlds Programs [NNX12AL47G, NNX15AJ22G, 80NSSC19K0509, NNX14AG25G]; McDonnell Center for Space Sciences; NASANational Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) [NNX12AL47G, NNX15AJ22G]; NSFNational Science Foundation (NSF) [1531243]
The treatment of resistant staphylococcal infections

Staphylococcus aureus of the many staphylococcal species is the most common cause of both skin and soft tissue infection and severe staphylococcal infections including Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). Many antibiotics are active against the staphylococci, yet over the last 40 years antibiotic resistance, particularly resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, has plagued antimicrobial therapy. The term "methicillin resistance" is a historic term and now refers to the ability of staphylococci, in particular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), to resist the action of beta-lactam antibiotics. This resistance is encoded by the mecA gene carried in a complex genetic cassette, SCC mec. Vancomycin and old antibiotics remain the keystone of treatment for resistant staphylococci. Other newer agents, and some older agents, show good activity against resistant staphylococci which are the focus of this review: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ceftaroline, daptomycin, fosfomycin, linezolid, dalbavancin, televancin, and omadacycline. Other agents with novel mechanisms of action are under development, for use as single anti-staphylococcal agents or for combination use to augment the action of the primary anti-staphylococcal agent. Vancomycin therapy carries specific risks, particularly renal dysfunction, but despite its foibles, vancomycin remains the standard of care for the treatment of resistant staphylococcal infections. Some clinicians implement an early switch from vancomycin at the earliest signs of renal dysfunction. The near horizon holds promise also of augmentation of both cellular and humoral responses to staphylococcal infection. Pending newer clinical trials that show clear superiority of one anti-staphylococcal agent over another or over vancomycin, it will remain to expert clinical judgment in determining antibiotic choice and duration of anti-staphylococcal therapy.
Incorporation of lateral microfiltration with immunoaffinity for enhancing the capture efficiency of rare cells.

The methods for isolating rare cells such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be generally classified into two categories: those based on physical properties (e.g., size) and methods based on biological properties (e.g., immunoaffinity). CellSearch, the only FDA-approved method for the CTC-based cancer prognosis, relies on immunoaffinity interactions between CTCs and antibodies immobilized on magnetic particles. Immunoaffinity-based CTC isolation has also been employed in microfluidic devices, which show higher capture efficiency than CellSearch. We report here our investigation of combining size-based microfiltration into a microfluidic device with immunoaffinity for enhanced capture efficiency of CTCs. The device consists of four serpentine main channels, and each channel contains an array of lateral filters that create a two-dimensional flow. The main flow is through the serpentine channel, allowing the majority of the sample to pass by while the secondary flow goes through the lateral filters. The device design is optimized to make all fluid particles interact with filters. The filter sizes range from 24 to 12 µm, being slightly larger than or having similar dimension of CTCs. These filters are immobilized with antibodies specific to CTCs and thus they function as gates, allowing normal blood cells to pass by while forcing the interactions between CTCs and antibodies on the filter surfaces. The hydrodynamic force experienced by a CTC was also studied for optimal experimental conditions to ensure immunoaffinity-enabled cell capture. The device was evaluated by capturing two types of tumor cells spiked in healthy blood or a buffer, and we found that their capture efficiency was between 87.2 and 93.5%. The platform was further validated by isolating CTCs from blood samples of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Using Graph Neural Networks for Mass Spectrometry Prediction.

Detecting and quantifying products of cellular metabolism using Mass Spectrometry (MS) has already shown great promise in many biological and biomedical applications. The biggest challenge in metabolomics is annotation, where measured spectra are assigned chemical identities. Despite advances, current methods provide limited annotation for measured spectra. Here, we explore using graph neural networks (GNNs) to predict the spectra. The input to our model is a molecular graph. The model is trained and tested on the NIST 17 LC-MS dataset. We compare our results to NEIMS, a neural network model that utilizes molecular fingerprints as inputs. Our results show that GNN-based models offer higher performance than NEIMS. Importantly, we show that ranking results heavily depend on the candidate set size and on the similarity of the candidates to the target molecule, thus highlighting the need for consistent, well-characterized evaluation protocols for this domain.
Accumulation of M1G adduct in nucleotide excision repair deficient mice after carbon tetrachloride, but not trichloroethylene exposure

3053 The objective of this research is to test the role of nucleotide excision repair (NER) in the genotoxicity of pyrimido[1,2-a]purin-10(3H)-one (M1G) in animal. M1G is a secondary DNA damage product arising from primary ROS damage to membrane lipids or deoxyribose. In addition to exogenous or endogenous ROS inducing chemical exposures, individual differences in DNA repair of DNA adducts may contribute to elevated levels of adducts in genomic DNA. To investigate the effect of NER deficiency on the background level of M1G, DNA was isolated from liver, brain and kidney tissues collected from age- and gender-matched wild type or XPA null C57BL mice. The XPA null mice, a model for the human disease xeroderma pigmentosum, were obtained from Dr. Harry van Steeg, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (Bilthoven, The Netherlands). M1G was analyzed by LC-MS/MS after selective labeling of the adduct with pentafluorobenzyl hydroxylamine. The levels of M1G in liver and brain showed no significant difference between wild type and XPA null mice. Surprisingly, kidneys of XPA null mice showed significantly lower numbers of M1G compared to that of wild type mice, suggesting that the molecular pathways involved in M1G repair may be different in different tissues. The effect of NER deficiency on the accumulation of M1G was further investigated by the treatment of mice with a single oral dose of either carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or trichloroethylene (TCE) administered at 1600 mg/kg body weight, which is about 1/3 of the LD50. While both chemicals, one day after treatment, resulted in significant liver toxicity, those chemicals had no significant effect on the number of M1G adducts in liver, brain, and kidney of wild type mice. However, CCl4 treatment of XPA null mice resulted in significantly higher (p
Interest Rate Volatily, Contagion and Convergence: And Empirical Investigation of the Cases of Argentina, Chile and Mexico

Current debates on globalization have tended to focus on financial market volatility and contagion. In fact, many proponents of the imposition of some form of capital restrictions in emerging markets have argued that these would help reduce - or even eliminate - spillover across emerging market. Although this has been an old concern among developing economies, it has become more generalized after the Mexican, East Asian and Russian crises. In this paper I use high frequency data on short term nominal interest rates during the 1990s in three Latin American countries - Argentina, Chile and Mexico - to analyze whether there has been volatility contagion from Mexico to the two South American nations. The results obtained from the estimation of augmented GARCH equations indicate, quite strongly, that while there has been volatility contagion from Mexico to Argentina, there has been no volatility contagion from Mexico to Chile. These results also indicate, however, that with the exception of a brief period in 1995, nominal interest rates have been more volatile in Chile than in Argentina. The results reported in this paper also indicate that interest rate differentials with respect to the US have tended to disappear somewhat slowly in both Chile and Argentina. Moreover, the estimation of rolling regressions for Chile indicate that after capital controls on capital inflows were imposed, interest rate differentials became more sluggish and tended to disappear more slowly than during the free capital mobility period.
Aggregates and Balances

Aggregates of goods exports and imports (conventional merchandise, silver, ships, slaves—as applicable) demonstrate the extreme dominance of merchandise. Aggregates of services show that, contrary to received wisdom, ship revenue is relatively unimportant in the antebellum period. A similar deviation from standard analysis is U.S. net liabilities to foreigners that are lower than expected. A variety of balances are presented: merchandise, goods, goods and services, current account, official settlements, financial services (alone and augmented with transportation and fares), and statistical discrepancy. The concept of “normalized balance” is developed and utilized.
Are You There

How the remote presence of the analyst directly affects the role of seeing and hearing in analytic work and how the Gaze and the Voice are resituated by electronic media are significant factors in the conditions of current practice. It has long been recognized that physical setting and space play an important role in the experience of psychoanalytic treatment. The presence of the analyst and analys and in the same space, voice, appearance, and proximity are all implicit factors in the processes of transference, discourse, interpretation, and working through. Although remote treatment by electronic media has long been an option, the COVID pandemic has made it the norm and increased the urgency that we understand the effects of these changes.
A Novel QTL for Resistance to Phytophthora Crown Rot in Squash

Phytophthora capsici Leonian causes significant yield losses in commercial squash (Cucurbita pepo) production worldwide. The deployment of resistant cultivars can complement integrated management practices for P. capsici, but resistant cultivars are currently unavailable for growers. Moderate resistance to Phytophthora crown rot in a selection of accession PI 181761 (C. pepo) (designated line #181761-36P) is controlled by three dominant genes (R4, R5 and R6). Introgression of these loci into elite germplasm through marker-assisted selection (MAS) can accelerate the release of new C. pepo cultivars resistant to crown rot, but these tools are currently unavailable. Here we describe the identification of a quantitative trait locus (QTL), molecular markers and candidate genes associated with crown rot resistance in #181761-36P. Five hundred and twenty-three SNP markers were genotyped in an F2 (n = 83) population derived from a cross between #181761-36P (R) and Table Queen (S) using targeted genotyping by sequencing. A linkage map (2068.96 cM) consisting of twenty-one linkage groups and an average density of 8.1 markers/cM was developed for the F2 population. The F2:3 families were phenotyped in the greenhouse with a virulent strain of P. capsica, using the spore-spray method. A single QTL (QtlPC-C13) was consistently detected on LG 13 (chromosome 13) across three experiments and explained 17.92-21.47% of phenotypic variation observed in the population. Nine candidate disease resistance gene homologs were found within the confidence interval of QtlPC-C13. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers within these genes were converted into Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) assays and tested for association with resistance in the F2 population. One SNP marker (C002686) was significantly associated with resistance to crown rot in the F2 population (p < 0.05). This marker is a potential target for MAS for crown rot resistance in C. pepo.
Global, regional, and national progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 for neonatal and child health: all-cause and cause-specific mortality findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 has targeted elimination of preventable child mortality, reduction of neonatal death to less than 12 per 1000 livebirths, and reduction of death of children younger than 5 years to less than 25 per 1000 livebirths, for each country by 2030. To understand current rates, recent trends, and potential trajectories of child mortality for the next decade, we present the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 findings for all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in children younger than 5 years of age, with multiple scenarios for child mortality in 2030 that include the consideration of potential effects of COVID-19, and a novel framework for quantifying optimal child survival.
Soft Elastomeric Capacitor for Angular Rotation Sensing in Steel Components

The authors have previously proposed corrugated soft elastomeric capacitors (cSEC) to create ultra compliant scalable strain gauges. The cSEC technology has been successfully demonstrated in engineering and biomechanical applications for in-plane strain measurements. This study extends work on the cSEC to evaluate its performance at measuring angular rotation when installed folded at the junction of two plates. The objective is to characterize the sensor’s electromechanical behavior anticipating applications to the monitoring of welded connections in steel components. To do so, an electromechanical model that maps the cSEC signal to bending strain induced by angular rotation is derived and adjusted using a validated finite element model. Given the difficulty in mapping strain measurements to rotation, an algorithm termed angular rotation index (ARI) is formulated to link measurements to angular rotation directly. Experimental work is conducted on a hollow structural section (HSS) steel specimen equipped with cSECs subjected to compression to generate angular rotations at the corners within the cross-section. Results confirm that the cSEC is capable of tracking angular rotation-induced bending strain linearly, however with accuracy levels significantly lower than found over flat configurations. Nevertheless, measurements were mapped to angular rotations using the ARI, and it was found that the ARI mapped linearly to the angle of rotation, with an accuracy of 0.416∘.
Peripheral nerve regeneration through blind-ended semipermeable guidance channels: effect of the molecular weight cutoff

Synthetic nerve guidance channels are used to better understand the cellular and molecular events controlling peripheral nerve regeneration. In the present study, the contribution of wound-healing molecules to peripheral nerve regeneration was assessed by varying the molecular weight cutoff of the tubular membrane. Nerve regeneration through polysulfone tubular membranes with molecular weight (Mw) cutoffs of 10(5) and 10(6) Da was analyzed in a transected hamster sciatic nerve model. Cohorts of 6 animals received tubes of either type for 4 or 8 weeks with the distal end of the polymer tube capped. Other cohorts of 6 animals received tubes of either type for 4 weeks with the distal nerve stump secured within the guidance channel so as to create a 4 or 8 mm gap between both nerve stumps. Both types of channels contained regenerated tissue cables extending to the distal end of the guidance channel at both 4 and 8 weeks in the absence of a distal nerve stump. The cables regenerated in the 10(5) Da channels were composed of nerve fascicles surrounded by a loose epineurial sheath, whereas those regenerated in the 10(6) Da channels were composed mainly of granulation tissue. The numbers of myelinated and unmyelinated axons were significantly greater in the 10(5) Da than in the 10(6) Da channels at both 4 and 8 weeks. Both types of channel contained regenerated tissue cables with numerous nerve fascicles when the distal nerve stump was present with either gap length. However, when the gap distance was 8 mm, the 10(6) Da channels contained significantly fewer myelinated axons than the 10(5) Da channels. The present study reveals that the Mw cutoff of a semipermeable guidance channel strongly influences the outcome of peripheral nerve regeneration, possibly by controlling the exchange of molecules between the channel's lumen and the external wound-healing environment. These results suggest that the wound-healing environment secretes humoral factors that can either promote or inhibit the nerve-regeneration process.
An experimental study of aqueous colloidal suspensions containing dissolved polymer

Abstract An experimental study of the rheology of polystyrene latices phase separated by dissolved dextran polymer probes the dependence of the steady shear viscosity and the shear modulus on the particle and polymer concentrations and the particle-to-polymer size ratio. The data for the whole samples tested shortly after formulation reflect a weakly flocculated, nonequilibrium structure which recovers to a reproducible rest state after shear. We also present data on the equilibrium dense fluid and solid phases. Both the low-frequency plateau modulus and the yield stress, characteristic of the weakly flocculated samples, increase as the polymer concentration (depth of attractive potential) increases at a fixed polymer concentration. The dense phase also changes from an equilibrium fluid to an equilibrium solid upon increasing either the particle-to-polymer size ratio or the polymer concentration.
Biomechanical Analysis of Scapholunate Ligament Repair Techniques.

Purpose To evaluate the biomechanical properties of 3 scapholunate repair techniques. Methods In 51 cadavers, the scapholunate ligament was exposed through a dorsal approach, incised at its scaphoid insertion, and repaired using 1 of 3 techniques: 2 single-loaded suture anchors, 2 double-loaded suture anchors, or 2 transosseous sutures. Twenty-four repaired specimens underwent load to failure (LTF) testing using tensile distraction on a servo-hydraulic machine. Twenty-seven specimens underwent cyclical testing to measure gap formation at the scapholunate joint. Results The mode of failure was suture pullout through the substance of the ligament in 22 specimens, failure at the bone suture interface in 1, and anchor pullout in 1. Double-loaded anchor repairs demonstrated a significantly higher mean ultimate LTF compared with single-loaded anchor (91 N vs 35 N) and transosseous (91 N vs 60 N) repairs. Transosseous repairs demonstrated a higher mean ultimate LTF compared with single-loaded suture repairs (60 N vs 35 N). After 300 cycles, the average gap for the transosseous repair group was double that for the single- and double-loaded repairs, although not statistically significant. Conclusions Primary scapholunate ligament repairs using double-loaded suture anchors demonstrated significantly higher strength compared with single-loaded anchors and transosseous repairs. On cyclic loading, transosseous repairs demonstrated the greatest gap formation with no measurable difference between single- and double-loaded repairs. Clinical relevance In a cadaveric model for primary repairs, double-loaded suture anchors demonstrated the highest LTF and offer a similar but unproven performance in vivo .