cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Response to Immunotherapy in a Patient with Adult Onset Leigh Syndrome and T9176C mtDNA Mutation (P6.147)

Objective: To describe an adult-onset Leigh syndrome patient with clinical response to immunotherapy. Background: Leigh syndrome is a mitochondrial disease caused by mutations in different genes, including ATPase 6. It usually affects children, although adult cases have been reported in the literature. To date, no known therapy is available. We describe a case of adult-onset Leigh syndrome with response to plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). Methods: Case report. Results: 20 year-old woman with learning difficulties was admitted with progressive behavioral changes, disinhibition, diplopia, headaches, bladder incontinence, muscle weakness and incoordination. Brain MRI showed bilateral basal ganglia, midbrain and periaqueductal hyperintensities with PET scan showing increased uptake suspicious for an autoimmune process. Given the imaging findings and subacute presentation in a young female, we suspected autoimmune encephalitis and she received plasmapheresis with clinical improvement in her gait, incoordination, headaches and behavior. Extensive serologic and CSF work up was negative for infectious, inflammatory, autoimmune (Mayo clinic and Dr. Dalmau9s lab in Spain), neoplastic, paraneoplastic causes. She was discharged to rehabilitation with no immunomodulatory therapy (given the negative work up) and was readmitted 4 weeks later with dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia needing intubation. Plasmapheresis was repeated with complete resolution of her symptoms. Given the multisystem involvement along with MRI changes, genetic testing for mitochondrial disease was done which revealed a homoplasmic T9176C mtDNA mutation in the ATPase 6 gene and also a new c.3483-7_3509del34 heterozygous mutation in POLG. Patient received IVIG as outpatient with continuous clinical improvement and worsening when IVIG infusions were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Conclusions: This case shows that Leigh syndrome secondary to mtDNA T9176C mutations could have an associated autoimmune mechanism that responds to immunotherapies such as plasmapheresis or IVIG. Further studies in patients with Leigh disease and other mitochondrial diseases are needed to clarify the autoimmune mechanism. Disclosure: Dr. Chuquilin Arista has nothing to disclose. Dr. Govindarajan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Font - Montgomery has nothing to disclose.
Anatomical and Physiological Studies of Type I and Type II Spiral Ganglion Neurons

Primary auditory neurons transmit information from receptor cells in the cochlea, hair cells, to cochlear-nucleus neurons in the brain. The cell bodies of the primary neurons form the spiral ganglion, which is located in the cochlea. Several early studies demonstrated that there was more than one type of spiral ganglion cell (Suzuki et al.,’ 63; Reinecke,’ 67; Kellerhals et al.,’ 67; Merck et al.,’ 77). In pioneering work, Spoendlin (’71,’ 74) showed that most spiral ganglion cells degenerated following section of the auditory nerve. Since the afferent endings on outer hair cells persisted following nerve section, the few remaining “type II” spiral ganglion cells were postulated to innervate the outer hair cells. Using reconstructions of fibers labeled with horseradish peroxidase, Kiang et al. (’82) demonstrated directly that type II neurons sent processes only to outer hair cells whereas type I neurons innervated only the inner hair cells.
Overview of Comprehensive Hepatitis C Virus Medication Management in a State Medicaid Program

BACKGROUND: Breakthrough direct-acting antivirals set a new standard in the management of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with regard to cure rates and improved tolerability; however, the health care system is challenged by the cost of these medications. OBJECTIVE: To describe the effect of a comprehensive HCV medication management program on optimized regimen use, prior authorization (PA) modifications, and medication cost avoidance in a state Medicaid program. METHODS: This program consists of a 2-tiered prescriber outreach: (1) regimen outreach to promote optimized regimen selection and (2) refill outreach to support medication adherence. PA criteria were developed to identify optimized regimens, taking into account member- and virus-specific factors as well as cost. Prescriber outreach was conducted to recommend the use of an optimized regimen as applicable. Successful regimen outreach was defined as the number of members for whom a recommendation was accepted. A refill report identified members without a sub...
A critical organizational communication framework for communication and instruction scholarship: narrative explorations of resistance, racism, and pedagogy

ABSTRACTThis study utilized a critical organizational communication framework to understand how student resistance is performed in relation to hegemonic systems that are (re)constituted through communication within and beyond the classroom (i.e., an institutional culture). I conducted multiple semistructured interviews with 14 self-identified students of color (28 total interviews) to explore the dialectical interplay of resistance ⇔ racialized domination within higher education. Using narrative analysis, I presented three participants’ responses as storied accounts to highlight the fluid ways that resistance ⇔ racialized domination manifests within and beyond the classroom. Participants’ stories showcased how forms of racialized domination (i.e., fetishization, stereotype threat, and white fragility) interact with forms of resistance (i.e., poaching, parody, and separation). This study’s findings highlight the need for communication and instruction scholars to expand their theoretical scope when explorin...
Whole-Genome Sequences and Classification of Streptococcus agalactiae Strains Isolated from Laboratory-Reared Long-Evans Rats (Rattus norvegicus).

ABSTRACT In collaboration with the CDC’s Streptococcus Laboratory, we report here the whole-genome sequences of seven Streptococcus agalactiae bacteria isolated from laboratory-reared Long-Evans rats. Four of the S. agalactiae isolates were associated with morbidity accompanied by endocarditis, metritis, and fatal septicemia, providing an opportunity for comparative genomic analysis of this opportunistic pathogen.
Influence of PEG coating on the oral bioavailability of gold nanoparticles in rats.

AbstractMetallic nanoparticles can be produced in a variety of shapes, sizes, and surface chemistries, making them promising potential tools for drug delivery. Most studies to date have evaluated uptake of metallic nanoparticles from the GI tract with methods that are at best semi-quantitative. This study used the classical method of comparing blood concentration area under the curve (AUC) following intravenous and oral doses to determine the oral bioavailability of 1, 2 and 5 kDa PEG-coated 5 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Male rats were given a single intravenous dose (0.8 mg/kg) or oral (gavage) dose (8 mg/kg) of a PEG-coated AuNP, and the concentration of gold was measured in blood over time and in tissues (liver, spleen and kidney) at sacrifice. Blood concentrations following oral administration were inversely related to PEG size, and the AUC in blood was significantly greater for the 1 kDa PEG-coated AuNPs than particles coated with 2 or 5 kDa PEG. However, bioavailabilities of all of the particles ...
Excited-State Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer: Different Avenues for Promoting Proton/Electron Movement with Solar Photons

Excited-state proton-coupled electron transfer (ES-PCET) is a promising avenue for solar fuel production and small molecule activation. Although less is known about ES-PCET reactions than related transformations involving exclusively thermal processes, ES-PCET holds promise as a simple and efficient reaction scheme for the formation of solar fuels, and it may provide access to new reactivity not accessible from ground electronic states. This review classifies ES-PCET into six categories based on the identity of the photoexcited reactant: excited-state H+/e– donors, excited-state H+/e– acceptors, photo-oxidants, photoreductants, photoacids, and photobases. A brief overview of each class of ES-PCET is presented. Recent advances and key discoveries within the six classes of ES-PCET are examined, and underexplored reaction systems and promising paths for future research are discussed.
Effect of BioZorb® surgical marker placement on post-operative radiation boost target volume.

BioZorb® is a tumor bed marker placed during partial mastectomy for targeted post-operative radiation. This study was designed to evaluate BioZorb® effect on radiation boost clinical target volume (CTV), planning target volume (PTV), median dose to ipsilateral lung (Gy), and heart irradiation in left-sided cancers. Data was collected via a retrospective cohort study with two study arms: BioZorb® intra-operative placement versus no BioZorb® placement. Patients were stratified by BMI, age, tumor laterality and volume, and cancer stage. Mean, standard deviation, median, range of cubic centimeters of clinical and planning target volume, cardiac dose in left-sided cancers, ipsilateral lung dose, and volume of ipsilateral lung receiving 20 Gy were reported. Of 143 patients, median CTV (cm3) was 8.7 and 14.2 (P = 0.0048), median PTV (cm3) was 53.2 and 79.6 (P = 0.0010), median ipsilateral lung Gy was 7.53 and 6.74 (P = 0.0099) and volume (cc) of ipsilateral radiation lung at 20 Gy was 13.4 and 12 (P = 0.008), and median heart Gy in left-sided cancers was 2.01 and 2.21 (P = 0.9952) in BioZorb® and non-BioZorb® arms, respectively. Patients with BMIs of 25–30 had CTV medians of 7.8 and 11.1 in BioZorb® and non-BioZorb® arms, respectively (P = 0.0293). The BioZorb® arm showed statistically significant reductions in CTV and PTV but not ipsilateral lung or heart irradiation.
Regulation of fetal growth:Importance of growth and tissue deposition in the pig

We have highlighted the two models (fetal hypophysectomy and obesity) to illustrate that: 1) the histochemical and biochemical differences associated with hypophysectomy do not express themselves until 72 to 74d of gestation and that myonuclear proliferation (DNA content and satellite cell content) are not influenced. Thus, muscle DNA and fiber numbers are not under neural or hormonal (endocrine) regulation after 45d of gestation; secondly, 2) in the obese models, the genetic difference from lean controls in fiber number must be regulated by events occurring before 70 to 90 d of gestation; 3) paracrine or autocrine regulation of fetal muscle growth is indicated by the similarity in serum proliferative activity across ages and fetal models; 4) since preadipocytes respond differently to sera from these fetal models in terms of proliferative activity, these cells are under different developmental controls. Thus, adipose tissue is relatively more responsive to extratissue stimuli while muscle is relatively more resistent to such stimuli. To extrapolate further, these data imply one could influence fat cell number independent of an effect on myogenesis.
Strategies for Reflection-in-Action in Situated Learning

Reflective learning comes in many forms and is executed differently in various instructional settings. In situated learning, learners not only fill the role of students, but they are expected to function similar to practitioners within the environment. As a practitioner, it is not enough to only engage in reflection after the experience has occurred, known as reflection-on-action. Reflective practitioners must also develop the ability to reflect-in-action which will allow them to solve problems more effectively when facing uncertainty and novel situations. Although most of the recommendations for promoting reflection in situated learning focus on reflection-on-action, the literature includes several strategies that can support reflection-in-action: build a context and environment that promotes reflection-in-action, incorporate social interaction with others, develop learners’ level of personal awareness, incorporate multiple forms of reflection, and incorporate feedback throughout the experience This chapter elaborates on each of these strategies and provides methods to incorporate them within a situated learning environment.
SREBPs in Lipid Metabolism, Insulin Signaling, and Beyond

Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs) are a family of membrane-bound transcription factors that activate genes encoding enzymes required for synthesis of cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids. SREBPs are controlled by multiple mechanisms at the level of mRNA synthesis, proteolytic activation, and transcriptional activity. In this review, we summarize the recent findings that contribute to the current understanding of the regulation of SREBPs and their physiologic roles in maintenance of lipid homeostasis, insulin signaling, innate immunity, and cancer development.
Federal funding for reporting cases of HIV infection in the United States, 2006.

OBJECTIVE The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides funding for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) surveillance in 65 areas (states, cities, and U.S. dependent areas). We determined the amount of CDC funding per reported case of HIV infection and examined factors associated with differences in funding per reported case across areas. METHODS We derived HIV data from the HIV/AIDS Reporting System (HARS) database. Budget numbers were based on award letters to health departments. We performed multivariate linear regression for all areas and for areas of low, moderate, and moderate-to-high morbidity. RESULTS Mean funding per case reported was $1,520, $441, and $411 in areas of low, moderate, and moderate-to-high morbidity, respectively. In low morbidity areas, funding per case decreased as log total cases increased (p < 0.001). For moderate and moderate-to-high morbidity areas, funding per case fell as log total cases increased (p < 0.001), but increased in accordance with an area's population (p < 0.05) and the proportion of that population residing in an urban setting (p < 0.05). The models for low, moderate, and moderate-to-high morbidity predicted funding per case as $1490, $423, and $390, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Economies of scale were evident. The amount of CDC core surveillance funding per case reported was significantly associated with the total number of cases in an area and, depending on morbidity, with total population and percentage of that population residing in an urban setting.
Chronic Disease Recurrence Prediction Model for Diabetes Mellitus Patients’ Long-Term Caring

Recurrence and complication prevention is crucial in caring chronic patients. This paper presents a chronic disease recurrence prediction model in long-term caring for diabetes patients. A nursing information system is developed and applied in an institution-based health care center. Values of blood sugar, vital signs, BMI and nursing records of diabetes patients are collected during the daily nursing procedure. Since data are recorded in different time with variable sampling period, a flexible time series analysis method is presented for exploiting seasonal variation and cyclical fluctuation between diabetes and daily-recorded signals. Expert knowledge for chronic disease is built based on domain specific language to extract chronic disease care knowledge from nursing records. Finally, a health surveillance system is developed by integrating multi-modal daily caring information for longterm caring of chronic patients. Several experiments with statistical testing are conducted and the results compare the performance of the proposed method. The expected outcome will build a prediction model to early warning before diabetes will be recurrence.
Molekülfluoreszenz-, Phosphoreszenz- und Chemilumineszenzspektroskopie

Drei verwandte Arten optischer Methoden werden in diesem Kapitel behandelt — namlich die Molekulfluoreszenz, die Phosphoreszenz und die Chemilumineszenz. Bei jeder Methode werden Molekule des Analyten angeregt, um eine Spezies zu erzeugen, deren Emissionsspektrum Informationen fur die qualitative und quantitative Analyse liefert. Die Methoden sind unter dem gemeinsamen Namen Lumineszenzverfahren bekannt.
Product of the Normal and Student’s t Densities

The distributions of the product of two random variables have a great importance in many areas of research both from the theoretical and applications point of view.
The Human Cell Atlas bone marrow single-cell interactive web portal

The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) is expected to facilitate the creation of reference cell profiles, marker genes, and gene regulatory networks that will provide a deeper understanding of healthy and disease cell types from clinical biospecimens. The hematopoietic system includes dozens of distinct, transcriptionally coherent cell types, including intermediate transitional populations that have not been previously described at a molecular level. Using the first data release from the HCA bone marrow tissue project, we resolved common, rare, and potentially transitional cell populations from over 100,000 hematopoietic cells spanning 35 transcriptionally coherent groups across eight healthy donors using emerging new computational approaches. These data highlight novel mixed-lineage progenitor populations and putative trajectories governing granulocytic, monocytic, lymphoid, erythroid, megakaryocytic, and eosinophil specification. Our analyses suggest significant variation in cell-type composition and gene expression among donors, including biological processes affected by donor age. To enable broad exploration of these findings, we provide an interactive website to probe intra-cell and extra-cell population differences within and between donors and reference markers for cellular classification and cellular trajectories through associated progenitor states.
The Spectrum of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)

To critically review recent (past 3 years) literature on the definition, diagnosis, and management of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). While various series continue to illustrate the occurrence of SIBO in disease states where well-known risk factors for its occurrence are present (hypochlorhydria, disorders of intestinal structure or motor function, pancreatic insufficiency, and chronic liver disease, for example), the current challenge is in defining the limits of SIBO. Is SIBO truly common among those with “functional” gastrointestinal symptoms where there is no evidence of maldigestion or malabsorption; the original hallmarks of SIBO? Our attempts to address this question continue to be hampered by the limitations of our diagnostic tool kit. There is hope—the application of modern molecular techniques to the study of the small intestinal microbiome, together with some innovative sampling techniques, such as real-time intestinal gas sampling, may soon allow us to truly define the spectrum of SIBO. SIBO, once removed from its original confines as a cause of malabsorption syndrome, has proven to be an elusive and moving target. Only the most rigorous studies employing validated methodologies will finally corral this mysterious entity.
Correlation of cardiopulmonary bypass duration with acute renal failure after cardiac surgery.

Abstract Objectives Prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is recognized as a risk factor for acute renal failure (ARF), but the dose effect of time on bypass is unknown. We therefore examined the risk of ARF associated with increasing CPB time stratified by preoperative renal function. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 3889 patients undergoing cardiac surgery on CPB without circulatory arrest between 2011 and 2017 excluding those with a diagnosis of dialysis-dependent renal failure and those who had an intra-aortic balloon pump. Postoperative ARF was defined as a 3-fold increase in creatinine level, creatinine level > 4 mg/dL, or requirement for dialysis. A logistic regression model was built to identify predictors of ARF and to determine the probability of ARF. Results Postoperative ARF occurred in 72 patients (2%) overall. Of 100 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate Conclusions Increasing CPB duration is associated with postoperative ARF, particularly among those with preoperative renal impairment. For patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate
Motivational interviewing training with standardized patient simulation for prescription opioid abuse among older adults.

PURPOSE This study aimed to examine the effect of motivational interviewing (MI) education on the doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) students' learning outcomes. DESIGN AND METHODS This study used a one-group with preposttest design. The sample consisted of 31 DNP students who received an MI training, including a didactic lecture, role-playing exercise, and standardized patient simulation. FINDINGS Findings indicated a significant increase in students' knowledge and confidence regarding MI at both posttests compared with baseline. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Findings suggested that MI training with standardized patient simulation demonstrated preliminary promising effects on DNP students' knowledge and confidence in MI techniques to manage prescription opioid abuse among older adults. This study showed the potential to enhance the care of older adults who abuse opioids to address this problem in practice.
Opportunities and Challenges to Data Sharing with American Indian Tribal Nations

In this chapter I argue that data sharing, new as it is to cultural anthropology, must be carefully considered by researchers and tribes at the conceptual stages of research. In my opinion, sharing all research data with tribes presents an opportunity to decolonize the discipline’s history of exploitative research by challenging disciplinary notions of control, ownership, and management of ethnographic data, not to mention it recognizes and reaffirms the sovereign status of tribes. I provide some useful definitions, provide a brief review of various data, and list the types of data I collected in my most recent research partnership. In doing so, I show the diverse range of data that is collected in research while also foregrounding the ethical methodological concerns of sharing data. Next, I introduce the federal Indian trust relationship and a brief history of exploitative research in Indian country, both of which provide a context for developing data-sharing policies. In the final section, I provide a list of questions tribes and researchers may wish to consider as they discuss and negotiate data-sharing agreements.
Principles of Correction: An Overview of Secondary Correction of Posttraumatic Bony Deformities

Restoration of pre-injury form and function after a significant delay can be very challenging. This can arise as a result of nontreatment, delayed treatment or inadequate surgical repair. It is also more likely to occur in high-energy injuries and those injuries resulting in severely comminuted fractures that require bone grafts. A methodical approach following careful analysis of all components of the defect is essential. This chapter gives an overview of the problem and some of the possible solutions.
Impact of Total Asset Turnover Ratios on Equity Returns: Dynamic Panel Data Analyses

This paper is an empirical exploration of the impact of total asset turnover ratios on stock returns of 1961 US public firms in different types of industries from 2001 to 2015. Stock prices are significantly influenced by operating performance of a company in efficiently utilizing its assets. For that matter, operating efficiency (as measured by total asset turnover ratio) plays a role in portfolio investment decisions. Pedroni’s heterogeneous panel co-integration procedures, associated bivariate error-correction model (ECM), dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and generalized method of moments (GMM) are applied. Both stock returns and total asset turnover ratios in levels are nonstationary with I (1) behavior. Subsequently, both variables are found cointegrated. The panel ECM estimates suggest convergence of variables toward long-run equilibrium at moderate pace with short-run interactive positive feedback effects. Again, both DOLS and GMM estimates reveal short-run contemporaneous positive effects of total asset turnover ratios on stock returns in levels. In view of the findings of this study, firms should strive to improve operating efficiency, among others, to enhance competitiveness and thereby to boost their stock prices for rewarding shareholders.
P583 The role of parents in predicting sexual health and substance use risk among native american youth

Background Native American youth suffer marked disparities in sexual health and substance use. High rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancies and substance abuse are driven by early sexual and substance use initiation and limited access to culturally relevant health education. Parents and extended family members are central to youth decision making in Native communities. Despite this inherent strength, few health education programs are designed to be multigenerational and fail to engage parents and family members in intervention delivery. Methods Data was collected with N=536 Native youth ages 11–19 participating in an evaluation of a comprehensive sexual health program designed for youth together with their parents or other trusted adult family members, called Respecting the Circle of Life. Baseline data was analyzed to determine how parental monitoring and parent-youth communication predicted sexual and substance use risk prior to intervention implementation. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models examined the role of parents in predicting substance use initiation, sexual initiation (vaginal/anal/oral), condom use at last sex, as well as intention to have sex and condom use intention. Results Final multivariate models indicate parental monitoring significantly predicted: initiation of cigarettes (p=0.02), initiation of marijuana (p=0.001), initiation of vaginal sex (p=0.03), initiation of oral sex (p=0.04), intention to have sex in the next 6 months (p=0.000) and intention to use a condom in the next 6 months (p=0.002). Conclusion Our findings underscore the powerful role of parents and family in Native American sexual and substance use decision making. Results show Native families can help delay youth’s initiation of sex and substances and protect them from the consequences of sexual risk taking. Programs aiming to promote the sexual health of Native youth should incorporate parents and other families in lesson delivery and skill development to maximize impact. Disclosure No significant relationships.
The Longitudinal Relation of Childhood Height to Subsequent Obesity in a Large Electronic Health Record Database

Objective Several cross-sectional studies have shown that height in childhood is correlated with BMI and with body fatness, and two longitudinal studies have reported that childhood height is associated with adult BMI. This study explored this longitudinal association in an electronic health record database of 2.8 million children. Methods Children were initially examined between the ages of 2 and 13.9 years and, on average, were reexamined 4 years later. Results As expected, there was a cross-sectional correlation between height-for-age z score and BMI that increased from r = -0.06 (age of 2 years) to r = 0.37 (age of 9-10 years). In addition, height-for-age at the first visit was related to subsequent BMI and obesity, with the prevalence of subsequent obesity increasing about fourfold over six categories of height-for-age at the first visit. About 40% of this longitudinal association was independent of initial BMI, but its magnitude decreased with initial age. For example, the initial height-for-age of children who were 12 years of age or older was only weakly associated with subsequent BMI. Conclusions Health professionals should recognize that greater childhood height-for-age before 12 years of age may be a marker for increased risk of subsequent obesity.
Scalability of Hybrid SpMV on Intel Xeon Phi Knights Landing

SpMV, the product of a sparse matrix and a dense vector, is emblematic of a new class of applications that are memory bandwidth and communication, not flop, driven. Sparsity and randomness in such computations play havoc with performance, especially when strong, instead of weak, scaling is attempted. In this study we develop and evaluate a hybrid implementation for strong scaling of the Compressed Vectorization-oriented sparse Row (CVR) approach to SpMV on a cluster of Intel Xeon Phi Knights Landing (KNL) processors. We show how our hybrid SpMV implementation achieves increased computational performance, yet does not address the dominant communication overhead factor at extreme scale. Issues with workload distribution, data placement, and remote reductions are assessed over a range of matrix characteristics. Our results indicate that as $P \rightarrow\infty$ communication overhead is by far the dominant factor despite improved computational performance.
Characterization of the bacterial microbiomes of social amoebae and exploration of the roles of host and environment on microbiome composition

As predators of bacteria, amoebae select for traits that allow bacteria to become symbionts by surviving phagocytosis and exploiting the eukaryotic intracellular environment. Soil-dwelling social amoebae can help us answer questions about the natural ecology of these amoeba-bacteria symbioses along the pathogen-mutualist spectrum. Our objective was to characterize the natural bacterial microbiome of phylogenetically and morphologically diverse social amoeba species using next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons directly from amoeba fruiting bodies. We found six phyla of amoeba-associated bacteria: Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Chlamydiae, Firmicutes, and Acidobacteria. The most common associates of amoebae were classified to order Chlamydiales and genus Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia. These bacteria were present in multiple amoeba species across multiple locations. While there was substantial intraspecific variation, there was some evidence for host specificity and differentially abundant taxa between different amoeba hosts. Amoebae microbiomes were distinct from the microbiomes of their soil habitat, and soil pH affected amoeba microbiome diversity. Alpha-diversity was unsurprisingly lower in amoebae samples compared with soil, but beta-diversity between amoebae samples was higher than between soil samples. Further exploration of social amoebae microbiomes may help us understand the roles of bacteria, host, and environment on symbiotic interactions and microbiome formation in basal eukaryotic organisms.
Lead pollution status and exposure level in cereals and related products in Zhejiang Province from 2014 to 2019

Objective To investigate the level of lead in cereals and related products from Zhejiang market, and to provide the preliminary assessment. Methods Lead was detected in 4855 samples of cereals and related products during 2014-2019, food consumption data was taken from Zhejiang residentsa consumption survey in 2015-2016. Results The total detection rate of lead in cereals and related products was 59. 03%, and the acceptance rate was 99. 3% when compared to the national food safety standards(GB 2762-2017). The average lead level in cereals and related products was 0. 031 mg/kg, high mean level was found in millet with 0. 049 mg/kg, low mean level was in grain cans with 0. 020 mg/kg. The average dietary exposure to lead via cereals and related products was 0. 16 μg/(kg·d), and 0. 45 μg/(kg·d) for high consumer(P97. 5). Conclusion Lead in cereals and related products are at very low contamination levels, residentsa average daily intake of lead from grains and products was low in Zhejiang Province, but measures are still needed to reduce lead in cereal products considering the adverse health effects of lead.
Networks and fault lines in eighteenth-century Deccani literary communities: Lachmī Narāyan ‘Shafīq’ and his circle:

By the end of the eighteenth century, emerging states in South Asia drew on successive waves of migration to staff their institutions. Scholars, poets and bureaucrats in these new states were entru...
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors: More different than alike?: Focus on cardiac performance

Development of an increased systemic vascular resistance and the concomitant increase in blood pressure are associated with significant changes in left ventricular structure and function. The plasma and tissue renin-angiotensin systems play an important, but variable, role in the regulation of blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance in normotensive and hypertensive patients. Non-angiotensin-mediated effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and/or differential tissue specificities may result in a variable hemodynamic response to individual therapies. Using first-pass radionuclide cineangiography, the hemodynamic effects of captopril, lisinopril, and fosinopril were compared. Fosinopril induced a greater reduction in systemic vascular resistance than did equipotent hypotensive doses of captopril or lisinopril and was associated with an increase in cardiac output, left ventricular peak ejection rate, and left ventricular peak filling rate. Along with previously accumulated data, these results suggest that structural differences among ACE inhibitors may result in unique physiologic effects. Fosinopril appears to have a cardiotropic effect that causes improved left ventricular diastolic performance; this effect is unique among currently available ACE inhibitors. The clinical significance of the unique profiles of individual ACE inhibitors awaits assessment via comparative clinical investigations.
Information theoretic methods for biometrics, clustering, and stemmatology

This thesis consists of four parts, three of which study issues related to theories and applications of biometric systems, and one which focuses on clustering. We establish an information theoretic framework and the fundamental trade-off between utility of biometric systems and security of biometric systems. The utility includes person identification and secret binding, while template protection, privacy, and secrecy leakage are security issues addressed. A general model of biometric systems is proposed, in which secret binding and the use of passwords are incorporated. The system model captures major biometric system designs including biometric cryptosystems, cancelable biometrics, secret binding and secret generating systems, and salt biometric systems. In addition to attacks at the database, information leakage from communication links between sensor modules and databases is considered. A general information theoretic rate outer bound is derived for characterizing and comparing the fundamental capacity, and security risks and benefits of different system designs. We establish connections between linear codes to biometric systems, so that one can directly use a vast literature of coding theories of various noise and source random processes to achieve good performance in biometric systems. We develop two biometrics based on laser Doppler vibrometry (LDV) signals and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. For both cases, changes in statistics of biometric traits of the same individual is the major challenge which obstructs many methods from producing satisfactory results. We propose a robust feature selection method that specifically accounts for changes in statistics. The method yields the best results both in LDV and ECG biometrics in terms of equal error rates in authentication scenarios. Finally, we address a different kind of learning problem from data called clustering. Instead of having a set of training data with true labels known as in identification problems, we study the problem of grouping data points without labels given, and its application to computational stemmatology. Since the problem itself has no "true" answer, the problem is in general ill-posed unless some regularization or norm is set to define the quality of a partition. We propose the use of minimum description length (MDL) principle for graphical based clustering. In the MDL framework, each data partitioning is viewed as a description of the data points, and the description that minimizes the total amount of bits to describe the data points and the model itself is considered the best model. We show that in synthesized data the MDL clustering works well and fits natural intuition of how data should be clustered. Furthermore, we developed a computational stemmatology method based on MDL, which achieves the best performance level in a large dataset.
Non-Collocated Flexible Beam Motion Control based on a Delayed Adaptive Inverse Method

The viability of a delayed adaptive inverse method for motion control of the tip of a flexible beam is demonstrated in this paper. This method is based on an adaptive linear FIR filter which provides a stable and close approximation to the inverse plant dynamics. Such FIR filters can be used to control non-minimum phase systems, certain nonlinear systems, or plants of unknown dynamics and can be implemented using real-time interrupt driven high performance computational devices such as digital signal processing (DSP) based hardware. The effects of varying parameters of the delayed adaptive inverse controller (such as the values of the initial weights, the gain constants, and the length of delay) on the system performance are presented. Since the method is computationally efficient, it can be used in high bandwidth applications for control of complex plants given only the desired and the actual measured outputs for the plant. A feedback controller is used in conjunction with the delayed adaptive inverse controller to eliminate the residual errors that would occur if only feedforward control were used. This delayed adaptive inverse method is then compared to an H ? -based loopshaping controller.
The amino acid composition of hemoglobin: I. An improved method for separating the peptide chains of human hemoglobin

Summary A modification of the gradient elution method of WILSON AND SMITH for the preparation of the individual polypeptide chains of human globin is described. The chief advantage of the modified procedure relates to the improved separation between the α and β or γ chains.
Why has induction chemotherapy for advanced head and neck cancer become a United States community standard of practice

PURPOSEInduction chemotherapy for advanced head and neck (H&N) cancer has been studied in clinical trials for more than two decades without clear demonstration of benefit for locoregional tumor control or overall patient survival. Nonetheless, its use has become a common community standard of practice in the United States (US). This report examines some of the factors that may have contributed to this phenomenon.MATERIALS AND METHODSA mail survey was conducted of 300 US community cancer specialists (equally divided among otolaryngologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists) to solicit their most frequent therapy approach for patients with locoregionally advanced, nonmetastatic H&N cancer. The rationale for selection of treatment strategy was identified by each respondent.RESULTSTwo hundred eighteen physicians (73%) completed and returned the survey, representing 47 US states. The single most common treatment approach reported for patients with locoregionally advanced H&N cancer was that of se...
The NeuroD1/BETA2 sequences essential for insulin gene transcription colocalize with those necessary for neurogenesis and p300/CREB binding protein binding.

NeuroD1/BETA2 is a key regulator of pancreatic islet morphogenesis and insulin hormone gene transcription in islet β cells. This factor also appears to be involved in neurogenic differentiation, because NeuroD1/BETA2 is able to induce premature differentiation of neuronal precursors and convert ectoderm into fully differentiated neurons upon ectopic expression in Xenopus embryos. We have identified amino acid sequences in mammalian and Xenopus NeuroD1/BETA2 that are necessary for insulin gene expression and ectopic neurogenesis. Our results indicate that evolutionarily conserved sequences spanning the basic helix-loop-helix (amino acids [aa] 100 to 155) and C-terminal (aa 156 to 355) regions are important for both of these processes. The transactivation domains (AD1, aa 189 to 299; AD2, aa 300 to 355) were within the carboxy-terminal region, as analyzed by using GAL4:NeuroD1/BETA2 chimeras. Selective activation of mammalian insulin gene enhancer-driven expression and ectopic neurogenesis in Xenopus embryos was regulated by two independent and separable domains of NeuroD1/BETA2, located between aa 156 to 251 and aa 252 to 355. GAL4:NeuroD1/BETA2 constructs spanning these sequences demonstrated that only aa 252 to 355 contained activation domain function, although both aa 156 to 251 and 300 to 355 were found to interact with the p300/CREB binding protein (CBP) coactivator. These results implicate p300/CBP in NeuroD1/BETA2 function and further suggest that comparable mechanisms are utilized to direct target gene transcription during differentiation and in adult islet β cells.
A ten year outlook on technology

Each year the IBM Research Division prepares a report on technology known as the Ten Year Outlook. This is based on the researchers' perspectives on where technology will go during the next ten years, how this will affect people and institutions and the competitive environment in the information industry. The year 2000 is only five years away and we can make pretty accurate projections of where technology will be at the end of the twentieth century. In an industry that is as dynamic as ours it is much more difficult to project progress over a ten year horizon and it is particularly hard to foresee how this progress will translate into societal and institutional changes. As Yogi Berra, a famous American baseball player and amateur philosopher, said, "the future isn't what it used to be". Our challenge is to make it what we want it to be. >
The photoenhanced toxicity of anthracene to juvenile sunfish (Lepomis spp.)

Abstract The acute toxicity of anthracene to juvenile sunfish (Lepomis spp.) in the presence of simulated sunlight has been assessed. Previously, anthracene was considered not to be acutely toxic to fish. However, in this study 96 h LC50 values were found to be 190–1800-times less, with concurrent exposure of anthracene and simulated sunlight, than a reported 24-h no-effect anthracene concentration for L. macrochirus derived under standard laboratory conditions. Opercular ventilation rate was significantly increased in UV light-anthracene treated fish, and histological evidence indicated that major structural changes occurred in the gills of these fish as compared to UV light-only controls. The site of toxic action does not appear to be limited to respiratory surfaces, however, since dorsal epidermal structure was also disrupted in UV light-anthracene treated fish as compared to UV light-only controls. A mathematical relationship to estimate the potential toxicity of anthracene to fish is presented which closely predicts the results of toxicity studies conducted under natural sunlight. It is concluded that solar radiation is an important accessory parameter that deserves consideration in the toxicity assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the aquatic environment.
Selective hybrid cell formation by human lymphoid cells.

Subpopulations of human lymphoid cells are capable of spontaneously fusing with fibroblasts of human or murine origin to form human-human or human-mouse hybrid cells. These cells were present in thymus, spleen, and bone marrow. After fractionation on discontinuous bovine serum albumin gradients, the cells were found in the less dense layers of the gradient. Cells of fetal origin, except for bone marrow, fused spontaneously at a higher rate than those of adult origin. The highest rate of fusion was found with adult bone marrow cells. These lymphoid cells appear to be “thymus-derived” cells.
Female Adolescents’ Delinquent Activity: The Intersection of Bonds to Parents and Reputation Enhancement

According to the reputation enhancement theory, social bonds influence adolescents’ delinquent activity indirectly through the reputations they select. Findings from the current study of a school-b...
The uptake and transport of cholesterol by haemolymph lipoproteins

Larvae of the silkworm, Philosamia cynthia, were fed on an artificial diet containing [14C]cholesterol. After pupation the two major haemolymph lipoproteins, lipoproteins I and II, were purified and radioassayed. Almost all of the [14C]cholesterol found in the haemolymph was associated with the two lipoproteins. The quantity of [14C]cholesterol associated with lipoprotein I was much greater than that associated with lipoprotein II per unit weight of protein. In vitro experiments were conducted in which purified lipoproteins I and II were incubated with isolated midgut preparations from larvae fed [14C]cholesterol. It was demonstrated that lipoprotein I specifically takes up cholesterol from the midgut but that lipoprotein II does not appear to have this capability. [14C]Cholesterol can be transferred between lipoproteins I and II in vitro. There was no significant incorporation of [14C]cholesterol into either lipoprotein I or II when haemolymph was placed in contact with [14C]cholesterol in vitro, suggesting that the midgut is required for sterol uptake by these insect haemolymph lipoproteins.
Introduction to special section: theoretical developments in the cognitive psychotherapies.

The cognitive psychotherapies have developed and substantially differentiated since their inception in the 1950s. Six major themes in their theoretical development are discussed: (a) the differentiation of rationalist and constructivist therapies and metatheories of knowing; (b) the acknowledgement of social, biological, and embodiment processes in therapy; (c) the recognition of unconscious processes; (d) an increasing focus on self-organizing and self-protective processes in life span personality development, with such processes being embedded in interpersonal and social system dynamics; (e) a shift toward different views of emotionality and the incorporation of experiential techniques; and (f) a synergistic involvement in the psychotherapy integration movement. The cognitive psychotherapies reflect remarkable activity, a point illustrated and elaborated in the articles that constitute this special section.
Fever control in the neuro-ICU: why, who, and when?

Purpose of reviewFever in the neurocritical care setting is very common and has a negative impact on outcome of all disease types. Recent advances have made eliminating fever and maintaining normothermia feasible. However, important questions regarding indications and timing remain. The purpose of t
Guided physical therapy through the use of the Barrett WAM robotic arm

Physical therapy is a crucial part of the rehabilitation process during recovery from an injury that has resulted in motor function loss. Newly introduced technologies can enhance traditional physical therapy, first, by complementing the expert's work, and second, by providing a platform for rich data collection and analysis. In this work, we present a prototype adaptive rehabilitation instrument, based on the use of robotic arm, which can be dynamically controlled to guide the exercise motion of the upper extremities, in patients with motor disabilities. Our proposed method, enables simultaneous active and passive control of the robotic arm, to produce adaptive force feedback for motion guidance, and allow for data collection, for patient motor function assessment.