cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Tolerability of Second-Generation Antipsychotics in Children and Adolescents With Schizophrenia

Early-onset schizophrenia-spectrum (EOSS) disorders (onset of psychotic symptoms before 18 years of age) represent a severe variant associated with significant chronic functional impairment and poor response to antipsychotic treatment. All drugs with proven antipsychotic effects block dopamine D(2) receptors to some degree. The ongoing development of the dopamine and other neurotransmitter receptor systems during childhood and adolescence may affect clinical response and susceptibility to side effects in youth. A literature search was conducted of clinical trials of antipsychotics in children and adolescents with EOSS disorders between 1980 and 2007 from the Medline database, reference lists, and conference proceedings. Trials were limited to double-blind studies of duration of 4 or more weeks that included 15 or more patients. Ten clinical trials were identified. Antipsychotic medications were consistently found to reduce the severity of psychotic symptoms in children and adolescents when compared with placebo. The superiority of clozapine has been now demonstrated relative to haloperidol, standard-dose olanzapine, and "high-dose" olanzapine for EOSS disorders. However, limited comparative data are available regarding whether there are differences among the remaining second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) in clinical effectiveness. The available data from short-term studies suggest that youth might be more sensitive than adults to developing antipsychotic-related adverse side effects (eg, extrapyramidal side effects, sedation, prolactin elevation, weight gain). In addition, preliminary data suggest that SGA use can lead to the development of diabetes in some youth, a disease which itself carries with it significant morbidity and mortality. Such a substantial risk points to the urgent need to develop therapeutic strategies to prevent and/or mitigate weight gain and diabetes early in the course of treatment in this population.
Infantile spasms treated with the ketogenic diet: Prospective single‐center experience in 104 consecutive infants

SUMMARY Purpose: In 2002, we reported our preliminary experience using the ketogenic diet (KD) for predominantly intractable infantile spasms (IS) in 23 infants. Since that time, we have increased our use of the KD for this condition including those with new-onset IS. Methods: Infants were referred and prospectively started on the traditional KD from 1996 to 2009 at our institution. Included subjects had documented clinical IS, hypsarrhythmia on electroencephalography (EEG), and parental consent to start the KD. Efficacy was assessed through phone communication, clinic visits, and EEG every 3 months. Results: One hundred four infants, mean age 1.2 years, were started on the KD for IS, of which 74 (71%) had a symptomatic etiology. Previous therapy for this patients included a mean of 3.6 anticonvulsants; 71% including corticosteroids or vigabatrin. Using an intent-to-treat analysis, >50% spasm improvement occurred in 64% at 6 months and 77% after 1‐2 years. Thirty-eight (37%) became spasm-free for at least a 6-month period within a median 2.4 months of starting the KD. In addition, 62% reported improvement in development, 35% had EEG improvement, and 29% were able to reduce concurrent anticonvulsants. Adverse effects were noted in 33%, of which 6% had diminished linear growth. Older age at onset of IS and fewer prior anticonvulsants were more likely to be associated with >90% spasm improvement at 6 months. Discussion: The KD is an efficacious therapy for IS in approximately two-thirds of patients treated, and it should be considered strongly after failure of corticoster
Supporting systolic and memory communication in iWarp

iWarp is a parallel architecture developed jointly by Carnegie Mellon University and Intel Corporation. The iWarp communication system supports two widely used interprocessor communication styles: memory communication and systolic communication. This paper describes the rationale, architecture, and implementation for the iWarp communication system.The sending or receiving processor of a message can perform either memory or systolic communication. In memory communication, the entire message is buffered in the local memory of the processor before it is transmitted or after it is received. Therefore communication begins or terminates at the local memory. For conventional message passing methods, both sending and receiving processors use memory communication. In systolic communication, individual data items are transferred as they are produced, or are used as they are received, by the program running at the processor. Memory communication is flexible and well suited for general computing; whereas systolic communication is efficient and well suited for speed critical applications.A major achievement of the iWarp effort is the derivation of a common design to satisfy the requirements of both systolic and memory communication styles. This is made possible by two important innovations in communication: (1) program access to communication and (2) logical channels. The former allows programs to access data as they are transmitted and to redirect portions of messages to different destinations efficiently. The latter increases the connectivity between the processors and guarantees communication bandwidth for classes of messages. These innovations have provided a focus for the iWarp architecture. The result is a communication system that provides a total bandwidth of 320 MBytes/sec and that is integrated on a single VLSI component with a 20 MFLOPS plus 20 MIPS long instruction word computation engine.
Requirement of Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase and Akt for Interferon-β-mediated Induction of the β-R1(SCYB11) Gene

We previously reported (Rani, M. R., Asthagiri, A. R., Singh, A., Sizemore, N., Sathe, S. S., Li, X., DiDonato, J. D., Stark, G. R., and Ransohoff, R. M. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 44365-44368) that IFN-beta induction of beta-R1 in fibrosarcoma cells required transcription factors ISGF-3 and NF-kappa B. IFN-beta treatment did not augment the abundance of NF-kappa B, but led to phosphorylation of the NF-kappa B subunit p65 and induced a nuclear activity capable of phosphorylating a p65-GST fusion construct in the carboxy-terminal transactivation domain (TAD), residues 354-551. We now present evidence for the involvement of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) in this pathway. Pretreatment of HT1080-derived fibrosarcoma cells with pharmacological inhibitors of PI3K (wortmannin or LY294002) selectively inhibited IFN-beta-induced beta-R1 mRNA accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. In stably transfected cell lines, bovine p85, the regulatory subunit of PI3K, functioned as a dominant-negative inhibitor of interferon (IFN) signaling via PI3K and selectively suppressed IFN-beta-mediated induction of beta-R1. Overexpression of PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue mutated on chromosome ten), an antagonist of PI3K, blocked induction of a beta-R1 promoter-reporter construct. Studies with PTEN mutants suggested that the lipid kinase activity of PI3K was essential for IFN-beta-induced transcription of beta-R1. Consistent with this finding, a dominant-negative mutant of the serine-threonine kinase Akt, a downstream effector of PI3K, selectively blocked IFN-beta-mediated induction of the beta-R1 promoter reporter. Furthermore, IFN-beta-mediated phosphorylation of GST-p65 was blocked by pretreatment with LY294002. These data suggest that IFN-beta acts through PI3K to enhance the transactivation competence of NF-kappa B complexes through phosphorylation of p65 within the TAD. The results provide novel insight into the role of PI3K in the transcriptional response to IFN-beta.
Direct location of the minimum point on intersection seams of potential energy surfaces with equation-of-motion coupled-cluster methods

An implementation of the projected gradient method for locating the minimum energy crossing point between electronic states of different symmetry/multiplicity within the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster family of methods is reported. The method is applied to characterize the intersections between electronic states in , NO2, and para-benzyne using the excitation energies, ionization potential, and spin-flip variants of the equation-of-motion coupled-cluster methods. The performance of the algorithm is discussed and recommendations for improving the convergence in problematic situations are given.
Optimal controller design for nonlinear systems

The commonly used LQR method can be effective for systems with linear characteristics and for performance criteria that well match the minimisation of a quadratic functional form of a cost function. It may not produce a control that demonstrates optimal characteristics for systems which include hard nonlinearities such as nonlinear friction, asymmetric properties and limits imposed on the system states and control actuation. A controller design method is presented termed abbreviated dynamic programming control (ADPC) which condenses the large amount of data generated from the dynamic programming method into a time-invariant nonlinear feedback controller. An empirical system modelling technique is proposed in this research and applied to a single-link robot system to obtain both a linear and nonlinear system model. Using these system models an LQR and ADPC controller are established for this system. The abilities of these two controllers in minimising a predefined quadratic cost function are evaluated through both computer simulations and experimental test runs of this robot system. The ADPC controller is proved to be more effective at minimising the cost function and therefore providing optimal control.
A denoising approach to multisensor signal estimation

Multisensor array processing of noisy measurements has received considerable attention in many areas of signal processing. The optimal processing techniques developed so far usually assume that the signal and noise processes are at least wide sense stationary, yet a need exists for efficient, effective methods for processing nonstationary signals. Although wavelets have proven to be useful tools in dealing with certain nonstationary signals, the way in which wavelets are to be used in the multisensor setting is still an open question. Based on the structure for optimal linear estimation of nonstationary multisensor data and statistical models of spatial signal coherence, we propose a multisensor denoising algorithm that fully exploits, in a statistically optimal fashion, the additional information afforded by multisensor measurements. Under certain conditions, we show that the proposed estimator can be realized efficiently and robustly in a completely blind fashion, employing only wavelet and discrete Fourier transforms while entailing only a small loss in performance.
The enthalpy of formation of thorium tetrafluoride by fluorine bomb calorimetry

The energy of formation of thorium tetrafluoride was measured by combination of the elements in a bomb calorimeter. The standard enthalpy of formation, ΔHf° (ThF4, monoclinic, 298·15 K), was calculated to be −504·5 ± 1·2 kcal/mole.
Intelligent Real-Time Adaptation for Power Efficiency in Sensor Networks

This paper presents an intelligent, dynamic power conservation scheme for sensor networks in which the sensor network operation is adaptive to both changes in the objects under measurement and the network itself. The conservation scheme switches sensor nodes between a sleep and an active mode in a manner such that the nodes can maximize the time they spend in a power-efficient sleep state, which corresponds to a nonmeasuring and/or nontransmitting mode, while not missing important events. A switching decision is made based on changes (or their absence) in the signals sensed from the environment by an intelligent agent that has been trained to determine whether or not a special event has occurred. This intelligent agent is based on a novel neural network topology that allows for a significant reduction in the resource consumption required for its training and operation without compromising its change detection performance. The scheme was implemented to control a sensor network built from a number of Telos rev. B motes currently available on the market. A few new utilities including an original neural network-based intelligent agent, a ldquovisualizer,rdquo a communication manager, and a scheduler have been designed, implemented, and tested. Power consumption measurements taken in a laboratory environment confirm that use of the designed system results in a significant extension of sensor network lifetime (versus ldquoalways onrdquo systems) from a few days to a few years.
Food insecurity among homeless and runaway adolescents.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of food insecurity and factors related to it among homeless and runaway adolescents. Design: Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted with homeless and runaway adolescents directly on the streets and in shelters. Setting: Interviews were conducted in eight Midwest cities: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Kansas City, Lincoln, Omaha, St. Louis and Wichita. Subjects: The subjects were 428 (187 males; 241 females) homeless and runaway adolescents aged 16–19 years. Average age of the adolescents was 17.4 (standard deviation 1.05) years. Results: About one-third of the adolescents had experienced food insecurity in the past 30 days. Factors associated with food insecurity were age of adolescent, a history of caretaker neglect and abuse, having ever spent time directly on the street, a small post-runaway social network, and engaging in deviant and non-deviant street foodacquisition strategies. Conclusions: Based on these findings, our conservative estimate is that nationally more than 165 000 homeless and runaway adolescents experienced food insecurity in the past 30 days. These adolescents are largely hidden from public notice and they are usually missed in studies that address national hunger.
Investigating the reactivities of a polyketide synthase module through fluorescent click chemistry

A method for monitoring in vitro polyketide synthesis has been developed whereby nonchromophoric polyketide products are made brightly fluorescent in a simple, rapid, inexpensive, and bioorthogonal manner through CuAAC with a sulforhodamine B azide derivative.
Outcomes for the Surgical Management of Chiari I and Chiari II Malformations

An up-to-date, evidence-based review of the neurosurgical literature reveals that clinical outcomes following the operative management of Chiari I and II malformations have improved dramatically since these congenital disorders were first recognized as surgical diseases. A detailed assessment of major measurable postoperative parameters, including improvement in clinical signs and symptoms, resolution of syringomyelia, and progression of scoliosis, proves these procedures to be safe and effective when performed in a timely manner by an experienced neurosurgeon. Patients with CM-I routinely report a significant reduction in headache, neck pain, apnea, and syrinx-related symptoms and encounter low rates of complication or reoperation after posterior fossa decompression using a bone-only or intradural approach. Neonates and infants with CM-II have higher rates of symptomatic improvement and reversal of impairment when an operative intervention is made at the first sign of brainstem dysfunction. The current trend of less invasive bone-only surgical approaches, if shown in larger prospective trials to be superior to traditional decompressions with dural opening, will only add to the modern-day ­neurosurgeon’s ability to achieve excellent clinical outcomes with minimal risk in the treatment of patients with Chiari I and II malformations.
Sensitivity of solar energetic particle event doses to spectral hardness

Doses in critical body organs of human crews in interplanetary space from energetic solar particle events (SPE) vary widely with the size and spectral hardness of the event. In this work, we present a study of the sensitivities of calculated doses to the skin, ocular lens of the eye, and bone marrow, for crewmembers in deep space, to variations in solar energetic particle event fluence levels and spectral hardness. The calculations are performed by incrementally varying the fluence levels and spectral hardness and tracking changes in organ doses as a function of these variations. For simplicity in interpreting the results, we use the rigidity parameterization form for the SPE integral fluences. It was found that for harder spectra the doses are much larger and decrease less rapidly with increased shielding.
Stature and Scrutiny: Post-Exhaustion Review of Tribal Court Decisions

A pair of U.S. Supreme Court cases in the mid-1980s created the exhaustion doctrine of federal Indian law - that cases within federal jurisdiction that raise a colorable claim of tribal jurisdiction should be litigated first in tribal court. Only when tribal remedies are exhausted may the losing party seek review in federal court. This federal post-exhaustion review raises two central questions: First, what standard of review should the federal courts employ in reviewing tribal court determinations? And second, what exactly are the federal courts entitled to review once tribal remedies have been exhausted? Underlying these questions is the issue of differentiating between tribal law and federal law. The existing standard of review between the two varies dramatically. Tribal court determinations of tribal law are entitled to absolute deference while tribal court determinations of federal law are generally reviewed de novo. Although federal courts may redetermine at least some issues of federal law on post-exhaustion review, proper respect for tribal courts and legislatures mandates that federal courts not review issues of tribal law. Thus, this article argues that proper deference to the sovereign powers of Indian tribes and tribal courts requires the federal courts, on post-exhaustion review, to scrupulously distinguish tribal court rulings on tribal law from rulings on federal law. Given that federal courts have apparently taken de novo review powers over all questions of federal law decided by tribal courts (whether that is legitimate or not), tribal courts are in some danger of serving merely as preliminary fact finders for federal district courts. This article proposes that federal courts can preserve the rights and values of tribal courts as instruments of tribal self-government only by carefully limiting questions of federal law to appropriate issues.
What Is Made in America

Accurately determining how much of our economy’s total production is American-made can be a daunting task. However, data from the Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) can help shed light on the dollar value of what America produces, and what percentage of the dollar value of an industry’s output that is considered domestic. Gross output, value added, domestically-sourced inputs, and domestic content are all concepts that can be used to measure U.S. production and to estimate how much of that production is made in the United States. This report starts with the concept of gross output and then looks further, seeking to answer the question: “What is Made in America?”Our analysis reveals that in 2012: U.S. manufacturers sold $5.6 trillion of goods, $4.4 trillion (79 percent) of which was “Made in the U.S.A.” Value added directly by the manufacturing sector accounted for $1.9 trillion, while value added indirectly from all industries (including manufacturing) accounted for the remaining $2.5 trillion. In many cases, the portion of domestic content in U.S. production differs markedly from the domestic content on store shelves. For example, although the United States imported most of the apparel that consumers purchased, the apparel that was made in the United States contained 87 percent domestic content. Domestic content accounted for 51 cents of every dollar that U.S. consumers and businesses spent on manufactured goods. By industry, it ranged from a high of 79 cents per dollar of food, beverages, and tobacco products to a low of 7 cents per dollar of apparel. The four industries with the largest dollar values of American content were food, beverage, and tobacco products; chemicals; petroleum and coal products; and motor vehicles and parts. The petroleum and coal products industry, which is predominantly petroleum refining, was the only manufacturing industry whose gross output was less than 70 percent domestic content.Although manufacturing employment has been growing, jobs in manufacturing are affected by, among other things, increased automation, productivity gains, exchange rate fluctuations, trade agreements, and import prices that affect how manufacturers build their supply chains.
Thermodynamics of Segregation in Multi-Component Alloys

Thermodynamic equations are developed to express segregation in multicomponent alloys. These equations use concepts of excess partial free energies and activity coefficients and can be used in a wide variety of situations, including those where the segregating elements, such as sulfur, form strong chemical compounds in the bulk. A lower surface tension of the segregating element in relation to that of the alloy promotes its segregation. The segregation factor is also directly related to the activity/activity coefficient of the segregating element. The validity of our equations is checked by comparing the results of calculated segregation factors with the published values on sulfur segregation in Ni-S, Cr-S, Al-S, and Y-S alloys and on lead segregation in Pb-In and Pb-Sn alloys.
Two-Dimensional Chirped-Pulse Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopy

Two-dimensional (2D) correlation techniques are developed for chirped-pulse Fourier transform microwave (CP-FTMW) spectroscopy. The broadband nature of the spectrometer coupled with fast digital electronics permits the generation of arbitrary pulse sequences and simultaneous detection of the 8–18 GHz region of the microwave spectrum. This significantly increases the number of rotation transitions that can be simultaneously probed, as well as the bandwidth in both frequency dimensions. We theoretically and experimentally evaluate coherence transfer of three- and four-level systems to relate the method with previous studies. We then extend the principles of single-quantum and autocorrelation to incorporate broadband excitation and detection. Global connectivity of the rotational energy level structure is demonstrated through the transfer of multiple coherences in a single 2D experiment. Additionally, open-system effects are observed from irradiating many-level systems. Quadrature detection in the indirectly...
Study of Thermal Stresses in Skewed Integral Abutment Steel Girder Bridges

This paper examines the response of an integral abutment bridge to uniform temperature variations and the effect of resulting axial stresses on the performance of the bridge superstructure. For thi...
Predictors of fecal transplant failure

BackgroundClostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a significant healthcare burden, with increased morbidity and mortality. Traditional treatment regimens using antibiotics for recurrent CDI are significantly less successful compared with 80–90% with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). There is
Photochemical Aging of Light-Absorbing Secondary Organic Aerosol Material

Dark reactions of methylglyoxal with NH4+ in aqueous aerosols yield light-absorbing and surface-active products that can influence the physical properties of the particles. Little is known about how the product mixture and its optical properties will change due to photolysis as well as oxidative aging by O3 and OH in the atmosphere. Here, we report the results of kinetics and product studies of the photochemical aging of aerosols formed by atomizing aqueous solutions of methylglyoxal and ammonium sulfate. Experiments were performed using aerosol flow tube reactors coupled with an aerosol chemical ionization mass spectrometer (Aerosol–CIMS) for monitoring gas- and particle-phase compositions. Particles were also impacted onto quartz windows in order to assess changes in their UV–visible absorption upon oxidation. Photooxidation of the aerosols leads to the formation of small, volatile organic acids including formic acid, acetic acid, and glyoxylic acid. The atmospheric lifetime of these species during the ...
Robust Multi-UAV Data Collection

In this paper we speciflcally deal with the coordination of a team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) assigned the task of collecting data from a set of remote unattended ground sensors (UGSs) over time. The control center creates time-limited sensor-visit tasks and assigns them to the UAVs. The tasks should be created and distributed in such a way that the data at the control center is as up-to-date as possible while the sum of distances traveled by the UAVs is minimized. We present a market-based coordination system for assigning the tasks to team members. Frequent auctioning, time limited contracts, and time-dependent prices, which are essential parts of our implementation, make it robust to failures such as UAV or UGS deaths or temporary communication failures. We have shown how the communication range and re-auctioning can in∞uence the quality of the solution. The adaptation of this method to team modiflcations is also validated empirically.
Research and implementation of reliability on three layer distributed application system

Three layer distributed application system runs on network, but no reliability of network brings a result that the system can not work. This problem is often ignored by developer of the system, but the aftereffect is severe. By use of application server principle, the cause is analysed and the way is brought that status reliability is realized by transaction service and process reliability is realized by tolerance failure service.
Multi-state System Reliability Modeling and Assessment Based on Bayesian Networks

By using the advantages of uncertainty reasoning and figurative expression of Bayesian network,a new method of modeling and assessment of multi-state system reliability based on BN is proposed to determine the nodes of BN and the multiple states of elements of system,and to give the probability of each state and then utilizing conditional probability distributing(CPD) to describe the relationship among the element states,so as to express the states of correlated nodes and build a BN model of multi-state system.The model can clearly express the multiple states of system and elements and the state probability,and also can directly calculate the system reliability on the basis of multiple state probabilities of elements,thereby carrying out qualitative analysis and quantitative assessment of multi-state system reliability.Analysis of practical examples proves the effectiveness of assessment of multi-state system reliability by using BN method.
Pre-Existing Uninhibited Bladder Facilitating Drug-Induced Enuresis: Four Case Reports*:

The author presents four cases of antipsychotic drug-induced enuresis preceded by occult symptoms of mild uninhibited bladder. Pre-existing uninhibited bladder may facilitate some cases of antipsyc...
Remnants of an Ancient Metabolism without Phosphate

Phosphate is essential for all living systems, serving as a building block of genetic and metabolic machinery. However, it is unclear how phosphate could have assumed these central roles on primordial Earth, given its poor geochemical accessibility. We used systems biology approaches to explore the alternative hypothesis that a protometabolism could have emerged prior to the incorporation of phosphate. Surprisingly, we identified a cryptic phosphate-independent core metabolism producible from simple prebiotic compounds. This network is predicted to support the biosynthesis of a broad category of key biomolecules. Its enrichment for enzymes utilizing iron-sulfur clusters, and the fact that thermodynamic bottlenecks are more readily overcome by thioester rather than phosphate couplings, suggest that this network may constitute a "metabolic fossil" of an early phosphate-free nonenzymatic biochemistry. Our results corroborate and expand previous proposals that a putative thioester-based metabolism could have predated the incorporation of phosphate and an RNA-based genetic system. PAPERCLIP.
The CD45−LIN− Adult Marrow-Derived CXCR4+ SSEA-1+ Oct-4+ Very Small Embryonic-Like (VSEL) Stem Cells Form In Vitro Spheres Which May Differentiate into CD45+ Hematopoietic Cells.

Recently we identified in murine BM a homogenous population of rare (~0.01% of BMMNC) Sca-1 + lin − CD45 − cells that express by RQ-PCR and immunhistochemistry markers of pluripotent stem cells (PSC) such as SSEA-1, Oct-4, Nanog and Rex-1 and highly express Rif-1 telomerase protein (Leukemia 2006;20,857–869). Direct electronmicroscopical analysis revealed that these cells display several features typical for primary embryonic stem cells such as i) a small size (~2–4 μm in diameter), ii) a large nuclei surrounded by a narrow rim of cytoplasm, and iii) open-type chromatin (euchromatin). These cells isolated freshly from the BM neither grow hematopoietic colonies nor radioprotect lethally irradiated recipients. Recently, however, we noticed that purified VSELs in co-cultures with C2C12 murine sarcoma supportive feeder-layer grow spheres and cells from these VSEL-derived spheres (VSEL-DS) are composed of immature cells with large nuclei containing euchromatin, and similarly as VSELs are CXCR4 + SSEA-1 + Oct-4 + . We found that cells from VSEL-DS after re-plating over C2C12 cells may again (up to 5–7 passages) grow new embryoid-like bodies or if plated into cultures promoting tissue differentiation show pluripotency and expand into cells from all three germ-cell layers. Based on this we tested if CD45− VSEL-DS cells could also differentiate into the hematopoietic lineage. To address this issue we employed similar culture conditions that are employed for hematopoietic differentiation of established embryonic stem cell lines. We noticed that VSEL-DS cells if cultured/passaged in methylocellulose cultures supplemented with hematopoietic growth factors (KL, IL-3, EpO and GM-CSF) give rise to colonies composed of myeloid (CD45 + Gr-1 + ) and erythroid (Terr-119 + ) hematopoietic cells. The hematopoietic differentiation of VSEL-DS cells was accompanied by upregulation of mRNA for several genes regulating hematopoiesis (e.g. PU-1, c-myb, LMO2, Ikaros). Based on this we postulate that VSELs that reside in bone marrow may contribute to hematopoiesis. We also provide direct evidence that CD45 + cells may derive from a CD45 − population. We postulate that VSELs are closely related to a population of long-term engrafting hematopoietic stem cells and currently we are testing this possibility in animal models.
Nd recovery from magnetic waste and its preliminary analysis by neutron activation analysis

ABSTRACTThe products of the new information and communication technologies (NTIC), whose life often not exceed three years, became consumables to the computer image and other waste that contains neodymium and praseodymium (rare earths); in this field of management, treatment, and recycling of waste, we propose the recovery of elements such as neodymium and praseodymium, from the super-magnet Nd–Fe–B. Our study provides a simple and inexpensive process. The implementation scheme of our project consists of a first step in developing a plan of experience that has been made specifically to perform the optimization of operating conditions of the precipitation process. This experimental design was inspired by a statistical technique advanced design of experiments known factorial design. The method begins by embrittlement in liquid nitrogen (−196°C), dissolution in an acidic solution and recovered by a unit operation of chemical engineering, we add an oxalic acid solution to precipitate Nd as neodymium oxalate, ...
Pannexin Channel Inhibition: An Evolving Target to Lower Blood Pressure?

More than 50 years after spironolactone has come on the market its mechanism of action continues to expand. In this issue of Circulation Research , Good et al1 document the discovery that spironolactone is not only an inhibitor of the mineralocorticoid receptor but also inhibits pannexin 1 channels. Article, see p 606 Resistant hypertension (RH), defined as blood pressure (BP) >140/90 mm Hg despite the use of three antihypertensive agents, is well-recognized and not rare.2 For drug treatment of RH, first-line drug choices for BP control include (1) a diuretic (should be included unless not tolerated), (2) either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin-receptor blocker, and (3) a calcium channel blocker and in certain patients a β-blocker.3 Based on several smaller clinical trials, guidelines recommend to add the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists spironolactone or eplerenone when BP remains uncontrolled.3 Recently the randomized controlled PATHWAY-2 trial showed a superior beneficial effect of spironolactone in patients on optimal three-drug regimen in a double-blind crossover setting over the alternative drugs bisoprolol (β-receptor blocker) and doxazosin (α-receptor blocker).4 Results showed that spironolactone lowered systolic BP by −8.7 mm Hg, whereas bisoprolol and doxazosin were also effective but inferior with −4.5 mm Hg and −4.0 mm Hg reduction, respectively. Spironolactone’s well-recognized mode of action is the antagonism of the MR in the distal tubule of the kidney. Activation of the MR by aldosterone leads to its translocation into the nucleus and subsequent changes in gene expression. The net effect on ion and water homeostasis is sodium retention, volume increase, and potassium excretion. Antagonizing the MR has therefore the opposite …
A Theory of Sociality, Morality, and Monsters: Adam Smith and Mary Shelley

The moral philosopher and political economist Adam Smith (1723-1790) and the author Mary Shelley (1798-1851) are studied in different spheres of the academy, for rather different purposes, with no supposed reason for dialogue. We claim in a close concurrent reading, however, that Smith and Shelley share a common project to connect humanity with mutuality, morality with sociality. Our narrative entwines Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments with Shelley’s Frankenstein to reveal the critical nature of human sociality for our morality.
Using Facebook To Recruit Pregnant Women for Research.

Background An estimated 80% of clinical trials fail to meet recruitment and enrollment goals. Recruitment can be even more challenging when vulnerable populations are the focus of the study. This problem may be mitigated with the use of contemporary and innovative methods such as Facebook recruitment. Objectives The purpose of this brief is to detail an account of diversifying recruitment strategies with the use of Facebook to recruit pregnant women into research. Methods This brief was derived from a parent study that aimed to examine relationships among social determinants of health, psychophysiological stress, and mental health in pregnant women. A Facebook account was created in which the principal investigator (PI) sought permission and posted in private Facebook groups about the research study. All data reported and analyzed in this brief are frequencies of Facebook activity including, likes, shares, comments, referrals (i.e., tags), and participants enrolled. Results Target enrollment for the parent study was met, with a total enrollment of 82 participants. The PI gained approval from 100% of the 61 private Facebook groups. Over 75% of the total sample was recruited in 48 days via Facebook. The greatest frequency of likes, shares, comments, and referrals by the recruitment flyer were generated from the sell/trade/jobs page. However, the greatest frequency of participants enrolled viewed the flyer in Facebook groups focused on parent discussion. Facebook groups classified as events, nonparent discussion, and miscellaneous were generally unsuccessful in yielding participants. Discussion In order to decrease the time lag between research and practice, and to enroll more participants, innovative strategies are necessary. Although there is evidence that Facebook was useful in recruiting a sample of pregnant women into research, Facebook may also be a useful resource in recruiting other populations into research as well.
Analysis of nematode-endosymbiont coevolution in the Xiphinema americanum species complex using molecular markers of variable evolutionary rates

Bacterial symbioses play important roles in shaping diverse biological processes in nematodes, and serve as targets in nematode biocontrol strategies. Focusing on the Xiphinema americanum species complex, we expanded upon recent research investigating patterns of coevolution between Xiphinema spp. and Xiphinematobacter spp., utilising two symbiont genetic markers of varying evolutionary rates. Phylogenetic analysis of nematode mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) revealed five strongly supported major clades. Analysis of slow-evolving 16S rDNA in bacterial symbionts resulted in a phylogenetic topology composed of four major clades that grouped taxa highly congruent with the nematode mtDNA topology. A faster evolving protein-coding symbiont gene (nad) provided more phylogenetic resolution with seven well-supported clades, also congruent with the nematode mtDNA tree topology. Our results reinforce recent studies suggesting extensive coevolution between Xiphinema spp. and their vertically transmitted endosymbionts Xiphinematobacter spp. and illustrate the advantages of including genetic markers of varying evolutionary rates in coevolutionary and phylogenetic studies.
Volume Approximations of Strongly Pseudoconvex Domains

In convex geometry, the Blaschke surface area measure on the boundary of a convex domain can be interpreted in terms of the complexity of approximating polyhedra. This approach is formulated in the holomorphic setting to establish an alternate interpretation of Fefferman’s hypersurface measure on boundaries of strongly pseudoconvex domains in $$\mathbb {C}^2$$ . In particular, it is shown that Fefferman’s measure can be recovered from the Bergman kernel of the domain.
β-Hydroxy-Stabilized Boron–Nitrogen Heterocycles Enable Rapid and Efficient C-Terminal Protein Modification

Bioorthogonal chemistry has enabled the development of bioconjugates in physiological environments while averting interference from endogenous biomolecules. Reactions between carbonyl-containing mo...
Correction to: The effect of Tegaderm™ versus EyeGard® on eyelid erythema during general anesthesia: a randomized-controlled trial.

In the article entitled: “The effect of Tegaderm™ versus EyeGard® on eyelid erythema during general anesthesia: a randomized-controlled trial” published online and in the May 2020 print issue of the Journal, Can J Anesth 2020; DOI: 10.1007/s12630-020-01588-6, the trial registration date in the abstract should read 25 May, 2018 (instead of 8 June, 2018).
Patients With Natural Killer (NK) Cell Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Have Immature NK Cells and Hyperactivation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and STAT1 Pathways.

Background Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) presents with high levels of viral genomes in blood and tissue infiltration with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive lymphocytes. The pathogenesis of CAEBV is poorly understood. Methods We evaluated 2 patients with natural killer (NK) cell CAEBV and studied their NK cell phenotype and signaling pathways in cells. Results Both patients had increased numbers of NK cells, EBV predominantly in NK cells, and immature NK cells in the blood. Both patients had increased phosphorylation of Akt, S6, and STAT1 in NK cells, and increased total STAT1. Treatment of 1 patient with sirolimus reduced phosphorylation of S6 in T and B cells, but not in NK cells and did not reduce levels of NK cells or EBV DNA in the blood. Treatment of both patients' cells with JAK inhibitors in vitro reduced phosphorylated STAT1 to normal. Patients with T- or B-cell CAEBV had increased phosphorylation of Akt and S6 in NK cells, but no increase in total STAT1. Conclusions The increase in phosphorylated Akt, S6, and STAT1, as well as immature NK cells describe a new phenotype for NK cell CAEBV. The reduction of STAT1 phosphorylation in their NK cells with JAK inhibitors suggests a novel approach to therapy.
Poetic Transcription in the Sociology Classroom: Developing Empathy, Analytical Skills, Creativity, and Engagement.

This note overviews a class activity and an assignment for engaging poetic transcription. Poetic transcription is an arts-based research method commonly employed in the analysis and representation ...
Pandemic and Sport: The Challenges and Implications of Publicly Financed Sporting Venues in an Era of No Fans

Professional sport leagues suspended their seasons as Covid-19 became a part of daily life in March 2020, leaving stadiums and arenas across the country empty. Lost in the hysteria of the global pa...
Effects of Event Probability and Animatedness on Children's Comprehension of Active and Passive Sentences.

Thirty-six three-, four-, and five-year-old boys and girls were asked to act out, with appropriate toys, 48 sentences presented with instructions to make the toys do what E said. Sentences were des...
Co-opted boards and earnings management: Evidence of reduced short-termist behavior:

This study contributes to the emerging literature on board co-option by examining how and to what extent co-opted directors influence managers’ attitudes about earnings management. We find robust e...
“Citizens Too”: Safety Setting Collaboration Among Older Adults with Memory Concerns

Designing technologies that support the cybersecurity of older adults with memory concerns involves wrestling with an uncomfortable paradox between surveillance and independence and the close collaboration of couples. This research captures the interactions between older adult couples where one or both have memory concerns—a primary feature of cognitive decline—as they make decisions on how to safeguard their online activities using a Safety Setting probe we designed, and over the course of several informal interviews and a diary study. Throughout, couples demonstrated a collaborative mentality to which we apply a frame of citizenship in opensource collaboration, specifically (a) histories of participation, (b) lower barriers to participation, and (c) maintaining ongoing contribution. In this metaphor of collaborative enterprise, one partner (or member of the couple) may be the service provider and the other may be the participant, but at varying moments, they may switch roles while still maintaining a collaborative focus on preserving shared assets and freedom on the internet. We conclude with a discussion of what this service provider-contributor mentality means for empowerment through citizenship, and implications for vulnerable populations’ cybersecurity.
Old English intensifiers: The beginnings of the English intensifier system

Abstract While many studies have employed variationist methods to examine longitudinal changes in the English intensifier system, to date, no variationist studies have tackled the intensifier system of Old English. By providing a critical view of this system at an earlier stage in the history of the English language, the present study adds to the long tradition of scholarship on intensifiers while providing new insight into their diachronic development. Despite its antiquity, several parallels can be drawn with the intensifier system at later stages in the language. Both internal and external factors are found to constrain this system, with predicative adjectives favoring intensification over attributive adjectives, prose texts having higher intensification rates than verse texts, Latin-based texts having higher intensification rates than vernacular texts, and the rate of intensification increasing over time. The quantitative analysis of the Old English system also increases the time depth necessary for a more detailed reflection on the diachronic recycling, replacement, and renewal of intensifiers. Language contact and borrowing are also postulated as driving forces of innovation and replacement in earlier stages of the English language.
Digital light processing-based 3D printing of polytetrafluoroethylene solid microneedle arrays

This study evaluated the structural and skin penetration properties of solid microneedle arrays made by digital light processing-based 3D printing of polytetrafluoroethylene. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the microneedles exhibited uniform heights. Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nanoindentation, and contact angle results indicated that the composition, carbon–fluorine bonding, reduced elastic modulus, and contact angle values of the 3D-printed polytetrafluoroethylene corresponded with those of bulk polytetrafluoroethylene, respectively. Methyl blue was used to evaluate the human skin penetration functionality of the microneedle array. Our results indicate that digital light processing is appropriate for manufacturing polytetrafluoroethylene medical devices.
Eye Tracking Techniques

The measurement device most often used for measuring eye movements is commonly known as an eye tracker.
Fingerprinting polysaccharides with single-molecule atomic force microscopy.

We report the use of an atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based force spectroscopy technique to identify, at the single-molecule level, the components of mixtures of polysaccharides. Previously, we showed that the elasticity of certain types of polysaccharides is governed by force-induced conformational transitions of the pyranose ring. These transitions produce atomic fingerprints in the force–extension spectrum that are characteristic of the ground-energy conformation of the pyranose ring and the type of glycosidic linkages. Using this approach we find that commercially available agarose and λ-carrageenan contain molecules that, when stretched in an atomic force microscope, produce a force spectrum characteristic of α-(1→4) d-glucans. We have identified these molecules as amylopectin or floridean starch, a storage polysaccharide in algae. Our methodology can identify individual polysaccharide molecules in solution, which is not possible by any other spectroscopic technique, and therefore is an important addition to the arsenal of analytical techniques used in carbohydrate research.
3 HPLC columns and packings

Abstract In this chapter on HPLC columns, we are discussing both the surface chemistry of a packing as well as column design and performance. In the section that covers column chemistry, we cover modern options of base materials as well as the commonly used approaches towards the surface chemistry of a packing. Specific subsections are dedicated to the selectivity of reversed-phase packings, HILIC, monolithic structures, and the reproducibility of modern packings. In the section on speed and resolution, we familiarize the reader with the principles of how to choose a column. In the section on specialty columns, we cover briefly preparative chromatography and columns with a very small diameter.