cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Label‐Free Affinity Assays by Rapid Detection of Immune Complexes in Submicrometer Pores

We present herein a method that uses a submicrometer pore to detect and characterize immune complexes consisting of proteins such as staphylococcal enterotoxin B (an agent with bioterrorism potential) and polyclonal antibodies. The assay is rapid, label free, requires no immobilization or modification of the antibody or antigen, and achieves single-aggregate sensitivity by monitoring changes in electrical resistance when immune complexes pass through the submicrometer pore. Adopting a recently developed nanofabrication technique based on a femtosecond-pulsed laser made it possible to fabricate pores with conical geometries and diameters as small as 575 nm. These pores allowed sensing of immune complexes that consisted of 610–17 300 proteins and detection of proteins at concentrations as low as 30 nm. Monitoring the passage of individual immune complexes enabled determination of the size distribution and the growth of these complexes. This method senses immune complexes (and potentially other molecules or nanoparticles that can be induced to form specific assemblies) in solution, and the antibody or antigen to be detected can be present in complex media such as serum. Owing to the small footprint and simple detection scheme, submicrometer pore-based sensing of specific complexes may enable portable or high-throughput immunoassays for diagnostics and biodefense. Coulter counting, which monitors the transient change in resistance (resistive pulse) that occurs when a particle passes
Crop-yield and economic comparisons of organic, low-input, and conventional farming systems in California's Sacramento Valley

We compared the crop yields and economic performance of organic, low- input, and conventional farming systems over an eight-year period based on research from the Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems (SAFS) Project in California's Sacra- mento Valley. The SAFS Project consisted offour farming-system treatments that differed in material input use and crop rotation sequence. The treatments included four-year rotations under conventional (conv-4), low-input, and organic management, and a con- ventionally-managed, two-year rotation (conv-2). The four-year rotations included pro- cessing tomato, safflower, corn, and bean and a winter grain and/or legume double- cropped with bean. The conv-2 treatment was a tomato and wheat rotation. In the low- input and organic systems, inorganic fertilizer and synthetic pesticide inputs were reduced or eliminated largely through crop rotation, legume cover crops, composted manure applications, and mechanical cultivation. All crops, except safflower, demonstrated significant yield differences across farming systems in at least some years of the experiment. Yields of tomato and corn, the most nitrogen (N)-demanding crops in the rotations, responded most years to the farming- system years treatments, while bean and the winter grain/legume displayed treatment differences less often and instead tended to vary more with yearly growing conditions. Nitrogen availability and/or weed competition appeared to account for lower crop yields in the organic and low-input systems in some years. The economics of all farming systems depended mainly on the costs and profits associated with tomato production. The most profitable system was the conv-2 system due to the greater frequency of tomato in that system. Among the four-year rotations, the organic system was the most profitable. However, this system's dependence on price premiums leads to some concern over its long-term economic viability. Among the low-input cropping systems, corn demonstrated clear agronomic and economic advantages over conventional production methods. Based upon these findings, we suggest that future research on organic and low-input farming systems focus on developing cost-effective fertility and weed management options based upon improved understanding of N dynamics and weed ecology.
Highly diastereoselective addition to a novel chiral oxazinone. Further approaches to chiral quaternary carbon compounds.

Abstract The chiral bicyclic oxazinone 2d, readily obtained, show high diastereoselective 1,4-addition of cuprates and catalyzed hydrogenation.
Place, taste, or face-to-face? Understanding producer-consumer networks in ''local'' food systems in Washington State

In an increasingly globalized food economy, local agri-food initiatives are promoted as more sustainable alternatives, both for small-scale producers and ecologically conscious consumers. However, revitalizing local agri-food communities in rural agro-industrial regions is particularly challenging. This case study examines Grant and Chelan Counties, two industrial farming regions in rural Central Washington State, distant from the urban fringe. Farmers in these counties have tried diversifying large-scale processing into organics and marketing niche and organic produce at popular farmers markets in Seattle about 200 miles away. Such strategies invoke the question, “How are ‘local’ agri-food networks socially and geographically defined?” The meaning of what constitutes “local” and/or “sustainable” systems merits consideration in the linking of these rural counties with distant urban farmers markets. Employing historical, in-depth interview and survey research, we analyze production and consumption networks and the non-market systems that residents in these counties access for self-provisioning and food security.
A Hedonic Valuation of Health and Nonhealth Attributes in the U.S. Yogurt Market

The U.S. yogurt category encompasses a multitude of subcategories including products carrying health-related attributes, some products targeting specific segments of the population (i.e., yogurt for kids), and others of recent introduction (e.g., Greek-style yogurts). Given the numerous attributes that can be present in a product, characterizing those leading to a higher premium can help manufacturers to engage in profitable product formulation. This paper investigates the role played by health and nonhealth-related attributes on yogurt prices in the United States, both at the national level and in different geographic markets, by means of a large scanner database of yogurt sales and a hedonic price model. The findings indicate that health-related attributes more commonly associated with yogurts such as the presence of probiotics, specific health claims, and other credence attributes (i.e., organic and “natural”) are valued positively while others, which may lead to lower product acceptance (e.g., fibers, Omega-3) are not. Nonhealth-related features, such as “for kids” and Greek-style, show a positive market value, thus helping in product differentiation. The magnitude of the implicit price of most product attributes is found to vary across markets, hinting that food manufacturers should consider market-specific product formulation strategies to achieve product differentiation more effectively.
Interactions of fatty acids with the calcium release channel in malignant hyperthermia.

The anesthesia-induced malignant hyperthermia (MH) syndrome has been suggested to be a consequence of a halothane-sensitive defect in Ca2+ regulation, based on muscle rigidity during the syndrome and the increase in Ca2+ in isolated fiber bundles exposed to halothane. Additionally, the threshold of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (TCICR) is lower than normal in isolated fractions of heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum (HSR) from porcine MH muscle.1,2 However, the defect need not reside in the Ca2+-release channel protein, as there are reports of nonrigid MH in humans3 and loss of Ca2+ regulation could be the result of a disturbance in fatty acid metabolism.4 The present study examines fatty acid metabolism and the influence of fatty acids on various aspects of Ca2+ regulation and on caffeine, halothane and succinylcholine action in normal and MH muscle. Additionally, since phenytoin has been suggested to antagonize MH,5 its effects on Ca2+ regulation and fatty acid metabolism have been examined.
Brownian Approximations and Truncated Tests

The central role of the normal distribution in statistics arises because of its simplicity and usefulness as an approximation to other probability distributions. In sequential analysis considerable additional simplification results from approximating sums of independent random variables x l + · · · + x n in discrete time by a Brownian motion process W(t), 0 ≤ t < ∞ in continuous time. Although this approximation is rarely quantitatively adequate (cf. Section 5), its comparative simplicity leads to appreciable qualitative insight; and quantitatively it does provide a first, crude approximation which can often be used as a basis for subsequent refinement. This chapter is concerned primarily with sequential tests for the mean of a Brownian motion process. Various truncated modifications of the sequential probability ratio test will be introduced, and problems of estimates and attained significance levels relative to sequential tests will be discussed.
Systematic restaging in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the need to define complete remission.

Improved treatment programs for lymphoma have led to the hope of cure for many patients [5, 7, 17]. In the past, treatment was often palliative, and the need to rigorously define the quality of response was small. Now, however, the majority of patients experience the disappearance of clinical symptoms and signs of disease, and accordingly a strong need has emerged to define the “completeness” of remission as an endpoint to treatment (with prognostic value) and as a basis for comparing the relative efficacy of various therapeutic programs. Accordingly, a plan for systematic and thorough reevaluation of all patients in apparent complete remission was incorporated into the latest Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) trial of induction therapy for patients with advanced stages of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). We have previously reported the initial findings of “systematic restaging” for assessing the completeness of response in these patients [11]. This paper will extend these observations to a larger number of patients with NHL who have been restaged and will also examine the impact of restaging upon their ensuing course.
SIRT3-AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Activation by Nitrite and Metformin Improves Hyperglycemia and Normalizes Pulmonary Hypertension Associated With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

Background —Pulmonary hypertension associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF) is an increasingly recognized clinical complication of metabolic syndrome. No adequate animal model of PH-HFpEF is available and no effective therapies have been identified to date. A recent study suggested that dietary nitrate improves insulin resistance in eNOS null mice, and multiple studies have reported that both nitrate and its active metabolite, nitrite, have therapeutic activity in pre-clinical models of PH. Methods and Results —In order to evaluate the efficacy and mechanism of nitrite in metabolic syndrome associated with PH-HFpEF, we developed a "two-hit" PH-HFpEF model in rats with multiple features of metabolic syndrome due to double leptin receptor defect (obese ZSF1) with the combined treatment of VEGF receptor blocker SU5416. Chronic oral nitrite treatment improved hyperglycemia in obese ZSF1 rats by a process that requires skeletal muscle SIRT3-AMPK-GLUT4 signaling. The glucose lowering effect of nitrite was abolished in SIRT3 deficient human skeletal muscle cells, as well as in SIRT3 knockout mice fed a high-fat diet. Skeletal muscle biopsies from humans with metabolic syndrome after 12 weeks of oral sodium nitrite and nitrate treatment (IND#115926) displayed increased activation of SIRT3 and AMPK. Finally, early treatments with nitrite and metformin at the time of SU5416 injection reduced pulmonary pressures and vascular remodeling in the PH-HFpEF model with robust activation of skeletal muscle SIRT3 and AMPK. Conclusions —These studies validate a rodent model of metabolic syndrome and PH-HFpEF, suggesting a potential role of nitrite and metformin as a preventative treatment for this disease.
Regular walking increases peak limb vasodilatory capacity of older hypertensive humans: implications for arterial structure

BACKGROUND Although regular aerobic exercise has been shown to lower arterial blood pressure in older adult humans with essential hypertension, the mechanisms responsible for this hypotensive effect remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVE To examine the hypothesis that the reduction in arterial blood pressure in older hypertensive humans with regular exercise is accompanied by evidence of a change in arterial structure. METHODS We measured peak limb vascular conductance, a well-established noninvasive measure of arterial structure, both in the forearm (untrained limb) and in the calf (exercise-trained limb) of 22 older adults (aged 51-74 years) with stage 1 or 2 essential hypertension. Eleven subjects walked 3-4 days/week at a mild exercise intensity (45% of heart rate reserve) for 6 months. Eleven other subjects served as nonexercising controls. RESULTS Maximal oxygen consumption of subjects in the exercise group increased by 17% (P < 0.05) with no change in body mass and body fat. Systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressures at rest were reduced by 7 +/- 4 and 5 +/- 2 mmHg, respectively (P < 0.05). There were roughly 20% increases in peak forearm blood flow and peak forearm vascular conductance (both P < 0.05). Similar increases in peak calf blood flow and vascular conductance were observed (both P < 0.01). There were no significant changes in any of these variables over the same time period for the nonexercising controls. CONCLUSIONS The decrease in resting blood pressure in older adults with stage 1 or 2 essential hypertension in response to regular aerobic exercise is associated with an increase in peak limb vascular conductance, which could be due in part to favorable changes in arterial structure. These exercise-induced functional and, possibly, structural changes are not confined to the exercise-trained limbs, but rather are more systemic in nature. These apparent beneficial changes in limb vasodilatory capacity and vascular structure can be produced with a mode, intensity, and frequency of aerobic exercise that can be tolerated and is commonly performed by older adults.
Research on application of entropy-unascertained measure theory in tailing pond safety standardization

To seek a method which can be used to evaluate the operation status of safety standardization by themselves for the enterprise of tailing pond,the information entropy and unascertained measure theory was lead up. To build an evaluation index system of operation status for safety standardization of tailing pond enterprises,17 independent evaluation indexes were chosen from three aspects including demands,execution and achievement. The observations of index were set by stratifying sampling employees to score on index. The weight of index was made by information entropy,and excellent,good,medium and poor were used as the evaluation level with representing level 1,level 2,level 3 and unqualified level of safety standardization level. Considering the maneuverability,the linear function was used as single index measure function. The evaluation results on operation status of safety standardization were given by using confidence identification criterion to judge ranks. The model was applied in five tailings pond enterprises,and compared with the expert appraisal results. The results showed that the evaluation results of entropy- unascertained measure model the operation status for safety standardization of tailing pond agreed well with the actual situation,and error was in the acceptable scope.
Value and Limitations of Auscultation in the Management of Congenital Heart Disease

The skill of auscultation of the heart must be learned by supervised experience with patients in whom a wide variety of normal and abnormal heart sounds and murmurs can be heard. Many highly competent physicians responsible for diagnosis and treatment of the pediatric cardiology patient may not be aware that they have not yet become experts at auscultation. Once learned, the skill can be maintained only by frequent practice in hearing and evaluating both subtle and obvious sounds emanating from the heart and from the pulmonary and systemic blood vessels. The value of auscultation of the heart cannot be ignored.
Osteoid osteoma of the upper extremity.

SUMMARY Osteoid osteomas, relatively rare lesions in the upper extremity, can be a persistent source of hand or wrist pain. Patients under age 40 who have otherwise unexplained pain should be evaluated. Relief of pain with oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should suggest the possibility of osteoid osteoma. Examination may demonstrate localized swelling or joint effusion. Radiographs should be examined for sclerosis in the region of pain. If radiographs are nondiagnostic, a bone scan should be obtained. If the nidus cannot be clearly visualized by radiography and bone scan, a CT scan should be obtained. If the location of the nidus makes excision difficult without removal of a large block of bone, localization with a CT-guided needle or by radioisotope labeling will help to assure removal of the nidus.
The role of mediator strength in learning from retrieval.

Abstract Previous studies have provided support for the idea that information activated during retrieval can act as a mediator that facilitates later recall of a target. Evidence for this has been obtained from a paradigm involving independent cues in which participants initially learn cue-target pairs through retrieval (Mother: _____) or restudying (Mother: Child), and later show stronger benefits of retrieval over restudy in recalling targets from final test cues that are strongly related to the original cue (Father: _____) compared to cues that are unrelated to the original cues (Birth: _____). The current study used a new paradigm to explore the role of mediators in learning from retrieval by comparing the advantage of retrieval over restudying for cue-target pairs that varied in mediator strength (i.e., the strength of the strongest first associate to the cue). Across three experiments, items higher in mediator strength (e.g., Chalk: Crayon, with Chalk producing its strongest first associate Board at a rate of .69) produced stronger testing effects than items lower in mediator strength (e.g., Soup: Onion, with Soup producing its strongest first associate Chicken at a rate of .10). Item analyses revealed that mediator strength was positively associated with final test recall of items learned through retrieval but not through restudying, and this relationship held after controlling for other linguistic properties of the cues.
Mass Determinations in Spiral Galaxies; Non-Circular Motions

The most direct method of determining masses of spiral galaxies is to measure their rotation from line-of-sight velocity measurements. One can use either ionized gas (H II regions or generally-distributed ionized gas), atomic hydrogen (21-cm measures), or stars. The basic methods are described in a review by Perek (1962) and by Burbidge and Burbidge (1975). The basic principle is that one considers the acceleration of the gas or stars under the action of the gravitational field being exerted by the object under study. Since accelerations cannot be directly observed, they must be deduced from observations of the velocity field at one instant of time. Thus certain assumptions are implicit.
Comparative genomics and the diversity of life

In the last decade, genomics has come to play a central role in systematics and biodiversity research. In coming years, systematics and phylogenetics will come to play an increasingly important role in genomics. Here, we address the false dichotomy between descriptive- and hypothesis-driven work, discuss the power of descriptive genomics to test questions of broad interest and explore the applications and challenges that arise as comparative genomic analyses come to include more species. Integrated phylogenetic analyses of genome sequences and organism phenotypes across many species will provide a powerful window on genome function that can be used to answer many questions that to date were only tractable in laboratory model systems. Many challenges will arise as the numbers of species in genomic analyses grow by orders of magnitude. In particular, our current nomenclatural systems for describing gene homology (orthology, paralogy and related terms) are breaking down, and the current focus on ‘strict orthologs’ in many comparative genome analyses will need to be replaced by more holistic approaches that better accommodate gene duplication and loss.
Strategies to achieve more compact pulse width modulation circuitry for silicon photomultiplier readout

We have shown that a compact, multiplexed PWM circuit based on a gated integrator has successfully identified sub-millimeter width crystals coupled to a PS-SSPM. Multiplexing with our gated integrator front-end shows no flood map degradation in contrast to multiplexing two PS-SSPMs by shorting corresponding channels together, which suffers from signal attenuation due to the device capacitance and added noise from the two devices. In the future we plan to try the gated-integrator technique on larger PS-SSPMs with smaller crystals, and multiplex the readouts of many more PS-SSPMs. This work will facilitate the creation of a O.5mm resolution PET system with a compact PWM readout, and could lead to simplification of readout for existing detectors.
Let them go? How losing employees to competitors can enhance firm status

Research summary: Because employees can provide a firm with human capital advantages over competitors, firms invest considerably in employee recruiting and retention. Departing from the retention imperative of strategic human capital management, we propose that certain employee departures can enhance a firm's competitiveness in the labor market. Specifically, increased rates of career-advancing departures by a firm's employees can signal to potential future employees that the firm offers a prestigious employment experience that enhances external mobility opportunities. Characterizing advancement based on subsequent employers and positions, we analyze data on U.S. law firm hiring and industry surveys of perceived firm status between 2004 and 2013. We find that increased rates of employee departures lead to increases in a firm's prestige when these departures are for promotions with high-status competitors. Managerial summary: Firms often emphasize employee retention. Employee departures, especially as a result of being hired away by competitors, are often viewed as threats to a firm's competitive advantage. We propose, however, that employee retention need not be an unconditional strategic imperative. We argue that certain employee departures can enhance a firm's competitiveness in the market for human capital by signaling to potential employees that the firm offers a prestigious employment experience, which can help them obtain attractive positions with other employers. Analyzing data on U.S. law firm hiring and industry surveys of firm associates between 2004 and 2013, we find that increased rates of employee departures lead to increases in a firm's prestige when these departures are for promotions with high-status competitors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Extracellular Hyaluronic Acid Influences the Efficacy of EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in a Biomaterial Model of Glioblastoma

3D biomaterial models have potential to explore the influence of the tumor microenvironment on aberrant signaling pathways and compensatory signals using patient-derived cells. Glioblastoma (GBM) tumors are highly heterogeneous, with both cell composition and extracellular matrix biophysical factors seen as key regulators of malignant phenotype and treatment outcomes. Amplification, overexpression, and mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase have been identified in 50% of GBM patients. Here, hyaluronic acid (HA) decorated methacrylamide-functionalized gelatin (GelMA) hydrogels are used to examine the synergies between microenvironmental factors and a model EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) using patient-derived xenograft cells. The in vitro behavior of 3 patient-derived xenografts that reflect a clinically relevant range of EGFR variants is characterized: GBM10 (EGFR, wild type), GBM12 (EGFR+), and GBM6 (EGFRvIII). GelMA hydrogels support xenograft culture; cells remain viable, active, respond to matrix-immobilized HA, and upregulate genes associated with matrix remodeling and tumor growth. Interestingly, matrix-immobilized HA alters the response of GBM cells to a model tyrosine kinase inhibitor, erlotinib. While constitutively activated EGFRvIII cells are sensitive to TKI in gelatin hydrogels, hyaluronic acid mediated adhesive signaling interacts with EGFRvIII signaling to increase cell metabolic activity, increase soluble hyaluronic acid synthesis, and modify response to erlotinib exposure.
Live cell imaging of cytosolic NADH/NAD + ratio in hepatocytes and liver slices.

We describe and validate a new approach for measuring free cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio in hepatocytes and liver slices: live cell imaging with the fluorescent biosensor Peredox. This approach yields ...
Edmund Husserl: Natur und Geist: Vorlesungen Sommersemester 1919, Husserliana Materialien Band IV, ed. Michael Weiler

This volume documents Husserl’s thinking as presented in a lecture course (held first in the summer semester of 1919 and then again in the winter semester of 1921/1922) on the realms of nature and spirit and on the proper phenomenological approach to them at a pivotal time in the development of his mature thought. Nonetheless, several years after its appearance, this book has yet to attract widespread attention. There are at least two external reasons for this neglect, namely that it appeared as part of the Materialien instead of as a numbered volume in the main part of the series, and also because it appeared in the same year as Husserliana XXXIV, on the transcendental reduction, and Husserliana XXXV (Einleitung in die Philosophie), as well as several others volumes in the years immediately before and after that. This may well have overwhelmed the ability of readers (and perhaps libraries) to absorb all of these new publications, both in terms of cost and in terms of the time required to work through them. As I will explain below, there may also be some internal reasons as well, related primarily to the content of the volume and the extent to which it does or does not live up to the expectations that its title suggests. Husserl’s phenomenological analyses of nature and natural objects are now fairly familiar and treated in a whole range of other works, but the analyses he embarked upon during the period immediately preceding and during his early Freiburg years into the structure of the ‘‘spiritual world’’ have not been as widely documented, with the notable exception of the Third Part of Ideas II and, most recently since 2008, in the research manuscripts on the life-world published as Husserliana XXXIX. Neither of those works appeared during Husserl’s lifetime, so that these lectures, along with a public lecture by the same title presented to the Kulturwissenschaftliche Gesellschaft in Freiburg just a few months before the beginning of this lecture course, represent the first public presentations of Husserl’s work in this area. Even
When a wound is the harbinger of a serious underlying systemic illness.

A 55-year-old woman presented with progressive enlarging and painful non-healing ulcers on her bilateral lower extremities; biopsy was consistent with pyoderma gangrenosum. Workup for an underlying illness revealed a cavitary lung nodule and an ulcerating mass in the anal canal. Patient did not have any respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms. Differential diagnosis included inflammatory bowel disease, rectal carcinoma or infection such as tuberculosis, fungal process. Histopathology did not reveal any malignancy, inflammatory bowel disease or infection. Serological studies were positive for perinuclear antineutrophil antibodies specific to proteinase-3 antigen, and the patient was ultimately diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Intravenous pulse dose steroids were initiated followed by monthly pulse cyclophosphamide for 6 months, resulting in rapid and significant improvement of the wounds.
A nanophotonic platform integrating quantum memories and single rare-earth ions

We demonstrate a quantum nanophotonic platform integrating on-chip quantum memories and optically addressable single rare-earth ions. We show near-transform-limited, high-purity single photon emissions from individual rare-earth ions.
Disfunción troncoencefálica inferior y de pares craneales

En este capitulo se estudian los trastornos que producen alteraciones funcionales de los pares craneales VII a XII, muchos de los cuales tambien alteran la motilidad ocular (vease capitulo 15 ). La asignacion de los trastornos a un capitulo depende de cual sea la primera manifestacion clinica. Por ejemplo, la miastenia gravis se estudio en el capitulo 15 debido a que la diplopia es mas frecuente que la disfagia como sintoma inicial.
Spatial-linguistic reasoning in LEI

In LEI, the Locality and Elevation Interpreter, lingusitic and geometric reasoning are joined to resolve natural language representations of locations as geodetic coordinates. The system uses the PAU (Parser and Understander) system to translate locality descriptions into semantic relations. The relations are then disambiguated by instantiation from USGS data bases. The project's goal is to replace operator intervention in locality interpretation.
The Ethical Principles

Chapter 4, on The Ethical Principles, articulates the grounds and content of the material, formal and feasibility ethical principles. The material principle requires that we promote the growth of human life in community and in harmony with nature. The formal principle requires that we use symmetrical procedures to advance the material principle. And the feasibility principle limits decisions and actions to what is achievable. This chapter shows in detail how these three principles mutually condition each other and that an act cannot be considered ethically good unless all three principles are in play.
The existence of J 3 and its embeddings in E 6

We determine the embeddings of the third sporadic group J3 of Janko in simple Chevalley groups of type E6 over finite and algebraically closed fields. As a corollary we obtain a short elegant existence proof of J3. This is of interest as J3 is one of the few sporadic groups not contained in the Monster, so its existence cannot be verified within that group. Previous existence proofs were highly computational; cf. [4] and [6].
Repurposing the KCa3.1 inhibitor senicapoc for Alzheimer's disease.

Author(s): Jin, Lee-Way; Lucente, Jacopo Di; Nguyen, Hai M; Singh, Vikrant; Singh, Latika; Chavez, Monique; Bushong, Trevor; Wulff, Heike; Maezawa, Izumi | Abstract: ObjectiveMicroglia play a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We here tested the therapeutic hypothesis that the Ca2+-activated potassium channel KCa3.1 constitutes a potential target for treating AD by reducing neuroinflammation.MethodsTo determine if KCa3.1 is relevant to AD, we tested if treating cultured microglia or hippocampal slices with Aβ oligomer (AβO) activated KCa3.1 in microglia, and if microglial KCa3.1 was upregulated in 5xFAD mice and in human AD brains. The expression/activity of KCa3.1 was examined by qPCR, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and whole-cell patch-clamp. To investigate the role of KCa3.1 in AD pathology, we resynthesized senicapoc, a clinically tested KCa3.1 blocker, and determined its pharmacokinetic properties and its effect on microglial activation, Aβ deposition and hippocampal long-term potentiation (hLTP) in 5xFAD mice.ResultsWe found markedly enhanced microglial KCa3.1 expression/activity in brains of both 5xFAD mice and AD patients. In hippocampal slices, microglial KCa3.1 expression/activity was increased by AβO treatment, and its inhibition diminished the proinflammatory and hLTP-impairing activities of AβO. Senicapoc exhibited excellent brain penetrance and oral availability, and in 5xFAD mice, reduced neuroinflammation, decreased cerebral amyloid load, and enhanced hippocampal neuronal plasticity.InterpretationOur results prompt us to propose repurposing senicapoc for AD clinical trials, as senicapoc has excellent pharmacological properties and was safe and well-tolerated in a prior phase-3 clinical trial for sickle cell anemia. Such repurposing has the potential to expedite the urgently needed new drug discovery for AD.
Denkyemmireku: A Usable Past for A New African State

In Ghana – The Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah (1971), Nkrumah recounts the deliberations within the United Gold Coast Convention on J. B. Danquah’s proposal for adopting the Akan art motif Funtummireku Denkyemmireku (Denkyemmireku, for short), the proverbial two-headed crocodile, as emblem for the emerging nation of Ghana. Dismissing it as a “hideous monstrosity” that symbolizes selfishness, it was never adopted. Yet, the art motif, a kind of jeremiad that says pity that poor crocodile, whose two heads cannot stop fighting over food, even though they share one stomach, is a recognition of the dialectic of nature as one of unity in diversity, the very essence of the hallowed African monistic thesis of matter. This paper posits that Denkyemmireku embodies a potent philosophical and ideological symbol capable of serving as a usable past for a much-needed reconstruction of a more legitimate African state. ______________________________ 1 Some aspects of this article have been previously published in the Journal of Black Studies by the author. See, Kwasi Boadi, “The Ontology of Kwame Nkrumah’s Consciencism and the Democratic Theory and Practice in Africa – A Diopian Perspective.” Journal of Black Studies, Volume 30, Number 4 / March 2000, 475–501.
The Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem—a critique and reconfiguration

Sussan and Acs (Small Business Economics, 49(1), 55–73, 2017) proposed the “Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem” (DEE), a novel framework to guide our understanding of entrepreneurship in the digital age. By integrating literatures on digital ecosystem and entrepreneurial ecosystem, they brought to attention the importance of examining entrepreneurship as an outcome of interactions between biotic and abiotic entities represented by four concepts: Digital User Citizenship, Digital Entrepreneurship, Digital Infrastructure Governance, and Digital Marketplace. This paper revisits, critiques, and refines the framework through the following reconfigurations: (1) Digital User Citizenship is reintroduced as a heterogeneous group of users differentiated by their primary activity, as either consumers or producers. (2) Digital Technology Entrepreneurship encompasses all agents that build complementary products and services connecting to platforms. (3) Digital Multi-sided Platform is the intermediary for transaction of goods and services, and also a medium of knowledge exchanges that enables and facilitates experimentation, entrepreneurial innovation, and value creation. The main contribution of the paper is in the reconfigurations that clearly lay the ground for a more sustainable DEE—one in which user privacy is protected, platform efficiency enhanced, market competition encouraged, and digital infrastructure secured.
Impacts of Intensified Cropping Systems on Soil Water Use by Spring Wheat

In semiarid dryland farming regions, No-till and intensified crop rotations may improve water use. Our objective was to determine water use efficiency (WUE) and precipitation use efficiency (PUE) for spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.; SW) grown in crop sequences representing different levels of intensification, under minimum (Min-till) or No-till. Root zone (0–122 cm) water at planting (SWP) was 2.76 cm higher for two- and three-phase sequences under Min-till than continuous spring wheat (CSW), and sequences with fallow averaged 2.65 cm higher than those without. Conversely, SWP was unaffected by sequence under No-till, with less effect of fallow. Root zone water at harvest was unaffected by the number of crop phases or fallow under Min-till. However, values for CSW exceeded the two- or three-phase sequences by 1.57 and 2.53 cm under No-till, and sequences without fallow averaged 1.52 cm more than those with fallow. The highest WUE (8.4 kg grain ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ water) was observed when SW was grown in three-phase sequences compared with 7.7 kg grain ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ water, for CSW and SW-fallow. Spring wheat under Min-till had higher WUE in sequences with fallow, but no effects of fallow occurred with No-till. The lowest PUE (near 3 kg grain ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ precipitation) and no effects of tillage were found in sequences with fallow. However, SW in continuously cropped sequences had PUE between 5.5 and 6.4 kg grain ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ precipitation and was higher under No-till. Both WUE and PUE are affected by intensification but may also be influenced by patterns of weather.
Normal Primary Care Workup for Recurrent Sinopulmonary Infections

Specific antibody deficiency (SAD) is the most common subtype of primary antibody deficiencies Quantitation of immunoglobulin levels and T and B lymphocyte enumerations are normal in these patients Decreased responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide antigen vaccination is the Hallmark of SAD and may be the only immune system abnormality detected in SAD A fall in serum IgA or increase in serum IgM, may indicate progression to common variable immunodeficiency
A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation of Feedback in Ideation Contests

Ideation contests are commonly used across public and private sectors to generate new ideas for solving problems, creating designs, and improving products or processes. In such a contest, a firm or an organization (the seeker) outsources an ideation task online to a distributed population of independent agents (solvers) in the form of an open call. Solvers compete to exert efforts and the one with the best solution wins a bounty. In evaluating solutions, the seeker typically has subjective taste that is unobservable to solvers. In practice, the seeker often provides solvers with feedback, which discloses useful information about her private taste. In this study, we develop a game‐theoretic model of feedback in unblind ideation contests, where solvers’ solutions and the seeker's feedback are publicly visible by all. We show that feedback plays an informative role in mitigating the information asymmetry between the seeker and solvers, thereby inducing solvers to exert more efforts in the contest. We also show that some key contest and solver characteristics (CSC, including contest reward, contest duration, solver expertise, and solver population) have a direct effect on solver effort. Interestingly, by endogenizing the seeker's feedback decision, we find that the optimal feedback volume increases with contest reward, contest duration, solver expertise, but decreases with solver population. Thus, CSC elements also have an indirect effect on solvers’ effort level, with feedback volume mediating this effect. Employing a dataset from Zhubajie.com, a leading online ideation platform in China, we find empirical evidence that is consistent with these theoretical predictions.
Retrospective analysis of transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of simple ovarian cysts

BACKGROUND The widespread availability of ultrasonography means that transvaginal ultrasonography has become a routine procedure during gynecological examinations, even in asymptomatic patients. Nowadays the imaging technology offered by ultrasonography and tumor biomarkers give us an opportunity to implement transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration as a less radical treatment of simple ovarian cysts (SOC). OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was a retrospective evaluation of the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of SOC in postmenopausal and premenopausal patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 84 women, divided into a premenopausal group (38/84) and a postmenopausal group (46/84), underwent transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration of small SOC (40-80 mm in diameter). Simple cysts were defined ultrasonographically according to the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) guidelines as cysts with negative risk of ovarian malignancy algorithm (ROMA) scores and CA125 levels. Simple ovarian cyst-related data was obtained from medical documentation (diagnostic tests, medical reproductive and surgical history, and clinical status during SOC aspiration). Follow-up data was collected by means of a telephone interview and medical database. The survey included questions focused on cyst recurrence during the 24-month period following the aspiration of SOC. RESULTS We had 100% compatibility with ultrasound diagnosis and cytological examination of aspirated fluid. The cumulative rate of cyst recurrence among 84 patients was 20.2% (17/84). There was a higher percentage of cyst recurrence in the premenopausal group: 27% (10/38) vs 15.2% (7/46) in the postmenopausal group, but the difference was not statistically significant (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.89, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.72-4.97; p = 0.19). Recurrent cysts were treated with laparoscopic cystectomy, adnexectomy or a second aspiration in accordance with individual indications. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasound-guided aspiration of small (<80 mm) adnexal SOC is a diagnostic and alternative therapeutic procedure, which allows cytological examination and may reduce the need for surgery, which is especially beneficial for women of reproductive age.
Effect of drug induced sleep endoscopy on intraoperative decision making in pediatric sleep surgery.

Abstract Objectives To demonstrate the effect of drug induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) on intra-operative decision making during pediatric sleep surgery for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on pediatric (3–17 years) patients with moderate-to-severe OSA (7.2–71.8) who underwent drug induced sleep endoscopy at the time of initial sleep surgery. The characteristics evaluated included age, race, gender, site of obstruction, type of surgical intervention, pre- and post-operative apnea and hypopnea index. Of the 26 patients that were identified, 18 had both a pre- and post-operative polysomnograms result. Results All patients underwent DISE immediately prior to surgical treatment. The mean pre-operative AHI for the 18 patients with post-operative polysomnogram results was 21.3 (7.2–71.8). The mean post-operative AHI for the 18 patients was 7.6 (0.7–25.1). There was a significant difference between pre- and post-operative AHI (p Conclusion This study provides additional evidence that DISE can affect intra-operative decision making, with the potential for improved post-operative outcomes. A randomized controlled study is needed to determine if these outcomes are better than what can be achieved without DISE.
The Influence of Agricultural Practices, the Environment, and Cultivar Differences on Soybean Seed Protein, Oil, Sugars, and Amino Acids

Information on the effects of agricultural practices such as seeding rate (S), row spacing (RS), herbicide apical treatment (T), and nitrogen application (N) on soybean seed nutrition (protein, oil, fatty acids, sugars, and amino acids) is limited. Although seed composition (nutrition) constituents are genetically controlled, agricultural practices and environmental conditions significantly influence the amount and quality of seed nutrition. Therefore, the objective of this research was to understand the responses of these seed composition constituents to these practices, the environment, and cultivar differences. Two-field experiments were conducted, in 2015 and 2016, in Milan, TN, USA. The experiments were irrigated with four replications and included: two soybean cultivars, two seeding rates, three different row spacings, two N rates, and Cobra herbicide apical treatment. The results showed significant effects of S, RS, N, and T on some seed composition constituents, including protein; oleic, linolenic, and stearic acids; sugars; and some amino acids. The current research demonstrated that single or twin row with a seeding rate of 40,000 seeds ha-1 resulted in higher protein, oleic, some sugars, and some amino acids. However, a high seeding rate of 56,000 seeds ha-1 resulted in lower protein, oleic acid, some sugars, and some amino acids due to plant competition for soil nutrients. Herbicide apical application of Cobra1X resulted in higher linolenic acid and some amino acids. Application of nitrogen resulted in higher protein, linolenic, and some amino acids. This research is beneficial to the scientific communities, including breeders and physiologists through advancing knowledge on the interactions between cultivars and environment for seed nutritional quality selection, and to soybean producers through consideration of best agricultural management to maintain high seed nutritional qualities.
P62 Impact Evaluation Results of Rethink Your Drink Nevada: A Campaign to Promote Healthful Beverage Choices Among SNAP Households

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of Rethink Your Drink Nevada (RYD), a multi-component campaign aimed at promoting healthful beverage choices and reducing intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) among young, school-age children. Use of Theory or Research The approaches of the RYD campaign reflect the principles of social marketing and the social ecological theory. Target Audience SNAP-eligible households with 1 or more children between the ages of 6 and 12 located in select Nevada counties. Program Description RYD includes a blend of education; marketing; and policy, system, and environmental (PSE) approaches designed to encourage parents/guardians to limit children's consumption of SSB and to provide more healthful beverages. A stoplight theme (also referred to as “whoa, slow, go”) was featured in all materials in FY 2019 as a way to convey the relative healthfulness of common drinks. Evaluation Methods An online survey was conducted with a random sample of SNAP households from 1 intervention county (Washoe County, n = 1000) and a comparison county where the intervention was not active (Clark County, n = 1000). A unique survey was used for the 2 groups but both surveys contained questions regarding knowledge and behavior related to SSB. The intervention county survey also included questions to assess respondents’ self-reported exposure to each of the RYD components. Respondents received a $10 e-gift card. Results The survey response rate was 7.5%, including 64 households from the intervention county and 86 households from the comparison county. The results showed that the intervention county respondents with moderate or high exposure to the RYD campaign more often limited their child's intake of SSB vs the comparison county (P Conclusions These findings suggest that the RYD campaign may be useful in changing behaviors and increasing knowledge related to SSB. Funding Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - Education.
The Effects of Chinese Imports on Female Workers in the Brazilian Manufacturing Sector

This study uses the Becker’s (1957) taste-based discrimination model to analyse the effects of import penetration from China and from the Rest of the World (ROW) on the share of female workers and ...