cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interference Mitigation Through Inter-Cell Interference Coordination Using Virtual PRB Allocation in 4G Networks

This paper proposes a distributed and coordinated resource allocation algorithm in multi-cell MIMO-OFDMA systems. Firstly, each cell classifies mobile users into cell-edge and cell-center users based on a dynamic threshold aiming to avoid throughput loss. Secondly, each cell independently and dynamically allocates physical resource blocks (PRBs) to its cell-center users using a recursive resource allocation algorithm where the effective SINR metric is investigated. After that, each cell aggregates the unused sub-carriers by its cell-center users to construct virtual PRBs. These latter are intended to be allocated to cell-edge users. Here, each cell informs its neighboring cells, via messages exchange, about its unused sub-carriers and their corresponding SINRs. If two or more cells share the same unused sub-carrier, a new collision avoidance algorithm is applied to avoid the inter-cell interference. Then, each cell constructs its virtual PRBs based on radio resource exchange between eNodeBs. After virtual PRB allocation, a power allocation procedure is performed and an adaptive modulation and coding algorithm is executed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme permits to enhance the system performance in cell-edge and cell-center region compared to well-known algorithms.
Use of Analytical Ultracentrifugation as an Orthogonal Method for Size Exclusion Chromatography: Assuring Quality for Therapeutic Protein Products and Meeting Regulatory Expectations

Recombinant therapeutic proteins have revolutionized the treatment of numerous human diseases and disorders. From the advent of these products in the mid-1980s, there have been continual improvements in analytical methods for key degradation products and in our understanding of the mechanisms governing protein degradation. These advances have been especially important for analysis and control of protein aggregates. Not only are aggregate levels and types considered critical to product quality for therapeutic protein products, aggregates can lead to unwanted immunogenicity in patients. High-performance size exclusion chromatography (HP-SEC) has been the method of choice for decades and has served as the “workhorse” for aggregate analysis. However, often the HP-SEC results are not accurate measures of the monomer and aggregate levels (and sizes) that are present in the therapeutic protein drug product and can be misleading. To develop an accurate and reliable HP-SEC assay, results must be confirmed by an another method for quantifying and characterizing protein aggregates. To date, analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) has proven to be the most powerful and useful method for this purpose. It took many years for AUC to be developed into a reliable method for quantitation and characterization of protein aggregates in therapeutic protein samples. But as a result of such efforts – an orthogonal method for HP-SEC – AUC is invaluable for the development and quality assurance of therapeutic protein products.
Electronic Behavior of Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3-d and SrCo 0.9 Nb 0.1 O 3-d

The perovskite Ba 0.5 Sr 0.5 Co 0.8 Fe 0.2 O 3-d (BSCF 5582) has attracted great interest as an oxygen reduction catalyst for solid oxide fuel cells and as an oxygen permeation membrane material. Mixed ionic and electronic conductivity is essential to the high catalytic activity it exhibits, however its electronic behavior and overall defect chemistry are not well understood. The related material SrCo 0.9 Nb 0.1 O 3-d (SCN 091) is another promising composition that may have comparable performance, but with defect chemistry that is simpler to study. From a combination of thermogravimetric, impedance, and diffraction measurements we find SCN 091 to exhibit somewhat smaller oxygen nonstoichiometry, five times higher electronic conductivity, lower enthalpy of hole migration, and greater structural stability than BSCF 5582. We also observe that the enthalpy of hole migration in such materials tends to increase as oxygen content decreases; the origins of this behavior are unclear.
Plant Growth Regulator Drenches Suppress Foliage and Inflorescence Height of ‘Leia’ Pineapple Lily

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are used to control excessive plant growth in potted crops to improve quality and compactness for shipping and display. Pineapple lily (Eucomis sp.), a recent introduction to the potted crop market, can have excessive foliage growth and inflorescence height making the use of PGRs desirable. Bulbs of ‘Leia’ pineapple lily were forced in the greenhouse and drenched at leaf whorl emergence with three PGRs at five different concentrations: 1) flurprimidol (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg per 6.5-inch pot), 2) uniconazole (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/pot), or 3) paclobutrazol (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 mg/pot) and an untreated control. As concentration increased, days to anthesis increased and foliage height decreased for each PGR. Paclobutrazol (4.0 and 8.0 mg/pot), uniconazole (4.0 mg/pot), and flurprimidol (2.0 and 4.0 mg/pot) treatments resulted in excessive stunting with none of the plants being marketable. Flurprimidol had the greatest influence on plant growth among all the PGRs. Acceptable concentrations for each PGR are paclobutrazol at 0.5 to 2.0 mg/pot, uniconazole at 0.25 to 2.0 mg/pot, and flurprimidol at 0.5 to 1.0 mg/pot based on percentage of marketable plants and foliage and inflorescence height suppression without excessively increasing the number of days to anthesis.
Building the Evidence to Prevent Adolescent Pregnancy: Contents of the Volume.

An introduction is presented in which the authors discuss various reports within the journal on topics including methods for preventing adolescent pregnancy in America, sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs, and sex education geared towards Hispanic American and Hawaiian youths.
Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Refractory Crohn’s Disease, the Summary of Phase I Trial.

Background &Aims Crohn’s disease (CD) is an immunologically mediated inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. In theory, immune ablation followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can induce remission by reconstituting a new immune system. Methods We conducted a phase I HSCT study in 17 patients with severe CD. Candidates were less than 60 years old with a Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI) of 250–400 or Craig Crohn’s Severity Index (CCSI) of >17 despite conventional therapy including infliximab. Peripheral blood stem cells were mobilized with cyclophosphamide and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and CD34+ enriched. The immune ablative conditioning regimen consisted of 200mg/kg cyclophosphamide, and 90mg/kg equine antithymocyte globulin. Results There was no treatment related mortality. The procedure was well tolerated with anticipated cytopenias, neutropenic fever, and disease-related fever, diarrhea, anorexia, nausea, vomiting. The median days for neutrophil and platelet engraftment were 9 (range 7–11) and 9 (range 8–18, three patients never below 20,000), respectively. The median infused CD34+ and CD3+ cell counts were 4.83 x 106/kg (range 1.73–24.88) and 0.56 x 104/kg (range 0.0–3.09), respectively. Initial median CDAI and CCSI were 282 (range 101–358) and 24 (range 18–33). Symptoms and CDAI/CCSI improved quickly and dramatically (figure), and radiographic and colonoscopy findings improved gradually over months to years following HSCT. For patients with >6 months follow up, twelve out of fifteen patients entered sustained remission defined by a CDAI 10 after median follow-up of 29 months (range 11–48). Conclusion Autologous HSCT can be performed safely and has a marked durable salutary effect on CD activity. A randomized study {KISS study: C(K)rohn’s Immune Suppression vs. Stem Cell Transplant} comparing HSCT to standard therapy is now enrolling patients.
Network planning and dimensioning process in WCDMA

We describe a new procedure for WCDMA network planning and dimensioning, with emphasis on the link budget, coverage, and capacity calculations, for a specilic quality of service (QoS). A cooperative graphical and algorithmic technique is developed to efficiently determine the network load factor and, subsequently, the cell radius. The coverage and capacity calculations produce a feasible cell size, and thus the required number of Base stations (BTs) needed to cover a given geographical region. Subsequently, we apply a modilied (energy-based) Self Organization Map (SOM) computational algorithm to enable intelligent positioning of BTs in the given region. Finally, as a case study of scale, we apply the developed WCDMA network planning and dimensioning process for a specilic QoS to a test regional area.
Developmental pharmacokinetics of sirolimus: Implications for precision dosing in neonates and infants with complicated vascular anomalies.

Background Sirolimus has recently been shown to be efficacious and tolerable in pediatric patients with complicated vascular anomalies. Nevertheless, dosing information remains very limited especially for neonates and infants. The purpose of this study was to develop an age-appropriate sirolimus starting dosing regimen based on the developmental changes in drug elimination capacity using data collected in neonates and infants. Procedure A recently developed sirolimus maturation model [Emoto et al. CPT Pharmacometrics Syst Pharmacol, 2016] was used to simulate clearance estimates using realistic age and weight covariates for age cohorts aged 0–24 months. Next, predose concentrations at steady state were generated for each age cohort of neonates and infants. Dose requirements to attain predefined target trough concentration ranges (10–15 and 5–10 ng/ml) were simulated across the different age groups. Starting doses were chosen to maximize the likelihood of achieving sirolimus-targeted concentrations. Results The trajectory of simulated sirolimus clearances increased with age and was in agreement with the previous findings in the Phase 2 study. The proposed dosing regimens covered eight age cohorts and resulted in target attainment of more than 75–95% across selected regimens. Conclusions This study identified age-appropriate sirolimus dosing regimens for neonates and infants. The algorithm in combination with therapeutic drug management will facilitate sirolimus precision dosing in young children with vascular anomalies. A prospective evaluation is being planned.
Initiation and Maintenance of Gastric Cancer: A Focus on CD44 Variant Isoforms and Cancer Stem Cells

Gastric cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related death. Although the incidence of gastric cancer in the United States is relatively low, it remains significantly higher in some countries, including Japan and Korea. Interactions between cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment can have a substantial impact on tumor characteristics and contribute to heterogeneity. The mechanisms responsible for maintaining malignant cancer stem cells within the tumor microenvironment in human gastric cancer are largely unknown. Tumor cell and genetic heterogeneity contribute to either de novo intrinsic or the therapy-induced emergence of drug-resistant clones and eventual tumor recurrence. Although chemotherapy often is capable of inducing cell death in tumors, many cancer patients experience recurrence because of failure to effectively target the cancer stem cells, which are believed to be key tumor-initiating cells. Among the population of stem cells within the stomach that may be targeted during chronic Helicobacter pylori infection and altered into tumor-initiating cells are those cells marked by the cluster-of-differentiation (CD)44 cell surface receptor. CD44 variable isoforms (CD44v) have been implicated as key players in malignant transformation whereby their expression is highly restricted and specific, unlike the canonical CD44 standard isoform. Overall, CD44v, in particular CD44v9, are believed to mark the gastric cancer cells that contribute to increased resistance for chemotherapy- or radiation-induced cell death. This review focuses on the following: the alteration of the gastric stem cell during bacterial infection, and the role of CD44v in the initiation, maintenance, and growth of tumors associated with gastric cancer.
Regulation of monoamine transporters and receptors by lipid microdomains: implications for depression.

Lipid microdomains (“rafts”) are dynamic, nanoscale regions of the plasma membrane enriched in cholesterol and glycosphingolipids, that possess distinctive physicochemical properties including higher order than the surrounding membrane. Lipid microdomain integrity is thought to affect neurotransmitter signaling by regulating membrane-bound protein signaling. Among the proteins potentially affected are monoaminergic receptors and transporters. As dysfunction of monoaminergic neurotransmission is implicated in major depressive disorder and other neuropsychiatric conditions, interactions with lipid microdomains may be of clinical importance. This systematic review evaluates what is known about the molecular relationships of monoamine transporter and receptor regulation to lipid microdomains. The PubMed/MeSH database was searched for original studies published in English through August 2017 concerning relationships between lipid microdomains and serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine transporters and receptors. Fifty-seven publications were identified and assessed. Strong evidence implicates lipid microdomains in the regulation of serotonin and norepinephrine transporters; serotonin 1A, 2A, 3A, and 7A receptors; and dopamine D1 and β2 adrenergic receptors. Results were conflicting or more complex regarding lipid microdomain associations with the dopamine transporter, D2, D3, and D5 receptors; and negative with respect to β1 adrenergic receptors. Indirect evidence suggests that antidepressants, lipid-lowering drugs, and polyunsaturated fatty acids may exert effects on depression and suicide by altering the lipid milieu, thereby affecting monoaminergic transporter and receptor signaling. The lipid composition of membrane subdomains is involved in localization and trafficking of specific monoaminergic receptors and transporters. Elucidating precise mechanisms whereby lipid microdomains modulate monoamine neurotransmission in clinical contexts can have critical implications for pharmacotherapeutic targeting.
Forecast skill for predicting distribution shifts: A retrospective experiment for marine fishes in the Eastern Bering Sea

Forecasting distribution shifts under novel environmental conditions is a major task for ecologists and conservationists. Researchers forecast distribution shifts using several tools including: predicting from an empirical relationship between a summary of distribution (population centroid) and annual time series (“annual regression,” AR); or fitting a habitat‐envelope model to historical distribution and forecasting given predictions of future environmental conditions (“habitat envelope,” HE). However, surprisingly little research has estimated forecast skill by fitting to historical data, forecasting distribution shifts and comparing forecasts with subsequent observations of distribution shifts. I demonstrate the important role of retrospective skill testing by forecasting poleward movement over 1‐, 2‐ or 3‐year periods for 20 fish and crab species in the Eastern Bering Sea and comparing forecasts with observed shifts. I specifically introduce an alternative vector‐autoregressive spatio‐temporal (VAST) forecasting model, which can include species temperature responses, and compare skill for AR, HE and VAST forecasts. Results show that the HE forecast has 30%–43% greater variance than predicting that future distribution is identical to the estimated distribution in the final year (a “persistence” forecast). Meanwhile, the AR explains 2%–6% and VAST explains 8%–25% of variance in poleward movement, and both have better performance than a persistence forecast. HE and AR both generate forecast intervals that are too narrow, while VAST models with or without temperature have appropriate width for forecast intervals. Retrospective skill testing for more regions and taxa should be used as a test bed to guide future improvements in methods for forecasting distribution shifts.
NDE Characterization of Metallic Interfaces

In recent years, the process of diffusion bonding has found considerable usage in the aerospace and nuclear power industries [1]. This process entails two surfaces being pressed together at elevated temperatures and high pressures. If ideal conditions are achieved, the bonded interface will have properties identical to those of the matrix metal and the microstructure will be continuous across the interface. There is a fine margin for error in attaining ideal conditions and the ability to characterize the bond nondestructively is highly desirable. The present project is aimed at the development of ultrasonic techniques for the characterization of interfaces between two joined parts. The techniques that are being used have applicability to components joined by diffusion bonding, pinch welding, and friction bonding, and may also be useful in nondestructive measurements of rubbing friction and for bond strength.
Role of Bcl2-associated Athanogene 3 in Turnover of Gap Junction Protein, Connexin 43, in Neonatal Cardiomyocytes

Any pathological stress that impairs expression, turnover and phosphorylation of connexin 43 (Cx43), one of the major proteins of gap junctions, can adversely impact myocardial cell behavior, thus leading to the development of cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. Our results in primary neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes (NRVCs) show that impairment of the autophagy-lysosome pathway dysregulates degradation of Cx43, either by inhibiting lysosomal activity or suppressing the level of Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3), a stress-induced pleiotropic protein that is involved in protein quality control (PQC) via the autophagy pathway. Inhibition of lysosomal activity leads to the accumulation of Cx43 aggregates and suppression of BAG3 significantly diminished turnover of Cx43. In addition, knock-down of BAG3 reduced the levels of Cx43 by dysregulating Cx43 protein stability. Under stress conditions, expression of BAG3 affected the state of Cx43 phosphorylation and its degradation. Furthermore, we found that BAG3 co-localized with the cytoskeleton protein, α-Tubulin, and depolymerization of α-Tubulin led to the intracellular accumulation of Cx43. These observations ascribe a novel function for BAG3 that involves control of Cx43 turnover under normal and stress conditions and potentially for optimizing communication of cardiac muscle cells through gap junctions.
Influence of Community-Based Dental Education on Practice Choice: Preliminary Data from East Carolina University

Maldistribution of the dental workforce contributes to poor access to oral health care. Community-based dental education (CBDE) may help to address this problem by using experiential learning to encourage new dentists to practice in underserved areas. The East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine (East Carolina University SoDM) employs a multifaceted strategy, including CBDE, to increase the number of dentists practicing in underserved areas of North Carolina. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of CBDE and other factors on practice choice among East Carolina University SoDM graduates. This cross-sectional study assessed practice intentions before and after a senior-year CBDE experience. Data were obtained for students in three graduating years from written student reflections and self-reported practice plans solicited at graduation. Of the total 156 students between 2015 and 2017 (52 each year), all students participated in at least one component of this evaluation: all students (100%) completed required student reflections, and 148 (95%) provided pre-graduation practice plans. Data were also obtained on alumni practice characteristics via a survey of recent graduates; 72 alumni (46% response rate) participated in the alumni survey. The assessments found positive attitudes towards the CBDE program before and after participation, although areas for improvement relating to business management and financial viability were reported. The majority of alumni respondents (67%) remained in the state to practice after graduation, with half reporting practicing in rural areas. For most alumni respondents (>75%), debt, salary, benefits, type of patient population, and desire to own/run a business were important factors other than the CBDE program influencing their practice choice. Nearly half of them (45.8%) rated desire to work in a public health setting as an important factor. This study provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of this educational model in retaining new dentists within the state to address the critical shortage of dentists in North Carolina.
Bimetallic catalysts for CO2 capture and hydrogenation at simulated flue gas conditions

Abstract A study of a dual function material (DFM) for CO2 capture from O2-containing flue gas with catalytic conversion to fuel is presented. The DFM is composed of an alkaline adsorbent in concert with a methanation catalyst supported on γ-Al2O3. The process operates at 320 °C for both CO2 capture and fuel generation upon the addition of renewable H2. Ni alone will not methanate adsorbed CO2 after exposure to O2 in the flue gas during CO2 capture since it oxidizes and cannot be reduced to Ni metal under DFM conditions (320 °C). We report that small amounts of precious metal (≤1% Pt, Pd or Ru) enhance the reduction and activation of Ni-containing DFM towards methanation even after O2 exposure in a flue gas. While ruthenium is most effective, Pt and Pd all enhance reduction of oxidized Ni. In this study we attempt to replace some of the Ru in the DFM with less expensive Ni and demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of this replacement. The main advantage of the presence of Ni is an increase in CO2 adsorption and increase in methane produced, however, at the expense of a lower methanation rate. Extended cyclic aging studies corroborate the stable performance of 1% Ru, 10% Ni, 6.1% “Na2O”/Al2O3.
Cellular mechanism of immobilization-induced muscle atrophy: A mini review

Abstract It is well-established that regular contraction maintains morphological and functional integrity of skeletal muscle, whereas rigorous exercise training can upregulate muscle metabolic and contractile function. However, when muscles stop contraction, such as during immobilization (IM) and denervation, withdrawal of IGF/Akt/mTOR signaling allows FoxO-controlled protein degradation pathways to dominate. Mitochondria play an important role in regulating both protein synthesis and degradation via several redox sensitive signaling pathways such as mitochondrial biogenesis, fusion and fission dynamics, ubiquitin-proteolysis, autophagy/mitophagy, and apoptosis. During prolonged IM, downregulation of PGC-1α and increased mitochondrial oxidative damage facilitate fission protein and inflammatory cytokine production and activate mitophagic process, leading to a vicious cycle of protein degradation. This “mitostasis theory of muscle atrophy” is the opposite pathway of hormesis, which defines enhanced muscle function with contractile overload. The demonstration that PGC-1α overexpression via transgene or in vivo DNA transfection can successfully restore mitochondrial homeostasis and reverse myocyte atrophy supports such a proposition. Understanding the mechanism governing mitostasis can be instrumental to the treatment of muscle atrophy associated with bedrest, cancer cachexia and sarcopenia.
Wasf-Vec: Topology-based Word Embedding for Modern Standard Arabic and Iraqi Dialect Ontology

Word clustering is a serious challenge in low-resource languages. Since words that share semantics are expected to be clustered together, it is common to use a feature vector representation generated from a distributional theory-based word embedding method. The goal of this work is to utilize Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) for better clustering performance of the low-resource Iraqi vocabulary. We began with a new Dialect Fast Stemming Algorithm (DFSA) that utilizes the MSA data. The proposed algorithm achieved 0.85 accuracy measured by the F1 score. Then, the distributional theory-based word embedding method and a new simple, yet effective, feature vector named Wasf-Vec word embedding are tested. Wasf-Vec word representation utilizes a word’s topology features. The difference between Wasf-Vec and distributional theory-based word embedding is that Wasf-Vec captures relations that are not contextually based. The embedding is followed by an analysis of how the dialect words are clustered within other MSA words. The analysis is based on the word semantic relations that are well supported by solid linguistic theories to shed light on the strong and weak word relation representations identified by each embedding method. The analysis is handled by visualizing the feature vector in two-dimensional (2D) space. The feature vectors of the distributional theory-based word embedding method are plotted in 2D space using the t-sne algorithm, while the Wasf-Vec feature vectors are plotted directly in 2D space. A word’s nearest neighbors and the distance-histograms of the plotted words are examined. For validation purpose of the word classification used in this article, the produced classes are employed in Class-based Language Modeling (CBLM). Wasf-Vec CBLM achieved a 7% lower perplexity (pp) than the distributional theory-based word embedding method CBLM. This result is significant when working with low-resource languages.
A Method to Model Outbreaks of New Infectious Diseases with Pandemic Potential such as COVID-19

The emergence of the novel coronavirus (a.k.a. COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2) out of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China caught the world by surprise. As the outbreak began to spread outside of China, too little was known about the virus to model its transmission with any acceptable accuracy. World governments responded to rampant minformation about the virus leading to collatoral disasters, such as plunging financial markets, that could have been avoided if better models of the outbreak had been available. This is an engineering approach to model the spread of a new infectious disease from sparse data when little is known about the infectious agent itself. The most sought after estimate is the projected number of people who may be contagious, but still be within the incubation period thus remaining asymptomatic and undetected. This parameter is useful for estimating the extent of outbreak among a population over time and what to expect. It is thus important for common sense decision making by governments, organizations, and even individuals to contain, prepare, prevent, react, and safeguard. A Monte Carlo approach is implemented by using incubation period and a variable, called testing efficiency as variables. The Coronavirus outbreak in USA will be used to illustrate the implementation of this modeling approach. Among others it is demonstrated that imposing early travel restrictions from infected countries slowed down the outbreak in the USA by about 26 days.
Algo Bots and the Law: Technology, Automation, and the Regulation of Futures and Other Derivatives

The trillion-dollar markets for futures, swaps, commodity options, and related derivatives are extremely important to the global economy because, among other things, they influence the prices that people pay for everything from heating oil and bread to the interest rates connected to mortgages and student loans. Due to technological advances in automation and artificial intelligence, these markets have recently undergone a dramatic transformation away from human-centered trading and operations to control by high-speed automated systems. In this work, Gregory Scopino explains how such changes present challenges to the oversight of these markets and discusses potential ways for authorities to address issues presented by computerized trading and related systems. This book should be read by anyone interested in learning how artificial intelligence is used in the financial markets and how those markets are - and should be - regulated.
Who belongs in America? Latinxs' skin tones, perceived discrimination, and opposition to multicultural policies.

OBJECTIVE Consequences of colorism are well documented, yet little is known about its relationship with political views of racial/ethnic minorities. Although a very small literature found no evidence that skin tone shapes political attitudes of Latinx Americans, the present study was the first to extend this to immigration and language policy preferences. Because support for public policies is an important mechanism through which inequality is either reduced or reproduced, this filled an important gap in the literature on colorism and political behavior. METHOD Using binary or ordered logistic regression, skin tone, perceived discrimination, and demographic characteristics were examined as predictors of Latinxs' policy preferences for U.S. border security and/or mandated use of English. Several probability samples were analyzed: one national sample (N = 430), as well as other national (N = 349, mean age 41), regional (N = 256, mean ages 36-40), and nationally representative samples (N = 8,065, mean ages 32-35). RESULTS Relative to their counterparts, the lightest-skinned Latinx women were more tolerant of restrictive policies-tighter border security and a preference for English as the only official language. Among Latinx men, medium-skinned subgroups reported the most unfavorable opinions about a U.S. border wall policy whereas lighter-skinned men were less opposed to this policy. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggested that skin tone biases may be tied to men's engagement on border security issues and women's support for language and border policies. Therefore, colorism may be implicated in important processes that shape American politics and Latinx public opinion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Analysis of the PKC-γ-Related Immunocrossreactive Region of a Novel Leukocyte Protein γ-rp

The newly discovered gamma-PKC-related-protein of human leukocytes (γ-rp) crossreacts with a polyclonal antibody preparation originally designed to be specific for PKC-γ (γMb-Ab). As this antibody is currently the only suitable probe for γ-rp, we sought to characterize the binding of the two proteins. We determined that the γMg-Ab does not recognize the native form of γ-rp. However, with denaturing immunoblots of γ-rp, we found that 1) the crossreactive γ-rp epitope differs somewhat from that of classic rat brain PKC-γ, but probably only to the degree of the rat/human PKC species difference; 2) the previously reported doublet bands of γ-rp represent a single protein with cell-stimulus inducible modifications; 3) antibodies present in the γMg-Ab pool bind to two separate sites within the γ-rp epitope; 4) access to one binding site is conformationally restricted, even after protein denaturation; 5) agonist-induced modification of γ-rp does not significantly affect the total amount of γMg-Ab that it can bind, but 6) does significantly affect the rate of antibody binding to one site. This investigation defines the appropriate experimental use of our antibody, and the significance of these findings for the future study and cloning of γ-rp is discussed.
Altered neuromechanical strategies of the paretic hip and knee joints during a step-up task

Abstract Background Stroke often leads to chronic, neural-derived motor impairments in the paretic lower limb, such as weakness, abnormal extensor torque coupling, and reduced ranges of motion. These impairments can constrain lower extremity movement and negatively impact the ability to navigate uneven terrain. Quantification of biomechanical strategies used by individuals with chronic stroke to step up would offer insight into the neural consequences of a stroke. Research Question What are the altered kinetic and kinematic strategies of the leading paretic hip and knee joints while swinging and pulling-up onto a step? Methods A total of 10 participants were included in this mixed design study: 5 adults with hemiparetic stroke and 5 age-matched adults without stroke. Participants were instructed to step up onto a 4-inch platform, where joint kinetic and kinematics of the hip in the frontal plane and the hip and knee in the sagittal plane were quantified. A mixed effects linear regression model with two fixed effects of group (stroke and control) and lower limb (LL: dominant/non-paretic and non-dominant/paretic) was used to compare peak joint torques and angles. Another mixed effects model with two fixed effects of peak hip and knee extension torque was used to investigate whether these main effects could predict peak hip abduction torque. Results Altered biomechanical strategies of the paretic limb for step ascent included reduced sagittal plane flexion angles during swing, reduced hip abduction and knee extension torque combined with increased hip extension torque during pull-up stance, and abnormal torque coupling between the hip adductors and sagittal plane extensors. Significance These differences can be linked to the neural consequences of a hemiparetic stroke, including corticospinal damage and upregulation of bulbospinal pathways as compensation. Overall, our findings can inform interventions for individuals with chronic stroke in navigating uneven terrain to maximize daily community activity.
Marketing-Mix-Factors Affecting the Selection of Domestic Airlines Services at Ubon Ratchathani International Airport

The Marketing-Mix-Factors Affecting the Selection of Domestic Airlines Services at Ubon Ratchathani International Airport was to study the marketing mix factors, affecting the selection of Domestic Airlines. The 500 samples group were done by using the questionnaire to collect the data. Statistics used to analyze data at a statistically significant level of 0.05. The results found that the respondents mostly are males of 30-40 years old, work in government offices/state enterprises, receiving 15,001-30,000 THB per month and graduated of Bachelor’s degree. The users selecting mostly Thai lion Air Airlines, having the frequency of traveling by plane between 5-10 times/year. Purpose of traveling is business/government work, spending between 1,000-3,000 THB each trip and purchasing the flight tickets via the internet. This research is very useful for further study of marketing mix factors, affecting the selection of domestic airline services at Ubon Ratchathani International Airport by obtaining new information of factors which the data collected from the questionnaires in developing and improving the services, meeting the needs of the passengers, to be able to target the groups of customers correctly.
Addressing common orthopaedic calamities with microsurgical solutions

Abstract Reconstructive microsurgery has been an essential aspect of orthopaedic surgery and extremity reconstruction since the introduction of the operating microscope in the mid-20th century. The reconstructive ladder ranges from simple healing by secondary intention to complex procedures such as free tissue transfer and vascularized composite allotransplantation. As orthopaedic surgery has evolved over the past 60 years, so too have the reconstructive microsurgical skills that are often needed to address common orthopaedic surgery problems. In this article, we will discuss a variety of complex orthopaedic surgery scenarios ranging from trauma to infection to tumor resection as well as the spectrum of microsurgical solutions that can aid in their management.
REVISING ADVERTISING TEXTS CLASSIFICATION THROUGH LINGUISTIC THEORY

В статье рассматривается социально-культурный феномен рекламы, являющейся частью современного общества. Также анализируются структурные и смысловые особенности функционирующих в социуме рекламных сообщений в зависимости от целей и таргетной группы. Оценивая специфику корреляционной зависимости соотношения «вербальный-невербальный» выводится уточнённая типологизация рекламных текстов с позиции теории языка и степени пролонгированного воздействия на индивида. Таким образом, предложенное нами разделение рекламы на информационную и имиджевую типы рекламы позволяет учесть тот факт, что рекламный текст являются не только источником информации о товаре или услуге, но и запускает сложный механизм психологического программирования и влияния на человека.
Expression of Tim-3 drives phenotypic and functional changes in Treg cells in secondary lymphoid organs and the tumor microenvironment.

Summary Regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are critical mediators of self-tolerance, but they can also limit effective anti-tumor immunity. Although under homeostasis a small fraction of Treg cells in lymphoid organs express the putative checkpoint molecule Tim-3, this protein is expressed by a much larger proportion of tumor-infiltrating Treg cells. Using a mouse model that drives cell-type-specific inducible Tim-3 expression, we show that expression of Tim-3 by Treg cells is sufficient to drive Treg cells to a more effector-like phenotype, resulting in increases in suppressive activity, effector T cell exhaustion, and tumor growth. We also show that T-reg-cell-specific inducible deletion of Tim-3 enhances anti-tumor immunity. Enhancement of Treg cell function by Tim-3 is strongly correlated with increased expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and a shift to a more glycolytic metabolic phenotype. Our data demonstrate that Tim-3+ Treg cells may be a relevant therapeutic target cell type for the treatment of cancer.
Pancreatic Cancer Patient Survival Correlates with DNA Methylation of Pancreas Development Genes

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark associated with regulation of transcription and genome structure. These markers have been investigated in a variety of cancer settings for their utility in differentiating normal tissue from tumor tissue. Here, we examine the direct correlation between DNA methylation and patient survival. We find that changes in the DNA methylation of key pancreatic developmental genes are strongly associated with patient survival.
Generalized Acceleration Factor in Reliability

The calculation of the acceleration factor between an accelerated test and a single field condition is simple and straightforward. But a single-condition case seldom exists in the field, which normally sees a distribution of conditions. This paper shous that a new and single term called generalized acceleration factor can be developed analytically from such a distribution. The new factor has all the characteristics required by an acceleration factor and is unique to each distribution. With this new parameter in place, it not only simplifies the reliability assessment for a complicated field, but also broadens the conceptual contents of the acceleration factor.
Developing a hospital pharmacy purchasing system

Suggestions for developing or modifying a pharmacy purchasing system are presented and discussed. To achieve an optimal purchasing system, pharmacy managers must understand the development and operation of their current systems and enlist the participation of other hospital departments in planning the new or modified system. A pharmacy purchasing system should ensure that drug products and supplies of the highest quality are obtained at the lowest price, that these items are available when needed, and that the financial investment in drug and supply inventory is appropriate. The job requirements, activities, and responsibilities of pharmacy purchasing personnel are described, and the recording and retrieving of purchasing data are discussed. Various order-placement alternatives are compared, and order-shipment alternatives are described. Equipment and supply requirements for the purchasing function are also presented. An efficient, productive purchasing system can produce cost savings for the pharmacy department and the institution.
Oxidative esterification via photocatalytic C–H activation

Direct oxidative esterification of alcohol via photocatalytic C–H activation has been developed using VO@g-C3N4 catalyst; an expeditious esterification of alcohols occurs under neutral conditions using visible light as the source of energy.
Apertura comercial e inversión directa extranjera: el impacto de los tratados de libre comercio en América Latina

This paper sheds light on the performance of Latin American governments in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) through trade policies, specifically by signing free trade agreements with other countries. The relationship between FDI and trade for Latin America has previously been analyzed, but the relationship between the degree of «openness» (imports plus exports divided by the domestic product) and FDI has not been conclusive. At the same time, the effect of specific trade policies on FDI flows has not been extensively studied. Some state trade policies could produce a significant impact in attracting FDI. Specifically, through the implementation of a number of free trade agreements, several Latin American countries have been able to attract greater flows of foreign direct investment. The implementation of such free trade agreements formed part of a more general scheme of economic reforms launched by Latin American countries since the mid-1980s. The goals of these reforms were to adjust the region’s economies and improve their competitiveness by liberalizing trade, privatizing, and deregulating their markets. Those countries that signed more free trade agreements – or signed them with the largest economies in the world – increased their ability to attract FDI. I test the impact of this policy on the behavior of FDI flows through a panel data model for 17 Latin American countries for the period between 1985 and 2003.
Static pulsed bus for on-chip interconnects

Static Pulsed Bus (SPB) improves delay by 15%-25% or reduces energy by 12%-25% and peak current by 26%-34%, compared to the conventional static bus (SB) scheme, for 1500 μm to 4500 μm bus lengths in a 100 nm technology. Energy savings are maintained across all data activity factors.
Extended Indications for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in Advanced Emphysema

Abstract Background . Lung volume reduction surgery has shown early promise as a palliative therapy in severe emphysema. Selection of potential candidates has been based on certain functional and anatomic criteria, and a variety of operative contraindications have been proposed. Methods . Over 15 months, we performed lung volume reduction surgery in 85 patients selected on the basis of severe hyperinflation with air trapping, diaphragmatic dysfunction, and disease heterogeneity. Patients were not excluded on the basis of severe hypercapnia, steroid dependence, profound pulmonary dysfunction, or inability to complete preoperative rehabilitation. Results . We observed significant improvements in pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and dyspnea, with an acceptable 30-day perioperative mortality of 7% and actuarial survival of 90% and 83% at 6 and 12 months, respectively. In each "high-risk" group, perioperative mortality, actuarial survival to 1 year, and functional results were equivalent, and in some cases superior, to those in the corresponding "low-risk" patients. Conclusions . Severe hypercapnia, steroid dependence, profound pulmonary dysfunction, and inability to complete preoperative rehabilitation do not preclude successful lung volume reduction surgery and should not be regarded as absolute exclusionary criteria.
Forage Performance and Soil Quality in Forage Systems under Organic Management in the Southeastern United States

Interest is increasing in organic forage production and sod-based rotations in the southeastern United States, but research-based information is limited. A replicated fi eld study was established to evaluate productivity and soil quality changes in fi ve organicallymanaged forage systems over 2 yr. Systems included four regionally-adapted perennial systems and one warmand cool-season annual rotation: (i) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), (ii) red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), (iii) alfalfa/orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), (iv) red clover/orchardgrass, and (v) an annual system of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/crimson clover (T. incarnatum L.) followed by sorghum–sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor × S. bicolor var. sudanense (Piper) Stapf.]. Soil quality was compared to two annual vegetable systems, one managed organically and one managed conventionally. Poultry litter was applied to organically-managed systems in September 2010 (9 Mg ha–1) and in September 2011 (4.5 Mg ha–1). Mean annual forage yield was greatest from wheat/crimson clover and sorghum–sudangrass (12.4 Mg ha–1 yr–1), intermediate from red clover, red clover/orchardgrass, and alfalfa/orchardgrass (10.0–10.3 Mg ha–1 yr–1), and least from alfalfa (7.6 Mg ha–1 yr–1). Soil C (total and particulate organic matter-C) increased over 2 yr in all forage systems which were similar, and was in most cases signifi cantly lower in vegetable systems. Soil N (total and particulate organic matter-N) increased in all forage systems and was highest in alfalfa and treatments containing red clover, and lowest in vegetable systems. Results suggest these short-term forage systems are viable options for regional organic rotations.
Effect of varying the concentration of damage restituting species in the radical repair model

From analytical expressions derived for the radical-repair (competition) model describing the relationship between cellular radiosensitivity and oxygen concentration, “K-curve” behavior has been quantified as a function of the concentration of the species S which restitutes the radiation-induced radicals to their original molecular configuration. If these species are identified with thiols, K-curves modified by fractionally depleting [S] through calculation can be compared with experimental data where cells have their thiols depleted using various means, for example, by chemical agents or by the use of cells with decreased thiols because of genetic deficiency. Families of curves have been calculated related both to the S-depleted and the non-S-depleted hypoxic control, the latter of which is used to calculate enhancement ratios. Comparison of the model with experimental data is made.
Strategies for the prevention of iron deficiency: iron in infant formulas and baby foods.

Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutrition deficiency among infants and young children in industrialized as well as developing countries. It is a condition that is preventable through appropriate dietary measures. The infant born at term is endowed with a sizable amount of iron, which allows the infant to be fed a nearly iron-free diet (e.g., breast milk) for 4-6 months without becoming overtly iron deficient. This has led some to conclude that depletion of iron stores in healthy infants is a normal and, hence, innocuous process that usually gives way to gradual repletion of iron stores as dietary diversification leads to greater iron intakes. Preservation of maternal iron stores at the expense of infant iron stores may have offered survival advantages to the human species during evolution. But there is no evidence that depletion of iron stores can offer advantages to infants in industrialized or developing countries. On the contrary, there is ample documentation of shortterm as well as long-term adverse effects from iron deficiency. Prudence therefore dictates that a high priority be assigned to the prevention of iron depletion and deficiency among infants and young children worldwide.