cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2663: Preclinical pharmacokinetic characterizations and human pharmacokinetic prediction of AMG 900, an orally available small molecule inhibitor of aurora kinases

Introduction: AMG 900 is a small molecule being developed as an orally administered, highly potent and selective pan-aurora kinase inhibitor. AMG 900 is currently undergoing phase 1 clinical evaluation in patients with advanced solid tumors. The objectives of the studies were to characterize single dose pharmacokinetics (PK) of AMG 900 in preclinical species and use the preclinical PK data to predict its human PK. Methods: Following a single intravenous and oral administration of AMG 900 to mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys, blood samples were collected and processed for plasma by centrifugation. AMG 900 plasma concentrations were determined by LC-MS/MS. Non-compartmental analysis of the concentration - time data was performed to calculate PK parameters of AMG 900. Human PK were predicted based on data from preclinical species using the simple allometric scaling method assuming a human body weight of 60 kg. Results: AMG 900 exhibited low (mouse, monkey and dog) to moderate (rat) clearance in the species evaluated. The volume of distribution at steady state was less than 0.5 L/kg across species. Following intravenous administration, the compound had terminal elimination half-life ranging from 0.6 to 2.4 hours. AMG 900 was well absorbed in fasted animals across species with an oral bioavailability ranging from 31% to 104%. The clearance and volume of distribution at steady state in humans were predicted to be 0.03 L/hr/kg and 0.1 L/kg, respectively, with the predicted half-life to be approximately 2.3 hours. Bioavailability after oral administration of AMG 900 was predicted to be 75%, calculated from the mean values observed in non-clinical species. Conclusion: AMG 900 exhibits good PK properties in preclinical species and it was predicted to have low clearance and good oral bioavailability in human. Available PK results from the on-going phase 1 trial are consistent with the allometric scaling predictions. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2663.
Proton pump inhibitor use may be associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection

Commentary on: Kwok CS, Arthur AK, Anibueze CI, et al. Risk of Clostridium difficile infection with acid suppressing drugs and antibiotics: meta-analysis. Am J Gastroenterol 2012;107:1011–19[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3]. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are a safe and effective treatment of acid-related disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett's oesophagus. However, they may be associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Kwok and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies evaluating the association between PPI and the risk of primary or recurrent CDI. Relevant articles were identified through a comprehensive literature search including MEDLINE, EMBASE (from database inception to December 2011) and reference lists of articles retrieved from these bibliographical databases. Studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis if they were either case–control or cohort design, and either reported OR, risk ratios (RR) or provided sufficient data to allow manual calculation of these … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DThe%2BAmerican%2Bjournal%2Bof%2Bgastroenterology%26rft.stitle%253DAm%2BJ%2BGastroenterol%26rft.aulast%253DLeontiadis%26rft.auinit1%253DG.%2BI.%26rft.volume%253D107%26rft.issue%253D7%26rft.spage%253D1020%26rft.epage%253D1021%26rft.atitle%253DHow%2Bmuch%2Bdo%2BPPIs%2Bcontribute%2Bto%2BC.%2Bdifficile%2Binfections%253F%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1038%252Fajg.2012.174%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F22764024%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1038/ajg.2012.174&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=22764024&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F18%2F5%2F193.atom
Age/grade differences in gifted children's attitudes toward the handicapped.

The present study explored gifted children's attitudes toward handicapped children. Since gifted students play important roles as academic and social leaders, their attitudes may help shape others' attitudes as well (3). The only similar previous studies used 8-yr.-olds as subjects and took place prior to the mandates for mainstreaming now in force (1, 2). The present study, undertaken now under these mandates, assessed variance in attitudes by age. Subjects were 82 students in Grades 4, 5, 6, and 7 from a midwestern school district and were identified as "gifted" on measures of intellecrual, academic, creative, and decision-making skills. The attitudes of 41 girls and 41 boys were assessed on the Attitudes Toward Handicapped Individuals scale used in previous studies. On 20 statements subjects indicate agreement or disagreement along a six-point Likert-type scale.
Selection in Cotton for Antibiosis to the Boll Weevil, Anthonomus grandis

Forty-five experimental cotton lines and 2 commercial varieties were evaluated for antibiosis to the boll weevil as measured by percent emergence of adult weevils from squares with oviposition punctures. Range of percent emergence was from 15.3 to 59.2 and differences were highly significant. Percent emergence was not correlated with number of squares with oviposition punctures or with weight of squares.
Discussion of “Security Returns and Volume Responses around International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Earnings Announcements”

Olibe (2016) uses price and trading volume responses around IFRS earnings disclosures for U.K. cross-listed firms trading as American Depository Receipts in U.S. equity markets to investigate whether such disclosures provide information to market participants over and above U.S. GAAP earnings disclosures. He finds evidence of significant price and trading volume responses for IFRS earnings disclosures, leading to the conclusion that market participants find that those disclosures facilitate trading in U.S. equity markets. This discussion focuses on the paper's incremental contribution to the literature and offers suggestions for improvements in the research design and analyses.
Parameterized Modeling and Motion Simulation of Single Screw Pump Based on Solidworks

According to formation mechanism of rotor and stator surface of single screw pump, screw pump model is established by 3D modeling software SolidWorks. The model is parameterized by second development for SolidWorks software. Using COSMOSMotion software, achieved motion simulation and analysis of rotor and stator, the results show that: ① Trajectory of point on the rotor surface is elliptic, which have different size and location; ② Speed and acceleration curve of point on the rotor surface are Harmonic curve, in the midpoint of stator straight-line, the speed is the biggest, the acceleration is the smallest; in the point on top of stator arc, the speed is the smallest, the acceleration is the biggest.
IgA Nephropathy and Related Diseases

Abstract IgA nephropathy, the most common glomerulonephritis worldwide and an important cause of renal failure, is an autoimmune glomerulonephritis wherein immune complexes consisting of IgA1 with galactose-deficient O-glycans (autoantigen) and anti-glycan autoantibodies deposit in glomeruli. IgA nephropathy frequently manifests initially in adolescents and young adults. Macroscopic hematuria coinciding with mucosal infections of the upper respiratory tract and/or digestive system is a characteristic presentation. Accumulated data suggest a multi-hit pathogenetic pathway, in which galactose-deficient IgA1 is produced at elevated levels (hit 1) and is recognized by unique circulating autoantibodies (hit 2). This process promotes formation of nephritogenic immune complexes (hit 3) that deposit in the kidney, activate mesangial cells, and cause renal injury (hit 4). Mesangial cells proliferate and overproduce extracellular matrix proteins and cytokines, which may injure podocytes and induce proteinuria. Most of these pathogenetic steps are likely affected by multiple environmental and genetic factors, some of them associated with abnormal mucosal immune responses.
Section 1: On the Propagation of Sound Through Air and Through Other Gaseous Fluids

The object of the preceding part was to show how the characteristic vibrations of a sounding body and their relative frequencies are determined by the shape and by the other attributes of the body. But for the transmitted vibrations, which I will speak of here, it is necessary to look at the system of the body by which the sound is propagated, being of an indeterminate shape and size, and susceptible to vibrations in all directions and in all possible periods of time.
Creating Economic Incentives for Waste Disposal in Developing Countries Using the MixAlco Process.

In rapidly growing developing countries, waste disposal is a major challenge. Current waste disposal methods (e.g., landfills and sewage treatment) incur costs and often are not employed; thus, wastes accumulate in the environment. To address this challenge, it is advantageous to create economic incentives to collect and process wastes. One approach is the MixAlco process, which uses methane-inhibited anaerobic fermentation to convert waste biomass into carboxylate salts, which are chemically converted to industrial chemicals and fuels. In this paper, humanure (raw human feces and urine) is explored as a possible nutrient source for fermentation. This work focuses on fermenting municipal solid waste (energy source) and humanure (nutrient source) in batch fermentations. Using the Continuum Particle Distribution Model (CPDM), the performance of continuous countercurrent fermentation was predicted at different volatile solid loading rates (VSLR) and liquid residence times (LRT). For a four-stage countercurrent fermentation system at VSLR = 4 g/(L∙day), LRT = 30 days, and solids concentration = 100 g/L liquid, the model predicts carboxylic acid concentration of 68 g/L and conversion of 78.5 %.
Characterization of Fissile Assemblies Using Low-Efficiency Detection Systems

We have investigated the possibility that the amount, chemical form, multiplication, and shape of the fissile material in an assembly can be passively assayed using scintillator detection systems by only measuring the fast neutron pulse height distribution and distribution of time intervals $\Delta \text{t}$ between fast neutrons. We have previously demonstrated that the alpha ratio can be obtained from the observed pulse height distribution for fast neutrons. In this paper, we report that when the distribution of time intervals is plotted as a function of log $\Delta t$ , the position of the correlated neutron peak is nearly independent of detector efficiency and determines the internal relaxation rate for fast neutrons. If this information is combined with knowledge of the alpha ratio, then the position of the minimum between the correlated and uncorrelated peaks can be used to rapidly estimate the mass, multiplication, and shape of fissile material. This method does not require a priori knowledge of either the efficiency for neutron detection or the alpha ratio. Although our method neglects three-neutron correlations, we have used previously obtained experimental data for metallic and oxide forms of Pu to demonstrate that our method yields good estimates for multiplications as large as 2, and that the only constraint on detector efficiency/observation time is that a peak in the interval time distribution due to correlated neutrons is visible.
Hume, Causation and Two Arguments Concerning God

In Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion , Hume (1779/1993) appeals to his account of causation (among other things) to undermine certain arguments for the existence of God. If ‘anything can cause anything’, as Hume claims, then the Principle of Causal Adequacy is false; and if the Principle of Causal Adequacy is false, then any argument for God’s existence that relies on that principle fails. Of course, Hume’s critique has been influential. But Hume’s account of causation undermines the argument from evil at least as much as it undermines arguments for theism, or so I argue. I then suggest that Hume’s account of causation can be used to formulate an alternative argument against classical theism.
Lost-PLA casting: hands-on material science

Lost-PLA casting is a digital adaption of a classic sculpture technique --- lost-wax casting. Mesopotamian lost-wax cast artifacts date back to approximately 3500 BC [Hunt 1980]. At that time, wax carvings were encased in clay which was fired to produce molds. The earliest casts were copper, but over time other metals were used. Our production process remains remarkably similar to the ancient casting process, except for material substitutions: 1) ceramic slurries instead of clay, 2) PLA 3D prints instead of wax, and 3) bronze or aluminum instead of copper.
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia with Liver Herniation into the Pericardial Sac in a 30-Week Gestation Infant

Anterior diaphragmatic defects with pericardial involvement are extremely rare and diagnostically challenging entities encountered perinatally. While a majority of diaphragmatic defects occur in isolation, others are associated with multiple defects forming a complex of syndromes such as Pentalogy of Cantrell. Liver herniation into the pericardial sac poses a particular challenge and can mimic a pericardial tumor on prenatal ultrasound, yielding a different management course. The following case is an unusual presentation of a 30-week gestation female with an anterior midline diaphragmatic defect with liver herniation mimicking as a pericardial tumor, diagnosed at time of autopsy. Postmortem studies also found multiple congenital anomalies including an atrioventricular septal defect and midline gumline defect suggesting at least a partial Pentalogy of Cantrell or variant. Early recognition and screening for associated anomalies are essential for management in this subset of patients.
Electrostatically tuned dimensional crossover in LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 heterostructures

We report a gate-tunable dimensional crossover in sub-micrometer-scale channels created at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface. Conducting channels of widths 10 nm and 200 nm are created using conducting atomic force microscope lithography. Under sufficient negative back-gate tuning, the orbital magnetoconductance of the 200 nm channel is strongly quenched, and residual signatures of low-field weak-antilocalization become strikingly similar to that of the 10 nm channel. The dimensional crossover for the 200 nm channel takes place near the conductance quantum G = 2e2/h. The ability to tune the dimensionality of narrow LaAlO3/SrTiO3 channels has implications for interpreting transport in a variety of gate-tunable oxide-heterostructure devices.
Antigen Presentation by Vascular Cells

Antigen presentation by cells of the vessel wall may initiate rapid and localized memory immune responses in peripheral tissues. Peptide antigens displayed on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) can be recognized by T cell receptors on circulating effector memory T cells (TEM), triggering both transendothelial migration and activation. The array of co-stimulatory receptors, adhesion molecules, and cytokines expressed by ECs serves to modulate T cell activation responses. While the effects of these interactions vary among species, vascular beds, and vascular segments within the same tissue, they are capable of triggering allograft rejection without direct involvement of professional antigen-presenting cells and may play a similar role in host defense against infections and in autoimmunity. Once across the endothelium, extravasating TEM then contact mural cells of the vessel wall, including pericytes or vascular smooth muscle cells, which may also present antigens and provide signals that further regulate T cell responses. Collectively, these interactions provide an unexplored opportunity in which targeting of vascular cells can be used to modulate immune responses. In organ transplantation, targeting ECs with siRNA to reduce expression of MHC molecules may additionally mitigate perioperative injuries by preformed alloantibodies, further reducing the risk of graft rejection. Similarly, genetic manipulation of vascular cells to minimize antigen-dependent responses can be used to increase perfusion of tissue engineered organs without triggering rejection.
ECOUTEZ ET VOUS ENTENDREZ

This article offers a new interpretation of "la haulte dame de Paris" in Pantagruel. Taking into account the role 16th century society imposed on women and especially women of higher social standing, it seems impossible for us to see, in "la haulte dame de Paris", as do certain critics, "une pimbeche hypocrite" with a "sexualite cachee et irrepressible" (Charpentier). The text instead (if placed in the context of the 16th century) presents an intelligently curious woman, perfectly conscious of the partiality of the laws concerning feminine "virtue", and demonstrating an acute perspicacity which permits her to cut short Panurge's subterfuges.
Pupil Dilation and Preoperative Preparation

Management of small pupil may be successfully accomplished by means of any one or a combination of the following techniques: Pharmacologic mydriasis Viscomydriasis Pupillary stretching techniques Pupil ring expanders Iris surgery Preoperative preparation accomplishes multiple goals, including infection prophylaxis. Preventing infection is a multi-factorial process involving positioning, prepping, and draping of the patient, and the use of antibiotics as well as surgical technique.
Behavioral Enviroregulation’s Role in Fish Migration

Migration in fishes logically had its evolutionary origins in the “migration” of required or preferred environments. The extent to which fishes now have come to rely on sign stimuli to guide their migrations must be measured against antecedent responses that are strictly enviroregulatory. Separation of the two kinds of mechanisms will require imaginative application both of emergent modeling techniques and new technologies for data gathering.
On Nesterov's Approach to Semi-infinite Programming

We generalize Nesterov's construction for the reduction of various classes of semi-infinite programming problems to the semidefinite programming form. In this way, we are able to consider ‘cones of squares’ of real-valued and matrix-valued functions as rather particular cases of a unifying abstract scheme. We also interpret from this viewpoint some results of M. Krein and A. Nudelman. This provides (in a way which probably has not been anticipated by these authors) a very powerful tool for solving various optimization problems.
Gene Expression During Infection Structure Development by Germlings of the Rust Fungi

Stomatal penetrating fungi, typified by the bean rust fungus, Uromyces appendiculatus (Pers.) Unger., and the wheat stem rust fungus Puccinia graminis Pers. ssp. tritici, develop infection structures when a germ tube encounters a stomate on the epidermis of a host plant [1]. Infection structures develop in response to this and other specific cues from the host’s surfaces which serve to ensure accurate placement of the appressorium. Here we review the current state of our knowledge regarding the differentiation response, signal transmission, and the nature of germling response to signal reception.
Factors Associated with Non-compliance for Diabetic Retinopathy Follow-up in an Urban Safety-Net Hospital.

PURPOSE Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of preventable blindness in working-aged adults, and compliance in ophthalmic follow-up appointments is critical to prevent vision loss. However, barriers to follow-up care have not been well studied, especially in socio-economically disadvantaged groups. We investigated the risk factors for non-compliance to DR follow-up appointments in a safety-net county hospital. METHODS Two hundred and nine patients who were treated for DR at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital retina clinic between 1 July 2015 and 30 January 2016 were enrolled in the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of demographic and medical information was used to determine independent risk factors for non-compliance to DR follow-up appointments. RESULTS The mean patient age was 58 years. Sixty-three percent (132/209) of patients were male; the mean haemoglobin A1c level was 8.5 (SD 0.14). Forty-six percent (97/209) of patients attended <80% of their DR follow-up appoinments. Independent risk factors for non-compliance after multivariate logistic regression analysis were diabetic foot involvement [OR: 2.40, 95% CI: (1.04-5.55)] and foot/kidney involvement [OR: 3.79 (1.35-10.5)], history of major depressive disorder (MDD) [OR: 2.11 (1.05-4.26), and having Medi-Cal [OR: 5.01 (2.00-12.5)] or SF Health insurance [OR: 6.79 (2.14-21.5)]. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In conclusion, this is the first study to identify diabetic end organ damage and MDD as independent risk factors for non-compliance in DR follow-up appointments. It is important that health care providers identify these patient subsets and increase efforts to more deliberately encourage follow-up in these high-risk patient groups for DR.
Good People with Bad Principles

Right now many countries seem quite divided about justice. Since the two sides hold incompatible principles, at least one side must be holding the wrong principles. To have bad principles, and to feel and act upon them reliably without regret or reconsideration, is vice. Yet we all know people on both sides of the political divide whom we consider virtuous. This poses a challenge for virtue ethics. How can people with bad principles of justice be good people?
Tunable Lattice Plasmon Resonances in 1D Nanogratings

Lattice plasmon resonances or surface lattice resonances (SLRs) supported in two-dimensional (2D) metal nanoparticle arrays have extremely narrow line widths and highly localized electric field enhancements, which are key properties for realizing plasmon lasers and hybrid solid-state lighting devices. This paper reports lattice plasmons in one-dimensional (1D) metal nanogratings with broadband tunability (over 400 nm) far beyond their 2D counterparts at visible wavelengths. The large wavelength tunabilities of 1D or line-SLRs are from the lower symmetry of the structures compared to 2D arrays based on nanoparticles. We demonstrate that line-SLRs exhibit a Fano-like character based on coupling between an out-of-plane plasmon excitation and 1D Bragg diffraction modes. We show how the height and periodicity of the grating determine the spectral properties of the line-SLRs. By adjusting the line height, we achieved high-quality lattice resonances, even in index-mismatched environments.
No Linear Association Between Number of Concussions or Years Played and Cognitive Outcomes in Retired NFL Players.

Objective The aim of the current study is to examine whether concussion history and years played are linearly associated with cognitive outcomes in retired National Football League (NFL) players. Method Thirty-five retired NFL players over the age of 50 who had sustained at least one concussion completed a clinical interview and brief neuropsychological battery. Correlational analyses were conducted between exposure variables [number of total concussions, concussions with loss of consciousness (LOC), and years played] and cognitive performance as characterized by cognitive composite scores based on performance on neuropsychological measures (attention/processing speed, language, memory, and overall composite scores). Results Correlational analyses corrected for multiple comparisons did not reveal any statistically significant correlations between exposure variables and cognitive outcomes. Conclusions We did not find a significant linear association between cognitive outcomes and either number of total concussions, concussions with LOC, or years played in the NFL. These findings do not support a dose-response relationship between sports-related exposure to head impacts and cognitive outcomes later in life. Rather, the findings suggest that cognitive difficulties experienced by some retired players later in life are not directly linearly associated with quantified exposure to head impacts sustained throughout a football career, but related to factors or combinations of factors that have yet to be elucidated.
Multi-modality Treatment and Survival in Sinonasal Minor Salivary Gland Tumors.

Objectives The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the multimodality treatment on survival in sinonasal minor salivary gland tumors. Methods Adult clinical American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor (T) 1-4a staged cases of sinonasal minor salivary gland tumors were isolated from the National Cancer Database (2004–2014). Multivariate regressions were performed to analyze the effect of multimodality treatment. A subset analysis was also performed in patients with positive margins following surgical management. Results We identified 556 cases, of which 293 (52.7%) patients were treated with surgery and radiotherapy (RT), 160 (28.8%) were treated with surgery alone, and 52 (9.4%) were treated with surgery and chemoradiotherapy (CRT). No patients were treated with chemotherapy alone. With surgery and CRT as a reference, the only treatment modality associated with decreased survival was RT alone (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.213 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.578–6.543]; p = 0.001). Within a subset analysis of patients with positive margins, surgery was associated with decreased survival (HR: 2.021 [95% CI: 1.401–3.925]; p = 0.038), but not triple modality therapy (HR: 1.700 [95% CI: 0.798–3.662]) when compared with surgery with RT. Conclusion The most common treatment was surgery and RT, consistent with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines which recommends chemotherapy (CT) only in the most concerning cases. However, we found no difference in survival among most treatment modalities when compared with triple modality therapy, with the exception of RT alone. Although margins were prognostic within these cancers, we found no evidence that adjuvant CRT provides any survival benefit over surgery and RT, though surgery alone was associated with decreased survival.
Estimation of Gaze Region Using Two Dimensional Probabilistic Maps Constructed Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Predicting the gaze of a user can have important applications in human computer interactions (HCI). They find applications in areas such as social interaction, driver distraction, human robot interaction and education. Appearance based models for gaze estimation have significantly improved due to recent advances in convolutional neural network (CNN). This paper proposes a method to predict the gaze of a user with deep models purely based on CNNs. A key novelty of the proposed model is that it produces a probabilistic map describing the gaze distribution (as opposed to predicting a single gaze direction). This approach is achieved by converting the regression problem into a classification problem, predicting the probability at the output instead of a single direction. The framework relies in a sequence of downsampling followed by upsampling to obtain the probabilistic gaze map. We observe that our proposed approach works better than a regression model in terms of prediction accuracy. The average mean squared error between the predicted gaze and the true gaze is observed to be 6.89◦ in a model trained and tested on the MSP-Gaze database, without any calibration or adaptation to the target user.
Osteocalcin affects bone mineral and mechanical properties in female mice.

Abstract Osteocalcin is one of the most abundant noncollagenous proteins in bone. Phenotypes of osteocalcin knock-out mice (OC−/−) may vary on different backgrounds and with sex. Previous studies using adult female (OC−/−) mice on a mixed genetic background (129/B6) showed osteocalcin inhibited bone formation leading to weaker bone in wild-type (OC+/+). Yet on a pure (B6) genetic background male mice revealed osteocalcin improved fracture resistance and OC−/− bones were more prone to fracture. Osteocalcin is decreased with age and in some diseases (diabetes) where bone weakness is observed. The effect of osteocalcin in adult female bone from mice on a pure B6 background is unknown. We investigated differences in bone mineral properties and bone strength in female adult (6 months) (OC+/+) and (OC−/−) mice on a pure C57BL/6J background using Fourier Transform Infrared Imaging (FTIRI), micro-computed tomography (uCT), biomechanical measurements, histomorphometry and serum turnover markers (P1NP, CTX). Similar to female age matched mice on the (129/C57) background we found B6 OC−/− mice had a higher bone formation rate, no change in bone resorption, more immature mineral, decreased crystallinity and increased trabecular bone as compared to OC+/+. In contrast, the OC−/− mice on a pure B6 background had a lower bone mineral density, lower mineral to matrix ratio resulting in reduced stiffness and weaker bone strength. Our results demonstrate some properties of the OC−/− phenotype are dependent on genetic background. This may suggest that reduced osteocalcin may contribute to fracture and weaker bone in some groups of elderly and adults with diseases where osteocalcin is low.
KINETIC STUDIES ON THE HYBRIDIZATION OF RNA TO DOUBLE STRANDED DNA

ABSTRACT RNA can hybridize to double stranded DNA in the presence of 70% formamide by displacing the identical DNA strand. The resulting structure, called an R-loop, is formed in formamide probably because of the greater thermodynamic stability of the RNA/DNA hybrid near the denaturation temperature of duplex DNA. The rate of R-loop formation is maximal at the strand separation temperature (Tss) of the duplex DNA and falls precipitously a few degrees above or below that temperature. This maximal rate is similar to the rate of hybridization of RNA to single stranded DNA under the same conditions. At temperatures above the Tss, the rate is proportional to the RNA concentration. However, at temperatures below Tss, the rate of R-loop formation is less dependent upon the RNA concentration. Once formed, the R-loops display considerable stability; the formamide can be removed and the DNA can be cleaved with restriction endonucleases without loss of R-loop structures.
Tennessee’s Opening Bid for a Medicaid Block Grant

Tennessee’s Opening Bid for a Medicaid Block Grant Tennessee has begun the process of asking the federal government for a block grant for its Medicaid program. Negotiations between state officials ...
Broadened-Laser-Driven Polarization-Maintaining Hollow-Core Fiber Optic Gyroscope

A state-of-the-art fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) using a 250-m quadrupolar-wound coil of polarization-maintaining hollow-core fiber (HCF) interrogated by a broadened laser is demonstrated. The fiber coil is directly connected to the multi-function integrated optics chip (MIOC) to reduce instabilities and reflections. The HCF FOG is first driven with a broadband source, yielding an angular random walk (ARW) of 2.12 μrad/√Hz and a drift of 0.375 μrad. This drift is 3.4 times lower than reported in any previous HCF FOG. Measuring the loss and ARW versus wavelength of the HCF FOG driven by a tunable narrow-linewidth laser reveals that the HCF supports a dense spectrum of high-scattering surface modes (∼70 modes/nm). The HCF FOG was also interrogated with a 22.5-GHz broadened-laser source, yielding an ARW of 6 μrad/√Hz. This ARW is most likely limited by backscattering mediated by coupling to the high-scattering surface modes. The drift of the HCF FOG driven by the broadened laser was 0.88 μrad. This drift is limited by polarization coupling, and confirms the holding parameter given by the fiber provider for this fiber (10−3 m−1).
Chemicals, cans and factories: how grade school children think about processed foods.

OBJECTIVE To determine how children interpret terms related to food processing; whether their categorisation of foods according to processing level is consistent with those used in research; and whether they associate the degree of processing with healthfulness. DESIGN Qualitative data were collected from ten focus groups. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was conducted. SETTING Four elementary and afterschool programmes in a large, urban school district in the USA that served predominantly low-income, racial/ethnic minority students. PARTICIPANTS Children, 9-12 years old, in the fourth-sixth grades (n 53). RESULTS The sample was 40 % male, 47 % Hispanic with a mean age of 10·4 ± 1·1 years. Children's understanding of unprocessed foods was well aligned with research classifications, while concordance of highly processed foods with research categorisations varied. Five primary themes regarding the way children categorised foods according to their processing level emerged: type and amount of added ingredients; preparation method; packaging and storage; change in physical state or sensory experience; and growing method. Most children associated processing level with healthfulness, describing unprocessed foods as healthier. The most common reason provided for the unhealthfulness of processed foods was added ingredients, including 'chemicals' and 'sugar'. CONCLUSIONS The current study demonstrated that children have a working knowledge of processing that could be leveraged to encourage healthier eating patterns; however, their understanding is not always consistent with the classification systems used in research. The vocabulary used by researchers and consumers to talk about processing must be reconciled to translate findings into actionable messages.
Genome-wide association mapping reveals loci for shelf life and developmental rate of lettuce

Two major QTL, one for shelf life that corresponds to qSL4 and one, qDEV7, for developmental rate, were identified. Associated markers will be useful in breeding for improved fresh-cut lettuce. Fresh-cut lettuce in packaged salad can have short shelf life, and visible deterioration may start within a week after processing. Yield and developmental rate are an important aspect of lettuce production. Genetic diversity and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed on 493 accessions with the genotypic data of 4615 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphism markers. Population structure (Q), principal component (PC), and phylogenetic analyses displayed genetic relationships associated with lettuce types and geographic distribution. Data for shelf life, yield, developmental rate, and their stability indices were used for statistical analysis, and GWAS was performed by general and mixed linear models. The genetic relationship among the individuals was incorporated into the models using kinship matrix, PC, and Q. Broad-sense heritability (H2) across environments was 0.43 for shelf life, 0.36 for yield, and 0.60 for developmental rate. There was a negative correlation between yield and developmental rate. Significant marker–trait association (SMTA) was detected for shelf life on chromosome 4. The most significant quantitative trait locus (QTL, qSL4, P = 2.23E−17) explained 24% of the total phenotypic variation (R2). The major QTL for developmental rate was detected on chromosome 7 (qDEV7, P = 2.43E−16, R2 = 17%), while additional QTLs with smaller effect were found in all chromosomes. No SMTA was detected for yield. The study identified lettuce accessions with extended and stable shelf life, stable yield, and desirable developmental rate. Molecular markers closely linked to traits can be applied for selection of preferable genotypes and for identification of genes associated with these traits.
Exploring the Needs, Preferences, and Concerns of Persons with Visual Impairments Regarding Autonomous Vehicles

Fully autonomous or “self-driving” vehicles are an emerging technology that may hold tremendous mobility potential for blind or visually impaired persons who are currently unable to drive a conventional motor vehicle. Despite the considerable potential of self-driving vehicle technology to address this mobility issue, however, the needs and preferences of persons with visual disabilities regarding this technology have been insufficiently investigated. In this article, we present the results of two studies that are focused on exploring the needs, preferences, and concerns of persons with visual impairments as it relates to self-driving vehicles. Study one investigated user acceptance, concerns, and willingness to buy partially and fully automated vehicles using a 39-question Internet-based survey distributed in the United States to visually impaired respondents (n = 516). Study two explores the opinions of 38 participants who are blind and low vision, using focus group methodology, regarding emerging self-driving vehicle technology. Collectively our findings suggest that while persons with visual impairments may be optimistic regarding the potential for enhanced mobility and independence that may result from the emergence of self-driving vehicles, concerns exist regarding the implementation of this technology that have been largely unexplored and under investigated.
Closing the Gap Between Mammalian and Invertebrate Peripheral Nerve Injury: Protocol for a Novel Nerve Repair.

Background: Outcomes after peripheral nerve injuries are poor despite current nerve repair techniques. Currently, there is no conclusive evidence that mammalian axons are capable of spontaneous fusion after transection. Notably, certain invertebrate species are able to auto-fuse after transection. Although mammalian axonal auto-fusion has not been observed experimentally, no mammalian study to date has demonstrated regenerating axolemmal membranes contacting intact distal segment axolemmal membranes to determine whether mammalian peripheral nerve axons have the intrinsic mechanisms necessary to auto-fuse after transection. Objective: This study aims to assess fusion competence between regenerating axons and intact distal segment axons by enhancing axon regeneration, delaying Wallerian degeneration, limiting the immune response, and preventing myelin obstruction. Methods: This study will use a rat sciatic nerve model to evaluate the effects of a novel peripheral nerve repair protocol on behavioral, electrophysiologic, and morphologic parameters. This protocol consists of a variety of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative interventions. Fusion will be assessed with electrophysiological conduction of action potentials across the repaired transection site. Axon-axon contact will be assessed with transmission electron microscopy. Behavioral recovery will be analyzed with the sciatic functional index. A total of 36 rats will be used for this study. The experimental group will use 24 rats and the negative control group will use 12 rats. For both the experimental and negative control groups, there will be both a behavior group and another group that will undergo electrophysiological and morphological analysis. The primary end point will be the presence or absence of action potentials across the lesion site. Secondary end points will include behavioral recovery with the sciatic functional index and morphological analysis of axon-axon contact between regenerating axons and intact distal segment axons. Results: The author is in the process of grant funding and institutional review board approval as of March 2020. The final follow-up will be completed by December 2021. Conclusions: In this study, the efficacy of the proposed novel peripheral nerve repair protocol will be evaluated using behavioral and electrophysiologic parameters. The author believes this study will provide information regarding whether spontaneous axon fusion is possible in mammals under the proper conditions. This information could potentially be translated to clinical trials if successful to improve outcomes after peripheral nerve injury.
dPCR vs. qPCR: The role of Poisson statistics at low concentrations

Abstract The ultimate precision in both dPCR and qPCR experiments is limited by the Poisson statistics in the total number m of template molecules in the sample, giving relative standard deviation 1/ m . This means that precision is limited by sample volume at low concentrations. Accordingly qPCR instruments, used in dPCR mode, can give better precision than dPCR instruments in this limit. For example, 13% standard deviation can be achieved with a 96-well plate for number concentrations ~20–5000 mL−1. For fixed m, qPCR loses to dPCR by a factor of ~2 in precision when calibration is needed.
Levothyroxine Therapy and Thyrotropin Suppression

Levothyroxine (L-T4) is arguably the most prescribed medication in the United States, with its primary therapeutic indication for hypothyroidism from chronic thyroiditis or Hashimoto’s disease. Such patients are candidates for so-called replacement dosage, with the administered dosage of L-T4 titrated to a target thyrotropin (TSH) level within the normal range of 0.4–2.0 mU/L. Patients with thyroid cancer who have had near-total to total thyroidectomy are usually candidates for suppressive levothyroxine dosage, which is “so-called” because the aim of therapy is to give a slightly supraphysiologic dosage of thyroxine to suppress TSH. The rationale for suppressive therapy is based on studies indicating that TSH stimulation enhances tumor growth, TSH serving as a growth factor or mitogen for thyroid malignancies with observations of more rapid tumor growth seen clinically after thyroxine withdrawal. The growth-promoting property of TSH is presumed to be from the presence of TSH receptors on thyroid cancer cells (1); however, non-TSH receptor-mediated growth is certainly a property of undifferentiated thyroid cancers.
COVID Patients Benefit from Inpatient Rehabilitation

Background: Existing evidence on rehabilitation of CoronaVirus Disease (COVID) patients primarily focuses on system changes, while rehabilitation outcomes have not been reported. The purpose of this study is to describe COVID patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and quantify their rehabilitation outcomes to determine if they benefit from inpatient rehabilitation to the same extent as their non-COVID counterparts. Methods: This is a historical prospective observational study of all inpatients from a free standing, 128-bed rehabilitation hospital between February 29, 2020 and September 30, 2020. Inclusion criteria are: ³18 years of age and admission and discharge within the study time frame. The initial search yielded 920 patients; 896 met the inclusion criteria. Data was derived from the eRehabData database. Patients were stratified by COVID status (+/-) and rehabilitation impairment (Stroke/Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury/Disease, Orthopedic, Medically Complex). Data included age, gender, body mass index (BMI), length of stay (LOS), discharge location, and functional ability measures for self-care and mobility (FA-SC, FA-Mob). Descriptive statistics included age, BMI, gender, LOS, and discharge location. One-sample t-tests were used to assess the difference of age, BMI, LOS, FA-SC, FA-Mob, and FA efficiency between COVID+ and COVID- patients. Findings: COVID+ patients were younger (59·40 years vs 62·95 years; t(894)= -2·05, p=0·04) with a higher mean BMI (31·66 vs 28·45; t(894)= 3·51, p<0·01) than COVID- patients. COVID(+) patients, regardless of impairment group, had equivalent or superior improvements in FA-SC and FA-Mob, functional change efficiency, and LOS than COVID- patients. Specifically, comparing Medically Complex patients, those with COVID had greater FA-SC and FA-Mob efficiencies than COVID- patients. COVID+ patients had similar rates of return to the community. Interpretation: Patients with COVID who meet the admission criteria for inpatient rehabilitation can benefit from inpatient rehabilitation similarly to their non-COVID counterparts with similar rehabilitation-specific diagnoses. Funding This study did not utilize any funding source. Funding Statement: This study did not utilize any funding source. Declaration of Interests: Cynthia T. Pham has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rounds has nothing to disclose. Suzanne Groah reports grants from NIDILRR, grants from CDMRP, grants from Craig H Neilsen Foundation, all outside the submitted work. Dr. Semel has nothing to disclose. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was reviewed and approved by the MedStar Health Institutional Review Board (Approval ID: 00003031).
Gnss Timing Mitigation Options for Critical CNS/ATM Infrastructures

Most Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) use Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), and often the United States (U.S.) Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS) in particular, to provide timing references to their critical communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) and Air Traffic Management (ATM) infrastructures. Legacy CNS/ATM systems may not have the robust alternative timing reference systems required to support continuity of operation in the event of GNSS signal disruption. This study identified potential timing vulnerabilities of systems dependent on GNSS derived timing and risk mitigation approaches to overcome these vulnerabilities.As legacy systems are replaced by future digital systems, CNS/ATM systems will be increasingly time dependent. We present in this paper an overview and analysis of potential GNSS timing risk mitigation options to its vulnerabilities (loss of signal, spoofing, interference, and jamming). Finally, we present a comparison of the risk mitigation options against a set of key parameters (signal disruption, jamming, spoofing, accuracy, ease of deployment and cost).
YPAR Dreams Deferred? Examining Power Bases for YPAR to Impact Policy and Practice:

Practitioners and scholars have argued that youth participatory action research (YPAR) challenges systemic injustice in education, as youth and adults research mechanisms of oppression and propose ...
Partially ordering weighted trees using discrete Green's functions

In this paper, we consider the edge transfer operation for which we remove an edge incident to a vertex and connect one of its neighbors to the other endpoint of this removed edge. We show that if an edge of a weighted tree is transferred from a vertex to another vertex with smaller diagonal value on the combinatorial Green's function, the resulting tree has smaller Kemeny's constant. Consequently, this leads to a partial order on the family of trees. Maximal and minimal elements of this partial order are determined. Analogous results are obtained for variations of the combinatorial Green's functions. We will give examples suggesting that these results only hold for trees but fail for some general graph families.
Introduction to applications and industries for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) have gained acceptance as viable products for many commercial and government applications. MEMS are currently being used as displays for digital projection systems, sensors for airbag deployment systems, inkjet print head systems, and optical routers. This paper will discuss current and future MEMS applications.