cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retinal mitochondrial DNA mismatch repair in the development of diabetic retinopathy, and its continued progression after termination of hyperglycemia.

Purpose Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is damaged in the retina in diabetes, and mitochondria copy numbers are decreased. The displacement-loop (D-loop) of the mtDNA, the region with transcription/replication elements, experiences more damage than other regions of mtDNA. Our aim was to examine the role of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) in mitochondria homeostasis in diabetic retinopathy, and in its continued progression after cessation of hyperglycemia. Methods Effect of hyperglycemia on sequence variants in the D-loop region was investigated in retinal endothelial cells and in the retina from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats using mismatch-specific surveyor nuclease. The role of MMR machinery in mtDNA damage and mitochondrial respiration was investigated in retinal endothelial cells overexpressing Mlh1, an MMR enzyme mainly associated with mtDNA polymerase gamma, or Msh2 (associated with nuclear polymerase beta). Results Hyperglycemia increased sequence variants in the D-loop region. While overexpression of Mlh1 in endothelial cells ameliorated glucose-induced increase in D-loop sequence variants, decrease in respiration rate and increase in apoptosis, overexpression of Msh2 did not protect the mitochondria damage. Termination of hyperglycemia failed to reverse decrease in MMR enzymes and increase in D-loop sequence variants. Conclusions Due to a compromised MMR system, the sequence variants in the D-loop region were not repaired, and that resulted in impaired mtDNA transcription. Mitochondria become dysfunctional, and they continued to be dysfunctional even after hyperglycemia was terminated, contributing to the development, and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Thus, strategies targeting mitochondrial MMR machinery could help maintain mitochondria homeostasis, and inhibit the development of diabetic retinopathy and its continued progression.
Age of murine hosts determined by binding of estradiol to mosquito blood meals.

Steroid-binding proteins (e.g., alpha-fetoprotein) are found in blood of many mammalian neonates, where they serve to bind and clear maternal steroid hormones. Detectable amounts of steroid-binding proteins (SBP) were found in mosquito blood meals obtained from suckling laboratory mice. Mosquitoes fed on suckling mice were easily differentiated from those fed on adults by testing blood meals for binding of radiolabeled estradiol (3H-E2). Binding of 3H-E2 in blood meals remained detectable for up to 18 h after ingestion. Therefore, binding of radiolabeled steroids to blood meals can be used to determine the relative age of host rodents. Potential field applications and limitations of this technique are discussed.
Interactions of neuropeptide y, catecholamines, and angiotensin at the vascular neuroeffector junction.

Work from our laboratory has established that angiotensin II (Ang II) produces a greater enhancement of the nerve stimulation (NS)-induced release (overflow) of both norepinephrine (NE) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) and a greater increase in perfusion pressure of the mesenteric arterial bed obtained from the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) compared to age-matched Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) or Sprague–Dawley rats. The enhancement of NS-induced NPY release was blocked by the AT1 receptor antagonist EMD 66684 and the AT2 receptor antagonist PD 123319. Both captopril and EMD 66684 decreased NPY and NE overflow from SHR mesenteric beds, suggesting an endogenous renin–angiotensin system (RAS) is active in the mesenteric artery. We also observed that the recently discovered new arm of the RAS, namely, angiotensin (1–7) (Ang-(1–7)), attenuated the NS-induced increase in NE and NPY release and the accompanied increased perfusion pressure. These inhibitory effects were greater in blood vessels obtained from SHR compared to WKY. We suggest that inhibition of sympathetic neurotransmission contributes to the mechanism(s) by which Ang-(1–7) acts to inhibit the vasoconstrictor effect of Ang II. Administration of the MAS receptor antagonist D-Ala7Ang-(1–7) attenuated the decrease in both NE and NPY release due to Ang-(1–7) administration. The AT2 receptor antagonist PD 123391 attenuated the effect of Ang-(1–7) on NE release without affecting the decrease in NPY release. We observed a shift in the balance between Ang II and Ang-(1–7) levels in the SHR with an increase in Ang II and a decrease in Ang-(1–7) in the blood and mesenteric artery. This appears to be due to an increase in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in the mesenteric artery of the SHR.
Comparison of single intra operative versus an intra operative and two post operative injections of the triamcinolone after wedge excision of keloids of helix.

OBJECTIVE To compare single intra-operative versus an intra-operative and two post-operative injections of triamcinolone after wedge excision of keloids of helix. METHODS The randomised controlled trial was conducted at the King Edward Medical University, Lahore, from January, 2011, to March, 2014, and comprised female patients over 14 years of age presenting with post-piercing keloids of helix not treated previously by any means and amenable to wedge excision. The subjects were divided into Group A who were given a single intra-operative injection of triamcinolone, and Group B who had an intra-operative and two post-operative injections of triamcinolone. Extra-lesional wedge excision of keloids was done, followed by infiltration of flaps and wound base with 0.5-1cc of triamcinolone 40mg/cc. Group B patients were given additional injections of triamcinolone at 1st and 2nd monthly visits. Both groups were observed for the evidence of hypertrophy or complications. Development of hypertrophy within one year of completion of treatment was considered recurrence. RESULTS The 70 patients in the study were divided into two equal groups of 35(50%) each. The mean age of Group A was 22.34±4.95 years and that of Group B was 22.88±4.22 years (p=0.624). The Mean size of the keloids was 2.54±0.516 cm(2) in Group A and 2.61±0.569 cm(2) in Group B (p=0.613). Recurrence rate in Group A was 3(8.5%) and 2(5.7%) in Group B (p= 0.64). The complication rate was 3(8.5%) in Group A and 8(22.8%) in Group B (p=0.10). CONCLUSIONS Single injection of triamcinolone was as effective as three in reducing recurrence with less complication rate.
The Community Relations Council: An Examination of the Cultural Approach to Conflict Management

In Chapter 3, I traced the development of cultural initiatives from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, noting the gradual development of a coherent approach and a constituency of practitioners. After the failure of the flawed structural attempt to address intercommunal relationships in the Community Relations Commission (1969–74), the approach grew out of the strength of informal initiatives at community level, moving from simple contact work in the 1970s to focused community relations work in the 1980s. As Chapter 3 noted, by 1986 the realisation was growing that the approach could benefit from a more strategic and higher profile format.
The Genetic Control of Membrane Transport

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the techniques that have been developed to isolate and characterize transport mutants, the criteria for identifying genes that affect transport directly, the linkage relationships of transport mutants in several organisms, the regulation of synthesis of transport systems, and the usefulness of mutants in understanding transport mechanisms. A variety of methods have been developed for the isolation of transport mutants, particularly in microorganisms. Some are selection methods, making use of conditions under which the transport mutant can grow but the wild-type cell cannot; others are merely screening methods, permitting the rapid identification of transport mutants among large numbers of wild-type cells. The particular strategy to be used in a given instance depends on the function of the transport system in question and on whether or not there are alternate routes for the substrate to enter the cell. The chapter tabulates basic information about the properties of existing transport mutants.
Are Self-Financed House Members Free Agents?

Self-financed members of the House of Representatives invest large sums of personal money or loans into their election campaigns because they are unable, due to their often tenuous electoral position, to attract contributions from other sources. In fact, they receive half as much interest group money on average than their peers. Their ability to self-fund as well as their limited ties to interest groups provide them with an unusual amount of independence. In this paper I investigate whether this situation results in more or less shirking on the part of self-financed members of Congress by examining the effects of self-financing on member responsiveness and ideological proximity to constituents. I find self-financed House members do not shirk constituent ideological preferences any more or less than other House members.
Structural Alterations in the Hypertensive Heart Disease Result in Intercalated Disc Remodeling and Arrhythmias

Atrial and ventricular arrhythmias are common in patients with arterial hypertension and their presence and complexity may influence overall morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Although the exact mechanisms associating hypertension with arrhythmias remain unclear, it is established that left ventricular hypertrophy, impaired left ventricular function, left atrial enlargement, and myocardial ischemia all play critical roles. To function properly and as a single organ in syncytium, the heart is made up of individual cells, the cardiomyocytes, which are joined together and connected through electron dense structures termed intercalated discs. Structural alterations in the intercalated discs cause aberrant cell-cell junctional complexes, leading to remodeling of the heart, to spontaneous arrhythmogenesis, and, eventually, to sudden cardiac death. In this chapter we will discuss the cardiac structural and functional alterations that take place in hypertensive heart disease and we will describe how pathophysiological disturbances in the composition of the intercalated disc triggers cardiac arrhythmias through the remodeling process. We will also present existing therapeutic approaches, as well as potential novel targets, that may be used to prevent heart rhythm disturbances. We focus particularly here on arrhythmias caused by uncontrolled high blood pressure levels.
Kingstar Winning: From Electronic Medical Records to Integrated Healthcare in China

In this case designed for use in a business school, medical center, or health policy program, Kingstar Winning’s president, Zhou Wei, seeks to position his company for faster growth in anticipation of a market shakeup among providers of electronic medical records (EMRs) and eHealth solutions to hospitals in China. Options he is considering include expanding the company’s domestic project base, a domestic merger or acquisition, or international growth, possibly through a joint venture project with Huawei. The case describes the history and growth of Winning, contextualizes the transition from paper to electronic medical records underway in China, analyzes Winning’s approach to EMR development through “software as a service” and a “flexible R&D mode,” and evaluates specific projects at two hospitals in the Shanghai region. Exhibits provide financial data on the company, market projections, and additional information on the use of EMRs.
Instrumentality as Distributed, Interpersonal, and Self-Agential: Aesthetic Implications of an Instrumental Assemblage and Its Fortuitous Voice

Philip Alperson, in ‘The Instrumentality of Music’, extends the commonsense concept of musical instrument to an understanding encompassing the instrument’s musical, cultural and conceptual situation. This understanding shifts the focus from a work-based aesthetic to one in which “listeners appreciate the human achievement with specific regard to accomplishment in the context of the demands of the particular instrument involved”. With this advanced understanding of instruments and the instrumentality of music in place, I shall discuss a moment of genuine instrumental discovery (as opposed to deliberate design). During an improvisatory extension of the piano’s sound board as part of a trio exploration with Bennett Hogg and Sabine Vogel using fishing wire, suspended bansuri flutes, contact microphones, and, vitally, transducers placed inside violins and on the piano’s sound board, an unintended feedback loop formed, resulting in an additional voice, curiously turning the trio into a quartet. While the found voice’s dynamics and character could be nuanced by varying the dampening of singular piano strings, as well as via the sustain pedal, it could, overall, only be summoned up and influenced in an indirect manner, via an ensemble effort. In analysing the situation of the discovery and in discussing its aesthetic implications, I offer a contribution to Alperson’s notion of instrumentality in two respects: performers may together form a single voice, that is, their instrumentality might join; and an installation may, under certain conditions, acquire its own instrumental agency and identity, extending the cultural situation to include the natural environment, and the algorithmic.
Volume 1 Overview

The genesis of remote sensing of the Earth from satellites can be traced to the late 1950s. On the heels of the launches of the Sputnik 1 and Sputnik 2 satellites on October 4 and November 3, 1957, respectively, the first satellite to carry an instrument with the goal of imaging the Earth was Vanguard 2 launched on February 17, 1959. Its predecessor, Vanguard 1, was launched on March 17, 1958, and was designed to demonstrate the launch capabilities of a three-stage launch vehicle and to examine the environmental effects of space on satellite and instrument hardware. Vanguard 2 was the logical outgrowth of the marriage of Earth-orbiting satellite technology and aerial photography. With its dual telescopic scanner, it is considered the first weather satellite capable of monitoring cloud cover and upper atmospheric density. The Vanguard program was followed by the Television Infrared Observation Satellite-1 (TIROS-1) on April 1, 1960, which provided televised footage of weather from space using two cameras. TIROS clearly demonstrated the advantage and importance of using satellite instruments in identifying, monitoring, and understanding weather processes and ultimately led to the suite of international geostationary and polar-orbiting weather satellites we heavily rely on today. It is from the successes of these simple but pioneering satellites and their instruments that today’s multinational, multisatellite field of Earth remote sensing has evolved.
Relative Intensities of Internal Conversion Lines in 137Bam and Bi210

Publisher Summary In an experiment described in the chapter, the internal conversion spectrum of 137 Ba m was examined under high resolution as a part of the testing program of the recently completed iron-free 30-cm radius π√2 beta-ray spectrometer. The source was prepared by repeated thermal evaporation in vacuo of carrier-free Cs 137 onto a backing of aluminized Formvar film, approximately 15μg/cm 2 thick. During data collection, the spectrometer calibration was monitored by returning periodically to a predetermined momentum setting on the upper sideband of the K conversion line. This procedure is used to compensate for the residual drifts in the spectrometer. Tests have shown these drifts to be caused primarily by the thermal expansion of the spectrometer room floor and as they were smooth functions of time, interpolated momentum corrections can be made with a high degree of confidence.
When Order Affects Performance: Culture, Behavioral Spillovers, and Institutional Path Dependence

Evidence suggests that the cultural context influences the performance of laws, policies, and political institutions. Descriptive accounts reveal that outcomes and behaviors often depend on the array of historical institutions. This article presents a multi-institutional framework that can account for those findings through path-dependent behavioral spillovers. Individuals learn equilibrium behaviors when interacting in a new institutional setting. Initially, some individuals choose behaviors that align with their behaviors in similar extant institutions, creating a cultural context that can lead to inefficient outcomes. The article shows how avoiding path dependence requires sequencing (or designing) institutions to maintain behavioral diversity. Optimal sequencing thus requires positioning institutions with clear incentives early in the sequence as well as avoiding strong punishments that can stifle attempts to break established behavioral patterns.
A Topological Picturebook. By George K. Francis

(1988). A Topological Picturebook. By George K. Francis. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 95, No. 10, pp. 970-973.
Carcinogenesis and aging.

Apart from certain childhood tumors, cancer in man is a disease of older age groups. Cancer also appears with increasing frequency in older animals.
Teaching Students with Mental Retardation

The education of students with mental retardation has an interesting history. As noted in chapter 1, formal attempts at education date back to the 1700s. Tremendous changes have taken place over the years, especially in the types of education that have been emphasized and the places in which that education has been offered. All these changes have resulted from a combination of what educators have desired, what research has shown, and what students with mental retardation have needed.
Representations of a central extension of the simple Lie superalgebra $$\mathfrak $$

We classify irreducible finite-dimensional representations of a non-trivial central extension of the Lie superalgebra \(\mathfrak p(3)\), and compute their characters.
Experimental Evaluation and Analysis of Switching Transient's Effect on Dynamic on -Resistance in GaN HEMTs

The dynamic on -resistance in gallium nitride (GaN) devices is problematic as it can impair the converter's efficiency due to the increased conduction loss. In this paper, the hard-switching transient's effect on the dynamic on -resistance is, for the first time, evaluated experimentally on a commercial high-voltage GaN high electron mobility transistor. A new ${R_{{\rm{dyn}} - {\rm{ds}},{\rm{on}}}}$ measurement circuit with fast sensing speed is designed, and an accurate measurement of ${R_{{\rm{dyn}} - {\rm{ds}},{\rm{on}}}}$ can be realized experimentally within 49.6 ns after the device's current reaches to the load current. A double-pulse-test setup is designed to comprehensively evaluate the switching transient's effect on ${R_{{\rm{dyn}} - {\rm{ds}},{\rm{on}}}}$ under different operating conditions. From the experimental results, it is found that the turn- on and turn- off gate resistance have a significant impact on the dynamic on -resistance whereas the cross-talk effect on ${R_{{\rm{dyn}} - {\rm{ds}},{\rm{on}}}}$ is negligible. Specifically, at 400 V/25 A, more than 27% (28.2%) increase in ${R_{{\rm{dyn}} - {\rm{ds}},{\rm{on}}}}$ is observed when the external turn -on (turn- off ) gate resistance increases from 0 to 20 Ω. Detailed discussion and quantitative analysis are provided to explain the experimental results. In terms of the turn -on process, it is concluded that the ${R_{{\rm{dyn}} - {\rm{ds}},{\rm{on}}}}$ variation is mainly caused by the different numbers of generated hot electrons. For the turn -off transient, it is confirmed the variation of drain current at different dv/dt slew rate leads to the ${R_{{\rm{dyn}} - {\rm{ds}},{\rm{on}}}}$ difference.
Neural control of postural sway: Relationship to strength measures in young and elderly adults.

Abstract Age-related changes in postural sway are well-established, and studied from a control perspective using an inverted pendulum model. The purpose of the present work was to expand previous research in this area by investigating relationships between sway-related control parameters and musculoskeletal measures of muscle function and health. Eleven female older adults and eight female young adults completed blood draw, grip, leg extension, and balance tests. Serum levels of skeletal muscle-specific troponin T (sTnT), a biomarker for muscle health, were obtained from blood samples. Maximal grip force and leg extension torque were obtained from dynamometer tests. Center of pressure parameters were derived from force platform records obtained during eyes open and eyes closed balance tests. Sway control parameters were derived from an inverted pendulum model with PID-feedback control. Regression analyses were used to quantify the relationship between model parameters and grip strength, leg strength, and sTnT. Model integral gain (Ki) was observed to significantly predict grip strength in the eyes open condition. In the eyes closed condition, model derivative gain (Kd) was observed to significantly predict sTnT, and both proportional (Kp) and noise (Kn) model gains were observed to significantly predict grip and leg strength measures. Collectively, the relationship between control (Ki, Kd, Kp) and musculoskeletal health (strength, sTnT) parameters suggests a compensation mechanism, which may have served to minimize effects of reduced muscle function on sway amplitude, overshoot, and accuracy. Most associations were observed during eyes closed conditions, suggesting that visual input plays a larger role in regulating balance than the proposed compensation mechanisms. This work highlights the potential use for both strength and sTnT tests as biomarkers for postural control and balance impairment in older adults.
Exploring pedagogies to elevate inquiry: teaching action research in the third space

This study chronicles a semester long inquiry focused on the impacts of pedagogical strategies informed by the tenets of third space theory on my own practices and understanding of students’ learni...
Culture and Mental Health Research Training for the Pacific Basin Area

The lack of research training for psychiatrists has been noticed by psychiatric professionals.1,2,3,4 Research training in transcultural psychiatry is rarely available, for the paucity of literature in this area speaks for the fact. Although recently there has been increasing attention towards the cultural factors in mental health, resources as well as opportunities are limited both in teaching and research training.
Sound Transmission Loss

The transmission of sound through walls and barriers is an extremely important topic for noise control engineers. In this chapter we examine the basic principles of how sound passes through walls. The primary physical characteristics that influence sound transmission through walls are studied, including the importance of mass and how the bending rigidity degrades the transmission loss at higher frequencies. Because walls can be fairly complicated constructions, the use of transfer matrices is introduced to enable the prediction of sound transmission loss in walls having multiple layers.
Social Comparison Features in Physical Activity Promotion Apps: Scoping Meta-Review.

Background: Smartphone apps promoting physical activity (PA) are abundant, but few produce substantial and sustained behavior change. Although many PA apps purport to induce users to compare themselves with others (by invoking social comparison processes), improvements in PA and other health behaviors are inconsistent. Existing literature suggests that social comparison may motivate PA for some people under some circumstances. However, 2 aspects of work that apply social comparison theory to PA apps remain unclear: (1) how comparison processes have been operationalized or harnessed in existing PA apps and (2) whether incorporating sources of variability in response to comparison have been used to tailor comparison features of apps, which could improve their effectiveness for promoting PA. Objective: The aim of this meta-review was to summarize existing systematic, quantitative, and narrative reviews of behavior change techniques in PA apps, with an emphasis on social comparison features, to examine how social comparison is operationalized and implemented. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO for reviews of PA smartphone apps. Of the 3743 initial articles returned, 26 reviews met the inclusion criteria. Two independent raters extracted the data from these reviews, including the definition of social comparison used to categorize app features, the percentage of apps categorized as inducing comparison, specific features intended to induce comparison, and any mention of tailoring comparison features. For reference, these data were also extracted for related processes (such as behavioral modeling, norm referencing, and social networking). Results: Of the included review articles, 31% (8/26) categorized app features as prompting social comparison. The majority of these employed Abraham and Michie’s earliest definition of comparison, which differs from versions in later iterations of the same taxonomy. Very few reviews specified what dimension users were expected to compare (eg, steps, physical fitness) or which features of the apps were used to induce comparison (eg, leaderboards, message boards). No review referenced tailoring of comparison features. In contrast, 54% (14/26) reviews categorized features for prompting behavioral modeling and 31% (8/26) referenced tailoring app features for users’ personal goals or preferences. Conclusions: The heterogeneity across reviews of PA apps and the absence of relevant information (eg, about dimensions or features relevant for comparison) create confusion about how to best harness social comparison to increase PA and its effectiveness in future research. No evidence was found that important findings from the broader social comparison literature (eg, that people have differing preferences for and responses to social comparison information) have been incorporated in the design of existing PA apps. Greater integration of the mobile health (mHealth) and social comparison literatures may improve the effectiveness of PA apps, thereby increasing the public health impact of these mHealth tools.
Somos nós que morremos a morte: Acercamento a ‘Da morte. Odes mínimas’, de Hilda Hilst

This article analyses the theme of death in Hilda Hilst’s book of poems Of Death. Minimal Odes, based on the notion that there is an aspect of living in death and that we are the ones who, in different manners, die death. The critical-analytical trajectory in this article is divided into three moments: first, that of a (re)naming of death; second, that of a calling to death with one’s body, whose background the classical topic of death and the maiden; third, that of a turning of the mirror that is interposed between the woman-poet and death.
4 bits/cell 96 Layer Floating Gate 3D NAND with CMOS under Array Technology and SSDs

This paper describes 4 bits/cell (QLC) 3D NAND based on 96 layer Floating Gate (FG) cell and CMOS under Array (CuA), achieving high areal density, performance, and reliability. More than 10million QLC FG 3D NAND SSDs have been shipped for both Client as well as Datacenter SSD applications, which is a significant milestone towards making 4 bits/cell NAND mainstream in the industry.
Whole-Exome and Transcriptome Analysis of UV-Exposed Epidermis and Carcinoma In Situ Reveals Early Drivers of Carcinogenesis

Squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS) is a prevalent precancerous lesion that can progress to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Although SCCIS is common, its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. To better understand SCCIS development, we performed laser captured microdissection of human SCCIS and the adjacent epidermis to isolate genomic DNA and RNA for next-generation sequencing. Whole-exome sequencing identified UV-signature mutations in multiple genes, including NOTCH1–3 in the epidermis and SCCIS and oncogenic TP53 mutations in SCCIS. Gene families, including SLFN genes, contained UV/oxidative-signature disruptive epidermal mutations that manifested positive selection in SCCIS. The frequency and distribution of NOTCH and TP53 mutations indicate that NOTCH mutations may precede TP53 mutations. RNA sequencing identified 1,166 differentially expressed genes; the top five enriched gene ontology biological processes included (i) immune response, (ii) epidermal development, (iii) protein phosphorylation, (iv) regulation of catalytic activity, and (v) cytoskeletal regulation. The NEURL1 ubiquitin ligase, which targets Notch ligands for degradation, was upregulated in SCCIS. NEURL1 protein was found to be elevated in SCCIS suggesting that increased levels could represent a mechanism for downregulating Notch during UV-induced carcinogenesis. The data from DNA and RNA sequencing of epidermis and SCCIS provide insights regarding SCCIS formation.
Effects of contaminant metal ions on precipitation recovery of rare earth elements using oxalic acid

Abstract Solution equilibrium calculations were performed in this study to understand the impact of contaminant metal ions on the precipitation efficiency of selected rare earth elements (Ce3+, Nd3+, and Y3+) using oxalic acid as a precipitant. Trivalent metal ions, Al3+ and Fe3+, were found to considerably affect the precipitation efficiency of REEs. When Al3+ and Fe3+ concentrations were increased by 1×10–4 mol/L, in order to achieve an acceptable cerium recovery of 93% from solutions containing 1×10–4 mol/L Ce3+, oxalate dosage needed to increase by 1.2×10–4 and 1.68×10–4 mol/L, respectively. Such great impacts on the required oxalate dosage were also observed for Nd3+ and Y3+, which indicates that oxalic acid consumption and cost will be largely increased when the trivalent metal ions exist in REE-concentrated solutions. Effects of the divalent metal ions on the oxalate dosage is minimal. Furthermore, solution equilibrium calculation results showed that the precipitation of Fe3+ and Ca2+ (e.g., hematite and Ca(C2O4)∙H2O(s)) likely occurs during the oxalate precipitation of REEs at relatively high pH (e.g., pH 2.5), which will reduce rare earth oxalate product purity. In addition to the metal ions, anionic species, especially SO42–, were also found to negatively affect the precipitation recovery of REEs. For example, when 0.1 mol/L SO42– occurs in a solution containing 1×10–4 mol/L Ce3+ and 4×10–4 mol/L oxalate, the pH needed to be elevated from 2.0 to 3.3 to achieve the acceptable recovery. Overall, findings from this study provide guidance for the obtainment of high-purity rare earth products from solutions containing a considerable amount of contaminant metal ions by means of oxalic acid precipitation.
Design and Fabrication of Improved Hybrid Output Couplers for Optically Pumped Far Infrared Lasers

The behavior of metal mesh dieletric mirrors (MMD) for far infrared applications has been extensively examined by several authors.[1-5] R. Ulrich [1] developed a simple model based on empirical results which are valid in the range 0<g/λ≤.6, where g is the grid constant and λ is the wavelength. His results are based on measurements performed on grids supported by very thin substrates unable to support resonances at the frequencies of interest so that etalon effects due to the substrate do not influence the frequency response of the grids. S. M. Wolfe et al. [2] expanded the analysis of Ulrich and approximated the effects of the substrate on the frequency response of MMD inductive mirrors. It was found that the frequency response of the grids is modified by the etalon effects due to the substrate and that, due to the rapid ocillations in the transmissivity of the mesh mirrors with wavelength, an accurate knowledge of the substrate thickness is necessary for proper design.
Psychometric evaluation of the brief RCOPE and relationships with psychological functioning among caregivers of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Objective Spiritual and religious (S/R) coping is a relevant yet understudied domain of coping among caregivers of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). The aims of this manuscript are to: 1) conduct the first psychometric evaluation of the Brief RCOPE in this population; 2) examine levels of and changes in S/R coping over time; and 3) explore the relationship between S/R coping trajectories and psychological functioning post-HCT. Methods Caregivers (n=170) of children (ages ≤12 years, n=170) undergoing HCT completed the Brief RCOPE and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) pre- and at multiple time points post-HCT discharge. Factor structure, internal consistency, and validity were examined. Growth mixture models were used to identify subgroups with similar S/R coping trajectories, with group memberships added to mixture models to explore relationships between group membership and caregiver psychological functioning trajectories. Results The Brief RCOPE exhibited the previously-supported two factor structure and each subscale demonstrated strong internal consistency (α=.85 and .92). Validity was supported by significant correlations with BSI scores. There were distinct subgroups of caregivers with different patterns of positive (n=4 subgroups) and negative (n=3 subgroups) S/R coping, with negative coping subgroup membership predicting changes in psychological functioning. Conclusions The Brief RCOPE is a promising measure for assessing S/R coping among caregivers of children undergoing HCT and has the potential to identify caregivers at risk for poorer long-term psychological functioning. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Scalable, fire-retardant, and spectrally robust melamine-formaldehyde photonic bulk for efficient daytime radiative cooling

Abstract Traditional building materials such as wood and concrete cannot effectively regulate the heat flux of buildings. Compressor-based cooling systems are used to provide comfortable interior environments for humans, contributing significantly to global energy consumption. It has recently been demonstrated that sub-ambient passive daytime radiative cooling has been obtained by efficiently radiating thermal energy to the cold outer space through the atmospheric transparent window while reflecting most of the solar irradiance. Here, we demonstrate a high-performance daytime radiative cooling material processed by hydraulic pressing melamine-formaldehyde (MF) particles and thermally annealing them into a cross-linked photonic cooling bulk as an efficient solar reflector and infrared thermal emitter. It reaches a sub-ambient stagnation temperature of 3.6 ∘ C under direct sun irradiance (750 W m − 2 ), which is 12 ∘ C and 5 ∘ C below the concrete and the wood as control group temperatures, respectively. The two-step fabrication process is straightforward and can be easily scaled up for industrial manufacturing. The as-prepared MF cooling material shows highly desirable fire-retardant properties and is self-extinguishing, make it excellent material for building safety. The material is durable, and spectrally robust in harsh environments, such as long exposure to the acidic and alkaline solutions.
Organic and graphene based chemically sensitive neuromorphic circuit

Polymer, organic, and graphene based chemical sensors have shown excellent performance as chemical sensors. They can be chemically modified with receptor groups to provide additional sensitivity and selectivity. We propose and will demonstrate a three-synapse neuromorphic circuit for chemical sensing and olfactory pattern recognition. The circuit is implemented with 180 nm silicon technology and the sensing synapses can be incorporated in a back-end-of-the-line process on the silicon chip or be fabricated separately and electrically connected to the rest of the circuit. Our neuromorphic circuit is designed to be suited for analyzing mixtures of two analytes. We will present both simulation results and experimental data. The active sensing material for the sensing synapses can include conducting polymers such as PEDOT, monolayer graphene, reduced graphene oxide, copper phthalocyanine, as well as other materials.
960 Randomized multicenter study of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT) alone or in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer

Background Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a challenging target for immunotherapy due to its immune-suppressive microenvironment. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) can increase the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We hypothesized that the combination of CRT and pembrolizumab can further expand and activate TILs. Methods Patients with resectable or borderline resectable PC were randomized 2:1 to the investigational treatment (Arm A) of pembrolizumab 200mg IV every 3 weeks concurrently with CRT (capecitabine 825 mg/m2 orally twice daily and radiation 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions over 28 days) or CRT only (Arm B) prior to surgical resection. The primary endpoints were safety and difference in TILs density between Arm A and B assessed using multiplexed immunofluorescence on resected tumor specimens. As a correlate analysis, single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed to quantify gene expression in T cells from tumors and peripheral blood, and to track expanded T cell clonotypes in these compartments (n=4 patients Arm A; n=3 patients Arm B). The study was amended after enrollment of 37 patients to allow FOLFIRINOX prior to CRT, given changes in standard of care. Results 37 patients were enrolled (24 Arm A, 13 Arm B). After neoadjuvant therapy, 13 patients had unresectable disease (9 on A, 4 on B), and 24 patients underwent surgery and were evaluable for the TILs primary endpoint (17 arm A, 7 arm B). The mean difference (A-B) in CD8+ T cell density was 36 cells/mm2 (95% CI -85 to 157, stdev 130) (p 0.48). Additional analysis did not show significant differences in activated cytotoxic T cells, regulatory T cells, M1- or M2-like polarized macrophages, or granulocytes. The median recurrence free survival (RFS) was 18.2 months on Arm A and 14.1 on Arm B (p 0.41). Overall survival was 27.8 months on Arm A and 24.3 on Arm B (p 0.68) with a median follow up of 2.2 years. The most common grade 3 treatment-related toxicities were lymphopenia reported in 29% on Arm A and 31% on Arm B, respectively followed by diarrhea in 8% on Arm A attributed to CRT. scRNA-seq revealed clonal expansion and expression of co-inhibitory markers among TIL subsets. Conclusions The combination of CRT and pembrolizumab is safe. Preliminary analysis shows that the addition of pembrolizumab to CRT has minimal effects on intratumoral densities of TILs and other immune cell populations. Single cell transcriptome analyses enable in-depth characterization of the functional responses of T cells to pembrolizumab in the setting of CRT. Acknowledgements This study was funded by Merck Trial Registration NCT02305186 Ethics Approval The study was conducted at 6 sites: University of Virginia, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), Mayo Clinic, Hartford Healthcare Cancer Center, and University of Miami. Written informed consent was provided by the study participants and the protocol was approved by the relevant local IRBs in each site.
Photoluminescence, Optical Absorption, and Cathodoluminescence in Ion Implanted CdS

Photoluminescence and optical absorption have been measured at 90 K in undoped CdS before and after ion bombardment at 90 K and as a function of isochronal annealing to 350 K. Implantation with Ar+, Cu+, Cl+, He+, or H+ ions at energies sufficient to penetrate the depth of most of the U.V. excitation severely quenches all the luminescence and introduces continuous absorption beyond the absorption edge. These effects are observed for fluences of ~ 2 × 1014 cm-2 for H+ and ~ 5 × 1011 cm-2 for the heavier ions. However, upon annealing to 350 K the ion-induced absorption disappears and the green edge emission at 5200 A, which is seen initially in almost all samples, partially recovers. A more striking change is the growth of a broad red band at 7200 A to intensities much greater than observed prior to implant of the above ions. The red emission center is believed to be a relatively simple native defect center which, upon annealing, evolves from the more complex damage introduced initially by the implantation.
Abstract 18: Coxsackievirus B3 Escapes Infected Cardiac Stem Cells via Ejected Autophagosomes

Many viruses have been shown to upregulate host autophagic processes during the course of infection. Originally this process was thought to be a response mechanism of the host cell in order to engulf viral particles and destroy them to prevent viral spread and host cell death. However, certain viruses have been shown to strategically hijack the autophagic pathway to evade host immunity and increase viral replication. Coxsackievirus B (CVB) is a non-enveloped picornavirus that most commonly causes a self-limited febrile illness in young children, but in rare severe cases can progress to myocarditis, pancreatitis, or meningo-encephalitis. It has also been associated with late-onset idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. CVB type 3 (CVB3) has previously been documented to upregulate host autophagic machinery upon infection, and we report here that the virus can infect cardiac stem cells and other muscle progenitors and allow itself to be engulfed in autophagosomes which later get shed from the surface of the host cell. This is a novel method of viral dissemination especially for a “naked” virus which would typically escape the infected host by triggering cytolysis. However, cytolytic viruses subsequently become exposed to neutralizing antibodies. The fact that CVB3 can hide itself in host membranes presents several fascinating possibilities. Not only could the ejected autophagosome mask the virus from adaptive immunity, but it may also bypass receptor-mediated endocytosis and infect cell-types that might lack CVB3 receptors. This mode of viral escape represents a unique evolutionary adaptation which obscures the line dividing enveloped and non-enveloped viruses.
Cooperative power management in DC microgrid clusters

A distributed control method is proposed to handle load sharing among dc microgrids. While microgrids manage the internal load sharing, a higher level controller is required to provide load sharing among microgrids within a cluster. Power transfer between microgrids enables maximum utilization of resources and suppresses stress and aging of the components, which improves the reliability and availability, reduces the maintenance costs, and expands the lifespan of the distribution network. The proposed control mechanism uses a cooperative approach to adjust voltage set point for each microgrid and, accordingly, navigate power flow among them. Loading mismatch among neighbor microgrids is used in an updating policy for voltage adjustment. In case of any mismatch, the controller tunes the voltage to mitigate the mismatch and, eventually, equalize the loading percentage of all neighbor microgrids. While the voltage adjustment policy plays among microgrids, at a lower level, each microgrid propagates the voltage set point across all of its sources. Load sharing performance is analytically studied for the proposed controller. Simulation studies are performed on a cluster of four microgrids, where an excellent performance is reported. Contingency studies are also performed to illustrate the resiliency of the proposed method against the loss of communication links, so long as the communication graph has a spanning tree.
Beauty Shop Politics: African American Women's Activism in the Beauty Industry

Review of: "Beauty Shop Politics: African American Women’s Activism in the Beauty Industry," by Tiffany M. Gill.
URBAN ACTIVITY SPACES: ILLUSTRATIONS AND APPLICATION OF A CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR INTEGRATING THE TIME AND SPACE DIMENSIONS

This work extends the conceptual argument for the use of ellipses to portray activity spaces and offers one example of how the ellipse construct can be used to analyze urban travel characteristics, based on observed trip making behavior and socio-economic variables. A problem in characterizing activity spaces has been in integrating the time and space dimensions into the same analytical framework while maintaining an understandable graphical representation of the space-time geographies envisioned by Hagerstrand and others. The ellipse allows this, as well as providing several quantifiable measures to be used for analyzing and characterizing activity spaces and urban travel behavior. In the current application, analysis of variance is used to analyze the resulting elliptic variables of 653 travelers. The results indicate that home location and household size are important factors in determining activity space characteristics and that the ellipse variables provide a different and useful approach for understanding urban travel behavior.
Calibration of Stack Gas Instrumentation

Experience in stack gas instrumentation calibration is presented, based on a study involving the measurement of sulfur dioxide in the stack of a power plant and in the exit gases from a Claus sulfur recovery incinerator. Calibrations were performed by the use of analyzed cylinders of gas. The method of presenting the calibration gas to the analyzers is described, and data are presented to provide comparisons of the resulting instrumental readings with correlated, independant determinations made by the standard reference (manual) method for sulfur dioxide in stack gas.
"It's Easier To Be Yourself when You Are Invisible": Female College Students Discuss Their Online Classroom Experiences

There has been considerable scholarly interest in issues related to gender in the classroom, especially in terms of finding ways in which classrooms might be configured to be more welcoming--and less “chilly”--to female students. There is some evidence to suggest that the online learning environment may provide educators with opportunities to achieve a more female-friendly classroom, and this study was designed to gather information about that question. 125 female college students who had completed at least one online, college-level class were invited to discuss their experiences learning online. These data show that female college students respond to the online environment in a variety of ways. A small group of students indicated that they did not enjoy learning online, while others expressed “mixed” feelings. The majority, however, had positive things to say about their online classroom experiences; and of these, a large number identified “anonymity” as the most important positive aspect of the online learning environment.
Measures on Non-Separable Metric Spaces

The main purpose of this note is to give a simpler and more general definition of “weak” or “weak-star” convergence of certain measures on non-separable metric spaces, and to prove its equivalence with the convergence introduced in [1] for the cases considered there.
Symmetry of positive solutions for elliptic problems in one dimension

For semilinear elliptic problems in one space dimension we prove symmetry of positive solutions for both the bounded interval case and in R1.