cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic Therapy for Adults Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Systematic Review

Importance Antibiotic therapy is the cornerstone of medical management for community-acquired pneumonia. Objective To assess the associations between 3 key aspects of antibiotic therapy (optimal time to antibiotic initiation, initial antibiotic selection, and criteria for the transition from intravenous to oral therapy) and short-term mortality in adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia. Evidence Review Bibliographic databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Collaboration were searched for studies of adults hospitalized with radiographically confirmed community-acquired pneumonia published from January 1, 1995, until November 5, 2015. Findings Twenty studies (17 observational and 3 randomized trials) met eligibility criteria. Among 8 observational studies identified, the 4 largest (study populations of 2878 to 1 170 022) found that antibiotic initiation within 4 to 8 hours of hospital arrival was associated with relative reductions of 5% to 43% in mortality; the 4 smallest studies (study populations of 451 to 2076) found no associations between the timing of antibiotic initiation and mortality. One cluster randomized trial (n = 1737) demonstrated noninferiority of β-lactam monotherapy (n = 506) vs β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy (n = 566), with an absolute adjusted difference of 2.5% (90% CI, −0.6% to 5.2%) in 90-day mortality favoring β-lactam monotherapy. A second randomized trial (n = 580) failed to demonstrate noninferiority of β-lactam monotherapy vs β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy, with an absolute difference of 7.6% (1-sided 90% CI upper limit, 13.0%) in attainment of clinical stability on hospital day 7 favoring β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy. Six of 8 observational studies (study populations of 1188 to 24 780) found that β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy was associated with relative reductions of 26% to 68% in short-term mortality and all 3 observational studies (study populations of 2068 to 24 780) reported that fluoroquinolone monotherapy was associated with relative reductions of 30% to 43% in mortality compared with β-lactam monotherapy. One randomized trial (n = 302) reported significantly reduced hospital length of stay (absolute difference, 1.9 days; 95% CI, 0.6 to 3.2 days), but no differences in treatment failure when objective clinical criteria were used to decide when to transition patients from intravenous to oral therapy. Conclusions and Relevance In adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia, antibiotic therapy consisting of β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy or fluoroquinolone monotherapy initiated within 4 to 8 hours of hospital arrival was associated with lower adjusted short-term mortality, supported predominantly by low-quality observational studies. One randomized trial supports the use of objective clinical criteria to guide the transition from intravenous to oral antibiotic therapy.
Investigation of Cu-Ge/Gaas Metal-Semiconductor Interfaces for Low Resistance Ohmic Contacts

Chemistry and interfacial reactions of the Cu-Ge alloyed ohmic contacts to n-GaAs with extremely low specific contact resistivity (6.5×10-7 Ω·cm2 for n~1017 cm-3) have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy, EDX and SIMS. Unique properties of the contact layers are related to the formation (at Ge concentration above 15 at.%) of a polycrystalline layer of ordered orthorhombic e1-Cu3Ge phase. Formation of the e1-phase is believed to be responsible for high thermal stability, interface sharpness and uniform chemical composition. The results suggest that the formation of the ζ- and e1,-Cu3Ge phases creates a highly Ge-doped n+-GaAs interfacial layer which provides the low contact resistivity. Layers with Ge deficiency to form ζ-phase show nonuniform intermediate layer of hexagonal β-Cu3As phase which grows epitaxially on Ga{111} planes of GaAs. In this case, released Ga diffuses out and dissolves in the alloyed layer stabilizing the ζ-phase which is formed in the structures with average Ge concentration of as low as 5 at.%. These layers also exhibit ohmic behavior.
Parity Check Error Event Post-Processor for Optical Data Storage

We present a parity-check error event post-processor for optical data storage and investigate its performance through numerical simulations.
Investigation on Rodent Pests of Artificial Grassland in Zhaosu Regimental Farm 77th

We did the density and species of Rodent at Zhaosu Regimental Farm77th duning April to September, 2013, Using night-trap way, 251 mice including one species of rodents were captured. The Microtus gregalis Pallas is dominant species in the artificial grassland, Regimental Farm 77th.The average trapping rate of mixed pasture in 9 company is 20.77% in April and 25.59% in September,show that the difference of two season capture rate was not significant(P 0.05); alfalfa field is 20.39% in 9 company and 8 company mixed pasture is 14.63% in September,show that three pastures are significant difference(P 0.05). Using specific trap method, there was 15 ~ 25 holes in Artificial grassland and?imputed about 15 ~ 50 throat cranial rats per hectare. Three pasture physiological indexes analysis indicate that the difference of weight, ear length, foot length is statistically significant between 8 and 9 company(P 0.05), but the body length, tail length difference was not significant in three pastures(P 0.05).
Electron transport in mitochondria isolated from the flagellate Polytomella caeca.

1. Mitochondria isolated from Polytomella caeca contain cytochromes b, c+c1 and a+a3 and several flavoprotein species. 2. Electron transport is inhibited by antimycin A, rotenone, piericidin A and cyanide. 3. Spectral data indicate that antimycin A inhibits the reoxidation of reduced cytochrome b. 4. Various types of flavoprotein are characterized by simultaneous spectrophotometric and fluorimetric measurements on antimycin A-inhibited preparations and also by their absorption and fluorescence-emission spectra. 5. The rotenone-sensitive site lies between the two flavoproteins of the respiratory chain, designated FpD1 and FpD2. 6. Other flavoprotein species detected include those involved in the oxidation of succinate and externally added NADH; a large proportion of mitochondrial flavine is reduced by dithionite but not by known respiratory substrates. 7. The kinetics of flavoprotein and cytochrome reactions were studied.
Active Site Dynamical Effects in the Hydrogen Transfer Rate-limiting Step in the Catalysis of Linoleic Acid by Soybean Lipoxygenase-1 (SLO-1): Primary and Secondary Isotope Contributions

Using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations that facilitate the treatment of rare events, we probe the active site participation in the rate-determining hydrogen transfer step in the catalytic oxidation of linoleic acid by soybean lipoxygenase-1 (SLO-1). The role of two different active site components is probed. (a) On the hydrogen atom acceptor side of the active site, the hydrogen bonding propensity between the acceptor side hydroxyl group, which is bound to the iron cofactor, and the backbone carboxyl group of isoleucine (residue number 839) is studied toward its role in promoting the hydrogen transfer event. Primary and secondary (H/D) isotope effects are also probed and a definite correlation with subtle secondary H/D isotope effects is found. With increasing average nuclear kinetic energy, the increase in transfer probability is enhanced due to the presence of the hydrogen bond between the backbone carbonyl of I839 and the acceptor oxygen. Further increase in average nuclear kinetic energy reduces the strength of this secondary hydrogen bond which leads to a deterioration in hydrogen transfer rates and finally embrances an Arrhenius-like behavior. (b) On the hydrogen atom donor side, the coupling between vibrational modes predominantly localized on the donor-side linoleic acid group and the reactive mode is probed. There appears to be a qualitative difference in the coupling between modes that belong to linoleic acid and the hydrogen transfer mode, for hydrogen and deuterium transfer. For example, the donor side secondary hydrogen atom is much more labile (by nearly a factor of 5) during deuterium transfer as compared to the case for hydrogen transfer. This appears to indicate a greater coupling between the modes belonging to the linoleic acid scaffold and the deuterium transfer mode and also provides a new rationalization for the abnormal (nonclassical) secondary isotope effect results obtained by Knapp, Rickert, and Klinman in J. Am. Chem. Soc. , 2002 , 124 , 3865 . To substantiate our findings noted in point a above, we have suggested an I839 → A839 or I839 → V839 mutation. This will modify the bulkiness of hydrogen the bonding residue, allowing greater flexibility in the secondary hydrogen bond formation highlighted above and adversely affecting the reaction rate.
High-Frequency Trading under Information Regimes

This chapter presents ways by which high-frequency trading can benefit from the identification of information regimes in limit order books. As introduced by Lehmann, in an information regime all the information is trade related, arrives via order flow, and the fundamental value that underlines the prices does not change, it is simply translated by the size of the executed market order and the backfilling adjustment. During an information regime the best quotes and the underlying values follow a path defined by the limit order book. This implies that algorithmic trading gains can be strengthened not only by identifying these information regimes but also by forecasting the transition periods between regimes that signal fundamental changes in assets' prices, trading behavior, and optimal trading strategies. Our results show that the discovery and identification of information regimes essentially uncover the mechanism by which latent demands are translated into realized prices and volumes and, from here, that they can be used by professional traders.
ADHD Clinical Findings in Females

Clinical correlates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in females were examined in 140 girls with ADHD and compared with 122 girls without ADHD in a study at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Blepharoplasty: Review of the Current Literature.

The purpose of this study was to provide an evidence-based overview of antibiotic prophylaxis in blepharoplasty. We performed a literature search that evaluated the risk of infection associated with blepharoplasty, as well as the risks and benefits of antibiotic prophylaxis. The overall infection rate associated with eyelid surgery is extremely low. However, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis has increased over the past 25 years in esthetic facial procedures. There is no standard of care for or against antibiotic prophylaxis, and routine practices vary widely. This leads to the question of whether reducing the risk of surgical-site infection to near zero outweighs the real danger of antibiotic-related complications, including the escalating emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. No direct consensus can be drawn from the current literature; thus, at this time, there is no current standard of care for oral and maxillofacial surgeons to adhere to in terms of when and if antibiotic prophylaxis is needed when performing blepharoplasty.
Treatment of Distal Interphalangeal Ganglion Cysts by Volar Corticosteroid Injection

Background: Various options exist for operative and nonoperative treatment of symptomatic distal interphalangeal (DIP) ganglion cysts. We describe the technique and efficacy of a novel treatment of...
Responding to the Challenge: Preparing Mental Health Professionals for the Changing US Demographics

A major challenge for mental health professionals who seek to practice effectively in contemporary US society is the increasing cultural diversity of the population. This chapter examines the competencies required for effective mental health practice with culturally and linguistically diverse clients. It also explores curriculum development and training strategies for implementing these competencies that are crucial for preparing graduate students as well as professionals to respond to the challenges posed by the demographics in contemporary US society. The chapter proposes using the Cultural Competence Continuum as a tool for self-examination, and proposes an integrated etic–emic approach for addressing the domains of awareness, knowledge, and skills in cultural proficiency training.
To Serve AI (It's a Cookbook)

James A. Hendler was recognized with the AAAI Distinguished Service Award at AAAI-17 for his contributions to the field of artificial intelligence through sustained service to AAAI, other professional societies and government activities promoting the importance of artificial intelligence research. This article presents his recipe for success advice, with advice directed at newer AI researchers (with some notes for experienced ones as well).
Factors Affecting Inheritance and Expression of Differentiation: Some Methods of Analysis

Differentiated cells grow, develop and maintain their specialized properties during normal embryogenesis (Manasek 1968a, b). In certain tissues (e.g. skeletal muscle, pancreas, mammary gland, and hematopoietic tissues) the cells do not synthesize large amounts of specialized products until DNA replication and rapid cell division have ceased. Nonetheless, even in these tissues one can detect small but measurable amounts of their specialized proteins during the rapid growth phase of the stem cells (Rutter et al. 1967; Wessells 1967).
The Ettingshausen-Nernst Coefficients and Physical Properties of Nickel and Alumel

Although the emf from Chrome1-Alumel thermocouples is normally considered to be relatively insensitive to magnetic fields, a large error can occur due to the Ettingshausen-Nernst effect. This effect is largest below the Curie transition temperature where the Ettingshausen-Nernst coefficient, Q, for Alumel is large. A technique is described for directly measuring Q by employing an electromagnet in conjunction with an apparatus normally used for measuring thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, and Seebeck coefficient.
Non-parametric sequential frame decimation for scene reconstruction in low-memory streaming environments

This paper introduces a non-parametric sequential frame decimation algorithm for image sequences in low-memory streaming environments. Frame decimation reduces the number of input frames to increase pose and structure robustness in Structure and Motion (SaM) applications. The main contribution of this paper is the introduction of a sequential low-memory work-flow for frame decimation in embedded systems where memory and memory traffic come at a premium. This approach acts as an online preprocessing filter by removing frames that are ill-posed for reconstruction before streaming. The introduced sequential approach reduces the number of needed frames in memory to three in contrast to global frame decimation approaches that use at least ten frames in memory and is therefore suitable for low-memory streaming environments. This is moreover important in emerging systems with large format cameras which acquire data over several hours and therefore render global approaches impossible. In this paper a new decimation metric is designed which facilitates sequential keyframe extraction fit for reconstruction purposes, based on factors such as a correspondence-to-feature ratio and residual error relationships between epipolar geometry and homography estimation. The specific design of the error metric allows a local sequential decimation metric evaluation and can therefore be used on the fly. The approach has been tested with various types of input sequences and results in reliable low-memory frame decimation robust to different frame sampling frequencies and independent of any thresholds, scene assumptions or global frame analysis.
Enhanced cycling performance of rechargeable Li–O2 batteries via LiOH formation and decomposition using high-performance MOF-74@CNTs hybrid catalysts

Abstract Li–O2 batteries have received much attention for next-generation energy storage devices due to their high specific energy. However, Li–O2 batteries still face several challenges including low energy efficiency and poor cycle life, which are mainly caused by the low stability of electrolytes and cathodes towards aggressive reduced oxygen species, e.g., O2− intermediate and Li2O2. It has been reported that water can be used as an effective additive in aprotic Li–O2 batteries to increase the discharge capacity and to alleviate parasitic reactions by solvating and trapping the highly aggressive O2− intermediate. In this study, Mn-MOF-74 nanoparticles directly grown on carbon nanotubes (Mn-MOF-74@CNTs) via a facile additive-mediated synthesis are proposed as catalytic cathode materials for Li–O2 batteries to be operated in humid oxygen environment to generate less-reactive discharge product LiOH compared to Li2O2. Due to the formation of LiOH by the nano-architectured Mn-MOF-74@CNTs hybrid catalyst, Mn-MOF-74@CNTs-based oxygen cathode exhibits less side reactions during battery operation and much-enhanced cycling performance in humid oxygen containing 200 ppm moisture than those of conventional carbon cathodes (Ketjenblack and CNTs) in both dry and humid oxygen where Li2O2 was formed as discharge products. Furthermore, a series of controlled experiments and thermodynamic analysis are conducted to investigate the formation mechanism of LiOH. Based on the results, we report that the formation pathway of LiOH is a chemically-catalytic process via a chemical conversion of Li2O2 occurring at Mn2+/Mn3+ metal centers in Mn-MOF-74@CNTs hybrid, instead of an electrocatalytic process via a direct four-electron reduction of oxygen.
Abstract WMP75: A Modified, Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator-Responding Photothrombotic Stroke Model

Introduction: Photodynamical dye-based stroke models (e.g. Rose Bengal RB/photothrombosis) have several attractive features, including simple surgical procedures, consistent infarct size, and low m...
253) Neural Moderators Supporting the Positive Relationship between Resting Breathing Rate and Pain Responses

Inter-individual differences in pain are shaped by a myriad of interactions between physiological, cognitive-affective and psychosocial factors. Interestingly, recent findings demonstrate that slow breathing-based manipulations reduce pain. Yet, it is unknown if non-manipulated, resting breathing rate predicts variability in behavioral and neural pain responses. The proposed study, part of a previously published dataset, examined if non-manipulated, slow breathing during noxious (heat = 49°C) and innocuous (neutral = 35°C) heat predicted lower pain. We postulated that subcortical respiration centers (brainstem) would moderate this hypothesized relationship. Seventy-four healthy, pain-free individuals were fitted with a respiratory transducer and administered two neutral and two heat series to the right calf during pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling fMRI. After each fMRI series, participants provided pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings using a visual analog scale (0 = no pain – 10 = worst pain imaginable). Lower respiration rate was associated with lower pain intensity (r = .29, p = .01) and unpleasantness (r = .25, p = .03) ratings. Compared to innocuous stimulation, noxious heat produced significant activation in the bilateral thalamus, posterior/anterior insula, secondary somatosensory cortices (SII), primary somatosensory cortex (SI) corresponding to the stimulation site, and deactivation of the medial prefrontal (mPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex. Greater superior frontal gyrus and mPFC activation was associated with lower pain unpleasantness ratings. Two separate moderation analyses were conducted on respiration rate and pain intensity and unpleasantness, respectively. There were no significant neural moderators between pain intensity and respiration. High activation of the bilateral SI, contralateral SII, and ipsilateral superior parietal lobe moderated the positive relationship between respiration and pain unpleasantness. This study provides novel evidence that inter-individual differences in breathing predict pain responses and are moderated by brain mechanisms supporting the allocation of attention to intrinsic and extrinsic features of the pain experience.
Imaging the aged brain: pertinence and methods

The global population is ageing at an accelerating speed. The ability to perform working memory tasks together with rapid processing becomes increasingly difficult with increases in age. With increasing national average life spans and a rise in the prevalence of age-related disease, it is pertinent to discuss the unique perspectives that can be gained from imaging the aged brain. Differences in structure, function, blood flow, and neurovascular coupling are present in both healthy aged brains and in diseased brains and have not yet been explored to their full depth in contemporary imaging studies. Imaging methods ranging from optical imaging to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to newer technologies such as photoacoustic tomography each offer unique advantages and challenges in imaging the aged brain. This paper will summarize first the importance and challenges of imaging the aged brain and then offer analysis of potential imaging modalities and their representative applications. The potential breakthroughs in brain imaging are also envisioned.
A network conceptualization of the multiple facets of distress tolerance.

Background and Objectives: Using a network analysis (NA) approach, the current study examined the relations among different facets of Distress Tolerance (DT). The NA approach quantifies and display...
Aromatase, a novel therapeutic target for human pancreatic, glioblastoma and lung cancer

3278 Pancreatic, glioblastoma and lung cancers are aggressive tumors with few therapeutic options resulting in poor survival of the majority of affected patients. Since estrogens and estrogen receptor signaling have been previously implicated in the growth and progression of many tumors we sought to determine the role of aromatase, the enzyme responsible for estrogen synthesis, in the above cancers. As potential radiosensitizers, we examined the effect of aromatase inhibitors (AI) in conjunction with radiation therapy (RT) in an in vitro and in vivo glioblastoma, pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) model. We hypothesized that aromatase is present and biologically active in these cancers, and that cancer cell growth can be down-regulated due to growth inhibitory and radiosensitizing effects of AIs. We examined over 50 human cancer cell lines and found high aromatase expression in NSCLC, glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer cell lines. Aromatase expression was also increased in tumor samples obtained from NSCLC patients compared to matched normal tissue. Cell lines with elevated aromatase expression showed estrogen dependence and their proliferation was decreased by >50% in cell number determinations and >80% in clonogenic assays when treated with 5 μM AI, with the strongest growth inhibitory effect of AI and radiation observed in pancreatic cancer cells. Flow cytometry analyses revealed a considerable increase in the percentage of apoptotic pancreatic cancer cells treated with AI and RT (28.7%±13.1% live cells, p
Willingness to Seek Help for Depression in Young African American Adults: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study

Background: In the United States, among those living with mental illness, 81% of African American (AA) young adults do not seek treatment compared with 66% of their white counterparts. Although the literature has identified unique culturally related factors that impact help seeking among AAs, limited information exists regarding the development and evaluation of interventions that incorporate these unique factors. Objective: This study aims to describe a study protocol designed to develop a culturally relevant, theory-based, psychoeducational intervention for AA young adults; to determine if exposure to the intervention impacts AA young adults’ willingness to seek help; and to determine whether cultural factors and stigma add to the prediction of willingness to seek help. Methods: The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Barrera and Castro’s framework for cultural adaptation of interventions were used as guiding frameworks. In stage 1 (information gathering), a literature review and three focus groups were conducted to identify salient cultural beliefs. Using stage 1 results, the intervention was designed in stage 2 (preliminary adaptation design), and in stage 3 (preliminary adaptation tests), the intervention was tested using pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up surveys. An experimental, mixed methods, prospective one-group intervention design was employed, and the primary outcomes were participants’ willingness and intention to seek help for depression and actual help-seeking behavior. Results: This study was funded in May 2016 and approved by the University of Texas at Austin institutional review board. Data were collected from November 2016 to March 2016. Of the 103 students who signed up to participate in the study, 70 (67.9%) completed the pre- and posttest surveys. The findings are expected to be submitted for publication in 2020. Conclusions: The findings from this research are expected to improve clinical practice by providing empirical evidence as to whether a culturally relevant psychoeducational intervention is useful for improving help seeking among young AAs. It will also inform future research and intervention development involving the TPB and willingness to seek help by identifying the important factors related to willingness to seek help. Advancing this field of research may facilitate improvements in help-seeking behavior among AA young people and reduce the associated mental health disparities that apparently manifest early on.
FOXA1 Protein Expression in ER + and ER - Breast Cancer in Relation to Parity and Breastfeeding in Black and White Women

Background: Forkhead box protein A1 (FOXA1) promotes luminal differentiation, and hypermethylation of the gene can be a mechanism of developing estrogen receptor–negative (ER−) breast cancer. We examined FOXA1 in breast tumor and adjacent normal tissue in relation to reproductive factors, particularly higher parity and no breastfeeding, that are associated with ER− tumors. Methods: We performed IHC for FOXA1 in breast tumors (n = 1,329) and adjacent normal tissues (n = 298) in the Women9s Circle of Health Study (949 Blacks and 380 Whites). Protein expression levels were summarized by histology (H) scores. Generalized linear models were used to assess FOXA1 protein expression in relation to reproductive factors by ER status. Results: ER-positive (ER+) versus ER− tumors had higher FOXA1 protein expression (P Conclusions: In this tumor-based study, higher parity was associated with lower FOXA1 expression in ER+ tumors, and breastfeeding may ameliorate the influence. Impact: These findings contribute to our understanding of FOXA1 methylation and breast cancer etiology.
Trends, Quality, and Readability of Online Health Resources on Proton Radiation Therapy.

Purpose Many patients weighing cancer treatment options may consider relatively novel options including proton radiation therapy (PRT) and turn to the Internet for online health resources (OHR). However, quality and readability of OHR for radiation oncology therapies has been shown to need improvement. Because the OHR that patients access can influence their treatment decisions, our study sought to understand the patterns of use, quality, and readability of OHR on PRT. Methods and Materials To validate the need to assess OHR on PRT, we assessed search patterns in the United States for the search phrase “proton therapy” using Google Trends. The Google search engine was then queried for websites with PRT information using 10 search phrases. The subsequent websites were analyzed for readability by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and a Composite Grade Level (CGL) metric comprised of 5 readability metrics. Quality was analyzed using the DISCERN instrument. Results Search volume index for “proton therapy” increased by an average of 2.0% each year for the last 15 years (January 1, 2005 to June 1, 2019, P Conclusions Despite increasing interest in PRT OHR, in general, PRT websites require reading levels much higher than currently recommended, making PRT OHR less accessible to the average patient. Provision of high-quality PRT OHR at the appropriate reading level may increase comprehension of PRT, improve patient autonomy, and facilitate informed decision-making among radiation oncology patients.
Anemia and Blood Management

Preoperative anemia is a major risk factor for all-cause morbidity and mortality. Blood transfusion does not mitigate these risks. Therefore all patients should be screened and have their anemia treated when possible prior to a major surgery. Newer intravenous iron preparations are safe and effective and can be used on an outpatient basis. All patients should have a restrictive blood transfusion strategy. Surgical technique, the use of anti-fibrinolytics, and cell salvage can help reduce blood transfusion during surgery.
The UVR Filter Octinoxate Modulates Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling in Keratinocytes via Inhibition of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a consistent part of the environment that has both beneficial and harmful effects on human health. UVR filters in the form of commercial sunscreens have been widely used to reduce the negative health effects of UVR exposure. Despite their benefit, literature suggests that some filters can penetrate skin and have off-target biological effects. We noted that many organic filters are hydrophobic and contain aromatic rings, making them potential modulators of Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) signaling. We hypothesized that some filters may be able to act as agonists or antagonists on the AhR. Using a luciferase reporter cell line, we observed that the UVR filter octinoxate potentiated the ability of the known AhR ligand, 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ), to activate the AhR. Cotreatments of keratinocytes with octinoxate and FICZ lead to increased levels of cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) and P4501B1 (CYP1B1) mRNA transcripts, in an AhR-dependent fashion. Mechanistic studies revealed that octinoxate is an inhibitor of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, with IC50 values at approximately 1 µM and 586 nM, respectively. In vivo topical application of octinoxate and FICZ also elevated CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 mRNA levels in mouse skin. Our results show that octinoxate is able to indirectly modulate AhR signaling by inhibiting CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 enzyme function, which may have important downstream consequences for the metabolism of various compounds and skin integrity. It is important to continue studying the off-target effects of octinoxate and other UVR filters, because they are used on skin on a daily basis world-wide.
Engaging inexpensive hands-on activities using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (a green micro-alga) beads to teach the interplay of photosynthesis and cellular respiration to K4-K16 Biology students.

Background Photosynthesis and cellular respiration play major roles in energy metabolism and are important Life Science topics for K16 Biology students. Algae beads are used for photosynthesis and cellular respiration labs. Currently there are a few companies that sell biology educational kits for making algae beads using non-motile green micro-algae to introduce students to photosynthesis. These kits are expensive and, do not come with detailed guidelines for trouble shooting and customizations for different grade levels. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a motile green micro-alga and is an excellent model system for photosynthesis studies. In this article, we are presenting the work conducted in the student-driven, American Society of Plant Biologists-funded, Plant-BLOOME educational outreach project. This project is a supervised collaborative effort of three undergraduates and one high school student. We have generated a protocol which can be used to make Chlamydomonas beads. We have used these beads to design two simple and inexpensive plant biology hands-on activities. These laboratory activities have been customized to teach the interplay of photosynthesis and cellular respiration to K4-K16 Biology students. Methods Chlamydomonas beads were used for two different laboratory activities that involved monitoring pH changes over time using a pH indicator. Our first activity centers on making and, using light-powered algae bead bracelets to monitor dramatic color/pH changes over time when exposed to darkness or light. Our second activity employs strain-specific algae beads with approximately equal cell numbers to conduct comparative photosynthesis and cellular respiration studies in two Chlamydomonas strains namely, wild type, 4A+ and, a high light-sensitive, photosynthetic mutant, 10E35/lsr1a. Results We optimized our experimental protocol using algae beads in a 5.5 mL screw capped glass vials before performing the same experiment in algae bead bracelets. We found that the algal cell density/bead, water type used in the experiment and, the duration of dark exposure of algal beads can affect successful implementation of the lab activities. Light-powered algae bead bracelets showed dramatic color/pH changes within 3 h upon exposure to light or darkness. These bracelets could be switched back and forth between darkness and light multiple times within 48-72 h to display color/pH changes, provided prior dark exposure time did not exceed 9 h. Our comparative studies of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in 10E35 and in 4A+ showed that relative respiration rate and photosynthetic rate is higher and lower in 10E35, respectively, compared to that in 4A+. Additionally, 10E35 failed to display the expected photosynthesis-induced pH/color changes in the light after prolonged exposure to darkness which indicated that prolonged dark exposure of 10E35, hindered photosynthesis.
A counterpoise design for RF-induced heating reduction

This paper presents a novel lead body design for active implantable medical devices (AIMD) to reduce Radio-frequency (RF) induced heating during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning. By introducing a counterpoise electrode to the original lead construct, part of the RF-induced energy can be decoyed into the surrounding tissues while the therapy signal is intact. The numerical simulation studies of three leads with different configurations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique. From simulation results at 1.5 T, the peak 1g average SAR value can be reduced by a factor of 3 when the length of the counterpoise electrode is properly designed.
ACUTE AND CHRONIC HYPOTENSIVE EFFECT OF m-NIFEDIPINE

Three groups of adult stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRsp) were treated with m-nifedipine(m-Nif)2. 5, 5 and 10 mg ·kg~(-1) byintraperitoneal injection. The systolic blood pressure (SBp) decreased significantly. Thehypotensive effect persisted for 2 ～4,6 ～8, and 12 h respectively and the peak effect ap-peared in 1 h. The range of hypotension was markedly greater than that of nifedipine(Nif). In SHPsp, treatment with m -Nif 10 or 30 mg·kg(-1)·d~(-1) for 4 weeks reducedsignificantly the SBp, but the hypotensive action is about the same as Nif.
Formal Verification of a Mixed-Trust Synchronization Protocol

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are becoming widespread in many safety-critical real-time applications, such as autonomous driving, robotics systems, and unmanned aircraft. However, verifying these complex real-time systems remains an open challenge because traditional verification techniques are unable to verify all components. One approach to address this challenge is to use the framework for mixed-trust computing for real-time systems where unverified (untrusted) components are constrained not to exhibit unsafe behavior by verified (trusted) components. This framework increases assurance in the CPS by verifying timing and functional properties of the trusted components. However, even though the trusted components are verified, formal verification of the synchronization protocol between trusted and untrusted components has been an open problem. If the synchronization protocol between the untrusted and trusted components is incorrect then the behavior of the entire system can be compromised. In this paper, we present a formal model of a synchronization protocol between trusted and untrusted components using timed automata. We use temporal logic to prove the protocol satisfies properties that guarantee its correctness. The verification was used to identify and correct a critical flaw in the previous protocol implementation and increases confidence in the mixed-trust framework.
3D Point Cloud Completion with Geometric-Aware Adversarial Augmentation.

With the popularity of 3D sensors in self-driving and other robotics applications, extensive research has focused on designing novel neural network architectures for accurate 3D point cloud completion. However, unlike in point cloud classification and reconstruction, the role of adversarial samples in3D point cloud completion has seldom been explored. In this work, we show that training with adversarial samples can improve the performance of neural networks on 3D point cloud completion tasks. We propose a novel approach to generate adversarial samples that benefit both the performance of clean and adversarial samples. In contrast to the PGD-k attack, our method generates adversarial samples that keep the geometric features in clean samples and contain few outliers. In particular, we use principal directions to constrain the adversarial perturbations for each input point. The gradient components in the mean direction of principal directions are taken as adversarial perturbations. In addition, we also investigate the effect of using the minimum curvature direction. Besides, we adopt attack strength accumulation and auxiliary Batch Normalization layers method to speed up the training process and alleviate the distribution mismatch between clean and adversarial samples. Experimental results show that training with the adversarial samples crafted by our method effectively enhances the performance of PCN on the ShapeNet dataset.
PERFORMANCE OF NDA TECHNIQUES ON A VITRIFIED WASTE FORM

Vitrification is currently being investigated at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) as the technology for the treatment of several waste materials at Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS). One of the materials being considered for vitrification is low-fired ash. The project to develop a vitrification process for this ash includes determination of an appropriate non-destructive assay (NDA) technique for the analysis of the final vitrified waste form. Because little NDA data on vitrified waste forms have been acquired in the general NDA community to date, the following study was conducted at LANL to determine the feasibility of utilizing various NDA instrumentation available at RFETS to measure these particular waste forms. The technique of most interest to RFETS and most focused upon in this study was that of a segmented gamma scanner (SGS) with 1/2-inch collimation, although an SGS with 2-inch collimation was also included. The specific objective of this study was to determine if an SGS could meet an accuracy criterion of within 10% of the special nuclear material (SNM) content as measured by calorimetry and γ-ray isotopics. This study was performed on a full-scale vitrified (borosilicate-based glass) ash sample prepared similarly at LANL to that anticipated at RFETS. The study focused on several factors known to decrease the accuracy of the SGS technique: sample density and homogeneity, end effects, and lump (self-attenuation) effects. Tomographie gamma scanning (TGS) and real-time radiography were utilized in the determination of the waste form homogeneity. A drum-sized thermal neutron technique (TNC) was also included in the investigation to provide an alternative in the event the SGS failed to meet the required level of accuracy.
Symmetry Point Groups

The symmetry of a molecule can be described by its symmetry point group, which is a mathematical group consisting of the symmetry operations of the molecule. This symmetry point group thus consists of the identity plus proper rotations, reflections, an inversion, and/or improper rotations. Keywords: inversions; reflections; rotations; symmetry operations; symmetry point group
Spatial patterns of demography and genetic processes across the species' range: Null hypotheses for landscape conservation genetics

Compared with populations near the core of aspecies' range, edge populations tend to becharacterized by low density and high temporalvariation. Based on empirical studiesquantifying this pattern, we show thateffective population size (Ne)could be 2 to 30 times greater near the coreof the species' range than near the edge ofthe range. Hence, the rate of genetic driftmay be 2 to 30 times greater near the edge ofthe range. Despite these strong spatialpatterns in Ne, empirical findingsindicate that peripheral populations sometimeshave less but sometimes have more geneticdiversity than core populations. Our analysisindicates that this variation can be explainedby uncertainty in spatial patterns ofmigration rates. Nevertheless, our analysis:(1) provides a framework or null hypothesis forempirically assessing how spatial patterns ofmigration or selection influence large-scalespatial patterns of genetic diversity, (2)highlights the potential importance ofcontemporary processes, such as spatialpatterns in Ne (cf. historicalphenomena, such as range expansion) in thedevelopment and maintenance of large-scalespatial patterns in genetic diversity, and (3) provides new context for understanding the conservation value and vulnerability of peripheralpopulations. The conservation ofecological/evolutionary processes requiresunderstanding large scale spatial patterns ofdemographic and genetic processes such as thatdescribed here.
Modeling rolling gaits of a snake robot

Successful deployment of a snake robot in search and rescue tasks requires the capability of generating controls which can adapt to unknown environments in real-time. However, available motion generation techniques can be computationally expensive and lack the ability to adapt to the surroundings. This work considers modeling the rolling motion of a snake robot by applying the Bellows model with computation reduction techniques. One benefit of this is that controllers are defined with physically meaningful parameters, which in turn allows for higher level control of the robot. Another benefit is that it allows controllers to be defined by “composing shapes”, which enables developing controllers that can adapt to the surroundings. Using shape composition, we implemented a novel gait, named rolling hump, which forms a contour-fitting hump to negotiate obstacles. The efficacy of a snake robot climbing over obstacles by using the rolling hump is experimentally evaluated. An autonomous control strategy is presented and realized in simulation.
Oral and intrauterine contraception: a 1978 risk assessment.

Abstract This report reviews the current literature on the various risks associated with the use of oral contraceptives and intrauterine contraceptive devices. Reports on oral contraceptives from large prospective studies are now beginning to supplement the detailed reports resulting from earlier case-control studies. These studies suggest that in Western societies there is an increase in the incidence of a variety of circulatory diseases, with an increased risk of death. With intrauterine contraceptive devices it now has been fairly well documented that there is an increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease. After reviewing and assessing the risks of both methods in some detail and comparing these risks to the benefits, the resultant conclusion is that the benefits continue to outweigh the risks for both methods, except for older women who choose oral contraceptives and also are heavy smokers.
Nanoscale transport of charge-transfer states in organic donor-acceptor blends

Direct visualization of the motion of long-lived charge-transfer states in an organic blend reveals that bound electron–hole pairs stretch and contract, and diffuse more than 10 nm before they dissociate or recombine.
Correlation between immunohistochemical expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and flow cytometry parameters in colorectal neoplasia

PURPOSE: Proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunohistochemical expression and flow cytometry techniques were used in this study to estimate the proliferation tendency and biologic aggressiveness in benign and malignant epithelial tumors of the colon and rectum. METHODS: Thirty-five adenomas and 60 adenocarcinomas were studied immunohistochemically concerning proliferating cell nuclear antigen positivity in tumor cell nuclei. In addition, flow cytometry techniques were used to estimate the DNA content and percentage of tumor cells in the S-phase. RESULTS: The mean proliferating cell nuclear antigen score for adenomas was 38 percent compared with a mean score of 50.4 percent for adenocarcinomas that were studied (P<0.05). In dysplastic areas of malignantly transformed adenomas (n=5), the highest proliferating cell nuclear antigen score (80 percent) was focally observed. Taking flow cytometry parameters into account, we found out that proliferating cell nuclear antigen can be used as an indirect indicator of the number of cells in the S-phase (SPF) but not as an independent prognostic factor. Statistical significance was found between Type III (aneuploid carcinomas) and increased proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression (proliferating cell nuclear antigen score ⩾ 60 percent). Furthermore, aneuploidy was especially found on cancer located on the left colon (44 percentvs.14 percent of right colon neoplasms). Considering DNA ploidy of the above neoplasms, the aneuploid adenocarcinomas had a tendency for poorer prognosis especially if they were related to Dukes Stage C female patients. CONCLUSIONS: The comparative assessment of the above parameters might be of considerable importance in the study of the proliferation activity of any form of colorectal neoplasia.
Spontaneous internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm in a patient with behçet disease.

We describe the uncommon case of a patient with Behcet disease who developed a giant spontaneous cervical internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm confirmed at surgery. We also discuss the implications of this rare complication.
Sensory and shelf-life evaluations of cottage cheese treated with potassium sorbate.

Abstract Cottage cheese samples containing 0.025 to 0.20% potassium sorbate were evaluated by as ensory panel of 18 judges, using the duo-trio test method or organoleptically in seven Cottage cheese plants. The samples were then stored at 4 or 7 C and evaluated for shelf-life. The panel did not significantly detect 0.10% or less of potassium sorbate in Cottage cheese by taste or odor. The minimum levels of potassium sorbate detected in the Cottage cheese plants were 0.10% (four plants), 0.05% (two plants), and 0.025% (one plant). Shelf-life was extended in some experiments by 0.05% potassium sorbate and in all experiments by 0.10%. These amounts of potassium sorbate retarded growth of bacteria that produced fruity and putrid odors and slime in Cottage cheese at refrigeration temperatures and bacteria that produced sourness and molds.