cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 68: Diminazene, an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme2 (ACE2) Activator, Improves Right Heart Function in Experimental Models of Pressure Overload

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) failure due to pressure overload is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pulmonary hypertensive patients. We and others have shown that ACE2 exerts cardiopulmonary protection against lung diseases. This has led us to hypothesize that activation of ACE2 would improve RV hemodynamics and attenuate cardiac remodeling in animal models of pressure-overload. Methods: Hypoxia and Monocrotaline (MCT) models of pressure-overload were employed to evaluate the effects of Diminazene (DIZE), an ACE2 activator. Rats were exposed to hypoxia for 28 days with simultaneous DIZE treatment (15mg/Kg). In the other model, rats were challenged with MCT (50mg/Kg).Both prevention and reversal protocols were studied in this model. In the prevention protocol, rats were co-treated with DIZE for 4-weeks, while for the reversal protocol, DIZE was injected after 3-weeks of MCT-challenge and the drug treatment continued for additional 2-weeks. Results: Hypoxia exposed rats exhibited increased ratio of right ventricular to left ventricular plus septum weights, an index of RV hypertrophy (Con:0.26+0.01; Hypoxia: 0.48+0.03), along with cardiac dysfunction in terms of higher right ventricular end diastolic pressure (RVEDP; Con:3.28+0.65; Hypoxia:9.08+0.72mmHg), elevated +dP/dt (Con:2039+230; Hypoxia:2815+156mmHg/s) and increased -dP/dt (Con:-1476+98; Hypoxia:-2663+150mmHg/s). However, DIZE improved all these cardiovascular alterations (RVH:0.38+0.01; RVEDP:7.03+0.3mmHg; +dP/dt:2086+137mmHg/s;-dP/dt: -1945+100mmHg/s). Likewise, MCT injection induced RV hypertrophy (Con:0.27+0.01; MCT:0.50+0.03) and cardiac dysfunction (RVEDP; Con:3.98+0.46; MCT: 8.54+0.56mmHg; +dP/dt; Con:2107+189; MCT:3718+222mmHg/s; -dP/dt; Con:-1545+95; MCT:-2918+238mmHg/s), which was prevented by DIZE (RVH:0.29+0.02; RVEDP:4.76+0.44mmHg; +dP/dt:2525+122mmHg/s; -dP/dt:-2076+150mmHg/s). Furthermore, MCT caused a 3-fold increase in myocardial fibrosis, which was reduced by DIZE. In the reversal protocol, DIZE attenuated RV hypertrophy and improved cardiac hemodynamics. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our results identify a therapeutic potential of DIZE for RV dysfunction induced by pulmonary pressure-overload.
Surveying managers to inform a regionally relevant invasive Phragmites australis control research program.

Abstract Managers of invasive species consider the peer-reviewed literature only moderately helpful for guiding their management programs. Though this “knowing-doing gap” has been well-described, there have been few efforts to guide scientists in how to develop useful and usable science. Here we demonstrate how a comprehensive survey of managers (representing 42 wetland management units across the Great Salt Lake watershed) can highlight management practices and challenges (here for the widespread invasive plant, Phragmites australis, a recent and aggressive invader in this region) to ultimately inform a research program. The diversity of surveyed organizations had wide-ranging amounts of Phragmites which led to different goals and approaches including more aggressive control targets and a wider array of control tools for smaller, private organizations compared to larger government-run properties. We found that nearly all managers (97%) used herbicide as their primary Phragmites control tool, while burning (65%), livestock grazing (49%), and mowing (43%) were also frequently used. Managers expressed uncertainties regarding the timing of herbicide application and type of herbicide for effective control. Trade-offs between different Phragmites treatments were driven by budgetary concerns, as well as environmental conditions like water levels and social constraints like permitting issues. Managers had specific ideas about the plant communities they desired following Phragmites control, yet revegetation of native species was rarely attempted. The results of this survey informed the development of large-scale, multi-year Phragmites control and native plant revegetation experiments to address management uncertainties regarding herbicide type and timing. The survey also facilitated initial scientist-manager communication, which led to collaborations and knowledge co-production between managers and researchers. An important outcome of the survey was that experimental results were more pertinent to manager needs and trusted by managers. Such an approach that integrates manager surveys to inform management experiments could be adapted to any developing research program seeking to be relevant to management audiences.
Home Safety Checkups for Seniors

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is developing an idea that could help save possibly two billion dollars in Federal, local and family expenditures. It is an idea we are convinced will also bring longer and happier lives to millions of our nation’s senior citizens. An estimate was recently developed by a noted independent research institution, the Buffalo Organization for Social and Technological Innovation, for the Administration on Aging. It concludes, and CPSC studies support the estimate, that the overall impact of accidental injury to those over 55 years of age costs our economy something in the neighborhood of two billion dollars a year. This is a staggering figure. For example, it represents something like two-thirds the figure to be spent on all federal law enforcement in fiscal year 1984.
Nitrogen balance in dryland agroecosystem in response to tillage, crop rotation, and cultural practice

Accounting of N inputs and outputs and N retention in the soil provides N balance that measures agroecosystem performance and environmental sustainability. Because of the complexity of measurements of some N inputs and outputs, studies on N balance in long-term experiments are scanty. We examined the effect of 8 years of tillage, crop rotation, and cultural practice on N balance based on N inputs and outputs and soil N sequestration rate under dryland cropping systems in the northern Great Plains, USA. Tillage systems were no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) and crop rotations were continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (CW), spring wheat–pea (Pisum sativum L.) (W–P), spring wheat–barley (Hordeum vulgaris L.) hay–pea (W–B–P), and spring wheat–barley hay–corn (Zea mays L.)–pea (W–B–C–P). Cultural practices were traditional (conventional seed rates and plant spacing, conventional planting date, broadcast N fertilization, and reduced stubble height) and improved (variable seed rates and plant spacing, delayed planting, banded N fertilization, and increased stubble height). Total N input due to N fertilization, pea N fixation, atmospheric N deposition, crop seed N, and nonsymbiotic N fixation was greater with W–B–C–P than CW, regardless of tillage and cultural practices. Total N output due to aboveground biomass N removal and N losses due to denitrification, volatilization, plant senescence, N leaching, gaseous N (NOx) emissions, and surface runoff were not different among treatments. Nitrogen sequestration rate at 0–20 cm from 2004 to 2011 varied from 29 kg N ha−1 year−1 in CT with W–P to 89 kg N ha−1 year−1 in NT with W–P. Nitrogen balance varied from − 39 kg N ha−1 year−1 in NT with CW and the improved practice to 41 kg N ha−1 year−1 in CT with W–P and the traditional practice. Because of legume N fixation and increased soil N sequestration rate, diversified crop rotations reduced external N inputs and increased aboveground biomass N removal, N flow, and N balance compared with monocropping, especially in the CT system. As a result, diversified legume–nonlegume crop rotation not only reduced the cost of N fertilization by reducing N fertilization rate, but also can be productive by increasing N uptake and N surplus and environmentally sustainable by reducing N losses compared with nonlegume monocropping, regardless of cultural practices in dryland agroecosystems.
Amalgamations and Equitable Block-Colorings

An H-decomposition of G is a partition P of E(G) into blocks, each element of which induces a copy of H. Amalgamations of graphs have proved to be a valuable tool in the construction of H-decompositions. The method can force decompositions to satisfy fairness notions. Here the use of the method is further applied to (s, p)-equitable block-colorings of H-decompostions: a coloring of the blocks using exactly s colors such that each vertex v is incident with blocks colored with exactly p colors, the blocks containing v being shared out as evenly as possible among the p color classes. Recently interest has turned to the color vector \(V(E)=(c_1(E), c_2(E),\) \(\dots , c_s(E))\) of such colorings. Amalgamations are used to construct (s, p)-equitable block-colorings of \(C_4\)-decompositions of \(K_n - F\) and \(K_2\)-decompositions of \(K_{n}\), focusing on one unsolved case with each where \(c_1\) is as small as possible and \(c_2\) is as large as possible.
Pain, psychiatric comorbidities, and psychosocial stressors associated with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome.

Background Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is characterized by the triad of capillary malformation, venous malformation with or without lymphatic malformation, and limb overgrowth. Patients with KTS have lower scores in general in mental health, physical function, and quality of life than the general population. Objective To determine the prevalence of pain and psychiatric comorbidity in patients with KTS. Methods A retrospective review of 410 patients with KTS evaluated during 1976-2012 was conducted to identify the presence of pain, psychiatric comorbidities, and psychosocial stressors. Results Pain was reported by 260 patients (63.4%) and was associated with any KTS complication (P Limitations This is a retrospective study that relied on physician detection and reporting of variables. Conclusion Pain and psychiatric conditions, particularly depression and anxiety, are common in patients with KTS. Awareness of the psychosocial impact of KTS and appropriate screening are important.
School Sucks! Deconstructing Taylorist Obsessions

In the early twentieth century American workplace, Frederick Taylor was the icon of industrial efficiency. Taylor’s time and motion studies were used to regulate worker’s regimens and to constitute success in the new modernist science of mechanizing workers to maximize productivity.
Establishing a Master’s Counseling Program in Armenia: Historical and Socio-Cultural Context

This article addresses the lack of counseling programs and professionals in Armenia, offering possible reasons and solutions. The historical and cultural framework presented represents the context within which the current mental health state of Armenians are considered. The authors propose founding a post-graduate program in counseling as a response to evident needs. The discussion includes future implications for counseling professionals who attempt to internationalize counselor education and aim to work cross-culturally, both as educators and as clinicians.
Studies of Autocatalytic Electrocoagulation Reactor for Lead Removal from Simulated Wastewater

Abstract The removal of heavy metals from wastewater using efficient methods has caught the attention of scientists in recent years. One of these methods is the electrocoagulation technique which is widely studied and employed around the world. The aim of the present work was the study of the autocatalytic behavior of an electrocoagulation reactor that consisted of triple aluminum tubes which were constructed in a concentric manner, putting cathode electrode in between the tubes of the anode electrode. The operational parameters were the electrolysis time (2–30) min., initial lead concentration (10–300) ppm, electric current (0.2–2.6) Amps., and the mixing speed of the neutral solution was 150 rpm. Results show that electrocoagulation reactor seems to be an autocatalytic reactor which improved the kinetics of the adsorption process to remove lead from the polluted solution.
Anisotropic oxidation of MoS2 crystallites studied by angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

The oxidation behavior of the solid lubricant MoS2 was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. MoS2-containing slip ring brushes were used to take advantage of anisotropic orientation of the plate-shaped MoS2 crystallites occurring during fabrication of the brushes. Because oxidation occurs preferentially at the edges of the crystallites, greater oxidation fractions are measured when the edges are oriented toward the photoelectron energy analyzer. These results indicate a novel method for separately probing the chemistry on the edge and (lubricious) basal surfaces of MoS2.
Assessing the role of risk perception in ensuring sustainable arsenic mitigation

Abstract This study aims to evaluate the role of people's risk perception, and their socioeconomic, demographic, and other social correlates in providing sustainable arsenic mitigation. We interviewed the head of 340 households in three arsenic-affected villages of Bihar, India. A conceptual framework of risk perception and decision-making of arsenic mitigation technology is used to capture possible predictors of risk perception. Bivariate analysis was performed to derive the predictors of risk perception, and cross-tab analysis was conducted to calculate novel findings. A majority of the respondents were willing to adopt arsenic mitigation technologies as a result of their higher perceived risks to health and income than social discrimination risk. Respondents' caste, education level, agricultural landholdings, and social trust were the strongest predictors of perceived health risks. In addition to these factors, income, sanitation practices, people's prioritization of socio-environmental problems, arsenic awareness, and social capital, were the strongest predictors of perceived economic risk. Respondents' agricultural landholdings, prioritization of social problems, arsenic awareness, and social capital, were the strongest predictors of perceived social discrimination risk. Arsenic mitigation is highly likely to be successful among communities with greater perceived health and economic risks. The households with higher perceived social discrimination risk should be targeted for arsenic awareness program along with the mitigation.
Effect of Psychiatric Comorbidities on In-Hospital Outcomes and Cost for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Objective The present study examined the differences in outcomes of cervical spinal surgery for patients with and without a major psychiatric comorbidity using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample database. Methods Data were queried from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample database from 2013 to 2014 for hospitalizations with a major psychiatric comorbidity and a diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy treated by an appropriate surgical procedure. The included psychiatric comorbidities were schizophrenia, episodic mood disorders (bipolar I and II disorders), delusional disorders, and psychoses not otherwise specified. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine the differences in outcomes between patients with and without a major psychiatric comorbidity. Results A total of 18,335 hospitalizations met the inclusion criteria, of which 648 (3.5%) included a major psychiatric comorbidity. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that psychiatric comorbidity was an independent predictor of non–home discharge (odds ratio [OR], 1.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43–2.30; P Conclusions Psychiatric comorbidity was associated with an increased risk of non–home discharge and a longer length of stay for patients undergoing surgical intervention for cervical myelopathy. However, we did not find an associated increased risk of in-hospital mortality, complications, or total hospital charges. Psychiatric comorbidity should not be weighed against patients who require surgical treatment for cervical spondylotic myelopathy, and special attention should be given to postoperative care and discharge planning for this unique patient population.
Structure and Function of the Acetylpolyamine Amidohydrolase from the Deep Earth Halophile Marinobacter subterrani

Polyamines are small organic cations that are essential for cellular function in all kingdoms of life. Polyamine metabolism is regulated by enzyme-catalyzed acetylation-deacetylation cycles in a fashion similar to the epigenetic regulation of histone function in eukaryotes. Bacterial polyamine deacetylases are particularly intriguing, because these enzymes share the fold and function of eukaryotic histone deacetylases. Recently, acetylpolyamine amidohydrolase from the deep earth halophile Marinobacter subterrani (msAPAH) was described. This Zn2+-dependent deacetylase shares 53% amino acid sequence identity with the acetylpolyamine amidohydrolase from Mycoplana ramosa (mrAPAH) and 22% amino acid sequence identity with the catalytic domain of histone deacetylase 10 from Danio rerio (zebrafish; zHDAC10), the eukaryotic polyamine deacetylase. The X-ray crystal structure of msAPAH, determined in complexes with seven different inhibitors as well as the acetate coproduct, shows how the chemical strategy of Zn2+-dependent amide hydrolysis and the catalytic specificity for cationic polyamine substrates is conserved in a subterranean halophile. Structural comparisons with mrAPAH reveal that an array of aspartate and glutamate residues unique to msAPAH enable the binding of one or more Mg2+ ions in the active site and elsewhere on the protein surface. Notwithstanding these differences, activity assays with a panel of acetylpolyamine and acetyllysine substrates confirm that msAPAH is a broad-specificity polyamine deacetylase, much like mrAPAH. The broad substrate specificity contrasts with the narrow substrate specificity of zHDAC10, which is highly specific for N8-acetylspermidine hydrolysis. Notably, quaternary structural features govern the substrate specificity of msAPAH and mrAPAH, whereas tertiary structural features govern the substrate specificity of zHDAC10.
Combination of a Big Data Analytics Resource System With an Artificial Intelligence Algorithm to Identify Clinically Actionable Radiation Dose Thresholds for Dysphagia in Head and Neck Patients.

Abstract Purpose We combined clinical practice changes, standardizations, and technology to automate aggregation, integration, and harmonization of comprehensive patient data from the multiple source systems used in clinical practice into a big data analytics resource system (BDARS). We then developed novel artificial intelligence algorithms, coupled with the BDARS, to identify structure dose volume histograms (DVH) metrics associated with dysphagia. Methods and Materials From the BDARS harmonized data of ≥22,000 patients, we identified 132 patients recently treated for head and neck cancer who also demonstrated dysphagia scores that worsened from base line to a maximum grade ≥2. We developed a method that used both physical and biologically corrected (α/β = 2.5) DVH curves to test both absolute and percentage volume based DVH metrics. Combining a statistical categorization algorithm with machine learning (SCA-ML) provided more extensive detailing of response threshold evidence than either approach alone. A sensitivity guided, minimum input, machine learning (ML) model was iteratively constructed to identify the key structure DVH metric thresholds. Results Seven swallowing structures producing 738 candidate DVH metrics were ranked for association with dysphagia using SCA-ML scoring. Structures included superior pharyngeal constrictor (SPC), inferior pharyngeal constrictor (IPC), larynx, and esophagus. Bilateral parotid and submandibular gland (SG) structures were categorized by relative mean dose (eg, SG_high, SG_low) as a dose versus tumor centric analog to contra and ipsilateral designations. Structure DVH metrics with high SCA-ML scores included the following: SPC: D20% (equivalent dose [EQD2] Gy) ≥47.7; SPC: D25% (Gy) ≥50.4; IPC: D35% (Gy) ≥61.7; parotid_low: D60% (Gy) ≥13.2; and SG_high: D35% (Gy) ≥61.7. Larynx: D25% (Gy) ≥21.2 and SG_low: D45% ≥28.2 had high SCA-ML scores but were segmented on less than 90% of plans. A model based on SPC: D20% (EQD2 Gy) alone had sensitivity and area under the curve of 0.88 ± 0.13 and 0.74 ± 0.17, respectively. Conclusions This study provides practical demonstration of combining big data with artificial intelligence to increase volume of evidence in clinical learning paradigms.
CustomPro: Network Protocol Customization Through Cross-Host Feature Analysis

The implementations of network protocols are often “bloated” due to various users’ needs and complex environment for deployment. The continual expansion of program features contribute to not only growing complexity but also increased the attack surface, making the maintenance of network protocol security very challenging. Existing works try to mitigate program bloat by source-code level static analysis (such as tainting and slicing) or dynamic techniques such as binary reuse. While source code is not always available for the former technique, the latter suffers from limited code coverage because of the incomplete input space. In this paper, we propose CustomPro, a new approach for automated customization of network protocols. We adopt whole system emulation, dynamic tainting and symbolic execution to identify desired code from the original program binaries, then leverage binary rewriting techniques to create a customized program binary that only contains the desired functionalities. We implement a prototype of CustomPro and evaluate its feasibility using OpenSSL (a widely used SSL implementation) and Mosquitto (an IoT messaging protocol implementation). The results show that CustomPro is able to create functional program binaries with only desired features and significantly reduce the potential attack surface by targeting and eliminating unwanted protocol features.
Physiological and Metabolic Features of Mice with CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Loss-of-Function in Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone

Abstract Our previous study demonstrated that the loss of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) results in increased lifespan and improved metabolic homeostasis in the mouse model generated by classical embryonic stem cell based gene-targeting method. In this study, we targeted the GHRH gene using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to avoid passenger alleles/mutations and performed in-depth physiological and metabolic characterization. In agreement with our previous observation, male and female GHRH-/- mice have significantly reduced body weight and enhanced insulin sensitivity when compared to wild type littermates. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry showed that there were significant decreases in lean mass, bone mineral content and density, and a dramatic increase in fat mass of GHRH-/- mice when compared to wild type littermates. Indirect calorimetry measurements including oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and energy expenditure were dramatically reduced in GHRH-/- mice compared to wild type mice. Respiratory exchange ratio was significantly lower in GHRH-/- mice during the light cycle, but not during the dark cycle, indicating a circadian related metabolic shift towards fat utilization in the growth hormone deficient mice. The novel CRISPR/Cas9 GHRH-/- mice are exhibiting the consistent and unique physiological and metabolic characteristics, which might mediate the longevity effects of growth hormone deficiency in mice.
Changes in Biomaterial Properties of Bone With Disease and Treatment

Abstract Changes in the material properties of bone arise from cellular formation and resorption processes, and systemic factors such as serum chemistry. These processes typically act at the nanometer and micron length scales. Treatments of bone disease aim to increase bone strength by altering bone formation or remodeling processes and serum chemistry to increase bone quantity and quality. The purpose of this review is to summarize the changes in the material properties of bone with disease and drug treatment. In this article we review the effects of the most common metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, vitamin D deficiency, and diabetes mellitus, along with their treatments, on tissue material properties in (a) human studies and (b) pre-clinical animal models.
VISTA: Virtual immunoSTAining for pancreatic disease quantification in murine cohorts

Mechanistic studies of pancreatic disease progression using animal models require objective and quantifiable assessment of tissue changes among animal cohorts. Disease state quantification, however, relies heavily on tissue immunostaining, which can be expensive, labor- and time-intensive, and all too often produces uneven staining that is prone to variable interpretation between experts and inaccurate quantification. Here we develop a fully automated semantic segmentation tool using deep learning for the rapid and objective quantification of histologic features using hematoxylin and eosin (HE correlation score= 0.9, 0.95, and 0.91, respectively) and were able to accurately reproduce immunostain patterns. Moreover, our tool was able to distinguish ADM from dysplasia, which are not reliably distinguished by immunostaining, and avoid the pitfalls of uneven or poor-quality staining. Using this tool, we quantified the changes in histologic feature abundance for murine cohorts with oncogenic Kras-driven disease at 2 months and 5 months of age (n=12, n=13). The calculated changes in histologic feature abundance were consistent with biological expectations, showing an expansion of the stromal compartment, a reduction of normal acinar tissue, and an increase in both ADM and dysplasia as disease progresses (p= 2e-6, 6e-7, 4e-4, and 3e-5, respectively). These results demonstrate the tool9s efficacy for accurate and rapid quantification of multiple histologic features using an objective and automated platform. Our tool promises to rapidly accelerate and improve the quantification of altered pancreatic disease progression in animal studies.
Longitudinal kidney injury biomarker trajectories in children with obstructive uropathy.

Congenital obstructive uropathy (OU) is a leading cause of pediatric kidney failure, representing a unique mechanism of injury, in part from renal tubular stretch and ischemia. Tubular injury biomarkers have potential to improve OU-specific risk stratification. Patients with OU were identified in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children (CKiD) study. “Cases” were defined as individuals receiving any kidney replacement therapy (KRT), while “controls” were age- and time-on-study matched and KRT free at last study visit. Urine and plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), interleukin 18 (IL-18), and liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) levels were measured at enrollment and annually and compared between cases and controls. Urine values were normalized to urine creatinine. In total, 22 cases and 22 controls were identified, with median (interquartile range) ages of 10.5 (9.0–13.0) and 15.9 (13.9–16.9) years at baseline and outcome, respectively. At enrollment there were no differences noted between cases and controls for any urine (u) or plasma (p) biomarker measured. However, the mean pNGAL and uL-FABP/creatinine increased throughout the study period in cases (15.38 ng/ml per year and 0.20 ng/ml per mg/dl per year, respectively, p = 0.01 for both) but remained stable in controls. This remained constant after controlling for baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR). In children with OU, pNGAL and uL-FABP levels increased over the 5 years preceding KRT; independent of baseline GFR. Future studies are necessary to identify optimal cutoff values and to determine if these markers outperform current clinical predictors.
Anomalous Hall Sensors with High Sensitivity and Stability Based on Interlayer Exchange-Coupled Magnetic Thin Films

In this work, we demonstrate that interlayer exchange-coupled magnetic thin films can be employed to fabricate ultrasensitive and thermally stable magnetic sensors, taking advantage of the linear anomalous Hall effect via tuning the interlayer exchange coupling and magnetic anisotropy. We investigate the magnetotransport and noise properties of these anomalous Hall sensors. The magnetic field detectability reaches $126.1\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nT/}\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ at 1 Hz and $4.5\phantom{\rule{0.1em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nT/}\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ at 1 kHz, at room temperature. Meanwhile, the achieved dynamic reserve is 103.0 dB. The magnetic field detectability shows a good temperature stability in the 200 to 300 K range. Within the temperature range, the temperature coefficient of sensitivity is determined to be 530 ppm/K. The high temperature stability is attributed to the interlayer exchange coupling, which also improves the stability against in-plane magnetic fields, beneficial for perpendicular magnetic field sensing. The interlayer exchange-coupled magnetic thin-film-based anomalous Hall sensors solve the trade-off between the sensor size, sensing capability, and stability, which are desirable for microimaging and biomedical applications.
Mindfulness-based intervention to decrease mood lability in at-risk youth: Preliminary evidence for changes in resting state functional connectivity.

Abstract Background: In youth at familial risk for bipolar disorder (BD), mood lability is an important precursor to BD onset. Previous work in adults indicates that mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) may improve emotion regulation, in part by increasing resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and executive control network (ECN). In this pilot study, we assessed effects of an MBI on PCC-ECN rsFC and mood lability in at-risk youth. Methods: We recruited 35 youth (10–14 years old) with a first-degree family history of BD and mood lability, and 21 age-matched healthy controls. Eligible at-risk youth were scanned pre/post an 8-week MBI and assessed three months later. Healthy controls were scanned at matched timepoints but did not participate in the MBI. The MBI used age-appropriate strategies to promote non-judgmental, present-moment awareness. We assessed pre/post changes in PCC-ECN rsFC and how rsFC changes were related to mood outcomes. Results: Twenty at-risk youth were scanned pre/post MBI; 16 had high-quality rsFC data. Following MBI, at-risk youth showed increased rsFC between PCC and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (BA 9; k = 28; corrected p=.006); healthy controls did not show this increase. Following MBI, at-risk youth reported more mindfulness (F = 7.15, p=.003), less mood lability (F = 7.2, p=.002), and less suppression of negative emotions (F = 5.05, p=.01). PCC-DLPFC rsFC increases predicted less mood lability (t=−2.25, p=.04) and less emotion suppression (t=−2.75, p=.02) at follow-up. Limitations: Small sample and lack of a control intervention. Conclusions: PCC-DLPFC rsFC may be a clinically meaningful neural target of an MBI in at-risk youth, related to improvements in mood lability.
The role of public health versus invasive coronary interventions in the decline of coronary heart disease mortality.

Abstract Purpose: There has been considerable debate on the extent to which the decline in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality has been caused by better control of coronary risk factors in the general population or is the result of invasive coronary interventions in symptomatic individuals. Methods Using the Myocardial Infarction Data Acquisition System, a statewide database of all cardiovascular hospital admissions in New Jersey, we examined time trends in incidence of death from CHD in the Years 2000–2014 in persons with a history of hospitalization for CHD in the previous 10 years and those without such a history. Results Over the 10-year study period, there was a marked decline in CHD-related mortality in both persons with a history of CHD and persons without a history of CHD. The decline occurred across all gender, racial, and age groups and was higher in those without a prior history of CHD. Conclusions This adds more evidence that the decline in CHD was not only because of advanced invasive medical and surgical treatments but also equally because of improved lifestyle, pharmacologic treatment of risk factors for CHD, and public health interventions.
Maternal lipodome across pregnancy is associated with the neonatal DNA methylome

Aim: To classify the association between the maternal lipidome and DNA methylation in cord blood leukocytes. Materials & methods: Untargeted lipidomics was performed on first trimester maternal plasma (M1) and delivery maternal plasma (M3) in 100 mothers from the Michigan Mother-Infant Pairs cohort. Cord blood leukocyte DNA methylation was profiled using the Infinium EPIC bead array and empirical Bayes modeling identified differential DNA methylation related to maternal lipid groups. Results: M3-saturated lysophosphatidylcholine was associated with 45 differentially methylated loci and M3-saturated lysophosphatidylethanolamine was associated with 18 differentially methylated loci. Biological pathways enriched among differentially methylated loci by M3 saturated lysophosphatidylcholines were related to cell proliferation and growth. Conclusion: The maternal lipidome may be influential in establishing the infant epigenome.
Attitudes and Perceptions of Blenderized Tube Feed Use Among Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers

Background Blenderized tube feeds (BTFs) have increased in popularity among enteral patients and their caregivers as an alternative to commercial formula. Motivations include ingredient flexibility, increased tolerance, and inclusion in family meals. Research has explored the attitudes and perceptions of patients, caregivers, and registered dietitian nutritionists but not those of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate their attitudes and perceptions of BTFs. Methods A survey created via Research Electronic Data Capture tools was distributed to physicians and APPs to evaluate clinical practice characteristics, experience, knowledge, and perceptions of BTFs. Results Survey response rate was 17.3% (n = 206). Half of respondents reported familiarity with BTFs, but 95% of respondents had received no formal training regarding BTFs. Physicians reported higher levels of confidence in BTF knowledge than APPs. However, the overall level of confidence in BTF knowledge was poor, with a majority of respondents (73.3% [n = 151]) reporting either "not very confident" or "not confident at all." The most perceived benefits included tailoring diet to better fit the patients' needs (70.9% [146]) and psychological benefits (59.2% [122]). Barriers that most concerned respondents included tube occlusions (59.7% [123]) and nutrition inadequacy (47.6% [98]). χ2 Analysis revealed no relationship between type of provider and perceived benefits or barriers. Conclusion A majority of physicians and APPs are willing to support BTF use but lack education or guidance, resulting in poor confidence. Increased familiarity with BTF use and awareness of available education materials are required to help physicians and APPs support patients utilizing BTFs.
The Impact of Vitamin D on Response to Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor-α Therapy in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

OBJECTIVES Experimental studies have shown that vitamin D has an immunomodulatory effect on the innate and adaptive immune systems. Associations between vitamin D deficiency and development or progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are reported, but a cause-and-effect relationship between pretreatment 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and response to anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNF) therapy is not established. METHODS This retrospective study evaluated pediatric IBD patients who had 25(OH)D levels drawn within 3 months of initiating infliximab and/or adalimumab treatment. Demographic features, Paris classification, baseline 25(OH)D levels, disease activity, and laboratory results before and after 3 months of anti-TNF therapy were collected. The interaction between vitamin D insufficiency at induction and lack of response to anti-TNF therapy at 3 months was determined. RESULTS Of the 383 patients, 76 met inclusion criteria. Sixty-five patients (85.5%) had Crohn disease (CD) and 11 (14.5%) had ulcerative colitis. Seven patients had 25(OH)D levels obtained during both infliximab and adalimumab induction; hence 83 subjects were evaluated (infliximab: 70 patients, adalimumab: 13 patients). 25(OH)D <30 ng/mL was found in 55 of 83 (66.3%) subjects. There were no differences in gender, IBD type, disease activity scores between vitamin D-sufficient and vitamin D-insufficient groups. In CD, proximal gastrointestinal tract inflammation was associated with vitamin D insufficiency (P = 0.019), but other Paris classification parameters and laboratory results were similar in 2 groups. Early termination of anti-TNF therapy was significantly higher in patients who had vitamin D insufficiency (14.5% vs 0%, P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D insufficiency before anti-TNF treatment may result in poor response to induction therapy.
Sustainable hydrogen production from water using tandem dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells

If generated from water using renewable energy, hydrogen could serve as a carbon-zero, environmentally benign fuel to meet the needs of modern society. Photoelectrochemical cells integrate the absorption and conversion of solar energy and chemical catalysis for the generation of high value products. Tandem photoelectrochemical devices have demonstrated impressive solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiencies but have not become economically relevant due to high production cost. Dye-sensitized solar cells, those based on a monolayer of molecular dye adsorbed to a high surface area, optically transparent semiconductor electrode, offer a possible route to realizing tandem photochemical systems for H2 production by water photolysis with lower overall material and processing costs. This review addresses the design and materials important to the development of tandem dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical cells for solar H2 production and highlights current published reports detailing systems capable of spontaneous H2 formation from water using only dye-sensitized interfaces for light capture.
Lessons from a pandemic for systems-oriented sustainability research

This review examines research on environmental impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from a systems-oriented sustainability perspective, focusing on three areas: air quality and human health, climate change, and production and consumption. The review assesses whether and how this COVID-19-focused research (i) examines components of an integrated system; (ii) accounts for interactions including complex, adaptive dynamics; and (iii) is oriented to informing action. It finds that this research to date has not comprehensively accounted for complex, coupled interactions, especially involving societal factors, potentially leading to erroneous conclusions and hampering efforts to draw broader insights across sustainability-relevant domains. Lack of systems perspective in COVID-19 research reflects a broader challenge in environmental research, which often neglects societal feedbacks. Practical steps through which researchers can better incorporate systems perspectives include using analytical frameworks to identify important components and interactions, connecting frameworks to models and methods, and advancing sustainability science theory and methodology.
Testing in English Language Teaching and its Significance in EFL Contexts: A Theoretical Perspective

This conceptual paper reviews literature on the most common practices of language tests in ELT contexts around the world. The detailed discussion of various types of language tests is followed by its various aims and objectives which are linked to the qualities or characteristics of different language tests. The review of the literature reveals that language tests and its purposes vary from context to context and there is a wide range of practical constraints that test designers, test-takers, and test administrators encounter. Particularly, in the Saudi EFL context, EFL teachers lack a voice in the process of language assessment and there is a serious dearth of professional development training to raise EFL teachers' awareness of language tests and develop their assessment literacy. The review of the literature suggests that in various EFL/ESL contexts, more top-notch assessment methods need .to be introduced and in the Saudi setting.
Wastewater surveillance for infectious disease: a systematic review

Abstract Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 has shown to be a valuable source of information regarding SARS-CoV-2 transmission and COVID-19 cases. Though the method has been used for several decades to track other infectious diseases, there has not been a comprehensive review outlining all of the pathogens surveilled through wastewater. The aim of this study is to identify what infectious diseases have been previously studied via wastewater surveillance prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic and identify common characteristics between the studies, as well as identify current gaps in knowledge. Peer-reviewed articles published as of August 1, 2020 that examined wastewater for communicable and infectious human pathogens on 2 or more occasions were included in the study. Excluded from this list were all reviews and methods papers, single collection studies, and non-human pathogens. Infectious diseases and pathogens were identified in studies of wastewater surveillance, as well as themes of how wastewater surveillance and other measures of disease transmission were linked. This review did not include any numerical data from individual studies and thus no statistical analysis was done. 1005 articles were identified but only 100 were included in this review after applying the inclusion criteria. These studies came from 38 countries with concentration in certain countries including Italy, Israel, Brazil, Japan, and China. Twenty-five separate pathogen families were identified in the included studies, with the majority of studies examining pathogens from the family Picornaviridae, including polio and non-polio enteroviruses. Most studies of wastewater surveillance did not link what was found in the wastewater to other measures of disease transmission. Among those studies that did compare wastewater surveillance to other measures of disease transmission the value observed was dependent upon pathogen and varied by study. Wastewater surveillance has historically been used to assess water-borne and fecal-orally transmitted pathogens causing diarrheal disease. However, numerous other types of pathogens have been surveilled using wastewater and wastewater surveillance should be considered as a potential tool for many infectious diseases. Wastewater surveillance studies can be improved by incorporating other measures of disease transmission at the population-level including disease incidence and hospitalizations.
Organometallic methane activation: Functionalization by aqueous platinum complexes

Publisher Summary In addition to the obvious scientific interest in effecting and understanding reactions of ordinarily inert C–H bonds under the generally mild conditions where organometallic complexes are stable, there is potential for substantial practical advantages. A major difficulty in the selective conversion of alkanes, especially methane, to more valuable products, is that almost invariably the intermediates and/or products formed are considerably more reactive than the starting material under the operating conditions and reaction mechanism. Most studies of methane conversion have involved traditional high temperature, heterogeneously catalyzed reactions with dioxygen. Under such conditions radical-based mechanisms may be expected to dominate, and maximum yields can be predicted using relative reactivities towards gas-phase radicals such as CH 3 ·or HO·. While complete mechanistic understanding has not been achieved, it is clear that most of these systems do not follow a radical pathway, suggesting that the desired "reversed" selectivity pattern might be thereby achieved.
Maternal depression and the learning-promoting effects of infant-directed speech: Roles of maternal sensitivity, depression diagnosis, and speech acoustic cues

The hypothesis that the associative learning-promoting effects of infant-directed speech (IDS) depend on infants' social experience was tested in a conditioned-attention paradigm with a cumulative sample of 4- to 14-month-old infants. Following six forward pairings of a brief IDS segment and a photographic slide of a smiling female face, infants of clinically depressed mothers exhibited evidence of having acquired significantly weaker voice-face associations than infants of non-depressed mothers. Regression analyses revealed that maternal depression was significantly related to infant learning even after demographic correlates of depression, antidepressant medication use, and extent of pitch modulation in maternal IDS had been taken into account. However, after maternal depression had been accounted for, maternal emotional availability, coded by blind raters from separate play interactions, accounted for significant further increments in the proportion of variance accounted for in infant learning scores. Both maternal depression and maternal insensitivity negatively, and additively, predicted poor learning.
Alcohol Use and Bone Health in Men

Publisher Summary Alcohol is consumed by approximately two-thirds of men across the lifespan in the USA and alcohol abuse is widely appreciated as a risk factor for fragility fracture. However, moderate alcohol consumption is associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) and lower fracture risk. The mechanism(s) of these apparently contradictory observations are not well defined and the issues surrounding alcohol use and bone health are exceedingly complex. This chapter reviews the epidemiology of alcohol use/abuse among men, explores the effects of alcohol on musculoskeletal metabolism, bone mineral density, falls and fracture risk. Despite the reported beneficial effect on BMD, excessive intake of alcoholic beverages is clearly detrimental and increases fracture risk. As such, despite the difficulties of defining “high” alcohol intake, including this as a clinical fracture risk factor is appropriate. Perhaps it is reasonable to consider alcohol as a drug with potential toxicities when utilized in high doses, but as a “nutrient” at low doses in association with a well-balanced diet. However, despite the multiple studies relating “moderate” alcohol intake with higher BMD, it is not appropriate to recommend consumption of alcoholic beverages as a way to enhance bone health. It must be appreciated that the relationship between alcohol intake and skeletal health is extraordinarily complex being influenced by a variety of physiologic, nutritional and psychosocial factors. It is therefore not surprising that these relationships remain poorly defined.
SIMILARITY IN BASE COMPOSITIONS OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEATES FROM SEVERAL STRAINS OF BACILLUS CEREUS AND BACILLUS ANTHRACIS.

McDonald, William C. (U.S. Army Biological Laboratories, Frederick, Md.), Ira C. Felkner, Abraham Turetsky, and Thomas S. Matney. Similarity in base compositions of deoxyribonucleates from several strains of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus anthracis. J. Bacteriol. 85:1071–1073. 1963.—Studies were made on the base compositions of the deoxyribonucleates of a number of Bacillus species. Species homogeneity was quite evident from these studies since, with only one exception, several strains of the same species showed identical base compositions. It was found that the melting temperatures and corresponding percentages of guanine plus cytosine were quite similar in several strains of B. cereus and B. anthracis. These aspects are discussed as related to their possible genetic homology.