cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forest dynamics and climate sensitivity of an endangered Carolina hemlock community in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

During the last century, the eastern United States has functionally lost two major tree species (American chestnut and American elm), two more, eastern and Carolina hemlock, will likely be functionally extinct during much of their ranges by 2050. Carolina hemlock forests are geographically limited to high elevations in the southern Appalachian Mountains and are considered to be endangered. We collected forest stand, composition, and tree age data at the beginning of a hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) infestation. Prior to the arrival of HWA, Carolina hemlocks were healthy and densely populated in the overstory and understory. While Carolina hemlock regenerated successfully and continuously from 1850 to 2010, the development of this Carolina hemlock forest will be altered by the HWA and may result in an increase in the density of northern red oak, white oak, mountain laurel, and Catawba rhododendron. Carolina hemlocks prefer cool, wet summers with older trees experiencing greater reductions in radial growth th...
Cannabis smoking clusters within secondary schools: Results from the United States monitoring the future study 1976–2013

whether school-level risk factors were associated with student marijuana use, after accounting for individual-level covariates. Methods: Multilevel modeling was used to analyze data from 27,874 high school students participating in the 2013 Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools Climate Survey. Individual-level factors included gender, age, race/ethnicity, alcohol use, tobacco use, fighting, and perceptions of school safety and support. School-level factors included alcohol use prevalence, tobacco use prevalence, urbanicity, suspensions, racial composition, fighting prevalence, student/teacher ratio, proportion receiving special education services and free/reduced price meals, and student mobility rate. Results: 21% of youth reported marijuana use. Variance was greater at the classroom level ( = 0.15, SD=0.39) vs. the school level ( = 0.02, SD=0.13). Students at schools with a higher proportion of racial/ethnic minorities (AOR=1.01, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01), mobility rate (AOR=1.02, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.04), and alcohol use prevalence (AOR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04) were slightly more likely to report marijuana use. Individual-level factors were more strongly associated with marijuana use than school-level factors, including older age, Black race/ethnicity, alcohol use, tobacco use, and fighting. Conclusions: Marijuana use is common among high school students, despite differences in school-level factors. Given the continued loosening of marijuana policies, it is likely that adolescent marijuana use will increase. Schools may need to reconsider approaches to drug use prevention education. Financial support: Thisworkwas supported by theU.S. Department of Education’s Safe and Supportive Schools Initiative and a NIDA T32 Training Grant (3T32DA007292-21).
Gene modulation by transcription factor proteins and micro RNA in living brains after Amphetamine

This presentation will explore Magnetic Resonance (MR) visible probes to target image intracellular gene transcription activator proteins that are induced by drugs of addiction. Drug addiction is a major health problem that severely hampers the productivity of many members of our society. While studies indicate that drug addiction results from combined influences of genes and environment, recent studies suggest that epigenetic modifications of gene transcription factors may play an important role in the develop\ment of addictions in humans. Advances in cellular and molecular biology in the past century have led to identification of novel gene markers, the signaling pathways they influence and gene activities they regulate. With biopsy the only source of tissue for conventional assays, such studies are not permitted in humans. We will present our effort to develop and investigate a targeted MR imgaing technique and to apply it for studies of drug addiction in a series of live brains. Three such activities that they have shown modification in in studies of drug addiction are intracellular protein coding (messenger RNA) and noncoding (microRNA) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappa-beta (NF-k-b). Our efforts for validation of such technology for gene actions in living brains include using a transgenic mouse that is unable to produce a functional AP-1 protein to bind at the AP-1 site and blocks sensitization of drugs of abuse.
Hypothalamic unit response to increases in arterial blood pressure.

SummaryThe responses of hypothalamic unit activity to changes in arterial blood pressure were studied in 14 cats under nembutal anesthesia. Areas of the posterior hypothalamus were stimulated in order to determine the points from which maximal increases in blood pressure could be obtained. A tungsten recording electrode was placed at these points and a single unit activity recorded. Arterial blood pressure was increased by infusion of 2 μg/kg of adrenalin intra-arterially and by occlusion of the abdominal aorta. With infusion of adrenalin, there was an increase in the frequency of firing in 55% of the cells, whereas with occlusion of the aorta there was a decrease in 75%. A direct effect of adrenalin was not ruled out. These results were interpreted as resulting from two different populations of pressure-sensitive cells in the posterior hypothalamus.
NUMERICALLY NONREFLECTING BOUNDARY CONDITIONS FOR MULTIDIMENSIONAL AEROACOUSTIC COMPUTATIONS

Many compressible flow and aeroacoustic computations rely on accurate nonreflecting or radiation boundary conditions. When the equations and boundary conditions are discretized using a finitedifference scheme, the dispersive nature of the discretized equations can lead to spurious numerical reflections not seen in the continuous boundary value problem. These reflections can lead to poor convergence to a stationary state, and can lead to selfforcing of flows. We have constructed numerically nonreflecting boundary conditions which account for the particular finite-difference scheme used, and are designed to minimize these spurious numerical reflections. These extend our earlier work on onedimensional boundary conditions to the multidimensional case. Stable boundary conditions which are nonreflecting to arbitrarily high-order-of-accuracy are obtained. Various test cases are presented which show excellent results.
Prospects for Distributive Justice Theory

Theoretical progress is essential to the viability of any scientific subdiscipline. Ever since a growth spurt in the 1980s, however, and despite a very active research enterprise, distributive justice theory has developed very little. Our approach is first to discuss the role that theory plays in disciplinary growth. After noting the indicators of stagnation in distributive justice areas, we identify key problems with the way distributive justice theories are constructed and evaluated. Specifically, little attention is paid to the clear definition and consistent use of theoretical terms, or to the construction of explicit logical arguments from which empirical hypotheses may be derived. Weaknesses in these areas all but prohibit the evolution of improved theories over time. We conclude with a set of evaluative criteria that, if applied collectively by members of the field, would optimize the chances for theoretical progress. Ultimately this also would lead to more efficient empirical tests and better-informed practical applications of distributive justice theories.
Lifestyle Problems of Nontraditional BSW Students in an Urban University

Forty-five nontraditional BSW students attending an urban university in the Midwest were surveyed to determine the lifestyle problems that serve as barriers to completion of their undergraduate programs. The study found that role conflict was a major problem. Financial problems were also identified as a lifestyle stressor. Nontraditional students received support from their families that included childcare, money, and housework. When compared to traditional students (n=20) in the same environment, nontraditional students relied less on their families for financial support. The literature, however, showed that traditional and nontraditional students experience similar lifestyle issues in nonurban settings. The article concludes with recommendations for the teaching of nontraditional urban social work students and for institutional assistance.
Nutrient budgets in the subtropical ocean gyres dominated by lateral transport

Upward fluxes have been thought to dominate nutrient replenishment at the ocean surface. A numerical model reveals that lateral transfer is an important source of phosphorus and nitrogen for all five subtropical gyres.
Integrating carbon nanotube forests into polysilicon MEMS: Growth kinetics, mechanisms, and adhesion

Abstract The growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on polycrystalline silicon substrates was studied to improve the design of CNT field emission sources for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications and vacuum microelectronic devices (VMDs). Microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) was used for CNT growth, resulting in CNTs that incorporate the catalyst particle at their base. The kinetics of CNT growth on polysilicon were compared to growth on Si (100) using the model of Deal and Grove, finding activation energies of 1.61 and 1.54 eV for the nucleation phase of growth and 1.90 and 3.69 eV for the diffusion-limited phase on Si (100) and polysilicon, respectively. Diffusivity values for growth on polysilicon were notably lower than the corresponding values on Si (100) and the growth process became diffusion-limited earlier. Evidence favors a surface diffusion growth mechanism involving diffusion of carbon precursor species along the length of the CNT forest to the catalyst at the base. Explanations for the differences in activation energies and diffusivities were elucidated by SEM analysis of the catalyst nanoparticle arrays and through wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) of CNT forests. Finally, methods are presented to improve adhesion of CNT films during operation as field emitters, resulting in a 2.5× improvement.
O PIONEERs! The Beginning of the End of Full-Dose Triple Therapy with Warfarin?

Article, see p 323 One of the most common conundrums in all of cardiovascular medicine pertains to the care of patients with atrial fibrillation who need percutaneous coronary intervention. Both dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and oral anticoagulant therapy would seem to be necessary to reduce risks of stent thrombosis and thromboembolism, respectively.1 However, with intensification of the antithrombotic regimen, there is an inevitable tradeoff with more bleeding.2 Two modest-sized randomized trials, WOEST (What Is the Optimal Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Therapy in Patients With Oral Anticoagulation and Coronary Stenting) and ISAR-TRIPLE (Intracoronary Stenting and Antithrombotic Regimen: Testing of a Six-Week Versus a Six-Month Clopidogrel Treatment Regimen in Patients With Concomitant Aspirin and Oral Anticoagulant Therapy Following Drug-Eluting Stenting), have shown that double therapy (single antiplatelet therapy plus full-dose vitamin K antagonists) appeared to provide similar efficacy and reduced bleeding compared with triple therapy (DAPT plus full-dose vitamin K antagonists).3,4 Curiously, even a signal of less ischemic/thrombotic complications occurred with double therapy, although these 2 trials were clearly not powered for efficacy end points. It remained possible, however, that excess bleeding with triple therapy overwhelmed any potential gain in efficacy.5 Furthermore, the role, if any, of the novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs), instead of vitamin K antagonists such as warfarin, remained poorly characterized. In this issue of Circulation , Gibson et al6 have published the key data from the PIONEER AF-PCI (An Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Study Exploring Two Treatment Strategies of Rivaroxaban and a Dose-Adjusted Oral Vitamin K Antagonist Treatment Strategy in Subjects With Atrial Fibrillation Who Undergo Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) trial. A total of 2124 stented patients with atrial fibrillation were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: reduced-dose rivaroxaban 15 mg daily plus a P2Y12 for 12 months (Group 1); rivaroxaban 2.5 mg …
Why a counterfeit risk avoidance strategy fails

Despite implementing a risk-avoidance strategy of purchasing semiconductor chips directly from a semiconductor manufacturer's authorized sources, the electronics industry continues to discover counterfeit chips within the semiconductor supply chain and demand chain (i.e., the semiconductor ecosystem). This article presents a mathematical model of supply chain risk developed based on an analysis of how vulnerabilities, if exploited, increase the risk of the supply chain integrity being compromised. The model is developed based on a case study of an actual supply chain that was compromised and is tested for validity. A critical finding of this work is that the most important vulnerability of a supply chain is a malicious insider. This finding is important because prior research assumes that any breakdown in supply chain integrity originates outside of the trusted partners of the semiconductor ecosystem. Another finding is that the semiconductor industry's recommended counterfeit-avoidance strategy may have the unintended consequence of increasing, rather than reducing, the risk of counterfeit chips entering the supply chain. Based on the results, we propose a framework for counterfeit-risk management to complement existing counterfeit-risk programs.
A measure of mantle melting.

Earth's interior is hot, as is evident from geothermal heat flow, the existence of volcanoes, and the mobility of tectonic plates. But just how hot is it? The temperature increases rapidly with depth through the rigid lithosphere in order to conduct geothermal heat flow, but this cannot continue downward indefinitely without reaching the melting point of rocks. Yet there is no global molten layer below the lithosphere. The propagation of shear waves through the upper mantle shows that it is solid. Rather, the conductive heat flow gives way at some depth to the transport of heat by solid-state convection in the ductile asthenosphere. Convecting systems evolve to an adiabatic temperature profile that can be characterized by a single reference, the “potential temperature.” Determining the average and range of variability of the potential temperature of the mantle below the lithosphere allows geoscientists to link observations of phenomena such as postglacial rebound and seismic wave speeds, through laboratory data on viscous and elastic properties, to the composition of Earth. On page 942 of this issue, Sarafian et al. ( 1 ) report new experimental observations of the melting of mantle rocks with the appropriate amount of water and infer a higher value of the potential temperature than previous estimates.
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene

cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene, also known as 1,2-DCE, cis-1,2-DCE, acetylene di-chloride, and 1,2-dichloroethene, is used in a mixture with the trans-1,2-isomer as a captive intermediate in the manufacture of other chlorinated solvents. Its structure and properties are shown in Table I.
Acute non-contact anterior cruciate ligament tears are associated with relatively increased vastus medialis to semimembranosus cross-sectional area ratio: a case-control retrospective MR study

Hamstring muscle deficiency is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the vastus medialis to semimembranosus cross-sectional area (VM:SM CSA) ratio on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ACL tears compared to controls. One hundred knee MRIs of acute ACL tear patients and 100 age-, sex-, and side­matched controls were included. Mechanism of injury, contact versus non-contact, was determined for each ACL tear subject. The VM:SM CSA was measured on individual axial slices with a novel method using image-processing software. One reader measured all 200 knees and the second reader measured 50 knees at random to assess inter-reader variability. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to evaluate for correlation between readers. T-tests were performed to evaluate for differences in VM:SM CSA ratios between the ACL tear group and control group. The ICC for agreement between the two readers was 0.991 (95% confidence interval 0.984–0.995). Acute ACL tear patients have an increased VM:SM CSA ratio compared to controls (1.44 vs. 1.28; p = 0.005). Non-contact acute ACL tear patients have an increased VM:SM CSA ratio compared to controls (1.48 vs. 1.20; p = 0.003), whereas contact acute ACL tear patients do not (1.23 vs. 1.26; p = 0.762). Acute non-contact ACL tears are associated with increased VM:SM CSA ratios, which may imply a relative deficiency in hamstring strength. This study also demonstrates a novel method of measuring the relative CSA of muscles on MRI.
A bioluminescent Pseudomonas aeruginosa wound model reveals increased mortality of type 1 diabetic mice to biofilm infection

Objective: To examine how bacterial biofilms, as contributing factors in the delayed closure of chronic wounds in patients with diabetes, affect the healing process. Method: We used daily microscopic imaging and the IVIS Spectrum in vivo imaging system to monitor biofilm infections of bioluminescent Pseudomonas aeruginosa and evaluate healing in non-diabetic and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Results: Our studies determined that diabetes alone did not affect the rate of healing of full-depth murine back wounds compared with non-diabetic mice. The application of mature biofilms to the wounds significantly decreased the rate of healing compared with non-infected wounds for both non-diabetic as well as diabetic mice. Diabetic mice were also more severely affected by biofilms displaying elevated pus production, higher mortality rates and statistically significant increase in wound depth, granulation/fibrosis and biofilm presence. Introduction of a mutant Pseudomonas aeruginosa capable of producing high...
The non-canonical ubiquitin activating enzyme UBA6 suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition of mammary epithelial cells

// Xianpeng Liu 1 , Limin Sun 1 , Demirkan B. Gursel 2 , Chonghui Cheng 3, 7, 9 , Sui Huang 4, 7 , Alfred W. Rademaker 5, 7 , Seema A. Khan 6, 7 , Jun Yin 8 and Hiroaki Kiyokawa 1, 7 1 Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA 2 Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA 3 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA 4 Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA 5 Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA 6 Department of Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA 7 Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA 8 Department of Chemistry, Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303, USA 9 Current/Present address: Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA Correspondence to: Xianpeng Liu, email: Xianpeng.liu@northwestern.edu Hiroaki Kiyokawa, email: Kiyokawa@northwestern.edu Keywords: ubiquitination, breast cancer, EMT, Rho GTPase, cell cycle Received: May 18, 2017 Accepted: August 17, 2017 Published: September 15, 2017 ABSTRACT Ubiquitination plays critical roles in the regulation of oncoproteins and tumor suppressors during carcinogenesis. The two ubiquitin activating enzymes (E1) in human genome, UBA1 and UBA6, initiate ubiquitination by ATP-dependent activation of ubiquitin. Recent evidence suggests that UBA1 and UBA6 play partially overlapped yet distinct roles in controlling the proteome. Here we demonstrate that ubiquitination pathways initiated specifically by UBA6 set a suppressive barrier against critical steps of mammary carcinogenesis such as loss of polarity, anoikis resistance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Mammary epithelial MCF-10A cells expressing shRNA against UBA6 fail in establishing cell cycle arrest in response to detachment from extracellular matrix, confluency with fully engaged cell-cell contact or growth factor deprivation. Moreover, UBA6-deficient MCF-10A cells undergo spontaneous EMT under growth factor deprivation and exhibit accelerated kinetics of TGF-β-induced EMT. The Rho-GTPase CDC42 is one of the specific targets of UBA6-initiated ubiquitination and plays a key role in the function of UBA6 in controlling epithelial homeostasis, since a CDC42 inhibitor, ML141, rescues UBA6-deficient cells from the EMT phenotype. Immunohistochemical analysis of human breast cancer tissues demonstrates that 38% of invasive carcinomas express low or undetectable expression of UBA6, suggesting that downregulation of this non-canonical E1 plays a role in breast cancer development.
Spatio-temporal variability of Great Lakes basin snow cover ablation events.

In the Great Lakes basin of North America, annual runoff is dominated by snowmelt. This snowmelt-induced runoff plays an important role within the hydrologic cycle of the basin, influencing soil moisture availability and driving the seasonal cycle of spring and summer Lake levels. Despite this, relatively little is understood about the patterns and trends of snow ablation event frequency and magnitude within the Great Lakes basin. This study uses a gridded dataset of Canadian and United States surface snow depth observations to develop a regional climatology of snow ablation events from 1960-2009. An ablation event is defined as an inter-diurnal snow depth decrease within an individual grid cell. A clear seasonal cycle in ablation event frequency exists within the basin and peak ablation event probability is latitudinally dependent. Most of the basin experiences peak ablation frequency in March, while the northern and southern regions of the basin experience respective peaks in April and February. An investigation into the inter-annual frequency of ablation events reveals ablation events significantly decrease within the northeastern and northwestern Lake Superior drainage basins and significantly increase within the eastern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay drainage basins. In the eastern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay drainage basins, larger ablation events are occurring more frequently, and a larger impact to the hydrology can be expected. Trends in ablation events are attributed primarily to changes in snowfall and snow depth across the region.
Fast amplifier PAE optimization using resonant frequency interval halving with an evanescent-mode cavity tuner

Fast tuning of a new evanescent-mode cavity tuner is demonstrated to optimize amplifier device power-added efficiency in simulations. The tuning is accomplished by adjusting the two resonant frequencies of the two-element tuner network with a modified interval halving approach. The tuner model is used to adjust the load impedance presented to a power amplifier device. Simulation results show that the tuner is able to quickly converge to provide optimum-efficiency matching to the device from different starting resonant-frequency combinations.
Elucidating Sensorimotor Control Principles with Myoelectric Musculoskeletal Models.

While initially considered a tool for analyzing the mechanics of movement, myoelectric musculoskeletal models (MMMs) are now being used to expand the frontiers of knowledge in human sensorimotor control and learning. A MMM uses electromyography to sample human motor commands; these commands serve as inputs to mathematical models of muscular dynamics, which in turn act on a model of skeletal dynamics to produce a simulated motor action in real-time. When used to investigate human sensorimotor control principles, a MMM user performs goal-directed motor tasks while the actions of the MMM are displayed on a monitor. Depending on the application, the MMM can be personalized to reflect the musculoskeletal dynamics of an individual, artificial neural dynamics can be added such as noise or delays, sensory feedback can be altered using electrotactile, vibrotactile, or skin-stretch feedback, and an individual’s physical interaction with the MMM can be modified using a robotic apparatus to impose modeled dynamics. The power of an MMM for studying human sensorimotor control stems from its ability to (1) alter the functional interaction between human neural control processes and biomechanics, and (2) allow precise and controlled manipulations of neuromusculoskeletal dynamics that would normally be impossible to perform on living humans. This mini-review provides a brief overview of the design and operation of MMMs, discusses recent experiments that use MMMs to increase our understanding of the principles governing the control of human movement, and ends by highlighting current challenges and future possibilities.
Mood Management Effects of a Brief Behavioral Activation Internet Intervention

This randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of a brief unsupported behavioral activation Internet intervention (BAII) designed to improve mood. A total of 671 participants were recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (AMT) (M age = 35.71 years; SD = 12.34, 32.3% male) and 187 (27.9%) individuals completed the 1-week follow-up survey. Participants were randomly assigned to a behavioral activation “Activities” condition or a waitlist control (WLC) and assessed for depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), self-reported mood, and confidence and motivation to make behavioral changes. Repeated measure ANOVAs showed that individuals in the Activities condition significantly improved their motivation and confidence from baseline to immediate-post intervention. Mixed-effect modeling was used to determine the within-subject effect (time) and between-subject effect (WL vs. Activities condition). Significant main effects for time (but not condition) were found for PHQ-9 depression scores (F (1, 393) = 13.24, p < 0.001), GAD-7 anxiety scores (F 1, 393) = 8.36, p < 0.01), and for subjective ratings of confidence (F (1, 387) = 4.94, p < 0.05), such that depression and anxiety scores were lower and confidence was higher at the second time-point, regardless of condition. Furthermore, a significant time by condition interaction was found for self-reported mood (F (1, 387) = 4.24, p < 0.05), where individuals who received the intervention had a more positive rating of subjective mood at the 1-week follow-up. Individuals in the WL condition did not report significant improvements in subjective mood at follow-up (p = 0.056). After a brief online behavioral activation intervention, participants who endorsed mild to moderate depression symptoms at baseline experienced an immediate improvement in confidence and motivation. They also exhibited significant improvements in self-reported mood at 1 week. However, there was no change observed in depression, anxiety, motivation, or confidence at 1-week follow-up. Overall, this study provides partial support for the utilization of a brief online activities-focused intervention and highlights the need to develop more powerful versions of such interventions.
Toward a Playful Pedagogy: Popular Culture and the Pleasures of Transgression.

In defining popular culture as inherently pleasurable, including the pleasures of transgression, the author argues that while art teachers now critique popular visual culture for its often-dubious ...
Respiratory Volume Monitoring Reduces Hypoventilation and Apnea in Subjects Undergoing Procedural Sedation.

INTRODUCTION: The use of monitored anesthesia care for endoscopic procedures increases the risk of respiratory depression, necessitating careful monitoring of patient ventilation. We examined the effectiveness of an impedance-based respiratory volume monitor (RVM) in improving the safety of patients undergoing upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies under total intravenous anesthesia. We hypothesized that feedback from the RVM would allow anesthesiologists to maintain adequate ventilation, which would reduce the duration of respiratory depression (ie, hypoventilation and apnea) compared to a blinded control group. METHODS: Sixty-five subjects were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial and monitored with a noninvasive impedance-based RVM, which displayed respiratory traces and calculated expiratory minute ventilation (V E ), tidal volume (V T ), and breathing frequency (f) measurements. Prior to induction of anesthesia, a baseline V E measurement (V E-baseline ) was taken as a measurement of normal breathing. V E was monitored throughout the procedure for signs of hypoventilation and apnea. Hypoventilation was defined asV E E-baseline , and apneas were defined as V E = 0 for > 15 s. RESULTS: Sixty-five subjects were randomly assigned to either a control ( n = 38) or RVM intervention group ( n = 27). Subjects in the intervention group had a higher V E % for the entire procedure ( P = .045), as well as the third and fourth quartile of the procedure compared to the control group ( P = .01). Likewise, subjects in the RVM intervention group spent significantly less time below 40% V E-baseline compared to the control group throughout the entire procedure (12 ± 15% vs 32 ± 24%, respectively) ( P P = .037). CONCLUSIONS: The control group had a higher incidence of hypoventilation and apnea compared to the RVM intervention group. Respiratory monitoring using the RVM can potentially be a useful tool for identifying early signs of respiratory depression and for titrating anesthetics to maintain adequate ventilation while minimizing patient risk.
Marine Venoms and Toxins

Toxins are naturally occurring molecules that are injurious to some living organism. The scientific study of toxins is sometimes referred to as toxinology, a branch of toxicology. Many animals and a few plants secrete venoms to either defend themselves or to paralyze their prey. Generally, venoms are complex mixtures of substances, including toxins, that together exert a greater effect than would a single substance. For instance, phospholipases, proteases, and hyaluronidases, commonly present in animal venoms, facilitate the distribution of ion channel and receptor modulating toxins by permeabilizing lipid membranes (lysolecithin), digesting proteins, and breaking down connective tissues, respectively, that are barriers to the distribution of toxins throughout the body. Marine organisms contain a wide variety of potent venoms and toxins that cause medical problems for those that come in contact with them. In addition, some of the purified toxins are becoming useful chemical tools for biomedical research.
EFFECTS OF THYMECTOMY DURING EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF XENOPUS LAEVIS

ABSTRACT Xenopus laevis thymectomized between stages 42 and 49 usually accept first set allografts. Animals thymectomized at stage 51 reject first and second set allografts in times similar to normal animals. Second and subsequent sets of allografts from the same donors usually stimulate allograft responses in animals thymectomized between stages 46 and 49. Second and subsequent allografts are permanently accepted in an increasing proportion of animals thymectomized at progressively earlier stages (45–42). The allograft reactive cells remaining in thymectomized animals may show memory function, but the allograft response of animals thymectomized at early stages remains defective even after multiple challenges. These results show that the allograft responsive cells are thymus-dependent, are processed and liberated from the thymus from its appearance at stage 40–42 and that the increasing pool of allograft reactive T-cells accumulated during stages 42–51 promotes an increasingly normal allograft response in animals thymectomized during this period. The persistent defective allograft response of some animals thymectomized at early stages suggests that either the residual T-cells are capable of only a limited clonal expansion or early thymectomy may leave a population of allograft responsive T-cells which is qualitatively defective in some subpopulation necessary for normal allograft responses.
Dried Ready-to-Eat Cereal Products

Ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal and snack bars are consumed by people of all ages due to their nutritional density and the wide variety of choices in flavor and texture. Grains such as wheat, oats, corn and rice are the foundational ingredients for these products. The unit operations involved in the production of RTE cereals include a cooking step followed by flaking, puffing, or shredding. Additional ingredients may be added to create the final product. Salmonella presents the greatest microbiological risk for these products, and outbreaks of salmonellosis have been documented. The water activity of RTE cereal and snack bars is well below the level needed to support the growth of pathogens. Salmonella mitigation strategies include ingredient control programs, validation of the lethality of processing steps, and a robust environmental monitoring program.
Chapter 6 - Modeling Vitamin B6 Metabolism

This chapter discusses the modeling of vitamin B6 metabolism. The approaches to examining the kinetics of vitamin B6 metabolism are: (1) to examine individual enzymes or tissues; (2) to examine the changes with time after administration of unlabeled or labeled vitamin B-6 to intact animals or humans; (3) to gain insights into the metabolic state of vitamin B6 through the use of compartmental analysis. The models of vitamin B6 metabolism should allow for differences between oral and intravenous administration of label. A few tissues have the ability to conserve vitamin B6 during periods of low intake, making turnover dependent on intake. The conservation and flushing effects observed in vitamin B6 metabolism can be simulated by binding relationships. Monitoring isotope excretion in pyridoxic acid after simultaneous administration of D2-pyridoxamine, D3-pyridoxal, and D5-pyridoxine provides a practical way to examine short-term metabolism of these compounds.
Improving the performance of LSPR sensors by composite plasmonic nanostructures

Combining nanosphere lithography and co-deposition, we demonstrate that the sensitivity of localized surface plasmon sensors is not only determined by the size, shape, and separation of the nanostructures, but also by its dielectric function.
VESICLES AND/OR CONTINUOUS CHANNELS

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews available evidence that plasmalemmal vesicles of capillary endothelial cells represent subcellular structures, which move water, small solutes, and macromolecules across the endothelium. At the same time, it reviews the evidence in favor of the hypothesis that the plasmalemmal vesicles of some endothelial cells form transendothelial channels or fenestrations by a fusion of several vesicles. Unlike fibroblasts and macrophages, most of the vesicles do not participate in the process of intake and delivery to the lysosomal system of endothelial cells. Their intracellular pathway is different, delivering the content of the vesicle picked up at one cell surface onto the opposite cell surface. It was concluded from a study described in the chapter that the size, density, and distribution of pinocytotic vesicles in the pulmonary capillary endothelium are influenced by the method of fixation. It is because enough time is available for the vesicles to be affected prior to actual chemical fixation, whereas rapid freezing and freeze substitution—which is a rapid mode of fixation—results in a more physiological preservation.
Unique roles of iron and zinc binding to the yeast Fe–S cluster scaffold assembly protein “Isu1”

Mitochondrial Fe–S cluster biosynthesis is accomplished within yeast utilizing the biophysical attributes of the “Isu1” scaffold assembly protein. As a member of a highly homologous protein family, Isu1 has sequence conservation between orthologs and a conserved ability to assemble [2Fe–2S] clusters. Regardless of species, scaffold orthologs have been shown to exist in both “disordered” and “structured” conformations, a structural architecture that is directly related to conformations utilized during Fe–S cluster assembly. During assembly, the scaffold helps direct the delivery and utilization of Fe(II) and persulfide substrates to produce [2Fe–2S] clusters, however Zn(II) binding alters the activity of the scaffold while at the same time stabilizes the protein in its structured state. Additional studies confirm Zn binds to the scaffold's Cys rich active site, and has an impact on the protein's ability to make Fe–S clusters. Understanding the interplay between Fe(II) and Zn(II) binding to Isu1 in vitro may help clarify metal loading events that occur during Fe–S cluster assembly in vivo. Here we determine the metal : protein stoichiometry for Isu1 Zn and Fe binding to be 1 : 1 and 2 : 1, respectively. As expected, while Zn binding shifts the Isu1 to its structured state, folding is not influenced by Fe(II) binding. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) confirms Zn(II) binds to the scaffold's cysteine rich active site but Fe(II) binds at a location distinct from the active site. XAS results show Isu1 binding initially of either Fe(II) or Zn(II) does not significantly perturb the metal site structure of alternate metal. XAS confirmed that four scaffold orthologs bind iron as high-spin Fe(II) at a site composed of ca. 6 oxygen and nitrogen nearest neighbor ligands. Finally, in our report Zn binding dramatically reduces the Fe–S cluster assembly activity of Isu1 even in the presence of frataxin. Given the Fe-binding activity we report for Isu1 and its orthologs here, a possible mechanism involving Fe(II) transport to the scaffold's active site during cluster assembly has been considered.
Effects of Surface Finish on the Shear Fatigue of SAC-Based Solder Alloys

Solder joints in electronic assemblies are subjected to mechanical cycling in normal operating conditions. Testing individual solder joint in mechanical cycling allows monitoring the evolution of hysteresis loop with time and provides the ability to study the factors that affect the reliability. In this article, the effect of surface finish on the fatigue behaviors of four doped lead-free solder alloys (CycloMax, Innolot, Ecolloy, and SAC-X-Plus) and SAC305 was investigated. Individual solder joints with three surface finishes [organic solderability preservative (OSP), immersion silver (ImAg), and electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG)] were prepared and subjected to various cyclic shear stress loadings until complete failure. Hysteresis loop was systematically recorded using an Instron machine. Characteristic fatigue life and energy dissipation per cycle were analyzed, and the Morrow energy model was applied to empirically predict the fatigue life as a function of work dissipation. Failure mechanisms were investigated as well using SEM/EDS, and the results were correlated with the fatigue behavior of the solder joints. The results indicated that the fatigue resistance of the solder alloys decreased with the increase in stress amplitude. The fatigue resistance of the solder joints with OSP and ImAg surface finishes outperformed ENIG surface finish. CycloMax with OSP surface finish was associated with the best fatigue resistance, while SAC-X-Plus with ENIG surface finish was associated with the worst fatigue resistance. Three failure modes were detected in this study: ductile, brittle, and near-intermetallic compound (IMC) failure. It was also found that Innolot with ENIG surface finish is more susceptible to brittle failure because of the excessive brittleness associated with this alloy.
Brain Stimulation to Modulate Food Intake and Eating Behavior

Appetitive behaviors are mediated through homeostatic and reward signaling of brain circuits. There has been increasing interest in the use of neuromodulation techniques aimed at targeting brain regions such as the lateral prefrontal and subcortical regions associated with dysregulation of eating behaviors. Invasive brain stimulation techniques have demonstrated promising results in treating severe and enduring anorexia nervosa and morbid obesity. In addition, non-invasive techniques have been shown to successfully reduce food craving, hunger ratings, and calorie intake as well as binge/purge symptoms in eating disorders. Brain stimulation offers promising results for treating symptoms associated with eating disorders and modifying appetitive behaviors including craving and caloric consumption. Future research should focus on identifying optimal frequency and duration of stimulation and employ longitudinal studies to assess long-term effectiveness on clinical outcomes such as eating disorder symptomatology, weight loss, and sustained improvements in eating behaviors over time.
Using eclipse in the curriculum and around the globe

Eclipse (http://www.eclipse.org) is known as one of the leading IDEs. The features designed explicitly to support the Java programmer include a code completion facility, options to define code shortcuts and enforce agreed Java coding styles, navigation through the code and APIs, the automatic generation of Javadocs and, the real-time compilation of and feeback on the Java code. Eclipse is an open source fully extensible universal platform that provides a plugin facility through which one can add more functionality to the baseline set of features. Currently, there exist more than 800 plugins (http://www.eclipseplugincentral.com) that facilitate programming in many languages and support dedicated activities within the end-to-end software development process.
Dynamic Evaluation of the Modified Glasgow Prognostic Scale in Patients With Resected, Localized Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the relationship between dynamic changes in the modified Glasgow Prognostic Scale (mGPS) and postnephrectomy survival among localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients. Methods We retrospectively identified patients who underwent nephrectomy for localized ccRCC with preoperative mGPS = 0 from 2005 to 2018. The primary exposure of interest was ΔmGPS between 2 points – 60 days prior to surgery and 1 year after surgery. We assessed the relationship between ΔmGPS and survival outcomes. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to determine survival estimates and Cox proportional hazards models were fit to estimate hazard ratios (HRs). Multivariable models were constructed using both ΔmGPS and clinical variables known to be associated with differences in survival. Results We identified 313 patients for our analytic cohort with a median follow-up time of 20.2 months. Thirty-seven (11.9%) patients died and 39 (12.54%) showed recurrence during follow-up. Two hundred sixty-three (84.6%) patients had unchanged mGPS before and after surgery, while 48 (15.4%) patients showed an increase in postoperative mGPS from preoperative mGPS. Compared to patients with unchanged mGPS, patients with a higher postoperative mGPS had an increased risk of death (HR = 3.05 [1.39-6.68], P = .005) and recurrence (HR = 2.98 [1.34-6.64], P = .008). Conclusion Patients with an increase in mGPS following nephrectomy for ccRCC were more likely to die and experience cancer recurrence. Assessing dynamic changes in this cheap, validated, and reproducible test may be useful in identifying patients at higher risk for more aggressive disease or for counseling patients regarding risk of cancer recurrence.
Optimized in situ crystal growth and disordered quasi-one-dimensional magnetism in Li 2 Mn 2 ( MoO 4 ) 3

The quasi-one-dimensional structure of ${\mathrm{Li}}_{2}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{2}{({\mathrm{MoO}}_{4})}_{3}$ consists of three mutually distinct chains of ${\mathrm{Li}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Mn}}_{x}$-centered polyhedra in which Mn ostensibly adopts a $J=5/2\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$ configuration. In situ x-ray scattering experiments carried out as crystallites emerge from a molten oxide solution facilitate the synthesis of large single crystals. Ex situ x-ray diffraction finds no evidence of long-range Li/Mn occupancy ordering, suggesting that the structure is effectively composed of finite chains of Mn moments of statistically varying lengths. UV/visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy measurements establish a wide 3.43(12)-eV direct charge gap consistent with the local polyhedral coordination of the nominally ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$ species. The temperature $T$ dependence of the DC magnetic susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}$ reveals a fluctuating moment of only $2.74{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$/Mn, dramatically reduced from the $5.9{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$/Mn expected for ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$. Meanwhile, the Weiss temperature ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Theta}}}_{W}=\ensuremath{-}89\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$ K reveals antiferromagnetic fluctuations that are stymied from reaching an ordered state apparently by the chemical disorder intrinsic to the polyhedral chains. Measurements of magnetization vs field $H$ at $T\ensuremath{\le}10$ K are far from saturation even at $H=5$ T and are strongly non-Brillouin-like, instead scaling as $H/{T}^{0.24(3)}$ and suggesting the presence of quantum fluctuations associated with an eventual quasi-one-dimensional, disordered magnetic phase.
Family Strengths and Latinx Youth Externalizing Behavior: Modifying Impacts of an Adverse Immigration Environment

In recent years, the federal administration has ramped up efforts to curb and enforce immigration laws, in essence redefining how immigration, particularly in the Latinx population, is viewed and dealt with in the United States. The aim of the present study was to examine Latinx family strengths in relation to youth externalizing behavior, considering the modifying impacts of the current anti-immigration environment. Data were drawn from a study of 547 mother-adolescent dyads. Adolescents were 12.80 years old (SD = 1.03) on average and 55% female; 88% were U.S. born. Adolescents completed measures of family strengths, including parental behavioral control, parental support, and respeto. They also reported on their own externalizing behavior. Mothers completed a measure of their affective and behavioral responses to immigration actions and news. Results showed that in families of mothers who reported adverse responses to the immigration context, parental behavioral control, parental support (boys only), and respeto were more strongly related to youth behavior. Results align with the family compensatory effects model, in which strengths at the family level help to offset adversities outside the home. Discussion focuses on ways to support families in establishing and maintaining high levels of protective processes and on the need to challenge anti-immigration rhetoric, practices, and policies that undermine healthy youth development in the Latinx population.