cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of decreased nitrite concentrations on Clostridium perfringens outgrowth during an Appendix B cooling cycle for ready-to-eat meats

Increased popularity of natural and organic processed meats can be attributed to the growing consumer demand of preservative-free foods. In order to meet consumer demand, processors have begun using celery juice concentrate in place of sodium nitrite creating no- nitrate-no-nitrite added meat products while maintaining the characteristics unique to conventionally cured processed meats. Natural cures typically have lower ingoing nitrite concentrations which could allow for increased pathogen growth, such as Clostridium perfringens, during cooling as required by USDA, FSIS Appendix B. The objective of this study was to investigate the implications associated with reduced nitrite concentrations and their ability to inhibit C. perfringens outgrowth during a 15 hour cooling cycle. Nitrite treatments of 0 ppm, 50 ppm, and 100 ppm were tested in a broth system inoculated with a three-strain C. perfringens cocktail and treated with a 15 hour stabilization cycle. Samples were collected at 11 pre- determined time/temperature points throughout the cooling cycle in order to evaluate survival of the total C. perfringens population as well as vegetative cells and spores. The lower nitrite concentration of 50 ppm was more effective at preventing C. perfringens outgrowth than 0 ppm, but was not as effective as 100 ppm nitrite. The interaction between nitrite and temperature
Youth Resilience Corps: An Innovative Model to Engage Youth in Building Disaster Resilience.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the growing awareness that youth are not just passive victims of disaster but can contribute to a community's disaster resilience, there have been limited efforts to formally engage youth in strengthening community resilience. The purpose of this brief report was to describe the development of a Youth Resilience Corps, or YRC (ie, a set of tools to engage young people in youth-led community resilience activities) and the findings from a small-scale pilot test. METHODS: The YRC was developed with input from a range of government and nongovernmental stakeholders. We conducted a pilot test with youth in Washington, DC, during summer 2014. Semi-structured focus groups with staff and youth surveys were used to obtain feedback on the YRC tools and to assess what participants learned. RESULTS: Focus groups and youth surveys suggested that the youth understood resilience concepts, and that most youth enjoyed and learned from the components. CONCLUSIONS: The YRC represent an important first step toward engaging youth in building disaster resilience, rather than just focusing on this group as a vulnerable population in need of special attention. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;0:1-4). Language: en
Abstract LB-472: p63 inhibits epithelial - mesenchymal transition by promoting the expression of miR205 in human bladder cancer cells

Epithelial - mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a physiological process in normal tissue development and wound healing that has been shown to play important roles in tumor metastasis, “stemness,” and drug resistance. Therefore, it is critical to understand the molecular mechanisms that control EMT. EMT is typically characterized by the loss of the epithelial marker E-cadherin and gain of the transcriptional repressors of E-cadherin (Zeb1, Zeb2, Twist, SnaiI, and Slug). MicroRNAs belonging to the mir200 family and miR205 are involved in EMT through suppression of Zeb1 and Zeb2. Recently, p53 has been demonstrated to regulate EMT by transcriptionally activating the microRNA mir-200c, which in turn suppresses Zeb1; however, the mechanisms controlling miR205 remain elusive. We noticed that expression of the p53 homologue p63 correlates with the expression of E-cadherin in bladder cancer cell lines, suggesting that p63 might participate in regulating EMT. Consistent with this idea, expression of p63 and miR205 are strongly correlated with each other in a large panel of bladder cancer cell lines. Interestingly, stably knocking down (KD) p63 in two epithelial cell lines (UM-UC6 and UM-UC14) repressed the expression of miR205. Consistent with the role of miR205 in suppressing Zeb1, p63 knockdown resulted in increased expression of Zeb1 in the UM-UC6 cells, and this effect was reversed by expression of exogenous miR205. p63 knockdown reduced both the primary and mature forms of miR205, suggesting that p63 might transcriptionally activate miR205 gene expression. Intriguingly, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) revealed that p63 binds to a putative regulatory region of miR205 in UM-UC6 and UM-UC14. Furthermore, the acetylated histone H3 mark (indicative of active/open chromatin) was enriched in the region encompassing the p63 binding site. Together, our data identifies p63 as an important repressor of EMT via its ability to promote expression of miR205, which represses Zeb1 expression. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-472. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-472
Comment: The Increasing Sophistication of Statistical Assessments as Evidence in Discrimination Litigation

Proof of fact in legal proceedings increasingly involves the use of statistical methods. For example, between January 1960 and September 1979, the term "statistic" or "statistical" appeared in about 3,000 or 4 percent of the 83,769 reported Federal District Court opinions. Yet in a search of federal opinions at all levels through approximately September 1979, of the 26 references to "regression" analysis, only three occurred before 1972 and most appeared in 1977 or later. This trend is apparent in traditional areas of civil litigation, and it is particularly strong in litigation on behalf of women, minorities, and consumers and in litigation related to public health and the environment. As a result, administrators and courts are increasingly presented with complex issues of measurement, sampling methodology, and statistical inference. Kaye's succinct and informative description of what constitutes illegal discrimination in various contexts provides a legal backdrop for the courtroom stage onto which statistical assessments have been introduced as evidence in discrimination litigation. He also summarizes for us how the Supreme Court, both the ultimate legal reviewer and performer, has reacted to statistical evidence in several discrimination cases beginning with Swain v. Alabama (1965), in which the Court ruled in a manner counter to what a good statistical analysis would have suggested. Yet by 1977, in Castaneda v. Partida the Court was capable of an about-face as it invoked a carefully articulated statistical argument, complete with test of significance, in a case where neither the plaintiff nor the defendant presented an analysis of the critical data. This decision was followed in short order by the Court's ruling in Hazelwood v. United States (1977), which involved a relatively sophisticated statistical debate. The majority in its opinion relied on the "two or three standard deviations" rule enunciated in Castaneda, and found at
An Evaluation of Computer-Assisted Instruction for Learning Business Statistics

AbstractThe present study empirically evaluated the effectiveness of a computer-assisted instructional package for facilitating students' comprehension of the central limit theorem. Undergraduate students were assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group's regular class material was supplemented with a computer assisted instructional exercise from the Minitab package. The control group was assigned a traditional paper and pencil exercise. Results suggested that the computer exercise was more effective than the traditional assignment in promoting learning of the concept. The potential utility of computer-assisted instruction in business education is discussed.
Radiation Stability of Elastomers

Abstract Ordinary elasticity, high elasticity, and viscous flow are the mechanisms of deformation of solid polymers. Qualitatively, the effect of radiation on the mechanical properties of polymers can be described by considering the effect of crosslinking and cleavage on these mechanisms. Crosslinking tends to impede viscous flow. The equilibrium value of Young's modulus for high elasticity is directly proportional to the concentration of crosslinks, but for ordinary elasticity the sensitivity of Young's modulus is less for more rigid materials. Cleavage reduces the yield stress for viscous flow, and decreases the equilibrium value of Young's modulus for high elasticity. Young's modulus for ordinary elasticity is again insensitive for the more rigid materials. The changes in the mechanical properties of irradiated elastomers depend on the rates of crosslinking and cleavage. These rates are governed both by the polymer's chemical structure and by the strength of the van der Waals forces. For uncrosslinked ...
"Walking the Walk vs. Talking the Talk: Socially Responsible Communications, Actions & Performance"

Increasingly, companies find themselves being torn between fulfilling stakeholder demands and satisfying shareholder claims. How can they then effectively balance these divergent interests while be...
Attenuation of meal-induced inflammatory and thrombotic responses in overweight men and women after 6-week daily strawberry (Fragaria) intake. A randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Aim: A pro-thrombotic, pro-inflammatory diet can play a causative role in atherosclerotic-cardiovascular diseases. Dietary intervention studies provide insight into their pathophysiological manifestations and opportunities for prevention and management. We previously showed in an acute-meal setting that a beverage containing polyphenolic- and antioxidant-rich strawberry (Fragaria) vs placebo attenuated postprandial (fed-state) increases in biomarkers of oxidative and inflammatory stress, and insulin concentrations, induced by a high carbohydrate/fat (HCF) meal.In the present study, we aimed to extend our findings and investigate hypotheses related to the effects of chronic/6-week (wk) strawberry consumption on HCF meal-induced increases in glucose, insulin, and indicators of inflammation and hemostasis.Methods: In a crossover design, 14 women and 10 men (mean age, BMI: 50.9±15 years, 29.2±2.3 kg/m2, respectively), were randomized to a 6-wk strawberry or placebo beverage followed by an HCF meal with assessments for 6-hours (h) postprandially.Results: HCF meal responses after 6-wk strawberry beverage showed significantly attenuated postprandial PAI-1 concentrations compared to the placebo (p =0.002); the difference was most notable at 6 h. The IL-1 β response was attenuated with strawberry compared to the placebo (p =0.05). IL-6 attenuation was apparent but non-significant; IL-6 rose significantly from baseline to 6 h after the HCF meal following a placebo (p ≤0.01), although it remained relatively flat following the strawberry beverage from fasting to 6 h. No significant treatment-related differences were apparent for platelet aggregation, hsCRP, TNF-α, insulin, or glucose.Conclusion: These data are the first to suggest that regular consumption of strawberry, a polyphenolic- and antioxidant-rich fruit, may provide protection from HCF meal-induced increases in fibrinolytic and inflammatory factors in at-risk men and women.
Homing in on a SIDS model.

In their Report “Sporadic autonomic dysregulation and death associated with excessive serotonin autoinhibition” (4 July, p. 130), E. Audero et al. concluded that serotonin abnormalities play a role in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, the author omitted important discrepancies.
A task scheduling algorithm based on supercapacitor charge redistribution and energy harvesting for wireless sensor nodes

Abstract This paper studies a task scheduling problem for wireless sensor nodes that harvest energy from the ambient environment and use supercapacitors to store the scavenged energy. Power management for supercapacitor-based wireless sensor nodes usually takes into account the supercapacitor self-discharge characteristic. Recently, another supercapacitor characteristic called charge redistribution has also been investigated. This paper considers a task scheduling problem, which is a fundamental power management problem in wireless sensor networks, and develops a modified earliest deadline first (MEDF) algorithm based on supercapacitor charge redistribution and energy harvesting. The MEDF algorithm modifies the earliest deadline first (EDF) algorithm by taking into account the energy constraints of tasks in addition to their timing constraints. The MEDF algorithm is developed and implemented based on a model used to analyze the power flow in wireless sensor nodes. Two metrics are defined to evaluate the MEDF algorithm performance: deadline miss rate for timing performance and energy violation rate for energy performance. The MEDF algorithm is evaluated using both experiments and simulations. Measurement and simulation results show that the MEDF algorithm improves the energy performance of the EDF algorithm while maintaining its timing performance.
Analysis of interdomain interactions of the androgen receptor.

High-affinity binding of testosterone or dihydrotestosterone to the androgen receptor (AR) triggers the androgen-dependent AR NH2- and carboxyl-terminal (N/C) interaction between the AR NH2-terminal FXXLF motif and the activation function 2 (AF2) hydrophobic binding surface in the ligand-binding domain. The functional importance of the AR N/C interaction is supported by naturally occurring loss-of-function AR AF2 mutations where AR retains high-affinity androgen binding but is defective in AR FXXLF motif binding. Ligands with agonist activity in vivo such as testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and the synthetic anabolic steroids induce the AR N/C interaction and increase AR transcriptional activity in part by slowing the dissociation rate of bound ligand and stabilizing AR against degradation. AR ligand-binding domain competitive antagonists inhibit the agonist-dependent AR N/C interaction. Although the human AR N/C interaction is important for transcriptional activity, it has an inhibitory effect on transcriptional activity from AF2 by competing for p160 coactivator LXXLL motif binding. The primate-specific AR coregulatory protein, melanoma antigen gene protein-A11 (MAGE-A11), modulates the AR N/C interaction through a direct interaction with the AR FXXLF motif. Inhibition of AF2 transcriptional activity by the AR N/C interaction is relieved by AR FXXLF motif binding to the F-box region of MAGE-11. Described here are methods to measure the androgen-dependent AR N/C inter-domain interaction and the influence of transcriptional coregulators.
Molecular Biomarkers in Pulmonary Cytology

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA and worldwide [1]. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 85 % of all lung cancers [1, 2]. Among them, adenocarcinoma (ADC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) account for 40 % and 30 % of cases, respectively. Only a small portion of NSCLC patients are diagnosed at early stage (stage I and/or II), when the tumor can be treated by surgical resection [2]. The 5-year survival rate for patients with NSCLC is approximately 16 %. Over the past decade, numerous efforts have been focused on the identification of candidate biomarkers in order to improve the survival of lung cancer patients. The efforts lead to the development of the targeted therapy for lung cancers. For example, the discovery of EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) mutations leads to the development of gefitinib and erlotinib therapies [3]; the discovery of EML4-ALK (echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4) and the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)) gene fusion [4] has led to the development of crizotinib therapy. These targeted therapies have improved the survival of lung cancer patients. Currently, the molecular characterization of the tumor is performed routinely in the clinical management of lung cancer patients.
Relevance of Intrinsic Disorder in Protein Structure and Function

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) encompass a wide variety of proteins characterized by their flexible and disordered nature and have no clear equilibrium state. To better maintain a flexible, disordered structure, the IDPs typically contain a high global net charge, typically negative, along with a low mean hydrophobicity. IDPs have only recently become an accepted classification of proteins and researchers have found many proteins with a disordered structure. With the rapidly expanding library of disordered proteins, the DisProt database was created to provide structural and functional information on both types of IDPs—partially disordered proteins (molten globules and pre-molten globules), and fully disordered proteins.
Discover trends in public emotion using social sensing

Social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, are increasingly used by individuals to share their opinions and feelings on current issues and events in the form of text messages. This results in massive amounts of text stream data rich with emotional content. Such data provides a great opportunity for identifying and analyzing people's emotions in response to various public events, such as epidemics, terrorist attacks and political elections. However, the high volume and fast pace of social data make it challenging to analyze public emotions in social networks in real-time. In this paper we propose an online method to measure public emotion and detect emotion-intensive moments during real-life events. We first classify emotions expressed in text stream messages using a supervised learning approach. Then we aggregate each emotion class to discover emotionevolving patterns over time and detect emotion-intensive moments. Our emotion analysis method is shown to present a fast and robust approach of analyzing online streams of text messages.
Prevalence and correlates of cognitive impairment in kidney transplant recipients

There is a high prevalence of cognitive impairment in dialysis patients. The prevalence of cognitive impairment after kidney transplantation is unknown. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting and Participants: Single center study of prevalent kidney transplant recipients from a transplant clinic in a large academic center. Intervention: Assessment of cognition using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Demographic and clinical variables associated with cognitive impairment were also examined. Outcomes and Measurements: a) Prevalence of cognitive impairment defined by a MoCA score of <26. b) Multivariable linear and logistic regression to examine the association of demographic and clinical factors with cognitive impairment. Data from 226 patients were analyzed. Mean (SD) age was 54 (13.4) years, 73% were white, 60% were male, 37% had diabetes, 58% had an education level of college or above, and the mean (SD) time since kidney transplant was 3.4 (4.1) years. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was 58.0%. Multivariable linear regression demonstrated that older age, male gender and absence of diabetes were associated with lower MoCA scores (p < 0.01 for all). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was not associated with level of cognition. The logistic regression analysis confirmed the association of older age with cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment is common in prevalent kidney transplant recipients, at a younger age compared to general population, and is associated with certain demographic variables, but not level of eGFR.
Novel Microbial Assemblages Dominate Weathered Sulfide-Bearing Rock from Copper-Nickel Deposits in the Duluth Complex, Minnesota, USA

The Duluth Complex in northeastern Minnesota hosts economically significant deposits of copper, nickel, and platinum group elements (PGEs). The primary sulfide mineralogy of these deposits includes the minerals pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite, and cubanite, and weathering experiments show that most sulfide-bearing rock from the Duluth Complex generates moderately acidic leachate (pH 4 to 6). Microorganisms are important catalysts for metal sulfide oxidation and could influence the quality of water from mines in the Duluth Complex. Nevertheless, compared with that of extremely acidic environments, much less is known about the microbial ecology of moderately acidic sulfide-bearing mine waste, and so existing information may have little relevance to those microorganisms catalyzing oxidation reactions in the Duluth Complex. Here, we characterized the microbial communities in decade-long weathering experiments (kinetic tests) conducted on crushed rock and tailings from the Duluth Complex. Analyses of 16S rRNA genes and transcripts showed that differences among microbial communities correspond to pH, rock type, and experimental treatment. Moreover, microbial communities from the weathered Duluth Complex rock were dominated by taxa that are not typically associated with acidic mine waste. The most abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were from the genera Meiothermus and Sulfuriferula, as well as from diverse clades of uncultivated Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Betaproteobacteria Specific taxa, including putative sulfur-oxidizing Sulfuriferula spp., appeared to be primarily associated with Duluth Complex rock, but not pyrite-bearing rocks subjected to the same experimental treatment. We discuss the implications of these results for the microbial ecology of moderately acidic mine waste with low sulfide content, as well as for kinetic testing of mine waste.IMPORTANCE Economic sulfide mineral deposits in the Duluth Complex may represent the largest undeveloped source of copper and nickel on Earth. Microorganisms are important catalysts for sulfide mineral oxidation, and research on extreme acidophiles has improved our ability to manage and remediate mine wastes. We found that the microbial assemblages associated with weathered rock from the Duluth Complex are dominated by organisms not widely associated with mine waste or mining-impacted environments, and we describe geochemical and experimental influences on community composition. This report will be a useful foundation for understanding the microbial biogeochemistry of moderately acidic mine waste from these and similar deposits.
Classes, Databases, and Prediction Methods of Pharmaceutically and Commercially Important Cystine-Stabilized Peptides

Cystine-stabilized peptides represent a large family of peptides characterized by high structural stability and bactericidal, fungicidal, or insecticidal properties. Found throughout a wide range of taxa, this broad and functionally important family can be subclassified into distinct groups dependent upon their number and type of cystine bonding patters, tertiary structures, and/or their species of origin. Furthermore, the annotation of proteins related to the cystine-stabilized family are under-represented in the literature due to their difficulty of isolation and identification. As a result, there are several recent attempts to collate them into data resources and build analytic tools for their dynamic prediction. Ultimately, the identification and delivery of new members of this family will lead to their growing inclusion into the repertoire of commercial viable alternatives to antibiotics and environmentally safe insecticides. This review of the literature and current state of cystine-stabilized peptide biology is aimed to better describe peptide subfamilies, identify databases and analytics resources associated with specific cystine-stabilized peptides, and highlight their current commercial success.
Self-Consistent Mean Field Theories

There is a variety of mean field theories Which are also self-consistent, according to differing criteria. In the following discussion I will use the phrase “self-consistent mean field” in a narrowly defined sense. To define this sense, let us consider two systems A and B (Fig. 1) which are coupled. Each consists of many constituents that interact among themselves. The combined A+B system is isolated.
Regular Sequences and the Koszul Complex

Throughout this chapter we shall assume that the rings considered are Noetherian. It is possible to do business without this condition, but some definitions should be changed slightly. The interested reader may consult Northcott [1976].
Antecedents of social capital and its impact on satisfaction and Loyalty

ABSTRACTThis study explores how private club members’ involvement with a club’s events/activities and online communities, influence club members’ bonding and bridging social capital, satisfaction, ...
Providing Abortion Services in the Primary Care Setting.

Patients commonly present with unintended pregnancy in the primary care setting, and 1 in 4 women has an abortion in her lifetime. Early abortion services can be safely provided in the primary care setting. Abortion options provided in primary care settings include both medication abortion and early uterine aspiration abortion. Medication abortion, provided up to 10 weeks' gestational age, includes mifepristone (a progestin antagonist) and misoprostol (a prostaglandin). Uterine aspiration can be provided via manual or electronic vacuum in the first trimester.
Nixtun-Ch'ich' and its Environmental Impact: Sedimentological and Archaeological Correlates in a Core from Lake Peten Itza in the Southern Maya Lowlands, Guatemala

Abstract Sedimentological information obtained from lake sediment cores has long been used to show how the Maya impacted their environment. Although general trends are usually observed, direct correlation of construction, deforestation, and abandonment of cities is hindered by poor chronological correlation between sedimentary and archaeological data. We report on findings from a 515-cm core covering the last ~7000 years of sedimentation that displays remarkable correlation between the two. The core was extracted from Lake Peten Itza (Department of El Peten, northern Guatemala) immediately adjacent to Nixtun-Ch'ich', a long-lived (ca. 1300 BCE–1750 CE) southern lowland Maya site. Chronological precision for the core was achieved by an age-depth model based on Bayesian statistics and corroborated by dates from archaeological excavations. This model, based on six radiocarbon dates and integrated with physical (magnetic susceptibility) properties and scanning XRF analysis of elemental (Si, Fe, and Ti; also Sr and Ca) constituents, permits exceptionally precise correlations with independently dated constructional activity at Nixtun-Ch'ich'. Erosion resulting from the Middle Preclassic (800 to 500 BCE) creation of the site's atypical urban gridded landscape is prominently registered in the core. Other sediment changes at the end of the Late Preclassic period (ca. 50–200 CE) may be drought-related and reflect local expression of a “Late Preclassic Maya collapse,” suggesting new avenues for archaeological exploration. This study highlights the potential of lake sediments, continuously recording human activities in the catchment, as faithful registers of subtleties unrecovered archaeologically. Detailed analyses of sediments deposited close to sites' drainage pathways may reveal intricate correlations such as those observed here, and shed light on cultural activities and environmental and living conditions undetected in the archaeological record.
Evaluation of wet and dry recurring slope lineae (RSL) formation mechanisms based on quantitative mapping of RSL in Garni Crater, Valles Marineris, Mars

Abstract Recurring slope lineae (RSL) are narrow (0.5–5 m) low-albedo features that incrementally lengthen down steep slopes during warm seasons, fade in colder seasons, and recur each Mars year. To reduce the effort involved in manually mapping and analyzing each RSL in Garni crater, we developed Mapping and Automated Analysis of RSL (MAARSL) to analyze a set of orthorectified High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images and a digital elevation map. MAARSL along with manual mapping allowed us to detect RSL, compute descriptive statistics, and characterize changes over time. We mapped 2910 RSL in 22 orthoimages, from Mars Year (MY) 31 solar longitude (Ls) 133.0° to MY32 Ls 323.7°. The MAARSL results confirmed that RSL lengthening and fading occur concurrently on slopes with the same orientation and many times within some individual RSL. Slope angles of RSL and a slope slump show that some RSL start, stop, and have mean slope angles that are below the angle of repose. Our analysis shows that RSL are actively lengthening on at least one slope-facing direction in all HiRISE observations of the crater. We also found that NE-, N-, and NW-facing RSL in Garni crater lengthened during times of increasing shortwave insolation, while S- and SW-facing RSL lengthened during increasing and decreasing shortwave insolation. A (non-orthorectified) HiRISE image acquired shortly after the MY34 dust storm and shows RSL on every slope-facing direction, which is anomalous with respect to observations prior to the dust storm. We find that dust removal and deposition could explain the darkening and fading (respectively) of RSL, and could also explain the apparent lack of material being transported. Observations of RSL lengthening and fading occur concurrently on slopes could suggest overprinting of dry granular flows. Dry flows could also explain the significant lengthening activity of every slope-facing direction after a fresh layer of dust was deposited via the MY34 dust storm. Alternatively, briny shallow subsurface flows are consistent with observations of RSL on slopes below the angle of repose and those that exhibit concurrent lengthening and fading. However, the most significant problem with briny RSL flows is accessing a source of briny water and removing excess salt from the regolith.
Abstract MP06: Vitamin K Status and Cardiovascular Disease: A Participant-Level Meta-Analysis

Introduction: A role for vitamin K in CVD has been proposed because vitamin K-dependent proteins are present in vascular tissue. In individual cohorts, low vitamin K status has been associated with...
Transition Planning: Keeping Cultural Competence in Mind:

Transition planning must consider all aspects of the student’s postsecondary goals. Although the makeup of personnel in educational settings are predominantly White, the number of students from cul...
New players on the piRNA field.

The nuclear piRNA pathway safeguards genome integrity in the germline by silencing transposable elements. Three recent studies have identified new players in the mammalian pathway. Two of these, TEX15 and SPOCD1, might provide a link between piRNA-guided complexes that recognize genomic targets and the molecular machinery that induces DNA methylation and transcriptional repression during mouse spermatogenesis.
Comparison of delay discounting of different outcomes in cigarette smokers, smokeless tobacco users, e‐cigarette users, and non‐tobacco users

Delay discounting is the process by which a commodity loses value as the delay to its receipt increases. Rapid discounting predicts various maladaptive behaviors including tobacco use. Typically, delay discounting of different outcomes has been compared between cigarette smokers and nonsmokers. To better understand the relationship of delay discounting to different modes of tobacco use, we examined the differences in delay discounting of different outcomes between cigarette smokers, smokeless tobacco users, e-cigarette users, and non-tobacco users. In the present study, all participants completed 8 titrating delay-discounting tasks: $100 gain, $500 gain, $500 loss, alcohol, entertainment, food, a temporary health gain, and a temporary cure from a disease. Non-tobacco users discounted most outcomes less than tobacco users overall; however, there were no differences in discounting among the different types of tobacco users. These results suggest that nicotine consumption of any kind is associated with a higher degree of impulsivity compared to non-tobacco users. Adoption of tobacco products that have been perceived as less harmful (e.g., e-cigarettes) is not associated with a baseline difference or decrease in delay discounting if adopted after a history of cigarette use.
Neuropeptide Y nerve paracrine regulation of prostate cancer oncogenesis and therapy resistance

Background Nerves are key factors in prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Here, we propose that neuropeptide Y (NPY) nerves are key regulators of cancer-nerve interaction. Methods We used in vitro models for NPY inhibition studies and subsequent metabolomics, apoptotic and migration assays, and nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB) translocation studies. Human naive and radiated PCa tissues were used for NPY nerve density biomarker studies. Tissues derived from a Botox denervation clinical trial were used to corroborate metabolomic changes in humans. Results Cancer cells increase NPY positive nerves in vitro and in preneoplastic human tissues. NPY-specific inhibition resulted in increased cancer apoptosis, decreased motility, and energetic metabolic pathway changes. A comparison of metabolomic response in NPY-inhibited cells with the transcriptome response in human PCa patients treated with Botox showed shared 13 pathways, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle. We identified that NF-κB is a potential NPY downstream mediator. Using in vitro models and tissues derived from a previous human chemical denervation study, we show that Botox specifically, but not exclusively, inhibits NPY in cancer. Quantification of NPY nerves is independently predictive of PCa-specific death. Finally, NPY nerves might be involved in radiation therapy (RT) resistance, as radiation-induced apoptosis is reduced when PCa cells are cocultured with dorsal root ganglia/nerves and NPY positive nerves are increased in prostates of patients that failed RT. Conclusion These data suggest that targeting the NPY neural microenvironment may represent a therapeutic approach for the treatment of PCa and resistance through the regulation of multiple oncogenic mechanisms.
Analgesic Use in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Critically ill children frequently experience pain either as a consequence of their primary reason for pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission, required diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, or even routine care. Administering sedative and analgesic infusions to blunt awareness is no longer a standard of care and may contribute to the development of tolerance and withdrawal, delirium, and post-intensive care syndrome among other agent-related unique adverse effects. Multimodal analgesia incorporating non-opioid analgesics is an important strategy in critically ill children. Ontogeny of pediatric pharmacodynamics requires age-specific consideration regarding drug selection and dosing. Acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) co-administration provides effective management of mild to moderate pain with addition of opioids if escalation is needed to manage moderate to severe pain. If opioids are ineffective and dose escalation is limited by side effects, adjunctive medications, including ketamine, dexmedetomidine, or gabapentin, may optimize pain management. While critically ill children are closely monitored, certain higher-risk populations, such as those with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), obesity, and cardiopulmonary disease, are at potentially higher risk for opioid-related adverse effects and should be monitored accordingly.
‘Peace with a Woman’s Face’: Women, Social Media and the Colombian Peace Process

Abstract The idea that men and women approach conflict resolution differently forms the backbone of the international agenda on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) and is supported by a growing body of scholarship in international relations. However, the role of women who represent insurgent groups in peace talks remains understudied, given the relatively rare appearance of such women in peace processes. The present study examines how men and women from the negotiating team of the Revolutionary Armed Forced of Colombia (FARC) engaged in public-facing discourse on Twitter leading up to a referendum on the peace accords in 2016. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes computational analysis and a close reading of social media posts, I demonstrate that women in the FARC’s negotiating team were more successful social media users than their male counterparts and that they offered a distinct contribution to the discourse on peace, centring the relevance of gender and promoting issue linkages like the need to address LGBTI rights.
FATC Domain Deletion Compromises ATM Protein Stability, Blocks Lymphocyte Development, and Promotes Lymphomagenesis.

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) kinase is a master regulator of the DNA damage response, and loss of ATM leads to primary immunodeficiency and greatly increased risk for lymphoid malignancies. The FATC domain is conserved in phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-related protein kinases (PIKKs). Truncation mutation in the FATC domain (R3047X) selectively compromised reactive oxygen species-induced ATM activation in cell-free assays. In this article, we show that in mouse models, knock-in ATM-R3057X mutation (Atm⁠ RX ⁠, corresponding to R3047X in human ATM) severely compromises ATM protein stability and causes T cell developmental defects, B cell Ig class-switch recombination defects, and infertility resembling ATM-null. The residual ATM-R3057X protein retains minimal yet functional measurable DNA damage-induced checkpoint activation and significantly delays lymphomagenesis in Atm⁠ RX/RX ⁠ mice compared with Atm⁠ -/- ⁠. Together, these results support a physiological role of the FATC domain in ATM protein stability and show that the presence of minimal residual ATM-R3057X protein can prevent growth retardation and delay tumorigenesis without restoring lymphocyte development and fertility.
Novel Low-Power Nonvolatile High-K Memristor FET with Programmable SET/RESET for Synaptic Learning

Memristor field-effect transistor based on TiOx layer has been fabricated; 15-nm active switching layer and position of the different gates are confirmed from the scanning electron microscope structure. Forming voltage of ~7 V is required to initiate the switching process. The set/reset voltages are strongly influenced by the gate voltage. As the gate voltage increases, the set/reset voltages also increase. The effect of gate on switching mechanism is also briefly discussed.
Unusual Ocular Complication of VZV Reactivation Following Heart Transplant

Introduction Acute retinal necrosis manifests as necrotizing retinitis, vitritis, occlusive vasculitis and retinal detachment with loss of vision. It is most commonly caused by Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Toxoplasmosis, and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and can occur in immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Case Report Our patient is a 63 year old female with a history of end stage ischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation. She received thymoglobulin for induction and her first year post-transplant was notable for no episodes of rejection or infection. She was maintained on antiviral prophylaxis with valgancylovir until 7 months post-transplant. By 1 year post-transplant she was maintained on a regimen of Tacrolimus and Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF). Her Allomap levels were Summary Isolated retinal necrosis due to VZV is a rare but important complication after solid organ transplant. Early recognition and treatment is crucial in preventing permanent vision loss. Adjustment of immunosuppression regimen is key in clearing active infection and preventing transplant rejection. Proactive reduction of immunosuppression should be considered to prevent viral reactivations after 1 year. Post-transplant vaccination against zoster may also be helpful.
Failure modes and effects analysis to improve transitions of care in patients discharged on outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.

Purpose To identify barriers to safe and effective completion of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) in patients discharged from an academic medical center and to develop targeted solutions to potentially resolve or improve the identified barriers. Summary A failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) was conducted by a multidisciplinary OPAT task force to evaluate the processes for patients discharged on OPAT to 2 postdischarge dispositions: (1) home and (2) skilled nursing facility (SNF). The task force created 2 process maps and identified potential failure modes, or barriers, to the successful completion of each step. Thirteen and 10 barriers were identified in the home and SNF process maps, respectively. Task force members created 5 subgroups, each developing solutions for a group of related barriers. The 5 areas of focus included (1) the OPAT electronic order set, (2) critical tasks to be performed before patient discharge, (3) patient education, (4) patient follow-up and laboratory monitoring, and (5) SNF communication. Interventions involved working with information technology to update the electronic order set, bridging communication and ensuring completion of critical tasks by creating an inpatient electronic discharge checklist, developing patient education resources, planning a central OPAT outpatient database within the electronic medical record, and creating a pharmacist on-call pager for SNFs. Conclusion The FMEA approach was helpful in identifying perceived barriers to successful transitions of care in patients discharged on OPAT and in developing targeted interventions. Healthcare organizations may reproduce this strategy when completing quality improvement planning for this high-risk process.
Hidden Interfaces for Ambient Computing: Interacting with High-brightness Visuals through Everyday Materials

Consumer electronics are increasingly using traditional materials to allow technology to better blend into everyday environments. Specifically, transmissive materials enable emissive displays to disappear when turned off, and appear when turned on. However, covering displays with textile meshes, veneer, one-way mirrors, or translucent plastics greatly limit the display brightness of typical graphical displays. In this work, we leverage a parallel rendering technique to enable ultrabright graphics that can pass through transmissive materials. While previous work has shown interactive hidden displays, our approach unlocks expressive interfaces with practical end-to-end software and low-cost hardware implementation on mass-produced passive OLED displays. We developed a set of interactive prototypes with touch-sensing that can blend into traditional aesthetics due to the ability to provide user interfaces through wood, textile, plastic and mirrored surfaces.
Evaluating the Impact That the Dedicated Education Unit Model of Clinical Experience Has on Student Learning

The aim of this project was to evaluate the quality of clinical learning in the Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) setting by comparing standardized test scores and satisfaction surveys of students after completing clinical with the DEU or a traditional group experience. The DEU is an innovative approach to clinical education providing an experienced staff nurse providing one-to-one guided instruction while working with the student on the dedicated unit. Traditional groups offer students a clinical experience with a faculty from the nursing program and a ratio of eight students for each instructor. This project compared the standardized test results and satisfaction scores of both traditional and DEU clinical students at the conclusion of the same didactic and laboratory course. The Health Education Systems Inc. (HESI) medical-surgical exams are considered to be reliable and valid standardized tools to assess nursing student knowledge (Curl, Smith, Chisholm, McGee, & Das, 2016). The purpose of this project was to quantitatively compare the impact that a Designated Education Unit (DEU) clinical model has on student satisfaction and towards preparing nursing students to answer questions correctly on a medical-surgical HESI exam compared to those students participating in a traditional clinical setting.
Electron transfer from cytochrome b5 to cytochrome c

The reaction of cytochromeb 5 with cytochromec has become a very prominent system for investigating fundamental questions regarding interprotein electron transfer. One of the first computer modeling studies of electron transfer and protein/protein interaction was reported using this system. Subsequently, numerous studies focused on the experimental determination of the features which control protein/protein interactions. Kinetic measurements of the intracomplex electron transfer reaction have only appeared in the last 10 years. The current review will provide a summary of the kinetic measurements and a critical assessment of the interpretation of these experiments.
Characterization and effects of the weld inductance in mechanical filters with longitudinal coupling

It is shown by finite-element analysis that a secondary coupling wire phenomenon, namely longitudinal shear, is capable of producing significant distortion in the response of a mechanical filter, without any contribution from other sources (such as resonator spurious modes). The simplest model for the presence of this longitudinal shear is the weld inductance, placed in series with the resonator model in the electrical equivalent circuit. The weld inductance can be determined by the comparison of the responses of three-pole mechanical filters with continuous versus bisected coupling wires. Underneath a bridging wire, the weld inductance causes an error in the bridging coupling that can be compensated for the predistortion. >
One Paradigm, Two Potentialities: Freedom, Sovereignty and Foucault in Agamben’s Reading of Aristotle’s ‘δύναμις’ ( dynamis )

This piece considers especially the concept of potentiality in Agamben, and how it is indebted to and present in Foucault’s thought. It draws on Aristotle to highlight important aspects of potentiality and to consider Agamben’s interpretation of it. The paper thus indicates some of the important ontological and methodological aspects of the relations between Foucault and Agamben.
Chapter 25 Synapsin I: A review of its distribution and biological regulation

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the biochemical properties, distribution, and biological regulation of Synapsin I. The available evidence strongly supports the hypothesis that Synapsin I is a part of the molecular machinery in nerve terminals that regulates neurotransmitter release. Synapsin I was first identified in 1972 in the studies designed to search for phosphoproteins that might play a role in the regulation of synaptic transmission. For many years, chemical and electrical stimuli have been known to regulate neurotransmitter release from nerve terminals. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate and calcium have been implicated as second messengers in these regulatory processes. However, virtually no information has been available concerning the molecular mechanisms through which such regulation is achieved. It is now apparent that the investigation of protein phosphorylation systems represents a powerful approach to study these mechanisms. This approach has made possible the discovery of Synapsin I, a major phosphoprotein of synaptic vesicles. The distribution of Synapsin I has been studied by a variety of techniques, including radioimmunoassay and other immunochemical techniques, sub-cellular fractionation, and light and electron microscope immunocytochemistry.