cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Postharvest performance of fresh‐cut ‘Big Top’ nectarine as affected by dipping in chemical preservatives and packaging in modified atmosphere

Summary Fresh-cut ‘Big Top’ nectarines were dipped in 2% (w/v) ascorbic acid–1% (w/v) calcium lactate and stored at 4 °C for up to 12 days in 10 kPa O2- and 10 kPa CO2-modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). The used microperforated plastic film allowed O2 and CO2 concentrations to reach steady values from the fifth day in storage onwards. Samples stored in MAP after chemical dipping showed the highest visual quality score, slight browning symptoms, increment in firmness and very low ethanol and acetaldehyde content. The chemical dipping also increased antioxidant capacity, probably due to the effect of ascorbic acid. The results suggested that the control of yeasts was mainly exerted by MAP, whereas only a slight effect was achieved by the chemical dipping. Therefore, MAP plus ascorbic acid/calcium lactate dipping was the best combination to preserve phytochemical content, antioxidant capacity and microbiological safety of fresh-cut nectarines during storage.
Overview of X-ray lithography at IBM using a compact storage ring

Feasibility studies being conducted of the use of X-ray lithography for the production of high-density silicon chips are discussed. The system approach to X-ray lithography adopted considers the interaction of all the components-X-ray source, masks, resists, and exposure tools-with the devices and processes. In particular, the status of the Advanced Lithography Facility which houses the electron storage ring X-ray source is presented. >
Monochromaticity and Noise in a Regenerative Electrical Oscillator

The regenerative oscillator is postulated to be equivalent to an RLC circuit in which a negative resistance-RB, placed parallel with R, has a value which is a slowly varying function of the mean-square voltage across it. Expressions are derived for the departure from monochromaticity of the regenerative oscillator so represented, as well as for the intensity and bandwidth of the thermal noise generated in the oscillator by the resistance R.
The Energy of Confinement of a Shielded Magnetic Dipole Field

Summary A general theorem is established which determines the interaction energy required to confine a shielded magnetic dipole field by a diamagnetic surface of arbitrary shape. Since Chapman has demonstrated that the joint energy vanishes for this case, we need only evaluate the self energy of the disturbance field. This energy is obtained as the simple point function -M. h,sc(0)/2, where M is the dipole moment and hsc(0) is the perturbation field at the position of M due to currents on the confining diamagnetic surface. For a given hsc(0), the interaction energy is independent of the form of the plasma boundary; this result was suggested by Chapman. Several physical examples revealing certain subtleties of the derived theorem are discussed.
On error preserving encryption algorithms for wireless video transmission

In this paper, we describe error preserving encryption mechanisms for transmission of vido over wireless networks. One of the main problems with the secure transmission of data over wireless networks is that the bit errors that occur need to typically be sesolved before decryption can begin. For vido straming applications, this is unacceptable due to the general requirement that video be presented to the user in a continuous manner with low latency. In this paper, we describe a systematic approach to understanding error preserving encryption algorithms. That is, encryption algorithms designed specifically for video to solve this problem. The main objective of this work is to ensure that the basic encryption of the stream can survive bit errors and that the errors are then passed to the application. We make use of the fact that video compression typically results in random byte distribution. Error preserving encryption algorithms are secure against ciphertext only attacks but vulnerable against known plaintext attacks. We limit this vulnerabillity by requiring a key exchange for each session.
Am I a STEM professional? Documenting STEM student professional identity development

Post-secondary education is expected to substantially contribute to the cognitive growth and professional achievement of students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Yet, there is limited understanding of how students studying STEM develop a professional identity. We used the lens of self-authorship to develop a model for STEM student professional identity development. We applied the model to frame our assessment of the relationship between the level of STEM students’ perceptions of their professional identities and their educational experiences, learning preferences, and comfort with faculty interactions. We found a misalignment between students’ perception of themselves as professionals and the expectations for their actions in professional situations. We also found that students engaged in learning activities similar to the activities of STEM professionals communicated higher levels of professional identity development. We provide implications for our research and directi...
Function approximations to accelerate 3-D beam predictions for thermal dose calculations

Robust and safe control of tissue heating requires predictions of beam location, temperature and thermal dose in order to optimize the spatial and temporal distribution of acoustic power. Such calculations are computationally intensive, and our objective is to identify methods to speed up such calculations. Monochromatic beam prediction relies heavily on complex exponentials. We have identified a fast 4th order approximation for the evaluation of a complex exponential using a reduced-complexity polynomial that minimizes absolute error to a maximum of 0.001 over −π to π, and we quantified the effects of the approximation on beam intensity and total acoustic power (TAP) for a 128 physical element transducer array. We demonstrate that ultrasound beam predictions are accelerated by 13x using a fast approximation to evaluate complex exponentials compared to standard libraries. The approximation was optimized to minimize error in TAP, the relevant quantity for thermal diffusion-limited heating. The resulting error in TAP was found to be less than 8×10−4%, and the error in intensity was found to be less than 3×10−2% as compared to full precision calculations. The same methodology may be applied to other beam prediction algorithms to speed their execution at a relatively minor degradation in accuracy.
Extra-pair paternity in the socially monogamous mountain bluebird Sialia currucoides and its effect on the potential for sexual selection

Sexual selection theory posits that ornamental traits can evolve if they provide individuals with an advantage in securing multiple mates. That male ornamentation occurs in many bird species in which males pair with a single female is therefore puzzling. It has been proposed that extra-pair mating can substantially increase the variance in reproductive success among males in monogamous species, thus increasing the potential for sexual selection. We documented the frequency of extra-pair paternity and examined its effect on variation in male reproductive success in the mountain bluebird Sialia currucoides, a socially monogamous songbird in which males possess brilliant plumage ornamentation. Extra-pair paternity was common in our Wyoming study population, with 72% of broods containing at least one extrapair offspring. The standardized variance in actual male reproductive success (i.e., the total number of within-pair and extra-pair offspring sired) was more than seven times higher than the variation in apparent success (i.e., success assuming that no extra-pair mating occurred). Success at siring within-pair and extra-pair offspring both contributed to the variation in overall male reproductive success. Within-pair success, however, did not predict a male’s level of extra-pair success, suggesting that males do not sacrifice within-pair paternity to gain extra-pair paternity. Calculation of the sexual selection (Bateman) gradient showed that males sire approximately two additional offspring for each extra-pair mate that we identified. Thus, in this sexually dichromatic species, extra-pair mating increases the variance in male reproductive success and provides the potential for sexual selection to act.
Persistent Postmastectomy Pain and Pain-Related Physical and Emotional Functioning With and Without a Continuous Paravertebral Nerve Block: A Prospective 1-Year Follow-Up Assessment of a Randomized, Triple-Masked, Placebo-Controlled Study

In a previous randomized, triple-masked, placebo-controlled study, the authors demonstrated that extending a single-injection paravertebral nerve block with a multiple-day perineural local anesthetic infusion improves analgesia and decreases pain-related dysfunction during the 3-day infusion but not subsequent to catheter removal within 1 month after mastectomy. This report describes a prospective follow-up study of the previously published trial to investigate the possibility that extending a single-injection paravertebral block with a multiple-day infusion may decrease persistent postsurgical pain as well as pain-induced emotional and functional dysfunction 1 year after mastectomy. Subjects undergoing uni- or bilateral mastectomy received unilateral (n = 24) or bilateral (n = 36) single-injection thoracic paravertebral block(s) with ropivacaine and perineural catheter(s). The subjects were randomized to receive either ropivacaine 0.4 % (n = 30) or normal saline (n = 30) via their catheters until the catheters were removed on postoperative day 3. Chronic pain and pain-related physical and emotional dysfunction were measured using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). No statistically significant difference between treatments 3 months after surgery was observed with the BPI. In contrast, after 12 months, only 4 subjects (13 %) who had received a perineural ropivacaine infusion reported pain-induced dysfunction compared with 14 (47 %) who had received saline infusion (P = 0.011). At 12 months, the mean BPI was 1.6 ± 4.6 for the subjects who received ropivacaine versus 5.9 ± 11.3 for the subjects who received saline (P = 0.007). Adding a multiple-day, continuous ropivacaine infusion to a single-injection ropivacaine paravertebral nerve block may result in a lower incidence of pain as well as pain-related physical and emotional dysfunction 1 year after mastectomy.
Advancing Financial Literacy For Transnational Families

Despite the dramatic recent growth of international migration wherein increasing numbers of households in the developing world have members working in other countries, there has been little research into the effectiveness of financial literacy on the saving and spending habits of migrants to the Gulf states. While much has been said in policy circles about the need to provide financial education to migrant individuals and families to help them make informed decisions about money matters, little evidence exists on the impact of such services in developing countries. In order to address some of these shortcomings, this research project has two interrelated objectives. The first objective is to design a financial literacy curriculum aimed at migrant households. The curriculum aims to encourage (temporary) migrants and their households back home to develop and work towards long-term and sound financial planning. The curriculum covers a variety of pertinent topics such as savings, budgeting, managing debt, and investing. The second objective is to produce a set of instructional videos on financial education using the contents of the curriculum. These are to be widely disseminated to low income bracket migrant populations in Qatar through DVDs and online videos. These videos are designed to overcome the limitation of relying on a limited pool of qualified teachers to deliver the curriculum's content as well as logistic challenges in hosting multiple classroom sessions. To our knowledge, this is the first set of instructional videos that have been developed for a Qatar-based migrant community to aid with the management of money matters. In the future, we plan to study the impact of these educational videos on migrants in Qatar to see how much of a positive effect the material has had on their lives and financial habits.
The Role of Skill Standards in the Development, Implementation, and Assessment of Community College Curriculum

During the 1990s, the United States found itself experiencing changes in its industrial mix, technology, and educational legislation(Carter 2005). As a result, new models of delivering skills and credentials were adopted so that the nation's educational system could better prepare students for a globally competitive workforce. According toCarter (2005), "…one major change in the U.S. educational system was the increased reliance on, and prestige of, certification" (p. 51). Employers are increasingly hiring employees with certifications as many of today's occupations require workers with skill levels between a high school diploma and a bachelor's degree.
Urinary bladder and hindlimb stimuli inhibit T1-T6 spinal and spinoreticular cells

Upper thoracic spinal neurons are primarily excited by cardiopulmonary spinal afferent input but are excited and inhibited by splanchnic afferent input. These data suggest that the greater the number of segments between a spinal neuron and spinal afferent input the greater the probability that the afferent input will inhibit the spinal neuron. Based on this idea we hypothesized that visceral (urinary bladder) and somatic (hindlimb) afferent input would inhibit upper thoracic spinal neurons. To test this hypothesis the activities of 69 spinal and 27 spinoreticular tract neurons in 45 alpha-chloralose-anesthetized cats were studied. Only neurons excited by both visceral and somatic thoracic afferent input were studied. Urinary bladder distension (UBD) inhibited 48 (50%), excited 6 (6%), and did not affect 41 (43%) of these neurons. Also, UBD inhibited the excitatory responses of these cells to noxious visceral and somatic stimuli. Hindlimb pinch also inhibited greater than 50% of the neurons. These data indicate that visceral and somatic afferent input to the lumbosacral spinal cord inhibits the activity of upper thoracic neurons. This inhibitory effect may play a role in localization of sensory and motor responses to noxious stimuli.
Fifty Years of Federal Marketing Programs

Malin labeled the 19th century 'a period of focus upon improvement of production. But after the middle of the century and toward its end, production began to outrun markets, "and the increasing stress upon distribution focused the farmer's attention particularly upon prices and price-making."2 Fifty years have now passed since a swing of the pendulum toward marketing brought the birth of a new federal agency charged with cultivating its improvement. The 50th anniversary of a service so significant deserves both commemoration and evaluation. This paper seeks to contribute the former by means of the latter. However, the evaluation will be more categorical than critical. In the 50-year marketing service history, three themes stand out: (1) Marketing services have several beneficiaries and must look to all of them for support. (2) Just as a brief display of exceptional interest in marketing led to the founding of the original Office of Markets, so has a pulsating pattern marked its subsequent history. Most major expansions of marketing services have come at a few times of reawakened faith in their efficacy. (3) Whereas roughly the first half of the 50-year period was devoted to making the marketing system more perfectly competitive, in the second half, measures were developed to offset some of the imperfections in the system. It would perhaps be appropriate if a fourth theme could be added in this Jubilee year-that federal services to marketing are on a new upsurge. Not so; the bonfire of the wheat referendum put marketing in the shadows. Nevertheless, a few straws in the 1963 winds point to incipient concern for marketing. It turns chiefly on the evidence that the marketing system is departing ever further from the perfectly competitive model. The policy decision looming ahead poses a dilemma: to what
Shared Risk Factors in Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are the 2 leading causes of death worldwide. Although commonly thought of as 2 separate disease entities, CVD and cancer possess various similarities and possible interactions, including a number of similar risk factors (eg, obesity, diabetes mellitus), suggesting a shared biology for which there is emerging evidence. Although chronic inflammation is an indispensable feature of the pathogenesis and progression of both CVD and cancer, additional mechanisms can be found at their intersection. Therapeutic advances, despite improving longevity, have increased the overlap between these diseases, with millions of cancer survivors now at risk of developing CVD. Cardiac risk factors have a major impact on subsequent treatment-related cardiotoxicity. In this review, we explore the risk factors common to both CVD and cancer, highlighting the major epidemiological studies and potential biological mechanisms that account for them.
A Regional Look at U.S. International Trade

Economic activity at the state level varies greatly across U.S. regions, with different states specializing in the production of particular goods and services. This heterogeneity in activity informs the geographic distribution of U.S. imports and exports. Using U.S. Census Bureau foreign trade statistics, the authors examine the distribution of U.S. international trade at the state level, controlling for commodities and major trading partners. They find that trade activity varies greatly from state to state and identify two factors affecting this pattern—proximity to a trading partner and geographic location of industries. This analysis is descriptive but can be seen as a step toward understanding the local impact of globalization and asymmetric trade exposure across U.S. regions.
What Went Wrong — A Congressional Perspective

Like the fickle Macondo village of fictional fame that bounced between feast and famine, the Macondo Project would not easily give up its fortunes. With the reputation as a difficult well, only those drillers most confident could vie for an expected bounty worth perhaps $40 billion.
Magnetic-field dependence of low-lying spectra of graphene-based magnetic ring

Using the Dirac-Weyl model,we present the magnetic-field dependence of low-lying spectra of two-dimensional graphene-based magnetic dot and ring,including both spinor components,creating from perpendicular inhomogeneous magnetic fields.Numerical results obtained from direct diagonalization show that,under inhomogeneous magnetic fields,the lowest Landau level(N-=0) is highly degenerate at zero energy,and for the other higher neighboring Landau levels,there exist angular momentum transitions induced by magnetic fields for the magnetic ring but not for the magnetic dot.Furthermore,the low-lying spectra for both spinor components,except for N-=0,are exactly the same only with the states labeled by different sets of quantum numbers.
Mechanisms of inflammation and histopathology in inflammatory myopathy

The term inflammatory myopathy describes a group of disorders characterized by mononuclear cell infiltration of muscle tissue. Abnormalities of cell-mediated immunity have been implicated repeatedly in the pathogenesis of these disorders. In recent years, considerable evidence supporting this view has been obtained, strongly suggesting a central role to T cells in the pathogenetic process. This article reviews the immunopathology and the cellular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory myopathy.
Evaluation of Additivity in the Context of a Langmuir Inhibitor Adsorption Process

Abstract In the context of the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, an algebraic examination is made of predicted inhibition of seeded crystal growth by mixtures of crystal growth rate inhibitors. The hypothesis that inhibition by a mixture giving 50 per cent inhibition is the sum of individual inhibitors acting independently was found valid. The investigation was made because the nonlinearity of the Langmuir isotherm does not suggest additivity.
Notes on Data

Time-series data on British annexations come from the compendium by Stewart (1996). This lists every territory annexed by Britain since 1493 with the initial date of annexation. It also provides brief historical information on each territory. This data is more robust than the data from Henige (1970) that has been typically used in world-system analyses of colonization. Henige lists colonial governors appointed by all states. Scholars have used the data as a rough measure of the year when a new colony was annexed, corresponding with the year when the first colonial governor was appointed. The shortcoming is that the data does not differentiate between territories that are newly acquired and territories that are renamed or reorganized. Alternatively, Stewart's book enables us to ascertain the year when Britain first annexed a territory and thus treat it as a single event. Stewart's book provides the name of each territory and year of founding while providing a brief historical overview. The overview enables the analyst to ascertain whether the territory had been previously colonized by Britain or not. If it had been, it would not be counted in the data as a new colonial annexation. Conversely, Henige's data would include when a colony that has already been taken is simply reorganized or renamed. Data on British military interventions are compiled from the following sources: (Clowes 1903), (Farmer 1984[1901]), (Harris 1944), (Kohler 1975), and Public Record Office files (ADM 171–1, “Naval General Service Medal 1793–1840”; ADM 171/202: “Naval Medals and Clasps Awarded from 1818 to 1914”). Information from these sources is necessary for supplementing information in traditional war databases such as the Correlates of War data in Singer (1987), which only lists large-scale interstate wars. Because of data limitations, the data begins in 1800 only. “Military intervention” includes small wars, big wars, and troop or naval deployments. Small operations involving slave raiding or infrastructural building are not included. The data is coded to specify the year the intervention began. Each intervention is treated as a single event, so repeated deployments of troops for the same engagement are not added; only the initiation of the event is entered.
A high efficiency CW transferred-electron oscillator with optimized doping profile

This study is aimed at helping to design X-band C.W. transferred electron oscillators with higher performance. It is shown by calculations that the efficiency in C.W. operation is drastically improved by quantitatively controlling the doping profile to account for the temperature profile, and further governed by carrier concentration times layer thickness (nxl) product and diode size. Relations among nxl product, diode size, and doping gradient are defined. The calculations are substantiated by experiments.
ITER ion cyclotron heating and fueling systems

The ITER burning plasma and advanced operating regimes require robust and reliable heating and current drive and fueling systems. The ITER design documents [1,2] describe the requirements and reference designs for the ion cyclotron and pellet fueling systems. Development and testing programs are required to optimize, validate and qualify these systems for installation on ITER. The ITER ion cyclotron system offers significant technology challenges. The antenna must operate in a nuclear environment and withstand heat loads and disruption forces beyond present-day designs. It must operate for long pulse lengths and be highly reliable, delivering power to a plasma load with properties that will change throughout the discharge. The ITER ion cyclotron system consists of one eight-strap antenna, eight rf sources (20 MW, 35-65 MHz), associated high-voltage DC power supplies, transmission lines and matching and decoupling components. The ITER fueling system consists of a gas injection system and multiple pellet injectors for edge fueling and deep core fueling. Pellet injection will be the primary ITER fuel delivery system. The fueling requirements will require significant extensions in pellet injector pulse length (∼3000 s), throughput (400 torr-L/s,) and reliability. The proposed design is based on a centrifuge accelerator fed by a continuous screw extruder. Inner wall pellet injection with the use of curved guide tubes will be utilized for deep fueling.
Antiseizure, antidepressant, and antipsychotic medication prescribing in elderly nursing home residents

Abstract Objective The incidence of epilepsy is highest in the elderly and the prevalence of epilepsy is higher in nursing home residents than in other cohorts. Co-medications that act in the central nervous system (CNS) are frequently prescribed in this population. The objective was to identify the most commonly prescribed antiseizure drugs (ASDs) and determine the frequency of use of antipsychotic and antidepressant medications in elderly nursing home residents receiving ASDs. Methods Data were obtained from a pharmacy database serving 18,752 patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin nursing homes. Prescribing information was available on ASD, antidepressant, and antipsychotic drugs on one day in October 2013. The frequency distribution by age, formulation, trademarked/generic drugs, route of administration, and multiple drug combinations were determined. Results Overall, 66.8% of 18,752 residents received at least one CNS-active drug as classified by the Generic Product Identifier classification system. For those 65 years and older, ASDs were prescribed for 14.3% residents. Gabapentin comprised 7.3%; valproate 3.0%; levetiracetam 1.8%; and phenytoin 0.9%. An antidepressant was used in 64.2% of persons prescribed an ASD. Antidepressant use varied for specific ASDs and ranged from 50 to 75%. An antipsychotic medication was used in 30% of persons prescribed an ASD and ranged from 16.8 to 54.2% for specific ASDs. Both antidepressant and antipsychotic use occurred in 22.2% of persons prescribed an ASD, respectively. Significance The pattern of CNS-active drug use has changed from previous years in this geographic region. Use of phenytoin has declined markedly, but antidepressant use has increased substantially. The CNS side effect profile of these medications and the possible long-term consequences in this population can greatly complicate their therapy.
Vapor Phase Hydrogenolysis of Furanics Utilizing Reduced Cobalt Mixed Metal Oxide Catalysts

Vapor phase hydrogenolysis of both furfuryl alcohol and furfural are investigated over reduced Co based mixed metal oxides derived from the calcination of a layered double hydroxide precursor. Although a reduced cobalt-aluminum oxide sample displays promising selectivity towards 2-methylfuran (2-MF) production, the addition of an Fe dopant into the oxide matrix significantly enhances the activity and selectivity per gram of catalyst. Approximately 82 % 2-MF yield is achieved at high conversion if furfuryl alcohol is fed into the reactor at 180 °C over the reduced 3Co-0.25Fe-0.75Al catalyst. Based on structural characterization studies including temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) it is suggested that Fe facilitates the reduction of Co, allowing for formation of more metallic species. Overall, this study demonstrates that non-precious metal catalysts offer promise for the selective conversion of a key biomass oxygenate to a proposed fuel additive.
On Ground as a Guide to Realism

According to Fine (among others), a nonbasic factual proposition must be grounded in facts involving those of its constituents that are both real and fundamental. But the principle is vulnerable to several dialectically significant counterexamples. It entails, for example, that a logical Platonist cannot accept that true disjunctions are grounded in the truth of their disjuncts; that a Platonist about mathematical objects cannot accept that sets are grounded in their members; and that a colour primitivist cannot accept that an object's being scarlet grounds its not being chartreuse. The Finean might try to defend these implications, but it generates further problems. Instead, the principle should be rejected. An important upshot is that the principle cannot be relied on to distinguish robust realism from anti-realism about a propositional domain, for the principle obscures ways of taking features to be both real and fundamental.
Teleneurology Clinics for Polyneuropathy: A Pilot Study (P4.002)

Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of a novel tele-polyneuropathy (tele-PN) clinic. Background: Polyneuropathy (PN) is a common condition that results in pain, imbalance, and falls. We created tele-PN clinics to improve rural access to neurologists. This study examines the feasibility of tele-PN clinics in the VA by reporting on key performance metrics during the pilot phase. Design/Methods: The tele-PN team developed a unique clinic workflow and a specialized tele-PN exam, the VA Neuropathy Scale (VANS). We trained licensed vocational nurse telepresenters to perform the VANS with fidelity and efficiency. We used flow diagrams, time observation sheets, and iterative learning cycles to optimize the clinic’s performance. Key performance metrics recorded during the pilot phase were (1) exam and total encounter time, (2) patient satisfaction ratings of the visit, and (3) preference for in-person or tele-PN clinic follow up. Secondary metrics included number of missed appointments and adverse neurologic events. Results: Nine patients participated during the pilot phase. The clinic saved patients an average of 254 minutes in transit time (SD 56; range 150–320 minutes; median 270 minutes). The clinic encounter time decreased from 50 to 24 minutes; the exam portion decreased from 18 to 8 minutes. The clinic was well received with an average satisfaction score of 8.14 (median 8; range 5–10). 43% of patients preferred to continue tele-PN encounters over the traditional in-person visit, and the other 57% had no preference. There have been two missed appointments and no neurologic adverse events. Conclusions: Tele-PN clinics offer a patient-centered delivery model with the potential to improve PN care. This pilot demonstrates their operational feasibility and high patient acceptance. Future studies will investigate the impact of tele-PN clinics on the rate of timely, appropriate diagnostic workups and on the improvement in patient related outcomes in pain interference and mobility scores. Study Supported by: Dr. Wilson was supported by the VA Office of Academic Affiliations through the National Clinician Scholars Program. Disclaimer: the contents do not represent the views of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government. Disclosure: Dr. Wilson has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Mobile Medical LA. Dr. Jamal has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Inkelas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ong has nothing to disclose.
Adsorption of Humic Acid by Acid-Modified Granular Activated Carbon and Powder Activated Carbon

AbstractActivated carbon adsorption experiments were carried out with humic acid solutions to determine adsorption isotherms and kinetics. Four commercial coconut shell–based activated carbons were...
AIDS-associated Kaposi sarcoma: A subset analysis of the County Hospital AIDS Malignancy Project (CHAMP study) exploring epidemiology, staging, and prognostic factors.

e13587Background: Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) is a malignancy of endothelial cells. The epidemic form, AIDS-associated, has decreased from about 8 cases in the early 1990s to 0.9-2 cases/100,000 patient ye...
Visibility and Agency: An Analysis of Media Responses to Childish Gambino's “This is America”

Released on May 5, 2018, alongside its performance on Saturday Night Live, Childish Gambino's (Donald Glover's musical stage name) “This is America” was certified platinum by the end of the month o...
An update on the topical and oral therapy options for treating pediatric atopic dermatitis.

Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common childhood skin disorders. Multiple mechanisms contribute to the pathology of AD and treatment approaches are directed at these process...
A Feedback Loop Controlling Organ Size.

To maintain proper organ size, nature has devised trans-organ communication systems—involving both paracrine and circulating regulatory factors—to safeguard homeostasis. In this issue of Developmental Cell , Ji et al. (2019) now describe an enterohepatic feedback loop that balances tissue size and function in the mammalian liver.
Intramuscular Sodium Tetrathionate as an Antidote in a Clinically Relevant Swine Model of Acute Cyanide Toxicity

Background: Cyanide is a metabolic poison used in multiple industries and is a high threat chemical agent. Current antidotes require intravenous administration, limiting their usefulness in a mass ...
Revisiting the Brand Luxury Index: new empirical evidence and future directions

Studies increasingly question the robustness of luxury marketing’s most prominent scale, Vigneron and Johnson’s (J Brand Manag 11(6):484–506, 2004) Brand Luxury Index (BLI). However, these studies’ isolated and occasionally obscure nature has kept this issue outside marketing’s mainstream. Given the contextual/methodological differences between these studies, calls to evaluate the BLI further, and the importance of ascertaining this instrument’s robustness, this research is the first to systematically address the issue and provide more conclusive evidence of BLI performance. This paper comprises four studies with US students, Chinese students, US consumers, and pooled data. Results consistently indicate that the BLI is factorially unstable. On average, only 30% of its items operate adequately. The present results confirm growing BLI concerns. We conclude that luxury brand dimensionality remains unresolved. Luxury marketing still requires valid, reliable, and generalizable luxury brand taxonomies/scales to further advance. This area offers ample research opportunities. We examine alternative ways to develop future luxury brand scales and offer recommendations for research in this area.
Tubes, Lines, and Catheters and Their Complications

This chapter describes the routine appearance and abnormal positions of a variety of monitoring and support devices, including endotracheal and tracheostomy tubes, nasogastric and Dobhoff tubes, PICC lines, and other vascular catheters, chest tubes, and pacer/ICD wires.
Biology and Function of Exo-Polysaccharides from Human Fungal Pathogens

Environmental fungi such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus must survive many different and changing environments as they transition from their environmental niches to human lungs and other organs. Fungi alter their cell surfaces and secreted macromolecules to respond to and manipulate their surroundings. This review focuses on exo-polysaccharides, chains of sugars that are transported out of the cell and spread to the local environment. Major exo-polysaccharides for C. neoformans and A. fumigatus are glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and galactosaminogalactan (GAG), respectively, which accumulate at high concentrations in growth medium and infected patients. Here we discuss GXM and GAG synthesis and export, their immunomodulatory properties, and their roles in biofilm formation. We also propose areas of future research to address outstanding questions in the field that could facilitate development of new disease treatments.
Pharmacokinetics of maropitant citrate after oral administration of multiple doses in adult horses.

The neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor antagonist, maropitant citrate, mitigates nausea and vomiting in dogs and cats. Nausea is poorly understood in horses, and clinical use of NK-1 receptor antagonists has not been reported. This study aimed to determine the pharmacokinetics and safety of maropitant after administration of multiple doses. We hypothesized that maropitant concentrations would be similar at steady state to those reported in dogs, with minimal adverse effects. Maropitant was administered at 4 mg/kg orally, once daily for 5 days in seven adult horses. Serial plasma maropitant concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Noncompartmental pharmacokinetic parameters were determined. The maximum, minimum, and average concentrations of maropitant achieved at steady state were 375.5 ± 200, 16.8 ± 7.7, and 73.5 ± 45.1 ng/ml, respectively. The terminal elimination half-life was 11.6 ± 1.4 hr, and the accumulation index was 1.3 ± 0.07. Heart rate decreased between Day 1 and Day 5 (p = .005), with three horses having heart rates of 20 beats per minute and atrioventricular block on Day 5. Pharmacokinetics of repeated maropitant administration suggests the drug could be considered for use in healthy horses. Further investigation on the clinical relevancy of its cardiac effects is warranted.
The Role of Biofeedback in the Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction

Biofeedback-based or biofeedback-augmented interventions have the potential to serve as first-line treatments for sexual dysfunction concerns, especially among women, for whom current psychosocial treatments are lacking. This brief review summarizes the literature on biofeedback treatments for sexual concerns and highlights recent findings. Biofeedback has been employed in the treatment of various domains of sexual dysfunction, including sexual pain and arousal in women and erectile function in men. Specifically, electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback is widely considered an effective tool to ameliorate sexual pain in women. Though EMG biofeedback has shown efficacy in several studies, it has not been proven to be superior to other (e.g., psychological, surgical) treatments. The results of studies assessing the effects of EMG biofeedback on erectile function are mixed, though men recovering from prostatectomy may benefit from the combination of biofeedback and pelvic floor physiotherapy. Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback may improve sexual arousal function in women, though more research is needed in this area. Evidence for the use of biofeedback to treat other sexual problems is lacking. Biofeedback is well-accepted as a primary or adjunctive treatment for specific sexual concerns in women and may be useful for improving erectile function in post-operative men. However, biofeedback would likely be best utilized as part of a multidimensional treatment model, including psychological, pharmacological, and surgical steps. Future research may better determine the precise role of biofeedback in multicomponent treatment protocols.
Iron homeostasis and plant immune responses: Recent insights and translational implications

Iron metabolism and the plant immune system are both critical for plant vigor in natural ecosystems and for reliable agricultural productivity. Mechanistic studies of plant iron home-ostasis and plant immunity have traditionally been carried out in isolation from each other; however, our growing understanding of both processes has uncovered significant connections. For example, iron plays a critical role in the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates during immunity and has been recently implicated as a critical factor for immune-initiated cell death via ferroptosis. Moreover, plant iron stress triggers immune activation, suggesting that sensing of iron depletion is a mechanism by which plants recognize a pathogen threat. The iron deficiency response engages hormone signaling sectors that are also utilized for plant immune signaling, providing a probable explanation for iron-immunity cross-talk. Finally, interference with iron acquisition by pathogens might be a critical component of the immune response. Efforts to address the global burden of iron deficiency–related anemia have focused on classical breeding and transgenic approaches to develop crops biofortified for iron content. However, our improved mechanistic understanding of plant iron metabolism suggests that such alterations could promote or impede plant immunity, depending on the nature of the alteration and the virulence strategy of the pathogen. Effects of iron biofortification on disease resistance should be evaluated while developing plants for iron biofortification.
Dexmedetomidine-Associated Hyperpyrexia in Three Critically Ill Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019

Objectives To present three patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 infection who developed life-threatening hyperpyrexia while being treated with dexmedetomidine for sedation. Data sources Clinical records. Study selection Case report. Data extraction Relevant clinical information. Data synthesis We describe three patients, a 60-year-old female, 43-year-old female, and 46-year-old male, who were hospitalized in surge ICUs during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in the early spring of 2020. All developed hyperpyrexia, defined as a temperature above 41.1°C, following an increase in dexmedetomidine dosing to above 1.5 µg/kg/hr. Fevers resolved following discontinuation of dexmedetomidine. Conclusions While the exact mechanism of hyperpyrexia remains unclear, findings in this study suggest that high doses of dexmedetomidine infusion are associated with hyperpyrexia in a seemingly dose-dependent fashion in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Coronavirus disease 2019 infection causes a hyperinflammatory state characterized by pro-inflammatory cytokine dysregulation. Dexmedetomidine, a centrally acting alpha-2 agonist, may alter hypothalamic temperature regulation through disturbances in neurotransmitter expression and metabolism. We postulate that the use of high-dose dexmedetomidine in a hyperinflammatory state may increase the risk of developing hyperpyrexia in this severe disease state.
Fault-Resilient Continuum Deformation Coordination

This article offers a physics-based automation with two operation modes: 1) homogeneous deformation mode (HDM) and 2) containment exclusion mode (CEM), to safely plan a large-scale group coordination and resiliently recover safety in the presence of unpredicted agent failures. HDM becomes active when all agents are healthy, where the group coordination is defined by homogeneous transformation coordination functions. At HDM, a desired $n$ -D homogeneous transformation ( $n=2,3$ ) is uniquely related to the desired trajectories of $n+1$ leaders and acquired by the remaining followers in real-time through local communication. At CEM, agent coordination is treated as an ideal fluid flow, where the desired agents’ paths are defined along stream lines inspired by fluid flow field theory to circumvent exclusion spaces surrounding failed agent(s). This article formally specifies the transitions between the HDM and CEM by using local proximity and applying the continuum deformation properties. More specifically, local proximity is used by agents to define interagent communication in an unsupervised fashion once they recover safety and HDM is activated. On the other hand, properties of homogeneous transformation are applied to quickly detect each arising anomalous situation and exclude failed agent(s) from group coordination of healthy agents.
Modeling of Formation and Removal of ZDDP Tribofilm on Rough Surfaces

Zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) is a widely used lubricant additive due to its high effectiveness in reducing wear by forming a tribofilm on sliding surfaces. However, the formation and removal of tribofilm are two competing processes depending on the working conditions, and ZDDP loses its anti-wear function when the removal process prevails. In this paper, a numerical model is built up to predict if ZDDP tribofilm can cover the sliding surfaces and protect them from wear. The input of this model includes the morphology of two sliding surfaces and parameters related to the surface materials, the working conditions and the lubricant, and the output is the surface with tribofilm and/or wear. Then, this model is used for the cylinder liner surface of an internal combustion engine, and a modeling result matching the actual case is obtained, proving that this model can be used in the design of an efficient lubrication system by searching the optimum combination of various parameters. Additionally, it is found that the resolution of the input surfaces has an impact on the modeling result, indicating that caution should be taken when comparing surfaces with different resolutions.
Gauge Field Topology and Instantons

Topological invariants are a traditional field in mathematics, and we will need those in a form discovered by Chern and Simons (1974). Generally, they exist in a different form in odd and even dimensional spaces and are related in a curious way.
Mejores prácticas en políticas públicas promovidas por la OMS y UIT contra el daño auditivo en población joven

El grupo de trabajo “Make Listening Safe” de la OMS, tiene el objetivo principal de “crear un mundo donde la audicion de nadie sea puesta en peligro por la escucha insegura y cambiar el comportamiento para la poblacion objetivo (poblacion joven), lo que se alinea perfectamente con la tematica de esta conferencia “Simposio sobre la prevencion temprana del dano auditivo por exposicion a ruido recreacional en poblacion joven”.
Changes in milk yield in the proximity of AI as predictors of conception risk

Adequate increments in milk yield during early lactation are an indication of proper transition from the negative energy balance after calving to more stable stages as lactation progresses. Most research in this area has focused on the transition period, encompassing the 3 weeks before and after calving. However, changes in milk yield in proximity of AI may better predict the probabilities for a successful insemination. We hypothesize that the change in milk yield in 2 consecutive monthly test days around AI is associated with potential fertility of insemination. Therefore, our objective was to test the effect of magnitude of change in milk production in the proximity of AI on the risk of conception in a large population of Holstein cows. The potential associations with cow survival also were analyzed as a secondary objective.