cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutritional Aspects of Phytoene and Phytofluene, Carotenoid Precursors to Lycopene

Epidemiological studies suggest an inverse relationship between tomato consumption and serum and tissue lycopene (LYC) levels with risk of some chronic diseases, including several cancers and cardiovascular disease. LYC, the red carotenoid found in tomatoes, is often considered to be the primary bioactive carotenoid in tomatoes that mediates health benefits, but other colorless precursor carotenoids, phytoene (PE) and phytofluene (PF), are also present in substantial quantities. PE and PF are readily absorbed from tomato foods and tomato extracts by humans. Animal models of carotenoid absorption suggest preferential accumulation of PE and PF in some tissues. The reasonably high concentrations of PE and PF detected in serum and tissues relative to the concentrations in foods suggest that absorption or metabolism of these compounds may be different from that of LYC. Experimental studies, both in vitro and in vivo, suggest that PE and PF exhibit bioactivity but little is known about their impact in humans. Methods for producing isotopically labeled PE, PF, and LYC tracers from tomato plant cell culture offer a unique tool for further understanding the differential bioavailability and metabolism of these 3 prominent tomato carotenoids and how they may affect health.
Lack of efficacy of low-dose sitostanol therapy as an adjunct to a cholesterol-lowering diet in men with moderate hypercholesterolemia

Plant sterols have been shown to reduce dietary cholesterol absorption and hence, total and low-densitylipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations in humans. In this study the cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary supplementation with the hydrogenated plant sterol sitostanol (3 g/d) were tested in 33 men with moderate hypercholesterolemia who were consuming an outpatient diet in which dietary cholesterol was restricted to <200 mg/d. Sitostanol therapy did not significantly lower LDL cholesterol compared with the diet alone. Similarly, sitostanol therapy in conjunction with a cholesterol-lowering regimen of diet and 8 g cholestyramine did not significantly lower LDL-cholesterol concentrations. Hence, although previous reports have suggested that low-dose sitostanol therapy is an effective means of reducing LDL-cholesterol concentrations, its effectiveness may be attenuated when the diet is low in cholesterol
Synthesis and accumulation of stress proteins in tissues of arsenite-exposed fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas)

The stress protein response (SPR) is a ubiquitous, protective, and defensive mechanism that enables cells to tolerate environmental perturbations. Induction of the SPR involves the increased transcription of stress protein genes, the products of which function in protein folding, multimeric protein assembly, receptor interactions, and heme catabolism, and so forth. The potential of this response as an indicator of water quality was evaluated in gill and striated muscle tissues of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to a wide range of concentrations of sodium arsenite for various lengths of time. The SPR in gill was elicited rapidly, occurring by 2 h exposure at 25 mg/L. The response was tissue specific. In gill, synthesis and accumulation rates of 20-, 40-, 70-, 72-, and 74-kD proteins were significantly increased, compared to controls. In muscle, 20-, 30-, 68-, 70-, and 90-kD proteins also showed significantly increased syntheses and accumulations. Synthesis and accumulation rates of arsenite-induced proteins 20-, 70-, 72-, and 74-kD in gill were significantly correlated with mortality. However, in striated muscle, only the 70-kD was significantly correlated with mortality.
Lipoprotein Synthesis in the Cockerel Liver: Effects of Estrogen on Hepatic Polysomal Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Activities for the Major Apoproteins in Very Low and High Density Lipoproteins and for Albumin and Evidence for Precursors to These Secretory Proteins*

The effects of estrogen on lipoprotein biosynthesis have been studied in the cockerel. After administration of 17β-estradiol (5 mg), plasma apoVLDL-II, a major apoprotein in very low density lipoproteins, increases 18-fold in concentration over 48 h. Plasma concentrations of albumin and apoA-I, the major apoprotein in high density lipoproteins, were unchanged. When hepatic polysomes were isolated from the cockerels, estrogen was found to result in aggregation of polysomes within 6 h. Translation of polysomal RNAs in a wheat germ system in vitro showed that estrogen selectively stimulated the accumulation of apoVLDL-II mRNA in the polysomes. Analysis of the products of translation by slab gel electrophoresis demonstrated that apoVLDL-II, apoA-I, and albumin were all synthesized as larger putative precursors. N-Terminal sequencing of the apoVLDL-II synthesized in vitro using various labeled amino acids revealed a 23 amino acid residue extension consisting of the following sequence: Met-X-Tyr-X-Ala-Leu-X-X-A...
A new simultaneous circuit partitioning and chip placement approach based on simulated annealing

The problems of circuit partitioning and chip placement have been studied in the past. Given a circuit partitioned into chips, one can optimize the placement of the chips on a printed circuit board with regard to a given cost function. Conversely, given a placement of the chips on the board, one can optimize the partitioning of the circuit into the chips with regard to the same cost function. However, given neither the circuit partitioning nor the chip placement, we are faced with a difficult optimization problem. Our target technology is one in which the chips are unpackaged chips placed on a substrate, analogous to the printed circuit board and interconnected together with high density interconnect to realize a complex system. We propose a new approach in which the circuit is both partitioned and placed simultaneously by a simulated annealing based algorithm. Our approach is seen to yield excellent results in reasonable run times.
Radiometric, potentiometric and conductometric measurements of the solubility and solubility product of europium trifluoride

The solubility and solubility product of europium trifluoride were measured by radiometric, potentiometric and conductometric methods. There are significant differences in the values of both solubility and solubility product obtained by the three different techniques. Due to reasons discussed in the text, radiometric values seem to be more acceptable than the others. The thermodynamic functions such as ΔH0, ΔG0 and ΔS0 for the dissolution process were also measured. The positive values of ΔH0 and ΔG0 and the negative value of ΔS0 are indicative of the slight solubility of EuF3. The dependence of solubility on pH and also on the fluoride concentration has also been studied. It was confirmed that europium forms a monofoluoride complex in aqueous solution. The stability constant of this complex was estimated.
A time‐scale approach for analysis of coalescence in processing flows

Coalescence of droplets in flow through capillary dies and in the filling of strip molds was investigated using experiments and time-scale analysis. The time scales of droplet approach, droplet-droplet interactions, and fluid drainage were compared with the time scales of flow in order to predict the extent of coalescence in each case. In the case of capillary dies, coalescence took place predominantly in the zones away from the die wall and away from the die axis, and the expanse of the coalescence zone increased with blend composition and decreased with mean shear rate. In the case of mold filling, droplet coalescence took place after the polymer flowed a characteristic distance along the mold. A semiquantitative agreement was found between the predictions and the experimental results obtained using blends of polypropylene and polystyrene. In addition to larger-diameter droplets, long fibrils, formed by stringing of coalescing droplets, were observed. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2254–2265, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Multiprocessor system verification through behavioral modeling and simulation

The long development times and high costs of multiprocessor (MP) designs arise from their design complexity. To reduce the time and costs, it is critical that design bugs are detected early in the development cycle using design verification tools. The traditional method of hardware design verification is to simulate the actual hardware designs, usually specified in a hardware description language such as VHDL. Two major drawbacks of this methodology when applied to MP systems are the huge size of MP models and the long simulation times. In addition to the difficulty of detecting incorrect behavior in hardware cache coherent systems, MP system verification presents many other challenges as well. In this paper we present a MP verification methodology that lets the actual hardware designs coexist with behavioral models that approximate the functional behavior of the designs they represent. We describe an event-driven behavioral simulation engine that drives the entire simulation, an MP test language, a test executive that injects new transactions into the system, and a coherence monitor that helps detect quickly and efficiently coherency-related bugs in hardware designs. >
Protein Variations Associated with in Vitro Aging of Human Fibroblasts and Quantitative Limits on the Error Catastrophe Hypothesis

Two-dimensional electrophoresis was used to examine protein alterations associated with in vitro cellular aging. Patterns of cellular proteins from early and late passage human fibroblasts of two strains (normal and trisomy 21) were analyzed in silver-stained gels and autoradiograms with computerized microdensitometry. Four proteins were significantly altered in density in both cell strains. In late passage cells, these proteins were from 6 to 66% the density in early passage cells. The error catastrophe hypothesis predicts that random amino acid substitutions accumulate with cellular aging. No new proteins or satellite spots due to such substitutions, however, were detected in late passage cells. An upper bound of 2.5% was set by high resolution densitometry for the fraction of abnormal protein that could be present but undetected by these methods.
A secular age? Reflections on Taylor and Panikkar

During the last few years two major volumes have been published, both greatly revised versions of earlier Gifford Lectures: Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age (2007) and Raimon Panikkar’s The Rhythm of Being (2010). The two volumes are similar in some respects and very dissimilar in others. Both thinkers complain about the glaring blemishes of the modern, especially the contemporary age; both deplore above all a certain deficit of religiosity. The two authors differ, however, both in the details of their diagnosis and in their proposed remedies. Taylor views the modern age—styled as “secular age”—as marked by a slide into secular agnosticism, into “exclusive humanism”, and above all into an “immanent frame” excluding theistic “transcendence”. Although sharing the concern about “loss of meaning”, Panikkar does not find its source in the abandonment of (mono)theistic transcendence; on the contrary, both radical transcendence and agnostic immanence are responsible for the deficit of genuine faith. For him, recovery of faith requires an acknowledgment of our being in the world, as part of the “rhythm of being” happening in a holistic or “cosmotheandric” mode. In classical Indian terminology, while Taylor’s emphasis on the transcendence-immanence tension reflects ultimately a dualistic perspective (dvaita), Panikkar’s holistic notion of the rhythm of being captures the core of Advaita Vendanta.
Enhanced detection of intracellular organism of swine proliferative enteritis, ileal symbiont intracellularis, in feces by polymerase chain reaction.

A sensitive assay based on amplification of a 319-bp DNA fragment of the intracellular bacterium of swine proliferative enteritis was developed for the detection of the organism in the feces of swine. A vernacular name, ileal symbiont intracellularis (IS-intracellularis), has recently been published for the intracellular bacterium, which was formerly known as a Campylobacter-like organism (C.J. Gebhart, S.M. Barnes, S. McOrist, G.F. Lin, and G.H.K. Larson, Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 43:533-538, 1993). As few as 10(1) IS-intracellularis organisms purified from intestinal mucosa, or 10(3) IS-intracellularis per g of feces, were detected. No amplification product was produced from a polymerase chain reaction performed on DNA extracted from the feces of healthy pigs. A 319-bp DNA fragment specific for IS-intracellularis was produced on amplification of DNA from the feces of pigs with experimental and naturally occurring proliferative enteritis. Images
Performance Characteristics of the MultiCode-RTx Hepatitis C Virus Load Test Targeting the 3′ Untranslated Region

Viral load testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA has become a key parameter in the diagnosis of infection and treatment monitoring. This study evaluated the performance characteristics of the MultiCode-RTx HCV assay (MultiCode; EraGen Biosciences, Inc., Madison, WI), a real-time PCR test targeting the 3 untranslated region (UTR) of the HCV genome, compared to the TaqMan HCV load ASR assay (TaqMan; Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN) that targets the 5 UTR. For plasma specimens, the MultiCode assay had a limit of detection of 2.3 log10 IU/ml and a linear range of at least 6.7 log10 IU/ml. Comparison of plasma viral loads obtained by the MultiCode and TaqMan tests showed that they were in very close agreement (mean difference, 0.1 log10 IU/ml). No genotype bias was observed for genotypes 1, 2, and 3. When the MultiCode assay was evaluated with the MagNA Pure and easyMAG extraction methods, the viral loads for the easyMAG extraction were consistently higher for all specimens tested (mean difference, 0.45 log10 IU/ml). Aside from the limit of detection, the performance characteristics of the MultiCode assay were similar to the TaqMan assay for the clinical application of HCV load testing. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the principal cause of death from liver disease and the leading indication for transplantation in the United States (4). Diagnosis, management of antiviral therapy, and determination of virological response to treatment are largely based on the detection and quantification of HCV RNA. Baseline HCV RNA levels and continued monitoring of the viral load have allowed physicians to predict and tailor response to treatment with the current recommendation of combined pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin (4). Viral load testing, however, does not predict the progression of HCV and is not associated with the severity of liver disease. Because the disease course is chronic and evolving over decades, treatment responses are defined by surrogate virological markers rather than clinical endpoints. The most important of these virological markers is the sustained virological response
Cation effects in nanocrystalline solar cells

Over the past 20 years, the pioneering work of Michael Gratzel and coworkers has led to the development of highly efficient nanocrystalline dye-sensitized solar cells. The energy conversion mechanism of dye-sensitized solar cells involves photoinduced interfacial electron transfer reactions. The cation concentration at the semiconductor/electrolyte interface exerts a profound influence on the mechanism and efficiency of these electron transfer reactions. In this article, we review significant contributions to the understanding of cation effects in nanocrystalline solar cells.
Wavelet packet-based compression of single lead ECG

A preliminary investigation of a wavelet packet based algorithm for the compression of single lead ECG is presented. The algorithm combines the efficiency and flexibility of wavelet packet expansions with the methodology of the Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT). For selected records from the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database, an average data rate of 184.7 bits per second, corresponding to a compression ratio of 21.4:1, is achieved. When compared with the KLT applied to the same data, the wavelet packet algorithm generates significantly lower data rates with less than one-third the computational effort.
Spin gap in a quasi-one-dimensional S = 1 2 antiferromagnet: Cu 2 ( 1 , 4 − d i a z a c y c l o h e p t a n e ) 2 Cl 4

${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}$(1,4-diazacycloheptane)${}_{2}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{4}$ contains double chains of spin-$\frac{1}{2}$ ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{2+}$ ions. We report ac susceptibility, specific heat, and inelastic neutron-scattering measurements on this material. The magnetic susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ shows a rounded maximum at $T=8$ K indicative of a low-dimensional antiferromagnet with no zero-field magnetic phase transition. We compare the $\ensuremath{\chi}(T)$ data with exact diagonalization results for various one-dimensional spin Hamiltonians and find excellent agreement for a spin ladder with intrarung coupling ${J}_{1}=1.143(3)$ meV and two mutually frustrating interrung interactions ${J}_{2}=0.21(3)$ meV and ${J}_{3}=0.09(5)$ meV. The specific heat in zero field is exponentially activated with an activation energy $\ensuremath{\Delta}=0.87(1)$ meV. A spin gap is also found through inelastic neutron scattering on powder samples that identify a band of magnetic excitations for $0.8l\ensuremath{\Elzxh}\ensuremath{\omega}l1.5$ meV. Using sum rules we derive an expression for the dynamic spin-correlation function associated with noninteracting propagating triplets in a spin ladder. The Van Hove singularities of such a model are not observed in our scattering data, indicating that magnetic excitations in ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}$(1,4-diazacycloheptane)${}_{2}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{4}$ are more complicated. For magnetic fields above ${H}_{c1}\ensuremath{\simeq}7.2$ T specific-heat data versus temperature show anomalies indicating a phase transition to an ordered state below $T=1$ K.
Lifestyle Modifications in the Treatment of Hypertension

A 42-year-old woman presents for routine health maintenance examination. She is unaware of any medical problems but states that she has checked her blood pressure several times at local health fairs and has been advised that she has “borderline” high blood pressure and should seek medical attention. She recalls blood pressures ranging from 135/80 to 142/90. She takes no medications. She thinks that her mother had hypertension. She drinks socially, generally one or two glasses of wine on the weekends. She does not follow a specific exercise routine but states that she moves all the time. Breakfast is usually a Pop Tart with two cups of coffee. Lunch is a meal from McDonald’s with two more cups of coffee. She and her husband eat out frequently for dinner because of their hectic schedules. On physical exam she is an overweight woman with BP 138/87 (checked at rest with an appropriately sized cuff), pulse 90/min, respiratory rate 12/min, height 64 in., weight 150 pounds, and BMI 27. Her waist circumference is 35 in. The remainder of her examination is within normal limits. Her screening chemistries and urinalysis are normal.
The Illusion of Omniscience: Subject Access and the Reference Archivist

Current theories of subject and information retrieval are predicated on the experience and needs of libraries and information centers and do not effectively address the needs of archives. Both libraries and archives seek to aid users in locating information. The problems faced by the two institutions, however, are as different as their materials, organizing principles, and descriptive techniques. A comparison of the two institutions illustrates some of the difficulties facing the reference archivist seeking subject retrieval of archival and manuscript materials arranged according to the principles of provenance and original order. Archives and libraries differ most obviously in the materials they collect. For the most part, libraries collect books and other published materials which are produced in multiple copies in relatively uniform sizes and formats. Generally, a book is created quite deliberately by an author, as a literary product treating a particular topic. On the other hand, archives accession unique documents w ich vary widely in size and format. The documents are usually created by many authors as the byproduct of personal and organizational activity. Rarely are they self-conscious literary productions. Unlike a book, which can stand alone as an author's thoughts on a single topic, archival documents generally make sense only as part of a group of records. Record groups reflect the many activities which created them and may be useful for many subjects. Retrieval of individual books relating to a specific subject is a primary goal for the library, and librarians have devised both classification and cataloging techniques to accomplish subject retrieval. On the other hand, subject retrieval of individual documents has not been a primary goal for most archivists. Library classification brings books treating the same subject together on the shelf, thereby creating one important and powerful mode of subject access. The classification notation gives
Unfreezing the Progressive Era: The Story of Julia Lathrop

Public administration needs to pay more attention to the Progressive era, not less. The field has forgotten what settlement workers learned about policy and administration. Julia Lathrop, a 20-year resident of Hull House and the first woman to head a federal agency, serves as an exemplar. Whereas Olasky (1992) maintains that settlement residents used poor people as means to the grandiose aim of societal change, Lathrop's life and work, particularly as chief of the U. S. Children's Bureau, show how settlement folk consciously linked their own lived experience and those of their neighbors to policy concerns. Today, their voices remind us of the inadequacy of private charity; the value of government in social action; and the importance of person-to-person connections between people in government and people in neighborhoods.
An integrated study of echinoid taphonomy; predictions for the fossil record of four echinoid families

Field observations of four common tropical Western Atlantic regular echinoids, Diadema antillarum, Eucidaris tribuloides, Echinometra lucunter and Tripneustes ventricosus, reveal that they are reduced to essentially bleached skeletons, devoid of organic material, within six days of death. This suggests that, in the absence of organic connective tissues, the degree to which stereom interlocks across plate sutures may become an important factor in determining the amount of breakage suffered by the corona in response to biostratinomic processes
Microhardness Enhancement in Fully Dense Fe-Based Nanophase Metallic Alloys

Nano-grained Fe-29Al-2Cr intermetallic and Fe-Cu two-phase composites have been consolidated to full density from powders produced by high-energy ball milling, using a sinter forging procedure developed recently in our laboratory. Grain sizes remained within nanophase range (<100 nm) after consolidation. Microhardness tests of Fe-29Al-2Cr samples consolidated to different density levels indicate a significant strengthening effect due to nanoscale grain size and a monotonic microhardness increase with decreasing residual porosity. Fully dense Fe-Cu composites exhibit enhanced microhardness as compared with rule-of-mixtures predictions, which may be attributable to interface strengthening at fcc-bcc interphase boundaries.
The medical aspects of hypertension.

This is a presentation of a patient with hypertension, illustrating the transition from the benign to the malignant phase of this disease. Emphasis is placed on the importance of the diastolic pressure, the urine findings and the appearance of the ocular fundi in distinguishing this change.
Phenol Derivatives as Coupling Partners with Alkylsilicates in Photoredox/Nickel Dual Catalysis.

Photoredox/nickel dual catalysis via single electron transmetalation allows coupling of Csp3–Csp2 hybridized centers under mild conditions. A procedure for the coupling of electron-deficient aryl triflates, -tosylates, and -mesylates with alkylbis(catecholato)silicates is presented. This method represents the first example of the use of phenol derivatives as electrophilic coupling partners in photoredox/nickel dual catalysis.
Endoscopic resection of a nasal septal chondrosarcoma: first report of a case.

Advances in endoscopic sinus surgery technique and technology have provided the otolaryngologist with a wide array of surgical options for the management of nasal and paranasal sinus diseases that were once limited to procedures requiring invasive surgery. We describe the case of a patient with a chondrosarcoma of the posterior nasal septum that was resected endoscopically. There have been fewer than 30 reports in the English-language literature of chondrosarcomas arising at this location, and the reported approaches to surgical excision in these cases involved craniofacial procedures, facial degloving, facial splitting, and maxillectomy techniques. Until now, no case of endoscopic removal has been reported.
AlGaN/GaN HFET embedded GaN microcantilevers based potentiometric sensor

AlGaN/GaN Heterojunction Field Effect Transistor (HFET) embedded GaN piezotransistive microcantilevers are used as potentiometric sensors. 10mV potential difference between the cantilever tip and a metal electrode is successfully measured at the cantilever resonance frequency. Moreover, quality factor enhancement of the cantilever at low pressure is demonstrated.
3-Substituted and 1,3-Disubstituted Piperidines

This chapter describes methods of synthesis, pharmacological properties, and the use of derivatives of 3-substituted and 1,3-disubstituted piperidines such as methixene, tipepidine, timepidium, tiagabine, piperidolate, mepenzolate, pipenzolate, benidipine, paroxetine, femoxetine, troxipide cytoprotective, linagliptin, and tofacitinib.
Foreign-born blacks no different from whites for odds of stroke

Background Blacks have higher risk for stroke than whites. However, combining foreign-born and US-born blacks could mask important health differences. We examined the relationship between nativity and stroke risk in US adults. Methods Data were obtained from the National Health Interview Survey, 2006–2014. Study population (n=189, 409) included non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks born in the Caribbean, and non-Hispanic blacks born in Africa. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between stroke and race/nativity, adjusting for covariates such as insurance status, hypertension, age and duration of US residence. Results Foreign-born blacks had similar odds of stroke (95% CI 0.58 to 1.60 for non-Hispanic blacks from the Caribbean, and 95% CI 0.17 to 1.10 for blacks from Africa), while US-born blacks had increased odds of stroke (95% CI 1.22 to 1.46) compared with non-Hispanic whites. When compared with US-born blacks, both non-Hispanic blacks from the Caribbean and Africa showed reduced odds of stroke: 95% CI 0.50 to 0.94 and 95% CI 0.21 to 0.75, respectively. After adding a race/nativity × age interaction term to the model however, compared with non-Hispanic whites, blacks from Africa aged Conclusions Homogenising ‘Blacks’ may mask important differences based on nativity. Public health prevention efforts should consider the heightened risk of stroke among younger US-born blacks and focus on primary prevention for immigrant blacks. Also, national surveys should incorporate more ethnicity-related variables.
Natural product modulators of human sensations and mood: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential

Humans perceive physical information about the surrounding environment through their senses. This physical information is registered by a collection of highly evolved and finely tuned molecular sensory receptors. A multitude of bioactive, structurally diverse ligands have evolved in nature that bind these molecular receptors. The complex, dynamic interactions between the ligands and the receptors lead to changes in our sensory perception or mood. Here, we review our current knowledge of natural products and their derived analogues that interact specifically with human G protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, and nuclear hormone receptors to modulate the sensations of taste, smell, temperature, pain, and itch, as well as mood and its associated behaviour. We discuss the molecular and structural mechanisms underlying such interactions and highlight cases where subtle differences in natural product chemistry produce drastic changes in functional outcome. We also discuss cases where a single compound triggers complex sensory or behavioural changes in humans through multiple mechanistic targets. Finally, we comment on the therapeutic potential of the reviewed area of research and draw attention to recent technological developments in genomics, metabolomics, and metabolic engineering that allow us to tap the medicinal properties of natural product chemistry without taxing nature.
Contaminants of emerging concern affect Trichoplusia ni growth and development on artificial diets and a key host plant

Many countries are utilizing reclaimed wastewater for agriculture because drought, rising temperatures, and expanding human populations are increasing water demands. Unfortunately, wastewater often contains biologically active, pseudopersistent pharmaceuticals, even after treatment. Runoff from farms and output from wastewater treatment plants also contribute high concentrations of pharmaceuticals to the environment. This study assessed the effects of common pharmaceuticals on an agricultural pest, Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Larvae were reared on artificial diets spiked with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) at environmentally relevant concentrations. Trichoplusia ni showed increased developmental time and mortality when reared on artificial diets containing antibiotics, hormones, or a mixture of contaminants. Mortality was also increased when T. ni were reared on tomatoes grown hydroponically with the same concentrations of antibiotics. The antibiotic-treated plants translocated ciprofloxacin through their tissues to roots, shoots, and leaves. Microbial communities of T. ni changed substantially between developmental stages and when exposed to CECs in their diets. Our results suggest that use of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation of crops can affect the developmental biology and microbial communities of an insect of agricultural importance.
A galvanic isolated voltage probe for noise sources identification in EMI / EMC applications

In order to quickly identify the noise sources in power electronics converters for EMI/EMC applications, a galvanic isolated voltage probe is developed and optimized to achieve adequate measurement bandwidth and high common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). Several structures of the voltage probes are proposed. The prototypes are built and the performances are evaluated through testing. The experimental result shows that the developed isolated voltage probe has an adequate measurement bandwidth up to 300MHz and CMRR is more than 40dB for the measurement frequency range.
Pilot Study Combining Electrical Stimulation and a Dynamic Hand Orthosis for Functional Recovery in Chronic Stroke

Objective We investigated the effect of a combined neuromuscular electrical stimulation (ES) and dynamic hand orthosis (DHO) regimen with a group of people with chronic stroke to improve performance on specific daily tasks. Method Four people with chronic stroke participated in an ES-DHO regimen using the affected upper extremity 5×/wk for 6 wk. Outcome measures included grip strength, range of motion (ROM), and analysis of muscle activation-deactivation during release of grasp through electromyography. Ability to perform specific daily living tasks was assessed using the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). Results Results suggested that improvements in strength, ROM, and grasp deactivation are possible with the combined ES-DHO regimen. All participants' AMPS motor scores improved. Conclusions An ES-DHO regimen may improve motor skills needed for functional task performance in people with chronic stroke. Results should be interpreted cautiously because of the pilot nature of the study and the small sample size.
Aspirin May be Inadequate Thromboprophylaxis in Multiple Myeloma

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is associated with a 9-fold increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Current guidelines support routine thromboprophylaxis in select patients (ASCO, IMWG). The 2015 ASCO guidelines recommend low-molecular-weight heparin or low-dose aspirin in patients receiving immunomodulatory drugs (IMIDs) in combination with chemotherapy and/or dexamethasone. The IMWG guidelines recommend low-dose aspirin for MM patients with one or no VTE risk factors including those on lenalidomide in combination with low-dose dexamethasone, melphalan, or doxorubicin. Two randomized trials support thromboprophylaxis in patients receiving lenalidomide and thalidomide; however, patients with a prior history of VTE were excluded from participation (Palumbo 2011, Larocca 2012). We assessed the association between aspirin use and VTE in a large cohort of patients with MM. Methods Patients diagnosed with MM within the Veterans Health Administration between September 1, 1999 and December 31, 2013 were identified in the Veterans Administration Central Cancer Registry (VACCR) using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-O3 codes 9732/3. We retrospectively followed the cohort through December 2014. We excluded patients who did not receive MM-directed therapy within 6-months of diagnosis. We collected baseline information on demographics, comorbidities, laboratory data, MM-directed therapy, and use of aspirin, warfarin, and statins. All drug therapy was analyzed as time-varying. Using a previously validated algorithm, (Sanfilippo, 2015), we identified patients diagnosed with VTE after MM diagnosis by a combination of ICD-9 code for VTE plus pharmacologic treatment for VTE or IVC filter placement. We used competing risk analysis to assess the association between aspirin use and incident VTE while adjusting for known VTE risk factors and for death as a competing event. Results We identified a cohort of 4,892 patients of whom 586 developed VTE. A total of 1,888 patients received aspirin therapy after MM diagnosis while 862 received warfarin therapy. After adjusting for known potential VTE risk factors, including history of VTE and use of IMIDs, aspirin was not associated with a decreased risk of VTE (adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) 1.18; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.92-1.52). Warfarin use was associated with a trend towards reduction in risk of VTE (aHR 0.77; 95% CI 0.53-1.12). Risk factors for VTE after MM diagnosis included: history of prior VTE (aHR 3.83; 95% CI: 2.68-5.48), lenalidomide (aHR 2.36; 95% CI 1.82-3.05), and thalidomide (aHR 2.60; 95% CI: 2.09-3.24). The figure shows the high probability of developing VTE after MM diagnosis, especially among patients with a history of VTE. Conclusions Lenalidomide, thalidomide, and a prior VTE increased the risk of VTE after MM diagnosis. Patients with such history should be considered high risk for VTE. In this high-risk population, aspirin may not provide adequate thromboprophylaxis. Disclosures Sanfilippo: Bristol Myers Squibb: Speakers Bureau. Carson: Seattle Genetics: Honoraria.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Frequency, Severity, Age of Onset, Family History and Acid Suppressive Therapy Predict Barrett Esophagus in a Large Population.

Goals:To identify risk factors associated with Barrett esophagus (BE) for potential improved surveillance and risk reduction.Background:Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a known risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the ability of GERD symptom frequency and severity to predict prese
Design options for commercial reactors with resistive magnets

In this paper, the options available for tokamak reactors with normal conducting magnets will be described. The advantages and disadvantages of using normal magnets in fusion tokamak reactors will be described. The impact of the use of resistive magnets on the capital cost, environmental concerns and availability (related to cost of electricity) of a tokamak reactor will be discussed. Special emphasis on electricity producing reactors will be given.
Impact of a surveillance screening program on rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections with a comparison of surgical versus nonsurgical patients.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a significant cause of health care–associated infection. The overall effectiveness of surveillance screening programs is not well established. A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate the impact of a surveillance screening program on the rates of health care–associated MRSA infection (HA-MRSA-I) at a single institution. A subset of surgical patients was analyzed separately. Multivariate regression techniques were used to identify predictors of the desired outcomes. The overall MRSA infection rate was 1.3% in the before cohort and 3.2% in the after cohort. After excluding patients with a history of MRSA infection or MRSA colonization, HA-MRSA-I decreased from 1.2% to 0.87%. There was a similar overall increase in the surgical group, 1.4% to 2.3%, and decrease in HA-MRSA-I, 1.4% to 1.0% (P < 0.001). For all patients, surgery, African American race, and increased length of stay conferred an increased likelihood of HA-MRSA-I. Females and patients in the after cohort had a lower risk of HA-MRSA-I (P < 0.01). In the after cohort, the results were similar, with surgery, African American race, and length of stay associated with an increased risk, and female sex associated with a decreased risk (P < 0.05). African American race and increased age had a higher likelihood of screening positive for MRSA colonization, while the surgical group, females, and Hispanic patients were less likely (P < 0.05). HA-MRSA-I was associated with a higher mortality among all patients (P < 0.001). Mortality rates were similar with HA-MRSA-I for all patients (10.8% vs 9.5%, P = 0.55) and in the surgical group (8.3% vs 6.8%, P = 0.58). In conclusion, surveillance programs may be effective in decreasing HA-MRSA-I. Further studies are needed to determine how to reduce transmission, particularly among African Americans and those with increased lengths of stay.
Quantitative studies of electrodialysis performance

Abstract Variations in functional parameters strongly affect the performance of the electrodialysis process, a promising approach for desalinating brackish water. Although the effects of operational factors have been qualitatively investigated in previously published works, the simultaneous effects of three important operational factors, applied voltage, superficial velocity, and temperature, have not yet been quantitatively described or presented in the form of a mathematical model. Therefore, the simultaneous effects of these operational parameters have not been shown in functional form in the previously published works. In this research, a laboratory-scale electrodialysis setup was used to qualitatively and quantitatively study the effects of operational factors by employing a set of full-factorial experiments with three replications at different levels of applied voltage per cell pair, superficial velocity, temperature, and feedwater composition. The nonlinear power-law functions were found for the effects of superficial velocity, applied voltage per cell pair, and initial feed concentration, while an Arrhenius-type function was found for the effect of temperature.
Engineering of “critical nanoscale design parameters” (CNDPs) in PAMAM dendrimer nanoparticles for drug delivery applications

Dendrimers are widely recognized as members of the fourth major architectural class of polymers after linear, cross-linked, and branched architectural types. They have become a desirable polymer category for drug delivery applications based on the ability to readily structure control their six “critical nanoscale design parameters” (CNDPs). These CNDPs include (1) size, (2) shape, (3) surface chemistry, (4) flexibility/rigidity, (5) architecture and (6) elemental composition. The poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (PAMAM) family, first reported by Tomalia et al. in 1985, is one of the most widely investigated dendrimer types for drug delivery. Drugs can either be physically entrapped or chemically conjugated onto dendrimers. Association of drugs with dendrimers depends on numerous factors but mainly on dendrimer architecture. PAMAM dendrimers are available with a variety of surface groups, cores, and generations (i.e., sizes); however, drug associations with dendrimers are most dramatically influenced by the dendrimer’s interior composition, generations (i.e., sizes), and surface chemistries. The physical drug-dendrimer associations are often defined by the periodic dendrimer property patterns which are manifested as a function of dendrimer architecture and generations. Engineering the “critical nanoscale design parameters” (CNDPs) of dendrimers provides a systematic strategy for optimizing dendrimer (host) and drug (guest) relationships. This article discusses the role of CNDPs on guest-host drug entrapment in dendrimers by physical or supramolecular means (i.e., a non-conjugation, formulation type approach).
CONNECTING T AND LATTICE-VALUED CONVERGENCES

$top$-filters can be used to define $top$-convergence spaces in the lattice-valued context. Connections between $top$-convergence spaces and lattice-valued convergence spaces are given. Regularity of a $top$-convergence space has recently been defined and studied by Fang and Yue. An equivalent characterization is given in the present work in terms of convergence of closures of $top$-filters. Moreover, a compactification of a $top$-convergence space is constructed whenever $L$ is a complete Boolean algebra.
Bayesian-model averaging using MCMCBayes for web-browser vulnerability discovery

ABSTRACT Most software vulnerabilities are preventable, but they continue to be present in software releases. When Blackhats, or malicious researchers, discover vulnerabilities, they often release corresponding exploit software and malware. Therefore, customer confidence could be reduced if vulnerabilities—or discoveries of them—are not prevented, mitigated, or addressed. In addressing this, managers must choose which alternatives will provide maximal impact and could use vulnerability discovery modeling techniques to support their decision-making process. Applications of these techniques have used traditional approaches to analysis and, despite the dearth of data, have not included information from experts. This article takes an alternative approach, applying Bayesian methods to modeling the vulnerability-discovery phenomenon. Relevant data was obtained from security experts in structured workshops and from public databases. The open-source framework, MCMCBayes, was developed to automate performing Bayesian model averaging via power-posteriors. It combines predictions of interval-grouped discoveries by performance-weighting results from six variants of the non-homogeneous Poisson process (NHPP), two regression models, and two growth-curve models. The methodology is applicable to software-makers and persons interested in applications of expert-judgment elicitation or in using Bayesian analysis techniques with phenomena having non-decreasing counts over time.
Mechanical properties of high purity polycrystalline cBN synthesized by direct conversion sintering method

Mechanical properties of high purity polycrystalline cBN sintered bodies synthesized by the direct conversion method under high pressure and high temperature have been investigated by hardness and transverse rupture strength (TRS) measurement in the temperature range of 20–1200 °C. It was confirmed that the hardness and TRS of the polycrystalline cBN depends strongly on the cBN grain size and the amount of residual (compressed) hBN in the sintered body. The fine-grained ( 99.9%) polycrystalline sintered body synthesized at 7.7 GPa, 2200–2400°C has highest hardness and TRS at any temperature. The TRS of the sintered body shows a positive temperature dependence up to 1200 °C. The high hardness and high TRS at high temperature of the fine-grained high purity polycrystalline cBN suggest that the sintered body has high potential in cutting tool uses.
Risk factors for community acquired urinary tract infections caused by extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli in children: a case control study

AbstractBackground: We noted a recent increase in cases of urinary tract infection due to community-acquired ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in children treated at our institution. Risk factors of ...
Of microbes and mange: consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three canid species infected with Sarcoptes scabiei mites.

Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. Using culture-independent next generation sequencing, we characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American canids: coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We compared alpha and beta diversity between mange-infected and uninfected canids using the Kruskal–Wallis test and multivariate analysis of variance with permutation. We used analysis of composition of microbes and gneiss balances to perform differential abundance testing between infection groups. We found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, previously associated with canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp., previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. This evidence suggests that sarcoptic mange infection consistently alters the canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection, as seen in humans and other mammals infected with S. scabiei mites. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By adopting a “One Health” framework that considers mites, microbes and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.