cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wood Beams Prestressed with Bonded Tension Elements

A method has been developed whereby a strip of high-strength steel can be pretensioned and bonded to the face of a wood beam so that it will, on release, transfer force to the beam in the form of uniform shear in finite end zones. The method was used to prestress full-size beams laminated from grade L-3 Coast Region Douglas-fir. Their structural behavior was studied and compared to that of matched unprestressed beams. Test data show that the prestressed wood beams behave essentially as predicted by theory; that they exhibit greater stiffness, greater strength, lass variability of strength, far greater work to maximum load, and design loads that are predictable and far in excess of those for the matched unprestressed beams.
Aging alters the phase-resetting properties of a serotonin agonist on hamster circadian rhythmicity

Serotonergic mechanisms are believed to play a considerable role in mediating the effects of photic and nonphotic stimuli on circadian rhythmicity. Because aging is associated with significant changes in the responsiveness of the rodent circadian system to major synchronizing agents in the environment, this study examined the phase-shifting effects of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin [8-OH-DPAT; 2.0, 5.0, and 8.0 mg/kg ip at circadian time 8 (CT 8)], on the 24-h activity rhythm of young (3-4 mo old) and old (18-19 mo old) golden hamsters. Aging was associated with a dramatic attenuation of the phase-shifting effects of 8-OH-DPAT in this species. The results suggest the existence of age-related deficits in the serotonergic control of mammalian circadian rhythmicity, which could interfere with the temporal adaptation of the senescent organism to its environment.
A Radical Double Agent

(1992). A Radical Double Agent. The Black Scholar: Vol. 22, The Clarence Thomas Confirmation, pp. 24-25.
Monitoring mitochondrial disease related nephropathy and subclinical redox stress of the brain in the kd/kd murine model

1806 Objectives The homozygous kidney recessive disease (kd) mutation in CBA mice causes a defect in CoQ9 synthesis resulting in nephropathy from chronic mitochondrial oxidative stress. Here we apply Tc99m-HMPAO, a tracer with redox sensitive properties, to the monitoring of renal disease and redox stress to the brain of kd/kd mice. Methods The kidneys and brain of kd/kd and wild type (Wt) CBA mice were imaged with Tc99m-HMPAO SPECT imaging from the age of 9 to 21 weeks. 30 minutes after injection of 5 to 7 mCi of Tc99m-HMPAO the brain and then at 3 hours the kidneys, were imaged with the following parameters: 15 sec/step x 64 steps, 0.5 mm pinhole collimator, 2 cm ROR, 64x64 matrix with a single head small animal SPECT unit (A-SPECT, Gamma Medica). ROI histographic analyses were performed to calculate renal uptake (upper 33% counts / mCi) and brain uptake (upper 95% counts / soft tissue BKG, adjusted for ROI volume) of Tc99m-HMPAO. Results Renal uptake in kd/kd mice decreased to 59% of Wt controls at week 14 at which time there was the first significant increase (*p= 0.0121) in urine output due to disease as shown in Table I. Renal uptake continued fall with worsening renal failure down to 15% of control by 18-21 weeks. While all mice demonstrated no neurologic signs of encephalopathy kd/kd mice showed falling brain uptake from 69% of control at 13 weeks to 34% at 21 weeks. At 21 weeks there was also significantly lower (*p = 0.0152) blood levels of reduced glutathione in kd/kd mice (787 ± 29 μmol/L) compared to control (1009 ± 90 μmol/L). Conclusions Tc99m-HMPAO SPECT can monitor chronic oxidative stress and its progression in the kidneys and brain of kd/kd mice. Serial Tc99m-HMPAO SPECT imaging may prove to be useful in monitoring nephropathy induced by chronic oxidative stress in patients with genetic mitochondrial disease. Research Support Supported in part by Edison Pharmaceuticals and the Stanford Mitochondrial Disease Institute.
CD44-targeted hyaluronic acid-paclitaxel (HA-TXL) copolymer for treatment of human ovarian carcinoma xenografts

C291 Numerous human tumor types, including ovarian, breast and other cancers, have a significant expression of one or more members of the CD44 family of cell-surface proteoglycans, making them potential targets for therapeutic agents. To develop tumor-targeted drugs, we have initially evaluated whether the natural CD44 ligand, hyaluronic acid (HA), could serve as a receptor-specific backbone for paclitaxel (TXL) prodrugs. HA-TXL conjugates were prepared by a modification of previous techniques in a multi-step synthesis. The in vitro cytotoxicity of HA-TXL against the CD44(+) human ovarian carcinoma cell lines, SKOV-3ip. and NMP-1, could be significantly blocked by pre-incubation with a molar excess of free HA, demonstrating the specificity of HA-TXL uptake preceding prodrug activation. Female nude mice bearing intraperitoneal (i.p.) xenografts of NMP-1 cells were treated i.p. at seven days after tumor implantation with either a single sub-MTD dose of HA-TXL, or with multiple-dose regimens of Taxol, to determine the effects of these regimens on host survival and on i.p. tumor burden, the latter being assessed by abdominal MR imaging. NMP-1 xenografts were highly resistant to treatment with Taxol regimens (at up to 10 mg/kg, qd7 x 3), as host survival was only nominally improved compared to controls (T/C ~ 120), whereas the single-dose HA-TXL (180 mg/kg, TXL equivalents) treatment significantly improved survival in this model (T/C ~ 140; p = 0.004). In both the NMP-1 and SKOV3ip. models, MR images of abdomens of HA-TXL-treated mice obtained shortly before controls required humane sacrifice revealed markedly reduced tumor burdens compared to control mice. These studies are among the first to demonstrate that HA-based prodrugs administered loco-regionally have anti-tumor activity in vivo.
Comparison of Slug (Mollusca: Pulmonata) Trapping in No-Till Alfalfa

A comparison of defined-area traps (DATs) and refuge traps (RTs), in no-till alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) to census the slug species Deroceras reticulatum (Muller), Deroceras laevae (Muller), and Arion fasciatus (Nielson) was made. The objective of the study was to determine whether RTs could be used in a range of crop densities and climatic conditions to assess slug density. In relation to slug density measured by DATs, RTs were less effective in trapping slugs in spring, when D. reticulatum was very small, but trapped relatively higher numbers than DATs when slugs were larger. Trapping methods were assessed between May and November in no-till alfalfa plots with plant densities ranging from 52 to 99% total plant cover in May to 78 to 91% cover in July. Alfalfa crop density had no effect upon RT catches except in dry conditions in June, when RTs collected more slugs in plots with most vegetation cover. Neither trap collected slugs during Severe drought conditions in July when soil moisture content in the top 5 cm of the soil profile dropped to about 6%.
Effects of Tall Fescue and Its Fungal Endophyte on the Development and Survival of Tawny-Edged Skippers (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae).

Invasive, exotic grasses are increasing in tallgrass prairie and their dominance may be contributing to the decline of grassland butterflies through alterations in forage quality. Tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort.), an exotic grass covering millions of acres in the United States, can host a fungal endophyte, Epichloe coenophiala (Morgan-Jones & Gams). Alkaloids produced by the endophyte are known to be toxic to some foliar-feeding pest insects. Endophyte-infected tall fescue is commonly planted in hayfields, pastures, lawns, and is invading natural areas, but effects of the endophyte on nonpest insects such as butterflies are relatively unknown. Our objective was to investigate the role that tall fescue and its endophyte might play in the decline of grass skippers (Hesperiidae). We examined growth and survival parameters of tawny-edged skippers (Polites themistocles (Latreille)) that were reared on endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+), endophyte-free tall fescue (E-), and Kentucky bluegrass (KBG). KBG was included as a comparison because it is a cool season grass known to be palatable to P. themistocles larvae. Interestingly, results showed that the endophyte did not affect growth and survival of larvae compared to uninfected tall fescue, even though significant amounts of loline alkaloids (average 740 ppm) were measured in endophyte-infected plant material. Larvae feeding on KBG grew faster with greater survival rates than larvae on both tall fescue treatments. These results confirm that tall fescue invasion and dominance may be deteriorating the quality of grassland habitats for native pollinators; however, this effect does not appear to be linked to endophyte infection.
Data Center Modeling Using Response Surface With Multi-Parameters Approach

Energy consumption and thermal management have become key challenges in the design of large-scale data centers, where perforated tiles are used together with cold and hot aisles configuration to improve thermal management. Although full-field simulations using computational fluid dynamics and heat transfer (CFD/HT) tools can be applied to predict the flow and temperature fields inside data centers, their running time remains the biggest challenge to most modelers. In this paper, response surface methodology based on radial basis function is used to drastically reduce the running time while preserving the accuracy of the model. Response surface method with data interpolation allows the study of many design parameters of data center model more feasible and economical in terms of modeling time. Three scenarios of response surface construction are investigated (5%, 10%, and 20%). The method shows very good agreement with the simulation results obtained from CFD/HT model as in the case of 20% of the original CFD data points used for response surface training. Error analysis is carried out to quantify the error associated with each scenario. Case 20% shows superb accuracy as compared to others. With only 2.12 × 104 in mean relative error and R2 = 0.970, the case can capture most of the aspects of the original CFD model.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Reform With Reinvestment: Values and Tensions in Gentrifying Urban Schools

As cities across the country experience an influx of White and middle- to upper-class residents, new opportunities for the integration of urban schools emerge. Yet crucial challenges persist even w...
Simulative FEA of Loading NF Backstop

The backstop hinderes the belt conveyer from non-normal reverse in order to prevent the occurrence of heavy accident.The 3D solid model of the NF backstop is established by software Pro/E.The loading process on life test and the FEA(Finite Element Analysis) of the backstop are carried out by means of software ANSYS.The study provides a reference for the design and improvement of the loading test method.
Differential effects of toll-like receptor stimulation on mRNA-driven myogenic conversion of human and mouse fibroblasts.

Transfection with in vitro transcribed mRNAs is a safe and effective tool to convert somatic cells to any cell type of interest. One caveat of mRNA transfection is that mRNAs are recognized by multiple RNA-sensing toll like receptors (TLRs). These TLRs can both promote and inhibit cellular reprogramming. We demonstrated that mRNA transfection stimulated TLR3 and TLR7 and induced cytotoxicity and IFN-β expression in human and mouse fibroblasts. Furthermore, mRNA transfection induced paracrine inhibition of repeated mRNA transfection through type I IFNs. Modified mRNAs (mmRNAs) containing pseudouridine and 5-methycytosine reduced TLR stimulation, cytotoxicity and IFN-β expression in fibroblasts. Repeated liposomal transfection with MyoD mmRNAs significantly enhanced myogenic conversion of human and mouse fibroblasts compared with repeated transfection with MyoD mRNAs. Interestingly, electroporation of mRNAs and mmRNAs completely abrogated cytotoxicity and IFN-β expression and also abolished myogenic conversion of fibroblasts. At a low concentration, TLR7/8 agonist R848 enhanced MyoD mmRNA-driven conversion of human fibroblasts into skeletal muscle cells, whereas high concentrations of R848 inhibited myogenic conversion of fibroblasts. Our study suggests that deliberate control of TLR signaling is a key factor in the success of mRNA-driven cellular reprogramming.
226. Next-Generation Sleeping Beauty Integration Profiles of T-Cell Adoptive Immunotherapy

Since the first human Gene Therapy clinical trial was initiated 25 years ago, many technological advances have dove-tailed into the field, moving personalized genetic treatments from concept towards routine reality. In particular, widespread adoption of next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled faster vector integration profiling to assay for potential genotoxities. Genomic data generation since 2007 has grown faster than Moore's law for computing power, now making data analysis the new bottleneck in the workflow. Newer and accelerated solutions are needed to manage exponential increases in data accumulation. Our goal is to compress sequence data generation and downstream data analysis within 5 work days, enabling the utility of genotoxicity assay to support time-sensitive clinical decision making. Time and cost savings in integrated and streamlined data processing should translate into easier and faster implementation in clinical settings. We use non-viral transfections, based on the Sleeping Beauty transposition system, to reprogram T cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy. We exploit the fact that Sleeping Beauty transposons invariably inserts into “TA” sites via a cut-and-paste mechanism driven by cognate transposases, to develop an analysis platform, SBhashmap, to quickly locate and unlock insights associated with the genomic integration sites. We chose hash tables over other table data structures for speed, an advantage which is more apparent when the number of entries is large. SBhashmap consists of pre-populated hash tables with over 150 million entries corresponding to the “TA” sites from the human genome and hash functions to match for quick site matching. By cataloging the TA sites ahead of time, we can cut the mapping time significantly. To benchmark SBhashmap, we compared transposon integration mapping to BLAST and BLAT matching for human genomic sequences, and found a 20-fold reduction in processing time, while maintaining similar levels of accuracy. This kind of hash maps is particularly efficient because the maximum number of entries is known in advance, such that the bucket array can be allocated once with the optimum size fixed (not resized, with no insertions and deletions necessary). With collision-free hash functions, the keys are not stored in the tables. With minor adaptations, SBhashmap can process genomic data from experimentally relevant model organisms such mice, worms, and fruitflies.
Randomized Trial of the Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking-Caregiver for Dementia Caregivers: Use of Community and Healthcare Resources.

Objectives To examine the effects of a telephone-delivered intervention, Family Intervention: Telephone Tracking—Caregiver (FITT-C), on community support and healthcare use by dementia caregivers. Design Randomized, controlled trial. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Dyads (n = 250) of distressed informal dementia caregivers and care recipients. Intervention Caregivers were randomly assigned to receive the FITT-C (n = 133) or telephone support (TS; n = 117). Both groups received 16 telephone contacts from a master's-level therapist over 6 months. The FITT-C intervention provided psychoeducation, problem solving, and other directive approaches based on assessment of critical areas (e.g., mood, behavior, family functioning, social support). TS provided supportive therapeutic strategies. Measurements Outcome variables were caregiver report of community support service use, number of visits to the emergency department (ED) for caregivers and care recipients, and hospital stays for caregivers during the interventions. Results Intervention groups did not differ in demographic characteristics, use of support services, or use of healthcare resources at baseline. Caregivers who received the FITT-C used community support services at end of treatment significantly more than those receiving TS (P = .02). FITT-C caregivers had a significantly lower rate of ED visits (rate difference 9.5%, P = .048) and hospital stays (rate difference 11.4%, P = .01) over the 6-month course of the intervention than TS caregivers. Care recipient use of community or medical resources did not differ according to group. Conclusion An entirely telephone-delivered intervention was effective in increasing caregiver engagement in community resources and reducing caregiver use of hospital-based healthcare resources. Results highlight the potential effect of FITT-C on healthcare use.
Developing nutrient criteria for food-specific dietary guidelines for the general public

Consumers are asking for specific information about which foods and, in particular, which brands of packaged foods to choose when they eat or purchase food. Point-of-purchase nutrition intervention programs that identify specific foods in restaurants and grocery stores are particularly promising community-based strategies for providing that type of information. However, such strategies demand consistent criteria for determining which foods and/or products should be labeled. This article describes the process of developing and validating criteria and the subsequent uses of the criteria in community nutrition intervention programs. Steps in the process include (a) identifying the scientific basis for the criteria, (b) developing food-group-specific nutrient criteria based on a referent meal pattern, (c) developing the eligibility of single servings of specific foods for labeling based on the nutrient criteria of the food group to which the specific food belongs, and (d) validating the criteria by reviewing actual food products in the grocery stores and restaurants. We conclude that the use of criteria provides a consistent standard for evaluating specific foods and food items in nutrition evaluation programs.
Exploiting the Demographics of “Did You Feel It?” Responses to Estimate the Felt Area of Moderate Earthquakes in California

ABSTRACT We combine “Did You Feel It?” (DYFI) responses with the populations of reporting and nonreporting ZIP codes to improve estimates of the lowest intensities (modified Mercalli intensity; 1≤MMI≤3) and the overall felt area for moderate earthquakes. We presume that participation in the DYFI website is sufficiently widespread to interpret shaking in nonreporting ZIP codes as “not felt.” For most moderate earthquakes, no nonreporting ZIP codes are located near the earthquake; reporting and nonreporting ZIP codes overlap over intermediate distances; and few reporting ZIP codes are located at regional distances. We combine the intensities from reporting and nonreporting ZIP codes by weighing the average intensity in each reporting ZIP code by the number of reports and by weighing the “not felt” intensity in each nonreporting ZIP code by the population/5000. We reduce the average intensities for underreporting ZIP codes, where the number of reports is less than the population/5000, to account for the nonreporting population. We refer to the combination of intensities from reporting, underreporting, and nonreporting ZIP codes as the revised community decimal intensity (CDI*) to distinguish it from the standard CDI of Wald et al. (1999). This revision significantly improves estimates of the lowest intensities. We contour the revised intensity distributions and interpret the CDI * =1.5 contour as the limit of the felt area. This contour is well determined in densely populated areas and adequately determined in sparsely populated areas.
Impacts of Abstinence Time on Semen Parameters in a Large Population-based Cohort of Subfertile Men.

Objective To assess the effects of abstinence time on semen parameters in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic men using a large cohort of subfertile men. Materials and Methods From 2002 to 2013, we retrospectively reviewed data from 15,623 patients seen at our fertility clinic. Data on patient age and semen parameters were extracted along with abstinence time. Abstinence time was categorized into 4 groups (≤2 days; >2 and ≤5 days; >5 and ≤7 days; and >7 days). Semen samples were further categorized as normozoospermic or oligozoospermic based on concentration. Age-adjusted linear mixed effect regression models were used to test the effect of abstinence categories on semen parameters. Results Data from 11,782 encounters (10,095 patients) were used for the final analysis after excluding patients Conclusion The effects of abstinence are different on semen parameters in normozoospermic and oligozoospermic patients. Longer abstinence does not improve most semen parameters in oligozoospermic samples. The World Health Organization recommendations for 2-7 days of abstinence may not be beneficial for subfertile patients when timing is a factor.
Graphical prior elicitation in univariate models

Standard prior elicitation procedures require experts to explicitly quantify their beliefs about parameters in the form of multiple summaries. In this article, we draw on recent advances in the statistical graphics and information visualization communities to propose a novel elicitation scheme that implicitly learns an expert’s opinions through their sequential selection of graphics of carefully constructed hypothetical future samples. While the scheme can be applied to a broad array of models, we use it to construct procedures for elicitation in data models commonly used in practice: Bernoulli, Poisson, and Normal. We also provide open-source, web-based Shiny implementations of the procedures.
Seamless Staircase Electrical Contact to Semiconducting Graphene Nanoribbons

Electrical contact to low-dimensional (low-D) materials is a key to their electronic applications. Traditional metal contacts to low-D semiconductors typically create gap states that can pin the Fermi level (EF). However, low-D metals possessing a limited density of states at EF can enable gate-tunable work functions and contact barriers. Moreover, a seamless contact with native bonds at the interface, without localized interfacial states, can serve as an optimal electrode. To realize such a seamless contact, one needs to develop atomically precise heterojunctions from the atom up. Here, we demonstrate an all-carbon staircase contact to ultranarrow armchair graphene nanoribbons (aGNRs). The coherent heterostructures of width-variable aGNRs, consisting of 7, 14, 21, and up to 56 carbon atoms across the width, are synthesized by a surface-assisted self-assembly process with a single molecular precursor. The aGNRs exhibit characteristic vibrational modes in Raman spectroscopy. A combined scanning tunneling m...
Do 2nd and 3rd grade teachers’ linguistic knowledge and instructional practices predict spelling gains in weaker spellers?

The relationship between 2nd and 3rd grade teachers’ linguistic knowledge and spelling instructional practices and their students’ spelling gains from fall to spring was examined. Second grade (N = 16) and 3rd grade (N = 16) teachers were administered an instructional practices survey and a linguistic knowledge test. Total scores on the two instruments were not significantly related (r = 0.20), indicating two different constructs. Students (N = 331 2nd graders, N = 305 3rd graders) completed a 40 item spelling dictation test in the fall and spring. HLM analyses were conducted on subsamples of weaker spellers (Ns = 226 2nd graders and 50 3rd graders) who spelled fewer than 20 words correctly on the pretest. Limiting the sample to weaker spellers eliminated ceiling effects on pre- to posttest gains. Results revealed that 2nd grade teachers’ linguistic knowledge of phonemic units in words, their teaching of spelling strategies, the time they spent in weekly spelling instruction, and the greater the number of weaker spellers in their classrooms, were significant predictors of weaker spellers’ improvement in spelling. For 3rd grade teachers, HLM analyses were not significant perhaps due to lack of power. However, 3rd grade teachers’ phonemic knowledge was significantly correlated with weaker spellers’ gain scores. Results while correlational provide tentative support for the conclusion that teachers who are more knowledgeable about phonemes in words and who utilize more effective, research based spelling instruction are more successful in teaching spelling to weaker spellers.
Security implementation using present-puffin protocol in RFID devices

Tag's memory can be easily accessed by readers without any type of authentication technique in GEN2 protocol. In this paper, we use security implementation and mutual authentication between tag and reader of three different lightweight ciphers. We used Hummingbird (HB), PRESENT, and Extended Tiny Encryption Algorithm (XTEA) to encrypt the data and implemented all three algorithms to FPGA devices. We finally implemented PRESENT with PUFFIN as a trail and we got better results compared to the former three ciphers based on performance, data blocks and execution time.
VIDEO: Ultrasound of the Elbow: Scanning Techniques

Objective When imaging the elbow with ultrasound, it is important to follow a routine that includes a checklist of anatomic structures. Conclusion This video will show ultrasound scanning and anatomy of the elbow divided into four quadrants, beginning anterior, then moving medial, lateral, and posterior.
The Computing Center and the Academic Program: A Report of the Workshop

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the functions of a computing center in a university and the ways in which these functions might evolve in the foreseeable future. It also discusses the relationship of the computing center to other activities at the university, including the activities of a computing science department, and to activities outside the university. A university must formulate and review periodically the policy under which its computing center operates. This must be done despite the difficulties of specifying what policy embraces or the best way to administer it. The matters of policy include the allocation of computer time; the method of authorizing acquisition of new computers, terminals, or staff; and the decisions about relations with non-university organizations. Policy might also include rulings on the nature and extent of services, for example, the desirability of maintaining a pool of programmers for specific applications or the amount of consultation to be given to users.
Modern work and the sleepy worker.

The changing social views of fatigue and sleepiness have contributed to the medicalizing lack of sleep. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
An Introduction to Amplification–Production–Detection Techniques

This decade has seen the use of molecular detection techniques grow in popularity within the field of diagnostic microbiology. The importance of molecular methods in the detection of infectious disease agents has been recognized because of their abilities to detect targets that may be present in very low concentrations. Even though culture methods are still considered the gold standard for most laboratories, some fastidious bacteria, fungi, and viruses simply do not grow in culture media [1]. Improved speed, sensitivity, specificity, and ease of use compared to traditional culture methods for the detection of clinical pathogens have made molecular techniques an indispensable tool in the modern microbiology laboratory.
Deepwater Horizon crude oil exposure alters cholesterol biosynthesis with implications for developmental cardiotoxicity in larval mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus)

Abstract During the spring and summer of 2010, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil well released over three million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. As the oil dispersed it contaminated ecosystems that support numerous Gulf species including mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus). The timing of the spill, and location of the surface slick, coincided with the spawning of many species in the region, raising concerns over embryonic and larval exposure. Numerous abnormalities due to crude oil exposure have been documented in fish early life stages, including cardiotoxicity; however, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that cause these phenotypes is still limited. Several transcriptomic studies have presented cholesterol biosynthesis as one of the top enriched pathways following PAH exposure. In this study we exposed mahi-mahi embryos to DWH oil collected from the surface slick. At exposures ranging from ∑PAH 1.69 μg/L to ∑PAH 5.99 μg/L, the resulting larvae demonstrated significant increases in farnesyl-diphosphate farnesyltransferase 1 (fdft1) and an upward trend in 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase (hmgcr) expression, genes that encode key enzymes in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. In addition to the increased expression of genes in cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, a significant decrease in total cholesterol was observed in larval homogenates, at ∑PAH 8.3 μg/L. These data confirm earlier transcriptomic studies and show that oil may diminish cholesterol and adversely impact numerous cellular functions due to altered membrane stability.
Nutraceuticals in Immune Disorders

Immune disorders in animals and humans may occur due to derangements in the body immune system in responses to various substances such as allergens, infections, chronic immune deficiency diseases, autoimmune diseases, and disruption in the immune system due to various other conditions. Modem medicine has been in use for long to treat different types of immune disorders. Many of these in fact have unintended side effects, although may be effective in treating diseases or alleviating the associated symptoms. Nutraceuticals are in use in traditional medicine throughout the world for centuries despite emergence of modem medicine. Nowadays, there is an increased tendency to look into nutraceuticals for the treatment of various diseases and conditions in humans and animals due to their efficacy in treating diseases and the fact that they cause no unintended side effects. This chapter briefly highlights on the use of nutraceuticals in immune disorders.
Homogeneous ice nucleation rates and crystallization kinetics in transiently-heated, supercooled water films from 188 K to 230 K.

The crystallization kinetics of transiently heated, nanoscale water films were investigated for 188 K 220 K, but the transiently heated water films are not very sensitive to the smaller nucleation rates at higher temperatures. The crystallization kinetics are consistent with a "classical" nucleation and growth mechanism indicating that there is an energetic barrier for deeply supercooled water to convert to ice.
Im/materialities: translation technologies & the (dis)enchantment of diasporic life-worlds

ABSTRACTThis article explores the interaction between materiality and ideality through the work of a translation software technology routinely used in Sikh diaspora communities. The software Sikhi-...
Transcranial Electrical Stimulation Motor Threshold Combined with Reverse-Calculated Electric Field Modeling Can Determine Individualized tDCS Dosage

Abstract Background Unique amongst brain stimulation tools, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) currently lacks an easy method for individualizing dosage. Objective Can one individually dose tDCS? We developed a novel method of reverse-calculating electric-field (E-field) models based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans that can determine individualized tDCS dose. We also sought to develop an MRI-free method of individualizing tDCS dose by measuring transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) motor threshold (MT) and single pulse, suprathreshold transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) MT and regressing it against E-field modeling. Methods In 29 healthy adults, we acquired TMS MT, TES MT, and structural MRI scans with a fiducial marking the motor hotspot. We then computed a “reverse-calculated tDCS dose” of tDCS applied at the scalp needed to cause a 1.00V/m E-field at the cortex. Finally, we examined whether the predicted E-field values correlated with each participant’s measured TMS MT or TES MT. Results We were able to determine a reverse-calculated tDCS dose for each participant. The Transcranial Electrical Stimulation MT, but not the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation MT, significantly correlated with the calculated tDCS dose determined by E-field modeling (R2 = 0.509, p Conclusions Reverse-calculation E-field modeling, alone or in combination with TES MT, shows promise as a method to individualize tDCS dose. The large range of the reverse-calculated tDCS doses between subjects underscores the likely need to individualize tDCS dose. If these results are confirmed in future studies, TES MT may evolve into an inexpensive and quick method to individualize tDCS dose.
The Symbiotic Relationship between the Neural Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium Is Supported by Utilizing Differential Metabolic Pathways.

Summary The neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) maintain a symbiotic metabolic relationship, disruption of which leads to debilitating vision loss. The current study was undertaken to identify the differences in the steady state metabolite levels and the pathways functioning between bona fide neural retina and RPE. Global metabolomics and cluster analyses identified 650 metabolites differentially modulated between the murine neural retina and RPE. Of which, 387 and 163 were higher in the RPE and the neural retina, respectively. Further analysis coupled with transcript and protein level investigations revealed that under normal physiological conditions, the RPE utilizes the pentose phosphate (>3-fold in RPE), serine (>10-fold in RPE) and sphingomyelin biosynthesis (>5-fold in RPE) pathways. Conversely, the neural retina relied mostly on glycolysis. These results show how the RPE and the neural retina have acquired an efficient, complimentary and metabolically diverse symbiotic niche in order to support each other’s distinct functions.
8 – Enhancing hygiene/antimicrobial properties of polyolefins

: The unique characteristics of polyolefins make them the best candidates in single use healthcare products, medical textiles, and water filters. Most medical textiles and polymeric materials used in hospitals and hotels are good media for cross-transmission of diseases since most microorganisms can survive on fibrous materials for several hours to several months. Use of medical devices with antimicrobial functions has been considered as a major avenue to fight against microbial infections. In addition, suitable packaging can slow the deterioration rate, and hence, extend the shelf-life of food. Physical and chemical incorporation of antimicrobial agents into polyolefins can be implemented in common polyolefin processing. In this chapter, antimicrobial polyolefins are summarized based on processes that were studied to incorporate biocides into the polymers. These processes include blending, coating, and chemical modifications.
Vibrational Spectroscopic Studies of Nitrated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (NPAHs): A Review (1960-2019)

Abstract Nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment. They are carcinogenic and mutagenic, thus posing great health risks to human health, albeit occurring at one to two orders of magnitude lower than the parent PAHs. Because of their occurrence as mixtures with parent PAHs and the existence of isomers in diverse matrices, analyses of NPAHs and identification is often challenging. Thus, distinguishing spectroscopic signatures of NPAHs in the environment (such as found in particulate matter) poses challenge within different matrices. Often, the nitro-PAH isomers may have overlapping retention times. Analyses of isomers with mass spectrometry, typically yields the same fragmentation patterns. This makes distinguishing isomers in environmental samples challenging. Vibrational spectroscopy offers great potential for distinguishing nitro-PAH isomers. This review discusses the current status of the vibrational spectroscopic information of known 1 - 5 aromatic ring NPAHs. Special attention is devoted to nitro symmetric/asymmetric stretching frequencies. The importance of interpreting vibrational modes highlights the synergy between experimental and theoretical studies. The fundamental principles of quantum chemistry is first briefly presented to highlight the synergy between experiment and theory in the subsequent review sections.
Efficient AI System Design With Cross-Layer Approximate Computing

Advances in deep neural networks (DNNs) and the availability of massive real-world data have enabled superhuman levels of accuracy on many AI tasks and ushered the explosive growth of AI workloads across the spectrum of computing devices. However, their superior accuracy comes at a high computational cost, which necessitates approaches beyond traditional computing paradigms to improve their operational efficiency. Leveraging the application-level insight of error resilience, we demonstrate how approximate computing (AxC) can significantly boost the efficiency of AI platforms and play a pivotal role in the broader adoption of AI-based applications and services. To this end, we present RaPiD, a multi-tera operations per second (TOPS) AI hardware accelerator core (fabricated at 14-nm technology) that we built from the ground-up using AxC techniques across the stack including algorithms, architecture, programmability, and hardware. We highlight the workload-guided systematic explorations of AxC techniques for AI, including custom number representations, quantization/pruning methodologies, mixed-precision architecture design, instruction sets, and compiler technologies with quality programmability, employed in the RaPiD accelerator.
Deflagration to Detonation Transition in Thermonuclear Supernovae

We derive the criteria for deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) in a Type Ia supernova. The theory is based on the two major assumptions: (i) detonation is triggered via the Zeldovich gradient mechanism inside a region of mixed fuel and products, (ii) the mixed region is produced by a turbulent mixing of fuel and products either inside an active deflagration front or during the global expansion and subsequent contraction of an exploding white dwarf. We determine the critical size of the mixed region required to initiate a detonation in a degenerate carbon-oxygen mixture. This critical length is much larger than the width of the reaction front of a Chapman-Jouguet detonation. However, at densities greater than simeq 5 x 10^6 g cm^-3, it is much smaller than the size of a white dwarf. We derive the critical turbulent intensity required to create the mixed region inside an active deflagration front in which a detonation can form. We conclude that the density rho_tr at which a detonation can form in a carbon-oxygem white dwarf is low, less than 2 - 5 x 10^7 g cm^-3, but greater than 5 x 10^6 g cm^-3.
Polyvictimization and developmental trauma in childhood

Background: Polyvictimization (Gilbar & Ford, 2020) and developmental trauma (van der Kolk, Ford, & Spinazzola, 2019) have been identified in the past decade as empirically operationalized high imp...
Opening the Door to Registered Reports: Census of Journals Publishing Registered Reports (2013 - 2020)

Author(s): Montoya, Amanda Kay; Krenzer, William Leo Donald; Fossum, Jessica Louise | Abstract: Registered reports are a new publication workflow where the decision to publish is made prior to data collection and analysis and thus cannot be dependent on the outcome of the study. An increasing number of journals have adopted this new mechanism, but previous research suggests that submission rates are still relatively low. We conducted a census of journals publishing registered reports (N = 278) using independent coders to collect information from submission guidelines, with the goal of documenting journals’ early adoption of registered reports. Our results show that the majority of journals adopting registered reports are in psychology, and it typically takes about a year to publish the first registered report after adopting. Still, many journals have not published their first registered report. There is high variability in impact of journals adopting registered reports. Many journals do not include concrete information about policies that address concerns about registered reports (e.g., exploratory analysis); however, those that do typically allow these practices with some restrictions. Additionally, other open science practices are commonly encouraged or required as part of the registered report process, especially open data and materials. Overall, many journals did not include many of the fields coded by the research team, which could be a barrier to submission for some authors. Though the majority of journals allow authors to be anonymous during the review process, a sizable portion do not, which could also be a barrier to submission. We conclude with future directions and implications for authors of registered reports, journals that have already adopted registered reports, and journals that may consider adopting registered reports in the future.
Vragenlijsten

De wereld wordt bedolven onder vragenlijsten. Van de CITO -toets in groep 8 van de basisschool tot een kaartje met vragen om in te vullen wanneer je aankomt in de Verenigde Staten. Ook in de huisartsenpraktijk wordt regelmatig gebruikgemaakt van vragenlijsten. In deze bijdrage staan we stil bij dergelijke vragenlijsten: hoe komen ze tot stand, waar moet je op letten en wat doe je ermee?
Meaningful Journalism or "Infotainment"? The Failure to Define the Public Interest in Axel Springer AG v. Germany

Although American courts provide wide discretion for freedom of the press, the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ensures that the right to privacy enjoys equal footing with freedom of expression in Europe. When navigating the grey areas between these two frequently opposing rights, the European Court of Human Rights allows private information about a public figure to be published only to the extent the information contributes to the public interest. In Axel Springer AG v. Germany, the court missed a valuable opportunity to provide a clear standard for what the public interest encompasses. Although the court seems content with deciding this issue on a case-by-case basis, the resulting ambiguity can be detrimental for both the press and the individuals on whom the press often reports.
Peacemaking and Victory: Lessons from Kant’s Cosmopolitanism

In the texts in which Immanuel Kant discusses the principles governing international relations—including texts explicitly dealing with the sources leading states to armed conflict and the circumstances enabling its cessation—he does not directly engage the question “What constitutes victory in war?” This should not be surprising, given that Kant’s treatment of war may be read as consonant with just war thinking for which victory seems an unproblematic concept Yet there are elements in the tone and the substance of his discussion that destabilize a placement of his views as unproblematically part of that tradition. The mordant tone of his dismissal of the Realpolitik guiding “political moralists” suggests a trenchant skepticism about almost any justification offered for leading a state into war. More substantively, an antinomy is at work in the contrast Kant makes, in the two sets of articles for perpetual peace, between a “state of nature” that, construed from the standpoint of the theoretical use of reason, defines the order of international relations as necessarily one of constant war, and the radical transformation of that order, enacted by moral reason in the definitive articles of perpetual peace, into a cosmopolitan order that heeds the categorical imperative “there shall be no war.” In consequence, one may construct a Kantian answer to the question “What constitutes victory in war?” by framing it in reference to this cosmopolitan hope for an international order securing enduring peace. Within the moral horizon of cosmopolitan hope, victory in war—like war itself—is unmasked as morally unintelligible.
Neutron Imaging for the Hydrogen Economy

The development of fuel cells and hydrogen storage materials will be one of the highest global research and development priorities for the foreseeable future. The particular abilities of neutrons to penetrate materials and to image hydrogen will make neutron imaging a key technique, allowing the in-situ study of real operational devices. This chapter describes the current state of the art in this field.
The Effect of Cytokines on Cardiac Allograft Function: Tumor Necrosis Factor α a Mediator of Chronic Injury

Cardiac transplantation has evolved as the treatment of choice for the patient with advanced heart failure. However, the long-term survival of heart transplant recipients is limited by the development of complications associated with the immune response against the graft or complications that result from long-term use of immunosuppressive therapy. Despite the fact that cardiac transplantation represents the only treatment modality that radically alters the prognosis of the terminally ill heart failure patient, the function of the transplanted heart is not normal. For example, only 27% of heart transplant recipients are able to return to work full-time; while their functional class and exercise tolerance is better than prior to transplantation, it is not normal [1]. The mechanisms for abnormal graft function are the rapid progression of coronary arteriopathy and the development of left ventricular hypertrophy, which eventually leads to cardiac failure. In this review, we will discuss the potential effects of acute and chronic injury by cytokines expressed in the allograft.
Impact of geoinformatics on the emerging Geoscience Knowledge Integration Paradigm

The advent of computers has provided valuable tools for the geoscience community to use in addressing societal concerns. Geoscientists have become accustomed to using vast data and information bases to conduct complex analyses. For the last twenty years, numerous investigations have implemented and evaluated various techniques for integrating data and information. However, the full potential of data, information, and knowledge integration has not yet been realised.
Anandamide: a candidate neurotransmitter heads for the big leagues

Activation of dopamine receptors triggers release of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid, in vivo, leading to inhibition of dopamine-mediated locomotor behavior.
Performance of turbo codes with short frame sizes

Parallel concatenated convolutional codes (turbo codes) have been shown to yield very good performance for long block sizes. We consider the applicability of such codes to practical mobile communication scenarios, where block sizes for speech or control functions are typically short. We compare the performance of turbo codes with convolutional codes that incur similar decoding complexity. For representative cases, we show that convolutional coding performs better than turbo coding when frame sizes are below a threshold.