cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circuit-level mismatch modelling and yield optimization for CMOS analog circuits

A methodology for constructing circuit-level mismatch models and performing yield optimization is presented for CMOS analog circuits. The methodology combines statistical techniques with direct investigation of circuit behavior, and achieves model simplification and computational efficiency while ensuring sufficient accuracy. The circuit-level mismatch model can be used in performance characterization and yield estimation, both important in providing information for circuit reliability analysis. The proposed yield optimization technique consists of constructing and refining a yield model over the designable parameters, and ensures fast convergence to the global optimal design. The experimental results on two representative circuits confirm the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Thoracoscopic Pneumonectomy in Management of Histoplasmosis and Fibrosing Mediastinitis

Pulmonary histoplasmosis is generally a self-limited respiratory illness in endemic areas. Fibrosing mediastinitis is a severe chronic complication of pulmonary histoplasmosis in which pulmonary vessels and airways can be compressed with the potential for life-threatening implications. We present a 50-year-old male patient who presented with a total occlusion of the left pulmonary artery due to fibrosing mediastinitis.
Scintigraphic assessment of regionalized defects in myocardial sympathetic innervation and blood flow regulation in diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy

AbstractObjectives. This study sought to evaluate whether regional sympathetic myocardial denervation in diabetes is associated with abnormal myocardial blood flow under rest and adenosine-stimulat...
Core-based portal image registration for automatic radiotherapy treatment verification.

PURPOSE Portal imaging is the most important quality assurance procedure for monitoring the reproducibility of setup geometry in radiation therapy. The role of portal imaging has become even more critical in recent years due to the migration of three-dimensional (3D) treatment planning technology, including high-precision conformal therapy, from the research setting to routine clinical practice. Unfortunately, traditional methods for acquiring and interpreting portal images suffer from a number of deficiencies that contribute to the well-documented observation that many setup errors go undetected, and some persist for a clinically significant portion of the prescribed dose. Significant improvements in both accuracy and efficiency of detecting setup errors can, in principle, be achieved by using automatic image registration for on-line screening of images obtained from electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs). METHODS AND MATERIALS This article presents recent developments in a method called core-based image analysis that shows great promise for achieving the desired improvements in error detection. Core-based image analysis is a fundamental computer vision method that is capable of exploiting the full power of EPIDs by providing for on-line detection of setup errors via automatic registration of user-selected anatomical structures. We describe a robust method for automatic portal image registration based on core analysis and demonstrate an approach for assessing both accuracy and precision of registration methods using realistic, digitally reconstructed portal radiographs (DRPRs) where truth is known. RESULTS Automatic core-based analysis of a set of 20 DRPRs containing known, random field positioning errors was performed for a patient undergoing treatment for prostate cancer. In all cases, the reported translation was within 1 mm of the actual translation with mean absolute errors of 0.3 mm and standard deviations of 0.3 mm. In all cases, the reported rotation was within 0.6 degree of the actual rotation with a mean absolute error of 0.18 degree and a standard deviation of 0.23 degree. CONCLUSION Our results, using digitally reconstructed portal radiographs that closely resemble clinical portal images, suggest that automatic core-based registration is suitable as an on-line screening tool for detecting and quantifying patient setup errors.
Heterogenic endothelial responses to inflammation: role for differential N-glycosylation and vascular bed of origin.

Background Endothelial cell responses during inflammation are heterogeneous and key for selectivity in how leukocytes hone in on specific sites and why vascular diseases are highly bed specific. However, mechanisms for this specificity remain unclear. Methods and Results Here, we exposed human endothelial cells isolated from 5 systemic arterial beds from 1 donor (to overcome donor-to-donor genetic/epigenetic differences), the umbilical vein, and pulmonary microvasculature to TNF-α, LPS, and IL-1β and assessed acute (ERK1/2 and p65) and chronic (ICAM-1, VCAM-1 total and surface expression) signaling responses and assessed changes in surface N -glycans and monocyte adhesion. Significant diversity in responses was evident by disparate changes in ERK1/2 and p65 NF-κB phosphorylation, which varied up to 5-fold between different cells and in temporal and magnitude differences in ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression (maximal VCAM-1 induction typically being observed by 4 hours, whereas ICAM-1 expression was increased further at 24 hours relative to 4 hours). N -glycan profiles both basally and with stimulation were also bed specific, with hypoglycosylated N -glycans correlating with increased THP-1 monocyte adhesion. Differences in surface N -glycan expression tracked with dynamic up- or downregulation of α-mannosidase activity during inflammation. Conclusions These results demonstrate a critical role for the vascular bed of origin in controlling endothelial responses and function to inflammatory stimuli and suggest that bed-specific expression of N -linked sugars may provide a signature for select leukocyte recruitment.
Generacion 1.5: A Cultural Historical Agenda for Research at the 2-Year College.

In this article, we employ a cultural historical theoretical framework to extend understandings of how widespread 2-year college placement policies concerning English remediation potentially locate and retain U.S.-educated Latino adolescents at the margins of higher education through well-intentioned yet deficit-driven postsecondary cultural practices. We conclude with a research agenda for examining established institutional practices and alternatives in regard to 2-year college support for nontraditional students’ access to and success in the opportunity structures of higher education.
Role of Plasma Membrane Calcium ATPases in Calcium Clearance from Olfactory Sensory Neurons

Odorants cause Ca2+ to rise in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) first within the ciliary compartment, then in the dendritic knob, and finally in the cell body. Ca2+ not only excites but also produces negative feedback on the transduction pathway. To relieve this Ca2+-dependent adaptation, Ca2+ must be cleared from the cilia and dendritic knob by mechanisms that are not well understood. This work focuses on the roles of plasma membrane calcium pumps (PMCAs) through the use of inhibitors and mice missing 1 of the 4 PMCA isoforms (PMCA2). We demonstrate a significant contribution of PMCAs in addition to contributions of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium pump to the rate of calcium clearance after OSN stimulation. PMCAs in neurons can shape the Ca2+ signal. We discuss the contributions of the specific PMCA isoforms to the shape of the Ca2+ transient that controls signaling and adaptation in OSNs.
Improving the interpretability of TSK fuzzy models by combining global learning and local learning

The fuzzy inference system proposed by Takagi, Sugeno, and Kang, known as the TSK model in fuzzy system literature, provides a powerful tool for modeling complex nonlinear systems. Unlike conventional modeling where a single model is used to describe the global behavior of a system, TSK modeling is essentially a multimodel approach in which simple submodels (typically linear models) are combined to describe the global behavior of the system. Most existing learning algorithms for identifying the TSK model are based on minimizing the square of the residual between the overall outputs of the real system and the identified model. Although these algorithms can generate a TSK model with good global performance (i.e., the model is capable of approximating the given system with arbitrary accuracy, provided that sufficient rules are used and sufficient training data are available), they cannot guarantee the resulting model to have a good local performance. Often, the submodels in the TSK model may exhibit an erratic local behavior, which is difficult to interpret. Since one of the important motivations of using the TSK model (also other fuzzy models) is to gain insights into the model, it is important to investigate the interpretability issue of the TSK model. We propose a new learning algorithm that integrates global learning and local learning in a single algorithmic framework. This algorithm uses the idea of local weighed regression and local approximation in nonparametric statistics, but remains the component of global fitting in the existing learning algorithms. The algorithm is capable of adjusting its parameters based on the user's preference, generating models with good tradeoff in terms of global fitting and local interpretation. We illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithm using a motorcycle crash modeling example.
TNF-induced osteoclastogenesis and inflammatory bone resorption are inhibited by transcription factor RBP-J

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bone resorption and associated morbidity in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis. Mechanisms that regulate the direct osteoclastogenic properties of TNF to limit pathological bone resorption in inflammatory settings are mostly unknown. Here, we show that the transcription factor recombinant recognition sequence binding protein at the Jκ site (RBP-J) strongly suppresses TNF-induced osteoclastogenesis and inflammatory bone resorption, but has minimal effects on physiological bone remodeling. Myeloid-specific deletion of RBP-J converted TNF into a potent osteoclastogenic factor that could function independently of receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) signaling. In the absence of RBP-J, TNF effectively induced osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in RANK-deficient mice. Activation of RBP-J selectively in osteoclast precursors suppressed inflammatory osteoclastogenesis and arthritic bone resorption. Mechanistically, RBP-J suppressed induction of the master regulator of osteoclastogenesis (nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1) by attenuating c-Fos activation and suppressing induction of B lymphocyte–induced maturation protein-1, thereby preventing the down-regulation of transcriptional repressors such as IRF-8 that block osteoclast differentiation. Thus, RBP-J regulates the balance between activating and repressive signals that regulate osteoclastogenesis. These findings identify RBP-J as a key upstream negative regulator of osteoclastogenesis that restrains excessive bone resorption in inflammatory settings.
Reduced Inhibition in an Animal Model of Cortical Dysplasia

Cortical dysplasia has a strong association with epilepsy in humans, but the underlying mechanisms for this are poorly understood. In utero irradiation of rats produces diffuse cortical dysplasia and neuronal heterotopia in the neocortex and hippocampus. Using in vitro neocortical slices, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were obtained from pyramidal neurons in dysplastic cortex and control neocortex. Spontaneous IPSCs were reduced in amplitude (35%) and frequency (70%) in pyramidal cells from dysplastic cortex. Miniature IPSCs were reduced in frequency (66%) in dysplastic cortex. Two additional measures of cortical inhibition, monosynaptic evoked IPSCs and paired pulse depression of evoked EPSCs, were also impaired in dysplastic cortex. Spontaneous EPSCs were increased in amplitude (42%) and frequency (77%) in dysplastic cortex, but miniature EPSCs were not different between the two groups. These data demonstrate significant physiological impairment in inhibitory synaptic transmission in experimental cortical dysplasia. This supports previous immunohistochemical findings in this model and observations in humans of a reduction in the density of inhibitory interneurons in dysplastic cortex.
Income inequality among American states and the incidence of major depression

Background Although cross-sectional and ecological studies have shown that higher area-level income inequality is related to increased risk for depression, few longitudinal studies have been conducted. This investigation examines the relationship between state-level income inequality and major depression among adults participating in a population-based, representative longitudinal study. Methods We used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (n=34 653). Respondents completed structured diagnostic interviews at baseline (2001–2002) and follow-up (2004–2005). Weighted multilevel modelling was used to determine if US state-level income inequality (measured by the Gini coefficient) was a significant predictor of depression at baseline and at follow-up, while controlling for individual-level and statelevel covariates. We also repeated the longitudinal analyses, excluding those who had a history of depression or at baseline, in order to test whether income inequality was related to incident depression. Results State-level inequality was associated with increased incidence of depression among women but not men. In comparison to women residing in states belonging to the lowest quintile of income inequality, women were at increased risk for depression in the second (OR=1.18, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.62), third (OR=1.22, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.62), fourth (OR=1.37, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.82) and fifth (OR=1.50, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.96) quintiles at follow-up (p<0.05 for the linear trend). Conclusions Living in a state with higher income inequality increases the risk for the development of depression among women.
Microstructure and superconducting properties of hot-pressed Bi--Pb--Sr--Ca--Cu--O thick film

Superconducting Bi1.84Pb0.34Sr2.03Ca1.9Cu3.06Oy thick films were prepared on MgO substrates by screen printing with the powder consisting almost entirely of the 110 K phase. The thick film sandwiched between the two MgO substrates was then hot-pressed in air under various conditions. The thickness of the film was 20–40 μm. The degree of grain orientation was quantitatively evaluated through the image analysis on the SEM micrographs for the chemically etched cross sections of the samples. The degree of grain orientation and the critical current density (Jc) increased with increasing hot-pressing temperature. When hot-pressed at 855 °C under a constant pressure of 500 kg/cm2 for 270 min, the Jc had a maximum value of 9500 A/cm2 (77 K, 0 Oe), and the critical temperature was 110 K. When the hot-pressing pressure was higher than 200 kg/cm2, the degree of grain orientation was almost independent of hot-pressing pressure. Nevertheless, the Jc increased with increasing hot-pressing pressure. The relationship between the magnetic field dependence of Jc and hot-pressing conditions was examined.
Economic malpractice in the treatment of Gaucher's disease

0 nly rarely can a physician save the health care system hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in the treatment of a single patient. The strategy that is documented in the paper by Zimran et all in this issue provides that opportunity in the management of patients with Gaucher’s disease. When Barton et al2 first investigated alglucerase in a small group of patients with this disease, they utilized a very high dose, reasoning that it was important to clearly define whether it was an effective treatment for the clinical manifestations of the disease. Even before their paper appeared, the FDA took the unusual step of approving the drug on the basis of a clinical trial carried out on only 12 patients, with 10 of those patients receiving the drug at only one dose level, 60 U/kg every two weeks, and 2 patients receiving 60 U/kg weekly. Even though no clinical dosage-response data had been developed, approval of the drug was a rational step. The F’DA displayed commendable courage in acting promptly; more detailed dosage data could be developed later. Over the past 3 years, it has become increasingly clear that the original dose was, indeed, much higher than needed, and that the dosage schedule used was far from optimal. The sparsely distributed specific mannose receptors on macrophages are outnumbered by three or four orders of magnitude by low affiity nonspecific receptors on endothelial cells and all other cells tested.3 As a consequence, very little of the infused enzyme reaches the macrophage. On theoretical grounds, one can predict that a much larger proportion of a small dose would reach the target than that of a large dose. Our clinical results4a5 and those reported by Zimran et al’ in this issue have proved that there is no longer any justification for the administration of 130 U/kg or even 65 U/kg every month as was originally recommended except, as Zimran et al state, “when cost is not an issue.” But at more than $400,000 per year for a 70-kg patient, cost is always an issue. In reality, even the low doses used by Zimran et al may be high on the dosage-response curve. Hollak et al6 have shown that most patients enjoy a satisfactory response to one-half of the dose that was used by the Israeli group and by ours. They propose an eminently
Primary and secondary metabolism of pentamidine by rats

The antiprotozoal drug pentamidine [1,5-bis(4'-amidinophenoxy)pentane] has been previously shown to be metabolized by rat liver microsomes, and five of the seven putative primary metabolites have been identified. With the synthesis and identification of 5-(4'-amidinophenoxy)pentanoic acid and 5-(4'-amidinophenoxy)-1-pentanol as the remaining two metabolites, the primary metabolism of pentamidine in rats appears fully characterized. Use of [14C]pentamidine with rat liver microsomes confirms this conclusion, since no unidentified radioactive peaks were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Isolated, perfused rat livers were used with [14C]pentamidine to identify secondary metabolites. Only two novel radioactive peaks were detected by HPLC analysis of perfused liver samples. The treatment of liver samples with sulfatase or beta-glucuronidase resulted in the reduction or elimination of these peaks and gave rise to peaks identified as para-hydroxybenzamidine and 5-(4'-amidinophenoxy)pentanoic acid. It was concluded from these results that only these two primary metabolites were conjugated with sulfate or glucuronic acid. After 4 h of incubation in the perfused liver system, approximately 15% of the recovered radiolabel was pentamidine. These results suggest that pentamidine metabolism can be rapid and extensive in rats.
Modeling methods for managing raw material compositional uncertainty in alloy production

Operational uncertainties create disincentives for use of recycled materials in metal alloy production. One that greatly influences remelter batch optimization is variation in the raw material composition, particularly for secondary materials. Currently, to accommodate compositional variation, firms commonly set production targets well inside the window of compositional specification required for performance reasons. Window narrowing, while effective, does not make use of statistical sampling data, leading to sub-optimal usage of recycled materials. This paper explores the use of a chance-constrained optimization method, which allows explicit consideration of statistical information on composition. The framework and a case study of cast and wrought production with available scrap materials are presented. Results show that it is possible to increase the use of recycled material without compromising the likelihood of batch errors, when using this method compared to conventional window narrowing. This benefit of the chance-constrained method grows with increase in compositional uncertainty and is driven by scrap portfolio diversification.
Refining Kea++ automatic keyphrase assignment

Keyphrases facilitate finding the right information in digital sources. Keyphrase assignment is the alignment of documents or text with keyphrases of any standard taxonomy/classification system. Kea++ is an automatic keyphrase assignment tool using a machine learning-based technique. However, it does not effectively exploit the hierarchical relations that exist in its input taxonomy and returns noise in its results. The refinement methodology was designed as a top layer of Kea++ in order to fine tune its results. It was an initial step and focused on a single Computing domain. It was neither validated on multiple domains nor evaluated to determine whether the improvement in the results is significant or not. The aim of this task was to solidify the refinement methodology. The main contributions of this work are a to extend the methodology for multiple domains and b to statistically verify that the improvement in the Kea++ results is significant.
Policing the Boundaries of “Germandom” in the East: SS Ethnic German Policy and Odessa's “ Volksdeutsche ,” 1941–1944

On the morning of October 21, 1941, the custodian of Odessa's Museum of Western Civilization summoned twenty-three-year-old Eugenie Anissimoff and her middle-aged mother to lead an unusual and most demanding tour group. Having fled the besieged metropolis weeks earlier to their former residence in suburban Odessa, the two women had returned to their bombed-out apartment in the recently occupied city. Homeless, the pair had sought refuge with the museum's caretaker, an old family friend. Unable to communicate with the delegation of SS and Wehrmacht officers who queued for admission, the Russian-speaking janitor hoped that the two Volksdeutsche women would help to disarm the menacing visitors by granting them a German-language tour. Although ostensibly to inspect the building for booby traps, the visit's true purpose became clear as the Germans began loading paintings, rugs, and even a golden saddle into their vehicles. At the conclusion of the tour-cum-robbery, the group's leader, SS-Obersturmfuhrer Dr. Klaus Siebert, thanked the two women and complimented their excellent German. Hearing of their dire situation, Siebert advised Anissimoff and her mother to register for support at the local SS-run Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle, or Ethnic German Liaison Office (hereafter VoMi), bureau in a former music conservatory on Novovlaskaia Street.
Risk factors for return with a second trigger digit

The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of return to the same practice with a second idiopathic trigger digit. A total of 2234 patients with Quinnell grade 2 or greater (objective triggering) of one or more digits were retrospectively analysed. A total of 490 of 2234 (22%) patients returned to the same practice with a second trigger digit, with an average follow-up time of 2.1 years (range, 7 days to 10 years). Predictors of return with a second trigger digit included carpal tunnel syndrome, Type 1 diabetes mellitus and duration of follow-up in years. Patients diagnosed with idiopathic trigger digit can be advised that about one in five will return to the same practice with another trigger digit, with approximately double the risk in patients that have carpal tunnel syndrome or Type 1 diabetes.
Hybridizing conversational and clear speech to investigate the source of increased intelligibility in speakers with Parkinson's disease.

Purpose A speech analysis-resynthesis paradigm was used to investigate segmental and suprasegmental acoustic variables explaining intelligibility variation for 2 speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD). Method Sentences were read in conversational and clear styles. Acoustic characteristics from clear sentences were extracted and applied to conversational sentences, yielding 6 hybridized versions of sentences in which segment durations, short-term spectrum, energy characteristics, or fundamental frequency characteristics for clear productions were applied individually or in combination to conversational productions. Listeners (N = 20) judged intelligibility in transcription and scaling tasks. Results Intelligibility increases above conversation were more robust for transcription, but the pattern of intelligibility improvement was similar across tasks. For 1 speaker, hybridization involving only clear energy characteristics yielded an 8.7% improvement in transcription intelligibility above conversation. For ...
F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and/or computed tomography findings of an unusual breast lymphoma case and concurrent cervical cancer: a case report.

Introduction Breast lymphoma accounts for less than 1% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas and approximately 0.1% of all breast neoplasms. Most breast lymphomas are classified as diffuse large B-cell lymphomas or as mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas. Concurrent cases of breast lymphoma and cervical cancer are extremely rare.
Effect of Pregnancy on the Mineral Content of Dentin of Human Teeth

Summary No significant difference could be found between the average specific gravity (index of the degree of calcification) of dentin from pregnant women and from other individuals. The average specific gravity for dentin of the pregnant group was 2.12 while that of the nonpregnant controls was 2.08. It was concluded that gestation did not cause a withdrawal of calcium salts from the dentin and, therefore, the caries already present in this group of pregnant women was not associated with a metabolic demineralization of that tissue.
Why Does Middle Class Favor Democracy

Empirical evidence shows that a revolution led by middle class citizens is more likely to turn the country into a democracy while both poorer and richer classes usually lead the country towards autocracy. This paper sets up a model to explain this phenomenon with three results: 1) Wealth is a good indicator of the revolutionaries’ choice only if the previous regime’s policy equal to the middle position leader’s ideal. 2) Revolutionaries choose democracy only if the previous regime has sufficient democratic basis. 3) The condition that the middle class favors democracy more than any other classes coincides with the condition that democracy occurs.
Sucrose Intolerance in Birds: Simple Nonlethal Diagnostic Methods and Consequences for Assimilation of Complex Carbohydrates

Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinenisis, Mimidae) and Purple-headed Glossy-Star- lings (Lamprotornis purpureiceps, Sturnidae) showed depressed ingestion and increased fecal sugar contents when shifted from glucose and fructose to sucrose solutions. These species also exhibited no increases in plasma glucose after ingestion of sucrose, but an increase in plasma glucose after ingestion of equicaloric doses of a mixture of glucose and fructose. In vitro measurements of intestinal disaccharidase activities in D. carolinensis revealed insignif- icant sucrase activity, and low levels of maltase activities. These results support the hypothesis that sucrose intolerance is a shared-derived character of the monophyletic lineage that in- cludes starlings, mimids, and thrushes, and indicate that sucrose intolerance in birds can be easily diagnosed with a combination of behavioral and nonlethal physiological measure- ments. We suggest that, in birds, low intestinal maltase activity is correlated with the lack of sucrase activity. We further hypothesize that sucrose-intolerant birds are poor at assimi- lating complex carbohydrates. Received 1 March 1993, accepted 17 November 1993.
A Simulation Study of the Relationship Between Tail Dynamics and the Aurora

The Earth’s magnetotail goes through large scale changes during geomagnetically disturbed times that result in the earthward propagation of dipolarization events in the magnetotail containing highly energetic particles and a heightened electron precipitation into the ionosphere. During the 11 March 2008 substorm, earthward-propagating dipolarization fronts were observed by THEMIS spacecraft in the near-Earth magnetotail plasma sheet, and auroral brightening was observed by all-sky cameras at high northern latitudes around 70° in the pre-midnight sector. Using large-scale kinetic simulations along with spacecraft and ground-based observations, the properties (location, flux, energy, etc.) of precipitating particles were determined. We find that ~keV electrons in the region modeled by the simulation precipitate into the pre-midnight sector between about 68° and 72° due to two different physical mechanisms. Precipitation at higher latitudes is due to non-adiabatic pitch angle scattering that occurs at about 20–25 RE down tail, eastward of the reconnection region. The lower latitude precipitation is due to Fermi acceleration, which causes adiabatic electrons to enter the loss cone closer to the Earth, 10–15 RE downtail of the dipolarization front. The location, timing, and energy of electrons precipitating via these two mechanisms are in good agreement with all-sky camera images of auroral brightening observed at substorm onset.
The mental health of sexual minority adults in and out of the closet: A population-based study.

Objectives Previous studies find that sexual orientation concealment affords escape from stigma and discrimination but also creates a psychological toll. While disclosure alleviates the mental burden of concealment, it invites the stress of navigating a new public identity. Population-based samples that include both “in” and “out” sexual minorities provide an ideal opportunity to resolve limitations and inconsistencies of previous non-probability investigations into the mental health correlates of concealment and disclosure.
Determination of patulin in apple juice and hawthorn products by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Objective:To develop a method for determination of patulin in apple juice and hawthorn products by solid-phase extraction(SPE) and gas mass spectrometry(GC-MS).Methods: After patulin in the apple juice and hawthorn products were extracted by ethyl acetate,the extract was dried by rotary evaporator after dehydration with anhydrous sodium sulfate.The residues were re-dissolved and cleaned by SLH solid-phase extraction cartridges,and eluted by 5% methanol/ ethyl acetate,and then derivatived by bis-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide(BSTFA).Results: The detection limit was 5.8 μg/L for apple juice,and was 9.6 μg/L for hawthorn products,the variation coefficients(n=6) were less than 10%,the recoveries were between 70%～117%.Conclusion: This developed method can be applied to determination of patulin in apple juice and hawthorn products.
An Exploratory Comparative Case Study of Employee Engagement in Christian Higher Education

ABSTRACTNumerous studies have identified a positive correlation between employee engagement and overall organizational performance. However, research on employee engagement specifically within higher education is limited, and even less attention has been focused on engagement within the context of Christian higher education. An exploratory comparative case study research design was used to explore two faith-based universities that are atypical examples of excellence as measured by the Best Christian Workplace Institute (BCWI) “Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture” survey. Analysis of data gathered from 53 interviews with employees and document analysis led to the identification of institutional characteristics that fostered employee engagement at two universities that consistently exhibited high rankings of employee self-reported engagement based on the BCWI survey results. Despite substantial differences between the two institutions, commonalities were identified in many of the characteristics ...
Aperistalsis of the Vas Deferens Corrected With Administration of Ephedrine

An infertile patient with azoospermia, normal spermatogenesis on a testis biopsy and no sperm seen on a post-ejaculate urinalysis underwent bilateral scrotal exploration. Normal anatomy was found at exploration and bilateral vasograms demonstrated the absence of obstruction. After subsequent therapy with ephedrine semen analysis showed a total sperm count of 72 million.
Inhibitor κB Kinase β Binding by Inhibitor κB Kinase γ

Activation of a large multisubunit protein kinase, called the inhibitor κB kinase (IKK) complex, is central to the induction of the family of transcription factors nuclear factor κB. IKK is comprised of two catalytic subunits, IKKα and IKKβ, and a regulatory IKKγ subunit. It is known that the catalytic IKKβ and regulatory IKKγ subunits associate through interactions mediated by the N-terminal region of IKKγ and an 11-mer peptide located near the C-terminus of IKKβ. In this study, we have defined the minimal IKKγ segment that binds IKKβ and determined the binding affinity of the IKKβ/IKKγ complex. We identified that the N-terminal segment spanning residues 40−130 of IKKγ binds the IKKβ C-terminal domain (residues 665−756) with Kd ≈ 25 nM. Several smaller N-terminal IKKγ deletion mutants within the N-terminal 130 residues, although in some cases retained IKKβ binding activity, showed a tendency to aggregate and formed covalently linked complexes. However, expansion of the C-terminus of these fragments to re...
Toward a Better America

If the argument that has been built up in this volume has any merit, it suggests that, for the long-term economic and social health of us all, those who govern us in the United States need to do three extremely difficult things and to do them with as much speed and determination as they can muster. They need to rebalance the economy, enhancing the weight of manufacturing and diminishing that of finance in the overall economic mix. They need to address and reduce the enormous inequalities that now divide one American from another; and they need-more than anything else-to begin to phase America out of the empire business. If the argument here is correct, the question before us now is not whether these vital changes are necessary. The question rather is how, over a series of generations, these vital and necessary changes can be brought about. Changes of this scale are never easy, which is why debate about them now is so necessary. In truth, each will be phenomenally difficult to effect, but all are essential. Their achievement, therefore, must now become America’s overriding concern.1
Rotenone, Stimulant of Superoxide Release from Mitochondrial Complex I, Transiently Augments L-Type Calcium Current in A7r5 Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells

Rotenone (Rot) is a plant toxin that stimulates superoxide (O2−) release from complex I of mitochondrial respiratory chain. It is used as a pharmacological tool to study roles of O2− in redox-related pathophysiology represented by Parkinson's disease. However, its effects on ion channel currents have little been elucidated. To study O2−-dependent regulation of L-type Ca2+ channel current (ICa,L) we examined acute effect of Rot on ICa,L in cultured A7r5 cells derived from embryonic rat aorta. ICa,L was recorded by ruptured whole-cell clamp technique with 10 mM Ba2+ as a charge carrier with high resistance pipettes that minimized run-down of the current. Rot dose-dependently (10nM-0.01mM) increased ICa,L. The increase was transient and was followed by the decrease of the amplitude and increase of voltage-dependent inactivation. It occurred with a characteristic shift of I-V relationship to the left and succeeding inhibition was accompanied with a shift of steady-state inactivation curve to the left. Dithiothreitol (DTT) induced similar increase of ICa,L but without any negative shift. Rot produced additional increase of ICa,L with the negative shift in the presence of DTT. Sustained pretreatment by1mM-tempol, scavenger of O2−, did not decrease basal ICa,L density but suppressed the Rot-induced increase of ICa,L. Since O2− is precursor of H2O2, we examined involvement H2O2 on the Rot-induced modulation of ICa,L. H2O2 (0.3 mM) significantly inhibited ICa,L. Also in the presence of H2O2, Rot increased ICa,L with a negative shift of I-V relationship and the increase diminished with time. We conclude that rotenone-induced augmented release of O2− from mitochondrial complex I increased ICa,L and the modulation is independent of H2O2 in A7r5 aortic smooth muscle cells. O2− may be involved in the regulation of basal ICa,L.
Brain iron overload following intracranial haemorrhage

Intracranial haemorrhages, including intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) and subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), are leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In addition, haemorrhage contributes to tissue damage in traumatic brain injury (TBI). To date, efforts to treat the long-term consequences of cerebral haemorrhage have been unsatisfactory. Incident rates and mortality have not showed significant improvement in recent years. In terms of secondary damage following haemorrhage, it is becoming increasingly apparent that blood components are of integral importance, with haemoglobin-derived iron playing a major role. However, the damage caused by iron is complex and varied, and therefore, increased investigation into the mechanisms by which iron causes brain injury is required. As ICH, IVH, SAH and TBI are related, this review will discuss the role of iron in each, so that similarities in injury pathologies can be more easily identified. It summarises important components of normal brain iron homeostasis and analyses the existing evidence on iron-related brain injury mechanisms. It further discusses treatment options of particular promise.
Assessment of hypertensive cerebrovascular alterations with multiband Look-Locker arterial spin labeling

Purpose To quantitatively assess the hypertension-induced cerebrovascular alterations by measuring the dynamics of arterial spin labeling (ASL) signals. Materials and methods The multiband Look-Locker ASL (MB LL-ASL) technique was evaluated in comparison to a single-band LL-ASL for three healthy subjects. Also, seven healthy subjects were scanned to determine the strength of the vascular crushing gradients applied to separate arterial from tissue ASL signal. With the optimized MB LL-ASL technique, multiple parameters, cerebral blood flow (CBF), transit times to artery (tA ), and capillary (tC ), delivery duration of labeled blood (τ), and arterial blood volume (CBVa ), were simultaneously quantified for age-matched eight control and eight hypertensive subjects with 259 msec of temporal resolution and 20 slices covering the whole-brain region at 3T. Results While CBF of hypertensives were comparable with those of normotensives (CBF of normotensives vs. hypertensives = 62.2 ± 6.87 vs. 61.9 ± 8.94 ml/100g/min, P = 0.960 for the whole gray matter), tC and τ were prolonged in hypertensives in most brain regions (tC = 1.30 ± 0.09 vs. 1.76 ± 0.16 sec, P = 0.034; τ = 1.46 ± 0.10 vs. 2.30 ± 0.22 sec, P = 0.006 for the whole gray matter). Two regions showed the increased CBVa in hypertensives compared to normotensives (hippocampus and thalamus with P = 0.009 and 0.035, respectively). Conclusion Hypertension slows the perfusion dynamics, while the remaining CBF is unchanged. A detailed characterization of regional cerebrovascular impairments by MB-LL-ASL technique provides better understanding of hypertension-induced cerebrovascular modifications. Level of evidence 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2018;47:663-672.
Revolting Sympathies in Mary Shelley’s The Last Man

Jennifer Deren, “Revolting Sympathies in Mary Shelley’s The Last Man ” (pp. 135–160) Building on recent scholarship that explores Mary Shelley’s advocacy for sympathy in The Last Man (1826), this essay traces the complexity of interpersonal and reader-text relations as they play out in the novel and in the experience of reading it. I argue that moments of intimacy explicitly called “sympathy” in the novel are often idealizations that turn “revolting” as sympathy becomes something other than the beneficial exchange that participants expect of it. These scenes delineate a politics of sympathy that challenges the dominant model with a portrayal of human intimacy as uncontrollable, amoral, and infectious. Shelley encodes in the novel’s infamous plague her concern that the experience of sympathy that underlies nineteenth-century politics of community- and nation-formation can and sometimes does generate violence, discord, and inequality alongside mutually beneficial relationships. Exploring readers’ uncertain responses to the novel alongside the novel’s representation of sympathy as revolting, I suggest that the novel’s framing “Introduction” reveals an aesthetics of sympathy in which reader-text relations are constitutively unstable. Readers’ resistance to Lionel’s effusive narration is a revolting response written into the novel’s sympathetic design. By making sympathetic reading a revolting experience, Shelley advances a revision of sympathy that forces us to rethink the possibilities and the consequences of human relationships and invites us to reimagine a communal future that makes room for those realities.
Opiates, human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and HIV.

Remarkably, interest in the pathogenetic effect of opiates on the course of bacterial infection can be traced to the late 19th century (1). Although the infectious disease complications of intravenous (IV) drug use were clearly recognized by the mid-20th century (2,3), serious attention to the mechanisms whereby opiates might participate in the pathogenesis of infectious disease did not surface until the past decade. Contemporary interest in this area of research has been rekindled, in no small way, by the epidemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and realization that IV drug users are a critically important high risk group in the spread of this devastating infection (4).
Abstract WP15: Dexmedetomidine versus Propofol for Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC) during Endovascular Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have reported that compared to MAC, general anesthesia during intra-arterial therapy (IAT) for acute stroke is associated with worse outcomes. Propofol (PROP) and dex...
A Multiwell Cardiac μGMEA Platform for Action Potential Recordings from Human iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocyte Constructs.

Summary Multielectrode array (MEA) technology has been extensively used for field potential recordings from excitable cells. However, its application for action potential (AP) measurements has not been harnessed. Here, we report a novel platform for high-resolution intracellular AP recordings from induced pluripotent stem cell-cardiomyocyte constructs derived from human cardiac fibroblasts. To gain intracellular access, micro-gold MEAs were used to electroporate multiple constructs simultaneously. High-throughput AP measurements were obtained from 41 multicellular constructs. Repeated electroporations of the same cells did not affect the signal stability. Our model has the capability to distinguish subtle differences in AP morphology to characterize the network profile. Furthermore, we confirm the reliability of the system by recapitulating known drug-induced physiological and arrhythmogenic responses. Overall, the model provides a unique cardio-electronic interface for non-invasive measurements of AP dynamics for drug screening and disease modeling. This technology opens the door for identifying novel cardio-factors to enhance electrophysiological maturation.
Minimally Invasive Corneal Neurotization With Acellular Nerve Allograft: Surgical Technique and Clinical Outcomes.

Purpose To describe a minimally invasive surgical technique and its clinical outcomes with the use of acellular nerve allograft to re-establish corneal sensibility in patients with neurotrophic keratopathy. Methods Acellular nerve allograft was coapted to an intact supraorbital, supratrochlear, or infraorbital nerve and transferred to the affected eye. Donor nerve pedicles were isolated through a transpalpebral or transconjunctival approach. Retrospective evaluation of preoperative and postoperative corneal sensibility, ocular surface, and best-corrected visual acuity was performed in all patients. Mean follow-up period was 6 months (range: 3-10 months). Results Corneal neurotization with acellular nerve allograft was successfully performed in 7 patients with restoration of corneal sensibility and corneal epithelial integrity. In vivo confocal microscopy demonstrated increased nerve density in corneal stroma at 4 months after surgery. Conclusions The use of acellular nerve allograft allows for a minimally invasive approach to successful corneal neurotization.
Listener flexibility to lexical alterations for foreign- and native-accented speech

Listeners regularly encounter speech produced by speakers born and raised in linguistic communities different from their own. Given that individuals from different linguistic communities often speak in a distinct fashion, it is not uncommon for listeners to be exposed to accent-induced variability. This can lead to discrepancies in the realization of words, rendering such speakers difficult to understand. As a result, listeners tend to increase their flexibility in their interpretation of variations in the phonological form for known words. To examine whether or not a foreign accent also leads to an increased flexibility in label-object mapping, we tested participants in a preferential looking paradigm. Using a between-subject design, participants either listened to a foreign- or to a native-accented speaker. In some trials, the target word labeled an object that was depicted on the screen (match trials), while in other trials the target word referred to an object that was closely related (but not an exact match) to one of the objects depicted on the screen (mismatch trials). Listeners’ looking behavior after target word onset was examined across accents and trial types. The results of this study show that lexical alterations affect word recognition across foreign- and native-accented speech.Listeners regularly encounter speech produced by speakers born and raised in linguistic communities different from their own. Given that individuals from different linguistic communities often speak in a distinct fashion, it is not uncommon for listeners to be exposed to accent-induced variability. This can lead to discrepancies in the realization of words, rendering such speakers difficult to understand. As a result, listeners tend to increase their flexibility in their interpretation of variations in the phonological form for known words. To examine whether or not a foreign accent also leads to an increased flexibility in label-object mapping, we tested participants in a preferential looking paradigm. Using a between-subject design, participants either listened to a foreign- or to a native-accented speaker. In some trials, the target word labeled an object that was depicted on the screen (match trials), while in other trials the target word referred to an object that was closely related (but not an exac...
Lost in Translation: Obstacles to Converting Global Cultural Capital to Local Occupational Success:

International students studying at foreign universities believe this experience will translate to occupational opportunities in their home countries. Although the motives for global education have ...