cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of a Modulator in the Synthesis of Phase-Pure NU-1000

NU-1000 is a robust, mesoporous metal-organic framework (MOF) with hexazirconium nodes ([Zr6O16H16]8+, referred to as oxo-Zr6 nodes) that can be synthesized by combining a solution of ZrOCl2·8H2O and a benzoic acid modulator in N,N-dimethylformamide with a solution of linker (1,3,6,8-tetrakis(p-benzoic acid)pyrene, referred to as H4TBAPy) and by aging at an elevated temperature. Typically, the resulting crystals are primarily composed of NU-1000 domains that crystallize with a more dense phase that shares structural similarity with NU-901, which is an MOF composed of the same linker molecules and nodes. Density differences between the two polymorphs arise from the differences in the node orientation: in NU-1000, the oxo-Zr6 nodes rotate 120° from node to node, whereas in NU-901, all nodes are aligned in parallel. Considering this structural difference leads to the hypothesis that changing the modulator from benzoic acid to a larger and more rigid biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid might lead to a stronger steric interaction between the modulator coordinating on the oxo-Zr6 node and misaligned nodes or linkers in the large pore and inhibit the growth of the more dense NU-901-like material, resulting in phase-pure NU-1000. Side-by-side reactions comparing the products of synthesis using benzoic acid or biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid as a modulator produce structurally heterogeneous crystals and phase-pure NU-1000 crystals. It can be concluded that the larger and more rigid biphenyl-4-carboxylate inhibits the incorporation of nodes with an alignment parallel to the neighboring nodes already residing in the crystal.
Empirically Supported Staff Selection, Training, and Management Strategies

Consumers’ rights to effective behavioral treatment cannot be protected if treatment is poorly implemented or if well-qualified staff are not adequately trained. Effective delivery of high-quality services to individuals with disabilities depends, in part, on a well-trained workforce of educators, paraprofessionals, clinicians, and other staff. A critical feature of evidence-based practice is full implementation of empirically validated interventions. As a result, preparing staff to interact with and support consumers is a worthwhile expenditure of resources for service-delivery organizations. The purpose of this chapter is to describe research-based strategies for selecting and interviewing staff, developing and evaluating staff training programs, and implementing effective staff management and follow-up techniques. The chapter concludes with a discussion of staff training and support during crisis management.
Experience-Dependent Plasticity and Auditory Cortex

Throughout their lifetimes, individuals are constantly engaged by acoustic environments that leave lasting impressions, such as the sound of a familiar voice or the rhythm of a catchy tune. A fundamental question in auditory neuroscience concerns how and where such acoustic knowledge is acquired and stored in the brain. Such declarative forms of memory, including episodic memories from personal experience, are usually believed to rely on hippocampal and amygdalar processing, but a growing literature has also implicated plasticity within auditory cortex as one of the key contributors to establishing long-term auditory memories. Indeed, the fact that electrophysiological activity within auditory cortex can change as a result of auditory experience has been known since Galambos et al. (1956) first demonstrated pronounced effects on the sound-evoked electroencephalogram after sound–shock pairing. Research since then has attempted to uncover the precise rules and roles for such plasticity in both auditory learning and memory.
Diagnostic Assessment of Myocardial Injury after Bypass Surgery

Because of the relatively frequent occurrence of myocardial injury after bypass surgery, it is important to examine the methods currently employed for its detection and to review the various operative techniques used to minimize its occurrence. The degree of surgically introduced myocardial damage can vary from a small amount of myocardial cell necrosis to frank transmural infarction, and the reported incidence of “myocardial damage” after bypass surgery depends in part on the sensitivity of the diagnostic method used for its detection.
ISU On-Farm Cooperator Demonstration Trials: Relationships and Partnerships–2017

Iowa State University (ISU) has a long-standing relationship with Iowa corn and soybean farmers. As part of this relationship, ISU works to provide quality, unbiased information to assist the decision-making process on farm operations.
Autonomous Trajectory Planning for External Ventricular Drain Placement.

Background External ventricular drain (EVD) placement is the most frequently performed neurosurgical procedure for management of various conditions including hydrocephalus, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. State-of-the-art computational pattern recognition techniques could improve the safety and accuracy of EVD placement. Placement of the Kocher's point EVD is the most common neurosurgical procedure which is often performed in urgent conditions. Objective To present the development of a novel computer algorithm identifying appropriate anatomy and autonomously plan EVD placement on clinical computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods The algorithm was tested on 2 data sets containing 5-mm slice noncontrast CT scans. The first contained images of 300 patients without significant intracranial pathology (normal), the second of 43 patients with significant acute intracranial hemorrhage. Automated planning was performed by custom 2-tiered heuristic with run-time template selection in combination with refinement using nonlinear image registration. Results Automated EVD planning was accurate in 297 of 300 normal and 41 of 43 patient cases. In the normal data set, mean distance between Kocher's point and the ipsilateral foramen of Monro was 63 ± 3.1 mm in women and 65 ± 6.5 mm in men (P = .0008). Trajectory angle with respect to the sagittal plane was 91 ± 6° in women and 90 ± 6° in men (obtuse posterior) (P = .15); to the coronal plane, 85 ± 6° and 86 ± 5° in women and men (P = .12), respectively (acute lateral). Conclusion A combination of linear and nonlinear image registration techniques accurately planned EVD trajectory in 99% of normal scans and 95% of scans with significant intracranial hemorrhage.
Unifying Theories of Psychedelic Drug Effects.

How do psychedelic drugs produce their characteristic range of acute effects in perception, emotion, cognition, and sense of self? How do these effects relate to the clinical efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies? Efforts to understand psychedelic phenomena date back more than a century in Western science. In this article I review scientific theories of psychedelic drug effects and highlight key theoretical features which have endured over the last 125 years of psychedelic science. First, I describe the subjective phenomenology of acute psychedelic effects using the best available empirical data. Next, I review late 19th-century and early 20th-century theories—model psychoses theory, filtration theory, and psychoanalytic theory—and highlight their shared theoretical features. I then briefly review recent neuropharmacological and neurophysiological findings. Finally, I describe some recent theories of psychedelic drug effects that leverage 21st-century cognitive neuroscience frameworks—entropic brain theory, integrated information theory, and predictive processing—highlighting their shared theoretical features and pointing out how they link back to earlier theories. From this analysis a key theoretical concept is identified which cuts across many theories past and present: psychedelic drugs perturb specific brain processes which normally sustain constraints on perceptual, affective, cognitive, and self-related neural systems. While a truly unifying theory has yet to emerge, I suggest that the enduring theoretical features and formalized frameworks highlighted in this article could form a groundwork for future unifying theories of psychedelic drug effects.
Suicide at a Training Center

All patients committing suicide while on the official hospital rolls, either as inpatients, day hospital patients, or outpatients, at the New York Hospital, Westchester Division, from January 1, 1979 through June 30, 1982 were reviewed, including patients committing suicide within one month of discharge from inpatient or day hospital status. Nineteen suicides occurred during this study period; these records were reviewed for diagnosis, history of depression, history of childhood separation, and occurrence of recent therapist change. Eighteen of the nineteen patients had histories of depression, while only six of them had recorded histories of childhood separation. Four of these six patients committed suicide while on inpatient status and also had experienced recent therapist change. Excluding the eight recently discharged patients, seven of the eleven remaining suicides occurred within two weeks of a scheduled therapist change, including five of the six inpatient suicides. Thus seriously depressed, hospitalized, suicidal patients, particularly those sensitized to loss due to childhood bereavement experiences, may be at great risk at a time of resident or therapist change in a training institution.
“Walking in her shoes”: The Impact of Victim Impact Panels on Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACTRestorative justice models have had success with some issues within the criminal justice system; however, advocates and researchers within the intimate partner violence practice community have been reluctant to embrace this model. Criminal justice responses for intimate partner violence continue to be founded on a blend of retributive and rehabilitative justice models. Despite this reluctance, use of the restorative justice intervention of victim impact panels, may have targeted utility for increasing perpetrators’ empathy for their victims. The author 2examined responses from perpetrators who were mandated to participate in a victim impact panel experience as part of the coordinated community system response to intimate partner violence.
Isolated Ulnar Fractures

Plaster cast immobilization treatment of isolated ulnar fractures is thought by many to be associated with a high incidence of nonunion (Grace and Witmer 1980; Brakenbury et al. 1981). Watsonjones (1934), while claiming to be in favor of nonsurgical treatment of fractures in general, stated that ulnar fractures were best treated by means of plate fixation as he believed that the above-the-elbow cast did not sufficiently immobilize the fracture fragments. Others have attempted to explain the alleged high nonunion rate on the grounds that its superficial placement under the skin deprives the injured bone of sufficient blood supply. Others suspect that its predominantly cortical composition predisposes to pseudoarthrosis or that the intact radius keeps the ulnar fragments distracted. For these and perhaps others reasons, internal plate osteosynthesis of isolated ulnar fractures is currently a widely and popularly accepted method of treatment.
Development of a Preloaded Hybrid Advanced Composite Wing Pivot Fairing

Wing fairings for variable sweep aircraft present difficult aerodynamic and design problems. The B-l variable sweep wing fairing panels were designed to be preloaded upon installation such that contact between the panel edges and the wing surface is maintained for all wing sweep angles and aerodynamic load conditions.
An Endothelial-to-Adipocyte Extracellular Vesicle Axis Governed by Metabolic State

We have uncovered the existence of extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated signaling between cell types within the adipose tissue (AT) proper. This phenomenon became evident in our attempts at generating an adipocyte-specific knockout of caveolin 1 (cav1) protein. Although we effectively ablated the CAV1 gene in adipocytes, cav1 protein remained abundant. With the use of newly generated mouse models, we show that neighboring endothelial cells (ECs) transfer cav1-containing EVs to adipocytes in vivo, which reciprocate by releasing EVs to ECs. AT-derived EVs contain proteins and lipids capable of modulating cellular signaling pathways. Furthermore, this mechanism facilitates transfer of plasma constituents from ECs to the adipocyte. The transfer event is physiologically regulated by fasting/refeeding and obesity, suggesting EVs participate in the tissue response to changes in the systemic nutrient state. This work offers new insights into the complex signaling mechanisms that exist among adipocytes, stromal vascular cells, and, potentially, distal organs.
Molecular Basis for the Evolution of Species-Specific Hemoglobin Capture by Staphylococcus aureus.

ABSTRACT Metals are a limiting resource for pathogenic bacteria and must be scavenged from host proteins. Hemoglobin provides the most abundant source of iron in the human body and is required by several pathogens to cause invasive disease. However, the consequences of hemoglobin evolution for bacterial nutrient acquisition remain unclear. Here we show that the α- and β-globin genes exhibit strikingly parallel signatures of adaptive evolution across simian primates. Rapidly evolving sites in hemoglobin correspond to binding interfaces of IsdB, a bacterial hemoglobin receptor harbored by pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. Using an evolution-guided experimental approach, we demonstrate that the divergence between primates and staphylococcal isolates governs hemoglobin recognition and bacterial growth. The reintroduction of putative adaptive mutations in α- or β-globin proteins was sufficient to impair S. aureus binding, providing a mechanism for the evolution of disease resistance. These findings suggest that bacterial hemoprotein capture has driven repeated evolutionary conflicts with hemoglobin during primate descent. IMPORTANCE During infection, bacteria must steal metals, including iron, from the host tissue. Therefore, pathogenic bacteria have evolved metal acquisition systems to overcome the elaborate processes mammals use to withhold metal from pathogens. Staphylococcus aureus uses IsdB, a hemoglobin receptor, to thieve iron-containing heme from hemoglobin within human blood. We find evidence that primate hemoglobin has undergone rapid evolution at protein surfaces contacted by IsdB. Additionally, variation in the hemoglobin sequences among primates, or variation in IsdB of related staphylococci, reduces bacterial hemoglobin capture. Together, these data suggest that S. aureus has evolved to recognize human hemoglobin in the face of rapid evolution at the IsdB binding interface, consistent with repeated evolutionary conflicts in the battle for iron during host-pathogen interactions.
Exclusion of a Giant Coronary Artery Aneurysm With Covered Stents Using a Long Drug-Eluting Stent Scaffold.

Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome and there is little consensus as to the optimal treatment. Based on case series as well as expert opinion, surgery has be...
The China Dream: America’s, China’s and the Resulting Competition

This chapter reviews the most recent era of US–China ties—from President Nixon’s opening to China to the Trump administration—through the lens of both China’s and America’s expectations about China’s rise to great power status. The existing tension between Beijing and Washington was not inevitable—although likely. It wasn’t inevitable if reformist voices within China had more influence and if China’s Dream had only been to reclaim its great power status. In turn, America’s expectations about China were driven initially by a desire to help it rise as a counterweight to Russia, but also to make it a “responsible stakeholder” in the international order. Neither of these was particularly realistic, thus explaining why the current relationship has ended up where it has. The essay closes with an analysis of: (1) what key policy steps the United States needs to take to respond to China’s challenge; (2) the Trump administration’s formal strategy to address what they describe as China’s revisionist ambitions; and (3) the difficulties confronting the administration in carrying out those plans.
The mediating effect of reflective-analytic cognitive style on rational thought

We investigate whether non-miserly cognitive styles mediate the effects of cognitive ability and thinking dispositions on rational thought. Specifically, we review relevant literature on two dimens...
Topology optimization of 2-D mechanical metamaterials using a parametric level set method combined with a meshfree algorithm

Abstract Two-dimensional (2-D) micro-architectured mechanical metamaterials are designed using a topology optimization approach that integrates a parametric level set method (PLSM) with a meshfree method based on compactly supported radial basis functions (CS-RBF). The PLSM is employed as the optimization algorithm to achieve desired microstructures with targeted material properties. The effective elastic properties, including the bulk modulus, shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio, are predicted using a strain energy-based homogenization method and the CS-RBF meshfree algorithm. Two sets of optimizations are implemented: one is for the case of a single solid material, and the other is for the case of two solid materials, each involving an additional void phase. Three numerical examples are provided for each case with the same optimization objectives: maximizing the effective bulk modulus, maximizing the effective shear modulus, and minimizing the effective Poisson’s ratio under given volume fraction constraints. The numerical results reveal that the newly proposed approach can generate smooth topological boundaries and optimal microstructures. In particular, the current method can topologically optimize auxetic metamaterials with a negative Poisson’s ratio. It can also be extended to design other periodic metamaterials, including those with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion or frequency bandgaps.
Sex affects gait adaptations after exercise in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract Background Osteoarthritis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has been linked with changes in gait. Individuals with reconstruction demonstrate gait changes after exercise, however there is no information on altered gait after exercise based on sex. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of sex on changes in running gait after exercise in individuals with reconstruction compared to healthy. Methods Forty females (22 reconstructed) and 22 men (11 reconstructed) ran before and after exercise. Triplanar lower extremity kinematics and kinetics were measured on the involved limb. Data were reduced to 0–100% of gait. Change scores were calculated for each 1% with 90% confidence intervals. Mean differences were calculated for all significant differences. Findings After exercise, females with reconstruction increased knee valgus (1.81°), knee external rotation (2.02°), lateral trunk flexion (1.24°) and trunk rotation (2.15°) compared to healthy females. Females with reconstruction increased knee extension moment (0.07 Nm/kg), knee abduction moment (0.08 Nm/kg), hip extension moment (0.14 Nm/kg) and hip internal rotation moment (0.04 Nm/kg) compared to healthy females. After exercise, males with reconstruction decreased knee varus (−4.83°), hip adduction (−1.99°), and hip internal rotation (−4.44°), however increased lateral trunk flexion (1.94°) compared to healthy males. Males with reconstruction increased knee extension moment (0.07 Nm/kg), knee adduction moment (0.31 Nm/kg), knee internal rotation moment (0.13 Nm/kg), hip flexion moment (0.17 Nm/kg), and hip external rotation moment (0.05 Nm/kg) compared to healthy males. Interpretation Males with reconstruction increased hip loading while women with reconstruction increased trunk motion post-exercise. Sex should be considered when evaluating response to exercise after reconstruction.
Zinc Metabolic Defect of Aging Alveolar Progenitors in Progressive Pulmonary Fibrosis

SUMMARY Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal form of interstitial lung disease and aging has been identified as a risk factor to the disease. Alveolar type II cells (AEC2s) function as progenitor cells in the lung. Growing evidences indicate that IPF results from repeating AEC2 injury and inadequate epithelial repair. We previously reported that there was a significant loss of alveolar progenitors in the lungs of patients with IPF. In our current study, we performed single cell RNA-seq of epithelial cells from lungs of patients with IPF and healthy donors as well as epithelial cells from old and young mouse lungs with bleomycin injury. We identified a defect of zinc metabolism of AEC2s from IPF lungs and bleomycin-injured old mouse lungs. We further discovered that a specific zinc transporter ZIP8 was down regulated in IPF AEC2s and AEC2s from aged mice. Loss of ZIP8 expression is associated with impaired AEC2 renewal through sirtuin signaling in aging and IPF. Targeted deletion of Zip8 in murine AEC2 compartment led to reduced AEC2 renewal capacity, impaired AEC2 recovery, and worsened lung fibrosis after bleomycin injury. In summary, we have identified novel metabolic defects of AEC2s during aging and in IPF which contribute to the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. Therapeutic strategies to restore critical components of these metabolic programs could improve AEC2 progenitor activity and mitigate ongoing fibrogenesis. In Brief Liang et al. performed single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) of epithelial cells in IPF and in mice and discovered a zinc metabolic defect of alveolar progenitor cells (AEC2) in IPF and injured old mice characterized by down-regulation of a specific zinc transporter ZIP8. Manipulation of ZIP8 and zinc in 3D organoid culture of AEC2 in vitro and targeted deletion of Zip8 in AEC2s in vivo demonsrated a role of ZIP8 in promoting AEC2 progenitor function. Highlights ScRNA-seq revealed dysregulation of zinc metabolism in AEC2s and decreased stem cell signaling in IPF Reduced SLC39A8 and related gene expression of IPF AEC2s and aged mouse AEC2s ZIP8-dependent zinc metabolism is required for AEC2 renewal Targeted deletion of Slc39a8 impaired AEC2 renewal and promoted lung fibrosis
Nocturnal hypoxemia measured by polysomnogram is associated with acute chest syndrome in pediatric sickle cell disease.

Study Objectives:Nocturnal hypoxemia is associated with increased risk of sickle cell disease (SCD) complications. The association of nighttime hypoxemia and acute chest syndrome (ACS) in children ...
Subjective Effects of Alcohol Predict Alcohol Choice in Social Drinkers.

Introduction Alcohol is among the most commonly used psychoactive drugs, yet it can produce markedly different subjective effects in different people. Certain effects, including both heightened stimulatory effects and lesser sedative effects, are thought to predict repeated or excessive use. However, we do not fully understand the nature of these individual differences or their relationships to alcohol consumption. This controlled laboratory study examined subjective and physiologic responses to a moderate dose of alcohol in social drinkers in relation to the subjects' decision to consume alcohol. Methods Healthy adult volunteers (N = 95) participated in a 5-session double-blind alcohol choice study. On the first 4 sessions, they received alcohol (0.8 g/kg) and placebo in alternating order, and on the fifth session, they chose and consumed whichever of the 2 they preferred. During each session, participants completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES) questionnaires and had their vitals recorded every 30 minutes. We compared subjective and physiologic response to alcohol during the sampling sessions in participants who chose alcohol or placebo on session 5. Results Of the 95 participants, 55 chose alcohol (choosers) and 40 chose placebo (nonchoosers). In the full sample, alcohol produced its expected effects (e.g., increased friendliness, elation, and vigor (POMS), and stimulation and sedation (BAES)). The chooser and nonchooser groups did not differ in demographic characteristics, blood alcohol levels, or cardiovascular measures. However, the choosers experienced greater alcohol-induced increases in positive mood (POMS) and liked the drug more, whereas the nonchoosers experienced greater anger, anxiety (POMS), and sedation (BAES) after alcohol. Conclusion Both greater positive mood effects and lesser sedative effects after alcohol predicted preference under controlled conditions, suggesting that both factors can predict future consumption of alcohol.
Bridging Science and Practice: The Integrated Model of Community-Based Evaluation

A trend in community-based evaluation studies is to include everyone affected by the work, the community, administrators and participants, in their design and implementation. This concept has been accepted by communities and community evaluators, but a concern persists that the scientific integrity, reliability, and validity of these studies are compromised. To address these concerns we present both the multi-conceptual and hands-on practical aspects of the Integrated Model of Community Based Evaluation (IMCBE) and illustrate the utility of the IMCBE with the case example of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of the Piedmont's (Greensboro, North Carolina) Home Health Study (HHS). The IMCBE is conceptually sound and joins social scientific rigor with an understanding of the elements essential to addressing community members' and agencies' need for meaningful outcomes that determine the efficiency and effectiveness of their efforts. The IMCBE promotes a “best fit” approach of adapting the evaluation to the unique problem or intervention to be examined.
The fast and the female: Gender differences in wellbeing and wage consequences of commute impedance

Abstract At equal distance, the impedance created by traffic congestion strongly affects the duration of commute. Extant literature indicates that commute impedance negatively affects wellbeing, distinctly from the distance and the duration of commute. These negative effects are reported to be larger for women. Consequently, workers, especially females, must be willing to accept lower wages if reaching the job location entails fewer traffic congestions and accommodates a speedier commute. Using the Canadian General Social Survey of 2015 and the Census of 2016, the present paper assesses the wellbeing and wage consequences of commute impedance on men and women who drive to work. The study first demonstrates that the negative impact of commute impedance on wellbeing is greater for women. Second, consistent with the greater negative effect of traffic congestion on their wellbeing, women appear to pay a price off their wages, in order to avoid commute impedance. The policy implications are discussed.
Primary graft dysfunction in heart transplantation: How to recognize it, when to institute extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and outcomes

Abstract (244 words) In 2014, the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) released guidelines from a consensus conference that clearly defined primary graft dysfunction (PGD) according to onset after surgery (
Flooded Social Connections

Does salient information on social media influence individualsâ€™ economic decisions and beliefs? Using aggregated data from Facebook and a difference-in-differences strategy, I show that individuals who are socially connected to someone affected by Hurricane Harvey are more likely to purchase flood insurance policies after the event. This effect is stronger in areas at higher risk of flooding. Being socially connected to someone affected by Hurricane Harvey also influences individualsâ€™ perceptions of global warming.
SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response Following SPUTNIK V Vaccination in Healthcare Workers From a Hospital in Argentina: Preliminary Results

Background: In December 2020, Sputnik V was the first vaccine incorporated to the National Strategic COVID-19 Immunization Plan in Argentina. An interim phase three analysis carried out in the Russian Federation had shown 98% of Sputnik V vaccinees developed specific antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. To date, data on immunogenicity in Argentina are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the immune response following vaccination with two doses of Sputnik V in health-care workers (HCW) at a Children’s Hospital. Methods: A prospective, cohort study in HCWs immunized with two doses of Sputnik V between February and May 2021. The following variables were assessed: age, gender, profession, risk factors for severe COVID-19 or mortality, immunosuppressive therapy and history of COVID-19 infection. Blood samples were drawn on the day of the first dose and 21-40 days after the second. Anti-Spike IgG was measured using an ELISA assay and antibody levels classified into five semi-quantitative categories: non-reactive, < 1/100, ≥1/100-< 1/1000, ≥1/1000-<1/5000 and ≥1/5000. Antibody response was compared using Chi squared test for categorical variables and T-test or Mann-Whitney for continuous variables. Interaction effects were tested in ANOVA. Findings: Five hundred and twenty eight individuals were included, mean age 41·5 years, 82·9% were female, 14·58% (77/528) had had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, and seroprevalence was 13·26% (70/528).All subjects developed antibody titres post-vaccination. Levels were significantly higher in women (p 0·001) and in those who had experienced prior infection (p < 0·001, Chi square), no interactions between variables were observed. Interpretation: After completing a two-dose Sputnik V schedule, all vaccinees developed antibodies. Prior infection and female gender were associated with higher antibody titres. Funding Information: This stage of the study received no funding support. Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the Research and Ethics Review Committee at the RGCH (register number 4033). Subjects voluntarily agreed to participate in the research and signed an inform consent form.
Geometrical effects on heat transfer mechanisms during pool boiling in Dual Tapered Microgap with HFE7000

Abstract Dual tapered microgap configuration provides a simple external device that can be retrofitted on a boiling surface. It has been shown to be very effective for enhancing pool boiling heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and Critical Heat Flux (CHF) with water. Recent testing showed that the same geometry is not effective with refrigerants and dielectric fluids. A systematic experimental and theoretical study is conducted to bring out the underlying mechanisms and identify the effect of geometrical parameters mainly on HTC, as higher values are desired in electronics cooling application. Five different taper angles of 5°, 10°, 15°, 20°, and 25° and two inlet gap heights of 0.8 mm, and 1.27 mm were experimentally evaluated with dielectric liquid HFE7000. Theoretical analysis has identified two mechanisms from bubble squeezing and pressure recovery for inducing flow in the microgap. These mechanisms are influenced by the fluid properties and the geometrical parameters. The best geometrical configuration was able to achieve a 2X enhancement in HTC over a plain copper test surface. Further enhancements are expected with introduction of additional surface features such as microchannels on the heater surface in the microgap region. The theoretical model was able to estimate the pressure drop, mass flux, and the resulting HTC with high accuracy for different geometric configurations.
Isolation of high-frequency recombining strains from Escherichia coli containing the V colicinogenic factor.

The isolation and characterization of high-frequency recombining strains from different Escherichia coli host cells containing either the F factor or the Col V factor are described. The strains (with one exception) formed from three of the V+ parents showed the same origin and polarity of transfer (xyl-arg-pro-trp-his-mal). The Hfr strains formed from the one remaining V+ and the F+ host cells showed a greater variety in their points of origin. In addition, several Hfr strains isolated from V+ parents lost the ability to produce colicin V. Fv+ segregants of these were isolated, and the Fv factors appeared to retain their preferential site for Hfr formation, but they lacked other propertes controlled by the Col V factor. Chromosomal integration of episomes and its relation to the fertility of F+ and V+ strains are discussed. Production of colicin V appeared to be uninfluenced by the state of the Col V factor within the cell.
Improved algorithms for inferring the minimum mosaic of a set of recombinants

Detecting historical recombination is an important computational problem which has received great attention recently. Due to recombination, input sequences form a mosaic, where each input sequence is composed of segments from founder sequences. In this paper, we present improved algorithms for the problem of finding the minimum mosaic (a mosaic containing the fewest ancestral segments) of a set of recombinant sequences. This problem was first formulated in [15], where an exponential-time algorithm was described. It is also known that a restricted version of this problem (assuming recombination occurs only at predefined block boundaries) can be solved in polynomial time [15,11]. We give a polynomial-time algorithm for a special case of the minimum (blockless) mosaic problem, and a practical algorithm for the general case. Experiments with our method show that it is practical in a range of data much larger than could be handled by the algorithm described in [15].
Low-density lipoprotein apheresis reduces platelet factor 4 on the surface of platelets: a possible protective mechanism against heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (HITT) is characterized by thrombocytopenia due to the formation of antibodies against heparin : platelet factor 4 (PF4) complexes. Despite the exposure to heparin during treatment and predisposition of patients with atherosclerosis to HITT, HITT in patients undergoing low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is rare. We investigated the possibility that LDL apheresis decreases PF4 on platelet (PLT) surfaces and/or plasma HITT antibody levels, either of which would disfavor HITT. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We enrolled 25 patients undergoing LDL apheresis at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Blood samples were drawn before and after treatment. Plasma samples were drawn proximal and distal to the LA-15 treatment column. PF4, HITT antibodies, heparin levels, and P-selectin were measured. RESULTS: No patient had clinical symptoms of HITT. The LA-15 column was found to efficiently remove PF4. PF4 levels in peripheral blood plasma did not change significantly after LDL apheresis. However, PLT surface PF4 significantly decreased after treatment. HITT antibodies were found in only two patients and were nonfunctional. PLT surface P-selectin did not change during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated that LDL apheresis via dextran sulfate absorption removes plasma PF4 and reduces the amount of PF4 on the surface of circulating PLTs. Reduced surface PF4 may decrease antibody formation and/or recognition by HITT antibodies. These data provide a potential explanation for the near lack of HITT in hypercholesterolemic patients undergoing LDL apheresis. They also suggest the possibility that LDL apheresis using dextran sulfate adsorption may have therapeutic value in the treatment of HITT.
Knowledge Discovery Objects and Queries in Distributed Knowledge Systems

The development of many knowledge discovery methods (see [14], [7], [16]) provided us with good foundations to build a kd-Query Answering System (kdQAS) for Distributed Knowledge Systems (DKS). By DKS we mean a number of autonomous processing elements (called knowledge systems) that are interconnected by a computer network and that cooperate in their assigned tasks. A knowledge-system we see as a relational database coupled with a discovery layer which is simplified in this paper to a set of rules.
Infant Problems in Breast-Feeding

Empirical contraindications to breast-feeding long antedate modern medicine. In ancient Greek societies, upper-class women were discouraged from nursing if their labor had been particularly difficult, and colostrum was often considered unsuitable for feeding during the first several days of life.1 Soranus’ advice for selecting a wet nurse stressed that the personal characteristics and appearance of the woman, in addition to the appearance of her milk, were major determinants of breast-feeding capabilities.2 In modern times, employment outside the home, social activities required by the husband’s job, any chronic illness in the mother, or the necessity for supplemental formula have been cited as contraindications to nursing.3 Within the past decade, post partum fever, maternal mastitis,4 prematurity of the infant, drug therapy in the mother, and even resumption of menstruation, have been suggested, often inappropriately, to contraindicate breast-feeding.
MGMT promoter methylation correlates with survival benefit and sensitivity to temozolomide in pediatric glioblastoma

Background Methylation of the DNA-repair gene O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) causes gene silencing. This epigenetic modification has been associated with a favorable prognosis in adult patients with glioblastoma (GBM) who receive temozolomide and other alkylating agents. We explored MGMT promoter methylation in pediatric GBM and its relationship to survival and temozolomide sensitivity. Procedure We performed a retrospective study of MGMT promoter methylation in 10 pediatric GBM. The methylation status of the MGMT was determined using a 2-stage methylation specific PCR analysis on DNA extracted from tumor specimens which had been snap frozen at surgery. The relationships between MGMT promoter methylation and patient outcome and response to temozolomide were evaluated. Results Four of our 10 pediatric patients with GBM were found to have methylation of the MGMT gene promoter. Methylation of the MGMT promoter was shown to correlate (P = 0.0005) with survival. The average survival time for patients with methyltated MGMT was 13.7 months as compared to 2.5 months for the 6 patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter. Of the seven patients that received temozolomide, those patients that had the methylated MGMT gene promoter responded better to treatment (P = 0.007). Conclusions As in adults, pediatric GBM patients with methylated MGMT promoter benefited from temozolomide. However, a stronger correlation with overall survival, regardless of treatment, was observed in this group of patients. These data suggest that MGMT methylation may be a prognostic factor for survival in pediatric GBM, as well as a marker for temozolomide sensitivity. Pediatr Blood Cancer © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cis-platinum (II) diaminedichloride: Another cause of bilateral small kidneys

Cis-platinum (II) diaminedichloride (CPDD) is a new chemotherapeutic agent whose major side effect is renal toxicity. Serial urography may show evidence of a diminution of renal size before there is any clinical evidence of renal failure in patients being treated with CPDD. We recommend that these patients be followed closely with serial radioisotope scanning and/or urography to detect early renal damage.
Tuberculin skin test conversion in hospital employees vaccinated with bacille Calmette-Guérin: Recent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection or booster effect?

Abstract Objective: A rise in the incidence of purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test conversions among employees at our medical center between 1991 and 1993 prompted an examination of factors associated with PPD skin test conversion. We focused on the effect of bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination on PPD skin test conversion because of changes in employee health service policies in 1990 regarding testing of persons who had received BCG vaccination. Methods: The study took place in a university teaching hospital employee health service. Charts of employees who had PPD skin test conversion (> 10 mm increase in induration of the PPD response within 2 years if younger than 35 years of age or > 15 mm if older than 35 years of age) between 1988 and 1993 were reviewed for factors that could have influenced PPD skin test conversion and compared with data from 271 randomly selected charts of employees who underwent annual employee assessments in 1993 but did not have PPD skin test conversion. Results: PPD skin test conversions rose from 0.06% (11604) to 1.3% (sol221760; p = 0.000001) in employees tested between 1988 and 1993. Of 41 persons with PPD skin test conversion between 1991 and 1993, 29 (71%) had received BCG vaccination. Only 21% of control subjects (56271) had received BCG vaccination ( p Conclusion: A large proportion of PPD skin test conversions at hospitals that employ large numbers of health care workers who have received BCG vaccination may not represent recently acquired tuberculosis. Rather, these conversions may be effects of previous BCG vaccination. Two-step initial PPD skin testing may help to eliminate nearly 80% of such false-positive conversions.
Impermeable graphenic encasement of bacteria.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of hygroscopic, permeable, and electron-absorbing biological cells has been an important challenge due to the volumetric shrinkage, electrostatic charging, and structural degradation of cells under high vacuum and fixed electron beam.1−3 Here we show that bacterial cells can be encased within a graphenic chamber to preserve their dimensional and topological characteristics under high vacuum (10−5 Torr) and beam current (150 A/cm2). The strongly repelling π clouds in the interstitial sites of graphene’s lattice4 reduces the graphene-encased-cell’s permeability5 from 7.6−20 nm/s to 0 nm/s. The C−C bond flexibility5,6 enables conformal encasement of cells. Additionally, graphene’s high Young’s modulus6,7 retains cell’s structural integrity under TEM conditions, while its high electrical8 and thermal conductivity9 significantly abates electrostatic charging. We envision that the graphenic encasement approach will facilitate real-time TEM imaging of fluidic samples and po...
Patient considerations in the management of focal seizures in children and adolescents

Focal epilepsy accounts for approximately one-half to two-thirds of new-onset epilepsy in children. Etiologies are diverse, and range from benign epilepsy syndromes with normal neuroimaging and almost certain remission to focal malformations of cortical development or hippocampal sclerosis with intractable seizures persisting lifelong. Other important etiologies in children include pre-, peri-, or postnatal brain injury, low-grade neoplasms, vascular lesions, and neuroimmunological disorders. Cognitive, behavioral, and psychiatric comorbidities are commonly seen and must be addressed in addition to seizure control. Given the diverse nature of focal epilepsies in children and adolescents, investigations and treatments must be individualized. First-line therapy consists of prophylactic antiepileptic drugs; however, prognosis is poor after failure of two to three drugs for lack of efficacy. Refractory cases should be referred for an epilepsy surgery workup. Dietary treatments and neurostimulation may be considered in refractory cases who are not good candidates for surgery.
Surface effects on p-n junctions: Characteristics of surface space-charge regions under non-equilibrium conditions

Abstract The nature of the surface space-charge region associated with a p-n junction is studied theoretically and experimentally. The theory of MOS structures is extended to the case where the surface space-charge region is not in equilibrium. The validity of this extension is demonstrated by capacitance and conductance measurements performed on gate-controlled planar silicon diodes of various geometries. The non-equilibrium MOS theory is then used as the basis for studying the recombination-generation process within the surface space-charge region of gate-controlled diodes. It is shown that the I–V characteristics of such diodes yield a measure of both the surface recombination-generation rate and the bulk recombination-generation rate within the surface depletion region. The surface recombination velocity in the thermally oxidized silicon structures studied is found to be of the order of 5 cm/sec.
3.3.5 Specification Types, Principles, And Organization

Less than ten years ago there were around twenty types of standard military spec formats, but then came acquisition reform, emphasis on performance specs, the superseding of MIL-STD-490 (Specification Practices), and database vendor claims that specs are a waste of time. Last year at the INCOSE symposium a panel of experts decisively stated that both databases and specs ware needed. If specs are still worthwhile, how should they be used and how should they be organised? This paper reviews the types of former and present mil specs, and the reasons for the changes. It shows how different types of specs apply to different parts of the development process. The paper then goes further and examines the characteristics of good specs for any purpose and offers practical suggestions for organising them, including a useable outline. (This paper does not deal with determining the requirements for particular systems.)
Ethnic group differences in early head start parents’ parenting beliefs and practices and links to children's early cognitive development

Abstract Data from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation study were used to examine the extent to which several factors mediate between- and within-ethnic-group differences in parenting beliefs and behaviors, and children's early cognitive development (analysis sample of 1198 families). The findings indicate that Hispanic-, European-, and African-Americans differ significantly in their parenting beliefs and behaviors. Children also evidence significant ethnic group differences in 24-month cognitive development; these differences were fully accounted for by controlling for maternal cognitive skills, as measured by lexical knowledge. In comparison, maternal parenting behaviors were only a partial mediator of ethnic group differences in children's cognitive development. Structural equation modeling was used to examine, within each ethnic group, the extent to which measured parenting beliefs and behaviors mediate the effect of maternal cognitive skills on children's early cognitive development. Analyses show that the mediated path from maternal cognitive skills to child cognitive development, via “mainstream” parenting beliefs and behaviors, was stronger for European-American families than for Hispanic- and African-American families. The policy implications of increasing the schooling-related cognitive skills of low-educated parents are discussed.
Variety for sale: Mass customization or mass confusion?

Abstract Retailers who implement a high variety strategy need to ensure that customers are not confused with the complexity inherent in a wide assortment of options. Experimental evidence shows that when asking consumers to choose among items in a wide assortment, both the way the information is presented and the type of customer input to the information gathering process influence customer satisfaction. First, asking consumers to indicate their within-attribute preferences through an attribute-based information format, as opposed to an alternative-based format, increases satisfaction and learning. Second, consumers are likely to be more satisfied and perceive less complexity in the choice set when they are asked to explicitly indicate their preferences within each attribute, as compared to more effortful tasks or less effortful tasks.