cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of phosphate in meat product by microwave digestion-ion chromatography method

Objective:To establish a method for determination of phosphate in meat product by microwave digestion-ion chromatography method.Methods:The meat product were dissolved by microwave,being used the 3.5 mmol/L Na2CO3+1.5 mmol/L Na2CO3 as dip washing to separate and phosphate in them were determined by ion chromatography.Results:Linear range for the determination of phosphate was 0.50 mg/L～40.0 mg/L.The correlation coefficient was 0.9994.The detection limit was 0.05 mg/L,with the RSD of 1.74%.The recovery rate of spiking standard for total phosphate was in the range of 94%～106%.Conclusion:The method is good in precision and recovery.Besides it is easily operated.The detection of phosphate in meat product by microwave digestion-ion chromatography method.
Review of electrostatic phenomena

First, an historic review will be given of early electrostatic experiments, and the attempts at theories describing electrostatic charging will be discussed. Modern theory had to await the development of thermodynamics, ionic solution theory, and of solid-state physics before charging phenomena relating to liquids and solids could be quantitatively understood.
Security Software for Hand-Held Computers

The article provides an overview of the different software programs available for securing information stored on PDAs and also describes why users should install one of these programs.
Leader-follower dynamics in ethical lapses in tax practice

Abstract This study posits that unethical behavior in the corporate arena is often a result of destructive leaders influencing willing followers. Destructive leaders manipulate followers using either their dominant/coercive power or their prestige/charisma. Followers obey the instructions of destructive leaders because they are either conformers (afraid to confront the leader) or colluders (believe in the leader or participate for material gain). Based on an experiment, we show that unethical acts are performed in the presence of dominant leaders. We also find that charismatic leaders influence colluders to engage in unethical acts.
The association between BNP, 6MWD test, DLCO% and pulmonary hypertension in sarcoidosis

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a feared complication in patients with sarcoidosis.It is an important negative prognostic factor which is reflected as a priority given to these subjects for orthotopic lung transplantation. We evaluated the relationship between BNP, 6MWD test, DLCO% values and the severity of sarcoidosis-associated pulmonary hypertension. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted between January 2010 and January 2015 on consecutive confirmed adult subjects diagnosed with sarcoidosis. Demographics, medical comorbidities, clinical features, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), 6MWD test, transthoracic echocardiography, laboratory investigations, radiographic findings, treatment and outcome data were collected from medical records. Subjects with suspicion for PH (i.e. those with PASP ≥ 25 mmHg) were included in the study. PH severity was classified using PASP into mild (PASP 25-49 mmHg), moderate (50-69 mmHg) and severe (≥70 mmHg). We evaluated the strength of correlation between BNP, 6MWD test, DLCO% and the severity of PH. The association between variables was performed using Pearson correlation coefficient and results were considered statistically significant if P value was <0.05. Results: Among the 108 cases diagnosed with sarcoidosis, we identified a total of 27 patients (25%) who had an elevated PASP suggestive of PH and met the study inclusion criteria. There was a significant correlation between BNP level (r=0.804, P=0.003), 6MWD test (r=-0.865, P=0.000), DLCO% (r=-0.513, P=0.015) and the PASP in sarcoidosis patients. Conclusion: Although these simple tests should not be used as screening tools for suspecting sarcoidosis-associated pulmonary hypertension, they may be of value in following its progression in subjects already diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension.
How does brief motivational intervention change heavy drinking and harm among underage young adult drinkers

Objective This study tested mediating processes hypothesized to explain the therapeutic benefit of an efficacious motivational interview (MI). The constructs of interest were motivation to change, cognitive dissonance about current drinking, self-efficacy for change, perceived young adult drinking norms, future drinking intentions, and the use of protective behavioral strategies. Method A randomized controlled trial compared the efficacy of a brief MI to a time- and attention-matched control of meditation and relaxation training for alcohol use. Participants were underage, past-month heavy drinkers recruited from community (i.e., non 4-year college or university) settings (N = 167; ages 17-20; 58% female; 61% White). Statistical analyses assessed mechanisms of MI effects on follow up (6-week, 3-month) percent heavy drinking days (HDD) and alcohol consequences (AC) with a series of temporally lagged mediation models. Results MI efficacy for reducing 6-week HDD was mediated by baseline to postsession changes in the following 3 processes: increasing motivation and self-efficacy, and decreasing the amount these young adults intended to drink in the future. For 6-week AC, MI efficacy was mediated through 1 process: decreased perceived drinking norms. At 3-month follow up, increased cognitive dissonance mediated HDD, but not AC. Further, increased use of certain protective behavioral strategies (i.e., avoidance of and seeking alternatives to drinking contexts) from baseline to 6-weeks mediated both 3-month HDD and AC. Conclusions Findings suggest that within-session cognitive changes are key mechanisms of MIs effect on short-term alcohol outcomes among community young adults while protective behaviors may be more operative at subsequent follow up. (PsycINFO Database Record
Linearly convergent decentralized consensus optimization over directed networks

Recently, there have been growing interests in solving distributed consensus optimization problems over directed networks that consist of multiple agents. In this paper, we develop a first-order (gradient-based) algorithm, referred to as Push-DIGing, for this class of problems. To run Push-DIGing, each agent in the network only needs to know its own out-degree and employs a fixed step-size. Under the strong convexity assumption, we prove that the introduced algorithm converges to the global minimizer at some R-linear (geometric) rate as long as the nonnegative step-size is no greater than some explicit bound.
Convective Radiofrequency Water Vapor Thermal Therapy with Rezūm System

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are amongst the most commonly treated conditions by urologists. Minimally invasive therapies for the treatment of BPH/LUTS have garnered increased interest as new technology has emerged, improving durability, efficacy, and safety. This paper reviews the most recent literature regarding water vapor therapy, a convective thermal therapy that ablates prostatic tissue. The current literature includes a pilot study of 65 men and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 197 men investigating the efficacy and safety profile of water vapor therapy up to 2 years. Subjects treated with water vapor therapy demonstrated a 51% reduction in IPSS from baseline, sustained at 24 months (p < 0.0001). Durable improvements in max flow rate (Qmax) and quality of life (QoL) were also achieved, while no changes in sexual function were observed. Reporting of adverse events (AEs) reveals predominantly Clavien grade I complications that were self-limited. The clinical efficacy and safety of water vapor therapy are durable to 24 months making it an attractive alternative for patients seeking a minimally invasive treatment for LUTS due to BPH.
Advanced Imaging of the Equine Eye

This article reviews the literature for studies describing advanced imaging of the equine eye as a reference for practitioners to help in the selection of image modalities, describe how to use the instruments, and help interpret the image findings. Indications for, technique of, and image interpretation of advanced image modalities such as ultrasound, computed tomography, MRI, optical coherence tomography, confocal microscopy, and angiography are reviewed. The article is organized anatomically, not by instrument, so that the reader will be able to quickly research ways to image specific disease entities or anatomic locations that are affecting their equine patients.
Interparental Interactions and Adolescent Mood: A Daily Diary Approach

The literature assessing relations between interparental functioning and youth adjustment is extensive. Most of this literature used a between subjects approach and examines youth responses to conflict reported by parents. The current study used a daily diary approach to complement the existing literature by assessing relations between aspects of marital interactions and adolescent reported daily mood using a within-family approach. We hypothesized that parents’ emotionality during interactions, the severity of their marital conflicts, and the degree to which their conflicts were resolved would be associated with their adolescents’ daily moods. To test these hypotheses a diverse sample (N = 86; 27% Black, 33% White, 26% Hispanic, and 14% another race or families members differed in race) of mothers, fathers, and adolescents drawn from the Supporting Healthy Marriage project completed 15 days of daily diaries. Multilevel modeling results suggested differential associations between mother and father reports of their own emotions during interactions, conflict severity, and conflict resolution and adolescents’ daily moods. Overall, there were more significant results indicating fathers’ compared to mothers’ associations with adolescents’ daily moods, providing support for the need to continue efforts to engage fathers in family strengthening programs.
Cooperative and Integrated Vehicle and Intersection Control for Energy Efficiency (CIVIC-E 2 )

Recent advances in connected vehicle technologies enable vehicles and signal controllers to cooperate and improve the traffic management at intersections. This paper explores the opportunity for cooperative and integrated vehicle and intersection control for energy efficiency (CIVIC-E2) to contribute to a more sustainable transportation system. We propose a two-level approach that jointly optimizes the traffic signal timing and vehicles’ approach speed, with the objective being to minimize total energy consumption for all vehicles passing through an isolated intersection. More specifically, at the intersection level, a dynamic programming algorithm is designed to find the optimal signal timing by explicitly considering the arrival time and energy profile of each vehicle. At the vehicle level, a model predictive control strategy is adopted to ensure that vehicles pass through the intersection in a timely fashion. Our simulation study has shown that the proposed CIVIC-E2 system can significantly improve intersection performance under various traffic conditions. Compared with conventional fixed-time and actuated signal control strategies, the proposed algorithm can reduce energy consumption and queue length by up to 31% and 95%, respectively.
Evolution of nutrient resorption across the herbaceous genus Helianthus

Foliar nutrient resorption is a key modulator of plant nutrient use. However, evolutionary patterns for nutrient resorption remain unclear, especially in herbs. We measured nitrogen and phosphorus resorption on preselected leaves across the Helianthus (sunflower) genus in a common garden in Athens, GA. We analyzed our data with published leaf traits and native habitat environmental data. Using phylogenetically controlled analyses, we tested if (1) nutrient resorption correlates with leaf economic, vasculature, and defense traits through evolutionary time, and (2) native habitat environment predicts nutrient resorption evolution. For Helianthus, nutrient resorption capacity is greater in resource-conservative species, as previously defined for Helianthus with a principle components analysis of leaf economic spectrum traits (photosynthetic rate, respiration rate, leaf lifespan, leaf mass per area, and green-leaf N and P concentrations). Nutrient resorption capacity also evolutionarily correlates with individual leaf economic traits, though not always as expected based on broad species surveys. Greater nutrient resorption is also positively associated with leaf chemical defenses, but not leaf vasculature or senescence rate. Finally, nitrogen resorption evolution increases with native habitat precipitation, but native habitat soil fertility does not predict nitrogen or phosphorus resorption. Our results suggest nutrient resorption evolution is more closely tied to resource economic strategy than native habitat.
Detailed potential of mean force studies on host–guest systems from the SAMPL6 challenge

Accurately predicting receptor–ligand binding free energies is one of the holy grails of computational chemistry with many applications in chemistry and biology. Many successes have been reported, but issues relating to sampling and force field accuracy remain significant issues affecting our ability to reliably calculate binding free energies. In order to explore these issues in more detail we have examined a series of small host–guest complexes from the SAMPL6 blind challenge, namely octa-acids (OAs)–guest complexes and Curcurbit[8]uril (CB8)–guest complexes. Specifically, potential of mean force studies using umbrella sampling combined with the weighted histogram method were carried out on both systems with both known and unknown binding affinities. We find that using standard force fields and straightforward simulation protocols we are able to obtain satisfactory results, but that simply scaling our results allows us to significantly improve our predictive ability for the unknown test sets: the overall RMSD of the binding free energy versus experiment is reduced from 5.59 to 2.36 kcal/mol; for the CB8 test system, the RMSD goes from 8.04 to 3.51 kcal/mol, while for the OAs test system, the RSMD goes from 2.89 to 0.95 kcal/mol. The scaling approach was inspired by studies on structurally related known benchmark sets: by simply scaling, the RMSD was reduced from 6.23 to 1.19 kcal/mol and from 2.96 to 0.62 kcal/mol for the CB8 benchmark system and the OA benchmark system, respectively. We find this scaling procedure to correct absolute binding affinities to be highly effective especially when working across a “congeneric” series with similar charge states. It is less successful when applied to mixed ligands with varied charges and chemical characteristics, but improvement is still realized in the present case. This approach suggests that there are large systematic errors in absolute binding free energy calculations that can be straightforwardly accounted for using a scaling procedure. Random errors are still an issue, but near chemical accuracy can be obtained using the present strategy in select cases.
Protestant Techniques of Care: The Hindu, the Pentecost, and the “Secular”

Modern techniques of caring for the self through staying healthy rely on an ethic of choice, often evoking critiques of the (neo)liberal subject. This sense of choice has carried frequently overlooked Protestant commitments from Luther to Kant and Locke to 19th-century American health reformers, premised on a refusal of ritual, mysticism, and the priest as the source of truth. This article explores how these implicit commitments shape the relation to other religious traditions in countries like Trinidad. Campaigns against chronic disease in Trinidad carried out in public health venues and churches echo multinational health projects in pronouncing, "We all want a healthy life." The article draws on a Caribbean ironic sense of secularity to analyze the way that the threat to this "want" found in other religious traditions such as Pentecostal healing and Hindu ecstatic practices reveals Protestant commitments masked within a modern global "secular" care of the self.
An Epilogue—Or Epitaph?—For Freedom, Liberation, Revolution

After underlining the relevance to our gloomy period of Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism and Men in Dark Times, this epilogue takes a more hopeful turn by examining different sites for miracles of action suggested by the authors in this volume. The essay also identifies contemporary acts of resistance to oppression that are difficult to see if we remain overly faithful to Arendtian theory. These include struggles to protect the “what already is” from destructive external blows, internet exposes of state tyranny by anonymous and isolated rebels in public and private bureaucracies, and movements to widen the scope of democracy, plurality, and solidarity to include non-human species and elements of the earth under environmental siege.
Development of an Occupational Risk Assessment Tool for Laboratory Animal Facilities

Introduction: Laboratory animal facilities aim to provide excellence in animal care and welfare and support scientific research. Critical to these goals is to ensure a safe work environment for per...
More than pills: alternative adjunct therapies to improve comfort in hospitalised patients.

Discomfort in the hospitalised patient continues to be one of the healthcare system’s greatest challenges to positive patient outcomes. The patients’ ability to focus on healing is impaired by discomforts such as pain, nausea and anxiety. Alternative, non-pharmacological therapies have shown to be effective in reducing discomfort and managing pain, complementing analgesic agents and optimising pain therapy modalities. This multi-cycle project is aimed to assess the effect of alternative therapies on inpatient, progressive care patients who reported discomfort or little to no relief in discomfort from prescribed analgesics and adjuvant agents. In the first Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycle, patients who reported discomfort were offered aromatherapy or visual relaxation DVDs. In the second PDSA cycle, patients were offered a comfort menu that consisted of multiple alternative interventions such as aromatherapy, ice or heat and ambulation. During each cycle, participants completed a survey measuring comfort levels before and after patient-selected alternative intervention(s) were administered. In the first PDSA cycle, 88% of patients reported an increase in comfort level after the intervention, and 97% reported an interest in using alternative therapy again. In the second PDSA cycle, 47% reported increased comfort, and 89% indicated a willingness to try alternative therapies again for improvement of comfort level. Overall, the quality improvement project increased the level of comfort reported by hospitalised patients, creating a gateway to comfort with less emphasis on prescribed analgesic medications.
Membedah Kebijakan Perencanaan Ketenagalistrikan di Indonesia

Saat ini, tingginya angka emisi gas rumah kaca menjadi fokus di berbagai negara, termasuk Indonesia. Sebagai pemicu adanya pemanasan global, dan yang lebih jauh adalah perubahan iklim, berbagai negara kini gencar menginventarisasi dan melakukan langkah-langkah strategis untuk mengendalikan tingginya angka tersebut. Indonesia sendiri, menurut dokumen strategi penerapan Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) , nyatanya telah mencapai 1.334 M Ton CO 2e per 2010 untuk angka emisi gas rumah kaca
Magnetic Human Corneal Endothelial Cell Transplant: Delivery, Retention, and Short-Term Efficacy

Purpose Corneal endothelial dysfunction leads to corneal edema, pain, and vision loss. Adequate animal models are needed to study the safety and efficacy of novel cell therapies as an alternative to corneal transplantation.
Deep Q-learning From Demonstrations.

Deep reinforcement learning (RL) has achieved several high profile successes in difficult decision-making problems. However, these algorithms typically require a huge amount of data before they reach reasonable performance. In fact, their performance during learning can be extremely poor. This may be acceptable for a simulator, but it severely limits the applicability of deep RL to many real-world tasks, where the agent must learn in the real environment. In this paper we study a setting where the agent may access data from previous control of the system. We present an algorithm, Deep Q-learning from Demonstrations (DQfD), that leverages small sets of demonstration data to massively accelerate the learning process even from relatively small amounts of demonstration data and is able to automatically assess the necessary ratio of demonstration data while learning thanks to a prioritized replay mechanism. DQfD works by combining temporal difference updates with supervised classification of the demonstrator’s actions. We show that DQfD has better initial performance than Prioritized Dueling Double Deep Q-Networks (PDD DQN) as it starts with better scores on the first million steps on 41 of 42 games and on average it takes PDD DQN 83 million steps to catch up to DQfD’s performance. DQfD learns to out-perform the best demonstration given in 14 of 42 games. In addition, DQfD leverages human demonstrations to achieve state-of-the-art results for 11 games. Finally, we show that DQfD performs better than three related algorithms for incorporating demonstration data into DQN.
Application of Robot Operating System in Robot Flocks

Flocking behavior is an exercise in both control and coordination. Members need to move in near-perfect time with each other to maintain a safe, but compact, distance amongst themselves. This balance could have a number of useful applications, ranging from automated vehicles to power grid coordination. Moreover, per Reynolds (1987), flocking behavior can be summarized as an algorithm, which automated systems can easily consume. Inspired by this premise, the group blueprinted a robot flock using Turtlebot3 Burgers and Robot Operating System, or ROS. To begin, the group created an algorithm in Scratch, a graphical programming language. Per Reynolds' model, as long as each individual member knows and follows the algorithm, a flock will form without any outside influence. The group theorized that this modular approach would bide well with the ROS system of nodes and messages. By deeming each member a flocking node and having a remote “master” perform functions such as localization, the ROS framework would naturally support robot flocking. However, after transcribing their program to C++, the group found some ongoing issues in development. They struggled to adapt ROS's message commands into their program, and the Burgers' given localization program had trouble supporting a multi-robot flock. Regardless, with further research, the group still believes that ROS can give rise to a viable flock.
Existence of similar point configurations in thin subsets of $${\mathbb {R}}^d$$ R d

We prove the existence of similar and multi-similar point configurations (or simplexes) in sets of fractional Hausdorff dimension in Euclidean space. Let $$d \ge 2$$ and $$E\subset {{{\mathbb {R}}} }^d$$ be a compact set. For $$k\ge 1$$ , define $$\begin{aligned} \Delta _k(E)=\left\{ \left( |x^1-x^2|, \dots , |x^i-x^j|,\dots , |x^k-x^{k+1}|\right) : \left\{ x^i\right\} _{i=1}^{k+1}\subset E\right\} \subset {{{\mathbb {R}}} }^{k(k+1)/2}, \end{aligned}$$ the $$(k+1)$$ -point configuration set of E. For $$k\le d$$ , this is (up to permutations) the set of congruences of $$(k+1)$$ -point configurations in E; for $$k>d$$ , it is the edge-length set of $$(k+1)$$ -graphs whose vertices are in E. Previous works by a number of authors have found values $$s_{k,d}<d$$ so that if the Hausdorff dimension of E satisfies $$\dim _{\mathcal H}(E)>s_{k,d}$$ , then $$\Delta _k(E)$$ has positive Lebesgue measure. In this paper we study more refined properties of $$\Delta _k(E)$$ , namely the existence of similar or multi–similar configurations. For $$r\in {\mathbb {R}},\, r>0$$ , let $$\begin{aligned} \Delta _{k}^{r}(E):=\left\{ \mathbf {t}\,\in \Delta _k\left( E\right) : r\mathbf {t}\,\in \Delta _k\left( E\right) \right\} \subset \Delta _k\left( E\right) . \end{aligned}$$ We show that if $$\dim _{\mathcal H}(E)>s_{k,d}$$ , for a natural measure $$\nu _k$$ on $$\Delta _k(E)$$ , one has all $$r\in {\mathbb {R}}_+$$ . Thus, in E there exist many pairs of $$(k+1)$$ -point configurations which are similar by the scaling factor r. We extend this to show the existence of multi–similar configurations of any multiplicity. These results can be viewed as variants and extensions, for compact thin sets, of theorems of Furstenberg, Katznelson and Weiss [7], Bourgain [2] and Ziegler [11] for sets of positive density in $${\mathbb {R}}^d$$ .
Legitimacy and Agency Implementation of Title IX

Because Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 involves a subject that remains highly controversial in our polity (sex roles and interactions among the sexes more generally), and because it targets a highly sensitive area (education), the administration of that statute by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has long drawn criticism. The critics have not merely noted disagreements with the legal and policy decisions of the agency, however. Rather, they have attacked the agency’s decisions for being illegitimate—for reflecting the agency’s improper imposition of value judgments on the statute. Three key applications of Title IX have drawn the most controversy in this regard: gender equity in intercollegiate athletics; transgender students’ rights; and sex-based harassment and assault on college campuses. This symposium essay argues that the critique is misplaced. One may agree or disagree with OCR’s applications of Title IX in these three key areas. But these applications are not illegitimate. To the contrary, they are implementation decisions made consistent with the longstanding “core” conception of discrimination — intentional disparate treatment. These decisions are inherently contestable, because even the “core” conception can be instantiated in many ways. But there are strong reasons to believe that OCR is best positioned to choose which instantiations to adopt. This essay thus shows how disputes over Title IX implicate broader questions of what discrimination means, as well as broader debates involving the legitimacy of the administrative state.
Calcium chloride concentration, injection time, and aging period effects on tenderness, sensory, and retail color attributes of loin steaks from mature cows.

Calcium chloride (CaCl2) injection effects on retail color changes and sensory traits of loin steaks from mature cows were studied. Left side strip loins (SL) of 10 carcasses were divided into three portions within .5 h postmortem. One was a control, and the other portions were injected with either 150 mM or 200 mM CaCl2. At 24 h postmortem, the chilled, right side SL was removed and the same treatments applied. Steaks from each treatment were evaluated for color changes during 5 d of retail display. Treatments were also divided into 7-d or 14-d aging periods. Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) values and sensory evaluations of juiciness, tenderness, flavor intensity, flavor description, and overall palatability were obtained on all treatments. Concentration of CaCl2 had no effect on measures of color. However, injection at 24 h reduced colorimeter L values and visual color scores on d 1 and 2 of retail display and increased discoloration scores on d 3 (P < .05) compared with injection at .5 h. All steaks had greater than 40% discoloration when measured beyond d 3. Steaks aged 14 d exhibited significantly lower WBS values than steaks aged 7 d (P < .05). Injections of CaCl2 increased scores for juiciness, tenderness, and overall palatability, and aging improved tenderness, flavor intensity, flavor description, and overall palatability (P < .05). Cuts injected at 24 h had 8.3% and 8.8% higher yields than cuts injected at .5 h or controls, respectively (P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The use of SNOMED CT, 2013-2020: a literature review.

OBJECTIVE This article reviews recent literature on the use of SNOMED CT as an extension of Lee et al's 2014 review on the same topic. The Lee et al's article covered literature published from 2001-2012, and the scope of this review was 2013-2020. MATERIALS AND METHODS In line with Lee et al's methods, we searched the PubMed and Embase databases and identified 1002 articles for review, including studies from January 2013 to September 2020. The retrieved articles were categorized and analyzed according to SNOMED CT focus categories (ie, indeterminate, theoretical, pre-development, implementation, and evaluation/commodity), usage categories (eg, illustrate terminology systems theory, prospective content coverage, used to classify or code in a study, retrieve or analyze patient data, etc.), medical domains, and countries. RESULTS After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 622 articles were selected for final review. Compared to the papers published between 2001 and 2012, papers published between 2013 and 2020 revealed an increase in more mature usage of SNOMED CT, and the number of papers classified in the "implementation" and "evaluation/commodity" focus categories expanded. When analyzed by decade, papers in the "pre-development," "implementation," and "evaluation/commodity" categories were much more numerous in 2011-2020 than in 2001-2010, increasing from 169 to 293, 30 to 138, and 3 to 65, respectively. CONCLUSION Published papers in more mature usage categories have substantially increased since 2012. From 2013 to present, SNOMED CT has been increasingly implemented in more practical settings. Future research should concentrate on addressing whether SNOMED CT influences improvement in patient care.
Redox chemistry of discrete low-valent titanium complexes and low-valent titanium synthons

Titanium is a versatile metal that has important applications in practical synthesis, though this is typically limited to stoichiometric reactions or Lewis acid catalysis. Recently, interest has grown in using titanium and other early-metals for redox catalysis; however, notable limitations exist due to the thermodynamic preference of these metals to adopt high oxidation states. Nonetheless, discrete low-valent titanium (LVT) complexes and their synthons (titanium complexes which chemically behave as LVT sources) are known. Here, we detail the various ligand platforms that are capable of stabilizing LVT compounds and present the redox chemistry of these systems. This includes a discussion of recent developments in the use of LVT synthons for accessing fully reversible oxidative-addition/reductive-elimination reactions.
Longitudinal Outcomes of COVID-19-Associated Collapsing Glomerulopathy and Other Podocytopathies.

BACKGROUND: The long-term outcome of COVID-19-associated collapsing glomerulopathy is unknown. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 76 native kidney biopsies from patients with history of COVID-19 between March 2020 and April 2021. Presenting and outcome data were obtained for all 23 patients with collapsing glomerulopathy and for seven patients with noncollapsing podocytopathies. We performed APOL1 genotyping by Sanger sequencing, immunostaining for spike and nucleocapsid proteins, and in situ hybridization for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: The 23 patients with COVID-19-associated collapsing glomerulopathy were median age 57 years (range, 35-72), included 16 men, and were predominantly (91%) Black. Severity of COVID-19 was mild or moderate in most (77%) patients. All but one patient presented with AKI, 17 had nephrotic-range proteinuria, and six had nephrotic syndrome. Fourteen (61%) patients required dialysis at presentation. Among 17 patients genotyped, 16 (94%) were high-risk APOL1. Among 22 (96%) patients with median follow-up at 155 days (range, 30-412), 11 (50%) received treatment for COVID-19, and eight (36%) received glucocorticoid therapy for podocytopathy. At follow-up, 19 (86%) patients were alive, and 15 (68%) were dialysis free, including seven of 14 who initially required dialysis. The dialysis-free patients included 64% (seven of 11) of those treated for COVID-19 and 75% (six of eight) of those treated with glucocorticoids for podocytopathy. Overall, 36% achieved partial remission of proteinuria, 32% had no remission, and 32% reached combined end points of ESKD or death. Viral infection of the kidney was not detected. CONCLUSIONS: Half of 14 patients with COVID-19-associated collapsing glomerulopathy requiring dialysis achieved dialysis independence, but the long-term prognosis of residual proteinuric CKD remains guarded, indicating a need for more effective therapy.
Comparison of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC): AdnaTest breast cancer for detection and biological characterization

A6 Background : Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is an incurable condition treated with palliative intent. The detection of CTCs at baseline and during therapy is an independent strong prognostic marker and is predictive of treatment outcome. We compared the CellSearch Assay with the AdnaTest Breast Cancer to evaluate sensitivity in detection of CTCs in patients with MBC. Material and Methods : This was a prospective study including 74 patients with MBC evaluated at the University of Texas, M D Anderson Cancer Center. CTCs from 7.5 mL of whole blood were isolated and enumerated using the CellSearch assay (Veridex, LLC, Warren, NJ), before patients started a new treatment. CTCs were considered negative (-) or positive (+) if 5 respectively. ) The AdnaTest Breast Cancer uses 5ml of whole blood for magnetically coupled antibodies directed to multiple cell surface antigens to capture the CTCs, followed by multiplexed RT-PCR for tumor markers (GA733.2, MUC-1 and Her-2) for CTC detection. CTC (+) was defined by the detection of one or more of the 3 markers. The chosen cut-off value for positivity was 0.15 ng/μL. The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the AdnaTest Breast Cancer results (individual components or whole) correspond to CellSearch low or high (>= 5) CTCs. Results : Median age at MBC diagnosis was 56 years. Hormone receptor status was positive in 69% of patients. Her-2 positive (FISH amplification) was demonstrated in 18 patients (24%). Twenty-six patients (35%) were CTCs (+) by the CellSearch technology, while 33 pts (44%) were CTCs (+) by the AdnaTest Breast Cancer . The individual markers positivity was: 13% GA733.2, 35% MUC-1, 30%. Her-2 There was an overall positive agreement of 55% and a negative percent agreement of 69.5% between the 2 technologies. Neither technology was found to be related to either ER/PR or Her-2 status of primary tumor. Moreover sixteen pts with Her-2 positive CTCs had no evidence of Her-2 amplification in the primary tumor. Conclusion : This preliminary data indicate that the AdnaTest Breast Cancer may represent a more sensitive technique for detection of CTCs in patients with MBC. Larger prospective confirmatory studies are planned.
Serum total and free thyroxine and thyrotropin in normal and pregnant women, neonates, and women receiving progestogens.

Abstract Total serum thyroxine levels are significantly increased throughout pregnancy, returning to normal by 6 weeks post partum. Conversely, percentage-free serum thyroxine is decreased throughout pregnancy (normal at 6 weeks post partum). Thus, the absolute concentration of free thyroxine, the most important component from the physiologic standpoint, remains normal during pregnancy. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) increases significantly during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy but returns to normal levels at term. In cord serum of neonates, absolute free thyroxine level is greater than that in pregnant women at term; TSH values are greater than those in women at term and in euthyroid nonpregnant women. The use of progestogens for four or more menstrual cycles results in total, percentage-free, and absolute free thyroxine levels comparable to those found in women during pregnancy. The serum levels of TSH are normal.
A new learning strategy for the two-time-scale neural controller with its application to the tracking control of rigid arms

A novel fast learning rule with fast weight identification is proposed for the two-time-scale neural controller, and a two-stage learning strategy is developed for the proposed neural controller. The results of the stability analysis show that both the tracking error and the fast weight error will be uniformly bounded and converge to a bounded region which depends only on the accuracy of the slow learning if the system is sufficiently excited. The efficiency of the two-stage learning is also demonstrated by a simulation of a two-link arm. >
Iontophoretic application of NMDA produces different types of excitatory responses in developing human cortical and caudate neurons.

Abstract The effects of iontophoretically applied N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) were assessed in human neocortical and caudate neurons. NMDA depolarized cell membranes, decreased input conductances and induced firing. The discharge patterns differed in the two areas studied. In neocortex, NMDA produced repetitive spikes or bursts. In caudate, it induced slow, rhythmic plateau depolarizations accompanied by an initial burst of action potentials, followed by low amplitude, long duration spikes. Afterhyperpolarizations were seen after each depolarization in the caudate. These variations in patterns of excitation may relate to differences in local circuits intrinsic to each region, and/or to membrane conductances specific to each type of cell.
An assessment of a nowcast/forecast system for the straits of Florida/Florida Current regime

The Florida Current (FC) largely fills the Straits of Florida and is variable on a broad spectrum of time and space scales. Some portions of the variability are due to variable forcing by tides, winds, heating/cooling, and throughflow; other portions are due to intrinsic instabilities of the FC. To predict, as well as to better understand this complex regime, a now-cast/forecast system (East Florida Shelf Information System (EFSIS)) has been implemented and assessed (http://efsis. rsmas.miami.edu). EFSIS is based on an implementation of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) with mesoscale — admitting resolution on a curvilinear grid. It is forced by a mesoscale numerical weather prediction system (called Eta) run operationally by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), eight tidal constituents from a global tidal model, and lateral boundary conditions from an operational global ocean prediction model, i.e., the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM). Real-time observations of coastal sea level, coastal sea surface temperature, coastal HF radar-derived surface current maps, and FC volume transport are used to verify and validate EFSIS. EFSIS is part of an evolving strategy for real-time predictive coastal ocean modeling methodology, and for fostering the understanding of the variability of the regime on several time and space scales. Here, some of the verification and validation results are provided, as well as diagnostic analyses of dynamical processes. The central point is that an example is provided of a ‘scientific revolution’ in progress that combines real-time observations and numerical circulation models to yield a credible sequence of synoptic views of coastal ocean circulation for the first time.
Evolving Pharmacotherapies for the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma

Metastatic melanoma remains a difficult disease to treat, and long term survivors are rare. Over the past few years, however, breakthroughs in both immunotherapy as well as targeted agents have had a tremendous impact on patients diagnosed with this disease. This review summarizes recent advances in systemic therapies for melanoma, including immune modulators directed against cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-1 (PD-1), as well as a number of targeted agents. These approaches hold great promise as the landscape of therapeutic options for advanced melanoma continues to evolve.
Protective role of n-3 lipids and soy protein in osteoporosis ☆

Abstract It is well established that bone loss due to estrogen deficiency after menopause is greater in women consuming higher quantities of animal protein than in women consuming vegetable protein, particularly soy protein. Besides the dietary protein source altering bone loss, it has also been postulated recently that the source of a higher n-6/n-3 ratio in dietary oils is implicated in causing osteoporosis. Both animal and human studies have indicated that an increased intake of n-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils elevates prostaglandin E 2 levels as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF- α . Interestingly, it has been found that lack of estrogen also increases the production of these cytokines by immune cells and thereby activates osteoclasts during the peri-menopausal period. We speculated that the use of n-3 fatty acids and soy protein, which are known to act as anti-inflammatory and down regulate pro-inflammatory cytokines, may also protect against bone loss by decreasing osteoclast activation and bone resorption. Similar to the results of others, our ongoing studies indeed show that the bone loss in ovariectomized mice is significantly attenuated by feeding diets enriched with either fish oil or soy protein when compared to corn oil and casein-fed mice. One of the mechanisms appears to be decreasing the activation of receptor activator of NF- κ B ligand (RANKL) on T cells, which has been found to increase osteoclast activation along with increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines in OVX mice. Since hormone replacement therapy has been found to cause adverse effects, further both animal and human studies are required with moderate soy protein and fish oil supplements in understanding the mechanisms involved in altering immune function and bone loss during menopause in women and aging in men.
Genograms: Use in Therapy with Asian Families with Diverse Cultural Heritages

This article focuses on the ways in which genograms can be an effective psychosocial tool for use with Asian families of diverse cultural heritages. Using the case examples of Asians from three countries, viz., Malaysia, Japan, and Cambodia, the authors delineate salient therapeutic themes and map changes from a transgenerational perspective with attention to socio-cultural and political processes. An anthropological stance (Becvar, Contemp Fam Ther 30:1–2, 2008) allows a therapist to be curious about Asian family and kinship systems and join with the family in creating a new narrative that broadens spaces for living. Drawing upon surveys from three training contexts, the voices of Asian mental health practitioners, suggesting culture specific issues for the effective use of genograms with Asian families, are included.
Giant trichophytobezoar in a pediatric patient with trichotillomania.

We report a case of a 13-year-old girl with trichotillomania. A plain abdominal radiograph and axial CT scan revealed a well-defined mass within the stomach. Gastrotomy was performed and a 19×11×2-cm trichophytobezoar was delivered intact.
Modeling of the surface states of a terminated superlattice using a multiband Hamiltonian

In most electronic bandstructure calculations of semiconductor superlattices (SLs), periodically extended boundary conditions are used. However the presence of a terminating layer, which breaks the periodicity of the SL, is expected to modify the electronic bandstructure. In this work, we report a model for calculating the localized surface-like states of a terminated SL which includes, for the first time, the nonparabolic nature of the host bandstructures by way of band mixing, unlike the simple one band Kronig-Penney type model. This model is within the framework of the multiband envelope function approximation, which has proven to be a useful and efficient method for the calculation of SL electronic bandstructure.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Catabolic effects of thyroid hormone excess: the contribution of adrenergic activity to hypermetabolism and protein breakdown

Although patients with thyrotoxicosis improve clinically after treatment with beta-adrenergic blocking drugs, it has never been established whether the hypermetabolism and body protein wasting caused by thyroid hormone excess are actually mediated by adrenergic mechanisms. To evaluate this issue, we measured basal energy expenditure, epinephrine-stimulated calorigenesis, and leucine kinetics (an index of body protein catabolism) in six normal volunteers before and after triiodothyronine (T3) administration (150 micrograms/d for 1 week). Serum T3 rose nearly threefold (P less than 0.001) during T3 administration, producing significant increases in basal metabolic rate (21%, P less than 0.001), nitrogen excretion (45%, P less than 0.001), and leucine flux (45%, P less than 0.01). In response to epinephrine infusion, the absolute rise in metabolic rate above basal was 57% greater in the thyrotoxic condition (P less than 0.02). Although beta-adrenergic blockade with intravenous propranolol totally abolished the calorigenic response to epinephrine, it had no detectable effect on either the accelerated basal metabolic rate or the augmented body protein catabolism caused by thyroid horomone excess. Our data suggest that in the basal, resting state, the increased metabolic rate and accelerated protein breakdown caused by thyroid hormone are not adrenergically mediated. However, under nonbasal conditions (when sympathetic activity is stimulated), enhanced responsiveness to catecholamine calorigenesis may exaggerate the hypermetabolic state and thereby contribute to weight loss and other clinical manifestations of thyrotoxicosis. This mechanism may explain the clinical efficacy of beta-adrenergic blocking agents in the treatment of thyrotoxicosis.
Mode locking of a wavelength-swept laser.

Self-starting, stable mode-locked pulses can be generated from a wavelength-swept laser through the interplay between an intracavity scanning filter and self-phase modulation. From an Er3+-doped fiber laser employing a scanning Fabry–Perot filter, 100?ps optical pulses are obtained at a 12-MHz repetition rate with center wavelengths that are swept over 27?nm around 1.55??m in 1?ms.