cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Creating and using a computer debt simulation model for teaching the economics of developing countries

This paper describes the motivation for and the use of software to clarify and elucidate concepts in economics. The computer model designed and implemented by a computer scientist and an economist, enables students to manipulate data in order to more fully understand the factors involved in the accumulation and repayment of international debt by developing countries. The paper discusses the value of such a model in the economics classroom and encourages computer scientists to form partnerships with faculty in other disciplines to help them integrate computer usage into their curriculum.
All-Liquid Separations, Protein Microarrays, and Mass Spectrometry to Interrogate Serum Proteomes: An Application to Serum Glycoproteomics

Disease-related changes in serum proteins are reasonable targets for early detection particularly due to the noninvasive approach in obtaining samples. Glycoproteins specifically have been implicated in a variety of disease types ranging from immune diseases to cancers. High-throughput screening methods that can assess glycosylation states of all serum proteins in normal and diseased sample groups can facilitate early detection as well as shed light on disease progression mechanisms. Outlined here is a combination of liquid separation, protein microarray, and mass spectrometry approach to highlight candidate proteins involved in diseases through glycosylation mechanisms.
Toward a Cognitive-Affective Model of Athletic Burnout

Although athletic burnout is a frequent topic of discussion and speculation, little in the way of a conceptual model or empirical data currently exists. An attempt is made to incorporate what is known about the nature, causes, and consequences of burnout within a cognitive-affective model of stress and to note the parallel situational, cognitive, physiologic, and behavioral components of stress and burnout. Thibaut and Kelley's social exchange model is used to define the conditions under which withdrawal from a sport can be attributed to burnout. Empirical findings concerning the causes and consequences of burnout derived from nonathletic populations are incorporated within the athletic burnout model, and its implications for preventing and coping with burnout are discussed. A number of conceptual and methodological issues are discussed, including operationalizing and measuring athletic burnout, the need for epidemiological research, and the assessment of causal and moderator variables. Based upon the lit...
The role of mathematical models in biomedical research

During the past fifteen years, there has been a substantial increase in the use of mathematical models in biomedical research. The proper application of such modelling techniques offers many actual and potential benefits for physiology and clinical medicine, including the possibility of at least reducing the number of animal experiments which are conventionally performed in many laboratories.
Effects of oil field brine wastewater on saturated hydraulic conductivity of smectitic loam soils

Spills of brine wastewater produced during oil well drilling are occurring more frequently in the Great Plains, resulting in crop production loss on affected soil. Remediation requires removal of s...
The incarnation, soul-free: physicalism, kind membership, and the incarnation

Animalists, those who hold that human persons are identical to human animals, seem committed to holding that, in becoming incarnate, the Son of God became a human animal. Unsurprisingly, a number of philosophers have argued that this is impossible. In this article, I consider several objections to an animalist account of the incarnation based on kind membership, viz. objections drawing on kind essentialism, constitution essentialism, and the persistence conditions of animals. After developing each objection in detail, I respond by drawing on my preferred formulation of animalism. My goal in addressing these objections is to take the first steps toward demonstrating the compatibility of animalism and the incarnation.
Human Skin Is the Largest Epithelial Surface for Interaction with Microbes.

Human skin contains an abundant and diverse population of microbial organisms. Many of these microbes inhabit follicular structures of the skin. Furthermore, numerous studies have shown that the interaction of some members of the skin microbiome with host cells will result in changes in cell function. However, estimates of the potential for the microbiome to influence human health through skin have ignored the inner follicular surface, and therefore vastly underestimated the potential of the skin microbiome to have a systemic effect on the human body. By calculating the surface area of follicular and the interfollicular epithelial surface it is shown that skin provides a vast interface for interactions with the microbiome.
Parallel and scalable block system generation

Abstract Generating a realistic representation of a fractured rock mass is a first step in many different analyses. Field observations need to be translated into a 3-D model that will serve as the input for these analyses. The block systems can contain hundreds of thousands to millions of blocks of varying sizes and shapes; generating these large models is very computationally expensive and requires significant computing resources. By taking advantage of the advances made in big data analytics and Cloud Computing, we have a developed an open-source program— SparkRocks —that generates block systems in parallel. The application runs on Apache Spark which enables it to run locally, on a compute cluster or the Cloud. The block generation is based on a subdivision and linear programming optimization as introduced by Boon et al. (2015). SparkRocks automatically maintains load balance among parallel processes and can be scaled up on the Cloud without having to make any changes to the underlying implementation, enabling it to generate real-world scale block systems containing millions of blocks in minutes.
Cortical area and subcortical volume mediate the effect of parental education and adverse experiences on cognitive performance in youth

Early adversity and socioeconomic disadvantage are risk factors associated with diminished cognitive outcomes during development. Recent studies also provide evidence that upbringings characterized by stressful experiences and markers of disadvantage during childhood, such as lower parental education or household income, are associated with variation in brain structure. Although disadvantage often confers adversity, these are distinct risk factors whose differential influences on neurodevelopment and neurocognitive outcomes are not well characterized. We examined pathways linking parental education, adverse experiences, brain structure, and cognitive performances through an analysis of 1,413 typically-developing youth, ages 8 through 21, in the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort. Parental education and adverse experiences had unique associations with cortical surface area and subcortical volume as well as cognitive performance across several domains. Associations between parental education and several cognitive tasks were explained, in part, by variation in cortical surface area. In contrast, associations between adversity and cognitive tasks were explained primarily by variation in subcortical volume. A composite neurodevelopmental factor derived from principal component analysis of cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and subcortical volume mediated independent associations between both parental education and adverse experiences with reading, geometric reasoning, verbal reasoning, attention, and emotional differentiation tasks. Our analysis provides novel evidence that socioeconomic disadvantage and adversity influence neurodevelopmental pathways associated with cognitive outcomes through independent mechanisms.
Effects of Individual and Combined Pesticide Commercial Formulations Exposure to Egestion and Movement of Common Freshwater Snails, Physa acuta and Helisoma anceps

Pesticides are detected in streams at concentrations that might have adverse effects on aquatic organisms. These agrochemicals typically occur in streams as combinations, yet research has focused on the effects of individual pesticides. We studied the effects of commercial formulations of atrazine, metolachlor, carbaryl, and chlorothalonil on aquatic gastropods Physa acuta and Helisoma anceps egestion and movement. We observed an eightfold reduction in P. acuta egestion rates when exposed to individual (atrazine: 200 μg/L; metolachlor, carbaryl, and chlorothalonil: 100 μg/L) and combined (atrazine x metolachlor: 200 μg/L x 100 μg/L and carbaryl x chlorothalonil: 100 μg/L x 100 μg/L) pesticide treatments relative to controls. For H. anceps individual and combined pesticide treatments had no significant effects on egestion, highlighting differential species response. Helisoma anceps movement declined when exposed to atrazine, carbaryl, and chlorothalonil individually, though responses varied with exposure time. When combined atrazine metolachlor and carbaryl chlorothalonil reduced H. anceps movement relative to the control. In addition to pesticide physicochemical characteristics, it is important to consider exposure durations to better understand the effects of pesticides on aquatic organisms. Furthermore, future risk assessments should incorporate multiple species to better represent response diversity.
The Pathogenesis, Outcomes, and Prevention of Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury (AKI) following exposure to iodinated radiocontrast media used for multiple medical imaging procedures including contrast-enhanced computed tomography and coronary and noncoronary angiography represents one of the most common forms of iatrogenic AKI. Multiple mechanisms are believed to contribute to the nephrotoxicity of these agents, including intrarenal vasoconstriction, hyperosmolality, generation of reactive oxygen species, and direct cytotoxicity. The most important risk factor for development of contrast-associated AKI following contrast exposure is preexisting kidney dysfunction. Other patient-related risk factors include concomitant diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, volume depletion, and concomitant administration of other nephrotoxic agents, particularly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The toxicity of iodinated contrast media is related to their osmolality, with higher nephrotoxicity associated with higher osmolal contrast media as compared with low-osmolal contrast media and iso-osmolal contrast media. Other risk factors include the volume of contrast media infused, intra-arterial as compared with intravenous administration, and repeated exposure to contrast media over a short period of time. The primary strategy to mitigate the risk of contrast-associated AKI is periprocedural administration of isotonic crystalloid solutions, although the optimal rate of fluid administration is not known. It is also uncertain whether the use of isotonic sodium bicarbonate provides greater renal protection than isotonic saline. Although periprocedural administration of multiple pharmacological agents, including N -acetylcysteine, adenosine antagonists, statins, and ascorbic acid, have been proposed for prevention of contrast-associated AKI, the true effectiveness of these agents remains uncertain. Other pharmacological agents, including loop diuretics, mannitol, and dopamine, and other dopaminergic agonists, as well as prophylactic hemodialysis and hemofiltration, are not effective at reducing the risk of contrast-associated AKI.
Learning to address multiple syndemics for people living with HIV through client perspectives on CBT.

Objective: The mental health burden among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) is high and often involves multiple comorbid psychological and substance use-related psychosocial problems. These co-oc...
Kinship and Incest Avoidance Drive Patterns of Reproductive Skew in Cooperatively Breeding Birds.

AbstractSocial animals vary in how reproduction is divided among group members, ranging from monopolization by a dominant pair (high skew) to equal sharing by cobreeders (low skew). Despite many theoretical models, the ecological and life-history factors that generate this variation are still debated. Here I analyze data from 83 species of cooperatively breeding birds, finding that kinship within the breeding group is a powerful predictor of reproductive sharing across species. Societies composed of nuclear families have significantly higher skew than those that contain unrelated members, a pattern that holds for both multimale and multifemale groups. Within-species studies confirm this, showing that unrelated subordinates of both sexes are more likely to breed than related subordinates are. Crucially, subordinates in cooperative groups are more likely to breed if they are unrelated to the opposite-sex dominant, whereas relatedness to the same-sex dominant has no effect. This suggests that incest avoidanc...
Stereotactic body radiation therapy for isolated hilar and mediastinal non-small cell lung cancers.

Abstract Objectives The seminal phase II trial for pulmonary stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) suggested that SBRT to central lesions resulted in unacceptable toxicity. Alternative dose-fractionation schemes have been proposed which may improve safety without compromise of efficacy. We report our institutional outcomes of SBRT for hilar/mediastinal non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and methods A retrospective review was conducted of patients with NSCLC in a hilar or mediastinal nodal station which was treated with SBRT. Patients presented with a lesion involving the hilum or mediastinum from primary or oligorecurrent NSCLC. Kaplan-Meier with log-rank testing and Cox analysis were utilized for outcomes analysis. Results From 2008–2015, 40 patients with median age of 70 were treated with SBRT for primary/oligorecurrent hilar/mediastinal NSCLC with median follow-up of 16.4 months. 85% presented with oligorecurrent disease at a median of 22.4 months following definitive therapy. The aortico-pulmonary window was the target in 40%, the hilum in 25%, lower paratracheal in 20%, subcarinal in 10%, and prevascular in 5%. The median dose was 48 Gy in 4 fractions (range: 35–48 Gy in 4–5 fractions). Median overall (OS) and progression-free (PFS) survivals were 22.7 and 13.1 months, respectively. Two-year local control was 87.7% and not significantly different between hilar and mediastinal targets. Median PFS was significantly improved in patients with hilar vs mediastinal nodal targets: 33.3 vs 8.4 months, respectively (p = 0.031). OS was not statistically different between hilar and mediastinal targets (p = 0.359). On multivariable analysis, hilar vs mediastinal target predicted for PFS (HR 3.045 95%CI [1.044–8.833], p = 0.042), as did shorter time to presentation in patients with oligorecurrence (HR 0.983 [95%CI 0.967–1.000], p = 0.049). Acute grade 3+ morbidity was seen in 3 patients (hemoptysis, pericardial/pleural effusion, heart failure) and late grade 3+ morbidity (hemoptysis) in 1 patient. Conclusion Hilar/mediastinal SBRT appears to be a safe technique for the local control of isolated nodal disease with limited toxicity from the fractionation schemes utilized.
Overexpression of periostin and distinct mesothelin forms predict malignant progression in a rat cholangiocarcinoma model

Periostin and mesothelin have each been suggested to be predictors of poor survival for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, although the clinical prognostic value of both of these biomarkers remains uncertain. The aim of the current study was to investigate these biomarkers for their potential to act as tumor progression factors when assessed in orthotopic tumor and three-dimensional culture models of rat cholangiocarcinoma progression. Using our orthotopic model, we demonstrated a strong positive correlation between tumor and serum periostin and mesothelin and increasing liver tumor mass and associated peritoneal metastases that also reflected differences in cholangiocarcinoma cell aggressiveness and malignant grade. Periostin immunostaining was most prominent in the desmoplastic stroma of larger sized more aggressive liver tumors and peritoneal metastases. In comparison, mesothelin was more highly expressed in the cholangiocarcinoma cells; the slower growing more highly differentiated liver tumors exhibited a luminal cancer cell surface immunostaining for this biomarker, and the rapidly growing less differentiated liver and metastatic tumor masses largely showed cytoplasmic mesothelin immunoreactivity. Two molecular weight forms of mesothelin were identified, one at ∼40 kDa and the other, a more heavily glycosylated form, at ∼50 kDa. Increased expression of the 40-kDa mesothelin over that of the 50 kDa form predicted increased malignant progression in both the orthotopic liver tumors and in cholangiocarcinoma cells of different malignant potential in three-dimensional culture. Moreover, coculturing of cancer-associated myofibroblasts with cholangiocarcinoma cells promoted overexpression of the 40-kDa mesothelin, which correlated with enhanced malignant progression in vitro. Conclusion: Periostin and mesothelin are useful predictors of tumor progression in our rat desmoplastic cholangiocarcinoma models. This supports their relevance to human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:155-172).
Natural gas as a bridge to hydrogen transportation fuel: Insights from the literature

Abstract Natural gas has been proposed as a possible “bridge” fuel to eventual use of hydrogen in zero emission fuel cell vehicles. This literature review explores whether the natural gas system might help enable a transition to longer-term use of hydrogen in transportation. Two transition strategies are reviewed: adapting natural gas refueling infrastructure for future use with H2 and blending renewable hydrogen into the NG system. Our review suggests it is not attractive to re-purpose or overbuild NG fueling station equipment for future hydrogen service. Transporting H2/NG blends in the NG pipeline grid appears technically possible at modest fractions of 5–15% hydrogen by volume, but requires careful case by case assessment and could be expensive. Blending does not enable major reductions in GHG emissions from transport, unless “green” hydrogen can be cost effectively separated from the blend and delivered to highly efficient fuel cell vehicles. Ultimately, blend limits could make it difficult to utilize the existing NG system to deliver hydrogen at the scale needed to achieve deep cuts in transportation related GHGs. A dedicated renewable hydrogen system would be needed, if zero emission fuel cell vehicles play a major role in a future low carbon world.
A comparative study of social capital and hospital readmission in older adults.

Abstract Numerous factors contribute to hospital readmissions of older adults. The role social capital may play in preventing hospital readmissions is unknown. The aim of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to determine if levels of personal social capital differ in two groups of patients aged 65 and older, those readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge and those not readmitted. Participants in this study (N = 106) were community-dwelling older adults discharged from 11 hospitals in the Midwestern United States. The Personal Social Capital Scale and a demographic questionnaire were mailed to eligible participants for completion. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was computed to examine the differences in the dependent variables of bonding and bridging social capital between those patients readmitted within 30 days and those not readmitted within 30 days. No significant differences between the two groups' mean levels of bonding or bridging social capital were identified.
Role of Chromosomal Banding Patterns in Understanding Mammalian Evolution

Understanding and elucidating the forces affecting chromosomal evolution is not a simple task and is by no means nearing completion. A major obstacle is documenting the exact time of fixation of a new chromosomal rearrangement in a natural population. Currently, it is not possible to determine at what point in its past a chromosomal rearrangement became established in the karyotype of a species. Therefore, we can only speculate on the circumstances surrounding fixation of a rearrangement in a single population that subsequently becomes characteristic of the entire species. An even more basic example is the lack of documentation that individuals with a new chromosomal rearrangement are more fit than individuals with the primitive condition. A list of the features of chromosomal evolution that have not been observed is long enough to suggest a huge gap between theoretical and empirical studies.
The internal cerebral vein: Normal and pathological variations in position and configuration

The wide anatomical range of normal variations in the internal cerebral vein can cause difficulty in diagnostic evaluation in some cases. Accordingly, a series of measurements of the position and configuration of the internal cerebral vein in the velum interpositum were derived as aids to diagnosis. The conditions considered were those causing ventricular enlargement without lateral dislocation of midline structures. The study reveals the usefulness of measurements in evaluating the configuration of the internal cerebral vein in certain conditions.
The Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895: Epilogue: Perceptions, Power, and War

It is certain that the situation in Asia will grow steadily worse in the future …and we must make preparations for another war within the next ten years. Marshal Yamagata Aritomo, April 12, 1895, Russo-Japanese War (1904–5) Li Hung-chang contemplated with a woeful mien the row of Japanese officers who had accompanied the charge d'affaires and told them in the presence of European diplomats: “In the next war we shall be beaten by you again in the same way as last time.” German Minister to China, Edmund von Heyking, Chinese New Year's audience, February 1897 It may be that this competition in Korea will bring about the next conflict in the Pacific, and even menace the peace of the world. Former-United States Secretary of State, John W. Foster, 1903 Pacific War (1931–45), Korean War (1950–3) As this work has endeavored to show, in international relations perceptions are extremely important. Had China not been trounced in war, thus providing the powers with a spectacle of incompetence, the “scramble for concessions” might never have ensued. Not just perceptions by others, but also perceptions concerning others, matter. The Chinese misconstrued the balance of power both in the world at large and in their own backyard in Asia. They believed that, because they had always been dominant, so they would remain. They did not measure their own power relative to that of the Western powers and relative to Japan but assumed their own eternal superiority. They got it wrong in both cases and paid an enormous price for the mistake.
Unofficial and unconventional social studies spaces for students of color

Abstract In the editor's notes, King explains students of color desire for social studies education that speaks to their humanity. He introduces the articles in this special issue and defines unofficial and unconventional social studies spaces. He also argues for a more complete social studies education that helps the field understand other places where social studies is performed.
Research‐implementation gap limits the actionability of human‐carnivore conflict studies in East Africa

Conflict with humans is one of the primary reasons why large carnivore populations are declining worldwide. Rates of human‐carnivore conflict (HCC) are particularly high in East Africa, where human settlements tend to surround protected areas, maximizing potential for human‐carnivore interactions. Despite extensive HCC research in this region, HCC persists and carnivore populations continue to decline. Evident disconnects between HCC research and conservation action, management practices and policy formation have been cited as mechanisms associated with these trends. We conducted a literature review to determine the extent to which HCC research in East Africa is actionable within the context of management and policy formation. We evaluated 36 papers for co‐production, interdisciplinary collaboration, applied or theoretical publication and stakeholder engagement. Many were published by co‐authors in academia (63.8%) and collaborative efforts between academics and non‐governmental organizations (25.0%), with limited representation outside these sectors. Collaboration with disciplines outside the natural sciences, specifically the social and political sciences (both 2.8%), was also uncommon although humans were the primary topic of study in 28% of papers. Moreover, while many papers were published in applied journals (86%), few explicitly stated policy and management objectives. Stakeholder engagement was mostly in the form of surveys and questionnaires rather than direct involvement in the research process. Our review indicates that HCC research currently lacks strong evidence of actionability and we provide recommendations for improving the practical salience of conservation research.
Mapping invisibility: subverting continental desire in contemporary Malvinas War fiction

espanolEste articulo analiza Una puta mierda (2007) de Patricio Pron y Trasfondo (2012) de Patricia Ratto, dos ficciones que abordan la Guerra de Malvinas, librada entre Argentina y Gran Bretana en 1982. Estas narrativas toman una posicion distanciada frente al conflicto al representar una guerra invisible, dislocando las islas geografica e historicamente y borrandolas de la comprension temporal y cartografica de los personajes. Primero, mantengo que la literatura argentina previa desempeno una funcion cartografica. Es decir, al representar la guerra e intervenir en los debates sobre el conflicto, la literatura inscribio sobre las islas una historia continental. Segundo, argumento que, en oposicion a sus antecesores literarios, las narrativas analizadas desarticulan dicha inscripcion y revelan las islas Malvinas como un territorio que rechaza la imposicion del lenguaje, la ubicacion cartografica y la Historia. Esta invisibilidad restaura su estatus como territorio politicamente aislado que rechaza cualquier aspiracion historica nacional o continental. En estas narrativas, la ausencia de debates sobre la guerra y la soberania de las islas da paso a nuevas preocupaciones esteticas y/o politicas. Las Malvinas de Pron y Ratto se vuelven figuras de aislamiento radical que subvierten el deseo y la asociacion continentales. EnglishThis article examines Patricio Pron’s Una puta mierda (2007) and Patricia Ratto’s Trasfondo (2012), two fictions dealing with the 1982 Malvinas War, fought between Argentina and Great Britain. Taking a more distanced position with respect to the conflict, these novels depict an invisible war by dislocating the islands geographically and historically, thereby erasing them from the characters’ cartographic and temporal grasp. First, I contend that previous Argentine literature has performed a mapping function in relation to the islands. By representing the war and intervening in the sociopolitical debates around it, literature inscribed onto the islands a continental driven history. Second, I argue that, contrary to their predecessors, Una puta mierda and Trasfondo disarticulate such an inscription by depicting the Malvinas as territories that resist the imposition of language, cartographic location, and History. The emphasis on invisibility restores their status as politically isolated territories, no longer bound to a national or continental history. In both novels, political debates concerning the war and sovereignty over the islands give way to new aesthetic and political preoccupations. Rejecting nationalist associations, Pron’s and Ratto’s Malvinas become figures of radical isolation that refuse to be subjected to continental desire.
Creatine kinase/α-crystallin interaction functions in cataract development.

Abstract Creatine kinase (CK) is an energy storage enzyme that plays an important role in energy metabolism. CK/phosphocreatine functions as an energy buffer and links ATP production sites with ATP utilization sites. Several key mutations in the αA-crystallin (cryaa) and αB-crystallin (cryab) genes have been linked with autosomal-dominant, hereditary human cataracts. The cryaa-R49C mutation was identified in a four-generation Caucasian family. We previously identified an increase in the quantity of CK complexed with α-crystallin in the lenses of knock-in mice expressing the cryaa-R49C mutation using proteomic analyses. Increased levels of CK in postnatal cataractous lenses may indicate increased ATP requirements during early cataract development. To gain a further understanding of the relationship between CK and α-crystallin, we investigated whether α-crystallin interacts with and forms complexes with CK, in vitro. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) showed that each CK dimer bound to 28 α-crystallin subunits, with a Kd of 3.3 × 10−7 M, and that the interaction between α-crystallin and CK was endothermic, thermodynamically favorable, and entropy-driven. High-salt concentrations did not affect the interaction between CK and α-crystallin, suggesting that the interaction between CK and α-crystallin is primarily hydrophobic. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) detected water-soluble α-crystallin and CK complexes, as determined by increased light scattering after complex formation. In addition, CK and α-crystallin formed partially-water-insoluble, high-molecular-mass complexes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based enzymatic activity analyses of lens homogenates showed a 17-fold increase in CK activity in the postnatal lenses of cryaa-R49C knock-in mice. These studies indicate that the interaction between α-crystallin and CK is functionally important and that increased CK levels may be necessary to meet the increased ATP demands of ATP-dependent functions in cataractous lenses.
Next-Generation Sequencing Analysis of Cellular Response to Influenza B Virus Infection

Influenza B virus (IBV) is a respiratory pathogen that infects humans and causes seasonal influenza epidemics. However, cellular response to IBV infection in humans and mechanisms of host-mediated restriction of IBV replication are not thoroughly understood. In this study, we used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to perform transcriptome profiling of IBV-infected human lung epithelial A549 cells at 0, 6, 12, and 24 h post infection (hpi) and characterized the cellular gene expression dynamics. We observed that more than 4000 host genes were differentially regulated during the study period, which included up regulation of genes encoding proteins, having a role in the innate antiviral immune responses, immune activation, cellular metabolism, autophagy, and apoptosis, as well as down regulation of genes involved in mitosis and cell proliferation. Further analysis of RNA-Seq data coupled with RT-qPCR validation collectively showed that double-strand RNA recognition pathways, including retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), were substantially activated following IBV infection. Taken together, these results provide important initial insights into the intimate interaction between IBV and lung epithelial cells, which can be further explored towards elucidation of the cellular mechanisms in restriction or elimination of IBV infections in humans.
Surgical management of congenital heart defect associated with anomalous systemic venous drainage

Objective To evaluate the surgical approach of defect associated with anomalous systemic venous drainage (ASVD) in infant and young children.Methods From April 2009 to August 2012,8 cases of anomalous systemic venous drainage were corrected by primary repair.Their age ranged from 7 months to 6.5 years and body weight from 7.0 to 15.5 kg.Diseases complicated with ASVD included,coronary sinus atrial septal defect 1 case,ventricular septal defect 1 case,ventricu lar septal defect with single atrium 1 case,double outlet of right ventricle(DORV) 1 case,complete atrioventricular septal defect(CAVSD) 2 case,partial atrioventricular septal defect (PAVSD) with arpartial abnormal pulmonary venous drainage (PAPVD) 1 case,and single atrium with single ventricle 1 case.The ways for surgical treatment of distal abnormalities of left superior vena cava(LSVC) were reconstruction of atrial septum,translocation of LSVC and reconstruction of atrial septum,right atrium and LSVC anastomosis,cavopulmonary anastomosis and repair of partidly unroofed coronary sinus.Results No patient died.2 cases underwent secondary surgery.The echocardiography showed no obstruction of the blood flow in LSVC and pulmonary veins.The results of follow-up were satisfactory,from 6 monthes to 4 years.Conclusion Key for success of surgical approach of anomalous systemic venous drainage is precise evaluation of different kinds of LSVC and different surgical approaches. Key words: Anomalous systemic venous drainage ; Infant and young children ; Surgical approach
Novel Coatings to Minimize Bacterial Adhesion and Promote Osteoblast Activity for Titanium Implants.

Titanium nitride (TiN) and silicon carbide (SiC) adhesion properties to biofilm and the proliferation of human osteoblasts were studied. Quaternized titanium nitride (QTiN) was produced by converting the surface nitrogen on TiN to a positive charge through a quaternization process to further improve the antibacterial efficiency. The SiC required a nitridation within the plasma chamber of the surface layer before quaternization could be carried out to produce quaternized SiC (QSiC). The antimicrobial activity was evaluated on the reference strains of Porphyromonas gingivalis for 4 h by fluorescence microscopy using a live/dead viability kit. All the coatings exhibited a lower biofilm coverage compared to the uncoated samples (Ti—85.2%; TiN—24.22%; QTiN—11.4%; SiC—9.1%; QSiC—9.74%). Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images confirmed the reduction in P. gingivalis bacteria on the SiC and TiN-coated groups. After 24 h of osteoblast cultivation on the samples, the cell adhesion was observed on all the coated and uncoated groups. Fluorescence images demonstrated that the osteoblast cells adhered and proliferated on the surfaces. TiN and SiC coatings can inhibit the attachment of Porphyromonas gingivalis and promote osteoblast adhesion on the titanium used for implants. These coatings may possess the ability to prevent the development of peri-implantitis and stimulate osteointegration.
HATS-34b and HATS-46b: re-characterization using TESS and Gaia

We present a revised characterisation of the previously discovered transiting planet systems HATS-34 and HATS-46. We make use of the newly available space-based light curves from the NASA TESS mission and high-precision parallax and absolute photometry measurements from the ESA Gaia mission to determine the mass and radius of the planets and host stars with dramatically increased precision and accuracy compared to published values, with the uncertainties in some parameters reduced by as much as a factor of seven. Using an isochrone based fit, for HATS-34 we measure a revised host star mass and radius of $0.952_{-0.02}^{+0.04}M_S$ and of $0.9381\pm0.0080R_S$, respectively, and a revised mass and radius for the transiting planet of $0.951\pm0.050 M_J$ and $1.282 \pm0.064 R_J$ respectively. Similarly, for HATS-46 we measure a revised mass and radius for the host star of $0.869\pm0.023M_S$, and $0.894\pm0.010 R_S$, respectively, and a revised mass and radius for the planet of $0.158 \pm0.042 M_J$, and $0.951 \pm 0.029 R_J$, respectively. The uncertainties that we determine on the stellar and planetary masses and radii are also substantially lower than re-determinations that incorporate the Gaia results without performing a full re-analysis of the light curves and other observational data. We argue that, in light of Gaia and TESS, a full re-analysis of previously discovered transiting planets is warranted.
The Patient with Delirium and Dementia in the Emergency Department

You are working in the emergency department one night when a young male brings in his agitated brother with a history of schizophrenia, stating, “His schizophrenia is acting up again.” You watch as the patient is brought back to a room, intermittently thrashing about the stretcher. You are able to calm him long enough to obtain vital signs and check his glucose, which is shockingly low. The nurse swiftly obtains IV access and gives him dextrose-containing fluids. To the brother’s astonishment, the patient’s status immediately reverts back to normal. You realize this change in mental status was secondary to delirium caused by hypoglycemia. The patient reports he forgot to eat after taking insulin, causing this predicament. As further diagnostic studies are underway, you learn of an impending case of Alzheimer’s dementia found wandering outside the nursing home …
Send Me All the Flowers

Reflection and response to waste produced by fabric layout challenges posed by a larger body of work were addressed by designing a garment that would incorporate a solution. This design solution incorporated the use of digital textile printing, repeated motifs, and laser-cutting to make use of the smaller, wasted areas left on digitally printed yardage. Smaller motifs were set within the unused areas of the digital layouts and laser-cut; these motifs were then sewn to a base fabric, creating a new textile with texture and movement. The process incorporates the use of widely accessible technology, making this approach easily expanded upon in future work.
Montmorillonite-iron crosslinked alginate beads for aqueous phosphate removal.

Abstract Phosphate runoff from agriculture fields leads to eutrophication of the water bodies with devastating effects on the aquatic ecosystem. In this study, naturally occurring montmorillonite clay-incorporated iron crosslinked alginate biopolymer (MtIA) beads were synthesized and evaluated for aqueous phosphate removal. Batch experiment data showed an efficient phosphate removal (>99%) by the MtIA beads from solutions with different initial phosphate concentrations (1 and 5 mg PO43−-P/L, and 100 μg PO43−-P/L). The kinetic data fitted well into the pseudo-second-order kinetic model indicating chemisorption played an important role in phosphate removal. Based on analyses of results from the Elovich and intra-particulate diffusion models, phosphate removal by the MtIA beads was found to be chemisorption where both film diffusion and intra-particulate diffusion participated. The isotherm studies indicate that MtIA surfaces were heterogeneous, and the adsorption capacity of the beads calculated from Langmuir model was 48.7 mg PO43−-P/g of dry beads which is ~2.3 times higher than values reported for other clay-metal-alginate beads. Electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) data from the beads showed a rough-textured surface which helped the beads achieve better contact with the phosphate ions. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that both iron and montmorillonite clay participated in crosslinking with the alginate chain. The MtIA beads worked effectively (>98% phosphate removal) over a wide pH range of 2–10 making it a robust adsorbent. The beads can potentially be used for phosphate recovery from eutrophic lakes, agricultural run-off, and municipal wastewater.
Genre Decorum as Precondition of Renaissance Genre-Bending

Early modern arguments by Giason Denores, Ben Jonson, John Milton, and others for genre integrity and against genre mixing are worth examining on their own terms. For one thing, the claim for genre...
Assessment of galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase activity in cells and tissues

Galactosemias are a family of autosomal recessive genetic disorders resulting from impaired enzymes of the Leloir pathway of galactose metabolism including galactokinase, galactose uridyltransferase, and UDP-galactose 4-epimerase that are critical for conversion of galactose into glucose-6-phosphate. To better understand pathophysiological mechanisms involved in galactosemia and develop novel therapies to address the unmet need in patients, it is important to develop reliable assays to measure the activity of the Leloir pathway enzymes. Here we describe in-depth methods for indirectly measuring galacose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase activity in cell culture and animal tissues.
Recognizing the hidden morbidity of small bowel obstruction in congenital diaphragmatic hernia: An analysis of complications following open vs. minimally invasive techniques

Background/Purpose: We analyzed both short- and long-term complications of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) repair with the hypothesis that minimally invasive repair was associated with decreased risk of small bowel obstruction (SBO) without an increased risk of recurrence. Methods: A retrospective review at two children’s hospitals was conducted of all children who underwent neonatal CDH repair from 2005-2018. Minimally invasive surgical (MIS) repairs, including those completed via laparoscopy or thoracoscopy, were compared to those completed through an open approach. Demographics, duration of follow-up, clinical …
Review of Tissue Oxygenation Sensing During Radiotherapy Based Upon Cherenkov-Excited Luminescence Imaging

Oxygen sensing with light has been developing for many decades using injectable molecules called Oxyphors, which are pegylated, dendrimer-encapsulated metalloporphyrins that have a phosphorescence emission lifetime that is a direct reporter of the local oxygen partial pressure (pO2). In recent years, the ability to image this emission from tissue with Cherenkov light excitation during high-energy X-ray-based radiation therapy has been shown and developed for research studies. The main value of this type of lifetime-based pO2 sensing, termed Cherenkov-Excited Luminescence Imaging (CELI) is in its ability to image values of pO2 from within the tissue during radiation therapy using tracers that are systemic and biologically compatible. Spatial mapping of pO2 can realized either as surface imaging or deep tissue tomography through a few centimeters. The spatial resolution is radiation dose-dependent but can be near 0.1 mm, based upon radiation doses expected in a fractionated treatment plan. When imaging tumors with a broad beam irradiation, histograms of pO2 values across the surface have been demonstrated illustrating microscopic sensitivity to the ranges of oxygen levels present, and the ability to track these microscopic histograms during daily fractionated radiation therapy is possible. The pO2 distributions provide for sensitivity to the hypoxic fraction of the tumor—a unique capability of oxygen imaging that has microscopic spatial sampling. Comparisons of the CELI pO2 method to other oxygen-sensing methods, as well as the ability to use the CELI technique as a tool to examine the optimization of radiation therapy treatment technique is ongoing.
Definitive tumor directed therapy confers a survival advantage for metachronous oligometastatic HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer following trans-oral robotic surgery.

Abstract Objectives To assess the prognostic significance of oligometastatic versus polymetastatic disease in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), and to evaluate the impact of definitive tumor directed therapy on the survival outcomes for patients with oligometastatic disease when compared to systemic therapy. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective observational cohort study of patients with HPV-associated OPSCC who developed distant metachronous metastatic disease after undergoing initial primary surgical management from 2008 to 2017. We classified patients based on the extent of metastatic disease [Oligometastatic (≤5 metastases) and polymetastatic (>5 metastases)], and the initial treatment of metastatic disease [definitive tumor directed therapy (all metastases treated with surgery or radiotherapy) versus upfront systemic therapy]. Results Among 676 patients undergoing primary surgical management for HPV-associated OPSCC, 39 patients (5.8%) developed metastases after a median follow-up of 29.6 months (range 4.5–127.0). Of the 34 metastatic patients who met study criteria, 26 (76.5%) were oligometastatic and 8 (23.5%) were polymetastatic. Oligometastatic patients had improved median overall survival (OS) compared to polymetastatic patients (47.9 vs. 22.7 months, p = 0.036). For oligometastatic patients, definitive tumor directed therapy was associated with an improved median progression free survival (not reached vs 6.13 months, p = 0.001) and median OS (not reached vs 40.7 months, p = 0.004). Conclusion In a cohort of patients surgically treated for HPV-associated OPSCC, metachronous metastatic disease was uncommon and, in most cases, considered oligometastatic. Oligometastasis portends a favorable prognosis and definitive tumor directed therapy may be associated with improved overall survival in these patients. Future multi-institutional efforts are warranted to further demonstrate the impact of definitive tumor directed therapy on disease outcomes.
Navigating the open sea of commercial genetic testing in Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Introduction There have been no specific guidelines regarding which genes should be tested in the clinical setting for PD or parkinsonism. We evaluated the types of clinical genetic testing offered for Parkinson’s disease (PD) as the first step of our gene curation. Methods The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) was queried on 12/7/2020 to identify current commercial PD genetic test offerings by clinical laboratories, internationally. Results We identified 502 unique clinical genetic tests for PD, from 28 Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-approved clinical laboratories. These included 11 diagnostic PD panels. The panels were notable for their differences in size, ranging from 5 to 62 genes. Five genes for variant query were included in all panels (SNCA, PRKN, PINK-1, PARK7 (DJ1), and LRRK2). Notably, the addition of the VPS35 and GBA genes was variable. Panel size differences stemmed from inclusion of genes linked to atypical parkinsonism and dystonia disorders, and genes in which the link to PD causation is controversial. Conclusion There is an urgent need for expert opinion regarding which genes should be included in a commercial laboratory multi-gene panel for PD.
Multiple Linearization Flow Routing Model

Multiple linearization is a convolution routing technique which allows variations in wave celerity and damping with discharge. By treating the input to a routing reach as a set of inputs to several subsystems, rather than as a single system, from 10-50% gains in root mean square accuracy can be obtained when routing hourly discharge values. Significant visual improvement in the arrival time of low flows is achieved. Little gain in accuracy is possible when routing daily discharges unless 2-day or 3-day differences in arrival time occur.