cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phosphate regulation of vascular smooth muscle cell calcification.

Vascular calcification is a common finding in atherosclerosis and a serious problem in diabetic and uremic patients. Because of the correlation of hyperphosphatemia and vascular calcification, the ability of extracellular inorganic phosphate levels to regulate human aortic smooth muscle cell (HSMC) culture mineralization in vitro was examined. HSMCs cultured in media containing normal physiological levels of inorganic phosphate (1.4 mmol/L) did not mineralize. In contrast, HSMCs cultured in media containing phosphate levels comparable to those seen in hyperphosphatemic individuals (>1.4 mmol/L) showed dose-dependent increases in mineral deposition. Mechanistic studies revealed that elevated phosphate treatment of HSMCs also enhanced the expression of the osteoblastic differentiation markers osteocalcin and Cbfa-1. The effects of elevated phosphate on HSMCs were mediated by a sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter (NPC), as indicated by the ability of the specific NPC inhibitor phosphonoformic acid, to dose dependently inhibit phosphate-induced calcium deposition as well as osteocalcin and Cbfa-1 gene expression. With the use of polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot analyses, the NPC in HSMCs was identified as Pit-1 (Glvr-1), a member of the novel type III NPCs. These data suggest that elevated phosphate may directly stimulate HSMCs to undergo phenotypic changes that predispose to calcification and offer a novel explanation of the phenomenon of vascular calcification under hyperphosphatemic conditions. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.
Water and hydrogels.

The apparent biocompatibility of many synthetic and natural aqueous gel materials has encouraged their study and testing for a wide variety of biomedical device applications. Many of the physical and in particular the interfacial properties of such gels are highly dependent on the organization of water within and on the surface of the hydrogel. Water is an important component of such gels, varying from about 30 to nearly 100 wt-%, yet the role of water in the gels has been virtually ignored. This paper briefly reviews the nature of water structure in pure bulk water, in solutions, and at interfaces. Polywater or anomalous water is also briefly reviewed. Evidence is presented that the water in many hydrogel systems can exist in at least three different, structurally distinct forms. A hypothesis is presented which can be used to evaluate and study the nature of water in bulk hydrogels. Consideration is also given to the role of organized water at the hydrogel surface on the interfacial properties of such systems.
Ent-kaurene biosynthesis is enhanced by long photoperiods in the long-day plants Spinacia oleracea L. and Agrostemma githago L

The effect of photoperiod on ent-kaurene biosynthesis was determined in the long-day (LD) plants spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and Agrostemma githago L. Further metabolism of ent-kaurene was blocked by application of the growth retardant tetcyclacis, and ent-kaurene accumulation was measured by isotopic dilution using gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring (GC-SIM) (E. Gro[beta]elindemann, J.E. Graebe, D. Stockl, P. Hedden [1991] Plant Physiol 96: 1099–1104). In spinach, the rate of ent-kaurene accumulation in shoots grown under LD conditions was 3 times higher than in shoots grown under short-day (SD) conditions. ent-Kaurene also accumulated in fully expanded leaves, but at a lower rate than in shoots (15 and 55 pmol g-1 dry weight h-1, respectively). In Agrostemma, ent-kaurene accumulated at a rate 2.5 times higher in plants grown under LD conditions than in those grown under SD conditions. In spinach, enhanced ent-kaurene accumulation was detectable after 1 long day, and with exposure to additional long days, the rate of ent-kaurene accumulation increased further. Conversely, when plants were exposed to LD conditions and then returned to SD conditions, the rate of ent-kaurene accumulation decreased. Following tetcyclacis application, ent-kaurene accumulation was observed in all parts of spinach that were analyzed, but there were large quantitative differences between organs of different ages. As the leaves matured, ent-kaurene biosynthesis declined. Petioles accumulated more ent-kaurene than the corresponding leaf blades. It is concluded that stimulation of ent-kaurene biosynthesis by LD conditions leads to a higher rate of gibberellin biosynthesis, which is essential for stem elongation in rosette plants.
Anosmia and hypogeusia as a complication of general anesthesia

A 57 year old woman with no previous history of any sensory deficits developed anosmia and hypogeusia after general anesthesia for laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with complete recovery over 6 months. There were no other identifiable factors that may have contributed to her anosmia and hypogeusia after general anesthesia. As anosmia and hypogeusia related to anesthesia and surgery are not frequently reported, the incidence of these events related to anesthesia may be higher than expected.
Measurement of the sound intensity during suction of middle-ear fluid following myringotomy.

Objective:To determine noise intensity during middle-ear aspiration in order to evaluate whether levels can be potentially harmful.Methods:In this prospective, observational study, middle-ear effusion was aspirated following myringotomy using a suction instrument with a probe tube microphone. Sound pressure levels and duration were measured, and frequency domain analysis was performed.Results:Forty-four ears were analysed, consisting of 20 with mucoid effusion, 11 with serous effusion and 13 with no effusion. Maximum peak sound intensity ranged from 84 to 157 dB. Half of the ears (50 per cent) were exposed to greater than 140 dB; of these, 82 per cent were exposed for longer than 0.2 ms (range, 0.05–14 ms). There was no significant difference in sound pressure level between ears with mucoid and serous effusion; however, ears with mucoid effusion required longer suction times (p < 0.0030). In addition, peak intensity was greater for ears with mucoid effusion versus those with serous or no effusion (p < 0.0001).Conclusion:Middle-ear aspiration during myringotomy caused noise levels within a potentially harmful range.
Chlorogenic Acid Activates CFTR-Mediated Cl- Secretion in Mice and Humans: Therapeutic Implications for Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

ObjectivesSalubrious effects of the green coffee bean are purportedly secondary to high concentrations of chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid has a molecular structure similar to bioflavonoids that activate transepithelial Cl– transport in sinonasal epithelia. In contrast to flavonoids, the drug is freely soluble in water. The objective of this study is to evaluate the Cl– secretory capability of chlorogenic acid and its potential as a therapeutic activator of mucus clearance in sinus disease.Study DesignBasic research.SettingLaboratory.Subjects and MethodsChlorogenic acid was tested on primary murine nasal septal epithelial (MNSE) (CFTR+/+ and transgenic CFTR–/–) and human sinonasal epithelial (HSNE) (CFTR+/+ and F508del/F508del) cultures under pharmacologic conditions in Ussing chambers to evaluate effects on transepithelial Cl– transport. Cellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), phosphorylation of the CFTR regulatory domain (R-D), and CFTR mRNA transcription were also measured.ResultsChlorogenic ...
DPGA-coupled microprocessors: commodity ICs for the early 21st Century

During the past decade, the microprocessor has become a key commodity component for building all kinds of computational systems. During this time frame, large reconfigurable logic arrays have exploited the same advances in IC fabrication technology to emerge as viable system building blocks. Looking at both the technology prospects and application requirements, there is compelling evidence that microprocessors with integrated reconfigurable logic arrays will be a primary building block for future computing systems. In this paper, we look at the role such components can play in building high-performance and economical systems, as well as the ripe technological outlook. We note how the tight integration of reconfigurable logic into the processor can overcome some of the major limitations of contemporary attached reconfigurable computer engines. We specifically consider the use of integrated dynamically programmable gate array (DPGA) structures for the configurable logic, and examine the advantages that rapid reconfiguration provides in this application. >
Procedural and Educational Interventions to Reduce Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Rate and Central Line-Associated Blood Stream Infection Rate

Background:Implementing best practice guidelines for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and central line-associated blood stream infection (CLA-BSI) has variable success. Our institution was con...
Reproducibility of human vagal carotid baroreceptor-cardiac reflex responses

Published information on the reproducibility of human baroreflex responses in the absence of interventions is limited. Therefore, we analyzed retrospectively vagally mediated carotid baroreceptor-cardiac reflex responses of 34 healthy young adult volunteers whom we studied twice, 7-10 days apart (all 34 subjects) or 10 wk apart (8 subjects). We delivered a sequence of neck pressure changes during held expiration: A computer-driven bellows initially raised pressure to approximately 40 mmHg for five heart beats, and then reduced pressure in a stepwise series of R-wave-triggered 15-mmHg decrements to about -65 mmHg. R-R interval changes were plotted as functions of the carotid distending (systolic less neck) pressure occurring within each interval. Each experimental session yielded one stimulus-response relation, which comprised the average of seven separate trials. Six measures were derived from these relations: minimum, maximum, and range of R-R intervals; maximum slope; and operational point [(R-R interval shortening/R-R interval range) x 100%]. Linear regression correlation coefficients for measurements made on two occasions were all highly significant (range: 0.64-0.99). Our results indicate that human vagally mediated carotid baroreceptor-cardiac reflex responses, studied serially under exacting experimental conditions, are highly reproducible.
Rapid Path-Planning Options for Autonomous Proximity Operations of Spacecraft

An Adaptive Arti cial Potential Function (AAPF) methodology for rapid path-planning of spacecraft autonomous proximity operations (POs) is developed and compared to the Arti cial Potential Function (APF). The AAPF method permits attractive potential with time dependent weights which are de ned by an adaptive update law. The developed methodology enables POs with increased performance (e.g., with respect to fuel and/or time) and reduce teleoperation in an evolving environment. Two applications were simulated to demonstrate the performance of AAPF: performing orbital maneuvers and performing attitude maneuvers. Finally, a \Monte Carlo" type simulation was performed for both applications to show convergence and performance characteristics.
Next Generation Heterodyne Multi-spectral Breast Imager

We describe a Diffuse Optical Tomography breast imaging device. Frequency domain heterodyne measurements are made by modulating a laser source and detecting the transmitted light with a gain-modulated image intensifier coupled to a CCD.
Prevalence and significance of perivascular soft tissue surrounding the hepatic artery after liver transplantation

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and significance of perivascular soft tissue surrounding the hepatic artery on computed tomography (CT) after liver transplantation. Materials and methods A total of 119 consecutive patients who underwent liver transplantation were retrospectively identified from a search of electronic medical records. Fourteen patients had histologic proof of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). For each patient, the initial CT scan after transplantation, and the most recent CT scan if available, was analyzed for the presence of soft tissue in the porta hepatis region, particularly surrounding the transplanted hepatic artery. The hepatic artery was identified, and the maximum diameter of the soft tissue surrounding the vessel was measured and classified using the following scale: grade 0, none; grade 1, mild; grade 2, moderate; grade 3, moderate-large; and grade 4, large. Results Prevalence of perivascular soft tissue was 93% in the initial CT scans and follow-up studies. Comparing the initial and follow-up soft tissue measurements, 34% decreased, 62% were unchanged, and 4% increased. Using the Fisher exact test and a Mann-Whitney test, there was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence or diameter of perivascular soft tissue when comparing patients with pathologically proven PTLD and patients with no PTLD. Twenty-nine of the 119 patients underwent 68 positron emission tomography/CT scans in the time interval analyzed. Ninety percent of these patients had no abnormal fluorodeoxyglucose activity in the porta hepatis and portacaval regions. Conclusions The presence of isolated perivascular soft tissue in patients after liver transplantation is a common finding and is not associated with lymphoproliferative disease.
Temporary Cardiac Pacing

The use of temporary cardiac pacing in critical care and stepdown units has grown tremendously over the past 10 years. While the concept of artificial pacing is simple, improvements in generator technology and lead design, along with broader clinical applications, have made temporary cardiac pacing more complex. Consequently, the critical care nurse is required to maintain an advanced level of knowledge regarding modes and complications of temporary pacing, and assessment skills related to recognizing pacemaker hemodynamic effects and pacemaker problems.
Nutrition Pre and Post Lung Transplant

Approximately 2800 people with cystic fibrosis (CF) have received a lung transplant since 1990; CF is the third major indication for lung transplantation after emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis. Malnutrition is a common finding in CF patients prior to transplant, and those with a BMI < 18.5, and/or a depletion of fat free mass, and/or serum albumin <3 mg/dl are at higher risk for negative post-transplant outcomes.
Neugebauer’s Astronomical Cuneiform Texts and Its Reception

Neugebauer’s Astronomical Cuneiform Texts, published in 1955, defined the field of Babylonian astronomy for most of the second half of the twentieth century. Astronomical Cuneiform Texts, or ACT as it is generally referred to, contains editions of more than three hundred cuneiform tablets dealing with mathematical astronomy, each accompanied by a detailed commentary. In addition, the book contains a historical investigation of the date and provenance of the tablets, the scribes mentioned in colophons, and an extensive mathematical introduction to the lunar and planetary schemes found on the tablets. In his review of ACT, the Assyriologist A. Leo Oppenheim wrote that he “can only pay homage in a few trite phrases to the amount of devotion, patience, and scholarship which has gone into this difficult work, to which the author dedicated twenty years of his life”, and that the book “ushers in the second phase in the development of our understanding of Babylonian astronomy”. This paper begins by tracing the history of ACT from its conception in Copenhagen during the mid-1930s to its publication two decades later by which time Neugebauer had crossed the Atlantic and was well established at Brown University. The second part of the paper discusses the reception of ACT among historians of science and Assyriologists and its impact upon the study of Babylonian astronomy.
Sleep: How Many Switches Does It Take To Turn Off the Lights?

Summary Sleeping animals do not move or feed and are less responsive. In Caenorhabditis elegans , a single neuron triggers sleep. A recent study shows that the neuron releases several neuropeptides — each with distinct sleep behavioral effects — to promote the collection of behaviors that is sleep.
Bacterial pathogenesis: An angel of death fights infection.

A host's own cell-death circuitry can be unleashed to combat infections by exploiting a tactic used by many pathogens.
Incremental PCANet: A Lifelong Learning Framework to Achieve the Plasticity of both Feature and Classifier Constructions

The plasticity in our brain gives us promising ability to learn and know the world. Although great successes have been achieved in many fields, few bio-inspired methods have mimiced this ability. They are infeasible when the data is time-varying and the scale is large because they need all training data loaded into memory. Furthermore, even the popular deep convolutional neural network (CNN) models have relatively fixed structures. Through incremental PCANet, this paper aims at exploring a lifelong learning framework to achieve the plasticity of both feature and classifier constructions. The proposed model mainly comprises of three parts: Gabor filters followed by maxpooling layer offering shift and scale tolerance to input samples, cascade incremental PCA to achieve the plasticity of feature extraction and incremental SVM to pursue plasticity of classifier construction. Different from CNN, the plasticity in our model has no back propogation (BP) process and don’t need huge parameters. Experiments have been done and their results validate the plasticity of our models in both feature and classifier constructions and further verify the hypothesis of physiology that the plasticity of high layer is better than the low layer.
Parent and Family Processes Related to ADHD Management in Ethnically Diverse Youth

BACKGROUND: Previous research has shown major disparities in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) for diverse youth across America. We do not fully understand, however, how parent and fa...
The Case of Oppositional Cooperation

Problems of behavior or conduct in school-age children are quite common in both mental health and medical settings. Specific presenting problems often include defiant behavior, temper tantrums, hitting siblings and/or parents, impulsivity, short attention span, and other socially frowned-upon actions. Children exhibiting these behaviors are typically assigned diagnoses in the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Revised Edition (1987) such as Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder or Oppositional/ Defiant Disorder.
Adjusting One’s Self: An Educator’s Experience in a Peruvian Community

Alexander’s emotional responses to particular situations while living with an artist community in the Andes Mountains of Peru became a turning point in her life when considering privilege, difference, social justice, authority, and power. As a white female educator from rural Indiana, never in her life had she experienced such strong feelings of laughter, pain, and happiness as she did in the community as an outsider with mostly brown male artists. The fleshpoint described in this chapter includes a first-person point of view of being tear-gassed while a demonstration broke out over mining and water rights of Natives and leaves the reader with queries in consideration of international spaces.
Passive Noise Reduction Using the Modally Enhanced Dynamic Absorber

Often structure borne noise has a deleterious effect on both the performance and aesthetics of many commercial and military systems. Noise issues can be dealt with in various ways through the incorporation of active, semi-active and passive solutions. A common passive approach is to use a tuned vibration absorber. Tuned absorbers are generally used to affect a single undesirable resonance at a time. In order to affect multiple resonances multiple tuned absorbers are typically required, causing the design and implementation to be prohibitively difficult. This paper develops the concept of a Modally Enhanced Dynamic Absorber (MEDA) that can be used for the suppression of multiple structural resonances. The MEDA is an auxiliary substructure designed to achieve a multi-resonance tuned absorber effect. Modal characteristics derived from a primary structure are used as design targets for the MEDA substructure. Preliminary analytical studies have been undertaken to demonstrate the MEDA concept on simple structures. The results show that the MEDA concept is a viable approach to detune multiple modes simultaneously.
Beyond the Playground: Bullying in the Workplace and Its Relation to Mental and Physical Health Outcomes

Bullying in the American workplace is not a new phenomenon. Much of the research has focused on specific factors of workplace hostility such as sexual harassment (Dougherty & Smythe, 2004), ethnicity, gender, and age discrimination (e.g., Schneider, Hitlan, & Radhakrishnan, 2000). However, the effects of destructive interpersonal relationships in the workplace on an individual’s health and well-being have frequently been ignored or understated. In this chapter, we present a developmental approach to bullying but focus primarily on workplace bullying among adults and the negative consequences that this type of victimization has on physical and mental health correlates. We begin by presenting a biopsychosocial model that explores how being bullied affects mental and physical health. We then examine the construct of bullying, review existing research on bullying in schools (e.g., during childhood and adolescence), and draw parallels between research on workplace bullying and school bullying to bolster the importance of studying bullying across multiple age groups and situations. Next, we explore potential factors that may influence the link between being bullied in the workplace and mental and physical health. Finally, we consider the implications of research on workplace bullying.
An automated dose tracking system for adaptive radiation therapy.

Abstract Background and objective The implementation of adaptive radiation therapy (ART) into routine clinical practice is technically challenging and requires significant resources to perform and validate each process step. The objective of this report is to identify the key components of ART, to illustrate how a specific automated procedure improves efficiency, and to facilitate the routine clinical application of ART. Methods Data was used from patient images, exported from a clinical database and converted to an intermediate format for point-wise dose tracking and accumulation. The process was automated using in-house developed software containing three modularized components: an ART engine, user interactive tools, and integration tools. The ART engine conducts computing tasks using the following modules: data importing, image pre-processing, dose mapping, dose accumulation, and reporting. In addition, custom graphical user interfaces (GUIs) were developed to allow user interaction with select processes such as deformable image registration (DIR). A commercial scripting application programming interface was used to incorporate automated dose calculation for application in routine treatment planning. Each module was considered an independent program, written in C++or C#, running in a distributed Windows environment, scheduled and monitored by integration tools. Results The automated tracking system was retrospectively evaluated for 20 patients with prostate cancer and 96 patients with head and neck cancer, under institutional review board (IRB) approval. In addition, the system was evaluated prospectively using 4 patients with head and neck cancer. Altogether 780 prostate dose fractions and 2586 head and neck cancer dose fractions went processed, including DIR and dose mapping. On average, daily cumulative dose was computed in 3 h and the manual work was limited to 13 min per case with approximately 10% of cases requiring an additional 10 min for image registration refinement. Conclusions An efficient and convenient dose tracking system for ART in the clinical setting is presented. The software and automated processes were rigorously evaluated and validated using patient image datasets. Automation of the various procedures has improved efficiency significantly, allowing for the routine clinical application of ART for improving radiation therapy effectiveness.
Structural Investigation of a Dimeric Variant of Pyruvate Kinase Muscle Isoform 2

Pyruvate kinase muscle isoform 2 (PKM2) catalyzes the terminal step in glycolysis, transferring a phosphoryl group from phosphoenolpyruvate to ADP, to produce pyruvate and ATP. PKM2 activity is allosterically regulated by fruc-tose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), an upstream glycolytic in-termediate. FBP stabilizes the tetrameric form of the en-zyme. In its absence, the PKM2 tetramers dissociate, yield-ing a dimer-monomer mixture having lower enzymatic ac-tivity. The S437Y variant of PKM2 is incapable of binding FBP. Consistent with that defect, we find that S437Y ex-ists in a monomer-dimer equilibrium in solution, with a Kd of ~20 μM. Interestingly, however, the protein crystallizes as a tetramer, adopting a structure that resembles that of the FBP-bound wild-type PKM2.
Experience Within the Emergency Department and Improved Productivity for First-Year Residents in Emergency Medicine and Other Specialties.

Introduction: Resident productivity is an important educational and operational measure in emergency medicine (EM). The ability to continue effectively seeing new patients throughout a shift is fundamental to an emergency physician’s development, and residents are integral to the workforce of many academic emergency departments (ED). Our previous work has demonstrated that residents make gains in productivity over the course of intern year; however, it is unclear whether this is from experience as a physician in general on all rotations, or specific to experience in the ED. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study, conducted in an urban academic hospital ED, with a three-year EM training program in which first-year residents see new patients ad libitum. We evaluated resident shifts for the total number of new patients seen. We constructed a generalized estimating equation to predict productivity, defined as the number of new patients seen per shift, as a function of the week of the academic year, the number of weeks spent in the ED, and their interaction. Off-service residents’ productivity in the ED was analyzed in a secondary analysis. Results: We evaluated 7,779 EM intern shifts from 7/1/2010 to 7/1/2016. Interns started at 7.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] [6.87 – 7.45]) patients per nine-hour shift, with an increase of 0.20 (95% CI [0.17 – 0.24]) patients per shift for each week in the ED, over 22 weeks, leading to 11.5 (95% CI [10.6 – 12.7]) patients per shift at the end of their training in the ED. The effects of the week of the academic year and its interaction with weeks in the ED were not significant. We evaluated 2,328 off-service intern shifts, in which off-service residents saw 5.43 (95% CI [5.02 – 5.84]) patients per nine-hour shift initially, with 0.46 additional patients per week in the ED (95% CI [0.25 – 0.68]). The weeks of the academic year were not significant. Conclusion: Intern productivity in EM correlates with time spent training in the ED, and not with experience on other rotations. Accordingly, an EM intern’s productivity should be evaluated relative to their aggregate time in the ED, rather than the time in the academic year.
Different behaviors in natural gas production between national and private oil companies: Economics-driven or environment-driven?

Abstract This paper investigates firm-level efficiency in the petroleum industry during the period 2009–2015. A Jackknife model averaging method and two stochastic frontier models are utilized to estimate the input-output relation more accurately. The derived efficiency is then decomposed to predict the effect of various efficiency determinants with an emphasis on gas ratio and ownership. A significantly negative effect of natural gas ratio (in production portfolio) on efficiency is found for both National Oil Companies (NOCs) and privately-owned International Oil Companies (IOCs). This finding implies that the decline in natural gas ratio for IOCs is economics-driven, and the incline in gas ratio for NOCs is environment-driven. Therefore, the environmental objective is the NOCs’ third non-commercial objective, alongside subsidizing below-market energy prices and offering excessive employment, as found in the literature. Governments may consider the transfer of subsidies from low energy prices to clean energy promotion, which leads to energy saving and emissions reduction.
Mapping of Chemical Data Bases Using a Relational Data Base Structure

At present there are several hundred publicly available machine-readable bibliographic and numeric data bases and more than a hundred of these are maintained online for interactive search and retrieval. Unfortunately, very few of them are connected to each other in a manner that would permit a user to search one file and use data obtained from that file in order to access a second file.* Although the connections do not exist there are data elements within many of the data bases that would permit the connection or linkage between multiple files. There are commonly held data elements that could provide linkages between them and which could serve as routes to go from one file to another file. Thus, the potential for data base mapping or computer linkage between files does exist, even though the potential has not been used. A research project entitled “Data Base Mapping Model and Search Scheme” was carried out at the University of Illinois, with National Science Foundation sponsorship, in order to test the feasibility of the mapping concept through development of a mapping model.
Abstract 19655: AVR Elevation Predicts Early Revascularization but not Cardiac Events in Patients Undergoing Exercise Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Introduction: Lead AVR elevation has been associated with a high prevalence of multivessel disease in patients undergoing exercise stress. Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) may be falsely negative in multivessel disease due to balanced ischemia, leading to false reassurance. We sought to identify the prevalence of early revascularization and subsequent cardiac events in a cohort undergoing exercise stress SPECT MPI. Methods: We analyzed clinical data and prospectively-collected events on a cohort of 587 consecutive patients referred for exercise SPECT MPI. Standard exercise protocols were used. AVR elevation was defined as ≥1mm in 3 consecutive beats. Follow-up was 98% complete with a median time of 3.75 years. Cardiac events included cardiac death and nonfatal myocardial infarction. Early revascularization rates were compared by chi-square analysis. The effect of AVR elevation on cardiac events was assessed using Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results: The cohort had a median age of 60.0 years and 61.4% were male. Patients with AVR elevation had a higher prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and known CAD. Early revascularization was 10-fold higher in patients with AVR-elevation (8.3% versus 0.81%, p Conclusion: AVR elevation on exercise electrocardiography strongly predicts early revascularization. However, there was a low cardiac event rate in the remaining patients, and events were not predicted by AVR elevation. This idicates a low risk of clinically significant false-negative SPECT in this subgroup.
Zinc: an overview

Zn deficiency in humans is widespread throughout the world. It is more prevalent in areas where the population subsists on cereal proteins. Conditioned Zn deficiency is seen in many disease states. Its deficiency during growth periods results in growth failure and lack of gonadal development in males. Other effects of Zn deficiency include skin changes, poor appetite, mental lethargy, delayed wound healing, neurosensory disorders, and cell-mediated immune disorders. Severe Zn deficiency, as seen in acrodermatitis enteropathica (a genetic disorder), is fatal if Zn is not administered to these patients. A clinical diagnosis of marginal Zn deficiency in humans remains problematic. Assays of Zn in granulocytes and lymphocytes provide better diagnostic criteria for marginal Zn deficiency than plasma Zn. Approximately 300 enzymes are known to require Zn for their activities. Zn is required for DNA synthesis, cell division, and protein synthesis. Recently, we learned that Zn-finger proteins are involved in genetic expression of various growth factors and steroid receptors. We suspect that several hundred Zn-containing nucleoproteins are probably involved in gene expression of various proteins. Zn deficiency adversely affects lymphocyte proliferation. This may be related to the enzymatic role of Zn in DNA synthesis and cell division. Thymulin, a thymic hormone involved in T-lymphocyte maturation, is known to be Zn dependent and is adversely affected by Zn deficiency. Thus, an adverse effect of Zn deficiency may also be in lymphocyte differentiation and maturity. Zn deficiency is known to decrease interleukin 2 production by helper T lymphocytes, and abnormalities in T-lymphocyte subpopulations have been observed in Zn-deficient humans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The origin of mycology

An important concept in the understanding of medical mycology is the causation of infectious fungal diseases. Evans (1991) stated that the knowledge of the causation of any infectious disease depends on both conceptual and technical aspects. The conceptual aspect is concerned with the knowledge of the natural history of the disease and its pathogenesis. The pathogenicity of microorganisms was not widely accepted until the mid-nineteenth century. The main reason for this disbelief was that, up to then, most people believed in spontaneous generation and that new organisms originated from inert material. Even Louis Pasteur was occasionally uncertain if the unintended organisms that occurred in his cultures were due to spontaneous generation. In 1861, Pasteur published his monumental study on spontaneous generation in which he clearly demonstrated that ordinary airborne dust contained microorganisms (Carter, 1991). Thus, the door was opened for the study of microorganisms as etiologic agents of infectious diseases.
Targeting the LIGHT-HVEM pathway.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related cytokines function as key communication systems between cells of the immune system and mediate inflammation and tissue destruction. LIGHT (TNFSF14) is a key component of the communication system that controls the responses of T-Cells. LIGHT activates two cell surface receptors, the Herpesvirus Entry Mediator (HVEM) and the Lymphotoxin-β Receptor and is inhibited by soluble decoy receptor-3. The LIGHT-HVEM pathway is an important cosignaling pathway for T-Cells, whereas LIGHT-LTβR modifies the functions of dendritic cells and stromal cells by creating tissue microenvironments, which promote immune responses. HVEM also binds an Ig superfamily member, B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) that inhibits T-Cell activation. Thus, HVEM serves as a molecular switch between stimulatory and inhibitory signaling. Studies in humans and experimental animal models reveal that LIGHT contributes to inflammation and pathogenesis in mucosal, hepatic, joint and vascular tissues. LIGHT is accessible to biologic-based therapeutics, which can be used to target this molecule during inflammation-driven diseases.
Review of Programs for Persons Facing Death with Dementia

Background: Persons with advanced dementia cannot initiate activities because of the executive dysfunction. The lack of activities was identified as one of the most important factors contributing to behavioral problems of these persons. The unmet needs were boredom/sensory deprivation, loneliness/need for social interaction, and need for meaningful activities. There is a need for activities designed specifically for residents with advanced dementia. Objective: A description of patient’s needs and of programs that intend to maintain quality of life for people with dementia and facing death. Data sources: A literature review of programs used for persons with advanced dementia and residing in long-term facilities, using the PubMed data base and collateral sources. Results: Since palliative care is appropriate for persons with advanced dementia, attention has to be paid to three following important aspects of care: Medical issues, behavioral symptoms, and meaningful activities. Medical interventions should be limited to those which have more benefits than burdens, behavioral symptoms should be distinguished according to the context in which they occur, and treated by non-pharmacological interventions that involve meaningful activities. This review describes four programs that may promote the quality of life in persons with advanced dementia and facing death. They are designed for persons with advanced dementia, taking into account their functional impairments. Most of these programs involve short infrequent sessions. In contrast, Namaste Care is a daily extended program of enhanced nursing care that can provide quality of life until the last breath. Conclusions: It is possible to maintain quality life for people with advanced dementia if a special program of activities is available.
Gender-related cost discrepancies in a cohort of 110 facial moisturizers.

Background Gender-related price inequalities for over-the-counter dermatologic products such as shampoos and conditioners, razors, deodorants, and lotions remain prevalent in the marketplace. This trend has also been found to apply to topical minoxidil, a common treatment for male and female pattern hair loss. Objective We sought to identify the gender-related price discrepancies of facial moisturizers, which are routinely recommended by dermatologists. Methods Three online retailers (Amazon, Target, and Walmart) were surveyed for available facial moisturizers in October 2018. Facial moisturizers were classified as men's, women's, or gender-neutral based on three specific marketing variables: language, container color/graphics, and container curvature/shape. Results In total, 110 facial moisturizers were included in this analysis. Of the 54 facial moisturizers evaluated for men, 47 (87%) contained the word "men" within the marketing language, while only three of 56 (5.4%) facial moisturizers targeted at women were explicitly labeled "for women." No statistically significant difference was found between the number of facial moisturizers listed as fragrance-free, SPF-containing, anti-aging, or those labeled as sensitive, hypoallergenic, or dermatologist recommended between the two groups. However, facial moisturizers marketed to women were on average $3.09 more per ounce than those marketed to men. A two-tailed t test revealed a statistically significant difference between the price per ounce of facial moisturizers for men ($6.20) and those for women ($9.29) (P = 0.013). Conclusion Facial moisturizers marketed to women were found to be significantly more expensive than comparable facial moisturizers marketed to men.
Ethical Considerations of Japanese Business Culture

Japanese business ethics, culture, and practice are unique to Japan, and there is limited academic literature in the West (Fukukawa, & Teramoto, 2009; Iwao,1997; Mizuo, 1998; Oh, & Koh, 2016; Todeschini, 2012; Tsalikis, & Seaton, 2008; von Staden, 2016; Wagner-Tsukamoto, 2008; Wang, 2010). The objective of this literature review is to research 1) traditional business ethics concepts and its development in Japan, 2) Japanese corporate citizenship behavior, and 3) Japanese managerial and employee business ethics to help American business leaders better understand Japanese business ethics culture. Current trends relative to business ethics in Japan are being discussed as needed throughout this paper. Finally, this paper draws a conclusion and practitioner implications. How Japanese business people perceive the U.S. business practices and approach are discussed as well.
Chilean legislation on bioequivalence and biosimilarity and current controversies related to drug interchangeability

Medicines are an economic good and a fundamental component of public and private spending and health decision-making. Assurance of their quality, efficiency and safety is essential. However, the variety of products on the Chilean market, including innovative and generic productsthe latter accounted for by many products that are certified as bioequivalent while others are notresults in a potentially confusing scenario for consumers and health providers. In this review, we intend to shed light on the concepts of bioequivalency (applicable to compounds of small molecular size) and biosimilarity (applicable to biological compounds of greater molecular complexity). In both cases, how the active substance interacts with the host organism must be demonstrated by studies carried out for this purpose. A direct application of the concept of bioequivalence is interchangeability, defined as the possibility of using a product of the same active principle, as long as the pharmaceutical form and dosage scheme are the same. Regulations related to bioequivalence and biosimilarity must not only guarantee safety and efficacy when products are interchanged, but also facilitate cost savings and access to medicines. Likewise, the implementation of evidence-based guidelines that standardize concepts of interchangeability should be encouraged, as this could lead to a more educated usage and a reduction in the information asymmetry between patients (users) and the industry. The importance of interchangeability of medicines is particularly relevant in two governmental health initiatives in Chile: the Explicit Health Guarantees Plan (GES) and the Financial Protection for Diagnoses and Treatments of High Cost, known as the Ricarte Soto Act. Nonetheless, it is not possible to guarantee that all alternative products to an innovative drug on the Chilean market are bioequivalent. The synthesis of knowledge available on this subject may impact and contribute to decision-making by stakeholders. It could also help to develop better health policies regarding bioequivalent and biosimilar pharmaceutical products in our country.
Thermoelastic interactions on hyperbolic two-temperature generalized thermoelasticity in an infinite medium with a cylindrical cavity

Abstract The thermoelastic interactions in an infinite elastic medium with a cylindrical cavity are described in the context of the hyperbolic two-temperature generalized thermoelasticity theory (recently proposed by Youssef and El-Bary, 2018) in which heat conduction in deformable bodies depends upon the difference between the acceleration of conductive temperature and the acceleration of dynamic temperature. The boundary of the cavity is assumed to be stress-free and is subjected to a thermal shock. The problem is formulated to compare between classical generalized thermoelastic model and hyperbolic two-temperature thermoelastic model, on the basis of Lord-Shulman model and hyperbolic two-temperature Lord-Shulman model in a unified way. The Laplace transform method and decoupling of the coupled differential equations are used to solve the problem. Explicit expressions for displacement, stresses and temperature fields are approximated for small-time. Numerical values are displayed graphically for different models and comparison is presented for the illustration of the problem.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Consumers: Preparing for Digital Sales

COVID-19 has affected everyone's daily lives. At least 316 million people in 42 states have been asked to stay at home to slow down the pandemic. In this aspect, businesses have been susceptible to make substantial transformations. Workplace operations of many businesses went virtual. The effect of the digital transformation on productivity and corporate culture has been studied extensively. Meanwhile, how COVID-19 has influenced consumers and the consumption culture has received relatively limited attention. Managers often take a wait-and-see approach on the impact of COVID-19 on sales. It is often uncertain whether and how many customers will return after the pandemic passes. Consumers live through the pandemic, and some changes might be long-lasting even after the situation eases. We examine the pandemic as an accelerator of the structural change in consumption and the digital transformation in the marketplace. Managers might adapt to the digital transformation in the market to recover or even grow further the sales after COVID-19.
Voices of the Social Sector: A Systematic Review of Stakeholder Voice in HCI Research with Nonprofit Organizations

The prevalence of HCI research carried out with nonprofit organizations has increased dramatically over the past 35 years. Despite this history and our accumulating understanding of social sector organizations and their diverse stakeholders’ use of technology, there have not yet been any systematic reviews of this body of research. Before making more holistic claims about what this body of knowledge might suggest for a research agenda moving forward, we carry out a systematic literature review to characterize the systemic biases that are present as a result of the varying degrees of inclusion or exclusion of the voices of different groups of stakeholders. Building off of the results of our analysis, we contribute a framework of Analytic Charismas for more broadly engaging in reflexivity as a discipline.
Inhibition of Necroptosis to Prevent Long-term Cardiac Damage During Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Invasive Disease.

Background Streptococcus pneumoniae infection can result in bacteremia with devastating consequences including heart damage. Necroptosis is a proinflammatory form of cell death instigated by pore-forming toxins such as S. pneumoniae pneumolysin. Necroptosis-inhibiting drugs may lessen organ damage during invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Methods In vitro experiments were carried out with human and mouse cardiomyocytes. Long-term cardiac damage was assessed using high-resolution echocardiography in ampicillin-rescued mice 3 months after challenge with S. pneumoniae. Ponatinib, a necroptosis-inhibiting and Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for lymphocytic leukemia treatment, was administered intraperitoneally alongside ampicillin to test its therapeutic efficacy. Histology of heart sections included hematoxylin-eosin staining for overt damage, immunofluorescence for necroptosis, and Sirius red/fast green staining for collagen deposition. Results Cardiomyocyte death and heart damage was due to pneumolysin-mediated necroptosis. IPD leads to long-term cardiac damage, as evidenced by de novo collagen deposition in mouse hearts and a decrease in fractional shortening. Adjunct necroptosis inhibition reduced the number of S. pneumoniae foci observed in hearts of acutely infected mice and serum levels of troponin I. Ponatinib reduced collagen deposition and protected heart function in convalescence. Conclusions Acute and long-term cardiac damage incurred during IPD is due in part to cardiomyocyte necroptosis. Necroptosis inhibitors may be a viable adjunct therapy.
INFLUÊNCIA DA INFRAESTRUTURA ESCOLAR NO DESEMPENHO EDUCACIONAL: ESTUDO DE CASO NA EEEFM HONÓRIO FRAGA, COLATINA/ES

This article discusses the influence of infrastructure on the educational performance of students at EEEFM Honorio Fraga, in Colatina / ES, through a case study. The school underwent two infrastructure changes, migrating, in 2010, from the school building with poor infrastructure conditions to a temporary warehouse. Two years later, in 2012, the school returned to work in the reconstructed building. Thus, this study aimed to verify the influence of infrastructure change on the educational performance of students. For that, questionnaires were used. There was also documentary study and photographic reports. Theoretical references are: Pisa reports, Federal Constitution, National Education Guidelines and Bases Act and Unesco reports.