cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biotin-related abnormalities in human metabolism

Recent work has led to the discovery that two severe hereditary human pathologies are caused by biotin deficiency. Significantly, administration of pharmacologic doses of biotin can provide clinically effective treatment. Both diseases are autosomal recessive in inheritance but differ in their associated enzymatic deficiencies. The clinical, enzymatic, and genetic characteristics of these pathologies are reviewed here.
Enhancement in external quantum efficiency of blue light-emitting diode by photonic crystal surface grating

Blue photonic crystal light-emitting diodes were evaluated with photonic crystal hole patterns. The diameter of the holes, lattice constant, and emission wavelength were selected to be 110, 220 and 450 nm, respectively, to attain a maximum enhancement in the wall-plug efficiency. The improvement in external quantum efficiency was 30–50%. Changes in voltage characteristics caused by the etched holes were found to be correlated with increased leakage current.
Computers and iphones and mobile phones, oh my!: a logs-based comparison of search users on different devices

We present a logs-based comparison of search patterns across three platforms: computers, iPhones and conventional mobile phones. Our goal is to understand how mobile search users differ from computer-based search users, and we focus heavily on the distribution and variability of tasks that users perform from each platform. The results suggest that search usage is much more focused for the average mobile user than for the average computer-based user. However, search behavior on high-end phones resembles computer-based search behavior more so than mobile search behavior. A wide variety of implications follow from these findings. First, there is no single search interface which is suitable for all mobile phones. We suggest that for the higher-end phones, a close integration with the standard computer-based interface (in terms of personalization and available feature set) would be beneficial for the user, since these phones seem to be treated as an extension of the users' computer. For all other phones, there is a huge opportunity for personalizing the search experience for the user's "mobile needs", as these users are likely to repeatedly search for a single type of information need on their phone.
Sorption of statin pharmaceuticals to wastewater-treatment biosolids, terrestrial soils, and freshwater sediment.

The sorption kinetics and equilibrium endpoints of two widely prescribed anionic lipid-regulating pharmaceuticals— atorvastatin and simvastatin acid—were evaluated for wastewater-treatment plant primary clarifier biosolids, a peat soil, a sandy soil, and a stream sediment. All equilibrium isotherms were linear over an aqueous concentration range of 0.01 g / L to greater than 100 g / L. Log Koc values for statin sorption to biosolids were 2.91 and 2.96 for atorvastatin and simvastatin acids, respectively. Comparative isotherm experiments with the peat soil, sandy soil, and stream sediment found log Koc values for atorvastatin of 2.96, 2.70, and 3.20, respectively, and values of 2.89, 2.81, and 3.33 for simvastatin acid, respectively. Sorption was noncompetitive between the two statin drugs. Temperature changes did not affect sorption of either statin over the range of 5 - 32° C, indicating that heats of sorption were near zero. Taken together, these observations suggest that despite its anionic structure, statin sorption occurs via partition solubilization of the hydrophobic part of the molecule into the sorbent organic matter. Results from kinetic experiments show that statin sorption to biosolids reaches equilibrium much more rapidly compared to the soils and sediment, as the mass-transfer-rate coefficient, , for the two-site equilibrium/kinetic model is approximately one-order-of magnitude higher for the biosolids. Presentation of these sorption data provides a requisite first step for future studies of statin fate and transport in wastewater-treatment plants and the environment. DOI: 10.1061/ASCEEE.1943-7870.0000125 CE Database subject headings: Wastewater management; Sorption; Pollutants; Sediment; Industrial wastes; Water treatment plants. Author keywords: Wastewater; Sorption; Emerging contaminants; Pharmaceuticals; Sludge, soil; Sediment.
Microangiopathy of vasa nervorum in dysglobulinemic neuropathy

Thickening of vessel walls resulting from endothelial proliferation was observed in the vasa nervorum of eleven patients with peripheral neuropathy associated with dysglobulinemia. Electron microscopy showed endothelial proliferation accompanied by abnormal accumulation of masses of intracytoplasmic filaments in each case. Of the eleven patients with dysglobulinemia, nine had monoclonal gammopathy and two were found to have polyclonal elevation of gamma globulin levels. Symptoms of neuropathy characteristically preceded detection of serum protein abnormalities by months to years. Nerve fiber lesions involved primarily the axon in four cases; segmental demyelination was the principal abnormality in the other seven. Both abnormalities were present to some degree in all eleven patients. Biphasic myelinopathy with uniform separation of myelin lamellae attributable to globulin deposition was observed in four cases. The microvascular changes included endothelial cytoplasmic enlargement, virtually obliterating the vessel lumen in many instances, with thickening of pericytes, in which intracytoplasmic filaments were prominent and pinocytotic vesicles numerous. No extracellular filaments were noted, and amyloid stains were negative. Possible effects of these microvascular changes include ischemia resulting from severe vascular luminal narrowing, and altered vascular permeability. Severe loss of axons in this group of neuropathies may be the result of ischemia, whereas altered vascular permeability may admit globulin into the endoneurium, where it may directly affect the myelin sheath and precipitate demyelination.
Biology and Pathogenesis of Thrombosis and Procoagulant Activity in Invasive Infections Caused by Group A Streptococci and Clostridium perfringens

Group A streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis/myonecrosis and Clostridium perfringens gas gangrene are two of the most fulminant gram-positive infections in humans. Tissue destruction associated with these infections progresses rapidly to involve an entire extremity. Multiple-organ failure is common, and morbidity and mortality remain high. Systemic activation of coagulation and dysregulation of the anticoagulation pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of many diverse disease entities of infectious etiology, and it has been our hypothesis that microvascular thrombosis contributes to reduced tissue perfusion, hypoxia, and subsequent regional tissue necrosis and organ failure in these invasive gram-positive infections. This article reviews the coagulation, anticoagulation, and fibrinolytic systems from cellular players to cytokines to novel antithrombotic therapies and discusses the mechanisms contributing to occlusive microvascular thrombosis and tissue destruction in invasive group A streptococcal and C. perfringens infections. A thorough understanding of these mechanisms may suggest novel therapeutic targets for patients with these devastating infections.
Otitis Interna (Labyrinthitis) Associated with Salmonella enterica arizonae in Turkey Poults

Otitis interna was diagnosed in five 9-to-21-day-old turkey poults with clinical signs of paralysis, opisthotonus, torticollis, blindness, and increased mortality. Gross and microscopic lesions in the poults included omphalitis, typhlitis, hepatitis, meningoencephalitis, ophthalmitis, neuritis and ganglionitis of the vestibulocochlear nerve, and otitis interna. Salmonella enterica arizonae was isolated from the brains, eyes, intestines, yolk sacs, and livers of poults. Birds with otitis interna also had meningoencephalitis. It is most likely that the S. enterica arizonae infection spread from the brain to the internal ears through the vestibulocochlear nerve. This is the first documentation of otitis interna caused by bacteria in an avian species.
Tariff politics and congressional elections: exploring the Cannon Thesis

While a number of studies have examined the politics of tariff decision-making in the United States, little work has examined the subsequent political effects of tariff policy. We help fill this ga...
Abstract P054: Crosstalk Between Toll-like Receptor 4 and Lipid Metabolism Modulates Macrophage Survival

Diabetes and obesity are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis and adverse cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). Abnormalities of lipid metabolism are a hallmark of diabetes and are strong predictors of the risk of future cardiac events. Macrophages are cells of the innate immune system that play a vital role in the host response to infection and tissue injury. In the cardiovascular system, macrophages are key participants in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and post-MI infarct remodeling. Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 is highly active on macrophages and has been shown to contribute to the injury response in the heart and vasculature. Thus, understanding how lipids modulate TLR4-mediated macrophage responses is particularly relevant to diabetic cardiovascular disease. To investigate this question, we studied the effect of palmitate; an abundant dietary saturated fatty acid, on macrophage viability and inflammatory signaling after stimulation with the TLR4 ligand LPS. Interestingly, LPS or palmitate alone failed to trigger significant cell death; however, the combination of these stimuli markedly reduced macrophage viability. The synergistic death induced by LPS and palmitate required functional TLR4, yet occurred independently of ER stress, reactive oxygen species generation, ceramide production, caspase activation and autophagy. Instead, lysosomal integrity is compromised early and followed by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and ultimately cell death. Interestingly, inhibition of the lipid remodeling enzyme iPLA2 attenuates lysosomal instability and cell death following treatment with palmitate/LPS. Thus, we describe a novel cell death response in macrophages that occurs via a mechanism involving iPLA2 activation and lysosomal destabilization. These data provide evidence that the lipid environment modulates macrophage function following inflammatory stimuli. Given the critical role of macrophages in the response to tissue injury, these findings are highly relevant to understanding cardiac injury and repair in diabetics.
Science and Theology: Toward a Steinian Perspective

The complementarity of science and theology, as opposed to a rather commonly held perception that the two fields strongly conflict or the view that theology is simply useless, are the focus of much discussion today. I consider this discussion about science and theology to be very important, for scientific work enjoys such a wide reception, stirs up much interest, and exerts great influence in our world. Theologian John Haught has been writing in this area, and his book, Christianity and Science: Toward a Theology of Nature (Haught, Christianity and Science: Toward a Theology of Nature (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2007). Hereafter parenthetically cited in this article as H.), raises several issues that easily relate to some of Edith Stein’s perspectives. Even though she herself did not directly address this topic, I maintain that Stein’s work has something to contribute in this area and that a constructive exposition of several of her views demonstrates that her thought remains relevant in the contemporary discussion on science and theology. This essay first discusses some considerations regarding the rationale for bringing Stein into this conversation. It then goes on to highlight a few important distinctions that Haught makes which resonate with Stein’s thought. Finally, it focuses more specifically on a few topics raised by Haught to which Stein’s work can contribute, namely, a universe in process, the influence of an “ontology of death,” the issue of dualism, and the question of meaning related to the universe.
Face recognition under varying illuminations using logarithmic fractal dimension-based complete eight local directional patterns

Face recognition under illumination is really challenging. This paper proposes an effective method to produce illumination-invariant features for images with various levels of illumination. The proposed method seamlessly combines adaptive homomorphic filtering, simplified logarithmic fractal dimension, and complete eight local directional patterns to produce illumination-invariant representations. Our extensive experiments show that the proposed method outperforms two of its variant methods and nine state-of-the-art methods, and achieves the overall face recognition accuracy of 99.47%, 94.55%, 99.53%, and 86.63% on Yale B, extended Yale B, CMU-PIE, and AR face databases, respectively, when using one image per subject for training. It also outperforms the compared methods on the Honda UCSD video database using five images per subject for training and considering all necessary steps including face detection, landmark localization, face normalization, and face matching to recognize faces. Our evaluations using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves also verify the proposed method has the best verification and discrimination ability compared with other peer methods.
Polyacetylene carboxylic acids from Mitrephora celebica

A new polyacetylene carboxylic acid, 13(E),17-octadecadiene-9,11-diynoic acid (13,14-dihydrooropheic acid, 1), and the known 17-octadecene-9,11,13-triynoic acid (oropheic acid, 2) were isolated from the stem bark of Mitrephora celebica through bioassay-guided fractionation. Both compounds demonstrated significant activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium smegmatis.
Seeing is Feeling : Revelation’s Enthroned Lamb and Ancient Visual Affects

Most scholarship of the last few decades on the book of Revelation has focused on its colonial conditions and heated, even forceful, political engagement, making conflicting conclusions about to what extent it “reproduces” or “resists” imperial ideology. Of particular focus has been the striking image of the lamb on the throne, an image that ambiguously imparts both conquest and victimhood. This essay builds on and steps to the side of this work by addressing the image of the lamb on the throne as an expressive and emotionally, rather than ideologically, ambivalent image. Placing this image alongside other affectively rich spectacles in Revelation’s context, I suggest that the enthroned lamb gives voice to conflicted feelings about imperial life: attachment and loss, extravagant dreams of sovereignty and victory, as well as the painful realities of vulnerability and subjection, all in complex inter-implication.
Liability and criminal justice management: Resolving dilemmas and meeting future challenges

To reduce liability, police executives rely heavily on hierarchically imposed rule adherence to control subordinates’ discretion. This management approach runs counter to current advice on how to “best manage” a public entity. This article develops an innovative approach to police management that reduces liability exposure while improving the management of the organization in keeping with contemporary notions of human resource development.
Longitudinal change and stability of refractive, keratometric, and internal astigmatism in childhood.

PURPOSE To assess longitudinal change in refractive, keratometric, and internal astigmatism in a sample of students from a population with a high prevalence of with-the-rule (WTR) astigmatism and to determine the optical origins of changes in refractive astigmatism. METHODS A retrospective analysis of longitudinal measurements of right eye refractive and keratometric astigmatism in Tohono O'odham Native American children was conducted. Changes in refractive and keratometric astigmatism per year were compared in a younger cohort (n = 1594, 3 to <11 years old) and an older cohort (n = 648, 11 to <19 years old). Data were analyzed in clinical notation (Cyl) and vector notation (J0, J45). RESULTS On average, refractive astigmatism (means: 1.19 diopters [D] Cyl, +0.54 J0, +0.03 J45) resulted primarily from WTR corneal astigmatism (means: +0.85 J0, -0.02 J45) and against-the-rule (ATR) internal astigmatism (means: -0.31 J0, +0.05 J45). Mean longitudinal changes in astigmatism were statistically significant (younger cohort -0.02 D/y Cyl; older cohort +0.06 D/y Cyl). In the younger cohort, astigmatism decreased with age in low and moderate astigmats (<3.00 D) and increased with age in high astigmats (≥3.00 D). In the older cohort, astigmatism increased with age across all levels of astigmatism. Longitudinal changes in keratometric and internal astigmatism were negatively correlated in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS Cross-sectional data suggest the presence of a constant ATR contribution from internal astigmatism (0.60 D Cyl) that is close to the 0.50 D ATR constant reported by Javal and others. Highly astigmatic 3- to <11-year-old children and children older than age 11 years show a small (not clinically significant) increase in astigmatism with age. A negative correlation between changes in keratometric astigmatism and internal astigmatism suggests an active compensation that may contribute to the stability of astigmatism in Tohono O'odham children.
Analysis of 47 cases of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis in Bengbu

Objective:To summarize the epidemiologic features of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis(ECM)in Bengbu area and to provide clinical basis for the prevention and control of ECM.Methods:The clinical features of 47 patients with ECM were analyzed retrospectively and epidemiological investigation was made in 30 of them.Results:The ECM from January to April accounted for 72.34% of all the cases,and 65.96% of the patients were aged between 11 and 20;the majority of the patients came from Fengyang county and Bengbu city;the main epidemic strains for ECM were group C meningococcus;the incidence of ECM of fulminating type accounted for 31.91%.Conclusions:There exists group C meningococcus in Bengbu area,with an obvious onset of seasonality;the age of the patients tends to be higher than before;susceptible population should be immunized with group A+C meningococcus polysaccharide vaccine.
Selection of mutant murine lymphoid cells partially deficient in S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase

The thioether nucleoside S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) is a product and potent natural inhibitor of diverse transmethylation reactions necessary for cell growth and function (Mann et al, 1963; Zappia et al, 1969). SAH does not accumulate in normal cells, but rather is cleaved to adenosine and L-homocysteine by S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) (De la Haba et al, 1959; Walker et al, 1975).
Palliative Care and End-of-Life Considerations in Children on Chronic Ventilation

Despite being assisted on respiratory devices, children on chronic ventilation commonly have conditions that will result in shortened life spans and leave them at risk for acute, critical deterioration. In addition, these children and their families have substantial needs beyond health maintenance and respiratory care. Thus, they require a care paradigm that complements strategies focused on prolongation of life and provides other medical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual supports. These supports should increasingly fill care voids as prolongation of life becomes less possible or prolongation of suffering less favorable. In short, many of these children and families require palliative care to address their end-of-life and other complex needs. However, providing this palliative care and preparing them for the end of life can entail several challenges. Many of these challenges stem from the difficulty of prognostication, but also include the idiosyncrasies of the complex child-family relationship, professional caregivers, and chronic ventilation itself. These challenges can be avoided or minimized by concurrently focusing on non-end-of-life palliative care, as well as good communication, avoiding any suggestion of abandonment, and propitious timing of discussions.
From a Confucian Literati to a Military General: Li Hung Chang’s Views of Western Technology (1885-1896)

This paper focuses on Li Hung Chang (1823-1901)’s visit to England and America in 1896, to rethink and revaluate the importat role Li played at that historical time. Li Hung Chang toured Europe and America in 1896 as an imperial envoy of the first rank. Although some aspects of Li’s career and evaluation have been given monographic treatment, there is yet little study on his comments on his attitudes toward Western science and technology. This paper augues that if modernization is a matter of modern state power as an army, navy, or diplomatic corps, then Li was certainly a modernizer. But if modernization is a deeper process of organizational and institutional change, Li was not a determined modernizer. In fact, Li relied heavily on patronage even when he could exercise legitimate political power, in order to adovocate Self-Strengthening Movement.
Super-resolution optical microscopy study of telomere structure.

Chromosome ends are shielded from exonucleolytic attack and inappropriate end-joining by terminal structures called telomeres; these structures are potential targets for anticancer drugs. Telomeres are composed of a simple DNA sequence (5′-TTAGGG-3′ in humans) repeated more than a thousand times, a short 3′ single-stranded overhang, and numerous proteins. Electron microscopy has shown that the 3′ overhang pairs with the complementary strand at an internal site creating a small displacement loop and a large double-stranded “t-loop.” Our goal is to determine whether all telomeres adopt the t-loop configuration, or whether there are two or more distinct configurations. Progress in optimizing super-resolution (SR) microscopy for this ongoing investigation is reported here. Results suggest that under certain conditions sample preparation procedures may disrupt chromatin by causing loss of nucleosomes. This finding may limit the use of SR microscopy in telomere studies.
Reduced humoral immunity and atypical cell-mediated immunity in response to vaccination in cows naturally infected with bovine leukemia virus

Abstract Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is a retrovirus that is widely distributed across US dairy herds: over 83% of herds are BLV-infected and within-herd infection rates can approach 50%. BLV infection reduces both animal longevity and milk production and can interfere with normal immune health. With such a high prevalence of BLV infection in dairy herds, it is essential to understand the circumstances by which BLV negatively affects the immune system of infected cattle. To address this question, BLV- and BLV+ adult, lactating Holstein dairy cows were vaccinated with Bovi-Shield GOLD® FP® 5 L5 HB and their immune response to vaccination was measured over the course of 28 days. On day 0 prior to vaccination and days 7, 14 and 28 post-vaccination, fresh PBMCs were characterized for T and B cell ratios in the periphery. Plasma was collected to measure titers of IgM, IgG1 and IgG2 produced against bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1), Leptospira hardjo and L. pomona, as well as to characterize neutralizing antibody titers produced against BHV1 and bovine viral diarrhea virus types 1 and 2. On day 18 post-vaccination, PBMCs were cultured in the presence of BHV1 and flow cytometry was used to determine IFNγ production by CD4+, CD8+ and γδ T cells and to investigate CD25 and MHCII expression on B cells. BLV+ cows produced significantly lower titers of IgM against BHV1, L. hardjo and L. pomona and produced lower titers of IgG2 against BHV1. γδ T cells from BLV+ cows displayed a hyper reactive response to stimulation in vitro, although no differences were observed in CD4+ or CD8+ T cell activation. Finally, B cells from BLV+ cows exhibited higher CD25 expression and reduced MHCII expression in response to stimulation in vitro. All together, data from this study support the hypothesis that BLV+ cows fail to respond to vaccination as strongly as BLV- cows and, consequently, may have reduced protective immunity when compared to healthy BLV- cows.
Precise Solar Radiation Pressure Models for Small-Body Orbiters: Applications to OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft

This paper presents a framework for the precise representation of solar radiation pressure effects on spacecraft orbiting around small bodies. It uses a Fourier-series expansion to model the solar ...
Overview of the Components Used in Active and Passive Lower-Limb Prosthetic Devices

This chapter provides an overview of the current state of the art in lower-limb prosthetic componentry, highlighting both the performance capabilities achieved with current limb systems and the limitations that prevent full restoration of function lost due to lower-limb amputation. The overview first covers the socket interface, beginning with designs for supporting weight-bearing loads and suspending the prosthetic limb commonly used in below-knee and above-knee socket systems. This is followed by a presentation of advanced socket componentry for realizing functions such as vacuum-assisted suspension of the prosthesis and accommodation of fluctuations in residual-limb volume. The focus then shifts to passive and active components used in prosthetic foot, ankle, and knee systems. Energetically passive systems are covered first, spanning from purely mechanical designs with and without energy-storage components to microprocessor-controlled designs for both the ankle and knee. The overview concludes with a presentation of current and emerging bionic knee, ankle, and knee-ankle systems that integrate external power and actuation for expanded functional performance.
Troubled everyday: the aesthetics of violence and the everyday in European art cinema: by Alison Taylor, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 2017, 144 pp., £70 (hardback), ISBN 978-1474415224

The role of violence in art cinema has been much discussed, particularly as it pertains to the ‘new extremism’ of French cinema in the early 2000s (see, for example, Horeck and Kendall 2011). The u...
Lack of Impact of the 2009 USPSTF Guidelines on Rates of Mammography Screening

Abstract Background: In November 2009, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) changed their mammography screening guidelines from recommending a screen every 1–2 years for women older than 40 years. The revised guideline recommends against regular screening for women aged 40–49 and recommends biennial screening for women aged 50–74. Research Design: We used autoregressive integrated moving-average (ARIMA) time series modeling to estimate the effect of the USPSTF 2009 guidelines on trends in screening rates. Enrollment and encounter files from the PharMetrics LifeLink+ commercial insurance claims database, years 2006–2014, were linked to determine monthly screening rates. The main outcome measure was mammography screening rates per 1,000 commercially insured women aged 40–49 or aged 50–64. Results: The study sample included 493,347 women aged 40–49 years with at least 1 month of eligibility and 658,052 women aged 50–64 years with at least 1 month of eligibility. There were 1,305,375 tota...
Liquid-Vapor Equilibrium in the System Neon-Oxygen From 63° to 152°K and at Pressures to 5000 PSI

In a series of recent articles the authors have described the results of liquid-vapor phase equilibrium studies of several low-temperature systems for which little or no data were previously available. The systems studied and the ranges of temperature and pressure covered in each study are shown in Table I.
Antineoplastic Actions of Cinnamic Acids and Their Dimers in Breast Cancer Cells: A Comparative Study.

Background/aim Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in US, which necessitates constant research for medications with minimal adverse effects. The aim of the study was to determine if certain cinnamic acid dimers (CADs) exhibit higher cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells than against non-tumorigenic cells. Materials and methods These dimers have not been explored, so far, due to their complex stereochemistry; cavitand-mediated photodimerization (CMP) method was used to produce several CADs, which were tested for cytotoxicity, apoptosis and cell cycle inhibition. Results CADs such as ferulic acid dimer, 3-fluoro CAD, and 3, 4-difluoro CAD, were found to be more cytotoxic than their parent monomers. The most potent compound, 3-fluoro CAD caused apoptosis and 'S' phase cell cycle arrest in cancer cells. Conclusion This study indicates an avenue for research for developing a novel class of antineoplastic compounds that can be synthesized using an easy, economical method.
A College-Level Overview of Biomedical Instrumentation [Book Review]

This text is aimed at late sophomore- or early junior-level students,with a basic level of understanding of electrical circuits and signal processing. Some background in anatomy, the author writes, “would be useful.” Acknowledging J.G. Webster’s Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design as well as his edited Encyclopedia of Medical Devices and Instrumentation, Principles of Biomedical Instrumentation consists of nine chapters providing a concise overview of the subject. The book is liberally illustrated, and each chapter concludes with a reference section and a series of problem assignments. A solutions manual is available for instructors using the text. Although the author is from The Netherlands, the text is reasonably generic and could be useful worldwide. The book is liberally illustrated, and each chapter concludes with a reference section and a series of problem assignments.
Active work zone safety: preventing accidents using intrusion sensing technologies

Highway construction work zones are hazardous environments characterized by a dynamic and limited workspace. A host of interactions between workers, passing commuter vehicles, and moving construction equipment occurs in highway work zones, fostering dangerous situations that can result in injury or death. Active strategies, such as the deployment of intrusion sensing and alert technologies in highway work zones and in transportation infrastructure construction and maintenance, can be effective at mitigating these unforeseen conditions. The main objective of this study was to conduct both conceptual analysis and experimental evaluation of intrusion sensing technologies for work zone safety. To achieve the objectives of this research, an exploratory review of the applicable technologies was conducted to identify the intrusion technologies that can be implemented for work zone safety. An objective assessment of each technology was provided based on selected evaluation metrics to elicit their capabilities. Candidate commercially available technologies were selected and evaluated using field experiments in simulated work zones. The findings of the study indicate that the commercially available technologies have the potential to enhance safety of work zone workers by providing warning alerts when hazardous situations exist. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by providing strategies for selecting and implementing intrusion sensing technologies for active work zone safety.
Interleukin 6 Function in the Skin and Isolated Keratinocytes Is Modulated by Hyperglycemia

Diabetes currently affects over twenty-five million Americans. Annual health care cost of diabetes exceeds $254 billion and is associated with a distinct set of diabetic complications that include delayed wound healing and diabetic ulcers. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) plays an important role in wound healing and is known to be elevated in the serum of both type I and type II diabetes patients. This study assesses the expression and function of IL-6 in the hyperglycemic epidermis and keratinocyte culture. Streptozotocin-treated mice were wounded six weeks after induction of hyperglycemia. Wound closure, protein, and mRNA expression were assessed up to 13 days of postwounding. Wound closure was delayed 4-5 days in hyperglycemic animals. Hyperglycemic wounds displayed greater IL-6 and IL-6Rα protein expression at 1, 7, and 10 days of postwounding compared to euglycemic control. However, IL-6Rα mRNA expression was reduced at all time points beyond day 1, while IL-6 mRNA expression did not significantly differ at any time point. SOCS3 mRNA expression was higher in the hyperglycemic skin at every time point. Imaging of fluorescent immunohistology also revealed significantly lower expression of SOCS3, but higher nuclear pSTAT3 in the epidermis of the hyperglycemic skin. Primary mouse keratinocytes cultured in high glucose for 7 days displayed 2-fold higher IL-6Rα mRNA and higher rmIL-6-induced nuclear pSTAT3, but lower SOCS3 basal levels compared to normal glucose-cultured cells. Thus, it appears that delayed diabetic skin wound healing is associated with increased induction and expression of IL-6 and its receptor, but its function in epidermal keratinocytes may be impaired.
A Time Reversal-Based Microwave Imaging System for Detection of Breast Tumors

Time reversal (TR) relies on the reciprocity nature of the wave equation. Waves diverging away from a source can be time reversed and back-propagated to focus back at the source. The transmitting and receiving antenna arrays utilized for TR are collectively termed as the TR mirror (TRM). TR imaging in the microwave regime has shown its promise in nondestructive inspection and target localization. This paper deals with the design of a microwave TRM for the detection of breast tumors. The first part of this paper discusses TR simulations based on a signal processing algorithm, to obtain the tumor location from the total fields. The processed time-reversed fields can be back-propagated in a numerical model to focus the wave at the tumor locations. Simulation results aid in investigating the feasibility and the robustness of the method. The second part of this paper deals with experimental studies for the breast tumor detection, using a pulsed time-domain system and the back-propagation model. The successful detection of single and multiple tumors embedded in a liquid breast tissue-based phantom is shown using the microwave system.
Quadruplex qPCR for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the HIV-1 latent reservoir

Abstract HIV-1 infection requires life-long therapy with anti-retroviral drugs due to the existence of a latent reservoir of transcriptionally inactive integrated proviruses. The goal of HIV-1 cure research is to eliminate or functionally silence this reservoir. To this end there are numerous ongoing studies to evaluate immunologic approaches including monoclonal antibody therapies. Evaluating the results of these studies requires sensitive and specific measures of the reservoir. Here we describe a relatively high throughput combined quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and next generation sequencing method. Four different qPCR probes covering the packaging signal (PS), group-specific antigen (gag), polymerase (pol), and envelope (env) are combined in a single multiplex reaction to detect the HIV-1 genome in limiting dilution samples followed by sequence verification of individual reactions that are positive for combinations of any 2 of the 4 probes (Q4PCR). This sensitive and specific approach allows for an unbiased characterization of the HIV-1 latent reservoir. Summary HIV-1 cure research seeks to decrease or eliminate the latent reservoir. The evaluation of such curative strategies requires accurate measures of the reservoir. Gaebler et al. describe a combined multicolor qPCR and next generation sequencing method that enables the sensitive and specific characterization of the HIV-1 latent reservoir.
Mechanisms of below-level pain following spinal cord injury (SCI)

Mechanisms of below-level pain are discoverable as neural adaptations rostral to spinal injury. Accordingly, the strategy of investigations summarized here has been to characterize behavioral and neural responses to below-level stimulation over time following selective lesions of spinal gray and/or white matter. Assessments of human pain and the pain sensitivity of humans and laboratory animals following spinal injury have revealed common disruptions of pain processing. Interruption of the spinothalamic pathway partially deafferents nocireceptive cerebral neurons, rendering them spontaneously active and hypersensitive to remaining inputs. The spontaneous activity among these neurons is disorganized and unlikely to generate pain. However, activation of these neurons by their remaining inputs can result in pain. Also, injury to spinal gray matter results in a cascade of secondary events, including excitotoxicity, with rostral propagation of excitatory influences that contribute to chronic pain. Establishment and maintenance of below-level pain results from combined influences of injured and spared axons in the spinal white matter and injured neurons in spinal gray matter on processing of nociception by hyperexcitable cerebral neurons that are partially deafferented. A model of spinal stenosis suggests that ischemic injury to the core spinal region can generate below-level pain. Additional questions are raised about demyelination, epileptic discharge, autonomic activation, prolonged activity of C nocireceptive neurons, and thalamocortical plasticity in the generation of below-level pain. PERSPECTIVE: An understanding of mechanisms can direct therapeutic approaches to prevent development of below-level pain or arrest it following spinal cord injury. Among the possibilities covered here are surgical and other means of attenuating gray matter excitotoxicity and ascending propagation of excitatory influences from spinal lesions to thalamocortical systems involved in pain encoding and arousal.
Facile Synthesis of Ni₃B/RGO Nanocomposite as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Alkaline Media

Abstract Alkaline water electrolysis yielding H 2 and O 2 is a very promising fuel cell technology for sustainable energy generation. Emphasis has been placed on the development of efficient electrocatalysts based on earth-abundant elements for the kinetically deterred oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Nickel boride nanostructures exhibit enhanced OER catalytic activity, achieving 10 mA cm − 2 at an overpotential of 320 mV. The activity can be greatly improved by incorporating Ni 3 B in an electrically conducting reduced graphene oxide matrix, which reduces the overpotential further to 290 mV at 10 mA cm − 2 , and has a small Tafel slope. The catalytic activity of the Ni 3 B–rGO nanocomposite shows considerable stability under long-term operating conditions.
Tracking Time and Resources Associated with Systems Change and the Adoption of Evidence-Based Programs: The "Hidden Costs" of School-Based Coaching.

This study leveraged data from a 40-school randomized controlled trial to understand the cost of coaching to support implementation of evidence-based programs (EBPs) through a multi-tiered system of supports for behavior (MTSS-B) model. Coach activity log data were utilized to generate the annual average, per school, costs of coaching of $8198. The cost of school personnel time for coaching was estimated to be $3028. Data on coach-rated administrator buy-in, school MTSS-B engagement, and implementation infrastructure and capacity were also collected and found to be associated with coaching activities. Notably, coaches did not spend significantly different amounts of time in schools using few EBPs relative to more EBPs, indicating some inefficiency in the use of coaches’ time. These findings highlight the often-overlooked resources needed to support EBP implementation in schools.
Impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable patients with rheumatic disease: results of a worldwide survey.

Objective There is emerging evidence that COVID-19 disproportionately affects people from racial/ethnic minority and low socioeconomic status (SES) groups. Many physicians across the globe are changing practice patterns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to examine the practice changes among rheumatologists and what they perceive the impact to be on their most vulnerable patients. Methods We administered an online survey to a convenience sample of rheumatologists worldwide during the initial height of the pandemic (between 8 April and 4 May 2020) via social media and group emails. We surveyed rheumatologists about their opinions regarding patients from low SES and racial/ethnic minority groups in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mainly, what their specific concerns were, including the challenges of medication access; and about specific social factors (health literacy, poverty, food insecurity, access to telehealth video) that may be complicating the management of rheumatologic conditions during this time. Results 548 rheumatologists responded from 64 countries and shared concerns of food insecurity, low health literacy, poverty and factors that preclude social distancing such as working and dense housing conditions among their patients. Although 82% of rheumatologists had switched to telehealth video, 17% of respondents estimated that about a quarter of their patients did not have access to telehealth video, especially those from below the poverty line. The majority of respondents believed these vulnerable patients, from racial/ethnic minorities and from low SES groups, would do worse, in terms of morbidity and mortality, during the pandemic. Conclusion In this sample of rheumatologists from 64 countries, there is a clear shift in practice to telehealth video consultations and widespread concern for socially and economically vulnerable patients with rheumatic disease.
A decision analytics model to optimize investment in interventions targeting the HIV preexposure prophylaxis cascade of care.

OBJECTIVES Gaps between recommended and actual levels of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use remain among MSM. Interventions can address these gaps but it is unknown how public health initiatives should invest prevention funds into these interventions to maximize their population impact. DESIGN We used a stochastic network-based HIV transmission model for MSM in the Atlanta area paired with an economic budget optimization model. METHODS The model simulated MSM participating in up to three real-world PrEP cascade interventions designed to improve initiation, adherence, or persistence. The primary outcome was infections averted over 10 years. The budget optimization model identified the investment combination under different budgets that maximized this outcome, given intervention costs from a payer perspective. RESULTS From the base 15% PrEP coverage level, the three interventions could increase coverage to 27%, resulting in 12.3% of infections averted over 10 years. Uptake of each intervention was interdependent: maximal use of the adherence and persistence interventions depended on new PrEP users generated by the initiation intervention. As the budget increased, optimal investment involved a mixture of the initiation and persistence interventions but not the adherence intervention. If adherence intervention costs were halved, the optimal investment was roughly equal across interventions. CONCLUSION Investments into the PrEP cascade through initiatives should account for the interactions of the interventions as they are collectively deployed. Given current intervention efficacy estimates, the total population impact of each intervention may be improved with greater total budgets or reduced intervention costs.
Serious with the Wordplay: Battle Rap as a Critical Literacy Site and Model

Critical scholars contend it must be the duty of those who are marginalized to create pedagogy that will empower themselves. As such, researchers continue to explore ways and means by which Black male students can engage with and enact literacy. While a significant amount of research has been conducted on hip-hop pedagogies and literacy, there lacks examination into how the specific element of battle rap functions as a location to cultivate the critical consciousness of students. This research seeks to highlight how the genre of battle rap can be a pedagogical tool of literary expression, while simultaneously shedding traditional standards of instruction which have constrained learning opportunities, particularly for Black male students. Critical literacy as a theoretical framework and critical discourse analysis (CDA) as a methodology are employed to advance battle rap as an effective instructional tool. Ultimately, this study seeks to privilege the educational experiences of Black male students and complex our interpretations of how language, literacy, and culture intersect and can be exercised in US classrooms.
A mesoscopic level multi-scale approach to generate a complex polymer morphology

Polymer computational simulations enable the prediction of material properties, exploration of the microscopic and macroscopic phenomenon of materials, and guidance of in vitro macromolecular materials design. This paper presents a mesoscopic level, multiscale approach to generate a complex polymer morphology for future simulations of polymer chains aimed at the design of materials or the study of material properties, such as strain/stress relations and electromechanical properties. To generate a complex polymer morphology, a mesoscopic level model is developed, in which the polymer chains are modeled as one-dimensional homogeneous flexible chains, and the crystalline regions are modeled as rigid continuum bodies. The polymer domain is firstly discretized into a uniform mesh. Location, orientation, and size of crystalline regions can be either pre-defined or randomly distributed inside the polymer domain. Nodes of each cuboid element grid located within crystal units are marked as occupied. Then, a random walking process is applied to generate polymer chains. No overlap is permitted between polymer chains nor between polymer chains and crystalline regions. Chain propagation ceases upon reaching the crystal block surface. Polymer chain properties, such as longitudinal stiffness, bending stiffness, and torsional stiffness, are derived based on molecular structures. Interactions, those between polymer chains, and those between polymer chains and crystalline regions are derived based on Lennard-Jones forces. An explicit dynamic relaxation algorism is applied to minimize potential energy. This approach is much more efficient than MD simulation. The computing time required for this mesoscopic simulation is only 0.5-1% of MD simulation. Yet, nanoand micro-scale geometries of polymer morphology can still be analyzed in detail. Polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) is selected to demonstrate the efficiency and efficacy of this numerical model due to its high piezoelectric coefficient.
Theory of Seismic Wave Propagation

Waves are one of the common phenomena that we all experience. We live in a world of waves: sound waves, light waves, radio waves, x rays. Each of us has tossed a pebble in a pool of water and watched the resulting wave propagate outward in circles of ever-increasing radii. The amplitude of the wave decreases as the radius increases because the energy in the wavefront is spread out over an ever-increasing circumference. The particles of water are disturbed by the passing wavefront, but return to their original position as the wave passes by. At the edges of the pool, the wave is reflected in accordance with the law of conservation of energy.
A mountain full of ghosts: Mourning african american masculinities in colson whitehead's john henry days

This article discusses how Colson Whitehead’s novel, John Henry Days , questions the accuracy of the portrayal of African American masculinities within a dominant white historiography. It reads the festival portrayed in John Henry Days as a concerted effort to disguise and disrupt any sincere attempts at exposing the realities of working-class African American life in the (post)Reconstruction South. Likewise, the article questions to what extent the contemporary social realities portrayed in the novel allow for a sincere attempt to remember and mourn those working-class African American men who died for the industrial progress celebrated during the novel’s festival, the John Henry Days.