cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on Spray Tank Agitation in the Use of Oil Sprays

Tests made of 18 orchard sprayers with tanks ranging in capacity from 200 to 465 gallons, with agitator paddles of various kinds and sizes ranging in number from three to five per tank, and with agitator speeds ranging from 60 to 300 r.p.m., indicated that the speed of the agitator is the most important factor in efficient agitation in the use of oil sprays. With the average tank and agitator equipment a speed of approximately 225 r.p.m. was found to be sufficient to maintain a uniform mixture of pure oil and water in the tank. Taking into consideration the fact that the so-called quick-breaking emulsions commonly contain much unemulsified oil, that the oil in the dilute spray quickly rises to the surface if the agitation is interrupted, and that stable emulsions, including miscible oils, tend to break when used with hard water, an agitator speed of approximately 225 r.p.m. is believed to be advisable for tanks in which oil sprays are used. Tables are given showing the effect of emulsifiers, size and number of paddles and agitator speed on the uniformity of the mixture of the oil and water. An improved method is given for determining the oil strength of sprays.
Effects of Losartan on the Expression of Phosphorylated P38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase in Renal Tubulointerstitium in Experimental Diabetic Rats

【Objective】To investigate whether p38 MAPK is associated with the development of tubulointerstitial lesions and the effects of Losartan on the expression of the phosphorylated p38 MAPK in renal tubulointerstitium in experimental diabetic rats.【Methods】Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: control and diabetic group.Diabetes was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ.Diabetic group was divided into diabetic and Losartan treatment group.Eight weeks later,samples were collected to determine urinary protein excreted in 24 hours and serum creatinine.A portion of renal tissue was analyzed with hematoxylin eosin stain and Masson stain.The extent of tubulointerstitial injury was evaluated and graded.levels of phosphorylated p38 and transforming growth factor-beta1(TGFβ1) were assessed by Immunohistochemistry in rats.Computer image-pattern analysis system was used to analyze the expression of P-P38 MAPK and TGF-β1 in renal tubulointerstitium.【Results】①The amount of urinary protein excreted in 24 hours and the tubulointerstitial lesions and the accumulation of extracellular matrix protein were significantly greater in diabetic rats than in control rats(P0.01)②Expression of P-p38 MAPK in diabetic tubulointerstitium in diabetic rats was higher than in the controls,the same as the expression of TGF-beta1(P0.01).③After Losartan treatment,urinary protein excreted in 24 hours and the tubulointerstitium lesions and the accumulation of extracellular matrix protein was ameliorated,and the expressions of P-P38 MAPK as well as TGF-beta1 were markedly decreased compared with diabetic group(P0.01).【Conclusion】These results suggest p38MAPK phosphorylation and the up-regulation of TGF beta1 contribute to the development of tubulointerstitial lesions in diabetic nephropathy;inhibition of tubulointerstitial p38 MAPK activation and the expression of TGF beta1 may be responsed for the renal protective effects of Losartan in experimental diabetic nephropathy rats.
Enhancing and promoting interdisciplinarity in higher education

Interdisciplinarity represents an effort to achieve integrative knowledge in an age of increasing academic specialization. It is an intrinsic feature of the environmental sciences and the emerging field of sustainability studies and is widely identified as a crucial means for academia to effectively address complex worldly problems. The promotion of interdisciplinarity within higher education has become widespread over the last few decades, but it continues to face significant obstacles. This paper reports on a survey of universities with exemplary track records in interdisciplinary research, to better identify obstacles to interdisciplinarity and strategies for success.
Aortic valve stenosis and regurgitation: an overview of management.

UNLABELLED There are few cardiovascular disease entities that have as an impressive contribution to improved quality and duration of life as aortic valve disease correction. Although aortic valve stenosis is fairly common, particularly in elderly patients, between one third and two thirds go untreated, despite operative survival rates with the minimal invasive J incision approach of 99%. For those patients with high risk co-morbidity or technical inoperable reasons, the percutaneous transfemoral or transapical approaches are now available with good initial RESULTS For younger patients with tricuspid valves or bicuspid valves and aortic regurgitation, aortic valve repair should be the first choice procedure and with careful selection of the appropriate approach based on analysis of the patients CLASS (Commissure, Leaflet, Annulus, Sinotubular junction, and Sinuses) anatomy. Excellent results can be obtained with better than 90% freedom from reoperation at 10 years. The scope of procedures for aortic valve disease has increased markedly over the last 10 years and patients and cardiovascular physicians need to be aware of these newer options.
Hypoxanthine and cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate maintain meiotic arrest of rhesus monkey oocytes in vitro.

In the present study, hypoxanthine (HX) and dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP) were tested as inhibitors of rhesus monkey oocyte maturation in vitro, because of their similar effect in mice. A significantly larger proportion (72%) of oocytes underwent germinal vesicle breakdown (GVB) in group I (control) after 40 hours in culture, as compared with 21% in treatment group II with HX plus dbcAMP ( P P
Assessing Nonlinear Behaviors in an Agent-Based Model

This chapter discusses the role of sensitivity analysis in the development of an Agent-Based Model (ABM) designed to explore hypothetical scenarios relating to cultural transmission in small-scale societies. Sensitivity analysis revealed disproportionate or nonlinear relationships between parameter changes and model behaviors. Nonlinear sensitivity may indicate underlying problems in programming or model design; however, it may also reveal unanticipated results that shed light on the research questions explored in a simulation. Interpretations relating to cultural transmission and the sociospatial structure of small-scale societies are discussed.
Proto-Language Sentences

The language we actually use consists of a set of elements with conventional meanings and grammatical rules for combining these elements into successively larger wholes. From morphemes as the minimal elements are formed some words as combinations of free and bound morphemes. Other rules specify the formation of phrases as combinations of words, simple atomic sentences as combinations of noun and verb phrases, complex molecular sentences combined from atomic sentences, and finally blocks of discourse as combinations of sentences about a common topic. Discourse can take a variety of forms, including informative conversation, executive directives, laws, story telling, and inferences. Sentences typically occur within the context of some kind of a specific variety of discourse, and this context conditions the functioning of the sentence. How this occurs will be the topic of the next chapter.
Age differences in emotion perception: The effects of the social environment

Older adults tend to have lower emotion-perception accuracy compared to younger adults. Previous studies have centered on individual characteristics, including cognitive decline and positive attent...
What Should Happen After An Officer-Involved Shooting? Memory Concerns in Police Reporting Procedures☆

Procedures around interviewing a police officer after a shooting have recently come under increased scrutiny. Some argue the officers should be allowed to view available video footage from body cameras and wait two to three days to de-stress before being interviewed. While viewing the video first may increase accuracy for details present in the footage, it may also cause forgetting or distortion for other parts of the situation not captured on camera, including the officer's perception and construal of the situation. Additionally, memory is likely to decay over any delay from a waiting period, with little support for the claim that a long de-stressing period will improve accuracy compared to an immediate report. Though this is a complex policy matter with many considerations, these procedures may do more harm than good when it comes to preserving the most accurate and helpful memory from the police officer.
The American Academy of Pediatrics Workforce Survey for the Section on Urology 2015.

Summary Introduction In 2013, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Division of Workforce and Medical Education Policy assumed the task of organizing the updated AAP Workforce Survey, which was modeled after the Future of Pediatric Education II study. Objective The objective of the present study was to evaluate changes in practice patterns of all pediatric medical and surgical specialists over time, to facilitate advocacy work by the Academy at federal and state levels. Study design The survey was sent to members of the AAP Section on Urology and the Society for Pediatric Urology between June and November 2014. The survey included general and sub-specialty-specific questions. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0. Descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and measures of central tendency, were used to summarize all responses. Results A total of 255 pediatric urologists returned the survey, giving a response rate of 56.4%. The specialty remained vibrant, and members remained content in their career choice. About two-thirds practiced in a full-time clinical setting, and had research, teaching, and/or administrative duties. About 75% reported no change in clinical volume or case complexity, although 50% reported an increase in their referral base. A 50% increase in minor cases and a 43.3% decrease in open cases were reported. Only 13% planned to retire within the next 3–6 years. The current job market for fellows was unrestricted for 51.3%, significantly restricted for location for 23.1%, and restricted with regard to practice type for 25.6%. Overall, 51%, 37%, and 13% of the respondents expressed the opinions that over the next 5 years, too many specialists in pediatric urology were currently being trained, just the right number, and too few, respectively. Medical student interest remained encouraging. Discussion One of the primary objectives of the survey was to gain insights into whether there was concordance between the number of trainees and the current and future job opportunities. Unfortunately, the main limitations of the survey were the questions on retirement and adding a partner. Since the survey was anonymous, there was a missed opportunity to direct fellows to specific job openings. In addition, every member of a large group may have individually responded, inflating the responses or, in some cases, negating the responses if the partners did not agree. Conclusion Pediatric urologists have an overall sense of contentment of career choice, despite shifts in complex open surgical volume and increasing competition. Surveys that are not anonymous would provide specific geographical manpower needs.
Moderate Sedation Reduces Lab Time Compared to General Anesthesia during Cryoballoon Ablation for AF Without Compromising Safety or Long-Term Efficacy

BACKGROUND Cryoballoon ablation (CBA) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (pAF) can be performed under general anesthesia (GA) or moderate sedation (MS). Our objective was to compare the effectiveness, safety, procedure duration, and time spent in the electrophysiology (EP) laboratory for CBA performed under GA and MS. METHODS Patients undergoing a first CBA for pAF were identified. Patients received either GA administered by an anesthesiologist or MS with midazolam and fentanyl administered by EP laboratory staff. Total time in laboratory (sum of procedure and nonprocedure time); fluoroscopy time; freedom from documented AF, atrial flutter, and atrial tachycardia (FFAF); acute pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) rate; and 30-day complication rate were assessed. RESULTS A total of 55 patients received GA and 119 patients received MS. PVI success rate was 100% in GA and 98.1% in MS (P = 0.04). Total laboratory time was longer for GA (280.4 ± 54.1 minutes vs 245.5 ± 54.7 minutes; P < 0.001), related to longer nonprocedure time (92.2 ± 28.8 minutes GA vs 71.0 ± 30.0 minutes MS; P < 0.001), but not procedure time (188.3 ± 49.3 minutes GA vs 174.5 ± 50.2 minutes MS; P = 0.09). FFAF was not significantly different over a median follow-up duration of 0.9 (interquartile range 0.4-1.9) years (61.8% GA vs 63.0% MS; log-rank P = 0.90). There was no significant difference in complication rate. CONCLUSION Compared to GA, MS during CBA for pAF was independently associated with shorter total EP laboratory time without compromising FFAF or complication rates.
Cell Biology of Reef-Building Corals: Ion Transport, Acid/Base Regulation, and Energy Metabolism

Coral reefs are built by colonial cnidarians that establish a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellate algae of the genus Symbiodinium. The processes of photosynthesis, calcification, and general metabolism require the transport of diverse ions across several cellular membranes and generate waste products that induce acid/base and oxidative stress. This chapter reviews the current knowledge on coral cell biology with a focus on ion transport and acid/base regulation while also discussing related aspects of coral energy metabolism.
Identification of endogenous genes regulated by telomere length in human fibroblasts.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 5007 Telomere-position effects (TPE: the ability to silence genes adjacent to telomeres) has been studied extensively in yeast and fly. We reported that a truncated telomere introduced by random insertion in human genome can silence luciferase gene expression placed near to it and showed that the strength of TPE was proportional to telomere length. To identify the endogenous genes regulated by natural telomeres, we prepared a 750-member oligonucleotide microarray set consisting of 450 possible telomeric genes, 103 quality control oligonucleotides and 198 telomere-binding/cell cycle control/ immortalization related genes. Total RNAs from young (PD18 and 24) and old (PD78 and 83) human fibroblasts were used in the microarray analysis. The potential candidate genes were further validated by Q-PCR using the universal probe set (human) from Roche. We found the expression of two genes, located on Chromosome 1P and Chromosome 22P, were up-regulated in old human fibroblasts. When telomeres were enlongated by overexpression of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the expression of these two genes were reduced to the levels seen in the young human fibroblasts. These data suggest that the genes near the telomeres may be regulated by telomere length. Further studies will be carried out to study the specific gene function as well as histochemical investigations of telomere-length dependent expression both in cultured cells and in tissue biopsies obtained from donors of different ages
Re-Evaluation Of The Temporal Response Of Csl Photocathodes

The optimization of photocathodes for ultra-fast x-ray detectors is an area of active interest in the x-ray diagnostic community.1-9 New evaluations of CsI and Au transmission-photocathodes in side-by-side in situ streak camera measurements are discussed here. Temporal response of the two materials and sensitivity comparisons over a wide range of thicknesses are presented.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Complete Packaging Reliability Studies through One Digital Image Correlation System

Three-dimensional (3-D) digital image correlation (DIC) has been gradually adopted by industry these years. This method utilizes a pair of cameras to accumulate and correlate images through tracking the movement of features on the specimen surface in real time. It is capable of generating both in-plane and out-of-plane deformation during one test. To some extent, it is perfect to be utilized in the reliability analysis for electronic packages due to its high measurement accuracy and adjustable field of view. Therefore, it attracts much attention from the electronic packaging area. In this work, several reliability studies of the electronic packages with 3-D DIC system were introduced. The advantages of DIC were discussed and some features were compared to the conventional measurement methods. At the same time, the methodology, to make full use of this technique to achieve most information with DIC system, was described. With one DIC system, the 2-D strain measurement of solders, micro-bumps and the underfill can be done to learn the internal residual stress and strain distribution under loading. Meanwhile, both CTE and warpage results were generated by the 3-D DIC experiment by one measurement for assessing the reliability of the packages and validating the effectiveness of the finite element models.
Level-set method for robust analysis of optical mapping recordings of fibrillation

We have developed a level-set based approach that can accurately and reliably extract the temporally and spatially resolved positions of wavefronts, wavebacks, and phase singularities (PSs) from noisy optical mapping data. The algorithm consists of three steps: pointwise phase reconstruction, computation of smooth level sets of the phase field, and identification of phase singularities as the level set intersections. This method was illustrated by performing an analysis of optical mapping voltage data during ventricular fibrillation in a Langendorff-perfused pig heart. Observed behavior of the PSs was in excellent agreement with previous experimental studies: PSs appeared and disappeared in pairs of opposite topological charge, their lifetimes ranged from milliseconds to seconds, and the longest-lived PSs became "pinned" on structural inhomogeneities of the heart tissue.
Heterogeneous Resource Reservation

Given a large variety of resources and billing contracts offered by today’s cloud providers, customers face a nontrivial optimization challenge for their application workloads. A number of works are dealing with either billing contracts selection optimization or resource types selection. We argue that the largest cost savings to elastic workloads result from jointly optimizing heterogeneous resources and billing contracts selection. To this end, we introduce a novel cloud control and management framework and formulate a novel optimization problem called Heterogeneous Resource Reservation (HRR). We evaluate our solution through a thorough simulation study using publicly available cloud workload data as well as internal anonymous customer data. For these data our approach attain dramatic cost savings compared to the current state of the art.
A self-adjoint velocity-stress full-waveform inversion approach to microseismic source estimation

ABSTRACTAccurate estimation of microseismic events in time and space enables important characterization of hydraulic fracture networks. Determining the orientation of the fracture can help differen...
Anesthesia for Valve Replacement and Repair

Surgery on heart valves is a commonly performed cardiac procedure with decreasing morbidity and mortality (Lee et al., Ann Thorac Surg 91:677, 2011). This review will attempt to highlight the anesthetic implications of valvular pathology and how to safely navigate these types of surgery. Particular attention will be paid to surgery on the mitral and aortic valves since these are operated on more frequently in the adult population. The discussion will focus on preoperative evaluation as well as intraoperative physiologic considerations. Additionally, hemodynamic considerations for intraoperative valvular heart disease management both before and after surgical correction will be reviewed. The two tables (Tables 2.1 and 2.2) at the end of the chapter add information about the cause of common valvular lesions and hemodynamic goals for their anesthetic management.
Lactate dehydrogenase-C mRNA: Its isolation and invitro translation

Abstract Lactate dehydrogenase-C (LDH-C) mRNA was purified from DBA 2 mouse testes and translated in vitro . First, the LDH-C synthesizing polysomes were isolated by double immunoprecipitation using specific anti-LDH-C and anti-horse immunoglobulin antibodies. Extraction of mRNA was made from the isolated polysomes using hot sodium dodecyl sulfate-phenol method at alkaline pH. In a wheat germ cell-free translation system, the mRNA coded for a polypeptide chain that could be immunoprecipitated with specific anti LDH-C antibody and comigrated with authentic LDH-C in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
Infectious Hazards of Bone Allograft Transplantation: Reducing the Risk

In recent years, due to the remarkable growth in cadaver tissue donation, the supply of donated bone and connective tissue allografts has greatly increased. The widened availability of these tissues has encouraged new clinical uses and has brought attention not only to their effectiveness and advantages over autografts but also to their drawbacks, side effects and complications. Infectious disease transmission is a serious concern for orthopedic surgeons and patients contemplating bone allograft use. Bacterial and viral diseases shown in Table 1 have been transmitted through the use of bone allografts [52, 62, 74]. Although bacteria and fungi can be introduced to the bone allograft during surgical removal from the donor or during bone processing, storage and implantation, this review will emphasize viral and bacterial diseases of donor origin and the important roles of donor screening and tissue processing, disinfection and sterilization for their prevention.
The renaissance in psychedelic research: What do preclinical models have to offer.

Abstract Human research with psychedelics is making groundbreaking discoveries. Psychedelics modify enduring elements of personality and seemingly reduce anxiety, depression, and substance dependence in small but well-designed clinical studies. Psychedelics are advancing through pharmaceutical regulatory systems, and neuroimaging studies have related their extraordinary effects to select brain networks. This field is making significant basic science and translational discoveries, yet preclinical studies have lagged this renaissance in human psychedelic research. Preclinical studies have a lot to offer psychedelic research as they afford tight control of experimental parameters, subjects with documented drug histories, and the capacity to elucidate relevant signaling cascades as well as conduct invasive mechanistic studies of neurochemistry and neural circuits. Safety pharmacology, novel biomarkers, and pharmacokinetics can be assessed in disease state models to advance psychedelics toward clinical practice. This chapter documents the current status of psychedelic research, with the thematic argument that new preclinical studies would benefit this field.
A Multicategory Kernel Distance Weighted Discrimination Method for Multiclass Classification

AbstractDistance weighted discrimination (DWD) is an interesting large margin classifier that has been shown to enjoy nice properties and empirical successes. The original DWD only handles binary c...
e-infrastructures

In the last decades, the Internet and the World Wide Web have evolved into a new infrastructure for science, business, and the public. Driven by the need to better cope with recent trends and developments caused by globalization, complexity, and the grand challenges, we are refining and enhancing this infrastructure with powerful new tools for communication, collaboration, computation and the huge amounts of resulting data and knowledge. Researchers and business people alike are more and more able to easily access the tools, the data and the IT resources they need to solve their applications and to increase knowledge, via Grid and Service Oriented Architectures, and the technologies and tools to build them. This presentation will highlight Grids, SOA, and Web 2.0 and how they relate and complement, and the benefits they bring to scientists, businesses, and our whole society, supported by a number of use cases from research, industry, and public community.
Tunable Optomechanical Cavity Filters

Cavity optomechanics enables large-scale index tuning (Δneff). However, most demonstrations exhibited small Δneff or have not considered optical loss at large Δneff. We demonstrate Δnefrtuning using gradient electric forces and analyze optomechanically-induced loss and mitigation. © 2019 The Author(s)
Tolerance of forced air emergence by a fish with a broad vertical distribution, the rockpool blenny, Hypsoblennius gilberti (Blenniidae)

Many intertidal fishes, particularly among the Blenniidae and Cottidae, possess amphibious adaptations, including the ability to breathe in air and to avoid desiccation in terrestrial conditions. These traits are absent in subtidal species of blennies and cottids. Hypsoblennius gilberti, the rockpool blenny, is found in shallow rockpools in the mid to high intertidal areas of Southern California, and deeper to 18 m in the subtidal zone. This broad vertical distribution could indicate that this blenny is adapted for tidal air emergence, although H. gilberti has not been observed out of water in its natural habitat. H. gilberti does not emerge voluntarily from hypoxic sea water in the laboratory, but it easily withstands 3 h out of water. The aerial respiratory exchange ratio (CO2 released compared to O2 consumed) is 0.70, similar to that of amphibious intertidal fishes in air, indicating sufficient release of metabolically produced CO2 while emerged. There is no increase in aquatic respiration following emergence. However, unlike other amphibious fishes that maintain aerial oxygen consumption at a level similar to aquatic oxygen consumption, H. gilberti has an aerial oxygen consumption rate one-third that in water. H. gilberti can recover rapidly from terrestrial water loss, and shows no change in evaporative water loss rates at 93% and 77% relative humidities. The amphibious capabilities in H. gilberti, even if rarely used, permit survival in air during tidal emergence. These findings suggest that H. gilberti may demonstrate an intermediate condition between the amphibious species of intertidal fishes that regularly emerge from water, and the subtidal fishes that do not survive air emergence and are completely restricted to an aquatic habitat.
Peritoneal carcinomatosis of unknown primary site may be an undiagnosed appendiceal adenocarcinoma. A case series.

Abstract Background Peritoneal carcinomatosis is sometimes diagnosed by cytology or by biopsy, but routine radiologic and endoscopic workup may not reveal a primary site. This clinical condition is called adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site. Methods The clinical findings of two patients with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site were presented and the implications for management of similar patients were suggested. Results The patient had the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site made when cancer was discovered at the time of umbilical hernia repair or laparoscopy. Radiologic and endoscopic tests were not definitive in providing the primary site for the malignancy. Exploratory laparotomy was performed which revealed an appendiceal mucinous adenocarcinoma as the cause of the peritoneal carcinomatosis. Cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) were used at the time of the exploratory laparotomy to treat the appendiceal adenocarcinoma with peritoneal metastases. Conclusions Peritoneal carcinomatosis of unknown primary site may be caused by an occult appendiceal adenocarcinoma. This error in diagnosis may lead to suboptimal treatment. Surgical exploration to visualize a normal appendix should occur prior to making a definitive diagnosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis of unknown primary site.
Sustainable and Resilient Distribution Systems With Networked Microgrids

Grid modernization calls for increasing requirements of electric grid operation with enhanced sustainability and resilience [1] . In particular, distribution grids serve as a critical venue to bridge bulk upstream transmission and generation systems and a large number of downstream end users on the customer side, playing a significant role in modern electric grids for multiple purposes (e.g., renewable energy integration, power flow distribution, and end-user power quality enhancement) [2] . Under a normal grid operation condition, the increasing penetration level of renewable energy sources imposes new challenges on conventional distribution grid infrastructure (e.g., protection malfunction [3] and voltage violation [4] ); on the other hand, in an extreme grid operation scenario, it is urgently needed to restore grid services after severe power outages, such as those caused by natural disasters [5] . In particular, for critical infrastructures, an efficient grid service restoration strategy should be implemented to avoid further damage over an extended period of time.
Complications after thigh sarcoma resection.

Background and objectives Standard treatment for extremity sarcoma is limb-sparing surgery often with radiation, but complications occur frequently. We sought to determine factors predictive of wound complications after thigh sarcoma resection and reconstruction while analyzing trends over time. Methods We reviewed all thigh defects requiring plastic surgeon reconstruction following sarcoma resection at our institution from 1997 to 2014. Patient demographics, comorbidities, operative characteristics, multi-modality therapies, and complications were analyzed. Wound complications were: infection, dehiscence, seroma, hematoma, or partial/total flap loss. Results There were 159 thigh reconstructions followed for 30 months on average. Eighty-seven percent of patients underwent radiation and 42% had chemotherapy. Almost half (49.1%) had a complication. The most common wound complication was surgical site infection (23.3%) followed by dehiscence (19.5%), and seroma (10.7%). Less common were partial (2.5%) or total flap loss (0.6%). Reoperation was required in 21 patients (13.2%). Tobacco use, older patient age, cardiac disease, and higher body mass index were independently associated with wound complications. Complications trended towards decreasing over time, but this was not statistically significant. Conclusions Tobacco use, cardiac disease, and higher body mass index, but not the timing of reconstruction, appear to increase the risk of wound complications after thigh soft tissue sarcomas resection and plastic surgery reconstruction.
The Antifungal Drug Isavuconazole Is both Amebicidal and Cysticidal against Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Current treatments for Acanthamoeba keratitis rely on a combination of chlorhexidine gluconate, propamidine isethionate, and polyhexamethylene biguanide. These disinfectants are nonspecific and inherently toxic, which limits their effectiveness. Furthermore, in 10% of cases, recurrent infection ensues due to the difficulty in killing both trophozoites and double-walled cysts. Therefore, development of efficient, safe, and target-specific drugs which are capable of preventing recurrent Acanthamoeba infection is a critical unmet need for averting blindness. Since both trophozoites and cysts contain specific sets of membrane sterols, we hypothesized that antifungal drugs targeting sterol 14-demethylase (CYP51), known as conazoles, would have deleterious effects on A. castellanii trophozoites and cysts. To test this hypothesis, we first performed a systematic screen of the FDA-approved conazoles against A. castellanii trophozoites using a bioluminescence-based viability assay adapted and optimized for Acanthamoeba The most potent drugs were then evaluated against cysts. Isavuconazole and posaconazole demonstrated low nanomolar potency against trophozoites of three clinical strains of A. castellanii Furthermore, isavuconazole killed trophozoites within 24 h and suppressed excystment of preformed Acanthamoeba cysts into trophozoites. The rapid action of isavuconazole was also evident from the morphological changes at nanomolar drug concentrations causing rounding of trophozoites within 24 h of exposure. Given that isavuconazole has an excellent safety profile, is well tolerated in humans, and blocks A. castellanii excystation, this opens an opportunity for the cost-effective repurposing of isavuconazole for the treatment of primary and recurring Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Sales Student Preconceptions and a Novel Approach to Sales Curriculum Mapping: Insights, Implications, and Application for Sales Educators:

It is widely known that students have preconceptions regarding salespeople and that these preconceptions are modified by participation in sales classes. It is also known that experiential sales cla...
Impact of Frailty on the Treatment of Pelvic Floor Disorders

Frailty is highly prevalent with increasing age and contributes to adverse health outcomes. Prior to medical and surgical intervention for the treatment of pelvic floor disorders (PFD), a comprehensive evaluation is necessary to evaluate frailty. Beyond a standard assessment, the care of frail patients requires consideration of additional factors including functional ability, cognitive impairment, and the role of caregivers. In this article, we review the current literature on PFD, specifically urinary and fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, in frail individuals and highlight the risks and benefits of various treatment options. Multiple tools are available to screen and assess for frailty in the general population. Growing evidence demonstrates that the development of functional limitations is the initial manifestation of frailty and may further translate to an increased risk of surgical complications. No standardized method for screening and measurement of frailty currently exists. Independent of the individual assessment metric to measure frailty, there is an associated increased risk of adverse events related to treatments. Management of PFD in the frail population requires a tailored approach and necessitates consideration beyond objective data to the subjective, cognitive, and quality of life implications of treatment.
Energy Leads and Transitions

While K-wave behavior has many and widespread manifestations, the question raised in this essay is whether explanatory power is improved by giving a greater role to energy and energy transitions in the K-wave process(es). Eight specific implications are traced, ranging from the interaction of technological innovations and energy to cosmological interpretations. In general, the answer to the question raised is affirmative, with one caveat on whether emphasizing new fuels and engines is a hallmark of the hydrocarbon era or a new and evolving feature of K-waves.
Correlation of IgG autoantibodies against acetylcholine receptors and desmogleins in patients with pemphigus treated with steroid sparing agents or rituximab.

INTRODUCTION Autoantibodies (autoAbs) against desmoglein-1 (DSG1) and desmoglein-3 (DSG3) have conventionally been studied and well accepted in the pathogenesis of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and foliaceus (PF). Recent studies have suggested that non-DSG autoAbs may contribute to the pathogenesis of pemphigus, including autoAbs directed at acetylcholine receptors (AChR) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO). The purpose of this study is to retrospectively analyze PV and PF patient sera to better understand the relationship between anti-AChR and -TPO Abs to disease activity and DSG reactivity between patients treated with prednisone and steroid sparing agents (SSA; n = 22) or prednisone and rituximab (n = 21). METHODS Patients were evaluated at 2 time points, T1 and T2, for disease activity using the Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI), and sera were tested for the presence of TPO, DSG1, DSG3, muscarinic (M3) and nicotinic (n) AChR IgG autoAbs, as well as antibodies against Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) by ELISA. RESULTS Disease activity significantly decreased in patients from T1 to T2 (p < .0001). A significant difference was seen in IgG anti-DSG1 (p < .0001) and anti-DSG3 (p = .0049) levels when T1 was compared to T2 in both treatment groups. A significant increase was found between pemphigus patients and normal subjects with nAChR (p < .0001) at T1 but not with m3AChR, TPO or VZV Abs. No significant difference was seen between T1 and T2 values in patients with pemphigus for the non-desmoglein Abs TPO (p = .7559), M3AChR (p = .9003), nAChR (p = .5143) or VZV (p = .2454). These findings demonstrate that although an increase in IgG anti-nAChR autoAbs was found in PV and PF subjects, these Abs did not decrease with treatment. No other non-DSG Abs were increased or significantly changed over time in patients with pemphigus. This suggests that anti -AChR and -TPO Abs may not play a direct role in the pathogenesis of most patients with pemphigus, but does not rule out a role for non-DSG auto antibodies in distinct subsets of pemphigus patient.
Nalfurafine modulates the reinforcing effects of oxycodone in male and female adolescent C57BL/6J mice.

Abstract Addiction to prescription opioid, such as oxycodone, has affected millions of adolescents and young adults. Kappa opioid receptor (KOP-r) agonist can counterbalance the euphoria effects of mu opioid agonists like oxycodone. Nalfurafine is a KOP-r agonist. The current study examined how nalfurafine affected the reinforcing-effect of oxycodone in adolescent male and female mice using intravenous self-administration (SA) and conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigms. Adolescent mice (5 week-old) first received surgery for catheter implantation. After recovery, mice were then placed into the SA chambers and allowed to self-administer oxycodone, 2 h per day for 14 days. Following 14-day oxycodone SA, mice were injected with saline and a single dose of nalfurafine (10, 20, 30, 40 μg/kg, s.c.) 10 min before each oxycodone SA session for 5 consecutive days. The mice were then injected with Nor-BNI (10 mg/kg, i.p.) 24 h before oxycodone SA following injection of nalfurafine (40 μg/kg, s.c.). Separate groups of male and female adolescent mice underwent oxycodone CPP or hot plate test with or without nalfurafine pre-injection. Nalfurafine decreased oxycodone SA in a dose dependent manner. Nor-BNI blocked the effect of nalfurafine on oxycodone SA. Nalfurafine significantly attenuated the oxycodone-induced hyperlocomotor activities and CPP, but enhanced oxycodone-induced analgesia. In conclusion, nalfurafine reduced the reinforcing effects of oxycodone in male and female adolescent mice. Nalfurafine also increased oxycodone-induced antinociception.
“Our Customer Is America”: Housing Insecurity and Eviction in Las Vegas, Nevada’s Postcrisis Rental Markets

In the wake of the foreclosure crisis, investors purchased large numbers of single-family residential properties and converted them to rentals. Activists and scholars have documented investor pract...
Role of Hydrogen-bonded Bimolecular Formic Acid–Formate Complexes for Formic Acid Decomposition on Copper: A Combined First-Principles and Microkinetic Modeling Study

Hydrogen bonding interactions alter the nanoscale reaction mechanisms of many chemistries. Yet, it remains unclear how they affect heterogeneously catalyzed decomposition of formic acid (FA), a rea...
Metastatic Cutaneous Angiosarcoma: A Rare Entity.

We present a case of a 56-year-old female presented with a chief complaint of four months of dyspnea that had acutely worsened. The patient also reported a chronic right thigh wound. Chest radiograph on initial presentation demonstrated multiple bilateral rounded opacities. CT pulmonary angiogram demonstrated multiple bilateral rounded nodules seen on chest radiograph along with a right upper lobe pulmonary artery with near-complete compression secondary to large right hilar adenopathy. CT of right lower extremity showed evidence of ulceration with multiple conglomerate subcutaneous masses, predominately anteriorly and laterally. She underwent a bronchoscopy; a fine-needle aspiration of the subcarinal lymph node was taken. A surgical biopsy from the right thigh wound was also performed. A histological examination from the right thigh ulcer and subcarinal lymph node demonstrated high-grade spindle cell neoplasm, positive for CD-31 and consistent with angiosarcoma.
Online knowledge construction mediated by mobile instant messaging

Widespread use of mobile instant messaging (MIM) both formally by educators and voluntarily by students to support coursework has resulted in increased interest in the academic utility of the technology. However, due to the relative newness of the technology there is a call for more studies on how MIM impacts teaching and learning. To address this need, this case study investigates how MIM mediates online knowledge construction within the context of an economics course project. Online interactions over the course of a 16-week semester were coded and analysed using the Interaction Analysis Model. Analysis of 4,685 online messages revealed evidence of all five phases of knowledge construction: the sharing of information, identification of dissonance, negotiation of meaning, testing, and collective understanding. Both the structure of the course project and the affordances of connectivity, context-free access, and quasi-synchronous communication were found to be key factors in facilitating the knowledge construction process. Findings indicate that MIM may be effective supporting online collaborative learning. Furthermore, specific examples of student interactions offer insights into the complexity of online discussion possible via MIM and the interrelationships between the various phases of online knowledge construction. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2021.13.002
The Association Between Smoking Abstinence and Pain Trajectory Among Veterans Engaged in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Care.

OBJECTIVE To prospectively examine associations between smoking and nicotine abstinence and pain trajectory over 12 months among smokers with low, moderate, and severe pain and to assess whether these associations differ over time. DESIGN A secondary analysis of the "Proactive Outreach for Smokers in VA Mental Health" study, a randomized controlled trial of proactive outreach for veteran smokers engaged in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health care. METHODS Participants were categorized into "low" (n = 616), "moderate" (n = 479), and "severe" pain (n = 656) groups according to baseline pain score. Associations between self-reported abstinence from smoking and nicotine at 6 and 12 months and pain trajectory, measured via the PEG scale (Pain intensity, Enjoyment of life, General activity) composite score, were assessed through the use of general linear mixed models. Interaction tests assessed whether these associations differed at 6 and 12 months. Analyses were conducted within the overall sample and within the separate pain groups. RESULTS There were significant interactions in the overall sample and the low and moderate pain groups, such that 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence was associated with lower pain scores at 6 but not 12 months. In the severe pain group, 7-day abstinence from both smoking and nicotine was associated with lower pain scores across both time points. Six-month prolonged abstinence was not associated with pain scores. CONCLUSIONS In this prospective analysis conducted among veteran smokers engaged in mental health services, 7-day abstinence from smoking and nicotine was associated with significantly lower levels of pain. Education efforts could help better inform smokers on the relationship between smoking and pain.
A Brief Discussion on the Causes and Countermeasures of College Students' Psychological Confusion and Mental Health Problems

College period is one of the most critical periods of one person’s life for it is an important period of establishing world concept, outlook on life and values. Various challenges and pressures have had a great impact on the mental health of college students. In that case, college students’ psychological confusion and mental health problems occur frequently and the overall condition of college students’ psychological problems is worrying. The mental health of college students has also attracted the attention of colleges and the society. Besides, the mental health education courses have been adopted to guide college students. This article aims to analyze the causes of college students’ psychological confusion and mental health problems and also the obstacles or difficulties in solving them from the perspective of college students' cultivation of positive psychological quality and mental health education. And corresponding solutions from both the outside and personal perspectives.
Spectral transforms of mixed-radix MVL functions

Mixed-radix "Multiple Valued Logic" (MVL) functions are assumed to be finite and discrete-valued and depend on a finite-valued variable support set {x/sub i/,...,x/sub j/} such that x/sub i/ is q/sub i/-valued and x/sub j/ is q/sub j/-valued with q/sub i/ /spl ne/ q/sub j/. The spectra of such MVL functions is of interest to circuit designers and automated design tool researchers and developers. Spectral transforms are described that are applicable to such functions over the elementary additive (mod(p)) Abelian groups. Three formulation of such transforms are described here; a linear transformation matrix derived front a group character table, a Kronecker-based expansion allowing for a 'fast' transform algorithm, and a Cayley graph spectrum computation. It is shown that a particular spectral transformation of a discrete mixed-radix function over Z/sub 6/ is equivalent to that over Z/sub 2/ /spl times/ Z/sub 3/ within a permutation. Also, it is shown that a Cayley graph may be formed over Z/sub 6/ with a generator corresponding to the discrete function of interest.
Integrated automation of the New Waddell Dam performance data acquisition system

New Waddell Dam, a key feature of the US Bureau of Reclamation's Central Arizona Project, had elements of its dam safety data acquisition system incorporated into the design and construction. The instrumentation array is a reflection of the dam's large size and foundation complexity. Much of the instrumentation is automated. This automation was accomplished while maintaining independent communication connections to major divisions of the instrument array. Fiber optic cables are used to provide high Quality data, free from voltage surges that could originate in a nearby powerplant switchyard or from lightning. The system has been working well but there are concerns with a lack of continued equipment manufacturer support.
Reference set metrics for multi-objective algorithms

Several metrics and indicators have been suggested in the past to evaluate multi-objective evolutionary and non-evolutionary algorithms. However, these metrics are known to have many problems that make their application sometimes unsound, and sometimes infeasible. This paper proposes a new approach, in which metrics are parameterized with respect to a reference set, on which depend the properties of any metric.