cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypoxia Induces p53 Accumulation through MDM2 Down-Regulation and Inhibition of E6-mediated Degradation

Hypoxia, a result of DNA-damaging agents such as ionizing radiation, induces the nuclear accumulation of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. However, unlike the effect in ionizing radiation, hypoxia readily induces the nuclear accumulation of p53 in HPV E6-infected cells. In HPV-infected cells, a key regulator of p53 protein levels is the E6 oncoprotein. In association with the endogenous cellular protein E6-associated protein (E6AP), E6 can accelerate the degradation of p53 under aerobic conditions. To better define the mechanism of p53 induction in E6-infected cells by hypoxia, we studied the expression and association of E6 and E6AP with p53 in vivo. We found that hypoxia did not alter the protein levels of E6 or E6AP as compared with those found under aerobic growth conditions, indicating that protein inhibition of E6 or E6AP alone is not sufficient to explain the increased accumulation of p53 under hypoxic conditions. However, p53 did fail to coprecipitate with E6AP under hypoxia, indicating that hypoxia uncouples the interaction of p53 with E6 and E6AP. We also present evidence to indicate that hypoxia decreases the expression of the endogenous cellular regulator of p53 protein, the human MDM2 protein, resulting in an inhibition of p53 export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm for degradation. Taken together, these results suggest that the hypoxic induction of p53 is attributable to the down-regulation of MDM2 protein levels and uncoupling of p53 from its interaction with the E6/E6AP complex.
The effect of 2 molar urea on Jk (a-b-) red cells.

Abstract. The phenomenon of red cell lysis in urea was investigated for both normal and Jk(a-b-) red cells. Using 14C urea, urea was shown to be transported across the membrane in both cell types. In normal cells this resulted in an influx of water, cell swelling and complete lysis within 2 min. However, in Jk(a-b-) red cells, the presence of urea above 300 mM slowed water movement and delayed hemolysis for at least 15 min. Similar effects could be induced by pretreating normal red cells with p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (PCMBS) or by raising the pH of the urea solution to 8.0.
Legal Responsibility for Academic Misconduct in Universities

Order is important for human life in terms of social. Only does the development of the individual in the community need to get itself a collective sense of honor and sense of belonging. We should consider the order as a benchmark of human activity and community groups can be developed. The academic community is a platform for academic exchange and cooperation of people in the universities. In the academic development, we should embrace the concept of academic freedom and obey the responsibility of academic ethics. We should reasonably define the responsibility of academic misconduct. Academic misconduct has been tarnished Academic atmosphere of a big incentive
Emissions and efficiency of improved woodburning cookstoves in Highland Gatemala

A comparison was made of the thermal efficiency and emissions of the traditional three-stone fire and the "Plancha" improved stove-burning wood. Simultaneous measurements of efficiency and emissions of suspended particles and carbon monoxide were taken in order to incorporate both of these factors into a single standard of performance - emissions per standard task. These factors were measured during both a Water Boiling Test (WBT) and a Standardized Cooking Test (SCT). No statistical difference in efficiency between the Plancha and traditional stove was found. The Plancha required more time to perform both of the tests, and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.048) for the WBT. The Plancha emitted 87% less suspended particles less than 2.5 ~tm in diameter (PM2.5) and 91% less CO per kJ of useful heat delivered compared to the open fire during the WBT. The relative environmental performance of the Plancha improved during the SCT, resulting in a 99% reduction of total suspended particulate matter (TSP) emissions and a 96% reduction of CO emissions per standardized cooking task. A strong correlation (r 2 = 0.87) was found between the average kitchen concentrations of CO and PM2.5 during the WBTs, indicating the usefulness of CO measurements as an inexpensive and accurate way of estimating PM2.5 concentrations. 01998 Elsevier Science Ltd
Conversational or Communicative Skill? A Reassessment of Two-Year-Olds' Behaviour in Miscommunication Episodes.

Young children's competence in using and responding to clarification requests may reflect their desire to achieve goals through the direction of others rather than knowledge that messages must be understood by another mind. This possibility was addressed by examining miscommunication episodes between children aged 2; 6 and their parents in videotaped free play sessions. Although the children generally responded appropriately in form to parental clarification requests, they responded more often to and resolved successfully more of those following their own requests than those following their assertions. Thus, the results support the idea that young children are frequently motivated to repair their utterances when they have not achieved some overt behaviour desired from others. These findings are discussed in the light of the conversational experience two-year-olds bring to clarification situations.
Cholinesterase insensitivity: a mechanism of resistance in Mexican strains of Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) against coumaphos.

The acetylcholinesterases of three strains of larval Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) —one susceptible, the Escondido strain, and two resistant to coumaphos, the Tuxtla and Tuxpan strains, were studied. Initial studies showed that the total activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of the susceptible strain was 4.5 and 7.6 times greater than that of the Tuxtla and Tuxpan strains, respectively. All three strains were more susceptible to chlorpyrifosoxon, the oxygen analog of chlorpyrifos, than to coroxon, the oxygen analog of coumaphos, in inhibition studies. The Tuxtla strain appeared to have at least two types of AChE, one susceptible to coroxon and the other resistant. Test results suggest that an altered AChE with decreased sensitivity to inhibition is an important defense mechanism used by this Mexican strain of B. microplus to develop resistance to coumaphos, and perhaps other anticholinesterase insecticides.
Functionally Divergent Alleles and Duplicated Loci Encoding an Acyltransferase Contribute to Acylsugar Metabolite Diversity in Solanum Trichomes

Glandular trichomes from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and other species in the Solanaceae produce and secrete a mixture of O-acylsugars (aliphatic esters of sucrose and glucose) that contribute to insect defense. Despite their phylogenetic distribution and diversity, relatively little is known about how these specialized metabolites are synthesized. Mass spectrometric profiling of acylsugars in the S. lycopersicum x Solanum pennellii introgression lines identified a chromosome 11 locus containing a cluster of BAHD acyltransferases with one gene (named Sl-ASAT3) expressed in tip cells of type I trichomes where acylsugars are made. Sl-ASAT3 was shown to encode an acyl-CoA-dependent acyltransferase that catalyzes the transfer of short (four to five carbons) branched acyl chains to the furanose ring of di-acylsucrose acceptors to produce tri-acylsucroses, which can be further acetylated by Sl-ASAT4 (previously Sl-AT2). Among the wild tomatoes, diversity in furanose ring acyl chains on acylsucroses was most striking in Solanum habrochaites. S. habrochaites accessions from Ecuador and northern Peru produced acylsucroses with short (≤C5) or no acyl chains on the furanose ring. Accessions from central and southern Peru had the ability to add short or long (up to C12) acyl chains to the furanose ring. Multiple ASAT3-like sequences were found in most accessions, and their in vitro activities correlated with observed geographical diversity in acylsugar profiles.
Developments of new force reflecting control schemes and an application to a teleoperation training simulator

Two schemes of force reflecting control, position-error based force reflection and low-pass-filtered force reflection, both combined with shared compliance control, were developed for dissimilar master-slave arms. These schemes permitted high force reflection gains, which were not possible with a conventional scheme when the slave arm was much stiffer than the master arm. The experimental results with a peg-in-hole task indicated that the force reflecting control schemes combined with compliance control, as presented, resulted in best task performances. As a related application, a simulated force reflection/shared compliance control teleoperation trainer was developed that provided the operator with the feel of kinesthetic force virtual reality. >
Gram-Negative Bacteria

Gram-negative bacteria are responsible for a broad array of infections in both the ambulatory and hospital settings. Urinary tract infections, otitis media, pneumonia, abdominal infections, and meningitis are among the common and serious diseases caused by these pathogens. Beta-lactams including penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems, along with fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides, comprise the most commonly used treatment regimens for gram-negative infections. The spectrum of activity of these antimicrobials varies widely and is dependent on drug structure, cell wall permeability, and acquired resistance, among other things. Resistance to these agents by gram-negative bacteria has increased dramatically in recent years. Historically, clinicians have been afforded the luxury of a steady stream of new antimicrobials to address this problem. When one examines the contemporary antimicrobial development pipeline, however, novel agents to treat multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria are lacking. It is imperative that clinicians use appropriate antimicrobial regimens, as guided by susceptibility testing, in the treatment of these infections. With the pragmatic use of available agents, the life span of currently available antibiotics can hopefully be extended while we await novel drugs.
Sex-Based Differences in Antipredator Behavior in the Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Adult females of many arthropods require high food intake for producing eggs, whereas males feed less and spend more time searching for mates. If males and females differentially prioritize activities, they may experience a different ratio of costs to benefits of antipredator behaviors. We investigated sexual differences in the behavioral responses of spotted cucumber beetles, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, to the spider Rabidosa rabida Walckenaer in laboratory arenas in which the beetle could detect the spider, but the spider was prevented from preying upon the beetle. In structurally simple arenas with a single plant, the presence of a spider caused female beetles to spend less time on the plant, and to feed less when on the plant. In contrast, male beetles did not alter their behavior in response to the spider. A second experiment used larger arenas, in which the beetle could choose between a side containing a plant with a spider at its base, and the other side with no spider. Female cucumber beetles spent less time on the side with the spider, whereas males did not consistently change their behavior in response to the spider. The weaker antipredator response of males leads to a greater predation risk, as revealed by a third experiment in which predation was allowed. In this experiment males were 16 times more likely than females to be killed by R. rabida, demonstrating that the lower responsiveness of male beetles to predators increases the risk of being preyed upon.
A method for selective section of vagal afferent or efferent axons in the rat

Although normally a mixed nerve, intracranially the vagus separates into dorsal rootlets that contain afferent axons and ventral rootlets that contain efferents. Surgical procedures are described for exposing the ventral surface of the occipital bone at the level where the vagus passes through the posterior lacerated foramen. When the foramen is expanded medially and the dura lanced, the intracranial course of the vagus can be observed by use of an operating microscope. Under these conditions, either the efferent or the afferent rootlets can be severed selectively. When the dorsal rootlets are divided and the contralateral trunk is cut below the diaphragm, a selective bilateral subdiaphragmatic afferent vagotomy is produced with unilateral sparing of the efferents. Cutting the efferents intracranially has the converse effect.
Is it the ‘alpha’ or the ‘numeric’?: Consumers’ evaluation of letter versus number changes in alphanumeric brand names

This article, in five experiments, delineates the effects of alpha and numeric components of alphanumeric brand names (ANBs), by demonstrating the effects of disparities in processing between letter and number sequences on consumers’ brand evaluations. The findings show (i) ascending letters in ANBs (from D10 to E10) lead to more favorable evaluations of line extensions than descending letters in ANBs (from D10 to C10); (ii) line extensions are evaluated more favorably when a line extension ANB is formed with a change in number (from A70 to A80) (versus a change in letter) (from A70 to B70) for an existing ANB; (iii) consumers’ tendency to align brand numbers with product advancements mediates the relative effects of numbers versus letters in brand names and (iv) the observed effects are robust to differences in stimuli and context.
Cdc14 Early Anaphase Release, FEAR, Is Limited to the Nucleus and Dispensable for Efficient Mitotic Exit

Cdc14 phosphatase is a key regulator of exit from mitosis, acting primarily through antagonism of cyclin-dependent kinase, and is also thought to be important for meiosis. Cdc14 is released from its sequestration site in the nucleolus in two stages, first by the non-essential Cdc Fourteen Early Anaphase Release (FEAR) pathway and later by the essential Mitotic Exit Network (MEN), which drives efficient export of Cdc14 to the cytoplasm. We find that Cdc14 is confined to the nucleus during early mitotic anaphase release, and during its meiosis I release. Proteins whose degradation is directed by Cdc14 as a requirement for mitotic exit (e.g. the B-type cyclin, Clb2), remain stable during mitotic FEAR, a result consistent with Cdc14 being restricted to the nucleus and not participating directly in mitotic exit. Cdc14 released by the FEAR pathway has been proposed to have a wide variety of activities, all of which are thought to promote passage through anaphase. Proposed functions of FEAR include stabilization of anaphase spindles, resolution of the rDNA to allow its segregation, and priming of the MEN so that mitotic exit can occur promptly and efficiently. We tested the model for FEAR functions using the FEAR-deficient mutation net1-6cdk. Our cytological observations indicate that, contrary to the current model, FEAR is fully dispensable for timely progression through a series of anaphase landmarks and mitotic exit, although it is required for timely rDNA segregation. The net1-6cdk mutation suppresses temperature-sensitive mutations in MEN genes, suggesting that rather than activating mitotic exit, FEAR either inhibits the MEN or has no direct effect upon it. One interpretation of this result is that FEAR delays MEN activation to ensure that rDNA segregation occurs before mitotic exit. Our findings clarify the distinction between FEAR and MEN-dependent Cdc14 activities and will help guide emerging quantitative models of this cell cycle transition.
The Dependence of Tc on Structural and Electronic Parameters for Ceramic High-Tc Superconductors

Based on the description of high-Tc cuprate superconductors as intercalation compounds and the van Hove singularity (vHs) concept for these phases, [with its consequences concerning their density of states (dos)] we give a model that explains T2 semi-quantitatively as a function of both hole concentration and stage number and, in a simplified variation, yields a functional dependence of T2 on the CuO2 layer fraction of the unit cell that shows a maximum, as observed.
Association of church-sponsored activity participation and prevalence of overweight and obesity in African American Protestants, National Survey of American Life, 2001-2003.

OBJECTIVE : This study examines the relationships between participation in the African American church and overweight/obesity (body mass index (BMI) > or = 25 kg/m2). DESIGN : This cross-sectional analysis was based on the National Survey of American Life 2001-2003 and included 2,689 African American Protestant (AAP) adults. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overweight/obesity. Two practices were examined--frequency of participation in church activities (excluding services) and frequency of church service attendance. Each practice was analyzed in separate models. Each model included the following covariates: age, marital status, education, poverty, smoking, and region of country. We also adjusted models for sex. RESULTS : After adjustment, African American Protestant men (AAPM) who participated in church activities at least weekly were more likely to be overweight/obese (aOR=2.17; 95% CI = 1.25, 3.77) compared to AAPM who did not participate in church activities. There was no statistically significant association between overweight/obesity and participation in church activities for AAPW. There was no association between overweight/obesity and attendance of church services for AAP men and women combined. CONCLUSIONS : For AAPM, participation in church activities was significantly associated with overweight/obesity. Further studies are required to determine why this association occurs in AAPM but not AAPW. Studies looking at the wider application of the several successful health initiatives targeting the AAP community should also be considered. ( Ethn Dis . 2013;23[3]:322–328)
Hiatal Hernia Repair with Novel Biological Graft Reinforcement.

Background and objectives Hiatal hernias are repaired laparoscopically with increasing use of reinforcement material. Both synthetic and biologically derived materials reduce the recurrence rate compared to primary crural repair. Synthetic mesh introduces complications, such as mesh erosion, fibrosis, and infection. Urinary bladder matrix (UBM) represents a biologically derived material for use in hiatal hernia repair reinforcement with the potential to improve durability of repair without incurring the risks of other reinforcement materials. Methods The 15 cases presented involved hiatal hernia repair with primary crural repair with UBM reinforcement and fundoplication. Patients were followed for an average of 3 years, and were assessed with upper gastrointestinal (GI) series, endoscopy, and assessments of subjective symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Results Hernia diameters averaged 6 cm. Each repair was successful and completed laparoscopically. UBM exhibited favorable handling characteristics when placed as a horseshoe-type graft sutured to the crura. One patient underwent endoscopic balloon dilatation of a mild postoperative stenosis that resolved. No other complications occurred. In more than 3 years of follow-up, there have been no recurrences or long-term complications. GERD-health-related quality of life (HRQL) scores averaged 6 (range, 0-12, of a possible 50), indicating little reflux symptomatology. Follow-up upper GI series were obtained in 9 cases and showed intact repairs. An upper endoscopy was performed in 8 patients and showed no recurrences. Conclusion Surgeons may safely use laparoscopic fundoplication with UBM reinforcement for successful repair of hiatal hernias. In this series, repairs with UBM grafts have been durable at 3 years of follow-up and may serve as an alternative to synthetic mesh reinforcement of hiatal hernia repairs.
Identity Development in Adolescence: Implications for Youth Policy and Practice

Adolescents experience several developmental transitions involving physical growth, advances in cognition (thinking), and increased expectations from society. In light of these developmental experiences, they typically begin to explore and understand their place in the social world. This process is commonly described as identity development. In this chapter, we briefly review identity theories that are relevant for youth practitioners and policy makers to consider. We discuss how identity relates to other aspects of adolescents’ health and development. In addition, we discuss priorities for youth policy and practice regarding adolescents’ identity development and highlight a youth-centered policy and youth organization that focus on developing adolescents’ positive identity (My Brother’s Keeper and the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health). Finally, we provide a few practical recommendations for youth practitioners and policy makers. Specifically, we describe three strategies that can be used by youth development practitioners who want to incorporate identity development into their programming: (1) encourage adolescents to explore social issues, (2) encourage adolescents to reflect on their experiences, and (3) give adolescents opportunities to engage in decision-making.
Skin-friction behavior in the transitionally-rough regime

Abstract Results of an experimental investigation of the skin friction for a range of rough surfaces in fully-developed, turbulent channel flow are presented. The fifteen surfaces were generated by grit blasting with various types and sizes of media. The Reynolds number (Rem) for the experiments based on the bulk mean velocity and the channel height spanned from 10,000–300,000. The shape of the roughness function (ΔU+) for all of these surfaces shows self-similarity with an effective roughness height (keff+) indicating that a scale does exist to collapse results throughout the entire roughness function. The roughness function displays inflectional behavior in the transitionally-rough regime in a similar manner to the results of Nikuradse for uniform sand. The equivalent sand grain roughness height can be predicted using krms and the skewness (Sk) of the probability density function of the roughness amplitude. A long-wavelength filtering procedure based on the Taylor microscale (λ) of the roughness is presented, and it is recommended that roughness profiles be filtered at a scale of ∼ 100λ.
Metabolic Adaptation to Alcohol in the Liver and Transition to Tissue Injury, Including Cirrhosis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses metabolic adaptation to alcohol in the liver and transition to tissue injury. The effects of an acute dose of ethanol on circulating lipoproteins depend on the dose of ethanol, the species, and the associated diet. In vitro, high ethanol concentrations may decrease hepatic lipoprotein release. In a study described in the chapter, when livers were perfused with ethanol in concentrations more in keeping with in vivo conditions, no inhibition of lipoprotein secretion was found. The mechanism whereby chronic ethanol consumption alters lipoprotein metabolism has not been clarified, but it could theoretically be linked to the production of lipoproteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, especially as ethanol can be oxidized at this metabolic site and ethanol consumption results in a proliferation of the membranes of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Thus, in vitro, ethanol depresses hepatic lipoprotein secretion, and acute administration in vivo fails to engender significant hyperlipemia in the rat and provokes only a mild response in man; by contrast, chronic ethanol consumption produces a markedly enhanced capacity to develop hyperlipemia, both in man and in rats.
Free-standing ZIF-71/PDMS nanocomposite membranes for the recovery of ethanol and 1-butanol from water through pervaporation

Abstract Free-standing zeolitic imidazolate framework-71 (ZIF-71)/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocomposite membranes with 0, 5, 25 and 40 wt% ZIF-71 loadings were prepared and the pervaporation separation performance for ethanol and 1-butanol from water was measured. ZIF-71 was stable in water for seven days (both at room temperature and 60 °C); the crystal structure and morphology remained the same. ZIF-71/PDMS composite membranes were formed through addition cure and condensation cure methods. The addition cure method is not compatible with ZIF-71 resulting in membranes with poor mechanical properties, while the condensation cure method results in membranes with good mechanical properties. With the condensation cure PDMS synthesis method, the 40 wt% ZIF-71 nanocomposite membranes achieved a maximum ethanol/water selectivity of 0.81±0.04 (separation factor of 12.5±0.3 for 2 wt% ethanol feed) and maximum 1-butnaol/water selectivity of 5.64±0.15 (separation factor of 69.9±1.8 for 2 wt% 1-butanol feed). The mechanical properties of membranes were quantified with tensile testing. The Young's modulus increased considerably with increasing ZIF-71 loadings, indicating increased stiffness of PDMS membranes with addition of ZIF-71 particles. The fracture strain deceased with the introduction of ZIF-71 particles, suggesting decreased ductility. This is the first report of free-standing ZIF-71/PDMS mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) and the highest ethanol/water selectivity reported for ZIF-71/PDMS MMMs (free-standing or supported).
Feature Extraction Using Deep Learning for Food Type Recognition

With the widespread use of smartphones, people are taking more and more images of their foods. These images can be used for automatic recognition of foods present and potentially providing an indication of eating habits. Traditional methods rely on computing a number of user derived features from image and then use a classification method to classify food images into different food categories. Pertained deep neural network architectures can be used for automatically extracting features from images for different classification tasks. This work proposes the use of convolutional neural networks (CNN) for feature extraction from food images. A linear support vector machine classifier was trained using 3-fold cross-validation scheme on a publically available Pittsburgh fast-food image dataset. Features from 3 different fully connected layers of CNN were used for classification. Two classification tasks were defined. The first task was to classify images into 61 categories and the second task was to classify images into 7 categories. Best results were obtained using 4096 features with an accuracy of 70.13% and 94.01% for 61 class and 7 class tasks respectively. This shows improvement over previously reported results on the same dataset.
New Materials for Stationary Phases in Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

Abstract Over the past 10 years, new particle morphologies, particle chemistries, and phase chemistries have been developed that have enabled higher speed and resolution in liquid chromatography (LC). In particular, core–shell particles have shown superior performance compared to conventional fully porous particles. This chapter will discuss recent developments in stationary phase morphology and chemistry, with an emphasis on LC coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). The first part is dedicated to the theory of mass transfer properties in core–shell versus fully porous particles and will discuss speed/resolution properties of different phase morphologies using the kinetic plot model. The second part of the chapter will discuss new developments in particle and stationary phase chemistry that are particularly important with respect to LC/MS analysis.
Neuroimaging of Pediatric Metabolic Disorders with Emphasis on Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and MR Spectroscopy: A Pictorial Essay

Although individually rare, metabolic brain disorders together account for significant disease burden in infants and children. MRI evaluation of these disorders is daunting, but using a pattern-based approach is helpful. Here we present 10 of the most commonly encountered metabolic brain disorders, highlighting specific features on DWI and MR spectroscopy that help narrow the differential diagnosis. A number of metabolic diseases result in elevated lactate at 1.3 ppm in affected areas. Other metabolite derangements, though, are more helpful in determining the underlying disease. MR spectroscopy showing elevated glycine at 3.55 ppm indicates nonketotic hyperglycinemia, while markedly elevated NAA at 2.0 ppm is characteristic of Canavan disease. NAA will be low in diseases causing neuronal loss, and can be even absent in Alexander disease. Absent or severely low creatine at 3.0 ppm is specific for the family of creatine deficiency syndromes. The pattern of restricted diffusion seen with DWI can also point to a specific diagnosis, especially with brainstem and cerebellar white matter involvement seen with maple syrup urine disease. Additionally, both MR spectroscopy and DWI can be used to follow disease progression or response to therapy. DWI and MR spectroscopy are useful adjuncts to anatomic brain imaging in the evaluation of pediatric metabolic brain disorders.
Abstract 2352: Echocardiographic Characterization of Myocardial Mechanics By Velocity Vector Imaging in Murine Post-MI Remodeling and the Effect of Anti-Angiotensin Therapy

Purpose: To assess left ventricular (LV) remodeling using Velocity Vector Imaging (VVI) in post-myocardial infarction (MI) murine model treated with anti-angiotensin therapy. Methods: Five mice were sham-operated controls (no MI) and 18 mice underwent LCA ligation without reperfusion. Of the 18 post-MI mice, 5 animals were untreated (no Rx), 5 were treated with captopril (C) (60mg/kg/day) or losartan (L) (20mg/kg/day), and 4 with combination (C + L) (C: 30mg/kg/day; L: 10mg/kg/day). Echocardiography was performed 4 weeks post-MI to measure LV end-diastolic dimension (LVd) and EF. LV apical twist velocity (ARV) and magnitude (ARA) was measured using VVI. Results: There was no significant difference in LVd in the untreated post-MI vs. the treated groups. But LVEF improved significantly in all treated groups. ARV and ARA also improved in all treated groups: velocity (C: 200%; L: 33%; and C+L: 367%), magnitude (C: 254%; L: 71%; and C+L: 362%). Apical CS also showed similar improvement (C: 50%; L: 25%; and C+L: 75%). Thus, C+L treated group showed the best improvement in apical mechanics (p Conclusion: Echocardiographic characterization of myocardial mechanics is a novel and better method to delineate post-MI reverse LV remodeling with anti-angiotensin therapy.
Pd doped CaCo x Zr 1-x O 3- δ perovskites for automotive emissions control

Abstract CaCoxZr1-xO3-δ (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9) perovskites with and without Pd doping were synthesized for the first time and reported here to show outstanding redox property and oxygen storage capacity (OSC) compared to the ceria-based oxygen storage materials (OSMs). The studied perovskites retain their main phase of orthorhombic Lakargiite CaZrO3 structure, and were characterized by x-ray fluorescence (XRF), x-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and dynamic redox cycle measurements. Partial substitution of Co by Zr at B sites enhanced the perovskite structural crystallinity and stability, material reducibility and OSC properties, giving optimized OSM composition when x was around 0.5. Further kinetic studies showed a first order reaction mechanism with an activation energy (Ea) of 0.159 eV for CaCo0.5Zr0.5O3-δ. For Pd-containing samples, Pd was present in both forms of bulk Pd2+ and surface Pd0, and the amount of surface Pd0 increased with increasing Pd loading. Pd dopant also facilitated the Co reduction and improved the catalyst reducibility. Under simulated exhaust conditions at fuel lean-rich conditions (stoichiometric numbers of 1.16, 1.07 and 0.95), Pd-doped CaCo0.6-yZr0.4PdyO3 (y = 0.05 and 0.1) samples showed profound catalytic activity towards C3H6 and CO oxidation (T50s
Site-Directed Dimerization of Bowl-Shaped Radical Anions to Form a σ-Bonded Dibenzocorannulene Dimer.

Designed site-directed dimerization of the monoanion radicals of a π-bowl in the solid state is reported. Dibenzo[a,g]corannulene (C28 H14 ) was selected based on the asymmetry of the charge/spin localization in the C28 H14.- anion. Controlled one-electron reduction of C28 H14 with Cs metal in diglyme resulted in crystallization of a new dimer, [{Cs+ (diglyme)}2 (C28 H14 -C28 H14 )2- ] (1), as revealed by single crystal X-ray diffraction study performed in a broad range of temperatures. The C-C bond length between two C28 H14.- bowls (1.560(8) A) measured at -143 °C does not significantly change upon heating of the crystal to +67 °C. The single σ-bond character of the C-C linker is confirmed by calculations. The trans-disposition of two bowls in 1 is observed with the torsion angles around the central C-C bond of 172.3(5)° and 173.5(5)°. A systematic theoretical evaluation of dimerization pathways of C28 H14.- radicals confirmed that the trans-isomer found in 1 is energetically favored.
Microcomputer Software Piracy and Prevention Strategies

Software piracy (the unauthorized copying or duplication of proprietary software) is a major problem to the microcomputer world (Simpson and Thorn, 1989; Straub and Collins, 1990). Yet recently, piracy seems to have been forgotten as computing journals have published very few papers about the topic as more interest is paid to computer viruses and security from hackers (Simpson and Thorn, 1989). However, the problem of software piracy is of concern not only to software manufacturers and distributors, but also to software users and their managers because of their potential legal liability. Managers and users should also be concerned about the problem because a reduction in piracy may decrease the cost while increasing the quality of the software they purchase (Maude and Maude, 1984). A review of the literature and a survey of 13 software publishers provide data on the costs of software Software piracy has lead to huge losses for software publishers, and yet they seem to be unable to find a solution to the problem. Managers in organizations using computer software must also be aware of the problem of software piracy because of their potential legal liability. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the cost of piracy to software publishers and organizations that use illegal copies of software. In addition, the paper examines current alternatives available to discourage the problem and emphasizes the roll of user education as a potential solution.
Two-dimensional, time-dependent modeling of an arbitrarily shaped ice mass with the finite-element technique

The two-dimensional, time-dependent flow of an arbitrarily shaped ice mass can be successfully modeled with the finite-element technique on a small computer. Methods developed for automatically generating the mesh data greatly simplify the data preparation and optimize the numerical simulations. Using quadratic basis functions permits the flow to be approximated quite adequately by only two element rows (five nodes vertically). Mixed-order basis functions, however, must be used so that numerical oscillations do not set in, and the ends of the ice mass, where the thickness tends to zero, must be treated carefully. Time simulations to a steady-state condition are necessary to test such numerical models adequately. South Cascade Glacier, Washington, is currently close to equilibrium. A bedrock sill dominates the bed topography in the lower half of the glacier, rising to a height of about 20% of the ice thickness. This sill produces a maximum increase in the overall thickness of about 6–7% compared to what the thickness would have been if the sill were not present. Finally, this glacier does not appear to be sliding much, if at all, despite its maritime alpine environment. This could help explain the difficulties encountered when trying to measure sliding and basal water pressures on the same glacier (Hodge, 1979), or it could imply that drag exerted by the valley walls has a significantly greater effect than conventional shape-factor concepts imply.
Neoliberal Globalization and Transnational Women’s Movements in the Early Twenty-First Century

Social movements, including the women’s movements, operate in social, economic, political, and cultural contexts. While these contexts may constrain movement actors, they also create opportunities for collective action that can shape their politics of resistance toward a more just society. Neoliberal globalization has created contexts of contention on a global scale as its economic project of expanding and maintaining capitalism globally has been gendered, classed, and racialized. It has spurred the growth of transnational women’s movements anchored on nation states while forging alliances on a transnational scale in order to confront the conditions of exploitation and oppression and the neoliberal structures and policies that create them. The dialectical dynamics of exploitation/oppression and resistance become the crucible for change. This chapter examines examples of transnational women’s movements, their dynamics of resistance and strategies of action, as they confront various issues of injustice, human rights, sustainability, and violence under neoliberal regimes.
Elevated temperature mechanical properties of Inconel 617 surface oxide using nanoindentation

Abstract Inconel 617 is a principal candidate material for helium gas cooled very-high-temperature reactors with outlet temperatures of 700–950 °C. Recent findings showed that this alloy develops unique surface oxide layers especially at high temperature (HT) helium environment with distinctive wear, friction and contact properties. This study investigates the elevated temperature mechanical properties of Inconel 617 top surface layers aged in HT helium environment. Nanoindentation technique is used to obtain load-displacement graphs of the alloy top surface oxide in temperatures ranging from 25 °C up to 600 °C. In addition, using finite element analysis along with an iterative regression technique, a semi-numerical method is developed to further measure and quantify the material parameters and, in particular, time-independent and creep characteristics of the oxide. While Young's modulus of the oxide is found to be relatively close to the bulk for the tested temperatures, the yield strength and hardness, in comparison to the bulk material, increase significantly as the material is oxidized after aging. The oxide exhibits significant softening as the temperature increases to 600 °C. Unlike the bulk material, diffusion through the grains is found to be the dominant creep mechanism for the oxide. Considerable difference between the mechanical properties of the oxide and the bulk material shows the need for accurate measurements of near surface mechanical properties, if reliable predictive contact and tribological models are sought at elevated temperatures.
Extracellular Vesicles in Viral Infections of the Nervous System

Almost all types of cells release extracellular vesicles (EVs) into the extracellular space. EVs such as exosomes and microvesicles are membrane-bound vesicles ranging in size from 30 to 1000 nm in diameter. Under normal conditions, EVs mediate cell to cell as well as inter-organ communication via the shuttling of their cargoes which include RNA, DNA and proteins. Under pathological conditions, however, the number, size and content of EVs are found to be altered and have been shown to play crucial roles in disease progression. Emerging studies have demonstrated that EVs are involved in many aspects of viral infection-mediated neurodegenerative diseases. In the current review, we will describe the interactions between EV biogenesis and the release of virus particles while also reviewing the role of EVs in various viral infections, such as HIV-1, HTLV, Zika, CMV, EBV, Hepatitis B and C, JCV, and HSV-1. We will also discuss the potential uses of EVs and their cargoes as biomarkers and therapeutic vehicles for viral infections.
Metastatic renal interstitial cell tumor in a dog

Renal interstitial cell tumor (RICT) is a rare renal sarcoma of dogs that arises from renal interstitial cells. Herein we describe a RICT in an 8-y-old female Labrador Retriever dog that died after...
The Incidence of Student Repeaters in Pre-Licensure Nursing Programs in North Carolina

Abstract When nursing students fail and are required to repeat a course in a pre-licensure nursing program, they are at risk for attrition from the nursing program. While nursing student attrition is a problem with recognized consequences to student, school and profession, the incidence of nursing student “repeaters” has had little attention. This survey study aimed to describe the incidence of nursing students repeating courses in pre-licensure nursing programs in North Carolina.
Efficacy of nisin derivatives with improved biochemical characteristics, alone and in combination with endolysin PlyP100 to control Listeria monocytogenes in laboratory-scale Queso Fresco.

Abstract Nisin is an antimicrobial peptide that is commonly used as a food preservative and capable of inhibiting the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. However, nisin is ineffective in controlling L. monocytogenes in Queso Fresco (QF). To address the challenge, in this work, we used synthetic biology strategies to create a series of nisin A derivatives by substituting residues 27, 30, 31 and 32 with positively charged amino acids (H, K and R). Our results showed that nisin derivatives exhibited reduced antilisterial activity in vitro compared to nisin A; however, they were all more stable under QF-like experimental conditions (pH 7 + 22% milk fat), notably H27/31K. Compared to nisin A, the derivatives H31K and V32K exhibited slight antilisterial improvement in QF and H27/31K was able to reduce the initial population of L. monocytogenes by up to 1.5 Log CFU/g. L. monocytogenes isolates exhibited similar susceptibility to nisin A or H27/31K after 7 or 14 days of nisin exposure in QF. Notably, when combined with endolysin PlyP100, the application of H27/31K resulted in non-enumerable levels of L. monocytogenes after 14 days of cold storage. Our results highlight the potential of bioengineered nisin derivatives for stabilized and enhanced control of L. monocytogenes in QF.
Enhancement of Deep-Subwavelength Band Gaps in Flat Spiral-Based Phononic Metamaterials Using the Trampoline Phenomena

Elastic and acoustic metamaterials can sculpt dispersion of waves through resonances. In turn, resonances can give rise to negative effective properties, usually localized around the resonance frequencies, which support band gaps at subwavelength frequencies (i.e., below the Bragg-scattering limit). However, the band gaps width correlates strongly with the resonators' mass and volume, which limits their functionality in applications. Trampoline phenomena have been numerically and experimentally shown to broaden the operational frequency ranges of two-dimensional, pillar-based metamaterials through perforation. In this work, we demonstrate trampoline phenomena in lightweight and planar lattices consisting of arrays of Archimedean spirals in unit cells. Spiral-based metamaterials have been shown to support different band gap opening mechanisms, namely, Bragg-scattering, local resonances and inertia amplification. Here, we numerically analyze and experimentally realize trampoline phenomena in planar metasurfaces for different lattice tessellations. Finally, we carry out a comparative study between trampoline pillars and spirals and show that trampoline spirals outperform the pillars in lightweight, compactness and operational bandwidth.
Alkylborane-Initiated Thiol-Ene Networks for the Synthesis of Thick and Highly Loaded Nanocomposites

Thiol-ene nanocomposites were synthesized for the first time using an alkylborane-ligand initiator complex under bulk and ambient conditions without external light or thermal stimuli. Initiation was triggered by the in situ decomplexation of an air-stable trialkylborane-amine complex to liberate trialkylborane, which rapidly autoxidizes with atmospheric oxygen and generates free radicals to drive thiol-ene polymerization. This chemically activated mode of initiation uniquely affords thiol-ene nanocomposites with an unrivaled carbon nanotube (CNT) loading of 1.3 wt % and thicknesses of ∼6.7 mm by circumventing restrictions imposed by long pathlengths and light-impeding fillers during photoinitiation. Alkylborane initiation also exhibited advantageous polymerization rates, equivalent to photoinitiation, resulting in network formation and gelation within minutes. Systematic studies were conducted to evaluate comparable alkylborane- and photo-initiated nanocomposites under progressively higher loadings and larger specimen thicknesses, revealing an enhancement or better retainment of mechanical performance in alkylborane-initiated nanocomposites.
Experience level as a predictor of entry into the hypotympanum during feline total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy.

ObjectivesThe study hypotheses were as follows: (1) owing to the unique anatomy of the feline middle ear, the hypotympanum would be entered in less than 100% of cats during total ear canal ablation...
Hybrid microchannel/multi-jet two-phase heat sink: A benchmark and geometry optimization study of commercial product

Abstract In this paper, an experimental study of two-phase cooling heat sink using the dielectric working fluid Novec/HFE-7000 is performed. The liquid flow is directed into microchannel fins through multiple impinging jets. A copper microchannel heat sink with a fin height of 3mm, fin thickness of 0.1 mm and channel width of 0.1 mm was used for removing heat flux from the heated surface. A copper block was used to mimic computer chip with a surface area of 1” x 1” (6.45 cm2). The experiment was performed at heat flux from 5 W/cm2 to 80 W/cm2, subcooling of 5 °C, 15 °C, 25 °C, and flow rates 1, 1.25 and 1.75 lpm. The results in the two-phase regime for high heat fluxes are compared with analytical correlations. Reduced subcooling can results in enhancement of heat transfer coefficient by 25 % but will increase the pressure drop through the heat sink. Heat transfer coefficient increases with flow rate in the single-phase region and in the convective boiling region. In nucleate boiling region, heat transfer coefficient increases with heat flux rather than flow rate. Geometry optimization of heat sink was carried out considering effects of fin height on thermal and hydraulic performance. It is found that thermal resistance variation with fin height shows a parabolic trend and an improvement of 46 % in thermal performance can be obtained. A new correlation was also developed to predict results of experimental data with mean absolute error of 7 %. The inclusion of Reynolds number and hydraulic diameter was found to considerably reduce error when compared to values obtained with the previously available correlation, in which only the subcooling and heat flux were the parameters for modelling the heat transfer.