cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apoprotein Structure and Metal Binding Characterization of a de Novo Designed Peptide, α3DIV, that Sequesters Toxic Heavy Metals.

De novo protein design is a biologically relevant approach that provides a novel process in elucidating protein folding and modeling the metal centers of metalloproteins in a completely unrelated or simplified fold. An integral step in de novo protein design is the establishment of a well-folded scaffold with one conformation, which is a fundamental characteristic of many native proteins. Here, we report the NMR solution structure of apo α3DIV at pH 7.0, a de novo designed three-helix bundle peptide containing a triscysteine motif (Cys18, Cys28, and Cys67) that binds toxic heavy metals. The structure comprises 1067 NOE restraints derived from multinuclear multidimensional NOESY, as well as 138 dihedral angles (ψ, φ, and χ1). The backbone and heavy atoms of the 20 lowest energy structures have a root mean square deviation from the mean structure of 0.79 (0.16) A and 1.31 (0.15) A, respectively. When compared to the parent structure α3D, the substitution of Leu residues to Cys enhanced the α-helical content of α3DIV while maintaining the same overall topology and fold. In addition, solution studies on the metalated species illustrated metal-induced stability. An increase in the melting temperatures was observed for Hg(II), Pb(II), or Cd(II) bound α3DIV by 18-24 °C compared to its apo counterpart. Further, the extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis on Hg(II)-α3DIV produced an average Hg(II)-S bond length at 2.36 A, indicating a trigonal T-shaped coordination environment. Overall, the structure of apo α3DIV reveals an asymmetric distorted triscysteine metal binding site, which offers a model for native metalloregulatory proteins with thiol-rich ligands that function in regulating toxic heavy metals, such as ArsR, CadC, MerR, and PbrR.
SAT0137 Early Clinical Improvements (Week 4) Predict Subsequent Clinical Response with Ixekizumab in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Inadequate Response to tnf Inhibitors

Background Ixekizumab is an anti-IL-17 monoclonal antibody currently being investigated for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ixekizumab has previously been shown to reduce the signs and symptoms of RA in patients naive to biologic therapy and those who were inadequate responders to TNF inhibitors (TNF-IR) 1 . Objectives To evaluate the association between early clinical improvements and the likelihood of achieving subsequent clinical responses at Week 12 in a Phase 2 study of ixekizumab in TNF-IR RA patients. Methods In the phase 2 study, placebo or ixekizumab was administered subcutaneously to 188 TNF-IR RA patients (80 or 180 mg) at Weeks 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 with concomitant conventional DMARD therapy. These analyses were conducted post-hoc for pooled ixekizumab dose groups. The association between early clinical improvements at Week 4 (assessed by DAS28-CRP, DAS28-ESR, and Clinical Disease Activity Index [CDAI]) and ACR20 response at Week 12 was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The optimum cut-point for predictability of a Week 4 clinical response was evaluated based on the Youden Index, a combination of sensitivity and specificity measures. Results All clinical measures of disease activity (DAS28-CRP, DAS28-ESR, CDAI) studied at Week 4 had a similarly strong association with an ACR20 response at Week 12 as represented by the area under the ROC curves (range: 0.7-0.8). However, serum CRP decreases at Week 4 were non-predictive of ACR20 responses at Week 12. An improvement in DAS28-CRP or DAS28-ESR of 0.7 at Week 4 was identified as the optimum cut-point for predicting an ACR20 response at Week 12 with corresponding negative predictive values of 0.87 and 0.88, and positive predictive values of 0.59 and 0.6, respectively. Similar predictability was observed using CDAI improvement at Week 4 to predict ACR20 response at Week 12. Conclusions In this small post-hoc analysis of a Phase 2 trial of ixekizumab, TNF-IR patients achieving improvements in DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP References Genovese et al Ann Rheum Dis 2012;71(Suppl3):59 Disclosure of Interest L. Xie Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, M. Genovese Grant/research support from: Eli Lilly, Consultant for: Eli Lilly, B. Zhu Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, E. Edson-Heredia Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, S. Banerjee Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly
Epidemiologic analysis on surveillance of infectious disease outbreak in Shenzhen from 2010 to 2011

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of epidemic outbreaks of infectious diseases in Shenzhen from 2010 to 2011,so as to provide a scientific basis for the effective prevention and control of the epidemic outbreak of infection diseases.Methods The Descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the epidemic outbreaks of infectious diseases in Shenzhen from 2010 to 2011.Results There were a total of 325 cases of clustering communicable disease or possible outbreaks including 2 812 people in 2011.Compared with 2010,the outbreak number increased by 11.3%,but the number of cases decreased by 30.4%.The main diseases contained influenza,hand-foot-and-mouth disease,chickenpox and infectious diarrhea.The most outbreaks occurred in schools including kindergartens,primary schools and middle schools.The peak period concentrated in the spring and winter.Conclusion Conclusions The number of epidemic outbreaks of infectious diseases in 2011 was higher than that of 2010,but the total cases were lower than that of 2010,and the pattern was similar.The public health prevention and control in school health management should be strengthened for an effective control of the epidemic situations.
Psychopathology, hypnotizability, and dissociation

Objective The purpose of the study was to replicate and extend previous findings regarding the hypnotizability of different clinical groups. Method The authors compared the differential hypnotizability of four psychiatric groups--patients with dissociative disorders (N = 17), schizophrenia (N = 13), mood disorders (N = 13), and anxiety disorders (N = 14)--and one normal group of college students (N = 63). Hypnotizability was assessed by four different measures: the eye roll sign and the induction score of the Hypnotic Induction Profile, the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C, and two self-ratings of hypnotizability. Results As predicted, dissociative disorder patients had significantly higher hypnotizability scores on all measures than all other groups. Schizophrenic patients, on the other hand, had significantly lower scores than normal subjects on the eye roll sign and induction score but not on the other measures of hypnotizability. Some other unpredicted between-group differences were also found. Nevertheless, despite the between-group differences, the intercorrelations between the various hypnotizability measures within the normal group were very similar to those observed in the combined patient groups. Conclusions The findings suggest that routine hypnotizability assessment may be useful in the differential diagnosis of patients with dissociative disorders.
The Therapeutic Use of Natural-Killer Cells in Hematological Malignancies

The role of natural-killer (NK) cells in the treatment of hematological malignancies has been investigated intensively during the past three decades. Until recently, the majority of research has focused on the use of in vitro or in vivo cytokine-expanded and -activated NK cells against autologous cancer cells, with generally disappointing results. The lack of observed efficacy of past attempts to harness the antitumor effect of NK cells can now be explained largely by inhibitory interactions between major histocompatibility complex class I molecules expressed on tumor cells and inhibitory receptors on NK cells. Better appreciation of how NK cells selectively recognize and kill target cells while sparing normal cells is evolving. Major families of cell surface receptors that inhibit and activate NK cells to lyse target cells have been characterized, including killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors, C-type lectins, and natural cytotoxicity receptors. In addition, identification of NK cell receptor ligands and their expression on normal and transformed cells is becoming better elucidated. The improved understanding of NK cell receptor biology has paved the way for development of novel and rational clinical approaches to manipulating receptor-ligand interactions for immunotherapy.
Geofuels: Water, Water, Everywhere

When the well's dry, we know the worth of water. Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790) , Poor Richard's Almanac, 1746 Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” 1798 Water is without doubt the most vital natural resource on Earth. Humans are mostly made of water, and without continual replenishment we cannot expect to live more than a few days. Even if we could, the plants that we depend upon for sustenance would quickly wither and die without water. Fortunately water is abundant on Earth, so much so that we tend to overlook its importance. The other planets in the solar system are not so fortunate, and that probably accounts for the apparent absence of life there. There is a chance that Mars did harbor life in the distant geologic past, and much of our exploration of that planet has focused on its history of water. Numerous canyons, dry river channels, and layered sedimentary deposits attest to the importance of water in originally shaping the Martian landscape. It has since become a hyperarid planet, however, where water appears to be confined to limited areas of polar permafrost. The geological record of the Earth's first few hundred million years has almost entirely vanished, but what little evidence remains suggests that liquid water was already present at the Earth's surface as early as 4.4 billion years ago. Fortunately for us the Earth's overall water supply appears to be stable. By far the largest water resource is the ocean, which presently covers 71 percent of the planet's surface to a mean depth of nearly 4,000 m. As noted in Chapter 2, over the past 541 million years the depth of the ocean has remained surprisingly consistent, fluctuating only a few hundred meters at most.
Development of near-infrared spectroscopy models for quantitative determination of cellulose and hemicellulose contents of big bluestem

Abstract Big bluestem is a dominant warm-season perennial native grass that has underutilized potential as a bioenergy crop. The objective of this study was to leverage a high-throughput, cost-effective phenotype of cellulose and hemicellulose contents in big bluestem biomass using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to facilitate plant breeding and genetics studies. In order to develop NIR prediction models, a set of 56 big bluestem samples with seven genotypes from four planting locations in 2010 and 2011 were analyzed according to traditional wet chemical methods. Advanced multivariate analysis techniques and NIR spectroscopy improved the prediction models based on value of the coefficient of determination (R 2 ). Partial least squares proved to be a better quantitative method than principal component regression based on larger R 2 , ratio of standard error of prediction set to sample standard deviation (RPD), and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) when developing NIR prediction models. The spectral range from 4000 to 7500 cm −1 with the first derivative treatment yielded a better prediction model than full range, with R 2 of 0.92, RMSEP of 0.67%, and RPD of 4.52 in the validation sample set for cellulose and R 2 of 0.91, RMSEP of 0.72%, and RPD of 3.12 for hemicellulose. These models provide good insight into the relationship between chemical bonds and structure sugars of big bluestem, allowing a rapid and accurate determination of cellulose and hemicellulose contents at low cost.
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Cancer Treatment: Computationally Guided Discovery of Novel PRMT5 Inhibitors

Disruption in the regulation of gene expression has been described as a factor promoting the development of cancer. Protein Arginine Methyltransferases (PRMT) are a group of enzymes that methylate arginine residues in histones and other proteins. PRMT5 symmetrically dimethylates histones 3 (H3R8) and 4 (H4R3), epigenetic marks that are associated with transcriptional silencing of genes involved in cell cycle regulation, thus promoting increased cell proliferation and growth. Overexpression of PRMT5 has been noted in numerous cancers such as glioblastoma, EBV-driven cancers, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Given that PRMT5 remains a target involved with oncogenesis, a collaborative group at OSU has developed a first-in-class PRMT5 inhibitor. Prior work has shown that PRMT5 knockdown with shRNA leads to decreased growth and viability of numerous cancer cell lines. MCL cell lines were initially screened via MTS assay, to measure cellular proliferation, with the 1st generation PRMT5 inhibitor Compound 5. Two cell lines, cc-mcl and mino, were chosen as the primary cell lines for screening new compounds based on their susceptibility to Compound 5-induced growth arrest. In addition to the biological assays, one approach to optimizing PRMT5 inhibitors was analyzing Compound 5 through molecular modeling tools such as USCF Chimera and Autodock Vina. Based on computational analysis, molecular optimizations of Compound 5 were conducted to develop a second generation of PRMT5 inhibitors. Of these novel inhibitors, Compound ICD18 exhibited significant anti-cancer activity during MTS screening. Novel compounds were optimized based on ICD18 to produce a third generation of PRMT5 inhibitors that could outcompete PRMT5’s cofactor, S-adensyl methionine (SAM). These compounds will be screened through MTS to examine the specificity and selectivity of inhibiting PRMT5 activity. Our immediate goal is to select lead PRMT5 inhibitors for further optimization in in vitro and in vivo preclinical cancer models. Our ultimate goal will be to identify key lead PRMT5 inhibitor drugs for preclinical efficacy, PK and toxicity studies allowing for filing a investigational new drug application (IND) with the FDA and move this new class of compounds forward for clinical investigation treating patients with diverse cancers.
Structural Characterization of Ordered Phases in Hydrocarbon Dendrimers

Structural characterization of phenylacetylene dendrimers (PADs) makes it possible to explore the relationship between molecular architecture and condensed phase organization. The size and geometry of the PAD series is precisely controlled, with phenylacetylene units emanating from a central phenylene in the manner of a tridendron. The branched molecule rapidly increases in size with each synthetic generation. The “shape-persistent” nature of the phenylacetylene molecule makes it ideal for use in the construction of self-assembling supramolecular systems. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been used to identify the crystal structure of lower generation PADs, and wide-angle X-ray studies confirm the decrease in crystallinity with size. Hot stage optical microscopy studies of thermal transitions reveal melting points for lower generation PADs, and an apparent glass transition for the amorphous higher generations. This type of structural information is essential to the rational design of self-assembling materials.
Faster Algorithm for Truth Discovery via Range Cover

Truth discovery is a key problem in data analytics which has received a great deal of attention in recent years. In this problem, we seek to obtain trustworthy information from data aggregated from multiple (possibly) unreliable sources. Most of the existing approaches for this problem are of heuristic nature and do not provide any quality guarantee. Very recently, the first quality-guaranteed algorithm has been discovered. However, the running time of the algorithm depends on the spread ratio of the input points and is fully polynomial only when the spread ratio is relatively small. This could severely restrict the applicability of the algorithm. To resolve this issue, we propose in this paper a new algorithm which yields a \((1+\epsilon )\)-approximation in near quadratic time for any dataset with constant probability. Our algorithm relies on a data structure called range cover, which is interesting in its own right. The data structure provides a general approach for solving some high dimensional optimization problems by breaking them down into a small number of parametrized cases.
Evaluating the Potential for a Sex‐Balanced Harvest Approach in the Recreational Summer Flounder Fishery

AbstractSummer Flounder Paralichthys dentatus support important recreational and commercial fisheries along the northeast and mid-Atlantic coasts of the USA. In the recreational sector, management efforts to constrain harvest below the maximum allowable catch have typically involved increasing the minimum landing size; however, females grow faster than males. Thus, reliance on increased minimum size limits as a management strategy has resulted in approximately 90% of the recent recreational landings being large, female fish. We evaluated the potential for slot limits to produce a sex-balanced harvest in the recreational Summer Flounder fishery. To estimate the size- and sex-specific vulnerability, we sampled the landed and discarded fish (n = 3,290) caught by recreational anglers on select party boats from New Jersey to Rhode Island during the 2016 recreational fishing season. We then examined the performance of a wide array of slot limits to estimate which would have promoted a more sex-balanced harvest ...
The ATPase Fap7 Tests the Ability to Carry Out Translocation-like Conformational Changes and Releases Dim1 during 40S Ribosome Maturation

Late in their maturation, nascent small (40S) ribosomal subunits bind 60S subunits to produce 80S-like ribosomes. Because of the analogy of this translation-like cycle to actual translation, and because 80S-like ribosomes do not produce any protein, it has been suggested that this represents a quality control mechanism for subunit functionality. Here we use genetic and biochemical experiments to show that the essential ATPase Fap7 promotes formation of the rotated state, a key intermediate in translocation, thereby releasing the essential assembly factor Dim1 from pre-40S subunits. Bypassing this quality control step produces defects in reading frame maintenance. These results show how progress in the maturation cascade is linked to a test for a key functionality of 40S ribosomes: their ability to translocate the mRNA⋅tRNA pair. Furthermore, our data demonstrate for the first time that the translation-like cycle is a quality control mechanism that ensures the fidelity of the cellular ribosome pool.
T)Betting on innate lymphoid cells in CNS inflammatory disease

T-bet+NKp46+ subsets of group 1 and group 3 innate lymphoid cells within the meninges initiate neuroinflammation in central nervous system (CNS)-demyelinating disease by regulating both the stability of pathogenic T-bet+ T cells and their access to the CNS.
Racial differences in college-student drinking.

Racial differences in drinking motives, protective behavioral strategies (PBSs), alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related problems were examined among college student drinkers (N = 443: 296 [66.8%] White, 147 [33.3%] Black). Survey participants were recruited from large undergraduate sociology classes and residence halls at the university. Key differences between Black and White college students in drinking behaviors, reasons for drinking (i.e., motives), and the use of PBSs were observed. These racial differences have implications for the implementation of prevention/intervention programs intending to reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems among college students.
Lactic Acid Bacteria as Biological Control of Staphylococcus aureus in Coalho Goat Cheese

The aim of this study is to investigate the bacterial population in coalho goat cheese produced in the semi-arid northeast region of Brazil, to analyse the antibiotic resistance profiles of the identified pathogenic bacteria, to detect the staphylococcal enterotoxin genes and to evaluate the addition of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with technofunctional properties for the control of Staphylococcus aureus growth. In the analysed samples, strains of Escherichia coli (N=11), Salmonella spp. (N=18), Listeria spp. (N=6) and S. aureus (N=9) were classified as multidrug resistant (MDR). The most commonly isolated pathogen from the studied coalho goat cheese was S. aureus. Its isolates were positive for the genes encoding enterotoxins A (sea), B (seb), C (sec) and D (sed). The autochthonous LAB with the potential to inhibit S. aureus were identified as Enterococcus faecium. These strains were selected for in vitro tests of protective, safety, technological and functional properties. In the coalho goat cheese food matrix, these selected autochthonous LAB were able to reduce the enterotoxigenic MDR S. aureus load by approx. 3 log units.
Target Tissues for Relaxin

Two series of experiments have been conducted to identify possible target tissues for relaxin in the rat (Cheah and Sherwood, 1980). This paper will briefly describe the results of these experiments in which we: (a) examined the distribution of radioactivity in various tissues following the injection of 125I- labeled relaxin (125I-relaxin) in vivo and (b) measured the cAMP levels in tissues following incubation with relaxin in vitro.
Correction of mildly dysplastic hips with periacetabular osteotomy demonstrates promising outcomes, achievement of correction goals, and excellent five-year survivorship.

Aims The aim of this study was to compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), radiological measurements, and total hip arthroplasty (THA)-free survival in patients who underwent periacetabul...
15. Recognition and delineation of β-hexosaminidase α-chain variants: A historical and personal perspective

Publisher Summary In this chapter, recognition and delineation of β- Hexosaminidase α-chain variants: a historical and personal perspective, is discussed. Three major classes were recognized among G M2 -gangliosidoses, N-acetyl-β-hexosaminidase (Hex) A deficiency, B deficiency, and the form in which both isozymes appeared normal. As more is found out about the enzymology of β-hexosaminidases and about the metabolism of G M2 -ganglioside and related compounds, it became clear that the above three categories of G M2 -gangliosidosis are not only enzymologically distinct but also are caused by abnormalities in three different genes—Hex α, Hex β, and the G M2 activator protein. The classical Tay-Sachs disease in the Ashkenazi Jewish population was found to be a cross-reacting material (CRM)-negative. 1,830 different genotypes are theoretically possible among patients even within the already known mutations, and this number is constantly increasing. In autosomal recessive disorders, two abnormal alleles contribute to the phenotypic expression.
Recent advances in biological separations using trapped ion mobility spectrometry – mass spectrometry

Abstract Ion Mobility Spectrometry (IMS) is a widely used technique for the post-ionization separation and structural characterization of biomolecules. Trapped IMS (TIMS) is a relatively recent advance in the field of linear IMS that has shown advantages for the study of biological problems when in tandem with mass spectrometry (TIMS-MS). TIMS's unique nature of holding ions using an electric field against a moving buffer gas allows for the tuning of the mobility separation by defining the scan rate as a function of the analytical challenge. TIMS can provide accurate CCS values (
Rationally designed tubular coaxial-electrode copper ionization cells (CECICs) harnessing non-uniform electric field for efficient water disinfection.

Though well known for its anti-microbial property, copper is usually not considered for drinking water disinfection because of its health risk to human bodies under efficient biocidal concentration. Herein, we have rationally designed and constructed a tubular coaxial-electrode copper ionization cell (CECIC) that enables superior disinfection performance (~6-log removal of E. coli) with a very low effluent copper concentration (~200 μg/L). A non-uniform electric field with enhanced strength near the center electrode is generated in the chamber attributed to the coaxial center-outer electrode configuration. Exposure to the strong electric field subsequently increases the permeability of cell membrane, the excessive uptake of Cu ions into microbes, and thus the reinforced bacteria inactivation. The in-situ ionization results in a Cu ion concentration gradient with higher concentrations in the regions closer to the center. In addition, being driven by the electrophoresis and dielectrophoresis forces, the bacterial cells are transported to the vicinity of the center electrode, where both the electric field strength and Cu ion concentration are higher. These mechanisms in the CECIC synergistically result in the high inactivation efficiency with low Cu concentration in the effluent. The low-cost, high-efficiency, and disinfection-byproduct-free CECIC has shown significant potential in point-of-use applications.
Chapter 13: A Coda on Affect

A coda to the different chapters on affect in mathematical modeling is offered in relation to the psychological literature on affect.
The Long Tail: Understanding the Discoverability of API Functionality

Almost all software development revolves around the discovery and use of application programming interfaces (APIs). Once a suitable API is selected, programmers must begin the process of determining what functionality in the API is relevant to a programmer's task and how to use it. Our work aims to understand how API functionality is discovered by programmers and where tooling may be appropriate. We employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate Apache Beam, a distributed data processing API, by mining Beam client code and running a lab study to see how people discover Beam's available functionality. We found that programmers’ prior experience with similar APIs significantly impacted their ability to find relevant features in an API and attempting to form a top-down mental model of an API resulted in less discovery of features.
Use OF NBI for the assessment of clinical signs of rhino-pharyngo-laryngeal reflux in pediatric age: Preliminary results.

Abstract Objectives Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a complex problem in pediatric population: diagnosis and clinical presentation are still controversial. Classic white light endoscopy shows some pathognomonic signs of LPR in children, such as thickening of pharyngo-laryngeal mucus, the cobblestoning aspect of pharyngeal mucosa, arytenoid edema/hyperemia, nodular thickening/true vocal cord edema, hypertrophy of the posterior commissure, subglottic edema. The NBI (Narrow Band Imaging) technology, generally used in oncology, allows to study neoangiogenesis and hypervascularization of the mucosa, common aspects in both chronic inflammation and neoplastic transformation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the added value of this technology in identifying the main laryngopharyngeal reflux sign in a pediatric population. Methods We evaluated at the Otolaryngology Unit of the “Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli” hospital and the Airway Surgery Unit of the “Bambino Gesu” Children's Hospital 35 patients aged from 2 months to 16 years divided into two groups in the period between November 2017 and May 2018. Group A included patients with clinical suspicion of LPR after gastroenterologist evaluation and Group B included patients who underwent an endoscopic evaluation for the assessment of recurrent respiratory symptoms such as stridor, recurrent croup, wheezing and persistent cough. We performed an endoscopic evaluation by white light and NBI for each patient, comparing the results of both methods to evaluate signs of pharyngo-laryngeal reflux and to calculate the value of reflux finding score (RFS). Results The analysis of the data showed: for Group A an average value of RFS with white light of 11,84 (range 8–17, standard deviation 2,52 ± 0,57) and with NBI of 13,63 (range 10–17, standard deviation 2,13 ± 0,49); for Group B the analysis of the data showed an average value of RFS with white light of 10,06 (range 8–14, standard deviation 2,32 ± 0,58) and with NBI of 12,50 (range 9–18, standard deviation 2,63 ± 0,65). The comparison between the two methods resulted significant. Furthermore evaluation by NBI allowed to highlight other signs of pharyngo-laryngeal reflux, characteristic of pediatric age and not included in RFS, in particular cobblestone aspect of the hypopharingeal mucosa, phlogosis of the tonsillar crypts and adenoid surface, hyperemia and hypervascularization of subglottic and tracheal mucosa. Conclusion Although still preliminary our results represent an interesting starting point for further studies, because they underline the potentiality of NBI endoscopy in LPR evaluation and how this technology could improve the identification of reflux signs.
Negotiating anti-Black racism in ‘liberal’ contexts: the experiences of Black youth workers in community-based educational spaces

This paper examines how Black community-based youth workers navigate anti-Black racism in their educational programming with Black youth in a majority white college town widely recognized as ‘nice,...
SHOCK WAVE DATA AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE EARTH'S CORE

ABSTRACT The pressures existing in the outer liquid core of the earth are 130 to 328 GPa. Seismic data demonstrate that the density of the liquid core is some 8 to 10% less than pure iron. Equations of state of Fe-Si, Fe 3 C, C, FeS 2 , FeS, KFeS 2 and FeO, over the appropriate pressure interval, and a range of possible core temperatures (3500 to 5000 K), can be used to place constraints on the cosmochemically plausible light element constituents of the core (Si, C, S, K and O). The seismically derived density profile allows from 14 to 20 wt. % Si in the outer core. The inclusion of Si or, possibly C (up to 11 wt. %), in the core is possible if, the earth accreted inhomogeneously within a region of the solar nebulae in which a C/0 (atomic) ratio of ≃ 1 existed, as compared to C/0 ∼ 0.6 for the present solar photosphere. In contrast, homogeneous accretion permits Si but not C, to enter the core via reduction of silicates to metallic Fe-Si core material during the late stages of the accumulation of the earth. The equation of state data for the iron sulfides allow up to 8 to 12% S in the core. This composition would provide the entire earth, with a S/Si ratio in the range 0.14 to 0.3 comparable to meteoritic and cosmic abundances. Shock-wave data for KFeS 2 give little evidence for an electronic phase change from 4-s to 3-d orbitals which has been suggested to occur in K and allow the earth to store a cosmic abundance of K in the metallic core.
A human rights-based approach to non-communicable diseases: mandating front-of-package warning labels.

Across the globe, the consumption of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods and beverages has escalated rates of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), driven by deceptive marketing tactics from the food and beverage industry. The international community has increasingly recognized the need to provide consumers with accurate health information on food and beverage products as part of their right to health. In July 2020, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to health released a powerful Statement calling for the adoption of front-of-package warning labeling to tackle NCDs. Just a few weeks after the Statement’s release, the Pan American Health Organization published a report highlighting the relevance of front-of-package labeling as a policy tool for the prevention of NCDs in the Americas, demonstrating further support to this regulatory intervention. In this piece, we explain why front-of-package warning labeling should be part of a comprehensive strategy to promote healthier lives, delving into the human-rights aspects of front-of-package labels. In particular, we explore the role the food and beverage industry play in increasing the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages, and the relevance of scientific evidence free from conflicts of interest to adequately protect the right to health and health-related rights.
Vanishing theorems, boundedness and hyperbolicity over higher-dimensional bases

A vanishing theorem is proved for families over higher dimensional bases and applied to generalize some Shafarevich type statements to that setting.
METABOLISM OF d-MANNOHEPTULOSE. EXCRETION OF THE SUGAR AFTER EATING AVOCADO

Roe and Hudson (1) administered d-mannoheptulose’ to rabbits and concluded from their experiments that this sugar is available to this animal. The same authors (2) later concluded that the rat and the dog were unable to utilize the sugar. Unpublished experiments performed in this laboratory gave no evidence of glycogen formation when mannoheptulose was given by stomach tube to rats. In view of the fact that this sugar occurs free in the avocado, and as t,his fruit is becoming more popular, it seemed important to study the metabolism of mannoheptulose in man. Consequently, we have observed the excretion of fermentable and non-fermentable sugars after the ingestion of avocado or solutions of mannoheptulose.2
Combining ability of seed vigor and seed yield in soybean.

Studies have shown no consensus in relationships between seed yield and vigor in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]. The lack of information regarding the inheritance of seed vigor prompted this study to determine the types of gene action and combining ability estimates for seed vigor and its related traits. Five high and six low seed vigor soybean genotypes were crossed in a diallel, and selfed to produce 55 F2 progenies, which were examined, along with the parents, for seed vigor, yield, and seed weight. Significant genotype and environment effects were found for seed vigor and yield. General combining ability (GCA) effects for seed vigor and seed yield were significant (p≤ 0.01) and larger than specific combining ability (SCA) effects. Significant GCA and SCA effects were found for seed weight, indicating that both additive and non additive genetic effects were involved in conditioning seed weight. The ratios of mean square, 2GCA / (2GCA+SCA), were 0.96 for seed vigor and 0.93 for seed yield. These ratios indicated that additive gene effects were more important than non additive gene effects for seed vigor and seed yield in these crosses. Mean seed vigor(83.8%), as determined by accelerated aging germination, and mean seed yield (2,155 kg ha-1)in high vigor × high vigor crosses were higher than the high vigor × low vigor and low vigor × low vigor crosses. Mean percent accelerated aging germination rates in F2 populations from diallel crosses were significantly related to mid-parent seed vigor(r2 = 0.52**) and midparent seed size (r2 = 0.31**). These results indicated that levels of seed vigor can be improved through breeding, while maintaining high yields because of the predominance of GCA effects in both seed vigor and seed yield.
Measuring flexural rigidity of mullite microfibers using magnetic droplets

Flexural rigidity of many microfibers is known to deviate from the Bernoulli-Euler predictions that neglect shear deformations. We examine mullite microfibers formed by electrospinning of sol-gel precursors. The formed fibers have diameters smaller than 10 μm. A magnetic drop was placed on the free end of a dangling fiber, and the fiber was flexed by applying a non-uniform magnetic field. By applying different magnetic fields, we generated a series of different fiber profiles and filmed the process of fiber bending. Mullite microfibers were found to follow the Bernoulli-Euler predictions, and the shear deformations in the material were insignificant. This was confirmed by employing the Euler elastica model to describe the fiber profiles. The bending test provided a Young modulus of E = 100 GPa, which appeared to be very close to that found from the tensile test.
Complications of Cholestasis

The complications of cholestasis significantly impact morbidity and quality of life in patients with chronic cholestatic liver disease. Undiagnosed and untreated, these complications can lead to clinical problems which could potentially overshadow the underlying primary liver disease. Most of what is known in this field is based on studies of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and, to a lesser degree, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), which is then extrapolated to patients with other cholestatic diseases. Recent advances in the pathogenesis of some of these complications have improved our understanding of the underlying mechanisms but much work still needs to be done. This chapter reviews the pathophysiology and management of: osteoporosis, pruritus/itching, dyslipidemia, fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies, steatorrhea, and fatigue.
Evolution of 11[beta]-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase-Type 1 and 11[beta]-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase-type 3

A key regulator of glucocorticoid action is 11[beta]-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type-1 (11[beta]-HSD1), which catalyzes the conversion of cortisone to cortisol, the biologically active glucocorticoid. 11[beta]-HSD1 is a paralog of 11[beta]-HSD3, whose physiological function remains unclear. As reported here, 11[beta]-HSD3 has orthologs in sea urchin, amphioxus and Ciona, while 11[beta]-HSD1 first appears in sharks. Thus, 11[beta]HSD3 arose before the evolution of glucocorticoid signaling, suggesting different ancestral function(s) for 11[beta]-HSD3. Four perplexing findings arise from this evolutionary analysis: 1) 11[beta]-HSD1 is not present in a ray-finned fish genome, 2) zebrafish and fathead minnow contain two isoforms of 11[beta]-HSD3; 3) neither rat nor mouse contain 11[beta]-HSD3 and 4) amphioxus contains sixteen 11[beta]-HSD3 paralogs.
Acute and long-term effects of fluosol-DA 20% on respiratory system mechanics and diffusion capacity in dogs

We evaluated the acute and cumulative effects of Fluosol-DA 20% (Fluosol, Alpha Therapeutics, Los Angeles) on respiratory system mechanics and the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in six dogs. A total dose of 45 to 75 mL/kg was administered during a period of eight to 12 days. After a loading dose of 15 mL/kg was a dose of 10 mL/kg was administered intravenously on alternate study days in four dogs and on successive days in two dogs. There were no significant differences between the initial and final study day in total lung capacity (TLC), residual volume (RV), static lung compliance (CSTAT), dynamic lung compliance (CDYN), the retractive force at 50% at TLC (P50 TLC), and the diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (CLCO). Although there was a small increase in the total pulmonary resistance (RTP, 0.8 to 1.8 cm H2O/L/s; P < .05), its absolute value remained in the normal range. In contrast to the lack of chronic dose-dependent and time-dependent changes in lung mechanics and DLCO, there was a transient decrease in CDYN, from 0.066 to 0.047 L/cm H2O, and an increase in RTP, from 1.44 to 4.83 cm H2O/L/s (P < .001), immediately following the infusion of Fluosol. We conclude that an increase in pulmonary resistance to airflow is part of the idiosyncratic acute reaction after the administration of Fluosol, while the repeated administration of Fluosol has little effect on pulmonary gas transfer assessed by CLCO and respiratory system mechanics.
Targeting optimum resource allocation using reverse problem formulations and property clustering techniques

Abstract Decoupling the constitutive equations from the balance and constraint equations allows for reformulating a conventional forward problem into two reverse problems. The first reverse problem is the reverse of a simulation problem, where the process model is solved in terms of the constitutive (synthesis/design) variables instead of the process variables, thus providing the synthesis/design targets. The second reverse problem (reverse property prediction) solves the constitutive equations to identify unit operations, operating conditions and/or products by matching the synthesis/design targets. Visualization of the problem is achieved by employing recently developed property clustering techniques, which allows a high-dimensional problem to be visualized in two or three dimensions. The clusters by definition satisfy intra-stream and inter-stream conservation through linear “mixing” rules, which allows for the development of consistent additive rules along with their ternary representation.
Fresh transfer outcome predicts the success of a subsequent frozen transfer utilizing blastocysts of the same cohort

The objective of this retrospective analysis was to assess whether the outcomes of fresh blastocyst transfer cycles are predictive of the chances for pregnancy and live birth in subsequent frozen blastocyst transfer cycles using sibling embryos from the same retrieval. Clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) and live birth rate (LBR) per fresh and frozen blastocyst transfer were assessed. All subgroups had similar patient and cycle characteristics. Overall, CPR and LBR in fresh cycles were 44% and 29%, and in frozen were 34% and 30%, respectively. However, the CPR and LBR in frozen cycles were significantly higher in patients who were not pregnant with their fresh cycles (CPR 43% versus 22%, P=0.01; and LBR 36% versus 17%, P=0.03, respectively). When fresh cycles are unsuccessful, the remaining frozen blastocysts of the same cohort have the same chance of success in producing a clinical pregnancy as the fresh cycle (43% versus 44%). Frozen cycles following successful fresh cycles have significantly lower CPR and LBR. These data reinforce the concept that only a few embryos per cohort are competent for a live birth. During IVF cycles, many patients are fortunate enough to have excess high-quality embryos remaining after their embryo transfer. These embryos can be frozen, or cryopreserved, for later transfer. The transfer of cryopreserved embryos increases the cumulative success rates after a single IVF stimulation. Many studies have examined success rates such as clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate in frozen embryo transfer cycles. While these frozen embryo transfer cycles have excellent success rates, they are significantly lower than success rates in cycles where a "fresh", non-frozen, embryo is transferred. Few studies have carefully examined the impact of the result of the fresh embryo transfer (whether the patient became pregnant or not) on subsequent frozen embryo transfer success. Here we show that women who are not pregnant after a fresh embryo transfer have higher success rates in subsequent frozen embryo transfer cycles that use frozen embryos generated during a single IVF cycle. In these women (not pregnant after a fresh embryo transfer), frozen embryo transfer pregnancy rates are the same as rates using fresh embryos.
Full profile analysis of the 29Si NMR spectra of LTL-framework zeolites

Abstract Full profile analyses of the digitized 29Si NMR spectra of a potassium zeolite L and a gallosilicate analog are described. Both spectra can be fitted reasonably based on the assumption that they comprise only a single set of SinAl(Ga); n=0−4 peaks, reflecting that the mean T-O-T angles for the two T-sites (T=tetrahedral species, Si, Al or Ga) are similar.
Cardiac decompression after operation for congenital heart disease in infancy

Abstract Between January 1987 and July 1992, 641 infants (less than 1 year of age) underwent cardiac surgical procedures through a median sternotomy incision at the UCLA Medical Center. In 36 (5.6%), to achieve cardiac decompression, the chest was left open after the operation, or was re-opened immediately postoperatively because of low cardiac output. The incidence of cardiac decompression was 31% ( 4 / 13 ) after the Norwood procedure and 24% ( 7 / 29 ) after truncus arteriosus repair. Opening of the chest reduced intrathoracic pressure and allowed complete expansion of the lungs. Delayed sternal closure was carried out in 27 patients at a mean of 5 days (range, 2 to 14 days) postoperatively. By the time of chest closure, left atrial pressure had decreased from a mean of 12 ± 1.4 to 8.4 ± 0.8 mm Hg ( p < 0.004), and inotropic drug support with dopamine and dobutamine had also decreased significantly. Thirteen (36%) patients died of low cardiac output and multiorgan failure (4 of them after delayed chest closure) that was complicated by sepsis in 2. The incidence of sternal wound infection was relatively low at 5.6% ( 2 / 36 ); 1 patient died of generalized sepsis complicating multiorgan failure and the second case occurred in a patient who survived long term after sternectomy. With optimal ventilatory and inotropic drug support and meticulous wound care, delayed sternal closure may improve the survival of infants in low cardiac output after cardiac surgical procedures.
Ultimate limits of conventional barriers and liners-implications for the extendibility of copper metallization

As allowable layer thicknesses shrink to the nanometer scale, metallization is facing fundamental limitations in the ability to extend conventional copper metallization schemes. The use of novel materials in the barrier/liner/seed stack can offer some relaxation of these roadblocks. For example, the development of a directly-platable barrier, thus avoiding the need to deposit a liner and seed, could offer potential benefits for scaling of copper past the 22nm generation. This talk will introduce some of these emerging options and describe their performance compared with conventional copper barrier seed-based interconnects.
Large eddy simulations of continental shallow cumulus convection

[1] This paper addresses the basic physics underlying continental fair-weather cumuli (FWC) and issues associated with the evolution of these clouds in response to the changes in external forcings and ambient meteorological conditions. To achieve the main objectives of this study, one FWC case observed from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) project at the southern Great Plains (SGP) site is simulated by a series of large-eddy simulation (LES) experiments. For FWC forced by a strong buoyant convection due to large surface buoyancy fluxes, the mixed layer (ML) is usually associated with a moisture flux divergence in the vertical caused by the moisture discontinuity across the top of the convective boundary layer (CBL). Such a divergence is intimately related to cumulus initiation and development since it transports a large amount of moisture to an area above the mean ML where the forced FWC form and develop. The initiation of continental forced FWC results from thermal penetrations into the stable layer above. An important application of the penetration theory is to predict cumulus initiation. On the basis of the LES data, the authors developed a simple scheme that can be used to diagnose cumulus initiation using the variables that may be provided by large-scale models, such as the Deardorff convective velocity scale, the mean ML height, the surface layer relative humidity, and the strength of the inversion. Unlike active marine shallow cumuli, the FWC focused on in this study are forced cumuli mainly supported by the buoyancy production in the ML. However, the simulations indicate that these clouds can have a significant impact on the turbulence intensity and transport in the CBL. Through sensitivity tests, the authors also studied the influence of the surface sensible and latent heat fluxes, the stratification above the CBL, the moisture difference across the top of the CBL, and the horizontal winds on the development of FWC and cloud radiative properties.
On injective and surjective endomorphisms of finitely generated modules

(1978). On injective and surjective endomorphisms of finitely generated modules. Communications in Algebra: Vol. 6, No. 7, pp. 659-672.