cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic hepatitis B: early viral suppression and long‐term outcomes of therapy with oral nucleos(t)ides

Summary. Chronic hepatitis B is a serious health problem worldwide with a substantial minority of patients experiencing premature death due to end-stage liver disease and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. Antiviral therapy may help prevent complications of chronic hepatitis B, and seven agents are currently approved in many countries. Of these agents, five are nucleos(t)ide analogs that all have a risk of antiviral drug resistance with long-term use. Efforts have been made in the recent years to prevent or to reduce the risk of viral resistance in patients treated with oral nucleos(t)ides as the majority of these patients will require therapy for 3–5 years or longer. One approach is to identify patients who would most likely develop antiviral resistance on long-term therapy using predictors obtainable early in the course of treatment, when intervention with new or additional therapy can be instituted. The most important predictors of treatment outcomes are serum HBV DNA levels at baseline and during the first 6 months of therapy. The purpose of this synopsis is to review the recent literature regarding the importance of serum HBV DNA levels in association with treatment outcomes in chronic hepatitis B, particularly the association of complete viral suppression early in the course of oral therapy with long-term treatment outcomes, particularly the incidence of antiviral drug resistance.
Isolation and characterization of prosthecae of Asticcacaulis biprosthecum.

Prosthecae were sheared from cells ofAsticcacaulis biprosthecum with a Sorvall omnimixer and purified by centrifugation. Removal of prosthecae resulted in no loss in viability. Purified prosthecae contain protein, carbohydrates and lipids. Certain enzymes that are present in the main body of the cell are also present in prosthecae: malic dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.37), alkaline phosphatase (E. C. 3.1.3.1), succinic dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.3.99.1), cytochromec reductase (E.C. 1.6.2.a), and cytochromes. Other enzymes present in whole cells are not in prosthecae: isocitric dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.41), NADH oxidase (E.C. 1.6.99.3), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.49), and lactic dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.2.3). Swarmer cells (non-prosthecate) were purified by allowing prosthecate cells to attach to cheesecloth in the growth medium. Envelopes prepared from prosthecae were compared with envelope from swarmer cells. The two envelope fractions differed in the disc-gel electrophoretic patterns of proteins solubilized from them.
Helping faculty develop new asynchronous learning environments

The author believes that networked computers with the appropriate software can address many of the challenges facing higher education today. These new approaches to learning involve access to asynchronous learning networks (ALN). In an ALN course, students have access to networked learning materials, including interactive course materials, simulations and multimedia, and on-line homework and quizzes. Through the Internet, students also have access to people, including subject matter experts (faculty and teaching assistants) and other students (thereby promoting peer-to-peer interactions). Students can access the learning network asynchronously, at times and locations that are most convenient to them.
Estimation of Alpha Mattes for Multiple Image Layers

Image matting deals with the estimation of the alpha matte at each pixel, i.e., the contribution of the foreground and background objects to the composition of the image at that pixel. Existing methods for image matting are typically limited to estimating the alpha mattes for two image layers only. However, in several applications one is interested in editing images with multiple objects. In this work, we consider the problem of estimating the alpha mattes of multiple (n ≥ 2) image layers. We show that this problem can be decomposed into n simpler subproblems of alpha matte estimation for two image layers. Moreover, we show that, by construction, the estimated alpha mattes at each pixel are constrained to sum up to 1 across the multiple image layers. A key feature of our framework is that the alpha mattes can be estimated in closed form. We further show that, due to the nature of spatial regularization used in the estimation, the final estimated alpha mattes are not constrained to take values in [0, 1]. Hence, we study the optimization problem of estimating the alpha mattes for multiple image layers subject to the fact that the alpha mattes are nonnegative and sum up to 1 at each pixel. We present experiments to show that our proposed method can be used to extract mattes of multiple image layers.
Putting it all together: language model combination

In the past several years, a number of different language modeling improvements over simple trigram models have been found, including caching, higher-order n-grams, skipping, modified Kneser-Ney smoothing and clustering. While all of these techniques have been studied separately, they have rarely been studied in combination. We find some significant interactions, especially with smoothing techniques. The combination of all techniques leads to up to a 45% perplexity reduction over a Katz (1987) smoothed trigram model with no count cutoffs, the highest such perplexity reduction reported.
Human chronic myeloid leukemia stem cells are insensitive to imatinib despite inhibition of BCR-ABL activity

Imatinib therapy, which targets the oncogene product BCR-ABL, has transformed chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) from a life-threatening disease into a chronic condition. Most patients, however, harbor residual leukemia cells, and disease recurrence usually occurs when imatinib is discontinued. Although various mechanisms to explain leukemia cell persistence have been proposed, the critical question from a therapeutic standpoint--whether disease persistence is BCR-ABL dependent or independent--has not been answered. Here, we report that human CML stem cells do not depend on BCR-ABL activity for survival and are thus not eliminated by imatinib therapy. Imatinib inhibited BCR-ABL activity to the same degree in all stem (CD34+CD38-, CD133+) and progenitor (CD34+CD38+) cells and in quiescent and cycling progenitors from newly diagnosed CML patients. Although short-term in vitro imatinib treatment reduced the expansion of CML stem/progenitors, cytokine support permitted growth and survival in the absence of BCR-ABL activity that was comparable to that of normal stem/progenitor counterparts. Our findings suggest that primitive CML cells are not oncogene addicted and that therapies that biochemically target BCR-ABL will not eliminate CML stem cells.
Gureen Game: An energy-efficient QoS control scheme for wireless sensor networks

Quality of Service (QoS) control is of paramount importance in wireless sensor networks. In this paper we propose a new QoS control algorithm, referred to as Gureen Game, for wireless sensor networks. Gureen Game not only improves the Gur Game for QoS control but also significantly addresses the power consumption weakness of the original Gur Game based QoS control for senor networks. We study the logic behaviors of the proposed Gureen Game, and evaluate its QoS performance compared with the original Gur Game and a recent control algorithm called Shuffle for energy-efficient QoS control. Our simulation results demonstrate the merits of the proposed Gureen Game.
A database-centric approach to system managemant in the blue gene/L supercomputer

In designing the management system for Blue Gene/L, we adopted a database-centric approach, All configuration and operational data for a particular Blue Gene/L system are stored in a relational database that is kept in the system's service node. The database also serves as the communication bus for the various processes implementing the management system. This design offers many advantages, including the ability to use SQL commands to retrieve reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) information about the system, Information about machine partitioning and user jobs can be obtained the same way. Leveraging the database, we have developed a web interface for system management. This management system has been successfully implemented and deployed in all 19 Blue Gene/L installations at the time of this writing.
Clumped isotopic equilibrium and the rate of isotope exchange between CO2 and water

The reaction of CO 2 hydration/dehydration controls the oxygen isoto- pic composition in both carbonate minerals and atmospheric CO 2 through the exchange of oxygen isotopes with water. The use of 18 O as an environmental indicator typically assumes isotopic equilibrium, namely full oxygen isotope exchange between CO 2 and water. Clumped isotopes is a new isotopic tracer that is used in both CaCO 3 and atmospheric CO 2 and reflects the thermodynamic preference of two heavy isotopes, 13 C and 18 O in this case (given as 47 ), to "clump" together into one chemical bond at low temperatures. As such, the use of 47 as an indicator for temperature relies on the assumption of isotopic equilibrium. The experiments presented here examine the rate in which 47 of CO 2 that interact with water approaches the equilibrium values. This rate is indistinguishable between 47 and 18 O, suggesting that the isotope exchange with water also leads to reorganization of the isotopes among CO 2 isotopo- logues thus controlling the 47 values. The direct implication of the temporal link between 47 and 18 O is that when one isotopic system shows disequilibrium, either in DIC or in gas phase CO 2, so will the other. As CO2 clumped isotope values are independent of the oxygen isotopic composition of the water participating in the reaction, disequilibrium in 47 is often identified more readily than in 18 O. The combination of clumped isotopes and oxygen isotopes is therefore likely to elucidate cases of suspected disequilibrium also in 18 O (and vice versa).
Evidence for Population Bottlenecks and Subtle Genetic Structure in the Yellow Rail

Abstract. The Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracencis) is among the most enigmatic and least studied North American birds. Nesting exclusively in marshes and wetlands, it breeds largely east of the Rocky Mountains in the northern United States and Canada, but there is an isolated population in southern Oregon once believed extirpated. The degree of connectivity of the Oregon population with the main population is unknown. We used mitochondrial DNA sequences (mtDNA) and six microsatellite loci to characterize the Yellow Rail's genetic structure and diversity patterns in six areas. Our mtDNA-based analyses of genetic structure identified significant population differentiation, but pairwise comparison of regions identified no clear geographic trends. In contrast, microsatellites suggested subtle genetic structure differentiating the Oregon population from those in the five regions sampled in the Yellow Rail's main breeding range. The genetic diversity of the Oregon population was also the lowest of the six r...
Increased evolutionary rate in the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak is due to transient polymorphism and not positive selection

Gire et al. (Science 345:1369-1372, 2014) analyzed 81 complete genomes sampled from the 2014 Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV) outbreak and reported "rapid accumulation of [...] genetic variation" and a substitution rate that was "roughly twice as high within the 2014 outbreak as between outbreaks." These findings have received widespread attention, and many have perceived Gire et al.'s results as implying rapid adaptation of EBOV to humans during the current outbreak. Here, we argue that, on the contrary, sequence divergence in EBOV is rather limited, and that the currently available data contain no robust signal of particularly rapid evolution or adaptation to humans. The doubled substitution rate can be attributed entirely to the application of a molecular-clock model to a population of sequences with minimal divergence and segregating polymorphisms. Our results highlight how subtle technical aspects of sophisticated evolutionary analysis methods may result in highly-publicized, misconstrued statements about an ongoing public health crisis.
Stages of Change for Osteoporosis Preventive Behaviors A Construct Validation Study

Objective: This article presents a construct validation study for osteoporosis preventive behaviors based on a survey completed by 113 older adults. Methods: Participants were classified using stages of change for osteoporosis preventive behaviors according to an algorithm adapted from the Transtheoretical Model of health behavior change. Results: One-way analyses of variance and a hierarchical regression model indicate that stage of change location is significantly related to one’s level of knowledge about osteoporosis as well as age, gender, and educational attainment. These findings bring support to the validity of the instrument. Discussion: Findings from this study indicate that elders’ attitudes and knowledge about osteoporosis reflect public health messages heralding osteoporosis as the disease of the older White women. Significant health care expenditures in the nontargeted groups call for a revision in these messages. Further applications with more heterogeneous samples are necessary for thorough...
Discussing Death in the Classroom: Beliefs and Experiences of Educators and Education Students:

In This Study The Beliefs And Attitudes Of Teachers And Education Students About Providing Death Education And Death Related Interventions Were Explored. Teachers From Twelve Elementary And Middle Schools (N = 189), and education students from three universities (n = 139) were surveyed. The groups did not differ significantly in beliefs about their own qualifications, whether the content belongs in school, and willingness to attend a seminar about providing death related interventions. There were no differences between the groups in intervention style, or in whether they preferred to intervene themselves or to have someone else (e.g., a school counselor) intervene. Teachers and students differed significantly only in frequency of experiences with bereaved students (χ2 = p < .0001). The experiences of interacting with bereaved students did not result in teachers believing themselves more qualified to provide death related interventions. These data indicate that, while many teachers are willing to provide d...
Patient access to medical information in the computer age: ethical concerns and issues.

During a prostate exam, Mr. Watson, age 65, learns that his prostate appears to be abnormal. The family physician conducting the exam, Dr. Kleinman, informs Mr. Watson that he may have prostate cancer. Mr. Watson agrees to a variety of tests, including blood tests, bone scans, ultrasound scanning, and a biopsy. After learning about this possible diagnosis and these tests, Mr. Watson surfs the Web for information about prostate cancer and gathers data from many different sources, including the National Cancer Society, the National Institutes of Health, Johns Hopkins University, the Mayo Clinic, and “alternative” medicine sites. He also searches for information from medical journals using MEDLINE, visits several chat rooms on prostate cancer, and joins some e-mail lists. He arrives in Dr. Kleinman's office for a follow-up appointment with a stack of material and many questions. Dr. Kleinman is surprised, irritated, and offended. He recommends that Mr. Watson have a prostatectomy followed by radiation, but Mr. Watson does not want this operation. He would rather receive a form of radiation therapy recently approved by the FDA that he learned about through his own research. Dr. Kleinman admits that he does not know much about this new treatment, but he says that he would read up on it and consult an oncologist.
Examining Intracellular Organelle Function Using Fluorescent Probes From Animalcules to Quantum Dots

Fluorescence microscopy imaging has become one of the most useful techniques to assess the activity of individual cells, subcellular trafficking of signals to and between organelles, and to appreciate how organelle function is regulated. The past 2 decades have seen a tremendous advance in the rational design and development in the nature and selectivity of probes to serve as reporters of the intracellular environment in live cells. These probes range from small organic fluorescent molecules to fluorescent biomolecules and photoproteins ingeniously engineered to follow signaling traffic, sense ionic and nonionic second messengers, and report various kinase activities. These probes, together with recent advances in imaging technology, have enabled significantly enhanced spatial and temporal resolution. This review summarizes some of these developments and their applications to assess intracellular organelle function.
On Equatorial Pacific Surface Wind Changes around 1977: NCEP–NCAR Reanalysis versus COADS Observations*

Abstract This note compares equatorial Pacific surface wind changes around 1977 in the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis and the Comprehensive Ocean–Atmosphere Data Set (COADS) observations. Significant discrepancies are found in wind changes over the equatorial central and eastern Pacific. In the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis, the easterlies weakened over the eastern equatorial Pacific, while the southerlies strengthened over the north equatorial central Pacific. As a result, the low-level convergence and precipitation decreased over the equatorial central Pacific. These wind and precipitation anomalies are opposite to those derived from the COADS observations. Independent observations of ocean heat content are used to validate the changes in equatorial zonal wind, and it is found that the zonal slope of the thermocline in an ocean model forced by the COADS wind is more consistent with ocean observations than forced by the reanalysis wind. The equatorial wind biases are also identified in the NCEP–NCAR reanalysis climatology,...
Deep Mean Maps.

The use of distributions and high-level features from deep architecture has become commonplace in modern computer vision. Both of these methodologies have separately achieved a great deal of success in many computer vision tasks. However, there has been little work attempting to leverage the power of these to methodologies jointly. To this end, this paper presents the Deep Mean Maps (DMMs) framework, a novel family of methods to non-parametrically represent distributions of features in convolutional neural network models. DMMs are able to both classify images using the distribution of top-level features, and to tune the top-level features for performing this task. We show how to implement DMMs using a special mean map layer composed of typical CNN operations, making both forward and backward propagation simple. We illustrate the efficacy of DMMs at analyzing distributional patterns in image data in a synthetic data experiment. We also show that we extending existing deep architectures with DMMs improves the performance of existing CNNs on several challenging real-world datasets.
A review of the evolution of intraosseous access in tactical settings and a feasibility study of a human cadaver model for a humeral head approach.

ABSTRACT In the tactical setting, intraosseous (IO) access has become popular to treat hemorrhagic shock when peripheral intravenous access is difficult or impractical. The traditional sites most commonly used by combat medics, corpsmen, and Pararescuemen (PJs) include the sternum and tibial tuberosity. Recent studies have shown that the humeral head (HH) is an appropriate and effective access site for IO infusion and fluid resuscitation in the clinical setting. In this procedural feasibility study, we assessed the ability of 26 U.S. Air Force PJs to perform HH IO placement on fresh, unfixed human cadavers over two consecutive cadaver lab training sessions. Following a formal didactic session, which highlighted proper patient positioning and technique, the PJs were instructed to attempt to place an IO needle using both a drill and manual driver. Once performed, correct placement was reviewed by a physician and confirmed by aspiration of bone marrow. Rates of success were calculated on first and second pas...
Dimensionless Analysis for Predicting Fe-Ni-Cr Alloy Corrosion in Molten Salt Systems for Concentrated Solar Power Systems

In high operating temperature concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, the use of molten salt heat transfer fluids causes corrosion of alloys in receivers and heat exchangers that decreases both hea...
Flexibility Coexists with Shape-Persistence in Cyanostar Macrocycles.

Shape-persistent macrocycles are attractive functional targets for synthesis, molecular recognition, and hierarchical self-assembly. Such macrocycles are noncollapsible and geometrically well-defined, and they are traditionally characterized by having repeat units and low conformational flexibility. Here, we find it necessary to refine these ideas in the face of highly flexible yet shape-persistent macrocycles. A molecule is shape-persistent if it has a small change in shape when perturbed by external stimuli (e.g., heat, light, and redox chemistry). In support of this idea, we provide the first examination of the relationships between a macrocycle’s shape persistence, its conformational space, and the resulting functions. We do this with a star-shaped macrocycle called cyanostar that is flexible as well as being shape-persistent. We employed molecular dynamics (MD), density functional theory (DFT), and NMR experiments. Considering a thermal bath as a stimulus, we found a single macrocycle has 332 accessi...
FITNESS COSTS OF FEMALE REPRODUCTION.

Here we present a method to estimate the fitness costs of trade-offs between reproduction and survival. The approach demonstrates that there is an apparent fitness cost to mating, but not to egg production, in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. In light of this result, we argue that fitness tradeoffs in females that result from resources females allocate to eggs are much lower than fitness trade-offs mediated in part by male-female interactions. Life histories are thought to evolve under the functional constraints of trade-offs such that an organism may not maximize two or more components of fitness simultaneously (Williams 1966; Gadgil and Bossert 1970; Schaffer 1974; Stearns 1976; Charlesworth 1990). For example, an increase in reproductive effort is expected to decrease lifespan, ceteris paribus. A primary goal of studies of life-history evolution is to describe such functional relationships and to understand how they affect relative fitness. Many examples of trade-offs have been described, both at the phenotypic and genotypic levels (reviewed in Reznick 1985; Rose 1991; Roff 1992; Stearns 1992). However, to demonstrate that such trade-offs affect the evolution of life histories, experimental analysis of these trade-offs must not only describe the range of observed phenotypes, but must also demonstrate the potential of the trade-off to constrain fitness (Stearns 1976, 1989). The trade-off between reproduction and age-specific survival has been widely studied in D. melanogaster, and is generally referred to as the cost of reproduction (Bell and Koufopanou 1986). Through studies that experimentally manipulate levels of reproduction, two categories of reproductive costs have been identified for female D. melanogasterthose of egg production and those of mating (Partridge 1989). Typically in such studies, the experimenter restricts female egg production or mating and then measures the corresponding increase in female survival relative to an unmanipulated, full-reproduction cohort (e.g., Partridge et al. 1987). For instance, in the examples we will develop below, to reduce costs of reproduction experimentally, the females' egg-laying substrate was withheld (Partridge et al. 1987), or the females' exposure either to males or to particular elements in the seminal fluid was reduced (Fowler and Partridge 1989; Chapman et al. 1995). In these cases, and in general, relatively high levels of egg production and mating within a cohort are both associated with reduced levels of female survival. However,
Daily Activity Rhythms of Individual Worker and Drone Honey Bees

The periodicity of circadian rhythms was measured for young naive and older conditioned individual worker and drone honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Under conditions of constant darkness, low vibrational stimuli, and 27°C, the free running circadian oscillation of activity for workers had a periodicity of 21.8 hr; that for drones was 23.7 hr. Captive, isolated drones appeared to live longer under these conditions than they did in light.
Discussion on the Practical Technology of Electric Energy Measuring for Nonlinear Load

The influences of nonlinear load to the measuring performance of electric energy meter are studied base on experimentation and operation.The reasonable electric energy measuring method for nonlinear load is discussed and suggestions on type selection of electric energy meter for nonlinear load are proposed which can be used as reference basis for the selection of electric energy meter for nonlinear load.
A Three-Step Latent Class Analysis to Identify How Different Patterns of Teen Dating Violence and Psychosocial Factors Influence Mental Health.

Although multiple forms (i.e., physical, threatening, psychological, sexual, and relational abuse) and patterns (i.e., perpetration and victimization) of violence can co-occur, most existing research examines these experiences individually. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate: (1) homogenous subgroups based on victimization and perpetration of multiple forms of teen dating violence; (2) predictors of membership in these subgroups; and (3) mental health consequences associated with membership in each subgroup. Nine hundred eighteen adolescents in the 9th or 10th grade at seven public high schools in Texas participated in the survey (56 % female, White: 30 %, Hispanic: 32 %, African American: 29 %, others: 9 %). A three-step latent class analysis was employed. Five latent teen dating violence classes were identified: (1) nonviolence; (2) emotional/verbal abuse; (3) forced sexual contact; (4) psychological + physical violence; and (5) psychological abuse. Females, African Americans, and youth who had higher acceptance of couple violence scores and whose parents had less education were more likely to members of dating violence classes compared with the nonviolence class. Adolescents who experienced multiple types of dating violence reported greater mental health concerns. Prevention programs may benefit by identifying the homogenous subgroups of teen dating violence and targeting adolescent teen dating violence accordingly.
Engineering information systems prospects and problems of integration

A model of information system development is given that defines two functions of the system: design and flow. The conflict that can arise between these two aspects is examined. The resulting problems of information loss and locality loss are considered. >
Telling Our Story: Using Digital Scrapbooks to Celebrate Cultural Capital

This design was intended to act as a template for technology integration for preservice teachers in an English language arts class. However, the unintended result was a celebration of cultural heritage and increased classroom community. Through the project, 23 preservice teachers used online tools to design digital scrapbook pages that re fl ected family ancestry and life histories. Participants from diverse ethnic backgrounds celebrated their unique names and cultural capital.
Current LiteratureCurrent LiteratureCurrent LiteratureCurrent Literature

Clinical Therapeutics Primer: Link to the Evidence for the Ambulatory Care Pharmacist Jennifer A. Reinhold Pharm.D., BCPS, Grace Earl Pharm.D., BCPS Jones & Bartlett Learning 5 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803 2014 444 $61.95 Description: This therapeutics book presents a focused, evidence-based
Use of TiO2 Nanotube Arrays for Biological Applications

Protein immobilization on solid substrates underlies various experimental approaches in biology and biophysics [1–5]. Immobilized proteins are instrumental in identifying protein–protein, protein–DNA, and protein–molecule interactions for a variety of diagnostic and profiling purposes [5–9]. The support material must have active surface areas for protein binding, and good mechanical, thermal, and chemical stability. Bioelectrocatalytic systems allow the sensitive detection of affinity-based interactions between complementary molecule pairs [10] through electrical signals related to electrochemical reactions, while amperometric biosensors offer a convenient and potential application in the area of biomedical diagnosis as well as environmental analysis [11–13]. In this chapter, we consider the use of co-immobilized TiO2 nanotube arrays as a biosensor platform for H2O2 and glucose detection.
The Osteoblastic Niche in Hematopoiesis and Hematological Myeloid Malignancies

This review focuses on evidence highlighting the bidirectional crosstalk between the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and their surrounding stromal cells, with a particular emphasis on cells of the osteoblast lineage. The role and molecular functions of osteoblasts in normal hematopoiesis and in myeloid hematological malignancies is discussed. Cells of the osteoblast lineage have emerged as potent regulators of HSC expansion that regulate their recruitment and, depending on their stage of differentiation, their activity, proliferation, and differentiation along the lymphoid, myeloid, and erythroid lineages. In addition, mutations in mature osteoblasts or their progenitors induce myeloid malignancies. Conversely, signals from myelodysplastic cells can remodel the osteoblastic niche to favor self-perpetuation. Understanding cellular crosstalk between osteoblastic cells and HSCs in the bone marrow microenvironment is of fundamental importance for developing therapies against benign and malignant hematological diseases.
Inheritance of Resistance to Fire Blight in Malus Crosses

In eight interspecific and intraspecific Malus crosses, segregation of seedlings after greenhouse inoculation with Erwinia amylovora indicated that resistance to fire blight was polygenically controlled. In certain interspecific and intraspecific crosses, high percentages of resistant seedlings were recovered suggesting that sources of fire flight resistance are available in the cultivated apple as well as in other small-fruited Malus species.
Stories Lost and Found: Mobilizing Imagination in Literacy Research and Practice

As literacy scholars, we continually engage with the ongoing politics of imagination in everyday life across silenced histories and uncertain futures. In this article, I draw on sociocultural theor...
Digital workflow to rehabilitate worn dentition on a non-hinge simulated patient.

Abstract This report describes the complete mouth rehabilitation of worn dentition by using a digital workflow on a non-hinge simulated patient. A dentiform was used to simulate a patient with loss of occlusal vertical dimension. Physical diagnostic waxing along with a digital workflow was then used to re-establish the occlusal vertical dimension at the interim and definitive restoration stages.
Driver Behavior in Yielding to Sighted and Blind Pedestrians at Roundabouts.

This study evaluated drivers’ behavior in yielding the right-of-way to sighted and blind pedestrians who stood at different stopping distances from the crosswalk lines at entry and exit lanes at tw...
Catalytic Reaction Mechanisms and Structural Features of Group II Intron Ribozymes

Splicing of group II introns is essential for the metabolism of many organisms (Michel et al. 1989; Michel and Ferat 1995). These ubiquitous introns play a critical role in the processing of mitochondrial genes from plants, fungi, and yeast. Group II introns and RNA molecules resembling them are abundant in euglena and other lower eukaryotes, and they have even been identified in prokaryotes. It has been proposed that, through reactions analogous to the reverse of splicing, excised introns can migrate and introduce themselves into new genomes that may not even ordinarily contain introns (Lambowitz and Belfort 1993; Schmidt et al. 1994). Thus, in addition to their function in RNA splicing, group II introns have the capability for involvement in other biochemical transformations. The apparent complexity of their structure and active-site chemistry has fueled interest in the mechanism of group II intron catalysis. This chapter attempts to describe recent work on group II intron chemistry and its foundation in structural features of the folded RNA.
Synthetic peptide-based reagents for blocking the entry and inactivation of HIV

The entry of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) into the host cell involves sequential interaction of the viral exterior envelope glycoprotein, gp120 , with the CD4 glycoprotein and a chemokine receptor on the cell surface [1,2]. The V3 region in HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein is important for the membrane fusion mediated by the CD4-gpl20. We reported earlier that synthetic peptides from V3 region inhibit HIV-1 infection and syncytia formation in human cells [3]. Based on these results, and reports in literature describing HIV-inhibitory activity of certain CD4-derived peptides [4,5], we designed peptide-based reagents for blocking entry and inactivation of HIV.
A Tensor Decomposition Technique for Source Localization from Multimodal Data

This paper studies the problem of localizing a source based on different types of signals measured at different sensing locations, where propagation models of the signals are not known. A tensor observation model is proposed to arrange such multimodal data into different layers to form a 3D data array. It is proven that the vectors extracted from the least squares rank-1 approximation of the tensor under the Tucker's model are location signature vectors of the source, where the vectors are unimodal and their peak locations correspond to the source location. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed localization method based on tensor decomposition outperforms the baseline that heuristically averages the estimates individually from different types of data.
Incidence of second malignancies in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have near-normal life expectancies. With this comes the possibility of developing second cancers; we aimed to evaluate the incidence of second malignancies in patients with CML using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program data. We identified 13,276 patients with CML newly diagnosed in 2001–2014. Patients who had prior history of cancer, a concurrent diagnosis of other malignancies in the same diagnostic year, or a second leukemia after CML diagnosis were excluded. Second malignancies were observed in 597 patients (4%) with a median follow-up of 69 months. The 5- and 10-year cumulative incidences of death for all patients were 30.5% and 41.8%. The 5- and 10-year cumulative incidences of second malignancies were 4.4% and 7.2%, respectively. The overall standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.204. Increased SIRs compared to the general population were observed for the male genital system, 1.593; digestive system, 1.291; skin, 1.588; and urinary system, 1.366. Overall excess absolute risk was 1.714 per 1000 person-years at risk. Our results suggest that relative incidence of overall second malignancies in CML is slightly higher than that of the general population, with minimal increase in the excess absolute risk.
A Clinical Algorithm for Breast Cancer Patients: Exploring Reconstructive Options after Radiation

As radiation therapy is used as an adjuvant treatment in an increasing number of women during the management of breast cancer, radiation therapy and its well-known adverse effects pose additional challenges for breast reconstruction. The purpose of this review is to examine recent data on outcomes of various breast reconstruction methods in the setting of radiation therapy and help surgeons and oncologists as well as patients with their decision-making process. Breast reconstruction methods can be categorized into autologous-, implant-, and tissue expander/implant-based, each with its distinct advantages and disadvantages. Autologous and tissue expander/implant are preferred when radiation therapy is expected based on surgical, aesthetic, and patient satisfaction. Use of latissimus dorsi flaps and acellular dermal matrix with tissue expander/implant has shown several advantages to traditional methods. For patients who have a high likelihood of requiring postmastectomy radiation therapy, choosing a breast reconstruction method depends on multiple factors. Patients and surgeons should be aware of the impact of radiation therapy so that they can make a well-informed decision.
No Margin, No Mission: How Practitioners Justify Nonprofit Managerialization

The financial sustainability of nonprofit organizations is an abiding concern. One generally accepted solution for threats to nonprofit financial sustainability is the adoption of business practices such as commercial revenue. Institutional theory, joined by empirical evidence, suggests that nonprofit practitioners may (or may not) perceive a conflict between their social mission and business practices, which is a perquisite to developing a strategic response. Through a multi-site ethnography, I examine how nonprofit practitioners respond to pressures to enact business practices. The cognitive schema practitioners in this study use to justify that managerialization rationalizes business practices as means to achieving the mission. This schema explains why potential conflicts between business practices and the social mission went largely unnoticed and led, in large part, to passive acquiescence. The lack of perceived conflict captured in this study may be concerning because without conflict business practices may lead to unintended negative consequences such as mission drift.
Mortgage possessions, spatial inequality, and obesity in large US metropolitan areas

Abstract Objectives As social determinants of health, mortgage possessions (primarily foreclosures in the US context) and housing instability have been associated with certain mental and physical health outcomes at the individual level. However, individual risks of foreclosure and of poor health are spatially patterned. The objective of this study is to examine the extent to which area-specific social and economic characteristics help explain the relationship between mortgage possessions and obesity prevalence in 75 of the 100 most populous US metropolitan areas. Study design This is a cross-sectional study. Methods The study relies on three sources of data: the Selected Metropolitan/Micropolitan Area Risk Trends (SMART) project, RealtyTrac foreclosure data, and the American Community Survey. Focal social and economic characteristics include foreclosure rates, levels of racial residential segregation, and poverty. Obesity prevalence and several control measures for each metropolitan area are also used. Ordinary least squares regression, weighted using the SMART project data, is used, and statistical significance is set at 0.05. Results The results suggest that mortgage possessions are independently associated with higher obesity prevalence and that foreclosures operate through the specific channel of racial residential segregation and its tie to the racial composition of a metropolitan area. Socio-economic status of an area, and not poverty, is related to foreclosures and obesity prevalence. Conclusion Mortgage possessions not only are socio-economic but also have negative health consequences, such as obesity. The findings provide an empirical base for other researchers to uncover the relationships between segregation, mortgage possessions, and obesity at the individual level of analysis. The public health community should be engaged in addressing the issue of foreclosures in the US because the failure to engage may have broad financial and health consequences across large cities.
Low-temperature chemical vapor deposition growth of graphene films enabled by ultrathin alloy catalysts

This report introduces a method for fabricating graphene at low temperatures via chemical vapor deposition enabled by ultrathin (∼1 nm) nickel-gold (Ni-Au) catalysts. The unique combination of high carbon (C) solubility Ni, low C solubility Au, and an ultrathin layer of a catalyst demonstrates the effectiveness to produce graphene at 450 °C with the layer number independent of growth duration. In contrast to grain-boundary defined catalyst morphology found in thicker (>20 nm) metal catalysts, the ultrathin catalyst morphology leads to the formation of nanoscale metal “islands” during the growth process, which results in curved graphene covering the catalyst. To test the effect of preactivation of the ultrathin catalyst for the formation of graphene, a preanneal process of the catalyst followed by the introduction of a carbon precursor was also investigated. The preanneal process resulted in the formation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in lieu of graphene, displaying the impact of the catalytic surface treatment in relation to the produced materials. The results and discussion presented here detail a low-temperature nanoscale manufacturing process that allows for the production of either graphene or CNTs on an ultrathin catalyst.
Plasma Soluble αKlotho, Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 23, and Mobility Disability in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Context αKlotho is a hormone and co-receptor for fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), a hormone that downregulates active vitamin D synthesis and promotes phosphate excretion. Low αKlotho and high FGF23 occur in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Objective We aimed to assess the relationships of αKlotho and FGF23 with mobility disability in community-dwelling older adults. Design and Setting We estimated associations of plasma-soluble αKlotho and serum FGF23 concentrations with mobility disability over 6 years. Additional analyses was stratified by CKD. Participants Participants included 2751 adults (25.0% with CKD), aged 71 to 80 years, from the 1998 to 1999 Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study visit. Main Outcome Measures Walking disability and stair climb disability were defined as self-reported "a lot of difficulty" or an inability to walk a quarter mile and climb 10 stairs, respectively. Results Median (interquartile range [IQR]) serum FGF23 and plasma soluble αKlotho concentrations were 46.6 (36.7, 60.2) pg/mL and 630.4 (478.4, 816.0) pg/mL, respectively. After adjustment, higher αKlotho concentrations were associated with lower walking disability rates (Rate Ratio [RR] highest vs. lowest tertile = 0.74; 95% confidence interval l [CI] = 0.62, 0.89; P = 0.003). Higher FGF23 concentrations were associated with higher walking disability rates (RR highest vs. lowest tertile = 1.24; 95%CI = 1.03, 1.50; P = 0.005). Overall, higher αKlotho combined with lower FGF23 was associated with the lowest walking disability rates (P for interaction = 0.023). Stair climb disability findings were inconsistent. No interactions with CKD were statistically significant (P for interaction > 0.10). Conclusions Higher plasma soluble αKlotho and lower serum FGF23 concentrations were associated with lower walking disability rates in community-dwelling older adults, particularly those without CKD.
Dendritic cells responses to biomaterials

Abstract Dendritic cells (DCs) play a major role in the initiation of innate and adaptive immunity. The delivery and activation of DCs is a complex process which involves the transport, binding, and uptake of the antigen by DCs followed by its processing and presentation to cells of the adaptive immune system. This process can be hijacked to artificially modulate the innate and adaptive immune system, by targeting different signaling pathways of DCs. Notably, biomaterials are excellent tools to modulate these signaling pathways. In this chapter, we describe the various natural (gelatin, chitosan, and alginate) and synthetic [poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)] biomaterials that can modulate DC functions for a variety of immunomodulating applications. Furthermore, this chapter also discusses the use of blends, that is, copolymers like PLGA-chitosan and monomethoxyPEG-PLGA and their ability to recruit and activate DCs for different therapies. Herein, an overview of the different uses of biomaterials to shape immune responses by modulating the function of DCs is described.
Challenges in psychosocial research in renal populations

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the many challenges experienced in trying to conduct psychosocial research in patients with renal disease. In this context, psychosocial research is meant to include both research on treatments for comorbid psychiatric illnesses and behavioral interventions targeting symptoms experienced by patients with advanced renal disease, regardless of the symptoms’ psychiatric or medical etiology. The chapter highlights 10 challenges in conducting these types of research: 1. Buy-in from the nephrology research community 2. Complexity of clinical trials 3. Identifying patients of interest 4. Stigma associated with some psychiatric diagnoses 5. Accessibility of mental health treatments 6. Reluctance regarding medications 7. Significance of outcome measures 8. Lack of validation of PROs 9. Challenges to completion of research assessments 10. Response bias A discussion of each of these challenges is followed by suggestions regarding how to best effectively address, avoid, or mitigate them. While there is extra complexity in designing and executing psychosocial clinical trials in nephrology, the need for high-quality studies is urgent, and the effect of these trials on clinical care can be paradigm shifting.
Au@SiO2@Au core-shell-shell nanoparticles for enhancing photocatalytic activity of hematite

Abstract Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for hydrogen generation using abundantly available solar energy is a promising strategy toward developing a carbon-neutral society. Here, we demonstrate the first use of Au@SiO2@Au core-shell-shell (CSS) plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) for improvement of the photocatalytic performance in PEC photoanodes using hematite as a testing system. Using rigorous calculations based on the Mie scattering theory on CSS NPs, we have designed and optimized the dimensions of each layer in the CSS NPs for the double resonance peaks of the CSS NPs with maximal contribution to the enhancement of the hematite PEC activity. Two different NP/hematite architectures on synthesized Sn-doped hematite nanocoral films have been studied – a top-deposited configuration with the optimized CSS NPs on the surface of the hematite, and an embedded configuration with the hematite nanocorals grown over the optimized CSS NPs. Compared with the bare hematite, the average photocurrent density, as a measure of the PEC activity, was found to be improved by 0.6 mA/cm2 and 1.45 mA/cm2 for the top-deposited and embedded CSS NP/hematite configurations, respectively. In particular, the best embedded sample showed an improvement in the photocurrent density from 0.82 mA/cm2 for the bare hematite to 3.0 mA/cm2. This improvement of 2.18 mA/cm2 is one of the highest improvements gained from a plasmonic enhancement strategy for a hematite photoelectrocatalytic system. In addition, the CSS NPs outperformed Au NPs by 1.67 times in the top-deposited configuration and up to 8 times in the embedded configuration. Our simulation and experiment results showed the following key features of CSS NPs which are critical for improving the photocurrent of hematite: (1) a double resonance peak, each of which can contribute separately to the photocurrent, (2) easy tunability of the peaks by varying the dimensions of the CSS NPs and subsequently making the plasmonic peaks strongly scattering or strongly absorbing, thereby optimizing the contributions to the PEC activity of hematite, and (3) spatially uniform electric field distributions which extend 20–25 nm from the outer surface and hence offer potential of increasing carrier generation. Our results show CSS NPs as new and improved plasmonic systems for enhancing PEC performance.