cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect-assessment on occupational hazard control of a liquid cyanides project

Objective To assess protective measures of the project and give suggestions for producing unit not meeting the national standards.Methods Field survey was to identify hazards that might exist,make qualitative and quantitative evaluation.Results Sometimes cyanides concentration of absorbtion workplace was higher than the national health standards,the concentration of ammonia and total dust and wet bulb globe temperature of heat stress work met the national health standards.The general layout,the hagiology of building,facility for control occupational hazard,auxiliary room,facilities,occupational health management,occupational health surveillance all met the basic hygienic requirements.Conclusions The control of occupational hazard factors of the project met the national health standards.
Hearing loss in the absence of otitis media.

Otitis media is the most common infectious disease seen in the pediatric population. Hearing loss is a well-recognized sequela of otitis media, whether acute or chronic. In acute cases, hearing generally returns as the resulting effusion resolves, which may take up to several months. Hearing loss in chronic otitis media often resolves during quiescent stages of the disease; persistent hearing loss that fails medical management is best treated through surgical intervention. Tympanosotomy tube insertion effectively recovers hearing in cases of chronic middle ear effusions, whereas tympanoplasty and ossiculoplasty, often in conjunction with mastoidectomy, are necessary for chronic draining ears. Hearing loss may occur in the absence of otitis media. In such cases the clinician must be aware of the potential ramifications of the hearing loss for the child as well as the proper method of evaluating such a patient. Background During the first 5 years of childhood, the ability to hear is related intimately to the degree of speech and language acquisition as well as to the development of emotional, social, and academic skills. It is estimated that a normal-hearing 5-year-old child has a vocabulary of 5000 to 26 000 words, whereas a profoundly hearing-impaired child has a vocabulary of 200 words. The effects on reading ability are equally astounding, with the average reading achievement for hearing-impaired 16-year-olds at the third- or fourth-grade level.
Use of Organic Acids To Improve the Chemical, Physical, and Microbial Attributes of Beef Strip Loins Stored at -1°C for 112 Days ‡.

Twenty-one beef strip loins (Institutional Meat Purchasers Specification #180) were cut into equal halves. One-half of each loin was sprayed with a mixture of 2% lactic acid and 2% (vol/vol) acetic acid and the corresponding half was used as a control. The strip loins were stored at -1°C for 0, 7, 14, 28, 56, 84, or 112 days and evaluated for chemical, physical, and microbial properties. The internal pH increased significantly (P 0.05) for meat color, fat color, or odor over storage time. Acid-treated strip loins had significantly lower (P < 0.05) visible purge scores than control strip loins. Internal and external pH, vacuum, meat color, fat color, and odor were not affected by acid treatment. In a calculation of time-by-treatment interaction (P < 0.05), acid-sprayed strip loins had less percentage of purge than corresponding controls at 56 and 112 days of storage. Water-holding capacity decreased over 84 days of storage. Anaerobes, lactic acid-producing bacteria, and psychrotroph populations increased significantly (P < 0.05) over storage time but anaerobes and lactic acid-producing bacteria were reduced by acid treatment. Acid-sprayed strip loins had significantly lower aerobic (P < 0.05) and psychrotrophic (P < 0.1) populations than controls after 14 days. These data indicate that an acid spray immediately prior to packaging can reduce some species of bacteria without adversely affecting the physical properties of products stored for 112 days at -1°C.
Transonic shock and rarefaction wave interactions of two-dimensional Riemann problems for the self-similar nonlinear wave system

This paper addresses the self-similar transonic irrotational flow in gas dynamics in two space dimensions.We consider a configuration that the incident shock becomes a transonic shock as it enters the sonic circle, interacts with the rarefaction wave downstream, and then becomes sonic. The rarefaction wave further downstream becomes sonic (degenerate) creating an unknown boundary for the governing system. We present the Riemann data for this configuration, provide the characteristic decomposition of the system, and formulate the boundary value problem for this configuration. The numerical results are presented, and a method to establish the existence result is briefly discussed.
Conceptualizing Consciousness in Consumer Research

An outsized focus on the explanatory value of conscious thought can constrain opportunities to more rigorously examine the influence of less obvious drivers of consumer behavior. This article proposes a more precise, disaggregated, and minimized perspective on consciousness, distinguishing it from other higher-order mental processes (i.e., deliberation, intentionality, control, and effort). A more circumscribed perspective on consciousness, we argue, facilitates attempts to examine the causal impact of low-level, biological, or otherwise unconscious influences, bringing these into the frame of inquiry. Accordingly, we outline how a reduced reliance on consciousness as an explanatory construct deepens inquiry into the processes guiding choice, self-control, and persuasion. Lastly, in a set of recommendations centering on theory, methods, and training, we suggest ways for consumer researchers to evaluate more critically whether the contents of consciousness play a meaningful role in driving behavior.
Effect of tool dimensions and parameters on the microstructure of friction stir welded aluminum 7449 alloy of various thicknesses

Abstract Friction stir welding is a solid state joining technique in which no melting is involved. This technique is very attractive for high strength aluminum alloys, since these are difficult to weld by conventional means. Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys are strengthened mainly by metastable η’ precipitates. Microstructural evaluation was done on an aluminum 7449 alloy of various thicknesses after friction stir welding. Microhardness, TEM, and DSC were done to characterize the welds. The effects of natural aging and artificial aging were studied to understand re-precipitation of the strengthening precipitates in the weld. A noticeable heat gradient was observed. Furthermore, tool dimensions and the parameters chosen influence the dissolution and re-precipitation of the weld, with negligible dependence on the plate thickness.
EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF LOW-PASS SHOCK ISOLATION PERFORMANCE OF ELASTOMERS USING FREQUENCY-BASED KOLSKY BAR ANALYSES

ELASTOMERIC MATERIALS ARE USED AS SHOCK ISOLATION MATERIALS IN A VARIETY OF ENVIRONMENTS TO DAMPEN VIBRATIONS AND/OR ABSORB ENERGY FROM EXTERNAL IMPACT FOR MINIMIZING ENERGY TRANSFER BETWEEN TWO OBJECTS OR BODIES. SOME APPLICATIONS REQUIRE THE SHOCK ISOLATION MATERIALS TO BEHAVE AS A LOW-PASS MECHANICAL FILTER TO MITIGATE THE SHOCK/IMPACT AT HIGH FREQUENCIES BUT TRANSMIT THE ENERGY AT LOW FREQUENCIES WITH MINIMAL ATTENUATION. IN ORDER TO FULFILL THIS REQUIREMENT, A SHOCK ISOLATION MATERIAL NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY EVALUATED AND SELECTED WITH PROPER EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN, PROCEDURES, AND ANALYSES. IN THIS STUDY, A KOLSKY BAR WAS MODIFIED WITH PRE-COMPRESSION (UP TO 15.5 KN) AND CONFINEMENT CAPABILITIES TO EVALUATE LOW-PASS SHOCK ISOLATION PERFORMANCE IN TERMS OF ACCELERATION ATTENUATION THROUGH A VARIETY OF ELASTOMERS. THE EFFECTS OF PRELOAD AND SPECIMEN GEOMETRY ON THE LOW-PASS SHOCK ISOLATION RESPONSE WERE ALSO INVESTIGATED.
To Change the Things I Can: Making Instruction More Intensive:

When students do not respond adequately to core instruction, teachers must provide instruction and intervention that is more intensive and, therefore, more effective. However, for many educators, i...
Identification and Quantification of Patent Foramen Ovale–Mediated Shunts: Echocardiography and Transcranial Doppler

Once deemed benign, patent foramen ovale (PFO)-mediated right-to-left shunting has now been linked to stroke, migraine, and hypoxemia. Contrast transesophageal echocardiography is considered the standard technique for identifying a PFO, allowing visualization of the atrial septal anatomy and differentiation from non-PFO right-to-left shunts. Transthoracic echocardiography is the most common method for PFO imaging, being cost-effective, but has the lowest sensitivity. Transcranial Doppler is highly sensitive but is unable to differentiate cardiac from pulmonary shunts; it is the best method to quantitate shunt severity, being more sensitive than transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography so is our preferred screening method for PFO.
HVAC System Modeling and Control: Vapor Compression System Modeling and Control

In this chapter, we delve deeper into understanding modeling and control approaches for one of the important subsystems in an intelligent building, the HVAC system. Specifically, Vapor Compression Systems (VCS) are the primary energy systems in building air conditioning, heat pump, and refrigeration systems. We will discuss standard methods for constructing dynamic models of vapor compression systems, and their relative advantages for analysis, design, control design, and fault detection. The principal interests are moving boundary and finite-volume approaches to capture the salient dynamics of two-phase flow heat exchangers. We will present modeling approaches for auxiliary equipment, such as, valves, compressors, fans, dampers, and heating/cooling coils, allowing the reader to understand the construction of typical HVAC system models. We will then highlight limitations of such models and address advanced modeling approaches for challenging transient scenarios. Finally, we give a summary of single-input, single-output control strategies for HVAC system, with simulation and experimental examples to illustrate their effectiveness.
Why is Family Violence Lower Among Mexican Immigrants? The Protective Features of Mexican Culture

Although immigrants tend to be less involved in crime than the native-born, less is known about whether immigration is protective regarding family violence and, if so, why. This is especially problematic given that some cultural features of immigrants, such as machismo, may increase family violence. Using a random sample of adults in El Paso County, Texas, the present study finds that family violence is substantially lower among first generation Mexican immigrants compared to 1.5 generation immigrants, second generation Americans and third generation or higher Americans. Higher levels of acculturation to Mexico among first generation immigrants partially mediated, or explained, this finding. However, familism and machismo were not higher among first generation Mexican immigrants; and, while lower among first generation immigrants, acculturation to the US was not associated with higher levels of family violence. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Control of active component of current in dual active bridge converter

The paper presents a control strategy based on improved first harmonic approximation model of the single-phase dual active bridge (DAB) converter. The model consists of three state-variables: output DC voltage and two orthogonal components of first harmonic of transformer current, equivalent to active and circulating powers. Foremost, a strategy based on the conventional output voltage control is designed to regulate the output voltage. Subsequently, the first harmonic current control strategy, which aims to control the active power component of the current to regulate the output DC voltage, is introduced. Based on this strategy, a method to design the control system is suggested and its implementation in digital domain is described. The two control strategies are validated through time-domain simulations. Finally, the schemes are implemented for a prototype 500V/270V DC/DC converter. The experimental results are reported and compared against the developed control models for verification.
Kaposi's Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections

Kaposi's sarcoma, also known as a multiple idiopathic hemorrhagic sarcoma, is a multifocal malignant neoplastic process that manifes ts itself primarily as multiple vascular nodules of the skin, mucous membranes, and other organs. Recognition of the signs and symptoms of this disease is imperative because many of these patients are being treated by chemotherapeutic agents with some success. The practitioner should be aware of several features of the new Kaposi's sarcoma: prevalence of the disease in homosexuals; occurrence of skin lesions on the face, trunk, and upper extremities; involvement of lymph nodes and visceral tissues with a propensity toward opportunistic infections (Pneumocystis carinii, toxoplasmosis, herpes, candidiasis, and others); a history of multiple sexually transmitted diseases; and its especially aggressive nature.
An animal model of the hyperactive-child syndrome suitable for the study of the effects of food additives.

This report describes the use of an animal model for testing the relationship between the effects of ingesting food additives and hyperactivity. Telomian × beagle hybrid dogs were chosen as subjects because this breed has been observed to exhibit behavior seen as analogous to the hyperactivity of children. Two studies were conducted by adding or deleting butylated hydroxyanisole and Food, Drug, and Cosmetic red dye number 40 to the diet of each dog. A test of sitting was performed to measure the level of activity. While a relationship was not observed between the ingestion of the additive and the level of activity, several issues pertaining to the use of the animal model became apparent. These issues and the use of animals for future research in this area are discussed.
Diversity, Race-Neutrality, and Austerity: The Changing Politics of Urban Education

This paper presents case studies of changes to student assignment in three large school districts, Boston, Massachusetts, Wake County (Raleigh), North Carolina, and Jefferson County (Louisville), Kentucky. Our analysis is informed by the concept of “enclave schools” that came out of the Civic Capacity in Education study in the 1990s, and focuses on how the political debates around diversity have shifted in response to the changing legal context (especially the 2007 Parents Involved in Community Schools decision) and the fiscal austerity that has gripped most school districts since the financial crisis of 2008. We see evidence of three emerging tendencies. First, the ongoing emphasis on performance accountability in state and federal education policy has provided parents with direct evidence of the extent to which particular schools are performing well or poorly, sometimes replacing racial or socioeconomic composition in public discussion of the attractiveness of the available options. Second, given the heightened attention to performance and to turning around failing schools, racial and socioeconomic diversity are now often treated as secondary issues, rather than as part of how schools improve or sustain performance. Finally, we outline some preliminary ideas about how race-neutral student-assignment policies generate different political dynamics from the previous generations of race-conscious policies. Race-neutral student assignment is not necessarily less controversial than race-conscious assignment, and political challenges to race-neutral assignment may fail to arouse the same mobilization in their support than if the policies being challenged were race-conscious.
Perceived barriers and facilitators of initiation of behavioral weight loss interventions among adults with obesity: a qualitative study

Evidence-based behavioral weight loss interventions are under-utilized. To inform efforts to increase uptake of these interventions, it is important to understand the perspectives of adults with obesity regarding barriers and facilitators of weight loss intervention initiation. We conducted a qualitative study in adults with obesity who had recently attempted weight loss either with assistance from an evidence-based behavioral intervention (intervention initiators) or without use of a formal intervention (intervention non-initiators). We recruited primary care patients, members of a commercial weight loss program, and members of a Veterans Affairs weight loss program. Intervention initiators and non-initiators were interviewed separately using a semi-structured interview guide that asked participants about barriers and facilitators of weight loss intervention initiation. Conversations were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Two researchers used open coding to generate the code book on a subset of transcripts and a single researcher coded remaining transcripts. Codes were combined into subthemes, which were combined in to higher order themes. Intervention initiators and non-initiators were compared. We conducted three focus groups with participants who had initiated interventions (n = 26) and three focus groups (n = 24) and 8 individual interviews with participants who had not initiated interventions. Intervention initiators and non-initiators were, respectively, 65% and 37.5% white, 62% and 63% female, mean age of 55 and 54 years old, and mean BMI of 34 kg/m2. Three themes were identified. One theme was practical factors, with subthemes of reasonable cost and scheduling compatibility. A second theme was anticipated effectiveness of intervention, with subthemes of intervention content addressing individual needs; social aspects influencing effectiveness; and evaluating evidence of effectiveness. A third theme was anticipated pleasantness of intervention, with subthemes of social aspects influencing enjoyment; anticipated dietary and tracking prescriptions; and identity and self-reliance factors. Different perspectives were identified from intervention initiators and non-initiators. Strategies to engage individuals in evidence-based weight loss interventions can be developed using these results. Strategies could target individuals’ perceived barriers and benefits to initiating interventions, or could focus on refining interventions to appeal to more individuals.
Corruption and Recovery-Efficient Locally Decodable Codes

A (q, i¾?, i¾?)-locally decodable code (LDC)C: {0,1}ni¾?{0,1}mis an encoding from n-bit strings to m-bit strings such that each bit x k can be recovered with probability at least $\frac{1}{2} + \epsilon$ from C(x) by a randomized algorithm that queries only qpositions of C(x), even if up to i¾?mpositions of C(x) are corrupted. If Cis a linear map, then the LDC is linear. We give improved constructions of LDCs in terms of the corruption parameter i¾?and recovery parameter i¾?. The key property of our LDCs is that they are non-linear, whereas all previous LDCs were linear. 1 For any i¾?, i¾?i¾? [i¾?(ni¾? 1/2), O(1)], we give a family of (2, i¾?, i¾?)-LDCs with length . For linear (2, i¾?, i¾?)-LDCs, Obata has shown that $m \geq \exp \left (\delta n \right )$. Thus, for small enough constants i¾?, i¾?, two-query non-linear LDCs are shorter than two-query linear LDCs. 1 We improve the dependence on i¾?and i¾?of all constant-query LDCs by providing general transformations to non-linear LDCs. Taking Yekhanin's linear (3, i¾?, 1/2 i¾? 6i¾?)-LDCs with $m = \exp \left (n^{1/t} \right )$ for any prime of the form 2ti¾? 1, we obtain non-linear (3, i¾?, i¾?)-LDCs with . Now consider a (q, i¾?, i¾?)-LDC Cwith a decoder that has nmatchings M 1 , ..., M n on the complete q-uniform hypergraph, whose vertices are identified with the positions of C(x). On input ki¾? [n] and received word y, the decoder chooses e= {a 1 , ..., a q } i¾? M k uniformly at random and outputs $\bigoplus_{j=1}^q y_{a_j}$. All known LDCs and ours have such a decoder, which we call a matching sum decoder. We show that if Cis a two-query LDC with such a decoder, then $m \geq \exp \left (\max(\delta, \epsilon)\delta n \right )$. Interestingly, our techniques used here can further improve the dependence on i¾?of Yekhanin's three-query LDCs. Namely, if i¾?i¾? 1/12 then Yekhanin's three-query LDCs become trivial (have recovery probability less than half), whereas we obtain three-query LDCs of length $\exp \left (n^{1/t} \right )$ for any prime of the form 2ti¾? 1 with non-trivial recovery probability for any i¾?< 1/6.
Mass-Spectrometry-Based Proteomics for Cancer Biology

Proteomic technology has accelerated the discovery of protein function in biological systems. To achieve these advances, mass spectrometry methods have been developed for facile identification of proteins separated by gel electrophoresis or separated by liquid chromatography. A detailed description of proteomic methods to discover new elements of biological systems and to understand protein function is presented. Current use of these techniques in cancer research is described.
Tyrosine 450 in the Voltage- and Calcium-Gated Potassium Channel of Large Conductance Channel Pore-Forming (slo1) Subunit Mediates Cholesterol Protection against Alcohol-Induced Constriction of Cerebral Arteries

Alcohol (ethanol) at physiologically relevant concentrations (<100 mM) constricts cerebral arteries via inhibition of voltage- and calcium-gated potassium channels of large conductance (BK) located in vascular smooth muscle (VSM). These channels consist of channel-forming slo1 (cbv1, KCNMA1) and accessory beta1 (KCNMB1) subunits. An increase in VSM cholesterol (CLR) via either dietary CLR intake or in vitro CLR enrichment was shown to protect against endothelium-independent, alcohol-induced constriction of cerebral arteries. The molecular mechanism(s) of this protection remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CLR enrichment of de-endothelialized middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) of rat increased CLR content in the VSM in a concentration-dependent manner. CLR enrichment blunted MCA constriction evoked by 18-75 mM but not by 100 mM alcohol. MCA enrichment with coprostanol (COPR) also blunted vasoconstriction by 50 mM alcohol, despite the fact that COPR and CLR differ in their ability to modify several major physical properties of the bilayer. CLR protection against 50 but not 100 mM alcohol was also observed in C57BL/6 and KCNMB1 knockout (KO) mice. Permeabilization of KCNMA1 KO MCAs with Y450Fcbv1 totally ablated CLR, but not COPR protection against vasoconstriction by 50 mM alcohol. Thus, CLR and alcohol interact at the level of the BK channel slo1 subunit, with Y450 being critical for CLR protection against alcohol-induced vasoconstriction. We document for the first time a functional competition between CLR and alcohol in regulating cerebral artery diameter and a critical role of a single amino acid within the BK channel pore-forming subunit in controlling CLR-alcohol interaction at the organ level.
The role of expanded series patch testing in identifying causality of residual facial dermatitis following initiation of dupilumab therapy.

Dupilumab is a biological agent that addresses the pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis (AD) by modulating signaling of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13, the primary interleukins involved in the type 2 helper T-cell response. Dupilumab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration on March 28, 2017, for moderate-to-severe AD not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapy in adults. Dalia and Marchese Johnson published the first report of a persistent facial dermatitis after initiation of dupilumab therapy and resolution of dermatitis on the body.1 The authors hypothesized that the facial dermatitis was a side effect of the medication. Importantly, this patient was not patch tested. We report 3 cases of severe AD treated with dupilumab in which patch testing was critical to unmasking an underlying allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). These cases highlight the following three key principles: 1. Patch testing dupilumab candidates before initiation of therapy helps identify potential underlying ACD, thereby decreasing the chances of falsely identifying treatment as failed. 2. Patients can be patch tested on dupilumab; prior positives in previous testing should act as controls whenever possible, as seen in patients 1 and 2 of this series. 3. Patients with residual facial dermatitis on dupilumab may benefit from further comprehensive patch testing. Before dupilumab initiation, all patients in this series attempted similar treatment regimens including topical Vaseline, bleach baths, corticosteroids, and calcineurin inhibitors; systemic antihistamines, intramuscular triamcinolone, prednisone, and periodic oral antibiotics for any identified bacterial infections; and phototherapy. Before patch testing, patients were treated with soak and smear regimens of twice-daily applications of Vanicream (Pharmaceutical Specialties, Inc., Rochester, MN) and clobetasol. Patch testing was only initiated at least 4 weeks after the most recent dose of oral prednisone and at least 3 months after the most recent dose of intramuscular triamcinolone.
Lateral femoral bypass for prosthetic arterial graft infections in the groin.

Abstract Objective Prosthetic arterial graft infections (PAGIs) in the groin pose significant challenges in terms of revascularization options and risk of limb loss as well as associated morbidities. Although obturator canal bypass (OCB) has been suggested for revascularization of the extremity in these cases, moderate success rates and technical challenges have limited widespread use. Our study analyzed lateral femoral bypass (LFB) as an alternative approach for the treatment of groin PAGIs. Methods This is a retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients who underwent LFB for groin PAGIs at a single center from 2000 to 2017. Patients' data including demographics, comorbidities, perioperative complications, graft patency, and need for reintervention were used. Patients were observed after LFB with duplex ultrasound surveillance in an accredited noninvasive vascular laboratory every 3 months during the first year, followed by every 6 months for the second year and yearly thereafter. After isolation of the infected wound with sterile dressings, remote proximal and distal arterial exposure incisions were made. LFBs were tunneled under the inguinal ligament and lateral to the infected wound from an uninvolved inflow artery or bypass graft to an uninvolved outflow vessel. Results A total of 19 LFBs were performed in 16 patients (mean age, 69 ± 12.6 years). Three LFBs were performed urgently for acute bleeding. Choice of conduit included 6 (31.6%) autogenous vein grafts, 10 (52.6%) cadaveric grafts, 2 (10.5%) rifampin-soaked Dacron grafts, and 1 (5.3%) polytetrafluoroethylene graft. Average follow-up was 33 months (range, 0-103 months). Major adverse events occurring within 30 days of the operation included one (5.3%) death and one (5.3%) graft excision for pseudoaneurysm. Primary patency and primary assisted patency at 12 and 24 months were 73% and 83%, respectively. One patient required an amputation 17 months after surgery after failure of repeated revascularization attempts. Overall limb salvage was 93.8% during this follow-up period. Conclusions In this series, LFB for management of groin PAGIs demonstrated higher patency and limb salvage rates compared with previous reports of OCB. Diligent postoperative duplex ultrasound surveillance is critical to the achievement of limb salvage and maintenance of graft patency. These results suggest that LFB, which is technically less complex than OCB, should be considered the first choice for revascularization in select cases of PAGIs involving the groin.
Generalized Unitary Coupled Cluster Wave functions for Quantum Computation.

We introduce a unitary coupled-cluster (UCC) ansatz termed k-UpCCGSD that is based on a family of sparse generalized doubles operators, which provides an affordable and systematically improvable unitary coupled-cluster wave function suitable for implementation on a near-term quantum computer. k-UpCCGSD employs k products of the exponential of pair coupled-cluster double excitation operators (pCCD), together with generalized single excitation operators. We compare its performance in both efficiency of implementation and accuracy with that of the generalized UCC ansatz employing the full generalized single and double excitation operators (UCCGSD), as well as with the standard ansatz employing only single and double excitations (UCCSD). k-UpCCGSD is found to show the best scaling for quantum computing applications, requiring a circuit depth of [Formula: see text], compared with [Formula: see text] for UCCGSD, and [Formula: see text] for UCCSD, where N is the number of spin orbitals and η is the number of electrons. We analyzed the accuracy of these three ansatze by making classical benchmark calculations on the ground state and the first excited state of H4 (STO-3G, 6-31G), H2O (STO-3G), and N2 (STO-3G), making additional comparisons to conventional coupled cluster methods. The results for ground states show that k-UpCCGSD offers a good trade-off between accuracy and cost, achieving chemical accuracy for lower cost of implementation on quantum computers than both UCCGSD and UCCSD. UCCGSD is also found to be more accurate than UCCSD but at a greater cost for implementation. Excited states are calculated with an orthogonally constrained variational quantum eigensolver approach. This is seen to generally yield less accurate energies than for the corresponding ground states. We demonstrate that using a specialized multideterminantal reference state constructed from classical linear response calculations allows these excited state energetics to be improved.
Antioxidants and risk of dementia: recent insights and future opportunities.

Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are an important cause of disability, institutionalization, and mortality worldwide that place a burden on affected individuals, caretaking families, and the healthcare system. Dementia is characterized by long-term and gradual decline in cognitive abiliti
Prevalence of comorbidities and their associations with health-related quality of life and healthcare expenditures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is known to be associated with an increased risk of comorbidities, premature mortality, and disability. We investigated the prevalence of comorbidities in RA compared with non-RA controls and the effect of comorbidities on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and total healthcare expenditures. Adult RA patients and age-, sex-matched individuals without RA (non-RA controls) were identified from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2010–2015 data. Twenty comorbidities were investigated including cardiovascular, psychological, respiratory, and musculoskeletal conditions. The Short Form-12 physical and mental component summary scores for HRQoL and total healthcare expenditures (2015 US dollars) were summarized based on the number of comorbidities as well as the type of comorbidities. Outcomes were further investigated using multivariable regression analyses. A total of 2925 patients with RA and 14,625 non-RA controls were included. Approximately 60.4% of RA and 37.2% of non-RA controls had ≥ 3 comorbidities, and 23.5% of RA and 12.0% of non-RA controls had ≥ 5 comorbidities. The prevalence of comorbidities in RA was higher across different types of comorbidities compared with non-RA controls. The most prevalent comorbidities in RA were cardiovascular diseases (79.0%) followed by respiratory conditions (34.4%). Having ≥ 5 comorbidities in RA was significantly associated with lower SF-12 physical and mental scores and increase in healthcare expenditures compared with RA without any comorbidity ($23,214 ($19,941–$26,119) for ≥ 5 comorbidities vs. $11,137 ($7610–$14,396) for no comorbidity). A substantial number of patients with RA had multiple comorbidities. The comorbidities in RA were associated with poor HRQoL and higher healthcare expenditures.
Abstract 4506: MDM2 alternative splicing is regulated by microRNA binding to control p53 activity

Alternative splicing of the MDM2 is an important means by which p53 is upregulated to combat the deleterious effects of genotoxic stress. One splice variant, MDM2-ALT1 , is activated in response to genotoxic stress and is comprised of only the two terminal coding exons 3 and 12 and therefore lacks a p53 binding domain. This variant has been identified in a number of human tumors, including invasive carcinoma of the breast and lung, as well as soft tissue sarcomas. Despite its pervasiveness in tumors and the therapeutic possibilities it presents, there is very little known about the regulators of that govern this alternative splicing event. Our lab has identified a specific microRNA that is expressed at high levels in normal cells but decreased under conditions of genotoxic stress and in rhabdomyosarcoma cells, both of which are characterized by the expression of the MDM2 spliced isoform. Hence, expression of the microRNA is inversely correlated with the splice variant MDM2-ALT1. Though recent studies have shown that splicing factors can be regulated through miRNA-mediated gene silencing and indirectly influence splicing choices, we were unable to identify any splicing regulators of MDM2 to be targeted by the microRNA. Interestingly, the microRNA has been reported as one of the miRNAs that is reimported to the nucleus but has not been ascribed a role in the nuclear space. We therefore wanted to test the hypothesis that the microRNA can directly bind to the MDM2 pre-mRNA to drive splicing choices in a regulated fashion. To this end, we have identified predicted binding sites for the microRNA in the regulated region of MDM2 , within and near exons 3 and 12. We have shown that the microRNA binds specifically to these regions in MDM2 in normal cells and has decreased binding after genotoxic stress. Furthermore, we have shown that overexpression of the pre-microRNA can alleviate the induction of the MDM2-ALT1 isoform in response to genotoxic stress. We propose that microRNA binding to the MDM2 pre-mRNA regulates its splicing and plays a role in the DNA damage response and the pathway to tumorigenesis. Our work implicates for the first time that a miRNA would be acting as a splicing factor, a novel function for this class of non-coding RNAs and a novel method of regulation of the p53-MDM2 axis. Furthermore, our discoveries reveal miR-regulated splicing as a possible strategy to activate p53 and sensitize cancer cells to conventional cancer therapies. Citation Format: Matias Montes, Andrew Goodwin, Dawn S. Chandler. MDM2 alternative splicing is regulated by microRNA binding to control p53 activity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4506.
Mechanistic Study of Alkene Hydrosilylation Catalyzedby a β‑Dialdiminate Cobalt(I) Complex

Alkene hydrosilylation is a large-scale process that typically uses precious-metal catalysts. A new generation of highly selective catalysts is based on inexpensive metals, which may have a high-sp...
Natural Products as Modulators of CES1 Activity.

Carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) is the predominant esterase expressed in the human liver and capable of catalyzing the hydrolysis of a wide range of therapeutic agents, toxins, and endogenous compounds. Accumulating studies have demonstrated associations between the expression and activity of CES1 and the pharmacokinetics and/or pharmacodynamics of CES1 substrate medications (e.g. methylphenidate, clopidogrel, oseltamivir). Therefore, any perturbation of CES1 by co-ingested xenobiotics could potentially compromise treatment9. Natural products are known to alter drug disposition by modulating cytochrome P450 (P450) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes, but this issue is less thoroughly explored with CES1. We report the results of a systematical literature search and discuss natural products as potential modulators of CES1 activity. The majority of research reports reviewed were in vitro investigations which require further confirmation through clinical study. Cannabis products (Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabinol), supplements from various plant sources containing naringenin, quercetin, luteolin, oleanolic acid, and asiatic acid, and certain traditional medicines (Danshen and Zhizhuwan) appear to pose the highest inhibition potential. In addition, ursolic acid, gambogic acid, and glycyrrhetic acid, if delivered intravenously, may attain high enough systemic concentrations to significantly inhibit CES1. The provision of a translational interpretation of in vitro assessments of natural product actions and interactions is limited by the dearth of basic pharmacokinetic data of the natural compounds exhibiting potent in vitro influences on CES1 activity. This is a major impediment to assigning even potential clinical significance. The modulatory effects on CES1 expression after chronic exposure to natural products warrants further investigation.
Expanding interaction in online courses: integrating critical humanizing pedagogy for learner success

Millions of college students in the U.S. are enrolled in online courses, with the global pandemic resulting in a “pivot to online” for educational and health reasons. African-American college students continue to face barriers to academic success, and this response to Kuo and Belland (in Educ Technol Res Dev 64(4):661–680, 2016) investigates how the concept of “learner interaction” supports success. Finally, this response includes examples from online courses informed by “critical humanizing pedagogy,” in which social interaction is a key driver of learning.
LIMEs and LEMONs: Critically Examining the Effect of a Blog Post on Junior Faculty Learners.

Introduction The usage of asynchronous resources such as blogs and podcasts is pervasive in academic medicine, despite little understanding of their actual effect on learner knowledge acquisition. This study sought to examine the objective effect of a blog post on knowledge acquisition and application among junior faculty in emergency medicine (EM) via randomized controlled study. Methods All accredited EM residency programs in the United States and Canada were contacted to identify assistant and associate program directors and medical education fellows for recruitment into this study. Upon enrollment, participants were randomized as to whether they received access to a supplemental blog post prior to listening to a podcast episode. After listening to the podcast episode, all participants completed an assessment that included a test of knowledge application and knowledge acquisition; demographic information was also obtained. Results Ultimately, 103 participants completed the study; the study closed for enrollment in July 2019. Data were nonnormally distributed and groups were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. There were no significant differences between the demographics of the two groups nor was there a significant difference in knowledge between the two groups. Conclusion The addition of a supplementary blog post did not increase junior faculty knowledge of a podcast episode.
La geopolítica cambiante del coronavirus y la caída del neoliberalismo

This paper examines the context of the spread of the new coronavirus, the correlation with the instability of world financial markets and the fall in oil prices, and concerns about the future of neorealist capitalism. The first part addresses several questions: was the pandemic caused by nature or by man? Can scientific research help to separate the truth from the conspiracy theses? The second part suggests that the coronavirus has imposed a de facto trickle-down economy on Reagan’s trickledown economy, and shows the economic disruptions it has caused in developed and developing countries. It is concluded that a tiny virus is forcing the dominant neoliberal system to review reality by force.
Incorporation of bacterial immunoevasins to protect cell therapies from host antibody-mediated immune rejection.

Cellular therapies are engineered using foreign and synthetic protein sequences, such as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The frequently observed humoral responses to CAR T cells result in rapid clearance, especially after re-infusions. There is an unmet need to protect engineered cells from host-versus-graft rejection, particularly for the advancement of allogeneic cell therapies. Here, utilizing the immunoglobulin G (IgG) protease “IdeS,” we programmed CAR T cells to defeat humoral immune attacks. IdeS cleavage of host IgG averted Fc-dependent phagocytosis and lysis, and the residual F(ab′)2 fragments remained on the surface, providing cells with an inert shield from additional IgG deposition. “Shield” CAR T cells efficiently cleaved cytotoxic IgG, including anti-CAR antibodies, detected in patient samples and provided effective anti-tumor activity in the presence of anti-cell IgG in vivo. This technology may be useful for repeated human infusions of engineered cells, more complex engineered cells, and expanding widespread use of “off-the-shelf” allogeneic cellular therapies.
Accelerated discovery of single-phase refractory high entropy alloys assisted by machine learning

Abstract Herein, we proposed a strategy to design single-phase refractory high entropy alloys (RHEAs) with the assistance of machine learning algorithms. Based on an extensive dataset (1807 entries) built in this work, we applied multiple machine learning algorithms to train the dataset. After the blind test, we found that the Gradient boosting (GB) model can distinguish the single-phase-solid solution and non-single-phase-solid solution alloys with a test accuracy of 96.41%. Given the GB model, we predicted over 100 equiatomic oxidation-resistance RHEAs from the composition space of eight metallic elements. After that, we synthesized ten of these predicted single-phase RHEAs by mechanical alloying. The XRD patterns show that all of them are single-phase BCC solid solution. The experimental results agree well with the prediction results, indicating the excellent performance of the machine learning model in single-phase RHEAs prediction. With the aid of the machine learning method, single-phase oxidation-resistant RHEAs were successfully designed. Our work presents a novel strategy with outstanding performance and evident effectiveness on the accelerated discovery of novel metallic materials used for extreme environments.
Work and well-being: Vocational activity trajectories in young adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience limited social connectedness, difficulty living independently, and other poor outcomes at high rates. Vocational activities, including employment and postsecondary education, are associated with increased positive outcomes and subjective well-being in typical adults. This study identified vocational activity trajectory groups in adults with ASD, examined change in these trajectories from ages 18 to 28, and compared levels of parent- and self-report subjective well-being across trajectory groups. One hundred fifty-one adults with ASD were drawn from an ongoing longitudinal study. Data on psychosocial outcomes and vocational activities were compiled from parent-report demographic forms. Vocational activities were scored using the vocational index (VDI). There was no significant effect of age on the slope of vocational trajectories (p = 0.787). Participants in the Independent Activities group had significantly higher parent-report happiness factor scores than participants in the No Activities group (F [3, 107] = 3.56, p = 0.017) and significantly higher self-report happiness factor scores than participants in the Volunteer Activities group (F [2, 35] = 6.46, p = 0.004). The Independent Activities group was also significantly more likely to have at least one social contact (X2 [3, 118] = 10.54, p = 0.014), however, there was no difference in trajectories groups in the likelihood of living independently (X2 [3, 120] = 1.71, p = 0.634). The results of this study indicate vocational activities in young adults with ASD are stable across time. In the current sample, participation in independent vocational activities was associated with increased levels of subjective well-being.
Longitudinal Impact of Depressive Symptoms and Peer Tobacco Use on the Number of Tobacco Products Used by Young Adults.

We examined the role of depressive symptoms in the longitudinal trajectory of the number of tobacco products used across young adulthood, ages 18–30 years, and whether peer tobacco use exacerbated the effects of the depressive symptoms. Participants were 4534 initially 18–25-year-old young adults in the Marketing and Promotions Across Colleges in Texas project (Project M-PACT), which collected data across a 4.5-year period from 2014 to 2019. Growth curve modeling within an accelerated design was used to test study hypotheses. Elevated depressive symptoms were associated with a greater number of tobacco products used concurrently and at least six months later. The number of tobacco-using peers moderated the association between depressive symptoms and the number of tobacco products trajectory. Young adults with elevated depressive symptoms used a greater number of tobacco products but only when they had a greater number of tobacco-using peers. Findings indicate that not all young adults with depressive symptoms use tobacco. Having a greater number of tobacco-using peers may facilitate a context that both models and encourages tobacco use. Therefore, tobacco prevention programs should aim to include peer components, especially for young adults.
Presidential address to the American Association of Immunologists. Stimulating naive T cells.

Being introduced for this address by Jacques Miller, my Ph.D. supervisor 30 years ago, gives me particular pleasure because Jacques has always been a hero of mine, and I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to train in the lab of one of the great figures in immunology.[⇓][1
Class I Summary: Relative Importance of Forest Source and Sink Strength and Some Potential Consequences of These Functions

The Class I relationship between forest ecosystems and air pollution is of primary importance when the atmospheric load of air contaminants from anthropogenic sources is relatively low. This situation exists locally and regionally when the sources of air pollutants produced by the activities of human beings are not operating or are operating at a low level, or when meteorological conditions are not conducive to atmospheric accumulation. On a global scale, the Class I relationship may be extensive throughout those regions relatively remote from the activities of people. The specific concentration of air contaminants under “low” conditions is variable depending on the pollutant, but in general is meant to approximate “background,” clean-air concentration as, for example, presented by Rasmussen et al. (1975) for the major trace gases in μg m-3: sulfur dioxide (1– 4), hydrogen sulfide (0.3), dinitrogen oxide (460–490), nitric oxide (0.3–2.5), nitrogen dioxide (2–2.5), ammonia (4), carbon monoxide (100), ozone (20–60), and reactive hydrocarbons (< 1). Since the majority of air contaminants of greatest significance to vegetative and human health (Table 2–1) originate from, and are removed by, both anthropogenic and natural agents, it is essential to evaluate the importance of forest ecosystems in the latter group.