cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nerve Guidance Conduits Based on Double-Layered Scaffolds of Electrospun Nanofibers for Repairing the Peripheral Nervous System

Compared to the nerve guidance conduits (NGCs) constructed from a single layer of aligned nanofibers, bilayer NGCs with random and aligned nanofibers in the outer and inner layers are more robust and tear-resistant during surgical procedures thanks to an isotropic mechanical property provided by the random nanofibers. However, it remains unclear whether the random nanofibers will interfere with the aligned nanofibers to alter the extension pattern of the neurites and impede regeneration. To answer this question, we seeded dorsal root ganglia (DRG) on a double-layered scaffold, with aligned and random nanofibers on the top and bottom layers, respectively, and evaluated the outgrowth of neurites. The random nanofibers in the bottom layer exerted a negative impact on the extension of neurites projecting from the DRG, giving neurites a less ordered structure compared to those cultured on a single layer of aligned nanofibers. The negative impact of the random nanofibers could be effectively mitigated by preseeding the double-layered scaffold with Schwann cells. DRG cultured on top of such a scaffold exhibited a neurite outgrowth pattern similar to that for DRG cultured on a single layer of aligned nanofibers. We further fabricated bilayer NGCs from the double-layered scaffolds and tested their ability to facilitate nerve regeneration in a rat sciatic nerve injury model. Both histomorphometric analysis and functional characterization demonstrated that bilayer NGCs with an inner surface that was preseeded with Schwann cells could reach 54%, 64.2%, and 74.9% of the performance of isografts in terms of nerve fiber number, maximum isometric tetanic force, and mass of the extensor digitorum longus muscle, respectively. It can be concluded that the bilayer NGCs hold great potential in facilitating motor axon regeneration and functional motor recovery.
A substance in egg yolk which inhibits deterioration of aureomycin activity.

SummaryA substance (or substances) found in egg yolk, inhibits the deterioration of aureomycin activity which ordinarily occurs upon incubation at 37°C. The protective agent is heat stable and of sufficient concentration to permit dilution of egg yolk to 1:4 without significant diminution of aureomycin-protective action. Egg albumen and human serum albumin are not protective in the concentrations used.
Follow-up report of a 5 year old sexually precocious boy; 20 years after removal of a malignant adrenal cortical tumor.

(1952). Follow-Up Report of A 5 Year Old Sexually Precocious Boy. Postgraduate Medicine: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 267-271.
VHH antibodies: emerging reagents for the analysis of environmental chemicals.

A VHH antibody (or nanobody) is the antigen binding fragment of heavy chain only antibodies. Discovered nearly 25 years ago, they have been investigated for their use in clinical therapeutics and immunodiagnostics, and more recently for environmental monitoring applications. A new and valuable immunoreagent for the analysis of small molecular weight environmental chemicals, VHH will overcome many pitfalls encountered with conventional reagents. In the work so far, VHH antibodies often perform comparably to conventional antibodies for small molecule analysis, are amenable to numerous genetic engineering techniques, and show ease of adaption to other immunodiagnostic platforms for use in environmental monitoring. Recent reviews cover the structure and production of VHH antibodies as well as their use in clinical settings. However, no report focuses on the use of these VHH antibodies to detect small environmental chemicals (MW < 1500 Da). This review article summarizes the efforts made to produce VHHs to various environmental targets, compares the VHH-based assays with conventional antibody assays, and discusses the advantages and limitations in developing these new antibody reagents particularly to small molecule targets.
Bolstering the pipeline for primary care: a proposal from stakeholders in medical education.

The Association of American Medical Colleges reports an impending shortage of over 90,000 primary care physicians by the year 2025. An aging and increasingly insured population demands a larger provider workforce. Unfortunately, the supply of US-trained medical students entering primary care residencies is also dwindling, and without a redesign in this country’s undergraduate and graduate medical education structure, there will be significant problems in the coming decades. As an institution producing fewer and fewer trainees in primary care for one of the poorest states in the United States, we propose this curriculum to tackle the issue of the national primary care physician shortage. The aim is to promote more recruitment of medical students into family medicine through an integrated 3-year medical school education and a direct entry into a local or state primary care residency without compromising clinical experience. Using the national primary care deficit figures, we calculated that each state medical school should reserve 20–30 primary care (family medicine) residency spots, allowing students to bypass the traditional match after successfully completing a series of rigorous externships, pre-internships, core clerkships, and board exams. Robust support, advising, and personal mentoring are also incorporated to ensure adequate preparation of students. The nation’s health is at risk. With full implementation in allopathic medical schools in 50 states, we propose a long-term solution that will serve to provide more than 1,000–2,700 new primary care providers annually. Ultimately, we will produce happy, experienced, and empathetic doctors to advance our nation’s primary care system. Keywords: curriculum; family medicine; residency; wellness; disparities (Published: 5 July 2016) Citation: Med Educ Online 2016, 21: 32146 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v21.32146
A Neuro-Legal Lingua Franca: Bridging Law and Neuroscience on the Issue of Self-Control

Neuroscientists are rapidly adding to our understanding of human behavior. This article argues that if the law wants the full benefits of neuro-scientific knowledge, it should attempt to develop a lingua franca — a method of communication understandable to both scientists and lawyers — based on neuro-scientific concepts. As a demonstration of such an attempt, we describe in a preliminary way how the criminal law’s concept of self-control might be operationalized using constructs, domains, processes and tasks familiar to neuroscientists. In the course of doing so, we stress the limits of scientific inference (particularly as it pertains to legally relevant individual-level assessment) and the fact that, despite semantic similarities, scientific constructs often do not track with the law's normative precepts.
Cloning of the E . coli lamB Gene with Constitutive Expression

E. coli HBl0l was mutagenized by λ::Tn5. After segregation, λ-resistant mutants were selected and screened for a non-reverting Mal- phenotype, yielding strain ECGl. ECGl could be complemented to Mal+, λs by plasmid pH7 carrying wild type malT+. However in genomic hybridizations using cloned malT as a probe, Tn5 in ECGl was not inserted in malT, nor were deletions observed in this region. Pl-transduction and F-mediated conjugation suggest instead that the Tn5 induced mutation is tightly linked to the malB region. ECGl displays a leaky phenotype for lamB: invivo packaged selectable cosmids infect ECGl at a frequency 10−5 that of wiId-type.
Lipid composition in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) sperm possessing different cryoresistance.

The present study examined the lipid composition of plasma membranes in carp sperm with different post-thaw motility. The approach adapted for carp sperm cryopreservation, which involves the selection of the most effective protocol for individual males by comparing two cryoprotective media, was applied to the cryopreservation procedure. Sperm motility prior to freezing was greater than 80% but decreased to 40% in one group and to 10% in another group following cryopreservation. Lipid content of fresh sperm in all groups was analysed by thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography, with significant differences in phospholipid content, cholesterol and free fatty acids detected between groups, whereas the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was extremely similar between groups (0.52 ± 0.038 and 0.52 ± 0.022). Increasing concentrations of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated acids and decreasing concentrations of polyunsaturated n-6 fatty acids were negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with post-thaw motility of the carp sperm.
A face versus non-face context influences amygdala responses to masked fearful eye whites

The structure of the mask stimulus is crucial in backward masking studies and we recently demonstrated such an effect when masking faces. Specifically, we showed that activity of the amygdala is increased to fearful facial expressions masked with neutral faces and decreased to fearful expressions masked with a pattern mask-but critically both masked conditions discriminated fearful expressions from happy expressions. Given this finding, we sought to test whether masked fearful eye whites would produce a similar profile of amygdala response in a face vs non-face context. During functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning sessions, 30 participants viewed fearful or happy eye whites masked with either neutral faces or pattern images. Results indicated amygdala activity was increased to fearful vs happy eye whites in the face mask condition, but decreased to fearful vs happy eye whites in the pattern mask condition-effectively replicating and expanding our previous report. Our data support the idea that the amygdala is responsive to fearful eye whites, but that the nature of this activity observed in a backward masking design depends on the mask stimulus.
Increased odds of live birth in fresh in vitro fertilization cycles with shorter ovarian stimulation.

Objective To investigate the impact of prolonged ovarian stimulation on pregnancy outcomes in IVF cycles with fresh day 3 ET. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting University-affiliated center. Patient(s) All patients initiating their first IVF cycle with fresh day 3 ET. Prolonged ovarian stimulation was defined as a duration of more than two standard deviations (95th percentile) for the study cohort (i.e., >13 days). Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Live birth rate was considered the primary outcome and was compared between patients undergoing ovarian stimulation for ≤13 days and >13 days. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for all pregnancy outcomes after day 3 ET were calculated. The OR for live birth was adjusted using logistic regression. Result(s) A total of 6,410 and 339 patients underwent ovarian stimulation for ≤13 days and >13 days, respectively. There were no differences in the demographics or mean number of day 3 embryos transferred between the two groups. Ovarian stimulation ≤13 days was associated with increased odds of clinical pregnancy (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.19–3.89) and live birth (OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.25–4.43). The increased odds for live birth in the ≤13-day group remained unchanged after logistic regression. Patients with clinical pregnancies in the >13-day group were younger (34.6 ± 4.91 years) compared with those who did not conceive (38.2 ± 4.72 years). Conclusion(s) Our findings suggest that ovarian stimulation ≤13 days is associated with increased odds of clinical pregnancy and live birth. In patients undergoing ovarian stimulation >13 days, younger age is associated with live birth.
Promoting teamwork may improve infant care processes during delivery room management: Florida perinatal quality collaborative’s approach

Promoting teamwork may improve infant care processes during delivery room management: Florida perinatal quality collaborative’s approach
Executive Association Befitting the Social Contract

This chapter proposes that an associative mindset is required for the executive who strives to carry out the terms of the social contract between business and society. According to the analysis in Chap. 2, these terms are that business should provide stakeholders with triple bottom line benefits. This is the essence of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Whereas Chap. 3 demonstrated that the executive who dissociates a la separation consciousness is not capable of directing an organization to deliver these benefits, Chap. 4 describes the mindset of the executive who is. It does so by identifying some realizations necessary for an associative mindset that perceives unity instead of separation in decision domains. These realizations are informed by insights gleaned from the summaries of business and society research in Chap. 2, and they set the stage for the model of CSR discovery leadership in Chap. 5.
Secrecy capacity probability of a SIMO system with dissimilar and non-integer Nakagami-m fading factors

In this paper, we investigate the information-theoretic secrecy of a system with multiple legitimate receivers and multiple eavesdroppers. This system is subject to the Nakagami-m fading. Unlike some existing works, we do not assume that the fading parameters are identical or integers. Although the complexity is significantly increased, we are able to derive a set of closed-form formulas for the outage probability and the probability of strictly positive secrecy capacity.
Profiling Supply Chain Integration: Differences in Practices, Relationships and Performance between Integration Stages

Integration is recognized as a critical determinant of supply chain performance. In this study, we empirically examine how organizations that are at different stages of integration differ in their practices, relationships and performance. Analyses of data collected from 375 companies indicate that the use of information technologies and process innovations (practices), the presence of positive relationships, and supply chain performance differ by integration stages.
Determinants of Industrial Production in Turkey

The necessity of emphasizing the importance of industrial production for the sustainable growth and development of Turkey has been a topic of discussion in political and academia circles. The growth in industrial production (output) depends on the investment in manufacturing sectors and the demand for the products. Along with internal demand, Turkey tries to support its manufacturing base with export (incentives). Manufacturing items occupy the greatest share of products in export sales. The development of manufacturing capabilities of the country is clearly based on the demand from inside and out. The effect of Turkey’s export on its industrial production throughout 2000’s has been analyzed. For this purpose we developed a VAR model where industrial production index was the dependent variable and export, investment, and interest rate were independent variables. All independent variables were found to be significantly explaining industrial production.
An Introduction to the Solifugae

The solifuges (Phylum Arthropoda, Subphylum Chelicerata, Class Arachnida, Order Solifugae) represent a group of cursorial arachnids that are rather primitive in appearance. Most of the 900 or so species of solifuges (representing 12 families) inhabit tropical and subtropical desert regions in Africa and Asia, and the Americas. Schmoller (1970) has actually described them as endemic indicators of desert biomes worldwide. The taxonomic status of the Solifugae and their relationships within the Class Arachnida are shown in Table 1.
Are Amyloids Infectious

Misfolding and aggregation of proteins is the main feature of a group of maladies which include most of neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and prion diseases), as well as several systemic amyloidosis. Among them, prion disease are the only one known to be infectious. Current evidence shows that the infectious agent in prion diseases is the misfolded protein and that the molecular mechanisms responsible for transmissibility are very similar to the process of amyloid formation in all protein misfolding disorders (PMDs). In this chapter, we discuss the theoretical and experimental evidences suggesting the possible infectious nature of several PMDs.
Physiological response to water aerobics.

Heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (VO2) measured during water aerobics (WA) were compared to maximal values obtained during an incremental treadmill test to assess the energy demand and potential cardiorespiratory (CR) training effects of WA. Sixteen college-age females served as subjects (mean +/- SD = 20.4 +/- 1.6 years). WA elicited a mean HR of 162 b.min-1 and a mean VO2 of 18.4 ml.kg-1.min-1 which represented 74% of HR reserve, 82% of maximal HR, and 48% of VO2 max. Average caloric expenditure was 5.7 kcal.min-1. HR values for WA were consistent with guidelines established by the American College of Sports Medicine for developing and maintaining CR fitness in healthy adults. However, the VO2 fell just below the recommended minimum threshold level. It was concluded that WA may provide an attractive alternative to traditional modes of exercise for improving CR fitness, however, HR measures may overestimate the metabolic intensity of the exercise.
XBP1-KLF9 Axis Acts as a Molecular Rheostat to Control the Transition from Adaptive to Cytotoxic Unfolded Protein Response

Transcription factor XBP1s, activated by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in a dose-dependent manner, plays a central role in adaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) via direct activation of multiple genes controlling protein refolding. Here, we report that elevation of ER stress above a critical threshold causes accumulation of XBP1s protein sufficient for binding to the promoter and activation of a gene encoding a transcription factor KLF9. In comparison to other XBP1s targets, KLF9 promoter contains an evolutionary conserved lower-affinity binding site that requires higher amounts of XBP1s for activation. In turn, KLF9 induces expression of two regulators of ER calcium storage, TMEM38B and ITPR1, facilitating additional calcium release from ER, exacerbation of ER stress, and cell death. Accordingly, Klf9 deficiency attenuates tunicamycin-induced ER stress in mouse liver. These data reveal a role for XBP1s in cytotoxic UPR and provide insights into mechanisms of life-or-death decisions in cells under ER stress.
Data distribution method for scalable actionable pattern mining

Action Rules are rule based systems for discovering actionable patterns hidden in a large dataset. Action Rules recommend actions that a user or a system can undertake to their advantage, or to accomplish their goal. Current Action Rules extraction methods are unable to process huge volumes of data in a reasonable time and it requires a distributed and parallel extraction methods. Limited research has been done on extracting Action Rules using a distributed scenario. Major complications of discovering Action Rules with such distributed systems are data distribution among computing nodes and calculation of major parameters of action rules. In this work, we propose few methods to handle the big data distribution among computation nodes using the Spark framework. With enhanced experiments made on datasets in transportation, medical, and business domains, we show our methods achieve almost equal valid results compared to results from classical non-distributed Action Rule discovery methods with improved run time.
Lnk inhibits myeloproliferative disorder-associated JAK2V617F and JAK2K539L mutations

3465 The JAK2 mutation, JAK2V617F is frequently found in myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) patients and transforms hematopoietic cells to cytokine-independent proliferation, when expressed with specific cytokine receptors. JAK2K539L is a MPD-associated JAK2 exon 12 mutation, with similar effects as JAK2V617F. The SH2 and PH domain-containing adapter protein, Lnk, negatively regulates hematopoietic cytokine receptors through its SH2 domain. Here, we show that Lnk inhibits the constitutive activation of JAK2V617F and JAK2K539L. Lnk overexpression blocked JAK2V617F-meditated transformation of hematopoietic Ba/F3-EpoR cells, while suppression of Lnk by shRNA enhanced proliferation of JAK2V617F-postive leukemic HEL cells. Lnk was phosphorylated by JAK2V617F and interacted with endogenous wild type JAK2 and JAK2V617F. Experiments with a series of Lnk deletion constructs showed that Lnk SH2 domain binds to phosphorylated JAK2, while its PH domain interacts with non-phosphorylated JAK2, and this latter interaction is critical for inhibition of JAK2V617F/K539L constitutive activation. Our results suggest a model wherein Lnk downregulation of JAK2 mutants involves two mechanisms: indirect inhibition of the cytokine receptor utilizing JAK2, and direct suppression of JAK2 kinase activity. These data demonstrate that JAK2V617F is susceptible to negative feedback mechanisms, providing new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of MPD.
Rural–Urban Differences in Baseline Dietary Intake and Physical Activity Levels of Adolescents

Introduction Differences in dietary intake and physical activity may explain the higher prevalence of obesity among adolescents living in rural versus urban settings. The objective of this cross-sectional secondary analysis was to compare baseline dietary intake and physical activity of adolescents by rurality. Methods We analyzed data on 940 adolescents who participated in ACTION PAC (Adolescents Committed to Improvement of Nutrition and Physical Activity), an obesity prevention and management intervention trial conducted from 2014 through 2017 in 8 public high schools in the southwestern United States. Dietary intake was assessed with the Block Food Screener, and participants completed an exercise log and wore an accelerometer to provide data on physical activity. We compared data by rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes and log population density by using multilevel models, with students nested within zip code and repeated measures for accelerometer analysis. Results After adjusting for socioeconomic status and ethnicity, accelerometer data indicated that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was 8.17 min/d (P = .02) higher and sedentary time was 20.42 min/d (P = .02) lower in moderately urban areas than in the urban reference area. Each 1-unit increase in log population density was associated with higher reported intake of whole grains (0.02 ounce equivalents, P = .03), potatoes (0.01 cup equivalents, P = .02), and added sugar (0.37 tsp, P = .02) after adjusting for socioeconomic status and ethnicity. Conclusion Differences in reported dietary intake and physical activity level by measures of rurality were small and inconsistent in direction to explain the disparities observed in rural versus urban areas.
Sociodemographic correlates of cancer fatalism and the moderating role of religiosity: Results from a nationally-representative survey

In general, it has been found that cancer fatalism is negatively associated with important cancer prevention and control behaviors, whereas religiosity is positively associated with these behaviors. Yet, the notion that religiosity gives rise to fatalistic beliefs that may discourage health behaviors is deeply ingrained in the public health literature. In addition, racial/ethnic group membership is associated with higher reports of cancer fatalism, though this association may be confounded by socioeconomic status (SES). A better understanding of the relationships between racial/ethnic group membership, SES, and religiosity may contribute to the development of effective interventions to address cancer fatalism and improve health behaviors. In this study, we examined associations between racial/ethnic group membership, SES, and cancer fatalism as the outcome. In addition, we tested whether religiosity (as measured by religious service attendance) moderated these relationships.
Epidemiology of tuberculosis among children and adolescents in the USA, 2007–17: an analysis of national surveillance data

Summary Background Understanding tuberculosis epidemiology among children and adolescents informs treatment and prevention efforts, and efforts to eliminate disparities in tuberculosis incidence and mortality. We sought to describe the epidemiology of children and adolescents with tuberculosis disease in the USA, including tuberculosis incidence rates by parental country of birth and for US territories and freely associated states, which have not been previously described. Methods We analysed data for children aged younger than 15 years and adolescents aged 15–17 years with tuberculosis disease reported to the National Tuberculosis Surveillance System during 2007–17, and calculated tuberculosis incidence rates using population estimates from the US Census Bureau. Findings During 2010–17, 6072 tuberculosis cases occurred among children and adolescents; of these, 5175 (85%) of 6072 occurred in the 50 US states or the District of Columbia and 897 (15%) of 6072 in US-affiliated islands. In US states, 3520 (68%) of 5175 cases occurred among US-born people overall, including 2977 (76%) of 3896 children and 543 (42%) of 1279 adolescents. The incidence rate among children and adolescents was 1·0 per 100 000 person-years during 2007–17 and declined 47·8% (95% CI −51·4 to −44·1) during this period. We observed disproportionately high tuberculosis rates among children and adolescents of all non-white racial or ethnic groups, people living in US-affiliated islands, and children born in or with parents from tuberculosis-endemic countries. Interpretation Overall, tuberculosis incidence among children and adolescents in the USA is low and steadily declining, but additional efforts are needed to eliminate disparities in incidence and mortality. Funding US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sexual Dimorphisms in Adult Human Brown Adipose Tissue

Objective This study aimed to quantify and compare the amount, activity, and anatomical distribution of cold-activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) in healthy, young, lean women and men. Methods BAT volume and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake were measured by positron emission tomography and computerized tomography in 12 women and 12 men (BMI 18.5-25 kg/m2 , aged 18-35 years) after 5 hours of exposure to their coldest temperature before overt shivering. Results Women had a lower detectable BAT volume than men (P = 0.03), but there was no difference after normalizing to body size. The mean BAT glucose uptake and relative distribution of BAT did not differ by sex. 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake consistent with BAT was observed in superficial dorsocervical adipose tissue of 6 of 12 women but only 1 of 12 men (P = 0.02). This potential BAT depot would pose fewer biopsy risks than other depots. Conclusions Despite differences in adiposity and total BAT volume, we found that healthy, lean, young women and men do not differ in the relative amount, glucose uptake, and distribution of BAT. Dorsocervical 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake was more prevalent in women and may be a remnant of interscapular BAT seen in human newborns. Future studies are needed to discern how BAT contributes to whole-body thermal physiology and body weight regulation in women and men.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Shooting-Arrest Interaction in Houston

Researcher believe that repeat and near-repeat phenomena can inform how police react to earlier crime in preventing the future crime in near space and time. The current research utilizes a modified Knox close-pair method with spatial-temporal referenced data of gun violence and firearm arrests in Houston. The study assesses police responses to repeat/near-repeat and independent shootings and compares their differences at various spatial and temporal intervals. These examinations and comparisons are carried out at a fine-grained spatial scales and temporal scales. Results show that compared to independent shootings, police response to repeat/near-repeat shootings is different in terms of response level and spatial-temporal contour.
Better Late Than Never: Exploring Students' Pathways to Computing in Later Stages of College

While introductory computing courses (i.e., CS1) continue to enroll large proportions of first- and second-year computing majors, more non-majors than ever before are enrolling in CS1 at later points in their college careers. These "latecomers" to computing are a unique population that may be more diverse, given that prior research indicates students from historically underrepresented groups often develop an interest in computing later than White and Asian men. Thus, as computing departments grapple with the pressures to broaden participation, latecomers to CS1 may be a population from which to recruit women and underrepresented students of color. Using survey data from a nationwide study of CS1 course takers, this study explores the demographic and academic background characteristics of students who took CS1 in their third year or beyond. We also analyzed the characteristics and CS1 experiences that predict latecomers' decisions to major or minor in computing. Findings indicate that latecomers came from a variety of academic disciplines and were more likely than computing majors who take CS1 courses earlier in college to be women. However, latecomers who were women were less likely than men to be recruited to a computing major or minor. Additional findings and implications for practice are discussed.
Unearthing deep roots: tapping rhetoric’s generative power to improve community and urban development projects*

Several key questions about evaluating the University of Nevada, Reno’s Campus Master Plan from a “deep roots” perspective are worth considering, both in relation to the 2019 Rhetoric Society of Am...
Grammatical conformity in question-answer sequences: The case of meiyou in Mandarin conversation:

This article probes into grammatical conformity in Mandarin by examining meiyou, a multifunctional negative form, in question-answer sequences. Using a conversation analysis approach, it discovers ...
Molecular mechanism(s) of resistance to vandetanib in medullary thyroid carcinoma.

e15628Background: Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neuroendocrine tumor arising from parafollicular C cells of the thyroid. Pediatric cases of this cancer are associated with the diagnosis of...
Nanometer-Thick MgxZn(1–x)O Ternary Films for Photovoltaics

Owing to their tunable bandgap with the concentration of the Mg dopant, magnesium–zinc oxide (MgxZn(1–x)O) ternary nanometer-thick thin films have been widely studied for applications in the fields...
Team approach: Management of osteonecrosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

With current treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the overall prognosis for survival is favorable. Increasing emphasis is placed on recognizing and managing the long-term consequences of ALL and its treatment, particularly involving osteonecrosis. Early osteonecrosis diagnosis and management may improve outcomes and is best accomplished through coordinated teams that may include hematologic oncologists, radiologists, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and the patient and their family. Magnetic resonance imaging is the "gold standard" for diagnosis of early-stage and/or multifocal osteonecrosis. Treatments for osteonecrosis in ALL patients are risk stratified and may include observation, corticosteroid or chemotherapy adjustment, and pharmaceutical or surgical approaches.
Isolating p- and n-Doped Fingers With Intrinsic Poly-Si in Passivated Interdigitated Back Contact Silicon Solar Cells

Polycrystalline silicon on silicon oxide (poly - Si/SiO x ) passivating contacts enable ultrahigh-efficiency interdigitated back contact silicon solar cells. To prevent shunt between n- and p-type-doped fingers, an insulating region is required between them. We evaluate the use of intrinsic poly - Si for this isolation region. Interdigitated fingers were formed by plasma deposition of doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon through mechanically aligned shadow masks on top of a full-area intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon ( a -Si:H) layer. High-temperature annealing then crystallized the a- Si:H to poly - Si and drove in the dopants. Two mechanisms were identified which cause contamination of the intrinsic poly - Si gap during processing. During deposition of doped fingers, we show using secondary ion mass spectrometry and conductivity measurements that the intrinsic gap becomes contaminated by doped a- Si:H tails several nanometers thick to concentrations of ∼1020 cm−3. Another source of contamination occurs during high-temperature annealing, where dopants desorb from doped regions and readsorb onto intrinsic a- Si:H. Both pathways reduce the resistivity of the intrinsic gap from ∼105 to ∼10−1 Ω·cm. We show that plasma etching of the a- Si:H surface before crystallizing with a capping layer can eliminate the contamination of the intrinsic poly-Si, maintaining a resistivity of ∼105 Ω·cm. This demonstrates masked plasma deposition as a dopant patterning method for Si solar cells.
Distributed parameter simulation of annular-finned tube sorption bed

Abstract A distributed-parameter model of a sorption bed heat and mass exchanger is presented. The model includes energy and mass balances for the heat transfer fluid, tube, annular fins, and adsorbent. The conservation equations are discretized and solved to determine the temperature and uptake profiles for a silica gel-water sorption bed during the isosteric heating and desorption stages of an adsorption heat pump cycle driven by 90°C water. The results show that during the beginning of the heating stage, there are substantial temperature differences (16.5 K over 3 mm) along the radial and axial directions. This temperature gradient translates to a difference in uptake of ~10% across an individual adsorbent cell. The effect of the contact heat transfer coefficient between the adsorbent and tube is also quantified. Significant but achievable improvements in contact heat transfer yield appreciable reductions in sorption bed cycle time.
Applying the Theory of Motivated Information Management to the Context of Conflicting Online Health Information: Implications for Childhood Vaccination Communication with Parents

This study investigates how parents manage conflicting online information, which may affect their information-seeking behavior and decision-making about childhood vaccination, by applying the Theor...
Public responses to nonprofit social media messages: The roles of message features and cause involvement

Abstract This study aims to answer the question of what makes a nonprofit social media message effective in driving favorable behavioral outcomes from publics. Toward this purpose, it draws on multidisciplinary theoretical insights from public relations literature, functional interactivity research, the Elaboration Likelihood Model, and the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing. It theorizes an information-processing account to predict and explain the interplay among social media message appeal (emotional versus informational appeal), functional interactivity (high versus low interactivity), and individuals’ cause involvement (high versus low involvement) on public behavioral outcomes including information sharing, information seeking, and donation intentions. Results of an online experiment revealed significant two-way interactions between message appeal and functional interactivity, between message appeal and cause involvement, and between functional interactivity and cause involvement on different behavioral outcomes. These results bring novel theoretical and practical insights on when, how, and why nonprofit social media communication can be effective.
Defining Nutritional and Functional Niches of Legumes: A Call for Clarity to Distinguish a Future Role for Pulses in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Legume food crops can contribute to the solution of diet-related public health challenges. The rich diversity of the botanical family Fabaceae (Leguminosae) allows legumes to fill numerous nutritional niches. Pulses (i.e., a subgroup of legumes including chickpeas, cowpeas, dry beans, dry peas, and lentils) are a nutrient-dense food that could play a key role in eliminating the dramatic underconsumption of dietary fiber and potassium, two dietary components of public health concern, all while maintaining a caloric intake that promotes a healthy weight status. However, incorrect use of terminology—in the commercial and scientific literature as well as in publications and materials prepared for the consuming public—creates confusion and represents a barrier to dissemination of clear dietary guideline messaging. The use of accurate terminology and a simple classification scheme can promote public health through differentiation among types of legumes, better informing the development and implementation of nutritional policies and allowing health care professionals and the public to capitalize on the health benefits associated with different legumes. Although inconsistent grouping of legumes exists across countries, the recently released 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) were chosen to illustrate potential challenges faced and areas for clarification. In the 2020–2025 DGA, pulses are included in two food groups: the protein food group and ‘beans, peas, lentils’ vegetable subgroup. To evaluate the potential of pulses to contribute to intake of key dietary components within calorie recommendations, we compared 100 kilocalorie edible portions of pulses versus other foods. These comparisons demonstrate the unique nutritional profile of pulses and the opportunity afforded by this type of legume to address public health concerns, which can be greatly advanced by reducing confusion through global harmonization of terminology.
Musical Contortions and Commodity: Objectifying Woman's Body, Exploiting Sexuality and Female Identity in Contemporary Nigerian Music

Womans body, sex and violence are the three great sellers of popular culture. African female body and identity even more so. Music is far reaching than literature in its potential to reflect as well as enlighten. More than not studies of African women rely on literature for data about women. Music is a good measure of cultural climate and movements. Musical lyrics across the African world feature women in numerous hardly enhancing positions -- mostly as objects of male activities and appetite -- white jeeps, horses, twisting, winding and contorting shapely bodies to the gratification of the male subjects; distrusted, maligned and exploited. Women gyrate to musical lyrics that objectify and treat them as commodity. My paper interrogates lyrical and rhythmic hybridization, transformation and adaptation in selected contemporary popular Nigerian lyrics and melodies to show how contemporary musicians depict women as they re-map historical and socio-cultural moments as well as ethical issues across ethnic, gender and class boundaries. The objective is to reveal the true character--the twists and radical turns engendered in selected music by contemporary Nigerian musicians. My immediate focus is on musicians who use a mixture of one or more Nigerian ethnic languages and variations of English. The Nigerian popular or contemporary music oscillates between Fela Anikulapo, the lone voice in the wilderness in his customary state of gradual undress and Lagbaja, his masked successor. The most far reaching social, cultural criticism and ironically the objectification and degradation of women have come from musicians, Daddy Soki, Dede Mabiaku, DBang, Obey, Sunny Ade to Salawatu Abeni, Sonny Okosun to mention a few.
Health Impact of Stigma, Discrimination, Prejudice, and Bias Experienced by Transgender People: A Systematic Review of Quantitative Studies

Introduction: Stigma affects all aspects of transgender peoples' health. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the quantitative findings from the literature focused on the health impact of stigma resulting from discrimination, prejudice, and bias experienced by transgender people.Method: To better understand the current state of the health impact of transgender stigma, the author conducted a search that included stigma, discrimination, prejudice, bias, health, and transgender people.Results: A total of 15 studies met inclusion criteria for review. Results indicate that transgender people experience discrimination, prejudice, and bias at high levels. When internalized, this victimization leads to decreased psychological health, including increased harmful behaviors such as substance abuse and eating disorders, reduced relationship quality, ineffective coping and lower levels of self-esteem, and increased risk of attempted suicide. Internalized stigma also leads to decreased physical health outcomes stemming from healthcare avoidance, reduced healthcare utilization, decreased screenings, and delayed treatment.Discussion: Additional research is needed to enhance generalizability to larger transgender populations. Additional studies are also required to increase provider knowledge and cultural competence to provide safe care environments and transgender-appropriate care. As well, further research is vital to incorporate LGBTQ-sensitive training in healthcare academia.
Effects of Repeated Administration and Comparability of Alternate Forms for the Global Neuropsychological Assessment (GNA).

The Global Neuropsychological Assessment (GNA) is an extremely brief battery of cognitive tasks assessing episodic memory, processing speed, working memory, verbal fluency, executive function, and ...
EGR1 promotes androgen-independent growth and prothrombotic state in prostate cancer

976 During hormone therapy for prostate cancer, a major clinical problem is the development of androgen-independent prostate cancer. The molecular mechanisms underlying the transition from androgen dependence to independence are poorly understood and represent a major therapeutic challenge. Our previous study shows that Early Growth Response Gene (EGR1), which plays an oncogenic role in prostate cancer, binds to the androgen receptor (AR) in prostate carcinoma cells, and modulates AR signaling. In the present study, we further examined the effects of EGR1 on the growth of LNCaP androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells. EGR1 overexpression confers on hormone-sensitive LNCaP cells the ability to grow in low androgen concentrations, while EGR1 knockdown inhibits their growth. LNCaP-EGR1 cells were also resistant to androgen antagonists. These results were confirmed in vivo. In intact mice, there was no significant difference in tumor incidence between LNCaP-Neo and LNCaP-EGR1 cells; however, EGR1 overexpression significantly promoted tumor formation of LNCaP cells in castrated animals. These finding indicate that EGR1 plays a critical role in the transition from androgen-dependence to androgen-independence of prostate cancer by modulating androgen signaling. In addition, we found that there were obvious thrombosis, hemorrhage and fibrin deposition in EGR1 xenografts. EGR1 overexpression increased the expression of some angiogenesis and inflammation factors in LNCaP cells, including fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta1), IL-2 and endomucin. EGR1 xenografts also showed higher mRNA levels of mouse chemokines and procoagulatants, such as IL-8, macrophage chemotatic protein 2 (MCP2), tissue factor (TF), and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1(PAI-1), indicating that EGR1 may contribute to prothrombotic state in prostate cancer through the interaction of tumor cells with host cells. These results may also help to explain the well-known association between prostate carcinoma and thrombosis.
A Human-Computer Interaction Approach for Parameter Estimation of Multi-Fuel Boilers

Abstract It is often difficult to estimate the performance parameters of the multi-fuel boilers which are generally used in the integrated iron and steel works. The estimated parameters only by pure mathematical methods may be contradictory to the people’s experiences, so they can’t be accepted by the operators. We propose a new approach to estimate these parameters by human-computer interaction. At first, the computer acquires the knowledge about the boiler performance from the experts, then, it cut out the unreasonable samples, and determines the above and below boundaries of parameters. The acceptable parameters can be obtained via the multi-fuel interaction decoupling technique and the bounded parameter estimation algorithm developed by author. This approach is used to identify the multi-fuel efficiency curves of the boilers in the power plant of The Anshan Iron and Steel Works, the results have proved that it is very efficient and useful.
On a Rank Invariant of Analytic Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems

Abstract A linear algebraic framework for the analysis of synthesis-type problems for discrete-time nonlinear systems is introduced. This is an extension of a similar tool for continuous-time systems which established important connections between many algorithms associated with right-invertibility, left-invertibility and dynamic decoupling, as well as between these algorithms and an approach based upon differential algebra.
The Joint Dynamics of Internal and External Finance

We document the fact that at both the aggregate and the firm level, corporations tend to simultaneously raise external finance and accumulate liquid assets. For all but the very largest firms, the aggregate correlation between external finance raised and liquidity accumulation is 0.6, and the average firm level correlation is 0.2. This seems puzzling if internal and external finance are substitutes and external finance is costly. In fact, static pecking order intuition predicts that firms will first draw down liquid balances and only then issue external finance. On the other hand, if one believes that the cost of external finance varies over time, then the fact that there appear to be aggregate waves of issuance and savings activity may not be surprising. We show that a simple dynamic model with constant costs of external finance can easily match the observed positive correlation between liquidity accumulation and external finance. We compare the results of this simple model to those from a model which features a shock to the cost of external finance.