cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrospun TiO2 Nanofelt Surface-Decorated with Ag Nanoparticles as Sensitive and UV-Cleanable Substrate for Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering

In this study, the free-standing electrospun nanofibrous mat (i.e., nanofelt) consisting of anatase-phase TiO2 nanofibers with diameters of ∼200 nm was prepared, and the nanofelt was subsequently surface-decorated with Ag nanoparticles via an electroless plating method. The sensitivity toward surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and UV-cleanable property of electrospun TiO2/Ag nanofelt were then investigated. In the SERS tests, the target analyte (i.e., 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, Rhodamine 6G, and 4-aminothiophenol) was first adsorbed onto the TiO2/Ag nanofelt as the probe analyte; this was followed by the measurements of Raman intensity and SERS maps. Thereafter, the nanofelt adsorbed with target analyte was cleaned and regenerated/recovered upon UV irradiation in O2-saturated water, and the removal of target analyte was attributed to photodegradation property of anatase-phase TiO2. This study suggested that the electrospun TiO2/Ag nanofelt would be promising as SERS-active substrate with UV-cleanable p...
Septation of the Ascus in Dothidina

A peculiar condition of septation of the ascus of Dothidina costaricensis Stevens was reported by F. L. Stevens in 1927.1 This septation occurs either longitudinally or transversely. The phenomenon of septation of the ascus is very rare, occurring, so far as is known, in only a few other fungi which are widely separated taxonomically. The condition has been reported in the genera Otthiella,1 Ascobolus* Sphaerophoron* Acroscyphus,z Lichina 3 and Paulia? According to the usual way in which spores are delimited from the ascoplasm following the ordinary mitotic division this phenomenon seems to be unexplainable. With the hope of throwing further light upon this condition sections of Dothidina costaricensis Stevens were cut ten microns
Suppression of the Two-Spotted Spider Mite on Strawberry with Mass Releases of Phytoseiulus persimilis

Biological control of Tetranychus urticae Koch on strawberry was investigated in southern California during 1966-67. Mass releases of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot were made at the equivalent rate of 320,000 total/acre at weekly intervals for 8 weeks, starting January 10. Populations of prey and predators were followed at weekly intervals throughout the study. T. urticae was effectively suppressed by P. persimilis with the pest population reaching a peak of 29.2 mites per leaflet in the release plots on May 23, and 75.3 per leaflet in the check (no release) on April 19. The differences in the overall spider mite population and the percentage of spider mite infested leaflets between the check and release plots were statistically significant. Fruit yield was not significantly different but averaged 7.4% higher in the release plots for the 4-month period that the fruit was harvested. The six spotted thrips, Scolothrips sexmaculatus (Pergande), was the most abundant native predator associated with the spider mite population.
Living under surveillance: Gender, psychological distress, and stop-question-and-frisk policing in New York City

A growing body of research highlights the collateral consequences of mass incarceration, including stop-and-frisk policing tactics. Living in a neighborhood with aggressive policing may affect one's mental health, especially for men who are the primary targets of police stops. We examine whether there is an association between psychological distress and neighborhood-level aggressive policing (i.e., frisking and use of force by police) and whether that association varies by gender. The 2009-2011 New York City (NYC) Stop, Question, and Frisk Database is aggregated to the neighborhood-level (N = 34) and merged with individual data from the 2012 NYC Community Health Survey (N = 8066) via the United Hospital Fund neighborhood of respondents' residence. Weighted multilevel generalized linear models are used to assess main and gendered associations of neighborhood exposures to aggressive police stops on psychological distress (Kessler-6 items). While the neighborhood stop rate exhibits inconsistent associations with psychological distress, neighborhood-level frisk and use of force proportions are linked to higher levels of non-specific psychological distress among men, but not women. Specifically, men exhibit more non-specific psychological distress and more severe feelings of nervousness, effort, and worthlessness in aggressively surveilled neighborhoods than do women. Male residents are affected by the escalation of stop-and-frisk policing in a neighborhood. Living in a context of aggressive policing is an important risk factor for men's mental health.
Why are children hospitalized in Spain

Objective Hospital services represent a significant amount of the overall health care devoted to the pediatric population. This work describes regional differences in Spanish pediatric hospital admissions. Patients and methods National, regional, age-specific and diagnostic-specific discharge rates were obtained from the 1987 Hospital Morbidity Survey. To assess regional variations, weighted coefficient of variations (WCV) were obtained. Results The overall national discharge rate was 60.45 discharges per 1000 children less than 15 years of age. The weighted coefficient of variation obtained for the sex and age adjusted discharge rates of the 10 more frequent diagnoses was highest for phimosis (56.13) and lowest for appendicitis (19.44). Conclusions Differences in supply and professional practice style have been recognized as causes for the variations in hospital utilization. Hospitalization of patients represents costs and risks. They are justified when scientific evidence shows that their suggested benefits overcome their inconveniences. The existence of this difference leads to suspect that non-clinical factors could be decisive in medical decisions.
Acquired Renal Cystic Disease in the End Stage Kidney: Urological Implications

AbstractA unique form of acquired renal cystic disease occurs commonly in the end stage kidneys of patients with chronic renal failure. Recent experience with 3 cases of acquired renal cystic disease has made us aware that the condition has significant urological implications. The pathogenesis of this disease is unknown but may be related to tubular obstruction, ischemia or the accumulation of toxic products. The diagnosis of acquired renal cystic disease is established by either ultrasound or computerized tomography, both of which demonstrate bilateral multiple small cysts scattered throughout the cortex and medulla of the contracted end stage kidney. Acquired renal cystic disease usually is asymptomatic but may be associated with either hemorrhage or neoplasia. Autopsy studies have revealed renal tumors in up to 45 per cent of the patients with acquired renal cystic disease. These tumors usually are small but our case 3 was a renal cell carcinoma that measured 4 cm. in diameter. Also, there have been ot...
Functional Analysis of the Rhoptry Kinome during Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection

ABSTRACT Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most common parasitic infections of humans worldwide. Once exposed, humans remain infected with T. gondii for life, and there are no therapeutics capable of eliminating a chronic infection. In the search for novel drug targets, T. gondii is known to contain several unique secretory organelles, one of which is called the rhoptries. Rhoptry organelles contain and secrete numerous proteins with kinase domains, but the roles of most of these kinases during infection remain unknown. In a recent mBio article, B. A. Fox et al. [mBio 7(3):e00193-16, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/mBio.00193-16] performed a tour de force deletion analysis of 31 rhoptry kinases and examined their roles in the development of chronic infection. While rhoptry kinase deletion strains that displayed an acute infection defect also showed a reduction in chronic infection cyst burden, two rhoptry kinase deletion strains had decreased cyst burden without any change in acute virulence. These results indicate the necessity of the rhoptry kinases for the establishment and perhaps maintenance of chronic infection. They also highlight the potential of these kinases as drug targets to clear chronic infection or as candidates to generate a nonpersisting vaccine.
EXTENDING LKN CLIMATE REGIONALIZATION WITH SPATIAL REGULARIZATION: AN APPLICATION TO EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Regional climate is a critical factor in public health research, adaptation studies, climate change burden analysis, and decision support frameworks. Existing climate regionalization schemes are not well suited for these tasks as they rarely take population density into account. In this work, we are extending our recently developed method for automated climate regionalization (LKN-method) to incorporate the spatial features of target population. The LKN method consists of the data limiting step (L-step) to reduce dimensionality by applying principal component analysis, a classification step (K-step) to produce hierarchical candidate regions using k-means unsupervised classification algorithm, and a nomination step (N-step) to determine the number of candidate climate regions using cluster validity indexes. LKN method uses a comprehensive set of multiple satellite data streams, arranged as time series, and allows us to define homogeneous climate regions. The proposed approach extends the LKN method to include regularization terms reflecting the spatial distribution of target population. Such tailoring allows us to determine the optimal number and spatial distribution of climate regions and thus, to ensure more uniform population coverage across selected climate categories. We demonstrate how the extended LKN method produces climate regionalization can be better tailored to epidemiological research in the context of decision support framework.
The Application of Organizational Behavior Models to the Development of Effective Industrial Marketing Strategy

Understanding the environment of industrial marketing and how decisions are made in regard to suppliers and products involves a basic knowledge of what the industrial marketplace is, how it differs from consumer markets and behavior, and how factors unique to the industrial buying environment interact to influence ultimate buying decisions. Three models of organizational buying behavior are used to illustrate the development of effective industrial marketing strategy.
C.3 The challenge of CDM testing

CDM is recognized as the main ESD threat in today’s electronics manufacturing environment. Unfortunately CDM is increasingly seen as immature. There are competing standards: JEDEC and ESDA versions of Field Induced CDM (F-CDM), JEITA’s direct charging CDM and even use of the Socketed Device Model, each producing different failure thresholds. F-CDM, the most widely accepted, has numerous technical challenges. Air discharge in F-CDM has inherent variability, F-CDM is a challenge for small and odd shaped devices, the pulse size does not scale with C for large packages and waveforms that look excellent at 1GHz have higher frequency components that can affect test results. Meanwhile designers face limits on the current that can be carried during a CDM event. This workshop will allow panelists and attendees to express concerns and describe a path to a better CDM test environment.
A Theory of Vagueness and Privacy Risk Perception

Ambiguity arises in requirements when astatement is unintentionally or otherwise incomplete, missing information, or when a word or phrase has morethan one possible meaning. For web-based and mobileinformation systems, ambiguity, and vagueness inparticular, undermines the ability of organizations to aligntheir privacy policies with their data practices, which canconfuse or mislead users thus leading to an increase inprivacy risk. In this paper, we introduce a theory ofvagueness for privacy policy statements based on ataxonomy of vague terms derived from an empiricalcontent analysis of 15 privacy policies. The taxonomy wasevaluated in a paired comparison experiment and resultswere analyzed using the Bradley-Terry model to yield arank order of vague terms in both isolation andcomposition. The theory predicts how vague modifiers toinformation actions and information types can becomposed to increase or decrease overall vagueness. Wefurther provide empirical evidence based on factorialvignette surveys to show how increases in vagueness willdecrease users' acceptance of privacy risk and thusdecrease users' willingness to share personal information.
Expanding the language network: Domain-specific hippocampal recruitment during high-level linguistic processing

Language processing requires us to encode linear relations between acoustic forms and map them onto hierarchical relations between meaning units. Such relational binding of linguistic elements might recruit the hippocampus given its engagement by similar operations in other cognitive domains. Historically, hippocampal engagement in online language use has received little attention because patients with hippocampal damage are not aphasic. However, recent studies have found that these patients exhibit language impairments when the demands on flexible relational binding are high, suggesting that the hippocampus does, in fact, contribute to linguistic processing. A fundamental question is thus whether language processing engages domain-general hippocampal mechanisms that are also recruited across other cognitive processes or whether, instead, it relies on certain language-selective areas within the hippocampus. To address this question, we conducted the first systematic analysis of hippocampal engagement during comprehension in healthy adults (n=150 across three experiments) using fMRI. Specifically, we functionally localized putative "language-regions" within the hippocampus using a language comprehension task, and found that these regions (i) were selectively engaged by language but not by six non-linguistic tasks; and (ii) were coupled in their activity with the cortical language network during both "rest" and especially story comprehension, but not with the domain-general "multiple-demand (MD)" network. This functional profile did not generalize to other hippocampal regions that were localized using a non-linguistic, working memory task. These findings suggest that some hippocampal mechanisms that maintain and integrate information during language comprehension are not domain-general but rather belong to the language-specific brain network.
How Gender-Role Salience Influences Attitude Strength and Persuasive Message Processing

We conducted three studies to examine the relationship between gender and persuasion. We tested the notion that making gender roles salient affects the strength of individuals’ attitudes and the wa...
Targeting Autophagy in Cancer: Update on Clinical Trials and Novel Inhibitors

Eukaryotes use autophagy as a mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis by degrading and recycling organelles and proteins. This process assists in the proliferation and survival of advanced cancers. There is mounting preclinical evidence that targeting autophagy can enhance the efficacy of many cancer therapies. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is the only clinically-approved autophagy inhibitor, and this systematic review focuses on HCQ use in cancer clinical trials. Preclinical trials have shown that HCQ alone and in combination therapy leads to enhancement of tumor shrinkage. This has provided the base for multiple ongoing clinical trials involving HCQ alone and in combination with other treatments. However, due to its potency, there is still a need for more potent and specific autophagy inhibitors. There are multiple autophagy inhibitors in the pre-clinical stage at various stages of development. Additional studies on the mechanism of HCQ and other autophagy inhibitors are still required to answer questions surrounding how these agents will eventually be used in the clinic.
Curating, Not Weeding

Trends in local usage and networked access suggest refocusing traditional emphasis on storing print in library space that could serve other library student–success goals. This case study of a weedi...
Missingness of Height Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys in Africa between 1991 and 2016 Was Not Random but Is Unlikely to Have Major Implications for Biases in Estimating Stunting Prevalence or the Determinants of Child Height.

Background Obtaining accurate information on child height is essential for targeting interventions to reduce stunting. Thus, large-scale nutrition surveys must ensure that samples are representative of underlying populations of interest. Without accurate representation, resources for combating child stunting may be inefficiently allocated. Objective This study examined differences between children with (92.7%) and without (7.3%) complete and biologically plausible height data available from the Demographic and Health Surveys. Methods A total of 116 Demographic and Health Surveys conducted between 1991 and 2016 from 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were merged. Differences between children with and without biologically plausible height data were examined with the use of chi-square tests, t tests, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression with survey cluster-level fixed effects. Results Of the whole sample, 97.9% of children had complete height data and 92.7% of children had complete and biologically plausible height data. There were sociodemographic and socioeconomic differences between those with and those without complete and biologically plausible height data. Children with usable height data were more likely to have a health card seen by the survey enumerator [mean height-for-age z score (HAZ): -1.32] than not (mean HAZ: -1.44) (P < 0.001), be older (mean HAZ: -1.63) than younger (mean HAZ: -1.11) (P < 0.001), have been ill in the previous 2 wk (mean HAZ: -1.43) than not ill (mean HAZ: -1.33) (P < 0.001), live in urban areas (mean HAZ: -1.13) than in rural areas (mean HAZ: -1.44) (P < 0.001), have literate mothers (mean HAZ: -1.16) than illiterate mothers (mean HAZ: -1.53) (P < 0.001), have mothers with more education (mean HAZ: -1.23) than not (mean HAZ: -1.54) (P < 0.001), and have more household wealth (mean HAZ: -0.82) than not (mean HAZ: -1.56) (P = 0.038). Conclusions Missing data from the DHS anthropometry questionnaires may affect research on child height, but overall effects are likely small. Given the trends in nutritional epidemiology toward the use of large-scale national surveys, understanding the ways in which biases arise as sample sizes increase is essential.
Should you take your brand to where the action is

When markets turn hostile, it's no surprise that managers are tempted to extend their brands vertically--that is, to take their brands into a seemingly attractive market above or below their current positions. And for companies chasing growth, the urge to move into booming premium or value segments also can be hard to resist. The draw is indeed strong; and in some instances, a vertical move is not merely justified but actually essential to survival--even for top brands, which have the advantages of economies of scale, brand equity, and retail clout. But beware: leveraging a brand to access upscale or downscale markets is more dangerous than it first appears. Before making a move, then, managers should ascertain whether the rewards will be worth the risks. In general, David Aaker recommends that managers avoid vertical extensions whenever possible. There is an inherent contradiction in the very concept because brand equity is built in large part on image and perceived worth, and a vertical move can easily distort those qualities. Still, certain situations demand vertical extensions, and Aaker examines both the winners and the losers in the game. Managers may find themselves facing a situation that presents both an emerging opportunity and a strategic threat, and alternatives to vertical extensions may have even higher risks and costs. Furthermore, a number of brands have been extended vertically with complete success. If after assessing the risks and rewards you conclude that a vertical extension is on the horizon, proceed with caution. And keep in mind that your challenge will be to leverage and protect the original brand while taking advantage of the new opportunity.
Laparoscopic-assisted esophagectomy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus has the most rapidly increasing incidence of any cancer in the United States.[1] At the time of diagnosis, most persons present with locally advanced disease, making the prognosis of patients with esophageal cancer very poor. Surgery is one of the potential curative treatment modalities in this setting. With improved staging, selection and perioperative care, mortality rates have fallen and postoperative survival has risen to around 30% at 5 years.[2] Even so, the operative procedure remains a significant intervention for the patient. Open resection involves a long operation, large incisions, obligatory postoperative care in the intensive care unit, and significant risk for morbidity and death. Indeed, esophagectomy has the highest mortality rate within the sphere of elective gastrointestinal surgery, with a 30-day mortality rate of around 13% in all centers and 5% in high-volume centers.[3] The 2 classic and widespread operations to treat esophageal cancer are the Ivor-Lewis operation (right-side thoracotomy in combination with laparotomy using a thoracic anastomosis) and the transhiatal esophagectomy described by Orringer and Sloan.[4] The main advantage of the Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy is the improved, direct exposure allowing for an en-block resection of the esophagus and surrounding structures. The disadvantages are the pain and pulmonary complications related to the necessary thoracotomy. These serious complications can be overcome by the transhiatal approach, in which the esophagus is dissected through the hiatus and afterward, divided through a cervical abdominal approach, avoiding a thoracotomy. Nonetheless, the potential disadvantage is the poor exposure and lack of vision to and within the mediastinum, which may compromise the radial resection margins and lymphadenectomy.[5] 1. A 59-year-old white man with a longstanding history of gastroesophageal reflux disease dating back to childhood and adolescence underwent a screening upper endoscopy and was found to have long-segment (8 cm) Barrett's esophagus with a 1.5-cm nodule that proved to be adenocarcinoma. He has no dysphagia or other alarm signs. He is otherwise healthy. Which of the following is the most appropriate imaging technique for loco-regional staging of this tumor? Computed tomography (CT) Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) Positron emission tomography (PET) Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series B) Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is correct. Further discussion is in the next section.
Ecological urbanism in East Asia: A comparative assessment of two eco-cities in Japan and China

Abstract The growth of projects translating the concept of eco-city into practices has accelerated during the last fifteen years, making the eco-city a global phenomenon. Asia in particular has witnessed notable developments, characterized by strong governmental intervention and national initiatives to create model eco-cities. In Japan, the central government launched an “Eco-Model Cities” program in 2008 and has designated twenty-three model cities. In China, hundreds of municipalities have pursued plans to become an eco- or low-carbon city following the government’s demonstration projects. Across East Asia, the eco-city is promoted as an innovative urban policy capable of advancing the agendas of sustainable urbanization and the realignment of the post-industrial urban economy. This paper compares the policies and strategies of developing eco-cities in Japan and China using Kitakyushu and Tianjin Eco-city as case studies. It examines these cities’ common and contrasting approaches to ecological urbanism, their respective technological and urban design strategies, the relationship between eco-city building and local economic development, and the roles played by different stakeholders in this effort. The research focuses on their Key Performance Indicator systems and the spatial qualities they anticipate, which reflect fundamentally different ideas about what societal role an eco-city should best play. The comparative method sheds light on debates around important aspects of planning and managing an eco-city––namely, between new town and retrofit development, between top-down directive and bottom-up force, and between the eco-city as technology and as culture. This paper thus offers critical insight into the changing notions of urbanity within Asian society.
Using the common-sense model to understand health outcomes for medically unexplained symptoms: a meta-analysis

ABSTRACTConsistent with the common-sense model of self-regulation, illness representations are considered the key to improving health outcomes for medically unexplained symptoms and illnesses (MUS)...
Noninvasive and ultrasensitive quantitation of circulating tumor DNA by hybrid capture and deep sequencing.

11016 Background: No validated biomarkers exist for minimal residual disease (MRD) detection in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to design a next-generation sequencing-based method for ...
Abstract 139: Inpatient Nursing Stroke Champions Improve Stroke Education Retention at 7 Days and 90 Days Post Discharge

Background: Patients with deficient stroke knowledge characteristically present to the hospital outside the treatment window. Providing effective inpatient stroke education motivates patients to ch...
Atrial Fibrillation and Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Abnormalities.

Background and Purpose— Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with dementia independent of clinical stroke. The mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. In a community-based cohort, ...
Special problems associated with reprocessing instruments in outpatient care facilities: Physical spaces, education, infection preventionists, industry, reflections.

The infection preventionists’ (IPs’) presence and intervention in outpatient facilities continues to lag behind the inpatient hospital IPs’ presence. Additionally, in an outpatient world that is heavy on instrument reprocessing, IPs must be prepared to assess instrument reprocessing practices, including high-level disinfection and sterilization to keep our patients and staffs safe. This paper presents 3 problems associated with instrument reprocessing practices in health care facilities, with a special emphasis on outpatient facilities: physical space problems, training and education problems, and lack of IPs’ presence. We offer solutions and mitigation strategies for these 3 problems. We also give some reflections on the current state of IP presence and responsibilities, and industry responsibilities, and we call for robust partnerships between IPs and the instrument reprocessing industry.
Temperature thresholds and the effect of warming on American farmland value

Many studies suggest that warming is harmful to American crop yields because of a temperature threshold near 30 °C whereupon yields abruptly fall. This study uses a flexible daily temperature bin specification in a Ricardian model to measure the response of farmland value to daily temperature. The analysis does not find evidence that high temperatures are particularly harmful to farmland or cropland value in the Eastern United States. Instead, temperature has a smooth hill-shaped effect on farmland value with a peak temperature of about 18 °C. Nonetheless, the Ricardian model predicts that cropland values would fall linearly by 15%/°C with uniform warming, while farmland values of mixed farms would fall far less.
Modeling and analysis of highway emission dispersion due to noise barrier and automobile wake effects

Abstract Highway automobile emissions is an important environmental issue and can be complex due to the influences of multiple factors such as noise barrier configurations, vehicle induced wake flows, and traffic flow conditions. To better understand this phenomenon, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model has been developed and implemented to simulate the automobile emissions dispersion under various conditions. The model was first validated by comparing simulation results of velocity and emission concentration with data from a wind tunnel experiment in the literature. Furthermore, simulation and analysis revealed that with the existence of noise barriers, the automobile wake region was enlarged, the flow recirculation zone was enhanced, and the emission concentration level was increased. In addition, vehicle body geometry effects were simulated and analyzed. Results showed that the maximum turbulent kinetic energy can be observed on the upper and lower surfaces of a vehicle due to the shear layer and flow separation. For different vehicle body geometry with slant angle effects, turbulent kinetic energy and the concentration of emission around the vehicles were reduced. Traffic speed, another major factor in highway automobile emissions in general, resulted in more emissions remaining on the highway in congestion cases. Simulation results from this research will help to find possible solutions to solve this environmental issue by obtaining a better understanding of highway automobile emissions through the analyzation of the effects of noise barrier configurations, vehicle induced wake flows, and traffic flow conditions.
Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Tools and Considerations for Electro-Thermo-Mechanical Co-Design of High Voltage Power Modules

Recent developments in EDA tools for power electronics modules have led to simultaneous analysis and optimization of package features with regard to electro-thermal and thermo-mechanical aspects. In this work, two of these EDA tools, PowerSynth and ParaPower, are linked together with a software application programming interface (API) to rapidly explore a combined electro-thermo-mechanical design space and present the user with co-optimized solutions and tradeoffs in a fraction of the time consumed using traditional analysis methods. An overview of this co-design process and its advantages over that of the traditional, iterative approach is presented along with an explanation of the methods used by the respective tools for analysis. Finally, additional considerations and constraints are introduced that ensure manufacturing feasibility and reliable operation at high voltages. A case study in co-design using these tools has been proposed for the final paper.
Optical Fiber Tip Micro Anemometer

This work demonstrates a micro anemometer monolithically integrated onto a cleaved optical fiber via two-photon polymerization microfabrication. The sensing mechanism features an aerodynamically driven rotor which spins in response to an incident flow. Light exiting the core of the optical fiber is reflected back into the fiber core at a flow-dependent rate as the blades pass by. The device operated successfully over a range of 9.35–24.28 LPM using Nitrogen gas, and achieved a linear response of 706 ± 43 reflections/LPM over a range of 10.97–11.79 LPM.
Cover-based allometric estimate of aboveground biomass of a non-native, invasive annual grass (Bromus tectorum L.) in the Great Basin, USA

Abstract Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) presence in the Great Basin is associated with an increase in fire frequency and size, likely due to increased spatial continuity of fine fuel biomass. Measurements of the extent and cover of cheatgrass are steadily improving, but the strength of the relationship between cover and aboveground biomass (AGB) is unclear. An allometric equation that can reliably convert cover to AGB of cheatgrass would allow for improved incorporation of regional estimates of cover into models of fire activity, carbon storage, and net primary productivity, all of which rely on biomass. We measured cover and AGB of cheatgrass at 60 locations in the north-central Great Basin and used these measurements to model the relationship. We found a strong, linear relationship between the percent cover and AGB, which was improved after square root transformation of both cover and AGB, and after incorporating the number of days after peak NDVI that the biomass and cover were measured. These results show that AGB of cheatgrass can be reliably estimated from cover. It is likely that allometric equations based on cover will be effective for other grass species, but care must be taken to account for phenology (e.g., peak NDVI) in the estimation.
Emerging treatment options for cryptosporidiosis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Substantial progress has been made recently on the development of new therapeutics for cryptosporidiosis, an infection by the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium that is associated with diarrhea, malnutrition, growth stunting, cognitive deficits, and oral vaccine failure in children living in low-resource settings. RECENT FINDINGS Various drug discovery approaches have generated promising lead candidates. The repurposed antimycobacterial drug clofazimine was tested in Malawian HIV patients with cryptosporidiosis but was ineffective. Target-based screens identified inhibitors of lysyl-tRNA synthetase, phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, methionyl-tRNA synthetase, and calcium-dependent protein kinase 1. Phenotypic screens led to discovery of a phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase inhibitor, the piperazine MMV665917, and the benzoxaborole AN7973. The relationship between pharmacokinetic properties and in-vivo efficacy is gradually emerging. A pathway to clinical trials, regulatory approval, and introduction has been proposed but additional work is needed to strengthen the route. SUMMARY Several lead compounds with potent activity in animal models and a favorable safety profile have been identified. A sustained effort will be required to advance at least one to clinical proof-of-concept studies. The demonstrated risk of resistance indicates multiple candidates should be advanced as potential components of a combination therapy.
Q2 2021 Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist Confidence Index Research Report

The Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist Confidence IndexTM (Bloomberg ticker symbol: SVVCCI) is based on a recurring quarterly survey (since Q1 2004) of Silicon Valley/San Francisco Bay Area venture capitalists. The Index measures and reports the opinions of professional venture capitalists on their estimations of the high-growth venture entrepreneurial environment in the San Francisco Bay Area over the next 6 - 18 months. The Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist Confidence IndexTM for the second quarter of 2021, based on a June 2021 survey of 32 San Francisco Bay Area venture capitalists, registered 4.16 on a 5-point scale (with 5 indicating high confidence and 1 indicating low confidence). The Q2 2021 Index surged higher from the prior quarter’s reading of 3.82 and highlights the continuing strong recovery in the entrepreneurial economy since the pandemic low point confidence measure of 2.33 in the first quarter of 2020.
The Application of a Soft X-Ray Spectrometer to Study the Oxygen and Fluorine Emission Lines from Oxides and Fluorides

Results are shown for O and F K emission lines from several oxide and fluoride compounds. The spectra are examined for both structure and wavelength. Excitation of the spectra is by both electrons and X-rays. The emission spectra from several oxygen- and fluorine-bearing gases and the influence of the composition of the diffracting crystal on the shape of the observed oxygen spectra are also discussed. Curved crystals of potassium acid phthalate and lead stearate, and a thin-window flow proportional counter, are used to obtain the results.
Which triangulations approximate the complete graph

Chew and Dobkin et. al. have shown that the Delaunay triangulation and its variants are sparse approximations of the complete graph, in that the shortest distance between two sites within the triangulation is bounded by a constant multiple of their Euclidean separation. In this paper, we show that other classical triangulation algorithms, such as the greedy triangulation, and more notably, the minimum weight triangulation, also approximate the complete graph in this sense. We also design an algorithm for constructing extremely sparse (nontriangular) planar graphs that approximate the complete graph.
Acute hypoxia-induced endothelial-dependent suppression of Ca2+ waves in pulmonary arterial myocytes of sheep (1089.14)

Ca2+ responses are important to acute hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial contraction. To better understand these signals and the role of functional endothelium we performed confocal imaging of Fluo-4 loaded pulmonary arterial myocytes of adult sheep using the en-face preparation. The present studies tested the hypothesis that functional endothelium suppresses resting as well as acute hypoxia (~4%) dependent Ca2+ waves in pulmonary arterial myocytes by examining endothelium intact and denuded arteries. Automated analyses were performed to determine the magnitude and kinetics of the oscillatory Ca2+ responses. Endothelium removal decreased the amplitude and area under the curve (AUC) of Ca2+ waves but did not significantly impact the duration, or the rate of rise and fall. Acute hypoxia in endothelium intact arteries suppressed the Ca2+ amplitude, AUC, as well as the duration, and rate of rise and fall. However, endothelium removal prevented these acute hypoxia-induced reductions in the magnitude and kineti...
How and Why Mathematics is Unique as a Social Practice

Difficulties are raised for views that explain consensus in mathematics using only sociological pressure. Mathematical proof is sociologically very peculiar, when compared to other socially constrained practices. A preliminary analysis of the factors that have been at work historically in the “benign fixation of mathematical practice” are then exhumed: dispositions, implicit applications, an implicit logic, all play a role.
Privilege states based access control for fine-grained intrusion response

We propose an access control model specifically developed to support fine-grained response actions, such as request suspension and request tainting, in the context of an anomaly detection system for databases. To achieve such response semantics, the model introduces the concept of privilege states and orientation modes in the context of a role-based access control system. The central idea in our model is that privileges, assigned to a user or role, have a state attached to them, thereby resulting in a privilege states based access control (PSAC) system. In this paper, we present the design details and a formal model of PSAC tailored to database management systems (DBMSs). PSAC has been designed to also take into account role hierarchies that are often present in the access control models of current DBMSs. We have implemented PSAC in the PostgreSQL DBMS and in the paper, we discuss relevant implementation issues. We also report experimental results concerning the overhead of the access control enforcement in PSAC. Such results confirm that our design and algorithms are very efficient.
Relative atony of myometrium underlying the placental site secondary to high cornual implantation—A major cause of retained placentas

Abstract 1. 1. During fifteen hundred deliveries it was necessary to remove the placenta manually 62 times. Of these retained placentas, 72.6 per cent were found to be implanted in the cornual portion of the uterus. Musculature under these placental sites was unusually thin and relatively atonic. 2. 2. During one hundred consecutive deliveries the placenta was located by intrauterine palpation immediately after the second stage and the thickness and tone of musculature underlying the placental site were estimated by bimanual palpation immediately after the third stage. Musculature underlying cornual placental sites was relatively atonic and the average thickness was estimated to be one-third that of the firm musculature underlying all other placental sites. 3. 3. Twenty-five placentas were manually removed immediately after delivery of the baby, and the thickness and tone of musculature underlying respective placental sites were estimated in relation to the same characteristics of the other uterine walls. The musculature of placental sites on the anterior and posterior walls was almost as thick and firm as the other walls of the same uteri. Placental site musculature in the fundus was somewhat thinner and softer. Placental site musculature in the cornua was obviously thinner and relatively atonic. 4. 4. The evidence indicates that the primary cause of retention of many placentas is a relative atony of the musculature underlying placentas implanted high in the cornual region. Constriction below such placentas is due to the normal third-stage retraction, and should be considered more a result of placental retention than a cause of it. 5. 5. Palpable asymmetrical bulging of a uterine horn during a prolonged third stage should lead the obstetrician to suspect this phenomenon as the cause of retention. Occasionally a cornually implanted placenta may be suspected during labor when one cornu is bulbous and contracts poorly.
Direct measurement of intra-cochlear pressure waves

The cochlear travelling wave is fundamental to the ability of the mammalian auditory system to resolve frequency. The seashell-shaped outer bone of the cochlea (the auditory inner ear) contains a spiral of cochlear fluid and the sensory tissue known as the cochlear partition. Sound travels down the ear canal to the eardrum, causing its flexible tympanic membrane to vibrate. This vibration is transmitted to the cochlea via the ossides. Motion of the stapes (the stirrup ossicle) sets the cochlear fluid in motion, which in turn sets the cochlear partition near the states in motion. The motion of the cochlear partition ripples down the cochlear spiral as a travelling wave, stimulating the cochlea's sensory hair cells. The wave peaks near the base (the stapes end) of the cochlea for high frequency tones and near the apex for low frequencies. The fundamental elements of the cochlear travelling wave are fluid pressure and motion and partition forces and motion. However, the wave's direct experimental study has to date relied almost solely on measurements of the partition motion. Here I report finely spaced measurements of intracochlear pressure close to the partition, which reveal the fluid component of the cochlear wave. The penetration depth of the wave is very limited, approximately 15 microm. Over a range of frequencies at least an octave wide, the depth is independent of frequency.
Viral destruction of cell surface receptors

Viral infection is initiated by the attachment of the virus to the appropriate host cells. This process involves a series of dedicated virion proteins that have evolved to specifically recognize one, or a small number, of cell-surface molecules. Although a number of virus–host attachment mechanisms involve direct protein–protein interactions, carbohydrate molecules such as sialic acids (SAs) may also serve as receptor-binding determinants. The binding of viral envelope glycoproteins to carbohydrates on cell membranes plays a significant role in infection by many viruses. In general, the glycoproteins of several lipid-enveloped viruses, including orthmyxoviruses (influenza A, B, and C), toroviruses, and coronaviruses, have three important functions: to recognize the receptor on the cell surface, to mediate viral fusion with the cell membrane, and to destroy the receptor. In the highly infectious influenza A and B viruses, the receptor-binding and membrane-fusion activities of cell entry are carried out by the glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA) (Fig. 1a). The receptor-destroying enzyme (RDE) activity important for virus release is conducted by the glycoprotein/enzyme neuraminidase (NA). In influenza C virus, a single glycoprotein, the hemagglutinin-esterase-fusion (HEF) protein, possesses all three functions. For a number of toroviruses and group 2a coronaviruses, the glycoprotein hemagglutinin esterase (HE) has both receptor-destroying and receptor-binding activities. However, the receptor-binding activity of HE is considered accessory to that of the spike protein (S), a receptor-binding and fusion protein (Fig. 1 b). Our understanding of the structure, mechanism, and evolution of HA, HEF, NA, and S at the molecular level has increased substantially over the past two decades because of the availability of numerous x-ray structural models of these molecules in the unliganded or receptor-bound complexes. In contrast, a lack of detailed structural studies on HE has hindered our understanding of its function and evolution. In this issue of PNAS, Zeng et al. (1 …
Abdominal pain as a predictor of pneumonia in children

Introduction: The abdominal pain may occur in children with pneumonia. When it is present, becomes an important symptom because it focuses attention on digestive tract tending to cause errors in diagnosis. Methods: We prospectively studied 258 children ages 3 to 14 years who were admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of pneumonia. Results: The dominant initial clinical presentation in 22 (8,5%) of the patients was acute abdominal pain. Mean duration of the pain was 17,9 h (range 2 h to 2 days) before the diagnosis of pneumonia was established. Respiratory rate on admission >40 was in 14/22 (63,6%) of the patients. Seventy-three percent of the patients had temperature between 38 and 40°C. WBC ≥ 15000/mm 3 was seen in 15/22 (68,2%). Auscultation abnormalities were present in 17/22 (77,3%) patients. The diagnosis was confirmed in all by chest radiography. It was observed that left-sided pneumonia is capable of mimicking appendicitis almost frequently as right-sided pneumonia. All abdominal symptoms disappeared in all children following the treatment of pneumonia, and no sequelae were observed. Conclusions: In children presenting with acute abdominal pain, pneumonia must also be considered as a possible cause. However, chest radiography should be performed in a child with abdominal pain of unknown cause, especially if there are respiratory symptoms, fever and increased white cell count. Prompt diagnosis is essential, not only to avoid surgical intervention but also to start therapy early and to prevent possible complications of pneumonia.