cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stranded seed displacement, migration, and loss after permanent prostate brachytherapy as estimated by Day 0 fluoroscopy and 4-month postimplant pelvic x-ray

Abstract Purpose The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of local displacement, distant seed migration to the chest, and seed loss after permanent prostate brachytherapy (PPB) with stranded seeds (SSs) using sequential two-dimensional fluoroscopic pelvic and chest x-rays. Methods and Materials Between October 2010 and April 2014, a total of 137 patients underwent PPB and 4-month followup pelvic and chest x-ray imaging. All patients had exclusively SSs placed and an immediate postimplant fluoroscopic image of the seed cluster. Followup x-ray images were evaluated for the number, location, and displacement of seeds in comparison to Day 0 fluoroscopic images. Significant seed displacement was defined as seed displacement >1 cm from the seed cluster. Followup chest x-rays were evaluated for seed migration to the chest. Results Seed migration to the chest occurred in 3 of the 137 patients (2%). Seed loss occurred in 38 of the 137 patients (28%), with median loss of one seed (range, 1–16), and total seeds loss of 104 of 10,088 (1.0%) implanted. Local seed displacement was seen in 12 of the 137 patients (8.8%), and total seeds displaced were 0.15% (15/10,088). Conclusions SS placement in PPB is associated with low rates of substantial seed loss, local displacement, or migration to the chest. Comparing immediate postimplant fluoroscopic images to followup plain x-ray images is a straightforward method to supplement quality assurance in PPB and was found to be useful in identifying cases where seed loss was potentially of clinical significance.
Considering the Future of African American Archaeology

Contributors to this volume have outlined a number of issues that will continue to influence African American archaeology in the decade. This essay serves to highlight and synthesize these disparate themes into a single discussion. In particular, issues related to the spatial foci of African American archaeology; presentations of the African American past that continue to reflect constructs of racial inequality; and the role of community partnering are emphasized. The essay is closed with a consideration of how issues grappled with in African American archaeology will be of increased importance to the broader historical archaeological community.
Observation and Model Bias Estimation in the Presence of Either or Both Sources of Error

AbstractIn numerical weather prediction and in reanalysis, robust approaches for observation bias correction are necessary to approach optimal data assimilation. The success of bias correction can be limited by model errors. Here, simultaneous estimation of observation and model biases, and the model state for an analysis, is explored with ensemble data assimilation and a simple model. The approach is based on parameter estimation using an augmented state in an ensemble adjustment Kalman filter. The observation biases are modeled with a linear term added to the forward operator. A bias is introduced in the forcing term of the model, leading to a model with complex errors that can be used in imperfect-model assimilation experiments.Under a range of model forcing biases and observation biases, accurate observation bias estimation and correction are possible when the model forcing bias is simultaneously estimated and corrected. In the presence of both model error and observation biases, estimating one and ig...
A Critical Analysis of Reflection as a Goal for Teacher Education

This chapter discusses different views of reflection as a goal for teacher education. First, we examine the different ways in which reflection has been thought about as a goal for teacher education around the world. Next, we discuss three questions in relation to this work (a) the degree to which reflective teacher education has resulted in genuine teacher development, (b) the extent to which the goal of reflection in teacher education has contributed to educational equity, and (c) the relationships between the goal of preparing reflective teachers and what we know about the material realities of teachers work. Following an examination of the use of reflection in one country, China, which explores the influence of global and local forces on the use of reflection in Chinese teacher education, we examine several general trends in the development of the concept of reflection in teacher education in the last 25 years.
Overcoming Existing Limitations in Electricity-based Artificial Intelligence Applications

Machine-learning algorithms have recently been applied to electrical power problems due to their potential to reduce waste and improve electrical grid reliability, but deployment of existing research is hampered by unrealistic assumptions. My thesis focuses on overcoming these assumptions. Autonomous agents have enormous potential to reduce electrical waste and improve reliability of the power grid. Imagine an 'energy feedback' agent at your home or business that identifies electrical waste in real-time, makes recommendations on when to operate different appliances, schedules your dishwasher to run during low-demand hours, and even recommends new appliances you can buy to replace your old, inefficient ones. Such an agent could eliminate billions of dollars of electrical waste every year. Similarly, picture an agent that monitors the power grid, identifies relay misoperations, and corrects them in a fraction of the time required by a human. This agent will have the ability to stop a localized misoperation from creating cascading events, preventing blackouts before they happen.
Thermal analysis of pulsed LED lighting in Plant Factory

LED lighting is studied for Plant Factory because of suitable wavelength and high speed switching. The pulsed LED operating can reduce consumption power of lighting and operating temperature of LED is calculated and measured. Asymmetric pulse shape is tested for lettuce cultivation.
Abstract 16644: An Obligatory Role for Dynamin-Related Protein 1-Mediated Mitochondrial Fission in Oxygen-Sensing and Anatomical Closure of the Human Ductus Arteriosus

Introduction: Closure of the ductus arteriosus (DA) is essential for the transition from fetal to neonatal circulation. Oxygen initiates DA constriction by increasing mitochondrial-derived H 2 O 2 in ductal smooth muscle cells (DASMC). H 2 O 2 acts as a redox second messenger which increases intracellular calcium triggering vasoconstriction. The mechanism by which oxygen alters mitochondrial redox signaling is unknown, however we observed that oxygen rapidly fragments the mitochondrial network. We hypothesized that mitochondrial fission, mediated by dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1), is required for O 2 -induced vasoconstriction and DA closure. Methods: We assessed the effects of inhibiting Drp1 on DA constriction and closure using DA rings from term rabbits (n=48) and human infants (n=30). Drp1 was inhibited by using Mdivi-1, a specific, inhibitor of Drp1 assembly and Drp1 siRNA. DASMC metabolism was measured using a Seahorse analyzer. Mitochondrial fission was quantified using 2-photon confocal microscopy in cells transfected with mitochondrial-targeted photoactivated GFP. Results: Increasing PO 2 from 40 to 140 mmHg fragments the DASMC mitochondrial network within 10-15 minutes by activating Drp1. Mdivi-1 selectively eliminates O 2 -constriction in rabbit DA ([[Unable to Display Character: △]]Tension O 2 : 1548 ± 100 to 275 ± 63 mg, n=8) and human DA (700 ± 102 to 337 ± 92 mg, N=6). Fission increases H 2 O 2 production by activating pyruvate dehydrogenase, and increasing oxidative metabolism. Both are inhibitable by Mdivi-1. Inhibition of Drp1 (or elimination of mitochondrial H 2 O 2 , by mitochondrial-targeted catalase) selectively eliminates O 2 -induced increases in cytosolic calcium. O 2 activates Drp1 by a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-mediated phosphorylation of Drp1 at serine 616. Inhibition of Drp1 decreases O 2 -induced proliferation of DASMC. In a tissue culture model, O 2 -induced DA closure occurs after 3 days in rabbits and 6-14 days in humans. Mdivi-1 preserves the DA lumen versus control (luminal area 4.10 ± 1.29 mm 2 vs 0.04 ± 0.03 mm 2 , human) and prevents anatomical closure. Conclusion: Mitochondrial fission is an obligatory, early step in mammalian O 2 -sensing that is required for DA constriction and closure. Drp1 is a promising target for modulating DA patency.
The Social Construction of the Moral Values of Activity

The history of the moral values of activity is traced from the inception of activity as an intervention in institutions, through the construction of work and play as valued activities. Much of the latter’s moral signature is attributable to the advocacy of Joseph Lee, Luther Gulick, and others who were instrumental in portraying play as a worthy alternative to work for those who could not work. Contemporary insights into the human predilection to be active show a positive correlation with the design of the nervous system—a so-called neurogenic motive. Theoretical implications for an activity perspective on TR draw on intrinsic motivation attributes, the concept of Flow, the competing responses hypothesis, and Widmer and Ellis’ Good Life Model to illustrate the intersection between the social construction of value and a bio-psychological basis for activity. Practical implications are designed around the TR process and developing a helping relationship with the participant. Subscribe to TRJ
Novel monoclonal antibodies detects external portion of the MUC16 in ovarian carcinoma

2129 OC125, M11 and VK8 antibodies recognize CA125 epitopes in the repeating, glycosylated elements in the external domain of the mucin, MUC16, distal to a cleavage site. Although these antibodies have been used to develop serum assays and a variety of other studies on ovarian cancer, they have significant shortcomings for use, since after the cleavage event and CA125 release, there has been no antibody available to track the fate of the remaining MUC16 cleavage product. Studies of membrane receptor pairing or intracellular events have been severely limited by the lack of such a specific antibody for the proximal portion of MUC16. We have produced new MUC16 antibodies through the MSKCC Monoclonal antibody core facility. Using B4 parent vector, peptide sequences were synthesized at MSKCC Microchemistry core facility. We created polypeptides and conjugated to KLH which was then used as the immunogen to mice. Monoclonal antibodies have been sequentially subcloned for each peptide of interest and bioreactor supernatant and purified monoclonal antibody have been produced. Each monoclonal antibody was characterized by ELISA, FACS analysis, Immuno-precipitation and Western blot analysis using GST-MUC16-(carboxyl terminus 114 aa) protein and MUC16-cytoplasmic domain (MUC16-CD) transfected SKOV3 cell lines. Four monoclonals were also characterized by immunohistochemistry on OVCAR3 cell lines. Two of the monoclonal antibodies, 9C9 and 4H11, reactive to the proximal extracellular portion of the MUC16 cytoplasmic domain and OC125 expression were evaluated in tissue microarrays (TMA) representing 87 FIGO stages III and IV high grade ovarian serous carcinomas. We have seen that there is a 92-94% concordance rate for 4H11 vs OC125 immunohistochemistry but there are also 3- 4% of the OC125 negative tissues that are positive for 4H11, indicating that some tumors negative with OC125 retain cytoplasmic and extracellular portions of this glycoprotein. These portions of the molecule are likely involved in signal transduction and are important in the malignant phenotype. We also observed that 4H11-conjugated with Alexa-647 fluorochrome was internalized in OVCAR3 and MUC16-cytoplasmic domain (MUC16-CD) transfected SKOV3 cell lines, while OC125-PE antibodies were not. This opens the possibility of toxin conjugated therapy against MUC16. We are also exploring the interactions with potential molecular partners using these antibodies, both in the cancer cell and in the local environment.
Death Ambivalence and Treatment Seeking: Suicidality in Opiate Addiction.

Rates of suicide and opiate overdose have recently skyrocketed in the USA. In light of impulsivity and impaired motivation common in people with substance use disorders, suicidality is common in addiction. Chart review surveys indicate two primary suicidal populations that are important to distinguish for clinical practice and healthcare policy. One group is heavily composed of people with substance use disorders, in whom chronic compulsive use fosters a numb ambivalence about death (low death intentionality). Many of these individuals with opiate use disorder (OUD) exaggerate suicidality to get prompt psychiatric care to treat the OUD. The second group is composed of those who have comorbid psychiatric disorders and/or chronic pain who have a higher intent to die consistent with traditionally understood suicide risk factors. We contend that easier access to outpatient opiate agonist treatment would avoid unnecessary hospitalizations for death-ambivalent OUD patients and for OUD patients in either group. First-line treatment with an opioid agonist has high potential to effectively treat suicidal ideation as a secondary benefit.
Parent- Versus Child-Based Intervention Strategies for Promoting Children's Well-Being

In the course of human development, there are abundant avenues for interventions aimed at promoting children's well-being. This chapter focuses on the relative effectiveness of parent-based strategies designed to augment human capital and reduce problem behavior, particularly among children reared in economically disadvantaged families. It explains the effectiveness of various parent-based strategies. The chapter considers the relative effectiveness of parentversus child-focused strategies. It deals with an overview of parent- and child-focused interventions and an explanation of the logic that underlies policy–economic choices among them. The chapter reviews parent-based strategies, focusing on both direct parenting interventions and the broader questions of whether and how increasing parental resources such as income and education promotes children's development. It examines the more promising research on interventions that target children's human capital. Management training programs are designed for parents of children with problem behavior, usually conduct disorders.
Measurement and Applications of Fluorescence Lifetimes in the Nanosecond Range Using the Time Correlated Single Photon Technique

The time correlated single photon (TCSP) technique is more commonly known as the “single photon counting” method, a term that has led to confusion with conventional photon counting detection. Both are spectroscopic detection methods but they differ greatly in principle, instrumentation, and application. Perhaps the distinction between the two techniques will be served by first briefly describing photon counting. Photon counting is an instrumental technique for measuring low levels of light or particle beam densities (1–5). Individual photons incident on a photomultiplier tube (PMT) create discrete pulses or bursts of electrons arriving at the anode at a rate directly proportional to the photon flux. The instrumentation is relatively straightforward. The current pulse from the PMT anode is converted to a voltage, amplified, and sent to a pulse height discriminator. Only those pulses within preset voltage limits are passed on to a counter. Advantages of photon counting include: 1) the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio is enhanced compared to the DC current measurement method, 2) the data are in digital form, 3) the sensitivity is greater at low light levels, 4) the measurements may be integrated over long periods of time resulting in higher precision and accuracy(2).
Photoacoustic Waveforms from Laser Heated Particulate Matter

Theoretical expressions are given here that show the temporal profile of the photoacoustic signal from pulsed excitation of a fluid “particle” to contain information about the shape and dimensions of the particle as well as its acoustic properties relative to the surrounding fluid. Experiments are reported with fluid layers excited by 10 ns long laser pulses.
Combination Therapy with Prednisone and Mycophenolate Mofetil in the Management of Cardiac Sarcoidosis

Introduction Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is characterized histologically by the presence of noncaseating granulomas and manifests as conduction abnormality, ventricular arrhythmia and progressive heart failure. With advances in imaging techniques, CS is being increasingly recognized as an underlying cause of cardiomyopathy. To date, there are no randomized trials or published guidelines to direct treatment strategies in CS, specifically in regards to optimal immunosuppressive therapy. We sought to describe our experience using a combination of prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in the treatment of patients (pts) with CS. Methods We retrospectively identified pts with CS who received either prednisone monotherapy or combination therapy with MMF. Outcomes assessed were response to immunosuppression based on occurrence of post-treatment ventricular arrhythmias, change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) on echocardiogram (recovery defined as LVEF ≥ 50%, improvement defined as any increase in LVEF) and change in inflammation on 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET). Results Thirty-seven pts with CS were identified, 9 of whom were classified as having isolated CS. A total of 25 pts (51.5 ± 11.4 yrs old, 40% female, 40% African American (AA)) were treated with combination therapy: 16 were initiated on MMF within 60 days of prednisone and 9 greater than 60 days after prednisone. Twelve pts (57.2 ± 8.8 yrs old, 50% female, 42% AA) were treated with prednisone only. The combination therapy group, when compared to the prednisone only group, were sicker at presentation and more commonly presented with ventricular tachycardia (VT) (8/25, 32% vs 1/12, 8% respectively), advanced AV block (7/25, 28% vs 2/12, 16.7%) and EF Conclusion We found that patients with severe CS appear to respond well to combination therapy with prednisone and MMF, with more than half having improvement in LV function and two-thirds showing improvement in FDG uptake. Those with severe LV dysfunction at treatment initiation however, are less likely to recover LV function. Our experience suggests that MMF is an effective steroid-sparing therapy in patients with CS.
“Inflammatory Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy: Approach to Clinical Diagnosis” (P5.248)

Objective: To report a case of inflammatory cerebral amyloid angiopathy (iCAA) and to review the literature on an approach to its diagnosis and management. Background: iCAA is a rare cause of rapidly progressive cognitive decline driven by both neurodegeneration and autoimmunity. iCAA poses both diagnostic and management challenges. Design/Methods: Case report and literature review. Results: A 70-year-old man developed fatigue that progressed over the course of six weeks to word-finding difficulties, left-sided vision loss, speech arrest, and visual hallucinations. He lost the ability to maintain his occupation as a restaurateur. Exam demonstrated him intermittently picking at the air, perseveration, inattention, and orientation to self and year. He also had optic ataxia. Tone, power, and reflexes were normal. Multiple cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analyses were notable for lymphocytic pleocytosis and elevated protein. All infectious studies were negative. Brain MRI revealed multiple acute and subacute infarcts with cortical microhemorrhages, which progressed over repeat brain imaging. Patient underwent a stereotactic brain biopsy, which revealed thickened small and medium-sized blood vessels positive for amyloid deposition and associated with a perivascular chronic inflammatory-cell infiltrate consisting predominantly of T-cells and macrophages. The final pathologic diagnosis was cerebral amyloid angiopathy with inflammation primarily involving the leptomeninges. He was treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide with improvement in his symptoms for six months and was able to return to work during that time. Conclusions: iCAA is a rare diagnosis that should be included in the differential diagnosis for rapidly progressive cognitive decline with associated CSF lymphocytic pleocytosis. Since brain MRI imaging can be nonspecific, tissue is often required for definitive diagnosis. Immune modulatory treatment in addition to multimodal symptomatic management may help to slow the course of the disease and distinguish this entity from other neurodegenerative or neoplastic diseases. Disclosure: Dr. Crotty has nothing to disclose. Dr. McKee has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saadi has nothing to disclose. Dr. Young has nothing to disclose. Dr. Solomon has nothing to disclose. Dr Lyons has nothing to disclose.
Wrist accelerometer shape feature derivation methods for assessing activities of daily living

There has been an increasing interest in understanding the usefulness of wrist-based accelerometer data for physical activity (PA) assessment due to the ease of use and higher user compliance than other body placements. PA assessment studies have relied on machine learning methods which take accelerometer data in forms of variables, or feature vectors. In this work, we introduce automated shape feature derivation methods to transform epochs of accelerometer data into feature vectors. As the first step, recurring patterns in the collected data are identified and placed in a codebook. Similarities between epochs of accelerometer data and codebook’s patterns are the basis of feature calculations. In this paper, we demonstrate supervised and unsupervised approaches to learn codebooks. We evaluated these methods and compared them with the standard statistical measures for PA assessment. The experiments were performed on 146 participants who wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer on the right wrist and performed 33 activities of daily living. Our evaluations show that the shape feature derivation methods were able to perform comparably with the standard wrist model (F1-score: 0.89) for identifying sedentary PAs (F1-scores of 0.86 and 0.85 for supervised and unsupervised methods, respectively). This was also observed for identifying locomotion activities (F1-scores: 0.87, 0.83, and 0.81 for the standard wrist, supervised, unsupervised models, respectively). All the wrist models were able to estimate energy expenditure required for PAs with low error (rMSE: 0.90, 0.93, and 0.90 for the standard wrist, supervised, and unsupervised models, respectively). The automated shape feature derivation methods offer insights into the performed activities by providing a summary of repeating patterns in the accelerometer data. Furthermore, they could be used as efficient alternatives (or additions) for manually engineered features, especially important for cases where the latter fail to provide sufficient information to machine learning methods for PA assessment.
The role of elastic and plastic anisotropy in intergranular spall failure

Abstract Recent mesoscale experimental observations of dynamic ductile failure [1,2] have demonstrated a strong relationship between grain boundary (GB) misorientation and the likelihood of failure initiation along said GB. This correlation has been attributed to inherent GB weakness of particular misorientation. Here we discuss the role played by mechanics, i.e. elastic and plastic anisotropy, on the experimental observation [1,2]. We make use of a recently developed framework for modeling dislocation-based crystal plasticity and ductile failure of single crystals under dynamic loading (CPD-FE) [3]. Polycrystals are studied at the mesoscale level through the explicit resolution of individual grains, i.e. resolving each individual grain's size, shape, and orientation. In our simulations, failure naturally localizes along the GBs with no necessity for ad hoc rules governing damage nucleation. We carry out a few thousand mesoscale calculations, systematically varying the misorientation angles of the GB in the computational microstructure. Despite the fact that we neglect the possibility of variations in inherent GB weakness, our simulations agree favorably with the experimental observations, implying that stress concentration generated by elastic and plastic anisotropies across GBs is a dominant governing factor in this phenomenon. Lastly, we find that misorientation angle is an insufficient GB descriptor to predict the likelihood of intergranular spall failure, which is better understood through the consideration of additional GB degrees of freedom.
3D LV Probabilistic Segmentation in Cardiac MRI Using Generative Adversarial Network.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most useful techniques to understand and measure cardiac functions. Given the MR image data, segmentation of the left ventricle (LV) myocardium is the most common task to be addressed for recovering and studying LV wall motion. However, most of segmentation methods heavily rely on the imaging appearance for extracting the myocardial contours (epi- and endo-cardium). These methods cannot guarantee a consistent volume of the heart wall during cardiac cycle in reconstructed 3D LV wall models, which is contradictory to the assumption of approximately constant myocardial tissue. In the paper, we propose a probability-based segmentation method to estimate the probabilities of boundary pixels in the trabeculated region near the solid wall belonging to blood or muscle. It helps avoid artifactually moving the endocardium boundary inward during systole, as commonly happens with simple threshold-based segmentation methods. Our method takes s stack of 2D cine MRI slices as input, and produces the 3D probabilistic segmentation of the heart wall using a generative adversarial network (GAN). Based on numerical experiments, our proposed method outperformed the baseline method in terms of evaluation metrics on a synthetic dataset. Moreover, we achieved very good quality reconstructed results with on a real 2D cine MRI dataset (there is no truly independent 3D ground truth). The proposed approach helps to achieve better understanding cardiovascular motion. Moreover, it is the first attempt to use probabilistic segmentation of LV myocardium for 3D heart wall reconstruction from 2D cardiac cine MRI data, to the best of our knowledge.
Rapid synthesis of ultrasmall platinum nanoparticles supported on macroporous cellulose fibers for catalysis

Herein, we report a facile method for the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) about 2.25 nm in size by heating a solution of chloroplatinic acid and sodium rhodizonate. The PtNPs were synthesized in about 5 min. The PtNPs were supported on macroporous cellulose fibers that were obtained from Kimwipe paper (KWP). The cellulose fiber-supported PtNPs (PtNPs@KWP) exhibited excellent catalytic activity towards the reduction of organic pollutants [e.g. methyl orange (MO)] in the presence of hydrogen (H2) gas and formic acid (FA). FA and H2 gas were utilized as clean and alternative reducing agents. The reduction of MO was performed in two different types of water matrices viz. deionized water (DIW) and simulated fresh drinking water (FDW). In both water matrices, the FA mediated reduction of MO was found to be faster than the H2 gas-bubbled one. The PtNPs@KWP demonstrated excellent cycling stability without leaching the PtNPs or platinum ions into the solution for at least five cycles.
The Symbolic Imagination: Plato and Contemporary Business Ethics

The business ethics field contains a number of explanations for the imagination’s influence on decision-making. This has benefited moral theorizing because approaches that utilize the imagination tend to acknowledge important biological and psychological forces that influence the way we understand situations, develop strategies for problem-solving, and choose courses of action. But, I argue, the broad range of approaches has also served as an obstacle to theory development in the field. Given the variety of theoretical and disciplinary approaches, coupled with the diversity of applications, it would be fair to judge the current state of theory as fractured. To bring focus to theory development, this conceptual study of the moral imagination is grounded in the work of one discipline, one theorist, one text: Plato’s Republic. The primary outcome of this study is the demonstration of the conditions under which the imagination serves to augment and support rationality rather than serving as an impediment. The systematic nature of Plato’s theory aids in the formation of more coherent conceptual grounding than currently available in the field. A final contribution of this study is the positioning of Plato as a proper beginning or foundation to any further theory development in the moral imagination.
Direct-acting oral anticoagulant use at extremes of body weight: Literature review and recommendations.

Purpose To review the literature on treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and prevention of cardioembolic stroke with direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in low- and high-body-weight patients and to make recommendations regarding agent selection and dosing in these patient populations. Summary The selection and optimal dosing of DOACs in low- and high-body-weight patients has not yet been fully elucidated by clinical trials; however, evidence suggests that issues of both safety and efficacy in patients at the extremes of body weight may warrant careful consideration when selecting a DOAC for such patients. This review provides a thorough discussion of the use of DOACs in the treatment of VTE and prevention of cardioembolic stroke in patients at the extremes of body weight and provides guidance regarding agent selection. Conclusion While the published evidence on use of DOACs in patients at extremes of body weight is sparse, apixaban and rivaroxaban appear to have the most favorable safety and efficacy profiles. Edoxaban and dabigatran should be avoided.
Green and facile preparation of hydrophobic bioplastics from tea waste

Abstract In this work, we report a green, waste-free method of synthesizing hydrophobic bioplastic films from tea waste, an industrial byproduct of tea brewing. Utilizing only spent tea leaves, citric acid, and water—all of which can be sustainably sourced—this facile technique is completely non-toxic, generates zero waste, and requires mild conditions and short processing times. The resultant bioplastics were chemically characterized by XPS and HPLC-MS, mechanically characterized by uniaxial tensile tests, and surface characterized by contact angle, SEM, and confocal microscopy. Citric acid did not fully react with the tea waste matrix (53.6% reaction efficiency), yet it is hypothesized that unreacted citric acid acts as a hygroscopic plasticizer in the bioplastic films, which exhibited an ultimate tensile strength of 6.16 MPa and an elongation at break of 13.33%. The tea waste bioplastics demonstrated strong hydrophobic character with a water contact angle of up to 117°, which we attempted to explain by quantifying the surface roughness of the films. Mechanical and hydrophobic characteristics were also found to be dependent on relative humidity. Biodegradable and sustainably sourced, these tea waste bioplastics and the findings herein represent a step towards more sustainable packaging solutions.
Dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in cocaine use disorder individuals with obesity as measured by [11C]PHNO PET.

Abstract Background Positron emission tomography (PET) work with the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) preferring ligand [11C]PHNO in obese individuals has demonstrated higher binding and positive correlations with body mass index (BMI) in otherwise healthy individuals. These findings implicated brain reward areas including the substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA) and pallidum. In cocaine use disorder (CUD), similar SN/VTA binding profiles have been found compared to healthy control subjects. This study investigates whether BMI-[11C]PHNO relationships are similar in individuals with CUD. Methods Non-obese CUD subjects (N = 12) were compared to age-matched obese CUD subjects (N = 14). All subjects underwent [11C]PHNO acquisition using a High Resolution Research Tomograph PET scanner. Parametric images were computed using the simplified reference tissue model with cerebellum as the reference region. [11C]PHNO measures of receptor availability were calculated and expressed as non-displaceable binding potential (BPND). Results In between-group analyses, D2/3R availability in non-obese and obese CUD groups was not significantly different overall. BMI was inversely correlated withBPND in the SN/VTA (r = -0.45, p = 0.02 uncorrected) in all subjects. Conclusion These data suggest that obesity in CUD was not associated with significant differences in D2/3R availability. This in contrast to previous findings in non-CUD individuals that found increased availability of D3Rs in the SN/VTA associated with obesity. These findings could potentially reflect dysregulation of D3R in CUD, impacting how affected individuals respond to natural stimuli such as food.
Textual and real-life spaces: expanding theoretical frameworks

Although spatial issues are remain hotly contested, text-based humanities lack robust frameworks to connect spatiality in texts with real-life spaces. This issue’s essays help to remedy this situa...
Short communication: Improving health statistics in the context of measuring quality of life in cities and urban regions

Health statistics on urban areas require a specific approach. Health data are to be taken from various sources, for ex- ample from vital registration, health service utilisation records and surveys. Problems related to sampling as well as on inclusion and exclusion criteria challenge the collection of survey data on health, well-being and quality of life. Rural and urban area may have different share of institutionalised population, migrants and ethnic majorities, which may affect the results. Reporting bias is assumed to be similar in urban and rural areas. Data from surveys may not be available or may not be released due to limited coverage of a single municipal and data protection rules. Budget cuts in official statistics and falling participation rates affect all surveys. International collaboration is required to harmonise the survey methods and questionnaires on self-assessed health, well-being and quality of life in order to ensure comparability.
The Nile River Problematique: An Integrated Look at the Future of Egypt and Ethiopia

Abstract Globally and regionally a realization is setting in that the constraint of freshwater resources availability and their sharing could be a major impediment to security and subsequently to sustainable development of developing countries. This aspect of sustainability referred to as the “Problematique” requires a long-term perspective and explicit recognition of a plethora of dimensions of development that need to be considered independently and simultaneously. In this paper, we discuss the Nile River Problematique as a hypothetical situation, using a methodology to study the policy formulation between the years 2000 and 2050 for development of Egypt and the upstream country of Ethiopia as constrained by the growing population, increased global pressure for economic development, and the shared, annually finite water resource—the Nile. First, policy objectives are formulated. Central to our approach is the use of a decision (goal) seeking paradigm for the human dimension of global change referred to ...
The Radioiodination of Ribopolymers for Use in Hybridizational and Molecular Analyses

Abstract Procedures have been developed for the preparation of radioiodinated RNA suitable for molecular characterization and hybridization. Incorporation of radioiodine into RNA in a thallic trichloride-catalyzed reaction is strongly pH-dependent. Above neutral pH little uptake of isotope into polynucleotide occurs, although incorporation into protein proceeds rapidly. The initial linkage of iodine incorporated into RNA at pH 5 is unstable and as much as 70% of the iodine originally associated with the polynucleotide can be dissociated by further heating above neutral pH. This behavior can be explained in terms of the reactions of the individual nucleotides. The predominant product formed with uridylate groups during reaction for 10 min at pH 5 is unstable and 95% of the adduct is rapidly released on heating at pH above 6. At lower pH the release is gradual but approaches the same final level of residual stable linkage. Cytidylate also forms an unstable iodine-containing intermediate. However, the initial addition product to polycytidylate was rapidly converted to a stable linkage throughout the pH range tested and underwent the transition even on standing at room temperature at pH 5. Purine groups in polynucleotides react to a lesser extent and composed less than 3% of the total isotope stabilized in RNA. When reactions were carried out under conditions which yield nucleic acid labeled to high specific activity, the iodination of residues in polyguanylate and also nucleotides present in polyadenylic acid was observed. Iodine retained in the respective purine residues after a reisolation procedure which lasted 48 hours was stable to heating at pH 4 to 9. The procedure for radioiodination and purification of the reaction product has been developed to allow experimentation with nucleic acids which are available in only small quantities. The physicochemical characterization of such RNAs or RNA fractions is complicated by the incorporation of iodine into protein, DNA, and other, undefined, contaminants. These substances can be eliminated from high molecular weight RNA by including a filtration step and sedimentation through cesium sulfate in the postlabeling workup of the iodinated RNA. The new procedures decreased the background level in hybridization reactions to 0.01 %. In addition to the base composition of RNA, our results suggest that secondary molecular structure of RNA may be important to the extent of reaction with iodine. This latter factor must be taken into consideration for interpretation of experiments comparing profiles of iodine-labeled nucleic acids. In the same regard, the results show that reaction conditions yielding highly labeled RNA do not cause chain breakages.
An integrated design framework for driver/passenger-oriented trajectory planning

This paper presents an integrated trajectory planning framework for the front wheel steering vehicles that are equipped with digital map systems. It first addresses the importance of the driver and the passengers' requirement for automatic driving. After introducing the concept of optimal driver/passenger-oriented driving performance, several driving performance indices are introduced as following in order to provide a measurement of the automatic driving process. Based on these indices, the whole optimal trajectory planning problem is divided into two incorporated sub problems: the longitudinal trajectory planning problem and the lateral steering trajectory generation problem. Since the driving performance indices are primarily determined by the longitudinal driving procedure of the vehicle, the desired optimal longitudinal trajectory is formulated first. With the obtained velocity setting of the longitudinal trajectory planning problem, the lateral steering trajectory generation problem is solved based on cell mapping method then.
Teaching Strategies to Support Vocational Education Students’ Reading Literacy

Arguments regarding the need for reading skills in career and technical education exist, but far less attention has been given to teaching strategies that can help support vocational students’ growth as readers. Based on a review of literature, this article highlights the importance of reading literacy in career and technical education, and argues that students from the various content areas in vocational education can benefit greatly from teachers incorporating reading instruction into the curriculum. This article also provides educators with six powerful, practical strategies to use in classrooms to facilitate students’ reading comprehension.
In Vitro Studies of a New Semisynthetic Penicillin, 6-(D-α-Sulfoaminophenylacetamido)-Penicillanic Acid

The activity of 6-(D-α-sulfoaminophenylacetamido)-penicillanic acid was determined against 357 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli by use of the tube-dilution technique. The majority of the isolates of Pseudomonas species were inhibited by 200 μg/ml or less of this antibiotic. Most of the isolates of Escherichia coli had a minimal inhibitory concentration of 50 μg/ml or less. Seventy-three per cent of the isolates of P. mirabilis, 40% of the isolates of P. morganii, and 45% of the isolates of Enterobacter species were inhibited by 12.5 μg/ml or less, whereas most of the isolates of Klebsiella species and Serratia species were resistant. The activity of this semisynthetic penicillin was affected by the size of the inoculum. The drug was bactericidal against all isolates of E. coli and Proteus species that were sensitive to it, but it was bactericidal against only 32% of the sensitive isolates of Pseudomonas species.
Physiological changes occurring in yeast undergoing glucose repression.

Abstract MacQuillan, Anthony M. (The University of Wisconsin, Madison) and Harlyn O. Halvorson. Physiological changes occuring in yeast undergoing glucose repression. J. Bacteriol. 84:31–36. 1962.—Growth of the hybrid yeast Saccharomyces fragilis × S. dobzhanskii on glucose or lactate resulted in (i) the possible impairment of a permeation system for succinic acid, (ii) the repression of succinic and isocitric dehydrogenases and β-glucosidase, and (iii) the induction of isocitratase. The latter two changes were not observed in S. lactis Y14, in which β-glucosidase synthesis is resistant to glucose repression.
Nozzle Flow with Vibrational Nonequilibrium

This research concerns the modeling and numerical solutions of the coupled system of compressible Navier-Stokes equations in cylindrical coordinates under conditions of equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics. The problem considered was the modeling of a high temperature diatomic gas N2 flowing through a converging-diverging high expansion nozzle. The problem was modeled in two ways. The first model uses a single temperature with variable specific heats as functions of this temperature. For the second model we assume that the various degrees of freedom all have a Boltzmann distribution and that there is a continuous redistribution of energy among the various degrees of freedom as the gas passes through the nozzle. Each degree of freedom is assumed to have its own temperature and, consequently, each system state can be characterized by these temperatures. This suggests that formulation of a second model with a vibrational degree of freedom along with a rotational-translation degree of freedom, each degree of freedom having its own temperature. Initially the vibrational degree of freedom is excited by heating the gas to a high temperature. As the high temperature gas passes through the nozzle throat there is a sudden drop in temperature along with a relaxation time for the vibrational degree of freedom to achieve equilibrium with the rotational-translation degree of freedom. That is, we assume that the temperature change upon passing through the throat is so great that the changes in the vibrational degree of freedom occur at a much slower pace and consequently lags behind the rotational-translational energy changes. This lag results in a finite relaxation time. In this context the term nonequilibrium is used to denote the fact that the energy content of the various degrees of freedom are characterized by two temperatures. We neglect any chemical reactions which could also add nonequilibrium effects. We develop the energy equations for the nonequilibrium model from first principles. The resulting equations, which model the nozzle flow, can be expressed in various forms. In most forms the resulting equations are coupled systems of nonlinear partial differential equations subject to certain boundary conditions. To solve the resulting coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations, several numerical techniques were investigated: (1) the explicit MacCormack method, (2) the explicit-implicit MacCormack method, (3) the method of operator splitting, (4) factorization schemes, and (5) the Steger-Warming scheme.
Free-field equations of conformal relativity in riemannian formalism. - I

The free-field equations are reduced to a form couched in the simple Riemannian geometry of space-time angle. The solution of these for all the predicted particle species is now a straightforward job involving techniques familiar from usual relativistic free-field theory. We recall that the central prediction of this theory is that massive stable particles and resonances occur in families of someTJP and mass spectra of nonaccumulating type. This is the main datum of high-energy physics, cf. theN family, the δ family, etc. In fact, « bare », « elementary » resonances of this general type occur already as the massive solutions of the free-field equations.
The sub-cellullar partition and metabolism of oprally administered 1,1,1-Trichloro-2, 2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethane by rat liver cells

Abstract Uptake of orally administered DDT by rat liver cells has displayed the following characteristics: 1. The pesticide was not exclusively segregated from any one cell fraction. 2. Pesticide was depleted with time from all fractions. 3. A redistribution of pesticide occurred with time. A passive DDT distribution either occurs at some point in time or at low levels of exposure. 4. Non-lipid binding of pesticide appeared to occur. 5. Liver cells appeared to be detoxifying DDT to DDE and DDD by 16 hr post treatment.
Allergic Rhinitis: A Growing Primary Care Challenge

Purpose To describe the growing problem of allergic rhinitis (AR) and the latest recommendations on its diagnosis and management for the nurse practitioner (NP) in primary care settings. Data Sources Recent clinical research, review articles and consensus guidelines, and the author's clinical experience. Conclusions The prevalence of AR is increasing, possibly due to increased airborne pollutants, poor ven-tilation, and rising levels of indoor allergens. Allergic disease is systemic and rarely involves a single symptom. Treatments include reducing exposure to allergens as well as pharma-cotherapy. Implications for Practice Patient education is crucial for successful management and includes understanding the aller-gic basis of symptoms, reducing allergen expo-sure, understanding proper use of medications, and reassessing the plan on a regular basis.