cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A clincal observation of therapeutic effect of ganglioside for 83 cases of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Objective To observe therapeutic effect of monosialotetrahexosyl ganglioside for moderate and severe neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Methods 83 neonates with HIE treated in Department of Neonatology of Xi'an Municipal Children's Hospital from September,2003 to March,2008 were divided into treatment group(n=42) and control group(n=41).The neonates in both groups received conventional treatment and those in the treatment group received 20mg of ganglioside(intravenous drip,one time per day)for 10~14 days as well as conventional treatment.At day 3,7 and 14 after treatment,the neonates were evaluated with neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA).Results At day 3,the score of NBNA of the neorates in the treatment group was 27.90±4.05 and that in the control group was 26.70±5.51,there was no significant difference between the two groups(t=1.12,P 0.05).The scores of NBNA of the neorates at day 7 and day 14 in the treatment group were 34.30±3.98 and 38.02±1.60 respectively and those in the control group were 31.92±4.38 and 35.65±1.35,there were significant differences between the two groups(t=2.59,7.26,respectively,P0.05).Conclusion The therapeutic effect of monosialotetrahexosyl ganalioside for moderate and severe neonatal HIE is significant.The therapy is worthy to be popularized in clinic because of its rare adverse effects and broad safety range.
Investigation of coal blending optimization for power plants based on quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization

On the basis of the common fact that the current coal deviated from the design coal in power plants,an optimized coal blending model for power plants was established by using quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization algorithm.In this model,the coal blending economy and coal property parameter were regarded as the object functions,and six indices including price,calorific value,ash content,volatile matter content,moisture content and sulfur content of the coal were taken as constraint conditions.According to the received coal in a power plant in Inner Mongolia,this model was adopted to perform the optimization calculation for coal blending.The simulation result showed that,compared with the particle swarm algorithm with inertia weight,the quantum particle swarm algorithm had better global search capability and astringency,it can quickly search the optimal coal blending ratio and the most suitable price.
Abstract A14: Loss of LKB1 gene alone causes malignant transformation of astrocytes

Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1) is a master kinase regulating activation of multiple downstream kinases, and plays roles in cell polarity, metabolism, proliferation, and inflammatory activation. The role LKB1 plays in the malignant transformation of normal astrocytes has not previously been reported. We hypothesized that LKB1 deficiency would influence the growth and differentiation of astrocytes. To test this, we prepared primary cortical astrocytes from homozygous LKB1 f/f mice. When the cells reached confluency, they were infected with AAV-CMV-Cre-GFP virus (knocking out the LKB1 gene), or with AAV-CMV-GFP as control. After 7 additional days, the control cells continued to have the typical appearance of astrocytes, while the LKB1 knockout cells began to form spheroids, with a 5-fold increase in proliferation by MTS assay. The LKB1 knockout astrocytes also showed loss of contact inhibition, increased migrative capability (by scratch assay), and loss of GFAP staining. Our data show that LKB1 deficiency alone induces a transformed phenotype in astrocytes, providing a new model for glioma and indicating its pathogenesis. Citation Format: David Braun, Douglas Feinstein, Herbert Engelhard. Loss of LKB1 gene alone causes malignant transformation of astrocytes. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Brain Cancer Research; May 27-30, 2015; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(23 Suppl):Abstract nr A14.
Return to nature

AbstractThis essay explores the various ways in which in the history of philosophy the imperative to return to nature has been understood. Against this background, it takes up the question as to how the concept of nature is to be determined in contemporary thought.
Atrial natriuretic factor receptor heterogeneity and stimulation of particulate guanylate cyclase and cyclic GMP accumulation.

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) increases cyclic GMP in cells and tissues by selectively activating the particulate form of guanylate cyclase. Two ANF binding sites with molecular sizes of 66,000 and 130,000 daltons are present in cells. The 130,000-dalton ANF binding site is coupled to particulate guanylate cyclase and increased cyclic GMP accumulation. This receptor mediates vascular relaxation and may mediate the renal and steroidogenic effects of ANF. The second messenger and physiologic functions of the uncoupled 66,000-dalton site are not known.
Zur empirischen Untersuchung

In diesem Kapitel werden die methodisch-methodologischen Grundlagen und das Vorgehen der vorliegenden Studie beschrieben. Ausgehend von den theoretischen Ausarbeitungen wird dargelegt, welche methodischen Entscheidungen sich daraus fur eine angemessene Untersuchung von Medienaneignungsprozessen ableiten lassen.
Using β-lactamase and NanoLuc Luciferase Reporter Gene Assays to Identify Inhibitors of the HIF-1 Signaling Pathway

The hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a transcriptional factor involved in the regulation of oxygen within cellular environments. In hypoxic tissues or those with inadequate oxygen concentrations, activation of the HIF-1 transcription factor allows for subsequent activation of target gene expression implicated in cell survival. As a result, cells proliferate through formation of new blood vessels and expansion of vascular systems, providing necessary nourishment needed of cells. HIF-1 is also involved in the complex pathophysiology associated with cancer cells. Solid tumors are able to thrive in hypoxic environments by overactivating these target genes in order to grow and metastasize. Therefore, it is of high importance to identify modulators of the HIF-1 signaling pathway for possible development of anticancer drugs and to better understand how environmental chemicals cause cancer. Using a quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) approach, we are able to screen large chemical libraries to profile potential small molecule modulators of the HIF-1 signaling pathway in a 1536-well format. This chapter describes two orthogonal cell based assays; one utilizing a β-lactamase reporter gene incorporated into human ME-180 cervical cancer cells, and the other using a NanoLuc luciferase reporter system in human HCT116 colon cancer cells. Cell viability assays for each cell line are also conducted respectively. The data from this screening platform can be used as a gateway to study mode of action (MOA) of selected compounds and drug classes.
Complex Adaptive Systems and Comparative Politics: Modeling the Interaction between Institutions and Culture

Comparative politics aims to explain political, economic, and social patterns within and across countries. Two approaches dominate and divide the field. Rational choice approaches explain differences in accountability, equality, corruption, and growth as a function of institutional features. Cultural and historical approaches rely on thick descriptive accounts that consider the complex interplay between behavior, formal rules, informal norms, identities, and the weight of tradition and history. In this paper, we describe how a complex systems approach might build a bridge between these schema by embedding lean rational choice models within contexts that include cultural, social, and historical detail and generating testable propositions about their interdependence. We first describe some fundamental elements of the complexity approach for comparative politics. As proof of concept, we next describe a research agenda of the effect of culture on institutional performance. Our framework considers multiple institutions in force both simultaneously and in sequence. It allows for behavior to depend on context, on the set of existing institutions, and on individuals’ behavioral repertoires. In the spirit of rational choice models, human behavior will be purposeful. In the spirit of thicker, descriptive accounts, it will be contingent on time and place. It may be used to understand some instances of cultural exceptionalism and to understand the efficacy of economic and political development projects.
U.S. Immigration Levels, Urban Housing Values, and Their Implications for Capital Share

This research note applies previously estimated effects of immigration on housing values to urban counties in the United States. Determining the extent to which increase in urban housing values is attributable to immigration fills a gap in the economics literature. Furthermore, our findings here also help estimate how much of the increase in the net-capital share of income since 1970 as observed by Piketty (2014) is caused by immigration. We find that in most urban counties in the United States, increased levels of immigration have had a modest but non-negligible effect on the level of real estate prices. These effects explain 32.4 percent of the increases in housing prices in the 20 densest counties since 1970, which we interpret in terms of capital share, following Rognlie (2015). While not all housing is urban, the magnitudes of these results suggest that there is some link between increased levels of immigrants and a higher capital share since 1970.
Empowering Tribal Communities Towards Sustainable Food Security: A Case Study of the Purumunda Community Media Lab in India

This chapter reviews a development project in 2008 for Indigenous people in the Purumunda community in the state of Odisha in India that aimed to assist marginalised Indigenous communities by helping them gain control over their lives from oppressive practices and achieve individual and community control and social justice. In particular, the project aimed to alleviate the problem of food insecurity by increasing access to employment rights through the establishment of a community media lab. The chapter describes the implementation, impact and setbacks of the project, and finally analyses the challenges in the voluntary development sector that influence the success or failure of such initiatives, with implications for the future.
Erythrocyte aging as a mechanism of anemia and a biomarker of device thrombosis in continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices

Background Blood trauma caused by continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) has been associated with device thrombosis and anemia. Accurate in vivo quantification of erythrocyte turnover and its contribution to CF-LVAD complications have yet to be elucidated. Methods We investigated the age (lifespan) of circulating erythrocytes in subjects with CF-LVAD. Erythrocyte lifespan is a quantitative indicator of in vivo erythrocyte turnover that can be accurately derived from measurement of the exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) level. Sixty non-smoking subjects were prospectively enrolled: 25 had a CF-LVAD without thrombosis; 10 had a CF-LVAD with thrombosis; and 25 were normal controls. End-tidal breath CO levels were measured and used to calculate erythrocyte lifespan. Results The mean erythrocyte lifespan was significantly shorter in CF-LVAD subjects with (29.7 ± 14.9 days) compared to those without (65.0 ± 17.3 days) device thrombosis ( p p r = 0.56, p = 0.0005) and red cell distribution width ( r = –0.65, p r = 0.27, p = 0.32). Conclusions Erythrocyte lifespan is substantially reduced in subjects with a CF-LVAD, which was more pronounced in the presence of device thrombosis. The etiology of anemia in CF-LVAD was primarily due to accelerated erythrocyte aging. Further studies are needed to determine whether erythrocyte lifespan could provide a practical means of detecting subtle pre-clinical thrombosis.
ESD protection structure with reduced capacitance and overshoot voltage for high speed interface applications

Abstract Dual diodes with embedded silicon controlled rectifier (DD-SCR) for high-speed applications are presented. A new DD-SCR topography is shown to exhibit a high failure current (It2), small on-state resistance (RON), low voltage overshoot and low parasitic capacitance. This is a preferred device option for broadband high-speed data converter applications in advanced 28 nm CMOS processes. A comprehensive device characterization demonstrates the design tradeoffs and the superior ESD performance in relation to the devices' variations capacitance in the sub 40 fF range.
Dresbachian trilobites from the Taconic sequence, eastern New York State

A limestone stratum, within the undifferentiated West Castleton-Hatch Hill formations of the Taconic sequence in Northwest Dutchess County, New York, has yielded a small collection of agnostid and ptychoparioid trilobites. The agnostids are Pseudagnostus sp.; the ptychoparioid trilobites are Cheilocephalus sp., Dunderbergia sp., Dytremacephalus sp., Glyptometopsis spp., Quebecaspis cf. Q. hemispherica, and Tholifrons sp. The association of genera in this fauna is characteristic of the Pterocephaliid biomere; the fauna is therefore late Dresbachian and is the only fauna of this age known from the Taconic sequence. The fauna has affinity with Dresbachian faunas of the Conococheague and Frederick limestones of the central Appalachians; the Gorge Formation of northwestern Vermont; boulders in conglomerates in Quebec and in western Newfoundland; and Alaska. The stratigraphic context of these faunas suggests they are shelf margin or slope faunas.--Modified journal abstract.
Abstract 1097: Enhancing the efficacy of Temozolomide with Biochanin A: Mechanistic and metabolic effects

Enhancing the efficacy of Temozolomide with Biochanin A: Mechanistic and Metabolic effects Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent, primary malignant brain tumor prevalent in humans. GBM is characterized by aggressive cell proliferation and rapid invasion of normal brain tissue resulting in poor patient prognosis. Furthermore, the current standard therapy of surgical resection followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy with Temozolomide is not very effective. The inefficacy of the currently available chemotherapeutic agents for GBM can be attributed to the challenges of drug delivery to the tumor. Our laboratory has previously reported the anticancer potential of isoflavones like Biochanin A against oral, pancreatic, breast and brain cancers. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that, Biochanin A sensitizes the GBM cells to Temozolomide, thereby increasing its efficacy in combination treatment. We used the MTT assay to determine the effects of Biochanin A alone and in combination with Temozolomide on survival of U-87 MG cells. Furthermore, two different nanoformulations of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) functionalized with Biochanin A and Atorvastatin and SWCNTs functionalized with Temozolomide were synthesized and their effects on cell viability of U-87 MG glioblastoma cells tested. The cell viability results indicate a decrease in cell proliferation with the combination treatment as compared to the individual drug treatment. Similarly, the flow cytometry analysis showed an increased induction of apoptosis with combination treatment as compared to the drugs alone. Western-blot analysis and Immunofluorescence imaging methods were used to elucidate some of the cell survival/proliferation mechanisms involving EGFR, p-AKT, MMP-2, MT-MMP1. The effects of the drugs on U-87 MG cell metabolism (parameters like ECAR & OCR) studied using Seahorse XFp analyser, suggest an increase in the mitochondrial respiration. Our results provide support for our hypothesis and the data shows that it may have implications in increasing the efficacy of the conventional treatments for GBM. These results will potentially aid in designing new therapies that can improve the outcome of GBM. Citation Format: Vilas Desai, Aditi Jain, Maryna Perepelyuk, Annie Chhun, Christopher Farrell, James C. K. Lai, Alok Bhushan. Enhancing the efficacy of Temozolomide with Biochanin A: Mechanistic and metabolic effects [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1097. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1097
The Urgency of Restoring the Catholic (and Catholic) Nature of Higher Education

This essay reflects upon the overwhelming trend of secularization in American Catholic higher education that has led to colleges and universities largely abandoning their liberal arts heritage for a more “instrumentalist” approach to education. This trend is part of what Pope Benedict XVI has identified as the “crisis of cultures” where Western concepts of reason are increasingly detached from their cultural and spiritual roots, resulting in an inability to speak to anything beyond the material world and our current understanding of it. I argue that we must resist the operational atheism that afflicts most American education, including many schools that are identified as religiously-affiliated. This atheism results resulting in what Pope Emeritus Benedict has called “the presumed completeness and use of liberty as the ‘criterion of everything else.’” This absolutizing of liberty with no higher moral criterion leaves us unable to address pressing problems as a community and specifically excludes an contribution from communities of faith.
INHIBITORS OF THYMIDYLATE SYNTHETASE

Inhibition of thymidylate synthetase by 5-substituted-2′-deoxyuridylates has permitted quantitative structure-activity relationships to be established. From this, it was concluded that electron withdrawing 5-substituents enhance binding whereas bulky substituents are detrimental to binding. A number of mechanism-based inhibitors are also described. The 6-position of these 5-substituted-2′-deoxyuridylates reacts with a nucleophilic catalyst of the enzyme to form covalently bound 5,6-dihydropyrimidines. Some covalent bonds are sufficiently stable to permit isolation or spectrophotometric detection of the covalent complexes; alternatively, the formation of 5,6-dihydropyrimidine intermediates may activate latent reactive functional groups at the 5-position of the heterocycle.
Comment on “Interpretation of thermal conductance of the ν = 5 / 2 edge”

We address the interpretation proposed in the paper [Simon, Phys. Rev. B 97, 121406(R) (2018)] of the thermal conductance data from [Banerjee et al., Nature (London) 559, 205 (2018)]. We show that the interpretation is inconsistent with experimental data and the sample structure. In particular, the paper misses the momentum mismatch between contrapropagating modes. Contrary to the claim of the paper, low energy tunneling involves a large momentum change. We consider only the ``small Majorana velocity'' mechanism [Simon, Phys. Rev. B 97, 121406(R) (2018)]. Other mechanisms, interpretations of the experiment, and their difficulties are beyond the scope of this Comment.
Amphetamine maintenance differentially modulates effects of cocaine, methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and methamphetamine on intracranial self-stimulation and nucleus accumbens dopamine in rats.

Amphetamine maintenance is effective clinically to reduce the consumption of the monoamine uptake inhibitor cocaine but not of the monoamine releaser methamphetamine, and its effectiveness in treating the abuse of other psychostimulants is not known. The mechanisms for differential amphetamine-maintenance effectiveness to treat different types of psychostimulant abuse are also not known. Accordingly, the present study compared the effects of amphetamine maintenance on abuse-related behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine, methamphetamine, and the “bath salts” constituent 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) in rats. In behavioral studies, rats were trained to lever press for electrical brain stimulation in an intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure. In neurochemical studies, nucleus accumbens (NAc) levels of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) were monitored by in vivo microdialysis. Cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDPV each produced dose-dependent ICSS facilitation and increases in NAc DA; cocaine and methamphetamine also increased NAc 5-HT. Amphetamine maintenance (0.32 mg/kg/h × 7 days) produced (1) sustained increases in basal ICSS and NAc DA with no change in NAc 5-HT, (2) blockade of cocaine but not methamphetamine effects on ICSS and NAc DA, and (3) no blockade of cocaine- or methamphetamine-induced increases in NAc 5-HT. Amphetamine maintenance blocked the increases in NAc DA produced by the selective DA uptake inhibitor MDPV, but it did not block MDPV-induced ICSS facilitation. These results show different effects of amphetamine maintenance on behavioral and neurochemical effects of different psychostimulants. The selective effectiveness of amphetamine maintenance to treat cocaine abuse may reflect attenuation of cocaine-induced increases in NAc DA while preserving cocaine-induced increases in NAc 5-HT.
Emergency Department Utilization Among the Uninsured During Insurance Expansion in Maryland.

Study objective We analyzed the effect of insurance expansion on emergency department (ED) utilization among the uninsured in Maryland, which expanded Medicaid eligibility and created health insurance exchanges in 2014. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of statewide administrative claims for July 2012 to December 2015. We used coarsened exact matching to pair uninsured and insured (Medicaid, Medicare, commercial, and other) adult Maryland residents who visited an ED or were hospitalized at baseline (July 2012 to December 2013). We compared ED utilization between these groups after insurance expansion (January 2014 to December 2015), using a difference-in-differences quasi-experimental design. Nonreturning patients from the baseline period were included in the post–insurance expansion rates as having zero visits. Results Matching yielded 178,381 pairs. In the 12 months before insurance expansion, the baseline uninsured group visited the ED at a rate of 26.1 per 100 patient-quarters versus 28.2 among the insured group (relative rate=0.93). In the 24 months after insurance expansion, 45% of the baseline uninsured returned to an ED, of whom 33% returned uninsured, 40% returned with Medicaid, and 21% returned with commercial insurance. After insurance expansion, with 55% of patients in each group not returning, the ED visit rate for both the baseline uninsured and insured groups was 15.9 per 100 patient-quarters (relative rate=1.00). This 8% relative increase from baseline in ED visits among the uninsured group was driven primarily by increases in higher-acuity visits. Uninsured patients from high-poverty zip codes (N=34,964 pairs) increased their ED utilization by 15% after insurance expansion, whereas baseline uninsured patients with no comorbidities (N=94,330 pairs) showed a 3% decrease. Conclusion Insurance expansion in Maryland was associated with a modest relative increase in ED visits among the uninsured, driven by increases in higher-acuity visits. It remains unclear whether insurance coverage helped the uninsured address their unmet medical needs.
Toward a smart data transfer node

Abstract Scientific computing systems are becoming significantly more complex, with distributed teams and complex workflows spanning resources from telescopes and light sources to fast networks and Internet of Things sensor systems. In such settings, no single, centralized administrative team and software stack can coordinate and manage all resources used by a single application. Indeed, we have reached a critical limit in manageability using current human-in-the-loop techniques. We therefore argue that resources must begin to respond automatically, adapting and tuning their behavior in response to observed properties of scientific workflows. Over time, machine learning methods can be used to identify effective strategies for autonomic, goal-driven management behaviors that can be applied end-to-end across the scientific computing landscape. Using the data transfer nodes that are widely deployed in modern research networks as an example, we explore the architecture, methods, and algorithms needed for a smart data transfer node to support future scientific computing systems that self-tune and self-manage.
Thyroid Hormones in Milk

Investigations related to the thyroid hormone content of milk and its effect upon the suckling neonate have spanned nearly thirty years, and over that time, many conflicting reports have arisen. Rigorous clinical data are sparse, and from all the biochemical analyses to date, no widely-adopted methodology has evolved. As a result, significant issues such as cross-cultural differences in milk hormone content, the influence of maternal diet upon milk hormone concentrations, and even longitudinal changes in the thyroid hormone content of both full- and pre-term milk have been addressed in only a fragmentary manner, if at all. The purpose of this presentation is to document the progress made in defining the thyroidal content of non-human and human breast milk.
Comparing Nascent Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs and Expectations of Firm Growth

While both entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial processes yield new ventures, similarities and differences between these two initiation processes and their impact on subsequent venture performance may be substantial. Operating factors that are typically influenced by the founder, such as expectations for growth, activity such as formal business planning, perceptions of environmental uncertainty, and risk preference within the context of new venture initiation processes are explored in this study. We find that nascent entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs are largely similar in terms of their risk tolerance and perceptions of environmental uncertainty. Nascent intrapreneurs, by contrast, appear to be more sophisticated planners than their counterparts and perhaps more aggressive in their expectations for financial growth. These findings enter significantly into a path model of nascent founder growth expectations that should provide a useful foundation in future investigations.
Elevated end‐diastolic wall stress after acute myocardial infarction predicts adverse cardiovascular outcomes and longer hospital length of stay

BACKGROUND Acute myocardial infarction (MI) leads to ventricular remodeling in response to oxygen demand. Such changes include left ventricular (LV) dilatation and increased myocardial wall stress. Prior studies showed that wall stress is a vital parameter of cardiac remodeling. However, outcome data are lacking. We aim to investigate wall stress post-MI in relation to biomarkers of cardiac remodeling and cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS Patients presenting with ST-elevation MI (STEMI) requiring primary percutaneous intervention (PCI) were enrolled prospectively. LVEF and volume-based end-diastolic (EDWS) and end-systolic (ESWS) wall stress were measured from predischarge echocardiograms. Serum samples were collected for measurement of serum biomarkers. We identified 81 patients meeting inclusion criteria (64% men, 36% women) with a mean age of 61. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) defined as 1-year composite endpoint of cardiac mortality, recurrent MI, revascularization, or stroke. Length of hospitalization (LOH) was recorded. RESULTS Major adverse cardiovascular events-positive patients (n = 12) had significantly higher EDWS levels (15.87 vs 12.33, P = 0.045), and galectin-3 levels (19.07 vs 11.75, P = 0.015), and lower LVEF (40.0% vs 48.4%, P = 0.023) compared to MACE-negative patients. Patients with LOH > 72 hours (n = 33) had significantly higher EDWS, galectin-3, and peak troponin, and lower LVEF compared to patients with LOH < 72 hours. EDWS positively correlated with LOH and galectin-3. EDWS was an independent predictor of MACE by binomial regression analysis. CONCLUSION End-diastolic walls tress is a potential prognostic tool for risk stratifying STEMI patients, providing an assessment of the functional consequences of myocardial remodeling. It is predictive of MACE independent of LVEF, associated with longer hospitalizations, and correlates with galectin-3, a biomarker of cardiac remodeling.
CRYOPRESERVATION OF PARATHYROID TISSUE: A WHITE PAPER ON ESTABLISHING A LOCAL SERVICE.

ABSTRACT Objective: Preservation of parathyroid function is one of the primary tenets of endocrine surgery. For patients with thyroid disease, an inadvertently compromised parathyroid gland is routinely autotransplanted into the neck at the time of surgery. By contrast, for patients with parathyroid disease secondary to hyperplasia, the timing of auto-transplantation needs to be further considered in order to balance the risks between persistent disease and permanent hypocalcemia. Cryopreservation preserves cellular function and permits the storage of parathyroid tissue for potential re-implantation at a later date in patients who develop hypoparathyroidism. Methods: In this paper, we review the process of cryopreservation, with particular emphasis on the regulatory issues involved in establishing a local service, tissue processing, billing and reimbursements, outcome (functionality), and complications. Results: A detailed description of the technique as performed at our institution is described and illustrated. Conclusion: Cryopreservation affords surgical insurance against the disastrous sequelae of permanent hypoparathyroidism. Our techniques are easy to adopt with only a modest initial investment of time and money, particularly for institutions that already cryopreserve other tissue types. Abbreviations: PTH = parathyroid hormone; RMPI = Roswell Park Memorial Institute; RPMI-SSS = RPMI-serum substitute supplement
Dynamics of Heat Shock Detection and Response in the Intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans

Abstract The heat shock response is the organized molecular response to stressors which disrupt proteostasis, potentially leading to protein misfolding and aggregation. While the regulation of the heat shock response is well-studied in single cells, its coordination at the cell, tissue, and systemic levels of a multicellular organism is poorly understood. To probe the interplay between systemic and cell-autonomous responses, we studied the upregulation of HSP-16.2, a molecular chaperone induced throughout the intestine of Caenorhabditis elegans following a heat shock, by taking longitudinal measurements in a microfluidic environment. Based on the dynamics of HSP-16.2 accumulation, we showed that a combination of heat shock temperature and duration define the intensity of stress inflicted on the worm and identified two regimes of low and high intensity stress. Modeling the underlying regulatory dynamics implicated the saturation of heat shock protein mRNA production in defining these two regimes and emphasized the importance of time separation between transcription and translation in establishing these dynamics. By applying a heat shock and measuring the response in separate parts of the animals, we implicated thermosensory neurons in accelerating the response and transducing information within the animal. We discuss possible implications of the systemic and cell level aspects and how they coordinate to facilitate the organismal response.
Suppression of Staphylococcus aureus Superantigen-Independent Interferon Gamma Response by a Probiotic Polysaccharide.

ABSTRACT Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen that causes a variety of diseases. Bloodstream infection is the most severe, with mortality rates reaching 20 to 50%. Exopolysaccharide (EPS) from the probiotic Bacillus subtilis reduces bacterial burden and inflammation during S. aureus bloodstream infection in mice. Protection is due, in part, to hybrid macrophages that restrict S. aureus growth through reactive oxygen species and to limiting superantigen-induced T cell activation and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production during infection. A decrease in IFN-γ production was observed within 24 h after infection, and here, we investigated how EPS abrogates its production. We discovered that S. aureus uses a rapid, superantigen-independent mechanism to induce host IFN-γ and that this is mediated by interleukin-12 (IL-12) activation of NK cells. Furthermore, we found that EPS limits IFN-γ production by modulating host immunity in a Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-dependent manner, a signaling pathway that is required for EPS-mediated protection from S. aureus infection in vivo. We conclude that EPS protects hosts from acute bloodstream S. aureus infection not only by inducing macrophages that restrict S. aureus growth and inhibit superantigen-activated T cells but also by limiting NK cell production of IFN-γ after S. aureus infection in a TLR4-dependent manner.
English Language Programs for Seniors: Motivational Constructs and Teaching Objectives

This study examines English language programs offered at a senior citizen center in a working-class neighborhood in Seoul, Korea. Based on classroom observations and interviews with senior citizens and teachers, the study addresses the functional significance of English for an overlooked aging demographic population and discusses the interplay between language learning and social participation as well as language-related ageism and identity issues. The findings of the study indicate that English language anxiety (Lee, English on Korean television. World Engl 33(1): 33–49, 2014) is also observed among senior citizens. However, unlike young professionals, senior citizens’ language anxiety is more domestically prompted and locally based; the elderly fear that they cannot successfully participate in meaningful communication with their grandchildren or act as informed consumers in Korea these days without some knowledge of English. The teachers in the study identify their main teaching objective as helping senior citizens feel less limited in dealing with the increasing presence of English in contemporary Korea. The study concludes that learning English later in life fulfills positive functions of self-actualization and social participation for senior citizens and enables them to reconstruct and reimagine their vigorous past.
This is Our Story: Black Clergy Women Preaching through Cultural Boundaries

It was the first Sunday at my new appointment. I arrived early at the church where I was greeted by the sexton, who turned to introduce me to an older woman, the Trustees’ chairperson with whom he ...
Collegiate Sport Club Athletes’ Psychological Well-Being and Perceptions of Their Team Climate:

The purpose of this study was to consider how the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Triple-Impact Competitor (TIC) workshop could be used to help create a positive climate for recreational sport clu...
Magnet Integrated Shirt for Upper Body Posture Detection Using Wearable Magnetic Sensors

COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has caused an increase in remote work. Sitting in various positions at home without the proper back support is undesirable and can cause chronic back pain and other undesired side effects. Therefore, a new non-intrusive method to continuously monitor back postures in homes is proposed. A shirt is designed with integrated magnets. A magnetic sensor would be placed above the body's sternum, and magnets will be implemented on a shirt. The sensor will help ascertain the back posture position (straight or curved) and help provide feedback to mend the posture if deformed. In this paper, the initial results using the proposed system are presented using a wearable sensor system with a magnet integrated garment that can continuously monitor the varying sitting postures throughout daily lives. In addition, we discuss how the lower body posture affects the magnetic recording otherwise not detectable using the accelerometer-based systems currently available on the market.
Assessing the Accuracy of Balanced Power System Models in the Presence of Voltage Unbalance

Traditional models of electric power systems represent distribution systems with unbalanced three-phase network models and transmission systems with balanced single-phase-equivalent network models. This distinction poses a challenge for coupled models of transmission and distribution systems, which are becoming more prevalent due to the growth of distributed energy resources connected to distribution systems. In order to maintain a balanced network representation, transmission system models typically assume that the voltage phasors at the interface to the distribution system are balanced. Inaccuracies resulting from this assumption during unbalanced operation can lead to erroneous values for line currents in the transmission system model. This paper empirically quantifies the accuracy of this balanced operating assumption during unbalanced operating conditions for both a simple two-bus system along with a more complex transmission and distribution co-simulation. This paper also characterizes the performance of different methods for translating the unbalanced voltage phasors into a balanced representation in order to give recommendations for modeling coupled transmission and distribution systems.
Understanding the benefits of different types and timing of education for mental health: A sequence analysis approach.

OBJECTIVES Individuals increasingly experience delays or interruptions in schooling; we evaluate the association between these non-traditional education trajectories and mental health. METHODS Using year-by-year education data for 7,501 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 participants, ages 14-48 (262,535 person-years of education data), we applied sequence analysis and a clustering algorithm to identify educational trajectory groups, incorporating both type and timing to credential. Linear regression models, adjusted for early-life confounders, evaluated relationships between educational trajectories and mental health component scores (MCS) from the 12-item short form instrument at age 50. We evaluated effect modification by race, gender, and race by gender. RESULTS We identified 24 distinct educational trajectories based on highest credential and educational timing. Compared to high school (HS) diplomas, < HS (beta=-3.41, 95%CI:-4.74,-2.07) and general educational development credentials (GEDs) predicted poorer MCS (beta=-2.07,95%CI:-3.16,-0.98). The following educational trajectories predicted better MCS: some college immediately after High School (beta=1.52, 95%CI:0.68,2.37), Associate degrees after long interruptions (beta=1.73, 95%CI:0.27,3.19), and graduate school soon after Bachelor's completion (beta=1.13, 95%CI:0.21,2.06). Compared to White men, Black women especially benefited from educational credentials higher than HS in predicting MCS. CONCLUSIONS Both type and timing of educational credential predicted mental health. Black women's mental higher especially benefited from higher educational credentials.
The power of 4th industrial revolution in the fashion industry: what, why, and how has the industry changed?

The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR henceforth) is fundamentally reshaping the way we live and work. Each industrial revolution has evolved to solve major problems in society. This study views unmatched demand and oversupply as the major problems in the fashion industry and posits that 4IR technologies are being deployed to solve these problems by addressing three prime goals—hyper-personalization, environmental sustainability, and productivity. Based on a literature review and analyses of global industry cases, this study examines what, why, and how the 4IR technologies address these three prime goals. By comparing successful cases that do not utilize the 4IR technologies with those that do, this study highlights that innovative business models that address the unmet needs of the consumers are more important than technology adoption per se. Drawn from ample global cases, the findings can offer strategic directions for fashion firms preparing for unforeseeable changes that are further being accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This study concludes with insights into how 4IR is shaping the fashion industry and raises thought-provoking questions for the industry and academia.
Turn-initial Yeah in Nonnative Speakers’ Speech: A Routine Token for Not-so-routine Interactional Projects

This paper examines the use of turn-initial yeah in learner English, focusing on non-canonical uses of yeah. By showing how NSSs use yeah in ways different from that of native speakers (NSs), this paper aims to provide a nuanced view of the function it serves in NSSs’ speech. It demonstrates that yeah carries particular interactional import for NSSs, in that it is adopted by NSSs to accomplish unconventional interactional projects. It considers turn-initial yeah in two sequential environments: (1) second position turn-initial yeah in responses to questions and (2) yeah in extended turns-at-talk.
Recent Developments in High Resolution Raman Spectroscopy of Gases

Several recently developed experimental methods for obtaining Raman spectra of gases with laser excitation are reviewed. These developments are placed in the context of the accomplishments achieved with the prelaser technique which employed mercury arc lamps as the primary light source. An apparatus is described with which the rotational and rotation-vibrational Raman spectra of a number of heavy polyatomic molecules have been observed with a practical limit of resolution of approximately 0.07cm −1. The use of the Fabry-Perot interferometer in high resolution Raman studies of gases is briefly discussed.
Global Impact of Energy Use in Middle East Oil Economies: A Modeling Framework for Analyzing Technology-Energy-Environment-Economy Chain

To explore choices of improving energy efficiency in energy-rich countries of the Middle East, this study lays out an integrated modeling framework for analyzing the technology-energy-environment-economy chain for the case of an energy exporting country. This framework consists of an input output process-flow model (IOPM) and a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The former investigates the micro-level production processes and sectoral interdependencies to show how alternative technologies affect the energy intensity of the economy (Lin, Polenske 1998 and Polenske, McMichael 2002). The latter belongs to the optimal depletion category of CGE models that analyzes energy economy interaction; it is an optimization model that solves the inter-temporal resource depletion problem subject to the workings of a multi-sector market economy, where relative prices play a crucial role (Ghadimi 1995, 2006). Such a formulation provides a systematic framework for analyzing the technology-energy-environment-economy chain in resource-rich developing countries. The main focus of this paper is to describe the theoretical structure of the class of CGE model proposed for this modeling framework.
The Chemical Evolution of the Galaxy

Over the last few years, our picture of the chemical evolution of the Galaxy has changed substantially. These changes are of interest because chemical evolution provides a common point of contact for most astrophysical processes of importance to galaxy evolution. By astro- physical processes we mean star formation, stellar nucleosynthesis, gas dynamics, etc. An understanding of galactic chemical evolution would allow us to place constraints on all of these topics simultaneously. This property, however, is a double-edge sword because, with so many variables involved, unique solutions to problems in chemical evolution are almost impossible.
Possible identification of CENP-C in fish and the presence of the CENP-C motif in M18BP1 of vertebrates

The centromeric protein CENP-C is a base component of the kinetochore. This protein, along with CENP-A has been shown to adaptively evolve in a number of animal and plant species. In order to determine if CENP-C also evolves in fish species, I attempted to retrieve fish CENP-C sequences from GenBank. No Teleostei CENP-C sequences were found either by name or by BLASTP searches with the vertebrate CENP-C motif sequence. A number of putative Teleostei protein sequences were identified in GenBank that have homology to the C-terminal cupin domain of vertebrate CENP-C. These proteins only have partial homology to the CENP-C motif, but evidence is presented that makes it likely that these fish proteins are orthologs of CENP-C. Interestingly, it was also discovered that the CENP-C motif sequence is also mostly present in M18BP1 proteins of fish and some other vertebrates but not in mammals. This finding may have implications for CENP-C and M18BP1 assembly in centromeric regions of different vertebrate taxa.
Performance of spiral antenna over broadband uniform-height progressive EBG surface

This paper presents the performance of a spiral antenna over an electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) surface that is designed to operate over a broadband that matches the bandwidth of the spiral antenna. The broadband EBG uses unit cells arranged in a concentric pattern with progressively increasing dimensions that correspond to the decreasing frequencies of the spiral antenna regions. The EBG cells are based on the mushroom structure with a uniform height over all regions of the surface. The reflection off the broadband EBG surface enhances the radiation of the spiral antenna and produces a higher gain, unidirectional pattern with a high front-to-back ratio. The result is a low-profile, high-gain, octave-bandwidth spiral antenna.
Molecularly cloned feline immunodeficiency virus NCSU1 JSY3 induces immunodeficiency in specific-pathogen-free cats.

A full-length feline immunodeficiency virus NCSU1 (FIV-NCSU1) genome (JSY3) was cloned directly from FIV-NCSU1-infected feline CD4+ lymphocyte (FCD4E) genomic DNA and identified by PCR amplification with 5' long terminal repeat, gag, env, and 3' long terminal repeat primer sets. Supernatant from FCD4E cells cocultured with JSY3-transfected Crandell feline kidney (CrFK) cells was used as an inoculum. Cell-free JSY3 virus was cytopathogenic for FCD4E lymphocytes but did not infect CrFK cells in vitro. To determine in vivo infectivity and pathogenesis, six young adult specific-pathogen-free cats were inoculated with cell-free JSY3 virus. Provirus was detected at 2 weeks postinfection (p.i.) and was still detectable at 25 weeks p.i. as determined by gag region PCR-Southern blot analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cell lysates. Infectious virus was recovered from peripheral blood mononuclear cells at 6 and 25 weeks p.i., and an antibody response to FIV was detected by 4 weeks. In the acute phase of infection, JSY3 provirus was found only in the CD4+ lymphocyte subset; however, by 14 weeks p.i., the greatest provirus burden was detected in B lymphocytes. All six cats were panlymphopenic at 2 weeks p.i., CD4+/CD8+ ratios were inverted by 6 weeks p.i., and five of the six cats developed lymphadenopathy by 10 weeks p.i. To determine if the JSY3 molecular clone caused immunodeficiency similar to that of the parental wild-type FIV-NCSU1, the cats were challenged with the low-virulence ME49 strain of Toxoplasma gondii at 29 weeks p.i. Five of six cats developed clinical signs consistent with generalized toxoplasmosis, and three of six cats developed acute respiratory distress and required euthanasia. Histopathologic examination of the severely affected cats revealed generalized inflammatory reactions and the presence of T. gondii tachyzoites in multiple tissues. None of the six age- and sex-matched specific-pathogen-free cats inoculated with only T. gondii developed clinical disease. Our results suggest that the pathogenesis of the molecularly cloned NCSU1 JSY3 is similar to that of wild-type FIV-NCSU1.