cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutritional Assessment of Genetically Modified Crops Using Animal Models

Nutritional assessments of genetically modified crops are a critical component of the regulatory safety process. Animal models can be useful for the determination of the nutritional value of genetically modified crops, provided that a proper model and an applicable experimental design are used for correct interpretation of the results. The use of animal models should be justified by existing data from other analyses, including compositional analysis, and is a poor choice as a general screen for unanticipated adverse effects. An overview of the history of nutritional assessments, background information, and other nutritional considerations is provided. Further details of two critical regulatory studies, the 42-day broiler chicken study and the 90-day rodent study, are presented here.
Shuttle Computer Complex

Abstract The Shuttle Computer Complex provides the on-board data processing capability for Space Shuttle Orbiter avionics. It performs the data processing necessary for guidance, navigation, and control; pay-load handling and management; and performance monitoring functions. It is made up of five interconnected but independent general purpose computers to satisfy the overall avionics requirements in fault tolerance, partitioning, and functional isolation. Each general purpose computer consists of a central processing unit and an input/output processor; with the former performing all computations associated with the application programs, and the latter controlling the transfer of information between the computer and other subsystems of the Space Shuttle. The functions, characteristics, mechanization, and operation of the Shuttle Computer Complex are described in this paper.
Hypoglycemia Prevention in Hospital Patients: A Quality Improvement Project to Prevent Severe and Recurrent Hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia, defined as a blood glucose level <70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), occurs frequently in hospitalized patients. Both inpatient and outpatient trials have shown that the risk of hypoglycemia limits the achievement of blood glucose control (1–7). In addition to causing distress for patients, severe hypoglycemia is associated with cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac ischemia, seizures, brain damage, and death (3,4,8–12). After a hypoglycemic event, the likelihood of further episodes of low blood glucose is increased (2,9,12,13). Glycemic variability is also independently associated with risk of mortality (5–9,12,14,15) and can be an unintended consequence of reactive treatment of hypoglycemia. If dextrose is given only in response to low blood glucose levels, but the precipitating factor for hypoglycemia persists, a cycle of recurrent low glucose levels alternating with higher post-treatment levels occurs. Fortunately, this pattern represents a modifiable risk, as illustrated in Figure 1 (14). FIGURE 1. Recurrent hypoglycemia: treatment versus prevention. Initially hypoglycemia was treated reactively, with at least five recurrences of low blood glucose and high glycemic variability. With initiation of proactive IV dextrose, further hypoglycemia was prevented, and glycemic variability was reduced. Recent advances in health care quality and patient safety call for a change from reactive to preventive care. When this concept is applied to hypoglycemia management, it is evident that the unevaluated assumption that reactive treatment of hypoglycemia is sufficient often underlies facility routines. Avoiding circumstances that are frequently associated with low blood glucose levels is at the core of optimal glycemic management in the inpatient setting. Recent studies show that “safe and effective glucose control” (15) can be facilitated and hypoglycemia can be prevented through tactics such as appropriate monitoring, ensuring adequate caloric intake, coordinating the …
Assessing the Climate Effects of Biofuels Using Integrated Assessment Models, Part I: Methodological Considerations

Summary Estimates of the climate-change mitigation benefits of biofuels are varied and controversial. Some analysts rely on attributional life cycle assessment (ALCA), limiting the analytic scope to the direct supply chain, whereas others supplement an ALCA result with an estimate of land-use change (LUC) emissions intensity. Other analysts have used consequential life cycle assessment (CLCA), with methods ranging from static market assessments to identify the likely marginal product and supplier, to running partial and general equilibrium models to estimate changes in global production and consumption. In this article, we consider another alternative—using an integrated assessment model (IAM) as a platform for CLCA of biofuels. In this article (part I of II), we focus on the methodological challenges of this approach. In part II, we present a case study using one IAM—the global change assessment model (GCAM)—to estimate the climate effects of several biofuels.
Vitamin D, Sun Exposure, and Lymphoma Risk.

Abstract While a large number of exogenous and endogenous factors have been examined, the etiology of most lymphoma subtypes remains largely unknown. However, recent research suggests that sunlight exposure is associated with reduced lymphoma risk. As sunlight is our major source of vitamin D, it has been suggested that increases in serum vitamin D are responsible for this association. Extra-renal activation of vitamin D results in autocrine and paracrine effects including: maintaining regulation of cell cycle proliferation, apoptosis induction, and increased cell differentiation signaling. Animal and human studies investigating the association between vitamin D and other cancers have provided support for a protective effect of vitamin D related to malignancy. We conducted a case-control study in western New York State to test the hypothesis that a history of vitamin D insufficiency increases the risk of lymphoma. Between October 2005 and September 2007, we recruited 140 newly diagnosed and previously untreated lymphoma cases and 139 clinic-based controls. Cases and controls were recruited concurrently to account for seasonal variation in vitamin D, and a serum sample and self-administered survey were collected from each subject. Current serum 25(OH)D levels were measured by radioimmunoassay (Heartland Assays Inc., Ames, IA). We used multiple linear regression to obtain quantitative estimates of past (5–10 years ago) serum vitamin D concentrations based on survey data and measured current vitamin D levels. Subsequently, we evaluated the association between estimated past vitamin D insufficiency (25(OH)D
ASCEND-2: a canary in a coal mine for descending to second-line treatment for ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer.

The discovery of oncogenic driver mutations has revolutionized the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) for the past decade. The prevalence of anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( ALK ) rearrangement in NSCLC is estimated to be 2–7% (1). Crizotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), which targets ALK as well as ROS1 and c-MET, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 for the treatment of metastatic ALK -rearranged NSCLC. Several studies have demonstrated a median progression-free survival (PFS) of approximately 8 to 11 months and response rates of 65% to 75% (2,3). However, as with other targeted therapies, patients eventually progress due to the emergence of acquired resistance via the activation or inhibition of alternative signaling pathways, secondary ALK mutations, or amplification of the ALK fusion gene.
Resilience in Stepfamilies

Stepfamilies are common in the United States. An estimated 40–50 % of marriages are a remarriage for one or both partners (Cherlin, 2010), and although not all of these remarriages result in the formation of a stepfamily, a significant portion of them do. According to a recent study, 42 % of a national sample of US adults and more than half (52 %) of those younger than 30 had at least one steprelative (Pew Research Center, 2011). About 40 % of US families have a stepgrandparent (Szinovacz, 1998). What is more, these statistics do not account for the growing number of stepfamilies created through cohabitation (Sweeney, 2007), an often-overlooked group.
New chemical probe technologies: applications to imaging and drug discovery (Conference Presentation)

Proteases are enzymes that play pathogenic roles in many common human diseases such as cancer, asthma, arthritis, atherosclerosis and infection by pathogens. Tools to dynamically monitor their activity can be used as diagnostic agents, as imaging contrast agents for intra-operative image guidance and for the identification of novel classes of protease-targeted drugs. I will describe our efforts to design and synthesize small molecule probes that produce a fluorescent signal upon binding to a protease target. We have identified probes that show tumor-specific retention, fast activation kinetics, and rapid systemic distribution making them useful for real-time fluorescence guided tumor resection and other diagnostic imaging applications.
Cost Implications of Primary Versus Revision Surgery in Adult Spinal Deformity.

Background Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is an important problem to consider in the elderly. Although studies have examined the complications of ASD surgery and have compared functional and radiographic results of primary surgery versus revision, no studies have compared the costs of primary procedures with revisions. We assessed the in-hospital costs of these 2 surgery types in patients with ASD. Methods The PearlDiver Database, a database of Medicare records, was used in this study. Mutually exclusive groups of patients undergoing primary or revision surgery were identified. Patients in each group were queried for age, sex, and comorbidities. Thirty-day readmission rates, 30-day and 90-day complication rates, and postoperative costs of care were assessed with multivariate analysis. For analyses, significance was set at P Results The average reimbursement of the primary surgery cohort was $57,078 ± $30,767. Reimbursement of revision surgery cohort was $52,999 ± $27,658. The adjusted difference in average costs between the 2 groups is $4773 ± $1069 ( P Conclusions Patients undergoing primary and revision corrective procedures for ASD have similar readmission rates, lengths of stays, and complication rates. Our data showed a higher cost of primary surgery compared with revision surgery, although costs of sustaining postoperative complications were similar. This finding supports the decision to perform revision procedures in patients with ASD when indicated because neither outcomes nor costs are a hindrance to correction.
Tocilizumab for the management of immune mediated adverse events secondary to PD-1 blockade.

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors are poised to revolutionize the management of a growing number of malignancies. Unfortunately, the management of steroid-refractory immune mediated adverse events is based on a paucity of randomized data and limited to single center experiences. Our initial experience with the IL-6 receptor antagonist tocilizumab showed clinical improvement in a wide variety of irAEs. As a result, we adopted the use of tocilizumab for the management of steroid refractory irAEs.MethodsThe character and clinical course of irAEs were abstracted from the medical record and analyzed. The dose of tocilizumab was 4 mg/kg given IV over one hour. C-reactive protein was drawn at first nivolumab infusion and at q two weeks (and with irAEs) thereafter. Clinical improvement was defined as either: documentation of resolution of symptoms or hospital discharge within seven days.ResultsOf the initial 87 patients that were treated with nivolumab, 34 required tocilizumab (39.1%). All patients were on c...
Infrared spectroscopy for characterization of biomolecular interfaces

Publisher Summary Infrared spectroscopy can provide unique insights into the chemistry of surfaces for biological studies. Because the conformations of biological molecules impact their vibrational frequencies, infrared spectroscopy has long been used to characterize surfaces for use in biological studies. While many studies have used infrared spectroscopy to characterize the adsorption of proteins and other biological molecules to surfaces, there is increasing interest in the intentional functionalization of surfaces with molecular/biomolecular layers that provides selectivity, binding only to specific targets in solution. One of the biggest challenges to the use of infrared spectroscopy in biological research is the relatively low sensitivity and the fact that surfaces of practical interest many have strong absorption features that obscure the useful information. As a consequence, the successful use of infrared for biological research demands paying close attention to the detailed optical properties of the relevant interfaces and understanding how to optimize the sensitivity. In a practical sense, optimizing conditions for infrared are largely controlled by the reproducibility of the reference sample that is typically used to calculate the effective absorbance. The ability of infrared spectroscopy to identify the types and number of different chemical functional groups present at a surface in a nondestructive manner has contributed to its widespread application in chemistry and biology. Fourier transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool for characterizing molecular and biomolecular layers on surfaces. The single-bounce external reflection geometry is extremely versatile because it can be applied to both transparent and absorbing materials.
Large anomalous Hall effect in the chiral-lattice antiferromagnet CoNb3S6

An ordinary Hall effect in a conductor arises due to the Lorentz force acting on the charge carriers. In ferromagnets, an additional contribution to the Hall effect, the anomalous Hall effect (AHE), appears proportional to the magnetization. While the AHE is not seen in a collinear antiferromagnet, with zero net magnetization, recently it has been shown that an intrinsic AHE can be non-zero in non-collinear antiferromagnets as well as in topological materials hosting Weyl nodes near the Fermi energy. Here we report a large anomalous Hall effect with Hall conductivity of 27 Ω−1 cm−1 in a chiral-lattice antiferromagnet, CoNb3S6 consisting of a small intrinsic ferromagnetic component (≈0.0013 μB per Co) along c-axis. This small moment alone cannot explain the observed size of the AHE. We attribute the AHE to either formation of a complex magnetic texture or the combined effect of the small intrinsic moment on the electronic band structure.
Mitigation of Articular Cartilage Degeneration and Subchondral Bone Sclerosis in Osteoarthritis Progression Using Low-Intensity Ultrasound Stimulation.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of low-intensity ultrasound on articular cartilage and subchondral bone alterations in joints under normal and functional disuse conditions during osteoarthritis (OA) progression. Total of thirty 5-mo-old female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to six groups (n = 5/group): age-matched group, OA group, OA + ultrasound (US) group, hindlimb suspension (HLS) group, HLS + OA group and HLS + OA + US group. The surgical anterior cruciate ligament was used to induce OA in the right knee joints. After 2 wk of OA induction, low-intensity ultrasound generated with a 3-MHz transducer with 20% pulse duty cycle and 30 mW/cm2 acoustic intensity was delivered to the right knee joints for 20 min a day, 5 d a week for a total of 6 wk. Then, the right tibias were harvested for micro-computed tomography, histologic and mechanical analysis. Micro-computed tomography results indicated that the thickness and sulfated glycosaminoglycan content of cartilage decreased, but the thickness of the subchondral cortical bone plate and the formation of subchondral trabecular bone increased in the OA group under the normal joint use condition. Furthermore, histologic results revealed that chondrocyte density and arrangement in cartilage corrupted and the underlying subchondral bone increased during OA progression. These changes were accompanied by reductions in mechanical parameters in OA cartilage. However, fewer OA symptoms were observed in the HLS + OA group under the joint disuse condition. The cartilage degeneration and subchondral bone sclerosis were alleviated in the US treatment group, especially under normal joint use condition. In conclusion, low-intensity ultrasound could improve cartilage degeneration and subchondral sclerosis during OA progression. Also, it could provide a promising strategy for future clinical treatment for OA patients.
TiO2 nanoparticles in irrigation water mitigate impacts of aged Ag nanoparticles on soil microorganisms, Arabidopsis thaliana plants, and Eisenia fetida earthworms

Abstract Treated wastewater is reclaimed to irrigate crops in a growing number of arid and semi-arid areas. In order to study the impacts of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) present in treated wastewater on soil ecosystems, a soil micro-ecosystem containing Arabidopsis thaliana plants, soil microorganisms, and Eisenia fetida earthworms was developed. The soil was irrigated with deionized water containing environmentally relevant concentrations of 70 µg/L of TiO2 NPs; or 20 µg/L of an Ag mixture, which included 90% (w/w) Ag2S NPs, 7.5% (w/w) Ag0 NPs, and 2.5% (w/w) Ag+ to represent speciation of aged Ag NPs in treated wastewater; or a combination of the TiO2 NPs and the Ag mixture to reflect the frequent presence of both types of materials in treated wastewater. It was found that TiO2 NPs alone were not toxic to the soil micro-ecosystem. Irrigation water containing 20 µg/L of the Ag mixture significantly reduced the soil microbial biomass, and inhibited the growth of plants and earthworms; however, a combination of 70 µg/L of TiO2 and 20 µg/L of Ag did not show toxic impact on organism growth compared to the Control of deionized water irrigation. Taken together, these results indicate the importance of investigating the effects of different nanomaterials in combination as they are introduced to the environment—with environmentally relevant concentrations and speciation—instead of only selecting a single NP type or residual ion. Moreover, the results of this study support the safe application of reclaimed water from wastewater treatment plants for use in agricultural lands in regard to limited concentrations of aged NPs (i.e., TiO2 and Ag) if present in combination.
17 – Female Reproductive System

The female genital system is dynamic in both rodents and the human, with varying morphologic appearance based on hormonal influences during estrus/menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and ovarian senescence. This chapter focuses on the ovaries, oviducts (uterine tubes), uterus, vagina and cervix, in the actively cycling adult rodent and human female and the placenta. Although rodents and humans are mammals with similar ovaries, oviducts, uteri, and placentation, there are several structural and functional differences. In particular, the gross anatomy between the three species varies considerably, whereas the histologic appearance and basic functions tend to be more similar.
Dental materials citations: Part A, January to June 1996

Abstract Objective . A search was conducted to identify the dental materials publications that appeared in biomedical journals from January 1996 to June 1996 and to compare the frequency of citations among the different categories. Methods . The tables of contents of 16 primary journals and 48 secondary journals were examined to identify dental materials articles that were published from January to June 1996. These citations were divided into 17 categories and the numbers of citations in each category were compared. To assess the usefulness of the citation listing, as survey of Academy of Dental Materials subscribers was conducted (n = 153 of 382 or 40.1% have responded to date). Results . As in previous years, the greatest number of citations were found in categories of bonding (n=83) and resin-based restorative materials such as composites and resin-reinforced glass ionomers (n=80). Results of the reader survey indicated that 84.3% of the respondents have used the citations lists, and 95.4% feel that its publication should be continued. Significance . The literature compiled in this list serves to supplement the electronic indexing mechanisms so that academicians and researchers can have ready access to the current literature in the field of dental materials.
Heterogeneity of water structure and dynamics at the protein-water interface.

In this molecular dynamics simulation study, we analyze the local structural and dynamic properties of water hydrating the protein ubiquitin on a spatial grid with 1 A resolution. This allows for insights into the spatial distribution of water number densities, molecular orientations, translations, and rotations as a function of distance from the protein surface. Water molecule orientations follow a heterogeneous distribution with preferred local orientations of water dipoles and O–H bond vectors up to 10-15 A distances from the protein, while local variations of the water number density converge to homogeneous bulk-like values within less than 8 A. Interestingly, we find that the long-ranged orientational structure of water does not impact either the translational or rotational dynamics of water. Instead, heterogeneous distributions of local dynamical parameters and averaged dynamical retardation factors are only found close to the protein surface and follow a distance dependence comparable to heterogeneities in the local water number density. This study shows that the formation of nanodomains of preferred water orientations far from the protein does not significantly impact dynamical processes probed as a non-local average in most experiments.
An upstream transcription factor, USF (MLTF), facilitates the formation of preinitiation complexes during in vitro chromatin assembly.

During in vitro chromatin assembly the formation of transcription complexes is in direct competition with the assembly of promoter sequences into nucleosomes. Under these conditions the fold stimulation of transcription by an upstream transcription factor (USF) was greater than that observed in the absence of nucleosome assembly. Function of USF during nucleosome assembly required the simultaneous presence of the TATA box binding protein TFIID. Unlike TFIID, USF alone was unable to prevent repression of the promoter during nucleosome assembly. Furthermore, USF displayed reduced or no transcriptional stimulatory activity when added to previously assembled minichromosomes. Under conditions of nucleosome assembly, USF increased the number of assembled minichromosomes which contained stable preinitiation complexes. Subsequent to assembly, the rate at which preformed complexes initiated transcription appeared to be independent of the presence of USF. Thus USF potentiated the subsequent transcriptional activity of the promoter indirectly, apparently by increasing the rate or stability of TFIID binding. This activity resulted in the promoter becoming resistant to nucleosome mediated repression. These observations suggest that some ubiquitous upstream factors, e.g. USF, may play an important role in establishing the transcriptional potential of cellular genes during chromatin assembly.
Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: When to Suspect It, When to Refer for Surgery

Chronic thromboembolic obstruction of the major pulmonary arteries is an underrecognized sequela of acute pulmonary embolism. Depending on the burden and location of thrombus, as well as on the dur...
Nested Active Learning for Efficient Model Contextualization and Parameterization

The description of the environment in which a biomedical simulation operates (model context) and parameterization of internal model rules (model content) requires the optimization of a large number of free-parameters; given the wide range of variable combinations, along with the intractability of ab initio modeling techniques which could be used to constrain these combinations, an astronomical number of simulations would be required to achieve this goal. In this work, we utilize a nested active-learning workflow to efficiently parameterize and contextualize an agent-based model of sepsis. Methods: Billions of microbial sepsis patients were simulated using a previously validated agent-based model (ABM) of sepsis, the Innate Immune Response Agent-Based Model (IIRABM). Contextual parameter space was examined using the following parameters: cardio-respiratory-metabolic resilience; two properties of microbial virulence, invasiveness and toxigenesis; and degree of contamination from the environment. The model9s internal parameterization, which represents gene expression and associated cellular behaviors, was explored through the augmentation or inhibition of signaling pathways for 12 signaling mediators associated with inflammation and wound healing. We have implemented a nested active learning approach in which the clinically relevant model environment space for a given internal model parameterization is mapped using a small Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The outer AL level workflow is a larger ANN which uses a novel approach to active learning, Double Monte-Carlo Dropout Uncertainty (DMCDU), to efficiently regress the volume and centroid location of the CR space given by a single internal parameterization. Results: A brute-force exploration of the IIRABM9s content and context would require approximately 3*10^12 simulations, and the result would be a coarse representation of a continuous space. We have reduced the number of simulations required to efficiently map the clinically relevant parameter space of this model by approximately 99%. Additionally, we have shown that more complex models with a larger number of variables may expect further improvements in efficiency.
Abstract 596: Increased Migration of Neutrophils Across Endothelial Cells from Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension is Related to Reduced Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule -1 and is Prevented by the Neutrophil Elastase Inhibitor Elafin

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating progressive disease associated with a high mortality despite current vasodilator therapies. Perivascular inflammation and high levels of neutr...
Epidemiology of injuries in ice hockey

Context:Hockey is a skillful contact sport with an elevated injury risk at higher levels of play. An understanding of injury incidence, type, mechanism, and severity at various levels of competitio...
Team Loving and Loathing: Emotional Determinants of Consumption in Collegiate Football

The popularity of collegiate football in America is unprecedented. The fan frenzy surrounding teams, games, and the sport itself, is borderline barmy. Aptly described as the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, fan emotions in college football are rampant; yet, research exploring such hedonic-related consumption is scant. To help close this gap, two studies, grounded in Mehrabian & Russell’s (1974) pleasure, arousal, and dominance (PAD) typology of emotions, were developed to help explain collegiate football sport consumption for loved and loathed teams. Study 1 examined PAD emotional determinants of fans’ purchase intentions and willingness to attend games of their favorite team. The findings indicated that the emotional dimension of arousal related positively with fans’ apparel and memorabilia purchase intentions and willingness to attend games; also, the pleasure and dominance emotional dimensions related positively to purchase intentions of apparel and memorabilia, respectively. Study 2 explored...
“I Just Feel Like I Always Did”: Inotropic Dependency at End of Life:

Background:Patients not considered for mechanical circulatory support or heart transplant may be dependent on inotropic therapy at end of life. End-of-life conversations in advanced heart failure c...
Higher cytolytic score correlates with an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and reduced survival in glioblastoma.

Cytolytic score (CYT), calculated from mRNA expression levels of granzyme and perforin, positively correlates with CD8+ T cell infiltration/activity in a variety of cancers. Unlike other cancers, higher CYT has been associated with worse prognosis in glioblastoma (GBM). To address this discrepancy, we sought to investigate the relationship between CYT and immune checkpoint gene score (ICGscore), as well as their correlation with patient survival and tumor immune cell infiltration. Clinical and RNA-sequencing data for patients with newly diagnosed GBM were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Maximally-selected rank statistics was used to dichotomize subgroups. CIBERSORT was used to estimate abudence of immune cell-types. Spearman correlation was used to characterize the relationship between CYT and ICGscore. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated for survival analysis. Overall, 28/151 patients had high CYT. High CYT was associated with a mesenchymal subtype (p < 0.001) and worse survival (7.45 vs. 12.2 months, p < 0.001). There were no differences in patient demographics, IDH/MGMT mutation status, or treatment. On subgroup analysis, patients with high CYT/ICGscore had significantly increased CD8+ infiltration (p < 0.001), as expected, and worse survival (HR 0.445, p < 0.01). Furthermore, CYT strongly correlated with ICGscore (RS = 0.675, p < 0.001). The high CYT/ICGscore subgroup was associated with greater infiltration of M2 macrophages (p = 0.011) and neutrophils (p = 0.055). Our study highlights a multidimensional immunosuppressive GBM microenvironment in patients with higher CYT and potentially identifies patients with high CYT/ICGscore as a subgroup that may particularly benefit from multi-faceted immunotherapies, given their already elevated tumor CD8+ T cell levels.
The Dynamics of Binary Neutron Star Mergers and GW170817

With the first observation of a binary neutron star merger through gravitational waves and light, GW170817, compact binary mergers have now taken the center stage in nuclear astrophysics. They are ...
Grain Structure – Resistivity Relationship of Ru ALD Precursors

The atomic layer deposition of ruthenium has been previously reported with a wide variety of precursors. However, the search for a Ru ALD process that can deposit a film with a resistivity close to that of bulk Ru (~7 μΩ • cm) is ongoing, with an emerging interest in processes that can selectively deposit low-resistance Ru films. In this work, the grain structure and resistivity relationship for Ru ALD precursors Ru(IHD) 2 (CO) 2 and Ru(CpEt) 2 using O 2 as a coreactant is investigated using electrical measurements by four-point-probe, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction/reflectometry (XRD/XRR).
Effect of pre-exposure to protective bacterial cultures in food on Listeria monocytogenes virulence

Abstract Protective cultures (PCs) are capable of inhibiting the growth of foodborne pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, in food products. However, their ability to attenuate pathogen virulence in food remains uninvestigated. In this study, we used an immunomagnetic separation approach to isolate the effect of pre-exposure to commercially produced PCs in milk as a model food on the subsequent ability of L. monocytogenes to survive simulated gastrointestinal conditions and infect human Caco-2 epithelial cells. Pre-exposure to two cultures of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum reduced the ability of L. monocytogenes to survive simulated gastrointestinal conditions with counts 2.7 log CFU/mL lower than control. The ability of L. monocytogenes to invade Caco-2 cells was also reduced by 1.5 and 2.3 log CFU/mL compared to control after exposure to Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and a strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, respectively. All Lactococcus lactis and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum cultures were able to limit the pathogen translocation across Caco-2 cells by 1.5–2.1 log CFU/mL less than that of control. When coupled with their antimicrobial activities against L. monocytogenes, these results demonstrate the ability of PCs to enhance the safety of food products by also attenuating the pathogen virulence, thereby impeding its ability to cause infection upon ingestion.
A COVID Reset: The Future of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and Its Volunteer Advocates.

This commentary examines how the COVID-19 long-term care facility shutdowns and fears escalated a trend in which certified volunteer ombudsmen (CVO) “resignations and retirements … alarmed and pani...
Organizations: Theoretical Debates and the Scope of Organizational Theory

The purpose of this paper is to present a way to make sense of the various strands of organizational theory. Organizational theories have three origins: Max Weber’s original work on bureaucracies that came to define the theory for sociologists, a line of theory based in business schools that had as its focus the improvement of management control over the work process, and the industrial organization literature in economics. I show how the theories converged in their focus during the 1950s and 1960s around rational adaption models of organization. This consensus exploded in the 1970s to create a multiplicity of perspectives that characterize the field today. I end by considering where organizational theory goes from here.
Integrated Circuit Signal Delay

The sections in this article are 1 Background to Signal Delay 2 Delay Metrics 3 Devices and Interconnections 4 Impact of Dsm on Design Methodologies 5 Conclusions
Java security extensions for a Java server in a hostile environment

The Java (TM) Virtual Machine is being used more frequently as the basic engine behind dynamic Web services. With the proliferation of network attacks on these network resources, much work has been done to provide security for the network environment. Continuing work on firewalls, intrusion detection, and even access control have provided numerous insights and capabilities for protecting Web resources. Java itself has received much attention in the security arena, and the Java 2(TM) Architecture has provided considerable inroads to providing security services. However, this research has operated under the assumption that attacks only occur through the network and not with direct access to the Web server through a valid login. Little effort has been placed on securing a Java Web server where the attacker has a valid login to the host machine. This paper describes specific security extensions developed for a Java Virtual Machine that provide assurance of correct system operation and integrity even in the presence of successful attacks on the underlying operating system.
Ramping up evidence-based ventricular assist device care.

Over the past several decades, mechanical circulatory support has become an increasingly important treatment for patients with advanced heart failure. Initial proof-of-concept trials focused on reducing the mortality of critically ill patients in cardiogenic shock. Although the ultimate goal of
From the Ballot to the Blackboard: THE EXPANSION OF EDUCATION TO THE MASSES: THEORY AND DATA

INTRODUCTION: TWO PATHS TO EDUCATION? The southern African kingdoms of Swaziland and Lesotho appear at first glance to be twins. Both states have populations of just over one million, low per capita incomes, near-identical demographic structures, and mountainous terrains, and are enveloped (entirely in the case of Lesotho) by the country of South Africa. Hence, one might expect both countries to face similar challenges in providing public infrastructure and investment. However, in terms of education spending, the countries stand in sharp contrast, with Lesotho spending twice as much of its national income on education as Swaziland. This distinction is a new one. In the mid–1980s, the two countries both spent around 6 percent of national income on education. But in the early 1990s, Lesotho began to diverge from Swaziland, at points spending over 10 percent of its national income, whereas Swaziland's investment actually declined. What explains this divergence? In Lesotho in 1993, Major General Elias Phisoana Ramaema handed over power to a democratically elected government headed by the previously banned Basutoland Congress Party. Although that government faced a variety of challenges to its control over the following five years, including two attempted coups, democracy has slowly become institutionalized and Lesotho has experienced peaceful and fair elections over the past decade.
Cardiac output during ritodrine treatment in premature labor.

Abstract Unlike other β-mimetic drugs, ritodrine hydrochloride is able to inhibit uterine contractility in premature labor without producing hypotension. Based on previous studies, we have postulated that this homeostatic effect of ritodrine is caused by an increase in cardiac output. In 5 women in premature labor, the indicator dilution technique was used to check the increase in cardiac output. Arterial pressure, amniotic pressure, and heart rate were recorded electronically. The systolic blood pressure increased 12 per cent during ritodrine infusion, while the diastolic pressure decreased 10 per cent. The mean blood pressure remained stable, but the pulse pressure increased significantly at 30 minutes of infusion. A consistent increase in cardiac output was found which reached the highest value, 56 per cent over the control, at 40 minutes. There was a slight decrease in cardiac output to 35 per cent above control at 60 minutes of infusion, because of reduced venous return attributed to inhibition of uterine contractility. The significance of these findings is discussed.
Differential gene expression of mammalian SPO11/TOP6A homologs during meiosis.

Abstract As the initiator of DNA double-strand breaks during meiosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the SPO11 protein is essential for recombination. Similarity between SPO11 and archaebacterial TOP6A proteins points to evolutionary specialization of a DNA cleavage function for meiotic recombination. To determine whether this extends to mammals, we isolated and characterized mouse and human SPO11 cDNAs. Mammalian SPO11 genes were found to be expressed at high levels only in testis, wherein mouse Spo11 transcript is restricted primarily to meiotic germ cells and is maximally expressed at mid-pachynema. Mouse Spo11 is located near the distal end of chromosome 2, while human SPO11 is found in the homologous position of chromosome 20q13.2–13.3, a region that is amplified in some breast cancers. Sequence homology and differential expression together support a highly conserved role for SPO11 in the enzymatic cleavage of DNA that accompanies meiotic recombination.
Agency costs and dividend payments: The case of bank holding companies

Abstract This paper examines the hypothesis that agency costs are a primary factor motivating dividend payments. Norohna et al. (1996) present evidence that the agency cost rationale is context specific and that dividends will not be driven by agency costs when other mechanisms exist for controlling agency problems. We argue that regulation of bank holding companies involves a context specific case where agency costs may be less relevant. Using an empirical methodology similar to Born and Rimbey’s (1993) , we find that the abnormal returns associated with dividend announcements by bank holding companies are not related to their external financing activities. The monitoring activities of the capital markets are not a rationale for dividend payments in the presence of bank regulation. Our results are robust to an alternative explanation involving the signaling role of new equity financings.
A Meta-analytic Test of Redundancy and Relative Importance of the Dark Triad and Five-factor Model of Personality

We examined the relationships between Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy-the three traits of the Dark Triad (DT)-and the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality. The review identified 310 independent samples drawn from 215 sources and yielded information pertaining to global trait relationships and facet-level relationships. We used meta-analysis to examine (a) the bivariate relations between the DT and the five global traits and 30 facets of the FFM, (b) the relative importance of each of the FFM global traits in predicting DT, and (c) the relationship between the DT and FFM facets identified in translational models of narcissism and psychopathy. These analyses identified consistent and theoretically meaningful associations between the DT traits and the facets of the FFM. The five traits of the FFM, in a relative importance analysis, accounted for much of the variance in Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy, respectively, and facet-level analyses identified specific facets of each FFM trait that were consistently associated with narcissism (e.g., angry/hostility, modesty) and psychopathy (e.g., straightforwardness, deliberation). The FFM explained nearly all of the variance in psychopathy (R(2) c = .88) and a substantial portion of the variance in narcissism (R(2) c = .42).
Dynamical properties of a growing surface on a random substrate.

The dynamics of the discrete Gaussian model for the surface of a crystal deposited on a disordered substrate is investigated by Monte Carlo simulations. The mobility of the growing surface was studied as a function of a small driving force $F$ and temperature $T$. A continuous transition is found from high-temperature phase characterized by linear response to a low-temperature phase with nonlinear, temperature dependent response. In the simulated regime of driving force the numerical results are in general agreement with recent dynamic renormalization group predictions.
An Event-driven Clockless Level-Crossing ADC With Signal-Dependent Adaptive Resolution

This paper presents a clock-less 8b ADC in 130 nm CMOS technology, which uses signal-dependent sampling rate and adaptive resolution through a time-varying comparison window, for applications with sparse input signals. Input-dependent dynamic bias is used to reduce comparator delay dispersion, thus helping to maintain SNDR while saving power. Alias-free operation with SNDR in the range of 47-54 dB, which partly exceeds the theoretical limit of 8b conventional converters, is achieved over a 20 kHz bandwidth with 3-9 μW power from a 0.8 V supply.
THE MEASUREMENT OF VERBAL PREDISPOSITIONS: SCALE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION

A self-report instrument (PVB), designed to measure Predispositions toward Verbal Behavior, was found to have acceptable internal reliability, content validity, moderate construct validity, and strong criterion-related validity. Subjects were found to have a generalized cognitive orientation toward their speech patterning that correlated positively with number of words and duration of talk in both highly-structured interviews and unstructured discussion situations.
Influence of Si/Al ratio on Auger line intensities of zeolites

The dependence of the O K L2,3 L2,3 and Na K L2,3 L2,3 Auger line intensities and the binding energy Eb of the O 1s photoelectron line of zeolites A, X, Y and mordenite on the structure induced charge transfer effects is demonstrated. Intensity of the O K L2,3 L2,3 Auger line and the Eb of the O 1s line are increased by shortening the T-O bond. Chemical shifts of the O 1s line are thus influenced predominantly by rehybridization of valence orbitals of the zeolites. Further experiments are need to explain the influence of structure-induced charge transfer effects on Auger line intensities and core level binding energies of ion-exchanged sodium in zeolites.
Loopless generation of Gray codes for k -ary trees

A number of loopless binary and k-ary tree generation algorithms are known. Vajnovszki recently presented a loopless Gray code generation algorithm for binary trees based on rotations and variations. He used a representation introduced by Pallo and generated the Gray code of Roelants van Baronaigien and Ruskey. In this paper we generalize the representation to k-ary trees and base the loopless generation algorithm on the shifts of Korsh and Lipschutz.
A Second-Order Bicharacteristics Method for Three-Dimensional, Steady, Supersonic Flow

A numerical method based on a bicharacteristics scheme for the solution of three-dimensi onal, steady, supersonic flows has been developed which has second-order accuracy. The method has been tested for order of accuracy using the exact solutions for source flow and Prandtl-Meyer flow. Comparisons with existing methods for the solution of axisymmetric flows have shown that the scheme produces accuracies comparable to that of the twodimensional method of characteristi cs. Flowfields for several three-dimensional nozzle contours were obtained. These results revealed the complex nature of the three-dimensional flows and verified the general inadequacy of quasi three-dimensional analyses which neglect cross flow. Experimental comparisons were made for a threedimensional, super-elliptic contour, and a reasonable correlation between predicted and measured pressures was obtained.
Total Synthesis of the Ristocetin Aglycon

The first total synthesis of the ristocetin aglycon is described employing a modular and highly convergent strategy. An effective 12-step (12% overall) synthesis of the ABCD ring system 3 from its amino acid subunits sequentially features an intramolecular aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction for formation of the diaryl ether and closure of the 16-membered CD ring system (65%), a respectively diastereoselective (3:1, 86%) Suzuki coupling for installation of the AB biaryl linkage on which the atropisomer stereochemistry can be further thermally adjusted, and an effective macrolactamization (51%) for closure of the 12-membered AB ring system. A similarly effective 13-step (14% overall) synthesis of the 14-membered EFG ring system 4 was implemented employing a room-temperature intermolecular SNAr reaction of an o-fluoronitroaromatic for formation of the FG diaryl ether (69%) and a key macrolactamization (92%) with formation of the amide linking residues 1 and 2. The two key fragments 3 and 4 were coup...
The Lithuanian strip in Soviet-German secret diplomacy, 1939–1941

When German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop signed the famous Russo-German Nonaggression Pact in Moscow on 23 August 1939, the public announcement of the pact made no mention of a secret protocol signed between the two parties the same day.1 By terms of this secret protocol the Baltic area, including Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the entire territory of the Polish Republic, was partitioned between the U.S.S.R. and Nazi Germany. The northern boundary of Lithuania provided the dividing line between the two spheres of interest. The Vilnius area was recognized as part of Lithuania. Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and the Polish territories east of the line of the rivers Narev, Vistula, and San were declared the sphere of influence of the U.S.S.R., whereas Lithuania and the Polish territories west of these rivers would constitute the German sphere of influence.2 The ultimate fate of Poland was also sealed in this secret protocol, which provided that "whether the interests of both parties make the maintenance of an independent Polish state desirable can be determined only in the course of further political developments." Apparently it was inconceivable for the Germans to abandon completely the entire Baltic area, which had been, after all, the historical battleground of the Teutonic Knights in their pursuit of the German manifest destiny of their Drang nach Osten. Therefore, Lithuania at least was retained by Germany, although later Germany traded it away in rather effective bargaining to extract concessions from the U.S.S.R. Once the potential spoils in Poland and the Baltic States had been thus divided and Russia's neutrality assured, Hitler was convinced that he then could attack Poland to effect the partition envisioned in the secret protocol. He may have thought that Britain, having lost Russia's support, would now withdraw its pledge to Poland, enabling him to continue his course of bloodless conquests.