cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A critical view of the peripheral atherectomy data in the treatment of infrainguinal arterial disease.

Background Revascularization of the peripheral arteries remains technically challenging. By decreasing the volume of the atherosclerotic plaque, debulking procedures may confer superior primary patency after revascularization. Aims To assess the impact of atherectomy on primary patency rates at 12 months compared to balloon angioplasty and/or stent placement alone in patients with infrainguinal arterial disease. Methods A database search for "directional," "orbital," "rotational," and "laser atherectomy" in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was performed. Studies were screened according to the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology) critical appraisal tool and summarized by population, methodology, and outcomes (primary patency and major adverse events). Results Only two randomized studies were found. Most of the data were obtained from single-arm studies and registries. The primary patency with directional atherectomy approaches 60% at 12 months as a stand-alone technique, whereas orbital atherectomy in conjunction with balloon angioplasty and stenting achieved primary patency rates of 90%. Laser atherectomy is universally employed with balloon angioplasty and stenting for in-stent restenosis lesions with a primary patency rate of 64%. Although there are data for the safe use of rotational atherectomy, robust data to support its effectiveness are lacking. The combination of drug-coated balloons and atherectomy for the treatment of heavily calcified lesions in patients with critical limb ischemia is under evaluation. Conclusion Despite the successful procedural outcomes reported in clinical registries, the available data do not support the use of atherectomy alone in PAD. Larger randomized controlled studies are warranted to define its role in contemporary endovascular practice.
The impact of ultra-thin titania interlayers on open circuit voltage and carrier lifetime in thin film solar cells

We study the effects of modifying indium tin oxide electrodes with ultrathin titania (TiO2) layers grown via plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD). We find an optimal thickness of PE-ALD-grown titania by tracking performance, which initially increases, peaks, and eventually decreases with increasing TiO2 thickness. We use scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) to measure both the local work function and its distribution as a function of TiO2 thickness. We find that the variance in contact potential difference across the surface of the film is related to either the amorphous or anatase TiO2 form. Finally, we use local SKPM recombination rate experiments, supported by bulk transient photovoltage and charge extraction measurements. We show that the optimum TiO2 thickness is the one for which the carrier lifetime is the longest and the charge carrier density is the highest, when the TiO2 is amorphous, in agreement with the device measurements.
The Effect of Fuel Density on Mixing Profiles in a DACRS Type Premixer: Experiments and Simulation

A combined experimental and computational study was conducted to investigate the effect of fuel density variations on mixing from a double annular counter-rotating swirl (DACRS) nozzle operated at atmospheric pressure under non-reacting conditions using either helium (He) or a mixture of He and CO2 as fuel simulants. A small probe traversed through the flow collecting gas samples that were sent to gas analyzers measuring the concentration profiles. The resulting measurements are then used to validate the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. A commercial CFD code (CFX 10) with a Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) formulation was used to simulate the experiment. Multiple turbulence closures, such as standard and realizable k-e and SSG Reynolds stress model were evaluated. Additionally, several geometrical considerations, such as modeling a 72° sector versus a full 360°, were tested. While at high fuel-to-air momentum flux ratios (J) the fuel simulant concentration profiles were outward-peaked, and at low J the profiles were center-peaked. An analysis of the experimental results clearly indicate the momentum flux ratio is the most influential parameter controlling mixing in a DACRS nozzle. The simulations produced quantitative agreement with the experimental measurements using the realizable k-e turbulence closure and only modeling a 72° sector of the nozzle. The complexity of the studied problem required a considerable refinement of the grid to produce an accurate and grid independent solution. The validated model may now be used to explore the design space for optimization of a nozzle for utilization in a syngas application.© 2007 ASME
Distribution of mumps virus in the experimentally infected monkey.

SummaryThe distribution of mumps virus in one experimentally infected monkey 96 hours after inoculation has been investigated by simultaneous labelled antibody and virus isolation studies. The results furnished by the two methods were in fair agreement. Virus was demonstrated in CNS (brain and spinal cord) as well as in both parotid glands, although the animal had shown no neurological signs. No virus was demonstrated in the other organs examined.
Neuromotor Incoordination Predictive of ADHD

Quantitative and qualitative motor performance on the Maastricht Motor test was evaluated in 401 children ages 5 to 6 years (232 males, 169 females) who were tested 18 months later for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and ODD/CD, in a study at the University Hospital of Maastricht, Department of Neurology, the Netherlands.
Structural and electronic comparison of 1st row transition metal complexes of a tripodal iminopyridine ligand.

We report the preparation and characterization of a series of divalent 3d transition metal complexes (Cr to Zn, 1–7), featuring the multidentate, tripodal iminopyridine Schiff-base ligand trimethyl 6,6′,6″-((1E,1′E,1″E)-((nitrilotris(ethane-2,1-diyl))tris(azanylylidene))tris-(methanylylidene))trinicotinate (L5-OOMe). X-ray structural studies carried out on 1–5 and 7 reveal complex geometries ranging from local octahedral coordination to significant distortion toward trigonal prismatic geometry to heptacoordinate environments. Regardless of coordination mode, magnetic and spectroscopic studies show the ligand to provide moderately strong ligand fields: the Fe complex is low-spin, while the Co and Mn complexes are high-spin at all temperatures probed. Cyclic voltammograms exhibit multiple reversible ligand-based reductions, which are relatively consistent throughout the series; however, the electrochemical behavior of the Cr complex 1 is fundamentally different from those of the other complexes. Time-depend...
Compact Crystallization, Filtration, and Drying for the Production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

With the growing problem of drug shortages worldwide, a solution could be a centralized compact pharmaceutical manufacturing platform that produces API and finished drug product. In this paper, the development of a combined crystallization, hybrid filtration-drying-dissolution apparatus to be used in such a compact platform is discussed. Experiments were conducted to evaluate each unit operation. Crystallization experiments using a conventional stirred tank and the newly designed scraped surface crystallizer demonstrated the advantages of the new design in terms of crystallization rates, yields and the ease of automation. Postcrystallization operations were operated stepwise using the custom hybrid device that delivered satisfactory results for each operation, e.g. after filtration, Fluoxetine HCl was dried in less than 20 min, with 99% yield after dissolution in the liquid excipient.
Evidence for adrenergic and cholinergic components in milk let-down reflex in lactating rat.

SummaryThe amount of milk obtained by litters of lactating rats treated with various ergot alkaloids, Dibenamine or atropine, was compared with control values previously obtained. All ergot drugs tested significantly blocked the let-down response. Methylergo-novine (Methergine) was the most potent inhibitor, followed by the dihydroergotoxine complex (Hydergine) and dihydroergotamine (DHE 45), in that order. Results indicate action on central nervous system is probably responsible for some, or perhaps all, milk letdown inhibitory action of ergot drugs. This observation was based primarily on results with Methergine, a non-sympatholytic compound. Dibenamine evoked symptoms of central excitation which persisted for 30-45 minutes after injection though milk let-down was not inhibited in those animals who nursed during this period. Milk let-down, however, was significantly inhibited when the drug was injected 2 hours prior to nursing, after which time adrenergic blockade has occurred. Atropine induced a highly...
Discussions about Comprehension and Test Methods of 4.6 in YY 0068.1-2008

"synthetical relative effect of light energy" in YY 0068.1-2008,a newly additional item for this occupation standard,helped to ensure the image quality and safety of the endoscope.This article analyzed requirements of 4.6,furthermore,given suggested testing process.It will help the manufactures to comprehend the item better.
Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)) Down-Regulates Acetylation of Histone H4 at Lysine 16 through Induction of Stressor Protein Nupr1

The environmental and occupational carcinogen Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)) has been shown to cause lung cancer in humans when inhaled. In spite of a considerable research effort, the mechanisms of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis remain largely unknown. Nupr1 (nuclear protein 1) is a small, highly basic, and unfolded protein with molecular weight of 8,800 daltons and is induced by a variety of stressors. Studies in animal models have suggested that Nupr1 is a key factor in the development of lung and pancreatic cancers, with little known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here we report that the level of Nupr1 is significantly increased in human bronchial epithelial BEAS2B cells following exposure to Cr(VI) through epigenetic mechanisms. Interestingly, Cr(VI) exposure also results in the loss of acetylation at histone H4K16, which is considered a ‘hallmark’ of human cancer. Cr(VI)-induced reduction of H4K16 acetylation appears to be caused by the induction of Nupr1, since (a) overexpression of Nupr1 decreased the levels of both H4K16 acetylation and the histone acetyltransferase MOF (male absent on the first; also known as Kat8, Myst 1), which specifically acetylates H4K16; (b) the loss of acetylation of H4K16 upon Cr(VI) exposure is greatly compromised by knockdown of Nupr1. Moreover, Nupr1-induced reduction of H4K16 acetylation correlates with the transcriptional down-regulation at several genomic loci. Notably, overexpression of Nupr1 induces anchorage-independent cell growth and knockdown of Nupr1 expression prevents Cr(VI)-induced cell transformation. We propose that Cr(VI) induces Nupr1 and rapidly perturbs gene expression by downregulating H4K16 acetylation, thereby contributing to Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis.
Economic performance of irrigation capacity development to adapt to climate in the American Southwest

Abstract Growing demands for food security to feed increasing populations worldwide have intensified the search for improved performance of irrigation, the world’s largest water user. These challenges are raised in the face of climate variability and from growing environmental demands. Adaptation measures in irrigated agriculture include fallowing land, shifting cropping patterns, increased groundwater pumping, reservoir storage capacity expansion, and increased production of risk-averse crops. Water users in the Gila Basin headwaters of the U.S. Lower Colorado Basin have faced a long history of high water supply fluctuations producing low-valued defensive cropping patterns. To date, little research grade analysis has investigated economically viable measures for irrigation development to adjust to variable climate. This gap has made it hard to inform water resource policy decisions on workable measures to adapt to climate in the world’s dry rural areas. This paper’s contribution is to illustrate, formulate, develop, and apply a new methodology to examine the economic performance from irrigation capacity improvements in the Gila Basin of the American Southwest. An integrated empirical optimization model using mathematical programming is developed to forecast cropping patterns and farm income under two scenarios (1) status quo without added storage capacity and (2) with added storage capacity in which existing barriers to development of higher valued crops are dissolved. We find that storage capacity development can lead to a higher valued portfolio of irrigation production systems as well as more sustained and higher valued farm livelihoods. Results show that compared to scenario (1), scenario (2) increases regional farm income by 30%, in which some sub regions secure income gains exceeding 900% compared to base levels. Additional storage is most economically productive when institutional and technical constraints facing irrigated agriculture are dissolved. Along with additional storage, removal of constraints on weak transportation capacity, limited production scale, poor information access, weak risk-bearing capacity, limited management skills, scarce labor supply, low food processing capacity, and absolute scale constraints, all can raise the economic value of additional irrigation capacity development. Our results light a path forward to policy makers, water administrators, and farm managers, who bear the burden of protecting farm income, food and water security, and rural economic development in the world’s dry regions faced by the need to adapt to climate variability.
Mestizo Matachines Dancers in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, December 11, 1968

(1969). Mestizo Matachines Dancers in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, December 11, 1968. KIVA: Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 103-104.
Disciplinary/Digital Debates and the Urban Phenomenon

Chapter 2: Disciplinary/Digital Debates and the Urban Phenomenon shifts from a focus on defining of the city toward seeing how intellectual knowledge has become fragmented across particular disciplinary frameworks. Attention is given to the increasing interdisciplinarity of humanities and social science research in general, before addressing the interdisciplinary challenges facing digital work throughout the second half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. The challenges of integrating disciplines can be understood by looking at two particular moments: first, the Snow-Leavis controversy of the early 1960s and, second, the origins of the digital humanities and their contemporary evolution. The final section of this chapter returns to the work of Henri Lefebvre as a way of bringing humanities, social sciences and digital sciences together.
Response to own name in children: ERP study of auditory social information processing

Auditory processing is an important component of cognitive development, and names are among the most frequently occurring receptive language stimuli. Although own name processing has been examined in infants and adults, surprisingly little data exist on responses to own name in children. The present ERP study examined spoken name processing in 32 children (M=7.85years) using a passive listening paradigm. Our results demonstrated that children differentiate own and close other's names from unknown names, as reflected by the enhanced parietal P300 response. The responses to own and close other names did not differ between each other. Repeated presentations of an unknown name did not result in the same familiarity as the known names. These results suggest that auditory ERPs to known/unknown names are a feasible means to evaluate complex auditory processing without the need for overt behavioral responses.
Soil genesis and classification

article i nfo Article history: The formation and classification of soils have been a key area of research in the soil science discipline. Major breakthroughs have been brought about since the mid 1800s and it has evolved from conceptual frameworks, to descriptive studies to more quantitative approaches. Some 50 years ago the American soil scientists Stan Buol and Francis Hole hatched idea for the book Soil Genesis and Classification. Now six editions of the book have been published and it has become a standard text book in teaching soil science and pedology in the USA. Over 50,000 copies have been sold and this paper reviews how the book evolved over time, and relates the text to trends and developments in soil formation and soil classification. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Effects of Temperature and Storage Conditions on Eggs

Abstract The table egg is a perishable food item with a limited shelf life. The fertile hatching egg also deteriorates in quality with age. Prolonged storage of eggs leads to the escape of water and carbon dioxide through the pores of the shell increasing albumen pH causing the egg white to become less viscous. To retain quality and minimize the opportunity for pathogen growth, both table and hatching eggs are collected frequently and stored in a humidified cooler. Current regulation in the United States requires that the ambient temperature of processed table eggs be maintained at 7.2°C (45°F) or below. Chicken hatching eggs are stored at 18°C (65°F). Intervention strategies to counter the decline in hatch rate with extended storage include a cooler storage temperature with eggs positioned with the small end up, and flushing nitrogen into plastic bags containing eggs that are subsequently sealed.
Photoproduction of π− from 14N

We have carried out calculations on the reaction 14N(γ,π−)14 Og.s, and compared our results to those of activation measurements recently completed at Lund1. Since the nuclear wave functions, are well known, this reaction should provide a stringent test of the dependence of the cross section on the various optical potentials used to describe the π-nucleus final state interactions.
Analysis of Availability, Quality, and Price of Food Options in Denver, CO Grocery Stores

This study examined Denver, Colorado area grocery stores to identify if significant differences in food price, availability, or quality existed for different population groups. Thirty stores were r...
A CRISPR toolbox to study virus-host interactions

Viruses depend on their hosts to complete their replication cycles; they exploit cellular receptors for entry and hijack cellular functions to replicate their genome, assemble progeny virions and spread. Recently, genome-scale CRISPR-Cas screens have been used to identify host factors that are required for virus replication, including the replication of clinically relevant viruses such as Zika virus, West Nile virus, dengue virus and hepatitis C virus. In this Review, we discuss the technical aspects of genome-scale knockout screens using CRISPR-Cas technology, and we compare these screens with alternative genetic screening technologies. The relative ease of use and reproducibility of CRISPR-Cas make it a powerful tool for probing virus-host interactions and for identifying new antiviral targets.
Understanding long-term silver release from surface modified porous titanium implants.

Prevention of orthopedic device related infection (ODRI) using antibiotics has met with limited amount of success and is still a big concern during post-surgery. As an alternative, use of silver as an antibiotic treatment to prevent surgical infections is being used due to the well-established antimicrobial properties of silver. However, in most cases silver is used in particulate form with wound dressings or with short-term devices such as catheters but not with load-bearing implants. We hypothesize that strongly adherent silver to load-bearing implants can offer longer term solution to infection in vivo. Keeping that in mind, the focus of this study was to understand the long term release study of silver ions for a period of minimum 6 months from silver coated surface modified porous titanium implants. Implants were fabricated using a LENS™ system, a powder based additive manufacturing technique, with at least 25% volume porosity, with and without TiO2 nanotubes in phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4) to see if the total release of silver ions is within the toxic limit for human cells. Considering the fact that infection sites may reduce the local pH, silver release was also studied in acetate buffer (pH 5.0) for a period of 4 weeks. Along with that, the osseointegrative properties as well as cytotoxicity of porous titanium implants were assessed in vivo for a period of 12 weeks using a rat distal femur model. In vivo results indicate that porous titanium implants with silver coating show comparable, if not better, biocompatibility and bonding at the bone-implant interface negating any concerns related to toxicity related to silver to normal cells. The current research is based on our recently patented technology, however focused on understanding longer-term silver release to mitigate infection related problems in load-bearing implants that can even arise several months after the surgery.
On the Relationship Between Parity Relations and Parameter Estimation

Abstract Sliding window least squares parameter estimation is applied to the detection and isolation of parametric faults. The approach is extended to the direct estimation of faults in the underlying parameters. Parity relations designed for diagonal response to parametric faults are shown to be the minimum data-set special case of the sliding window algorithm. The effects of parameter jumps and noise are investigated.
Cardiac Output Redistribution

In general, flow through a tissue bed is a direct function of the pressure difference across the bed and the resistance of the vascular bed. All other things being equal, the higher the driving pressure (arterial pressure), the greater the blood flow. The cardiovascular system is a closed-loop system in which billions of vessels interact with each other, and it enables the control of the systemic arterial pressure and varying organ flow through autoregulatory mechanisms [1]. The autoregulation mechanism is characterized by its vasodilatation effect on the small arteries and arterioles, in spite of the domination of the sympathetic nervous system. Autoregulation is a manifestation of local blood flow regulation. It is defined as the intrinsic ability of an organ to maintain a constant blood flow despite changes in perfusion pressure (Fig. 4.1). An important feature of resting skeletal muscle is that it appears to be substantially vasoconstricted. This has been attributed to high baseline sympathetic tone. During exercise, accumulation of local metabolites appears to mediate increased blood flow and thus, oxygen delivery. Such reactive hyperemia may be impaired in disease states, for example, in cardiac failure.
Stabilization of the bainite reaction

The influence of partial decomposition to high temperature bainite on reaction kinetics at a lower temperature has been studied in two alloy steels. Reaction at the lower temperature is retarded by the prior treatment, and the extent of decomposition may be reduced. Interpretation of these results is based on a mechanism involving a limitation in the nucleation and growth of bainite plates.
Case 90: A Simple Case but It Goes On and On

You are a senior anesthesiologist in a university hospital. Today you are working with a resident who has been with the program for 2 years. Of interest is that you have been asked by the Anesthesia Department’s Clinical Competence Committee to work solely with him for a week and to give a report. You have been told by your colleagues that the resident is very much behind his peers in clinical skills, etc.
Fibroblasts fuse with myotubes developing in culture.

Skeletal muscle cells are formed during development in vivo as well as in vitro by the fusion of mononucleate, undifferentiated precursors, termed myoblasts. Over the last year, we have observed that, although rarely, fibroblasts also are able to fuse with developing myotubes in tissue culture (Chaudhari et al., 1989). The experiments which we present here were carried out primarily on muscle cells from the muscular dysgenesis (mdg) strain of mice (Pai, 1965). This strain carries a mutation in the gene for a skeletal muscle specific calcium channel (Tanabe et al. 1988), rendering skeletal muscle totally paralyzed. When dysgenic myoblasts fuse in culture, these myotubes are unable to twitch, either spontaneously or in response to electrical stimulation. However, dysgenic myotubes can be induced to regain twitch responses by the introduction of either a normal myoblast nucleus (Peterson and Pena, 1984) or a normal gene to replace the altered calcium channel (Tanabe et. al. 1988). Thus, dysgenic myotubes allowed us to visualize (through their altered phenotype), rare events: the incorporation of single, normal, fibroblast nuclei.
Truth: Primary Bearers

The main candidates for being the primary bearers of truth are propositions, sentences, and statements. Here the nature and significance of the debate regarding the primary bearers of truth is characterized, and the virtues and drawbacks of leading candidate positions are presented.
Oxytocin and vasopressin modulation of social anxiety following adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure

Adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure (AIE) produces lasting, sex-specific social anxiety-like alterations in male, but not female rats. Oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP) brain systems play opposite roles in regulating social preference/avoidance, with OXT increasing approach to, and AVP increasing avoidance of social stimuli. To test the hypothesis that social anxiety-like alterations seen in adult males after AIE are associated with a shift in the balance between OXT and AVP toward AVP, effectiveness of pharmacological activation of the OXT system and blockade of endogenous activity at AVP receptors for reversing AIE-induced social anxiety-like alterations was assessed, along with examination of the effects of AIE on OXT, vasopressin V1a, and V1b receptor (OXT-R, V1a-R, and V1b-R) surface expression in the hypothalamus. Sprague-Dawley male and female rats were given 4 g/kg ethanol (AIE) or water intragastrically every 48 h for a total of 11 exposures during postnatal days (P) 25–45. On P70–72, animals were given a social interaction test following administration of a selective OXT-R agonist WAY-267464, selective V1a-R antagonist SR-49059, or V1b-R antagonist SSR-149415, and hypothalamic tissue was collected. Social anxiety-like behavior was induced by AIE in males but not females, and was selectively reversed by the selective OXT-R agonist and V1b-R antagonist, but not V1a-R antagonist. AIE was also found to decrease OXT-R, but increase V1b-R neuronal surface expression relative to water-exposed controls in the hypothalamus of males, but not females. These findings demonstrate that AIE induces changes in OXT-R and AVP-R surface expression in the hypothalamus along with social anxiety-like alterations in male rats. These social anxiety-like alterations can be reversed either by activation of the OXT system or by suppression of the AVP system, data that support the hypothesis that social anxiety-like alterations induced by adolescent alcohol exposure in male rats are associated at least in part with an OXT/AVP imbalance.
The License Plate Location Algorithm Based on Color Feature and Fusion Feature

Aiming at the low accuracy of license plate location in the complex environment. A license plate location algorithm based on color feature and fusion feature was proposed. A method for generating a grayscale image based on the color feature of the license plate is used to perform binarization. The feature of PHOG and Hu moment were extracted from the candidate regions and performed feature fusion after the initial positioning. Finally the feature was classified by using PSO optimized SVM. The experimental results show that the positioning success rate of this method can reach 97% above. It can quickly and accurately locate the license plate in a complex environment with high robustness.
A six-year analysis of sex traffickers of minors: exploring characteristics and sex trafficking patterns

Few studies have explored the characteristics and arrest patterns of sex traffickers, particularly sex traffickers of persons under the age of 18 (minors) in the U.S. The purpose of this study is t...
Dunhuang and Lifelong Learning in the Global Context

A close look at the Dunhuang Grottoes—the Buddhist scriptures, books, frescoes, and artifacts—reveals that lifelong learning is almost everywhere. Lifelong learning, which has been a constant theme in adult education, is, in fact, a concept that is not associated with any specific age group (Mocker and Spear, Lifelong Learning: Formal, Nonformal, Informal, and Self-Directed (Information Series, No. 241). Columbus: National Center Publications, 1982). The heritage from Dunhuang shows that lifelong learning is for everyone without exception, for those from the most eminent families, such as the emperor of a country, government officials, and professionals, and for the people who live in poverty and difficulty, such as uneducated people, the homeless, and even thieves. This chapter looks at lifelong learning through the lens of Dunhuang, seeks its relevance for contemporary education and its practical applications toward human life in the global context in order to create a more democratic and equitable society.
Stabilization Of SPMS Wind Generator With Boost Converter Using Backstepping Approach

The increased use of renewable energy systems presents challenges in maintaining system reliability. This is due to the distributed nature of wind and solar sources that often results in reverse power flows compared to the original system design. Although there have been many developments in wide area control of electric power systems using linear control theory, many renewable energy system are inherently nonlinear. This paper develops a technique to stabilize a surface permanent-magnet synchronous wind generator with boost converter through transforming its mathematical model into equivalent strict feedback form such that backstepping control methods based on Lyapunov stability can be applied. We introduce the required conditions and a procedure to do this transformation that results in a stabilizing control function. Detailed simulation results indicate the benefits of this design method under a wide range of possible operating conditions.
Improving Effect Estimates by Limiting the Variability in Inverse Propensity Score Weights

This study describes a novel method to reweight a comparison group used for causal inference, so the group is similar to a treatment group on observable characteristics yet avoids highly variable w...
CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Glucocorticoid Resistance in Virus-Specific T Cells for Adoptive T Cell Therapy Posttransplantation.

Immunosuppression posttransplantation exposes patients to an increased risk for refractory viral infections as an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Protective T cell immunity can be restored by adoptive T cell transfer, but ongoing immunosuppression limits efficacy of T cell responses. In order to deliver protection against viral pathogens and allow at the same time necessary steroid therapy, we generated glucocorticoid-resistant T cells by CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout of the glucocorticoid receptor in primary human virus-specific T cell products. Characterization of the T cell product revealed high efficiency of glucocorticoid receptor knockout and high purity of virus-specific T cells. This tandem T cell engineering preserved protective T cell functionality, such as cytotoxicity, CD107a degranulation, proliferative capacity, and cytokine release patterns. Virus-specific T cells with glucocorticoid receptor knockout were resistant to the suppressive effect of dexamethasone treatment on lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine secretion (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin-4 [IL-4], IL-6, and sFas). Additionally, glucocorticoid receptor knockout cells remained sensitive to cyclosporine A treatment, thereby providing a rescue approach for patients in case of safety issues. This novel approach provides a therapeutic option for the treatment of patients with viral infections after transplantation who are receiving glucocorticoid therapy.
A Study in Contrasts: Multiple-Case Perspectives on Teacher Preparation at New Graduate Schools of Education

This article takes a multi-case perspective on teacher preparation at new graduate schools of education (nGSEs) across four sites. The article argues that teacher preparation at nGSEs is a study in...
The Externalities of Fire Sales: Evidence from Collateralized Loan Obligations

I investigate how covenants, intrinsic to Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO) indentures, provide a mechanism through which idiosyncratic shocks may be amplified, imposing negative externalities on other unrelated firms in CLO portfolios. To this aim, I exploit cross-sectional variation in CLO exposure to the Oil & Gas (O&G) industry, as well as the timing of the O&G bust in 2014 to study how non-O&G firms in CLO portfolios are affected. I find that when CLOs are subject to idiosyncratic shocks that push them closer to their covenant constraints, they fire-sell unrelated loans in the secondary loan market to alleviate these constraints. The ex-post, secondary market spread becomes the effective cost of capital for these innocent bystanders, as the expected rate of return across debt instruments is equalized in market equilibrium. In response, firms make financial and real adjustments. These adjustments are most pronounced for riskier firms held in CLO portfolios, whose loans are marked at market prices, as selling mark-to-market loans can generate greater slack in the covenant constraints. As the sample period for this study is 2012-2017, a relatively benign macroeconomic period, the effects may be significantly larger during times of stress such as Spring of 2020, at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
IPO cycles in Pakistan

Abstract This study investigates the cycles that IPO issuance produce in Pakistan and the US. We did not find evidence of a lead-lag relationship between IPO volume and initial returns in Pakistan; however, this evidence holds for the US IPOs. Another important finding is that Pakistani and US IPOs are sensitive to changes in market conditions. Moreover, we report evidence of emerging hot markets in Pakistan. This study compares the results of hot IPO markets to the proceeds obtained for firms that issue their shares and finds that firms raise more capital during hot markets; however, factors like regulatory regimes have different influences over the proceeds raised across the different markets.
Comparative Performance of Sanitizers in Managing Plant-to-plant Transfer and Postharvest Infection of Calonectria pseudonaviculata and Pseudonectria foliicola on Boxwood.

Calonectria pseudonaviculata and Pseudonectria foliicola causing the infamous “boxwood blight” and “Volutella blight,” respectively, are a constant threat to the boxwood production and cut boxwood ...
Mapping Bodies, Designing Feminist Icons

Bodies are nuanced, fluid, and political—often combining forms of intersecting and experiential identities. Nevertheless, bodies are frequently missing from maps altogether or, when they are includ...
The Effects of Hydrological Management on Methane Emissions from Southeastern Shrub Bogs of the USA

Peatlands are responsible for the majority of methane (CH4) emission from wetlands globally. Hydrological changes induced by climatic and anthropogenic disturbance may substantially alter CH4 emission in peatlands. Here we measured CH4 emission monthly for 1.5 years in natural, drained and restored shrub bogs in North Carolina, USA. Methane emissions from all sites were consistently low ( 1 mg CH4 m− 2 h− 1) at sites where the water level remained close to the ground surface for 2–3 months, suggesting that surface litter mostly, not deep peat, contributes to CH4 emission. We verified this inference by incubating 2-cm sections of peat sliced from intact soil cores for 6 months. Only the saturated surface litter emitted CH4, which indicated a 5-cm threshold of ground water level for CH4 emission in our shrub bogs. During a wet year, water levels in the wet sites (natural and restored) remained at least 5 cm below soil surface for about 90 % of the days. We thus demonstrate the CH4 emission is negligible from these shrub bogs. This study also indicates that restoration through a non-inundated rewetting would not stimulate CH4 emission in drained/degraded low-latitude shrub bogs, such as pocosins.
Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction on rhodium sulfide compared to Pt and Rh in the presence of chloride

Chloride poisoning is a serious problem for the electrocatalytic reduction of aqueous nitrate (NO3−) and improved electrocatalysts are needed. Here we study the electrocatalytic activity of rhodium sulfide supported on carbon (RhxSy/C) for the reduction of nitrate and compare it against Pt/C and Rh/C in the presence of chloride. Between 0.05–0.15 V vs. RHE, RhxSy/C has a steady-state nitrate reduction current density in 1 M H2SO4 + 1 M NaNO3 that is 1.6–5.6 times greater than Rh/C (the most active metal electrocatalyst) and 10–24 times greater than Pt/C. Current densities are decreased by 37% for RhxSy/C, 62% for Rh/C, and 40% for Pt/C at 0.1 V vs. RHE in the presence of 1 mM chloride. The decrease in nitrate reduction activity for Pt, Rh, and RhxSy is due to the competitive adsorption of chloride and nitrate on the surface. Density functional theory (DFT) modeling predicts that chloride poisoning will persistently inhibit nitrate reduction on metals due to linear adsorbate scaling relations between nitrate and chloride. DFT calculations and microkinetic modeling of our experimental measurements predict that nitrate converts to nitrite via an H-assisted dissociation mechanism on Pt and direct nitrate dissociation on Rh and RhxSy. Pristine RhxSy (i.e., Rh3S4, Rh2S3, and Rh17S15) terraces are predicted to be inactive toward nitrate reduction. In contrast, sulfur vacancies in Rh3S4 terraces are predicted to be active for nitrate reduction, but also bind chloride strongly. Thus, sulfur-defected Rh3S4 rationalize the experimentally observed high activity but moderate chloride poison-resistance of RhxSy/C for nitrate reduction.
Ethical dissonance in environmental advertising: Moderating effects of self-benefit versus other-benefit appeals

The authors examine how consumers react to online prosocial advertising reminding them that they have violated ethical standards. Findings show that consumers feel ethical dissonance when recognizi...
Olive Oil in Botanical Cosmeceuticals

Publisher Summary The primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, known to be one of the healthiest around the world, olive oil (Olea europaea) has long been considered one of the most important of the natural essential oils. For millennia, as long as it has been part of the human diet, people have also used olive oil for various non-culinary purposes, including for its beneficial effects on the skin. The ancient Egyptians and Romans used olive oil in food, cosmetics, massage oil for athletes, anointing oil, and salve for soothing wounds, and the ancient Greeks bathed with olive oil. In recent years, the topical application of olive oil has been reported to be an effective option in treating xerosis, rosacea, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis (particularly diaper dermatitis), eczema (including severe hand and foot eczema), seborrhea, pruritus, and various inflammations, burns and other cutaneous damage. In addition, olive oil is showing promise as a potential photoprotective agent. This chapter focuses on the chemical constituents of olive oil believed to confer beneficial health effects before concentrating on the dermatologic implications of olive oil consumption and topical application, including a brief discussion of some of the available formulations.
Regulation of Flagellar Gene Expression and Assembly

Campylobacters produce proteins required for motility that are absent in other well studied motile bacteria, and have portions of conserved pathways mixed with unique mechanisms of promoting flagellar gene regulation, biosynthesis, and motility. Chemotaxis is an essential property of flagellar motility that influences the movement of bacteria toward appropriate environmental and host niches that support ideal bacterial growth and away from components that are less beneficial for growth or harmful to the organism. Although much information regarding flagellar motility has been gleaned by analyzing predictions from genomic sequences, the field of flagellar motility in campylobacters was moved forward by the development of new genetic tools and strategies for studying these bacteria. Seminal works for understanding regulatory pathways for flagellar gene expression and assembly of proteins into a flagellum largely focused on those of Salmonella species followed by Vibrio and Pseudomonas species. Early studies focusing on antigens of Campylobacter jejuni that are recognized by convalescent human antisera after infection revealed that the major flagellin FlaA is the foremost immunodominant antigen. Thus, much early work regarding flagellar motility in campylobacters largely centered on the genetic organization and expression of the flagellin genes of C. jejuni and C. coli. Flagellar motility in campylobacters is also affected by phase variation. Much progress has been made in the last decade in identifying proteins of campylobacters required for flagellar motility and understanding the roles of these proteins in flagellar gene regulation, biosynthesis of the organelle, and chemotaxis.
Some aspects of the chemical composition, physiology and pathology of intracellular fluid.

I ACCEPT the Mead Johnson Award for 1951 with gratitude tempered with the sense of the future obligation that your choice imposes. The preparation of a presentation such as this accentuates the realization of how many of one9s own thoughts are but those of others phrased in the terms of individual experience. The present award must be considered as given to many. Dr. James L. Gamble has pointed to the problems and, by his presence and work in the laboratory, provided the stimulus and guidance for pursuing the work to be discussed. Dr. Charles A. Janeway has carried the difficult and unseen and, so often, unthanked burden of seeking and providing the means for carrying on the work and, by his wide field of interest and knowledge, suggested many of the ideas pursued. To my contemporaries in the laboratory, Dr. Jack Metcoff, Dr. Leonard Eliel, Dr. Malcolm Holliday, Dr. Robert Schwartz, Dr. Ernest Cotlove, Dr. William Schwartz, Drs. George and Nancy Nichols and Dr. William Bergstrom must go the credit for the great bulk of the work done. Any credit that may accrue must also be shared with those who did so much of the analytic and secretarial work and provided the nursing care in the clinical studies. Work of the type to be discussed requires substantial financial support and appreciation must be expressed to the Mead Johnson Company, the United States Public Health Service and the Grant Foundation for supplementing the liberal opportunities for research at the Children9s Medical Center. It is the purpose of this paper to consider some concepts of the electrolyte composition, physiology and pathology of the intracellular fluid and to inquire into their application to clinical problems.
Determination of Carnitine Turnover in Choline-deficient and Cold-exposed Rats

Two experiments were conducted to study the body pool size and turnover rate of carnitine in rats. The turnover of carnitine was determined by injection of a tracer dose of L-(;/iei/ii//-14C)carnitine. In experiment 1, carnitine body pool size and turnover in rats fed a choline-deficient basal diet were compared with values ob tained from rats fed the basal diet supplemented with choline. These rats were main tained at 22Â°.In experiment 2, carnitine body pool size and turnover were determined in cold-exposed (2Â°) rats fed the choline-deficient basal diet. Carnitine body pool sizes of rats maintained at 22Â°and fed the choline-deficient basal diet and the choline- supplemented diet were 35.6 and 41.8 /Â«noles/lOOg body weight, respectively. Carnitine body pool size of rats maintained at 2Â°and fed the choline-deficient basal diet was 43.3 ^moles/100 g body weight. Turnover times of the fast and slow turnover pools of carnitine for rats maintained at 22Â°and fed a choline-deficient basal diet were 6.6 and 56.1 days, for rats fed a choline-supplemented diet, 6.7 and 40.2 days, and for rats maintained at 2Â° and fed a choline-deficient diet, 2.9 and 36.4 days, respectively. Carnitine turnover times obtained in the present study, using L-("C)carnitine, were longer than turnover times obtained with DL-("C)carnitine in our previous study (J. Nutr. 104, 782-792). These observations suggest that D-carnitine is not metabolized the same way as L-carnitine, and that D-carnitine is not cleared from the body within 2 days after injection. The results also suggest that carnitine metabolism can be in fluenced by the amount of choline in the diet and by cold exposure. J. Nutr. 205; 301-307, 1975.
Towards Mediating Shared Perceptual Basis in Situated Dialogue

To enable effective referential grounding in situated human robot dialogue, we have conducted an empirical study to investigate how conversation partners collaborate and mediate shared basis when they have mismatched visual perceptual capabilities. In particular, we have developed a graph-based representation to capture linguistic discourse and visual discourse, and applied inexact graph matching to ground references. Our empirical results have shown that, even when computer vision algorithms produce many errors (e.g. 84.7% of the objects in the environment are mis-recognized), our approach can still achieve 66% accuracy in referential grounding. These results demonstrate that, due to its error-tolerance nature, inexact graph matching provides a potential solution to mediate shared perceptual basis for referential grounding in situated interaction.
STABILITY AND INFECTIVITY OF AIRBORNE YELLOW FEVER AND RIFT VALLEY FEVER VIRUSES

Abstract : Yellow fever virus and Rift Valley fever virus were found to be highly stable in aerosol form at temperatures of 75 F and at relative humidities of either 50 or 85 per cent. Loss of infectivity ranged between 1 and 5 per cent per minute. Yellow fever virus appeared to be more resistant to the aerosol production process than did Rift Valley fever virus although in both instances extremely potent and durable aerosols were produced. Yellow fever virus was found to be highly infective for rhesus monkeys by the respiratory route, with data indicating that less than 6 mouse ICLD50 units constituted an LD50. Both hamsters and rhesus monkeys were exposed to Rift Valley fever virus aerosols. An LD50 for hamsters of 0.5 mouse IPLD50 units was established. Monkeys were exposed to doses as low as 76 MIPLD50 units inhaled and all developed viremias with subsequent positive serology.
Maize Provitamin A Carotenoids, Current Resources, and Future Metabolic Engineering Challenges

Vitamin A deficiency is a serious global health problem that can be alleviated by improved nutrition. Development of cereal crops with increased provitamin A carotenoids can provide a sustainable solution to eliminating vitamin A deficiency worldwide. Maize is a model for cereals and a major staple carbohydrate source. Here, we discuss maize carotenogenesis with regard to pathway regulation, available resources, and current knowledge for improving carotenoid content and levels of provitamin A carotenoids in edible maize endosperm. This knowledge will be applied to improve the nutritional composition of related Poaceae crops. We discuss opportunities and challenges for optimizing provitamin A carotenoid biofortification of cereal food crops.