cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing the impact of multi-busbars on metallization cost and efficiency of solar cells with digital inkjet-printed gridlines

The cost of solar electricity can be reduced through the use of less silver ink. This can be achieved by alternative printing technology - the inkjet-printing. In this paper we report on a two-diode model for the gridline design optimization of a 19.2% efficiency inkjet-printed silicon solar cell. The model showed that, the multi-busbar design has less dependence on gridline height in contrast with the conventional design, and is beneficial in cost savings and efficiency enhancement. The cell efficiency increases as the number of busbar increases with optimized busbar width. The optimal finger height for a 5-busbar design is ~20 μm but >50 μm for the 3-busbar. Finally, for both 3-and 5-busbar designs, the maximum efficiencies are obtained with 97 fingers at metallization cost of 1.35⊄/Wp and 1.32⊄/Wp, respectively.
Acute Leukemia of Ambiguous Lineage - Analysis of Survival Using SEER-Medicare Database

Abstract Background: Acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage (ALAL) is a group of leukemias which cannot be classified uniquely into myeloid or lymphoid lineage based on immunophenotyping. It includes the subtypes of acute undifferentiated leukemia and mixed phenotype acute leukemia. Due to its rarity, information on its survival at population level and optimal management strategies is not clear. Methods: We used the SEER-Medicare database to describe the overall survival (OS) and treatment pattern of elderly patients (age ≥65) with ALAL. ICD-0-3 codes (9801, 9805, 9808, 9809) were used to identify patients from the database with pathologically confirmed ALAL, diagnosed between 1991-2010 with active follow-up. Patients diagnosed only on the basis of autopsy/death certificate and those who survived less than 30 days were excluded. To obtain treatment related information, in addition to the above mentioned criteria, patients included also had continuous part A and part B Medicare coverage and were not enrolled in HMO for 1 year before and anytime after the diagnosis. Information on patient demographics, chemotherapeutic agents, and OS were obtained. Initial chemotherapy was grouped into AML-like, ALL-like and other regimens based upon the individual drugs that were given, as identified through the claims data. OS analysis was done using Kaplan-Meier method and its determinants were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression method with a significant p value Results: A total of 705 patients were identified who met the study criteria. Median age of the cohort was 80 years. Baseline characteristics included males (51.3%), females (48.7%), whites (88.2%), blacks (6.5%), and other races (5.3%). Median OS according to the age groups were as follows- 4 months for age 65-70, 3 months for age 71-75, 2 months for age 76-80 and 2 months for age > 80 (p 80: HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.85; age 71-75 vs age > 80: HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.65-0.99 ; age 76-80 vs age > 80: HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.66-0.98, p=0.004)]. Similarly, treatment with chemotherapy reduced the hazard for mortality (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.42-0.62, P Conclusion: Our study suggests that the overall surival for ALAL in the elderly population remains poor. Although treatment is associated with a significant improvement in survival, only about 21% of patients have received therapy. Optimal choice of chemotherapy for this disease needs to be determined by more prospective studies. Download : Download high-res image (70KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure 1 . Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The circhoral hypothalamic clock that governs the 28-day menstrual cycle

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the circhoral hypothalamic clock that governs the 28-day menstrual cycle. The central event in the ovarian cycle of all mammals is ovulation. This is triggered by an outpouring of gonadotropic hormones from the pituitary gland, the preovulatory gonadotropin surge. In many mammals, this is initiated by a complex, and still incompletely understood interaction between rising estrogen levels, the mediobasal hypothalamus, and a circadian timing mechanism in the anterior hypothalamus. In some, the reflex ovulators, the sensory input associated with copulation is also needed. In the higher primates, however, it appears that the only requirement of the central nervous system for the initiation of the preovulatory gonadotropin surge is the circhoral release of GnRH. When the corpus luteum involutes, a new cycle is initiated, progesterone secretion falls, and the progesterone block to further follicular development is removed. This decline in progesterone levels, incidentally, also leads to menstruation.
Elements of a Chromatin Insulator Necessary for Consistent, High-Level Globin Gene Expression

Vectors flanked by the chicken b-globin locus hypersensitive site-4 (cHS4) insulator provide consistent, improved expression (chromatin barrier activity) and reduced genotoxicity (enhancer-blocking activity); features important for randomly integrating viral vectors. However, full-length 1.2Kb cHS4 reduces vector titers significantly. Initial studies mapped the enhancer blocking activity of cHS4 to the first 250bp ‘core’ in a copy-number dependent manner (Felsenfeld and colleagues). However, elements required for the barrier effect are not well defined. We studied various regions of cHS4 for chromatin barrier effect. Beta-globin-LCR lentivirus vectors were constructed with the core (sBG C ), 2 copies of the core (sBG 2C ), 400bp (sBG 400 ) and 800bp (sBG 800 ) fragments (both including the core) and compared to the un-insulated vector (sBG) and the vector with the full-length cHS4 (sBG-I). Barrier activity (improved probability and consistency of expression from individual integrants) in MEL cells and the clonal progeny of hematopoietic stem cells was analyzed. Single-copy MEL clones showed that sBG-I clones had a significantly higher proportion of hβ+ cells/clone. However, proportion of hβ+ cells from all other vectors carrying various fragments of cHS4 were not significantly different from the un-insulated vector (Table 1). Interestingly, all clones carrying a fragment containing the core showed reduced clonal variegation (coefficient of variation of hβ expression). We next analyzed hβ expression from the sBG, sBG C , sBG 2C , sBG 400 and sBG-I vectors in primary and secondary thalassemia (Hbb th3/+) mice. In the primary mice and secondary CFU-S analyzed thus far (Table 2), it appears that all vectors with cHS4 insulator fragments containing the core provide some barrier activity, but the full-length insulator is necessary for maximum barrier effect. To corroborate whether elements outside the core contribute to barrier activity, we also tested vectors with inert DNA spacers in addition to the core (sBG 400−S , sBG- 800−S and sBG 1200−S ). Single copy MEL clones confirmed that the sBG 400−S , sBG 800−S and 1200−S vectors had significantly lower proportion of hβ+ cells/clone [41±4.4%, 41±7% and 28±6% respectively, n=36]. These data suggest that regions of 950 bp region of cHS4 outside the core contains elements that cooperate with the core for optimal barrier activity. These studies have important implications for vector design for gene therapy for thalassemia, where variability in expression from uninsulated vectors compromizes efficacy.
Obesity Coverage on Medical Licensing Examinations in the United States. What Is Being Tested

ABSTRACTPhenomenon. As one of the most common chronic disease affecting adults and children, obesity is a major contributor to noncommunicable diseases, both nationally and globally. Obesity adversely affects every organ system, and as such it is imperative that the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) adequately assesses students' knowledge about the science and practice of obesity management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the coverage and distribution of obesity-related items on the three USMLE Step examinations. Approach. Examination items that included obesity-related keywords were identified by National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) staff. A panel of 6 content experts evaluated all items and coded obesity-relevant items using the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) test outline rubric into 4 domains and 107 subdomains. Findings. There were 802 multiple-choice items containing obesity-related keywords identified by NBME, of which 289 (36%) were identified as being ...
Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Lacking Surface B-Cell Receptor Expression Are Germinal Center B-Cell (GCB)-Type and Lack Evidence of Known Downstream Activating Mutations

Abstract Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) typically express monotypic surface immunoglobulin (sIg) light chain as part of the B-cell receptor (BCR) complex. Occasional cases are, however, sIg-negative and the clinical significance of this remains unclear. Distinct subtypes of DLBCL, including germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) and activated B-cell (ABC) type, exhibit differential dependence upon BCR-mediated survival signals. The role of activating mutations downstream of the BCR signaling complex (i.e. CD79A/B or CARD11), or in parallel costimulatory pathways (i.e. MYD88 mutations), are now well recognized in promoting such survival mechanisms. Surprisingly, however, less is known about the importance of sIg expression, or lack thereof, on various subsets of DLBCL or other aggressive large B cell lymphomas. Design: We sought to further characterize the clinicopathologic and genetic features of primary human surface Ig-negative DLBCL-not otherwise specified (NOS). All cases of large B-cell lymphoma that had flow cytometry performed at the University of Rochester from 2010-2013 were screened for evidence of a surface Ig-negative B-cell population. Additional available immunophenotypic data and/or clinicopathologic features were recorded. PCR heteroduplex analysis and sequencing of fresh frozen tumor samples was performed to identify putative compensatory activating mutations in MYD88 and CD79A /B, respectively. In addition, using multiplexed PCR and sequencing analysis we attempted to identify the presence or absence of functional immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH)gene rearrangements. Results: Among 209 diagnostic specimens analyzed, 13 cases (6.2%) were found to contain a discrete population of CD19/CD20-positive B-cells lacking sIg light chain expression. These included 8 DLBCL-NOS, nearly all of which were GCB-type, including 6 out of 7 cases, or 83%, which were CD10-positive. This proportion is significantly greater than the 42% of all DLBCL-NOS that express CD10 (based on data from a large publicly available on-line database; p Conclusion: DLBCL-NOS lacking definitive sIg light chain expression are infrequent (less than 10%), but these tumors are predominantly GCB subtype. This observation lends support to the model that these tumors rely less on BCR-mediated survival signals, which may have implications for choosing targeted therapy. The mechanism by which these lymphoma survive despite the apparent lack of functional BCR is unknown, but compensatory activating mutations known to be frequent among ABC-type DLBCL appear to be lacking. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Phenological responsiveness to climate differs among four species of Quercus in North America

Summary The timing of the seasonal activity of organisms is a tractable indicator of climate change. Many studies in North America have investigated the role of temperature on the onset date of phenological transitions in temperate deciduous trees and found that the onset of leafing and flowering in numerous species has occurred earlier in recent years, apparently in response to higher temperatures in winter and spring. Few studies have examined the climatic and biogeographic drivers of phenological responses in water-limited ecosystems or explored interspecific variation in responses of phenological metrics other than the timing of onset, such as the periodicity or duration of phenological activity. This study used phenological observations of four species of Quercus contributed to the USA National Phenology Network database from 2009 to 2014 to investigate how responses to climate (temperature and precipitation) and geographic location (latitude, longitude and elevation) varied among two western North American species (Q. agrifolia and Q. lobata) and two eastern and central North American species (Q. alba and Q. rubra). Within years, in species in the western, water-limited ecosystems, the phenological phases observed here (bud break, flowers or flower buds) tend to occur intermittently throughout the growing season, and each event is of longer duration than the same phenophases of the temperate-zone species, rendering a single onset date an incomplete metric with which to track responsiveness or to compare species. By contrast, the eastern/central U.S. species were phenologically more responsive than the western species to spatial and temporal variation in winter, spring, and fall precipitation and maximum temperature. Synthesis. Within and between regions these congeners exhibited a diversity of responses to seasonal temperature and precipitation. This indicates that for predictive model development it is critical to understand how each underlying driver influences species that are adapted to different climatic regimes. These results underscore the value of studying a range of phenological metrics and species from a variety of ecosystems to better predict phenological responses to short-term variation and to long-term change in climate.
Cell Therapy and Heart Failure

Orthotopic heart transplantation is the only curative therapy for advanced heart failure. With a limited supply of donor organs, other therapies are being explored, including cellular replacement. Somatic cell therapy (SCT) has been used effectively for other chronic diseases, such as bone marrow transplantation to treat certain cancers and many other diseases including allotransplantation of pancreatic islets for patients with life-threatening complications from diabetes mellitus. This chapter focuses on using somatic cell therapy for patients with cardiovascular disease (including heart failure)—describing the types of available cells and their benefits and limitations, procedures, and the results and implications of clinical studies. Research has showed mixed outcomes for SCT and modest beneficial effects, but these results may be attributed to differences in the types of cells used (CD34+, bone marrow mononuclear, mesenchymal stem, etc.), cell processing and storage, mode of delivery, patient selection, and cell source (autologous or allogeneic). With limited cardiovascular functional response but a continuing need for effective treatment and to learn more definitively the extent of promise for SCT’s role in treating heart failure, research with well-defined primary and secondary end points is required to determine whether SCT reduces morbidity and improves survival in patients with cardiomyopathy. SCT for the treatment of heart failure may have an impact other than remuscularization including reverse remodeling of the failing heart, modulation of the fibroproliferative response following injury, vasculogenesis, or mobilization of endogenous cardiac progenitors. One ongoing source of collaborative research is the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network, funded by the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute. These and other investigators are researching factors such as the optimal cell population and cell preparation, mechanisms of action of cell therapy, the role of multiple or serial interventions with cell delivery, and identification of the patients who could benefit most from SCT. These clinical SCT studies will continue to benefit from the mechanistic studies undertaken in the basic science laborato ries.
Thoughts on public policy to increase family-based care and decrease institutional care

Many countries are in the earliest stage of reforming the care sector. Reformers face challenges as they develop public policy to expand family based care and shrink institutional care. To mention a few: installing the keystone component of care reform - a system to monitor and support children post-institutionalization; enabling children to grow up where they belong, in families; meeting children's basic needs where they should live, in their own communities; meeting children's basic needs where many actually live, in institutions; strengthening the social service workforce; and elevating the political priority of poor and vulnerable children through evidence-based advocacy. Care reform must be sold in the political marketplace. Evidence-based, tactical advocacy is key to reforming care policy and winning the public resources needed to gear-up programs for the care, protection and development of vulnerable children.
Ortho-Substituent Effects on Diphenylurea Packing Motifs

Hydrogen bonding between urea groups is a widely used motif in crystal engineering and supramolecular chemistry studies. In an effort to discern how the steric and electronic properties of substituents affect the molecular conformation and crystal packing of ortho-substituted N,N′-diphenylureas (oPUs), herein we report the synthesis, characterization, and polymorph screening of eight members of this family. Of the 16 total oPU structures known (including nine structures from this study and seven previously reported), only two are isostructural. These 16 structures are sorted into three general architecture types based on their hydrogen bond topologies. In Type I, urea molecules related by translation form linear one-dimensional (1D) hydrogen bonded chains. In Type II, urea molecules rotate about a 1D hydrogen bond axis forming twisted chains. Urea groups do not hydrogen bond to one another in Type III. Energy calculations performed at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level show a higher rotational barrier about the a...
Next generation sequencing for the investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella Schwarzengrund in Nanjing, China.

Abstract Introduction Salmonella Schwarzengrund is most frequently isolated from poultry meat and can cause human infections. S . Schwarzengrund was isolated from diarrheal patients in a food poisoning event in Nanjing, China. Methods Three strains isolated from patients were microbiologically confirmed as S . Schwarzengrund. Salmonella strains from spiced donkey meat were also confirmed as S . Schwarzengrund. Epidemiology investigation showed evidence of a correlation between the consumption of spiced donkey meat and those cases. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis, antibiotic susceptibility test and next generation sequencing (NGS) were employed to investigate this food poisoning event. Results The 3 strains isolated from patients and the strain isolated from the spiced donkey meat showed same results in PFGE, antibiotic susceptibility test and no SNPs were observed between these 4 strains in NGS analysis. Discussion NGS data could be used in the confirmation of an outbreak and in the tracing of contamination. However, this standard of defining an outbreak with NGS remained a challenge in practice. And the NGS data should be used in combination with other data in epidemiological investigation.
Post-secondary maternal education buffers against neural risk for psychological vulnerability to future life stress.

Abstract We have previously reported that threat-related amygdala activity measured during a baseline fMRI scan predicts the experience of depression and anxiety associated with stressful life events years later. Here, we examine whether two broad measures of childhood environmental enrichment, namely parental educational achievement and subjective parental socioeconomic status, buffer against the effects of amygdala activity on future vulnerability to stress. Analyses of data available from 579 young adults revealed that maternal, but not paternal, educational achievement moderates the association between amygdala activity, recent life stress, and changes in mood and anxiety symptoms, even when controlling for participants’ current subjective socioeconomic status. Specifically, only participants reporting lower maternal educational achievement exhibited our previously observed interaction between amygdala activity and future life stress predicting increases in depression and anxiety. These results suggest that higher maternal educational achievement may help buffer stress sensitivity associated with heightened threat-related amygdala activity.
Reverse Engineering the Tropical Precipitation-Buoyancy Relationship

AbstractThe tropical precipitation–moisture relationship, characterized by rapid increases in precipitation for modest increases in moisture, is conceptually recast in a framework relevant to plume...
Study protocol for The Emory 3q29 Project: evaluation of neurodevelopmental, psychiatric, and medical symptoms in 3q29 deletion syndrome.

3q29 deletion syndrome is caused by a recurrent hemizygous 1.6 Mb deletion on the long arm of chromosome 3. The syndrome is rare (1 in 30,000 individuals) and is associated with mild to moderate intellectual disability, increased risk for autism and anxiety, and a 40-fold increased risk for schizophrenia, along with a host of physical manifestations. However, the disorder is poorly characterized, the range of manifestations is not well described, and the underlying molecular mechanism is not understood. We designed the Emory 3q29 Project to document the range of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric manifestations associated with 3q29 deletion syndrome. We will also create a biobank of samples from our 3q29 deletion carriers for mechanistic studies, which will be a publicly-available resource for qualified investigators. The ultimate goals of our study are three-fold: first, to improve management and treatment of 3q29 deletion syndrome. Second, to uncover the molecular mechanism of the disorder. Third, to enable cross-disorder comparison with other rare genetic syndromes associated with neuropsychiatric phenotypes. We will ascertain study subjects, age 6 and older, from our existing registry ( 3q29deletion.org ). Participants and their families will travel to Atlanta, GA for phenotypic assessments, with particular emphasis on evaluation of anxiety, cognitive ability, autism symptomatology, and risk for psychosis via prodromal symptoms and syndromes. Evaluations will be performed using standardized instruments. Structural, diffusion, and resting-state functional MRI data will be collected from eligible study participants. We will also collect blood from the 3q29 deletion carrier and participating family members, to be banked at the NIMH Repository and Genomics Resource (NRGR). The study of 3q29 deletion has the potential to transform our understanding of complex disease. Study of individuals with the deletion may provide insights into long term care and management of the disorder. Our project describes the protocol for a prospective study of the behavioral and clinical phenotype associated with 3q29 deletion syndrome. The paradigm described here could easily be adapted to study additional CNV or single gene disorders with high risk for neuropsychiatric phenotypes, and/or transferred to other study sites, providing a means for data harmonization and cross-disorder analysis.
Culturally Competent Behavioral and Emotional Screening

This chapter provides information on screening approaches for behavioral and emotional problems with a unique focus on culturally and linguistically diverse students. Considerations for conducting screenings and providing subsequent treatments in a culturally competent manner are provided. Strategies for professionals, practical considerations, and future research needs are highlighted.
Arterial Wall Carbohydrate-Protein Macromolecules

The carbohydrate-protein macromolecules of connective tissue, although widely distributed throughout the body in all mesenchymal structures, are particularly important to the cardiovascular system. Early observations suggested that connective tissue was only an anatomic system for structure and support, but now we know that it is composed of vital dynamic materials with many metabolic processes which serve many physiologic functions. Connective tissue forms an integral part of cardiovascular structures, and the carbohydrate-protein macromolecules composing cardiovascular connective tissue are families of compounds with different chemical and physical properties and with various biological functions. Changes occur in these macromolecules in response to such stimuli as stress, inflammation, repair, and hormones, and these changes are governed by local cellular responses to processes occurring in the arterial wall.
Human DU145 prostate cancer cells overexpressing mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 are resistant to Fas ligand-induced mitochondrial perturbations and cellular apoptosis †

Recent studies have suggested that MAP kinase phosphatase 1 (MKP-1) is overexpressed in prostate cancer. To evaluate the role of MKP-1 in regulating cell death and tumor growth in prostate cancer, MKP-1 was conditionally overexpressed in the human prostate cancer cell line DU145. Overexpression of MKP-1 in DU145 cells blocked activation of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK/JNK). MKP-1 overexpression in DU-145 cells was also found to inhibit Fas ligand (FasL)-induced apoptosis, as well as block the activation of caspases by Fas engagement. In addition, MKP-1 blocked the activation of apoptosis by transfected MEKK-1 and ASK-1, presumably through its inhibition of the SAPK/JNK family of enzymes. MKP-1 blocked the ability of FasL to induce loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δγm), suggesting that MKP-1 acts upstream of mitochondrial pro-apoptotic events induced by FasL and that the SAPK/JNK pathway may form the signaling link between Fas receptor and mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, MKP-1 overexpression in prostate cancer may play a role in promoting prostate carcinogenesis by inhibiting FasL-induced cell death.
Neural Circuitry in the Somatosensory System

Cutaneous stimulation evokes a set of neuronal responses that are tightly coordinated across the different levels of the somatosensory system. Cross-correlation analysis indicates that the relative timing and strength of neuronal interactions between successive levels of the brain stem, thalamus, and cerebral cortex are consistent with the topographical organization and other anatomical features of the somatosensory circuits. Although constrained by its anatomical connections, the circuit operations of the somatosensory system are dynamic. Consequently, the functional strength of the connections between brain regions or between specific pairs of neurons can fluctuate with changes in stimulation, neuronal bursting, corticofugal processing, and other factors.
Pathology Consultation for the Gynecologic Oncologist: What the Surgeon Wants to Know.

Context.— Clinical management of gynecologic malignancies is often multimodal. Pathologic diagnoses, patient-related factors, and disease-related factors all contribute to clinical decision making....
Internet of Things Digital Forensic Investigation Using Open Source Gears

To conduct an accurate digital investigation, it is necessary that the investigator can analyze very complicated events within a particular case. IoT stores subtle human-related information that is considered a perfect source for collecting such evidence. In recent years, there has been a lot of open source and commercial tools available for digital forensics investigation. This research work aims to explore a way of conducting digital forensics investigations with cost-effective open source tools suitable for acquiring and examining evidence from IoT. In addition to the compiled list of open source tools recommended, a three-layer IoT forensic investigation framework, consisting of the IoT Application Server Layer, Communication or Network Layer and IoT Device Layer is proposed. The involvement of all three layers of the proposed framework along with the utilization of recommended tools are highly encouraged for conducting a complete investigation of IoT Forensics.
Exons of Leukemia Suppressor Genes: Creative Assembly Required.

Alternative splicing (AS) has many important roles in the pathogenesis of leukemia. Recent papers suggest that one of its key aspects is exclusion of 3′-terminal exons in favor of premature termination using intronic polyadenylation signals. This process generates leukemia suppressor isoforms with truncated C termini and acting in loss-of-function or dominant-negative manners.
Interspecies Bombolitins Exhibit Structural Diversity upon Membrane Binding, Leading to Cell Specificity

Abstract Bombolitins, a class of peptides produced by bees of the genus Bombus, target and disrupt cellular membranes, leading to lysis. Antimicrobial peptides exhibit various mechanisms of action resulting from the interplay between peptide structure, lipid composition, and cellular target membrane selectivity. Herein, two bombolitins displaying significant amino-acid-sequence similarity, BII and BL6, were assessed for antimicrobial activity as well as correlated dodecylphosphocholine (DPC) micelle binding and membrane-induced peptide conformational changes. Infrared and circular dichroism spectroscopies were used to assess the structure-function relationship of each bombolitin, and the results indicate that BII forms a rigid and helically ordered secondary structure upon binding to DPC micelles, whereas BL6 largely lacks secondary structural order. Moreover, the binding affinity of each peptide to DPC micelles was determined, revealing that BL6 displayed a difference in binding affinity by over two orders of magnitude. Further investigations into the growth-inhibitory activity of the two bombolitins were performed against Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Interestingly, BII specifically targeted S. cerevisiae, whereas BL6 more effectively inhibited E. coli growth. Overall, the antimicrobial selectivity and specificity of BII and BL6 are largely dependent on the primary as well as secondary structural content of the peptides and the membrane composition.
A comprehensive review of therapeutic targets that induce microglia/macrophage‐mediated hematoma resolution after germinal matrix hemorrhage

Currently, there is no effective treatment for germinal matrix hemorrhage and intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH-IVH), a common and often fatal stroke subtype in premature infants. Secondary brain injury after GMH-IVH is known to involve blood clots that contribute to inflammation and neurological deficits. Furthermore, the subsequent blood clots disrupt normal cerebrospinal fluid circulation and absorption after GMH-IVH, contributing to posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). Clinically, GMH-IVH severity is graded on a I to IV scale: Grade I is confined to the germinal matrix, grade II includes intraventricular hemorrhage, grade III includes intraventricular hemorrhage with extension into dilated ventricles, and grade IV includes intraventricular hemorrhage with extension into dilated ventricles as well as parenchymal hemorrhaging. GMH-IVH hematoma volume is the best prognostic indicator, where patients with higher grades have worsened outcomes. Various preclinical studies have shown that rapid hematoma resolution quickly ameliorates inflammation and improves neurological outcomes. Current experimental evidence identifies alternatively activated microglia as playing a pivotal role in hematoma clearance. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology of GMH-IVH in the development of PHH, microglia/macrophage's role in the neonatal CNS, and established/potential therapeutic targets that enhance M2 microglia/macrophage phagocytosis of blood clots after GMH-IVH.
What Drives Detection and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder? Looking Under the Hood of a Multi-stage Screening Process in Early Intervention

U.S. guidelines for detecting autism emphasize screening and also incorporate clinical judgment. However, most research focuses on the former. Among 1,654 children participating in a multi-stage screening protocol for autism, we used mixed methods to evaluate: (1) the effectiveness of a clinical decision rule that encouraged further assessment based not only on positive screening results, but also on parent or provider concern, and (2) the influence of shared decision-making on screening administration. Referrals based on concern alone were cost-effective in the current study, and reported concerns were stronger predictors than positive screens of time-to-complete referrals. Qualitative analyses suggest a dynamic relationship between parents' concerns, providers' concerns, and screening results that is central to facilitating shared decision-making and influencing diagnostic assessment.
The effects of pulmonary valve replacement on QRS duration in repaired tetralogy of Fallot patients with pulmonary regurgitation

Abstract Introduction Chronic pulmonary regurgitation (PR) following surgical correction in Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) leads to right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) decreases PR and improves RV function, but data regarding QRS duration reduction remain scarce. Methods All adult TOF patients undergoing transcatheter PVR or surgical PVR from 2010 to 2016 were included. Clinical characteristics and QRS duration were measured and compared to post-intervention QRS duration using an institutional software and manually verified. Significantly wide QRS was defined as QRS >140 ms. Results Of 133 PVR patients, 85 had TOF and 27 (21.1%) had QRS > 140 ms (14 transcatheter, 13 surgical) and were included in this analysis. A 6 ms decrease in QRS duration was seen at 3-year follow-up (168.0 ± 3.5 ms vs. 161.8 ± 3.5 ms, p = .04). There was a significant decrease in the median RV size (defined as RV/LV diameter ratio) pre-intervention to 3-year post-intervention: (0.96 vs 0.89, p = .03). The median PR decreased significantly from moderate-severe to mild post-intervention (p Conclusions Replacement of the pulmonary valve in high risk TOF patients reduces QRS duration at 3 years. Further study is needed to assess whether this QRS duration reduction may identify patients at lower risk of ventricular arrhythmias.
Prácticas, sujetos y conflictos en el campo de la justicia laboral brasileña a mediados del siglo XX

Resenha do livro Direitos trabalhistas : legislacao, Justica do Trabalho e trabalhadores no Rio Grande do Sul (1958-1964). Curitiba: Editora CRV, 2018, de Alisson Droppa.
HIV Testing, Access to HIV-Related Services, and Late-Stage HIV Diagnoses Across US States, 2013-2016.

Objectives. To examine state-level factors associated with late-stage HIV diagnoses in the United States.Methods. We examined state-level factors associated with late-stage diagnoses by estimating ...
Tumor specific antibodies for the early diagnosis of lung cancer

18068 Background: The survival rates in lung cancer vary significantly by stage, the earlier the better. However, only 16% of patients are diagnosed at stage I. This implies an urgent need to ident...
“Sorry I Didn’t Hear You.” The Ethics of Voice Computing and AI in High Risk Mental Health Populations

This article examines the ethical and policy implications of using voice computing and artificial intelligence to screen for mental health conditions in low income and minority populations. Mental health is unequally distributed among these groups, which is further exacerbated by increased barriers to psychiatric care. Advancements in voice computing and artificial intelligence promise increased screening and more sensitive diagnostic assessments. Machine learning algorithms have the capacity to identify vocal features that can screen those with depression. However, in order to screen for mental health pathology, computer algorithms must first be able to account for the fundamental differences in vocal characteristics between low income minorities and those who are not. While researchers have envisioned this technology as a beneficent tool, this technology could be repurposed to scale up discrimination or exploitation. Studies on the use of big data and predictive analytics demonstrate that low income minority populations already face significant discrimination. This article urges researchers developing AI tools for vulnerable populations to consider the full ethical, legal, and social impact of their work. Without a national, coherent framework of legal regulations and ethical guidelines to protect vulnerable populations, it will be difficult to limit AI applications to solely beneficial uses. Without such protections, vulnerable populations will rightfully be wary of participating in such studies which also will negatively impact the robustness of such tools. Thus, for research involving AI tools like voice computing, it is in the research community's interest to demand more guidance and regulatory oversight from the federal government.
Chapter 2 – Sunfishes (Centrarchidae)

Native to North America, sunfishes in the family Centrarchidae are an abundant and conspicuous element of the continent’s ichthyofauna. This chapter describes genetic research on topics ranging from intraspecific geographic variation in bluegills to the evolutionary consequences of introgression in hybrid-swarming basses, to speciational histories of this endemic taxonomic group, to genetic assessments of paternity and maternity in several of these nest-tending species.
SIKE’d Up: Fast Hardware Architectures for Supersingular Isogeny Key Encapsulation

In this work, we present a fast parallel architecture to perform supersingular isogeny key encapsulation (SIKE). We propose and implement a fast isogeny accelerator architecture that uses fast and parallelized isogeny formulas. On top of our isogeny accelerator, we build a novel architecture for the SIKE primitive, which provides both quantum and IND-CCA security. We synthesized this architecture on the Xilinx Artix-7, Virtex-7, and Kintex UltraScale+ FPGA families. Over Virtex-7 FPGA’s, our constant-time implementations are roughly 14% faster than the state-of-the-art with a better area-time product. At the NIST security level 5 on a Kintex UltraScale+ FPGA, we can execute the entire SIKE protocol in 15.3 ms. This work continues to improve the speed of isogeny-based computations and also features all parameter sets of the SIKE round 2 specification, with results applicable to NIST’s post-quantum standardization process.
COVID-19 Drive-Through Point of Screening and Testing (POST) System: A Safe, Efficient, and Adaptable Model for Nasopharyngeal Swab Collection.

OBJECTIVE: The authors aim to demonstrate that the current drive-through testing model at a health district was improved in certain parameters compared with a previous testing protocol, and to provide the methodology of the current model for other coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing sites to potentially emulate. METHODS: Initially, a small drive-through site was constructed at a converted tuberculosis clinic, but due to an increase in testing needs, an expanded point of screening and testing (POST) system was developed in an event center parking lot to administer tests to a higher volume of patients. RESULTS: An average of 51.1 patients was tested each day (2.0 tests per personnel in personal protective equipment [PPE] per hour) at the initial tuberculosis clinic drive-through site, which increased to 217.8 patients tested each day (5.9 tests per personnel in PPE per hour) with the new drive-through POST system (P < 0.001). Mean testing time was 3.4 minutes and the total time on-site averaged 14.4 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: This POST drive-through system serves as an efficient, safe, and adaptable model for high volume COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swabbing that the authors recommend other COVID-19 testing sites nationwide consider adopting for their own use.
Solution Processed CuCl treatment for efficient CdS/CdTe Solar Cells

Copper (Cu) doping is a crucial process to improve the hole concentration in CdTe absorber layer and reduce the back-barrier height for efficient CdTe solar cells. However, excess Cu creates detrimental defects and deteriorates device stability due to its high diffusivity. Here, we introduce a wet chemical method to incorporate Cu in CdTe using a CuCl solution. This approach allows a better control of Cu doping than the conventional method using evaporated Cu. Our investigation shows that the CuCl treatment can significantly improve the overall device performances due to an increased carrier concentration in the CuCl treated CdTe absorber layer. Furthermore, the CuCl treated devices show a longer minority carrier lifetime than the conventional Cu treated devices.
Postoperative Pain Mediates the Association Between Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Postoperative Sleep Following Lower Extremity Arthroplasty.

Objectives Despite substantial research showing the bidrectional relationship between sleep and pain, there remains a dearth of research examining the role of perioperative pain management interventions in mitigating postoperative sleep disturbances. This secondary analysis of a prospective observational multisite study examined the association between peripheral nerve block (PNB) use during total knee or total hip arthroplasty (TKA/THA) procedures and postoperative pain and sleep outcomes. Materials and methods Adult patients undergoing TKA or THA procedures were recruited from 2 tertiary care facilities. Average pain and sleep disturbance scores were collected preoperatively and at 1- and 2-week postoperatively. Participants were not randomized to receive PNB. Postoperative outcomes were compared based on receipt of PNB during surgery. Structural equation modeling path analysis was utilized to model multiple co-occurring relationships, including mediation pathways between perioperative pain management approaches, pain, and postoperative sleep outcomes. Results Of the 197 participants, 53% received PNB. Mediation analyses indicated that PNB was indirectly associated with 1-week sleep disturbance via its effects on 1-week pain intensity (β=-0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.04, -0.001, P=0.04). In addition, PNB was indirectly associated with 2-week sleep disturbance, via its effects on 1-week pain intensity and 1-week sleep disturbance (β=-0.04, 95% CI -0.07, -0.02, P=0.04). Lastly, PNB was indirectly associated with 2-week pain intensity via its effects on 1-week pain intensity (β=-0.10, 95% CI -0.19, -0.02, P=0.02). Conclusions Receipt of PNB during TKA or THA was found to be associated with improved 1-week postoperative pain intensity, which in turn was found to be associated with lower sleep disturbances at both 1- and 2-week postoperative time points. Multimodal opioid sparing pain management interventions, capable of improving postoperative sleep, are vital to improving recovery and rehabilitation following arthroplasty.
Coalbed Methane: Reserves, Production, and Future Outlook

Abstract Over the last several decades, coalbed methane (CBM) has emerged as an important energy source in the United States as well as worldwide and is expected to play a significant role in the energy portfolio of the future. This chapter opens with a discussion of the origins of CBM and follows with an overview of current world CBM resources and production. Past and present CBM exploration and production activities in coal-producing countries are also discussed, and they are the basis for predictions of further development of the CBM industry. Competition from other energy sources such as shale gas and low gas prices presents challenges to this industry, as demonstrated by the decline in the US CBM production over last several years. Because CBM is considered an unconventional resource, its drilling and extraction techniques are also reviewed, and environmental concerns related to CBM extraction are briefly discussed.
Friends and foes: Extracellular vesicles in aging and rejuvenation

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by many different cell types throughout the body and play a role in a diverse range of biological processes. EVs circulating in blood as well as in other body fluids undergo dramatic alterations over an organism's lifespan that are only beginning to be elucidated. The exact nature of these changes is an area of active and intense investigation, but lacks clear consensus due to the substantial heterogeneity in EV subpopulations and insufficiencies in current technologies. Nonetheless, emerging evidence suggests that EVs regulate systemic aging as well as the pathophysiology of age-related diseases. Here, we review the current literature investigating EVs and aging with an emphasis on consequences for the maintenance of human healthspan. Intriguingly, the biological utility of EVs both in vitro and in vivo and across contexts depends on the states of the source cells or tissues. As such, EVs secreted by cells in an aged or pathological state may impose detrimental consequences on recipient cells, while EVs secreted by youthful or healthy cells may promote functional improvement. Thus, it is critical to understand both functions of EVs and tip the balance toward their beneficial effects as an antiaging intervention.
Chapter 33 The cholinergic receptor system of the human brain: neurochemical and pharmacological aspects in aging and Alzheimer

Publisher Summary The cholinergic system of the brain has been implicated in memory function. Evidence for this role is anatomical, physiological and pharmacological. In all diseases, pathological and biochemical lesions in the cholinergic neuron are localized mainly to the presynaptic region. Alterations include biochemical and morphological changes in the structures storing, synthesizing and releasing acetylcholine (ACh) and possibly also in cholinergic receptors regulating ACh release. In a comparison between cholinergic terminals in the central nervous system of normally aged and Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, it is apparent that muscarinic and nicotinic receptors are not equally affected. A survey including percent changes in nicotinic receptors in the frontal cortex of AD patients reveals a striking difference from aging normal controls. Both biopsy and autopsy studies show that in contrast with muscarinic receptors, the number of nicotinic receptors is strongly reduced in the frontal cortex of AD patients. This decrease correlates closely to pathological and clinical findings. Biochemical findings such as AChE and ChAt activity and nicotinic receptor binding also correlate with pathology and clinical findings. The results suggest that biochemical data obtained from a cortical biopsy may correlate more closely to the clinical picture than histological results based purely on counts of neuritic plaques and tangles.
Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument

The corporate entrepreneurship assessment instrument (CEAI) measures the key internal organizational factors that influence a firm's entrepreneurial activities and outcomes. These include: (i) top management support, the willingness of top-level managers to facilitate and promote entrepreneurial behavior; (ii) work discretion, the top-level managers' commitment to tolerate failure, provide managers decision-making latitude, and freedom from excessive oversight; (iii) rewards/reinforcement, the use systems that reward significant achievements and encourage pursuit of challenging work; and (iv) time availability, the evaluation of workloads to ensure that individuals and group. Along with the scale's description, the evidence that has accumulated regarding the CEAI's reliability and validity is summarized. Keywords: corporate entrepreneurship; entrepreneurship; innovations; measurement; scale reliability; scale validity; CEAI