cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pituitary LH content during the estrous cycle in female hamsters: comparisons with males and acyclic females.

Pituitary LH content (by ovarian ascorbic acid depletion) has been measured during the 4 days of the hamster estrous cycle, in acyclic and pseudopregnant female hamsters and in the male hamster. Day 1 of the cycle corresponds to the day of “proestrus” in the rat and is marked superficially by heat which begins in the early evening; ovulation occurs at approximately 1 AM of Day 2. On Day 1, LH content =4.8 μg; by the nextmorning (“postestrus” =Day 2), when fresh ova are seen in the oviduct, the content has dropped to 2.2 μg. It remains at this low level on Day 3, but rises back to preovulatory levels (5.6 μg) on Day 4. Uterine weight is maximal on Day 1, suggesting that secretion of estrogen takes place before that day. In acyclic female hamsters, uterine weights drop below the minimal cyclic values and the ovaries lack corpora lutea and growing follicles, but pituitary LH content is 4.1 μg, suggesting a failure of LH release. In pseudopregnant hamsters on the 5th day (corresponding to Day 2 in a nonmated ...
The redox-sensing regulator Rex modulates central carbon metabolism, stress tolerance response and biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans.

The Rex repressor has been implicated in regulation of central carbon and energy metabolism in Gram-positive bacteria. We have previously shown that Streptococcus mutans, the primary causative agent of dental caries, alters its transcriptome upon Rex-deficiency and renders S. mutans to have increased susceptibility to oxidative stress, aberrations in glucan production, and poor biofilm formation. In this study, we showed that rex in S. mutans is co-transcribed as an operon with downstream guaA, encoding a putative glutamine amidotransferase. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that recombinant Rex bound promoters of target genes avidly and specifically, including those down-regulated in response to Rex-deficiency, and that the ability of recombinant Rex to bind to selected promoters was modulated by NADH and NAD+. Results suggest that Rex in S. mutans can function as an activator in response to intracellular NADH/NAD+ level, although the exact binding site for activator Rex remains unclear. Consistent with a role in oxidative stress tolerance, hydrogen peroxide challenge assays showed that the Rex-deficient mutant, TW239, and the Rex/GuaA double mutant, JB314, were more susceptible to hydrogen peroxide killing than the wildtype, UA159. Relative to UA159, JB314 displayed major defects in biofilm formation, with a decrease of more than 50-fold in biomass after 48-hours. Collectively, these results further suggest that Rex in S. mutans regulates fermentation pathways, oxidative stress tolerance, and biofilm formation in response to intracellular NADH/NAD+ level. Current effort is being directed to further investigation of the role of GuaA in S. mutans cellular physiology.
Particle Swarm with graphics hardware acceleration and local pattern search on bound constrained problems

This paper presents a Particle Swarm - Pattern Search Optimization (PS2) algorithm with graphics hardware acceleration for bound constrained nonlinear optimization problems. The objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of using Graphics Processing Units (GPU) as a hardware platform for Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). GPU, the common graphics hardware which can be found in many personal computers, can be used for desktop data-parallel computing. The classical PSO is adapted in the data-parallel GPU computing platform featuring ‘Single Instruction - Multiple Thread’ (SIMT). PSO is also enhanced by adding a local Pattern Search (PS) improvement. The hybrid PS2 optimization method is implemented in the GPU environment and with a Central Processing Unit (CPU) in a PC. Computational results indicate that GPU-accelerated SIMT-PS2 method is orders of magnitude faster than the corresponding CPU implementation. The main contribution of this paper is the parallelization analysis and performance analysis of the hybrid PS2 with GPU acceleration.
HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY IN AFRICA: NOBLE CLAIMS, REVISIONIST PERSPECTIVES, AND AFRICAN VOICES? African Historical Archaeologies . Edited by Andrew M. Reid and Paul J. Lane. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 2004. Pp. 408. $70, paperback ( ISBN 0-306-47996-6).

The editors of this volume affiliate their mission with an amplified and heightened sense of history that has swept Africanist scholarship in the post-independence era. They claim to take historical archaeology in Africa in a new direction by beginning the process of constructive interaction between history and archaeology (pp. 27-8). An intended component of their project is to create ‘alternative histories rooted in explicitly African sources’ (p. 16). They further raise our anticipation that the volume will examine the disjuncture between the practice of archaeology and contemporary life on most of the continent. This is a noble sentiment, yet the contributors fail to draw on African scholars who attempt to make archaeology pertinent to daily African lives. The editors' insistence on African representations in writing the past is poignantly contradicted by the paucity of African authors in their volume fourteen years after Peter Robertshaw's A History of African Archaeology was faulted for its failure to include more than two (non-white) African contributors. This practice largely restricts knowledge production to hegemonic Western perspectives and subverts the book's primary rhetorical theme of giving ‘voice’ to silenced African pasts. The cost of the paperback – $70 – also hinders access to African readers and their capacity to engage issues that arise in the fourteen chapters, three of which focus on West Africa, three on East Africa, one on North Africa and five on southern Africa.
COMMUNITY TRANSLATION OF FALL PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS: THE METHODS AND PROCESS OF A RANDOMIZED TRIAL

Unintentional falls increase morbidity and mortality in older adults. The consequences of falls for older adults and their families and communities support the need for evidence-based fall prevention programming that can be implemented effectively on a community-wide basis. However, translating research findings into communities is an ongoing challenge for public health. The Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation describes systems that can help bridge this gap between science and practice. The current study describes the process of implementing a randomized community trial to assess whether a prevention support system (i.e., “enhanced support system”) that builds capacity through the provision of technical assistance, best practice guides, and direct consultation can successfully bridge the gap between injury prevention and control research and the implementation of an evidence-driven, community-based fall prevention program, Stepping On. Evaluation results demonstrating the effectiveness of the Stepping On program are also presented.
Sample Size Requirements for Comparing Two Alpha Coefficients

Graphs and tables are currently available for approximating the sample size needed to test the equality of two alpha reliability coefficients with desired power. These tables and graphs are limited to particular values of Type I error, power, and effect size. General formulas are derived to determine the sample size requirements for hypothesis testing with desired power and interval estimation with desired precision.
Use of diffusion spectrum imaging in preliminary longitudinal evaluation of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: development of an imaging biomarker

Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have shown white matter pathology in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), predominantly in the motor pathways. Further these studies have shown that DTI can be used longitudinally to track pathology over time, making white matter pathology a candidate as an outcome measure in future trials. DTI has demonstrated application in group studies, however its derived indices, for example fractional anisotropy, are susceptible to partial volume effects, making its role questionable in examining individual progression. We hypothesize that changes in the white matter are present in ALS beyond the motor tracts, and that the affected pathways and associated pattern of disease progression can be tracked longitudinally using automated diffusion connectometry analysis. Connectometry analysis is based on diffusion spectrum imaging and overcomes the limitations of a conventional tractography approach and DTI. The identified affected white matter tracts can then be assessed in a targeted fashion using High definition fiber tractography (a novel white matter MR imaging technique). Changes in quantitative and qualitative markers over time could then be correlated with clinical progression. We illustrate these principles toward developing an imaging biomarker for demonstrating individual progression, by presenting results for five ALS patients, including with longitudinal data in two. Preliminary analysis demonstrated a number of changes bilaterally and asymmetrically in motoric and extramotoric white matter pathways. Further the limbic system was also affected possibly explaining the cognitive symptoms in ALS. In the two longitudinal subjects, the white matter changes were less extensive at baseline, although there was evidence of disease progression in a frontal pattern with a relatively spared postcentral gyrus, consistent with the known pathology in ALS.
Photo-electrical Effect of Pristine and Functionalized Graphene Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition

In this poster we will present the photo-electrical effect of pristine and nitric acid treated graphene field effect transistors made by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The results of the decreased electrical conductance and shift of Dirac point arise from the molecular photodesorption from graphene. When post treated with nitric acid the photodesorption efficiency was decrease from 52% to 21%, which was proposed to be caused by the passivation of oxygen-bearing functionalities to CVD graphene structural defects. This result provides a new strategy of stabilizing the electrical performance of CVD graphene which is promising candidate as highly conductively photoelectrical material.
Exome sequencing identifies an MYH3 mutation in a family with distal arthrogryposis type 1.

Distal arthrogryposis is characterized by contractures of the distal regions of the hands and feet1. The severe types of distal arthrogryposis, types 2A (also called Freeman-Sheldon syndrome) and 2B (also called Sheldon-Hall syndrome), include facial involvement and scoliosis, whereas distal arthrogryposis type 1 (DA1) does not2. Distal arthrogryposis type 1 affects approximately one in 10,000 children and represents the most common type3. Multiple genes encoding proteins in the sarcomere, including myosin heavy chain 3 (MYH3), myosin heavy chain 8 (MYH8), tropomyosin 2 (TPM2), troponin I2 (TNNI2), troponin T3 (TNNT3), and myosin binding protein C1 (MYBPC1)4-9, have been implicated in distal arthrogryposis syndromes. Although MYH3 mutations account for nearly all cases of Freeman-Sheldon syndrome (type 2A) and nearly one-third of all cases of Sheldon-Hall syndrome (type 2B), to our knowledge MYH3 mutations have not been described in patients with distal arthrogryposis type 14. Previous studies have shown that mutations in known genes are rare causes of distal arthrogryposis type 19,10; therefore, genetic heterogeneity is expected and additional causative genes remain to be identified. Because of the large number of genes as well as the relatively large size of the genes already implicated in distal arthrogryposis syndromes, new methods to sequence all genes are necessary to effectively define the genetic basis of distal arthrogryposis in individual families. Exome sequencing is a new genetic tool that uses next-generation sequencing methods to identify mutations within the coding exons of the entire human genome (the “exome”)11. Because the exome comprises just 1% of the genome, the cost of sequencing only the exons is currently only a fraction of the cost of whole-genome sequencing. The next-generation exome capture and sequencing methods that were used in this study represent a substantial advance in research methods and, despite their limitations, these methods are likely to soon have a major impact on the diagnosis of patients with inherited musculoskeletal disorders. For instance, our identification of a mutation in MYH3 in the family described in this study broadens the phenotype associated with MYH3 mutations to include distal arthrogryposis type 1 and suggests that there may be substantial overlap between types 1, 2A, and 2B. Distal arthrogryposis type 1 should be considered in the differential diagnosis of isolated clubfoot, particularly in the presence of even minor hand contractures in the patient or family members.
Child Abuse and Neglect, MAOA, and Mental Health Outcomes: A Prospective Examination

Background Studies have examined the interaction of MAOA genotype with childhood maltreatment in relation to depressive symptomatology and alcohol abuse with conflicting findings. Both high- and low-activity allele combinations have been shown to be protective for maltreated children with direction of findings varying by study methodology and participants' sex. Methods Participants in a prospective cohort design study involving court-substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect and a matched comparison group were followed up into adulthood and interviewed ( N = 802). Eighty-two percent consented to provide blood, 631 gave permission for DNA extraction and analyses, and 575 were included in the final sample. This sample included male, female, white, and nonwhite (primarily black) participants. Symptoms of dysthymia, major depression, and alcohol abuse were assessed using the National Institutes of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule-III-R. Results Significant three-way interactions, MAOA genotype by abuse by sex, predicted dysthymic symptoms. Low-activity MAOA genotype buffered against symptoms of dysthymia in physically abused and multiply-maltreated women. Significant three-way interactions, MAOA genotype by sexual abuse by race, predicted all outcomes. Low-activity MAOA genotype buffered against symptoms of dysthymia, major depressive disorder, and alcohol abuse for sexually abused white participants. The high-activity genotype was protective in the nonwhite sexually abused group. Conclusions This prospective study provides evidence that MAOA interacts with child maltreatment to predict mental health outcomes. Reasons for sex differences and race findings are discussed.
The Impacts of Societal Context on Student Motivation and Engagement

Promoting a sense of societal connectedness is critical in today’s engineering educational environment. The NAE’s Grand Challenges for Engineering point to broad human concerns — sustainability, health, vulnerability, and joy of living — and human connectivity as the future of engineering problem solving. Engineering studies, however, are often presented in a completely decontextualized manner, with an emphasis on technical content that is free of any human meaning. As a result, students may have difficulty identifying either personal or societal value in their learning tasks. Through their course design, instructors can help students situate themselves and their engineering learning experiences within the larger human system. Studying technologies and technological development within the broader societal context may, in turn, offer significant benefits to student motivation and engagement in learning. In this paper, we report findings from a three-year investigation of the effects of disciplinary integration on student motivation and learning engagement in introductory materials science courses. The quantitative results show that integrating materials science with humanities provides for increased student motivation and cognitive engagement in learning. Compared to students in non-integrated project-based courses, students in integrated project-based courses show higher intrinsic motivation and task value. In addition to these motivational gains, students in the integrated materials science-history course report significantly higher use of critical thinking strategies in their project work, indicating that an emphasis on societal context may help students cognitively engage in their engineering studies. Our findings also indicate that women in the integrated materials-history course report higher intrinsic motivation, task value, self-efficacy, and critical thinking strategy use compared to women in the non-integrated materials course. Overall, our research suggests that putting human contexts at the center of engineering learning can help students build a sense of societal relatedness that promotes better learning.
Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Hepatic Hemangioma A Case Report and Review of the Literature

We report the case of 55-year-old female with biopsy-proven clear cell renal cell carcinoma with a suspicious lesion found in the liver who presented for right radical nephrectomy and partial hepatectomy. Histologic evaluation of the hepatic specimen demonstrated metastatic renal cell carcinoma within a hepatic hemangioma. Herein we provide a review of the literature for this uncommon scenario.
Elastic properties of olivine Li x FePO 4 from first principles

Using first-principles pseudopotential calculations within the $\mathrm{GGA}+U$ framework, we calculate the elastic constants of orthorhombic olivine ${\mathrm{Li}}_{x}{\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$ and ${\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$. Our results show that olivine ${\mathrm{Li}}_{x}{\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$ is anisotropic and that directional bulk moduli change significantly during lithiation. ${\mathrm{LiFePO}}_{4}$ is predicted to be harder and to exhibit a higher Debye temperature than ${\mathrm{FePO}}_{4}$.
Devolution and health in the UK: Policy and its lessons since 1998

Introduction Since devolution in 1998, the UK has had four increasingly distinct health systems, in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Sources of data Secondary literature and authors' own research since 1998. Areas of agreement From a similar starting point, there has been a considerable distancing of the four health systems from each other in policies, priorities and organization. Areas of controversy The comparative efficiency and quality of the different systems as well as the wisdom of their greater or lesser reliance on integration and competition. Growing points Better and more comparable public data would be useful, as would consideration of potential devolved lessons for UK policy. Areas timely for developing further research Comparisons of organization and performance at levels more detailed than whole systems; analysis of the resilience and management of different systems in a context of budgetary austerity; analysis of the politics behind policy decisions.
A Novel GPRS/CDMA Hydrological Telemetry System

This paper gives a detailed description of the GPRS / CDMA DTU's advantages and disadvantages,and proposes a new method of transmission for GPRS / CDMA network.This kind of GPRS / CDMA telemetry system has many advantages such as low power consumption,flexible transmission mode,easy parameter setup,low operation cost,etc.This paper also discusses in detail the realization of the PPP protocol.
Tumescent Liposuction without Lidocaine

Background: Our previous study demonstrated that lidocaine has a negative impact on adipose-derived stem cell (ASC) survival. Currently for large-volume liposuction, patients often undergo general anesthesia; therefore, lidocaine subcutaneous anesthesia is nonessential. We hypothesized that removing lidocaine from tumescent might improve stromal vascular fraction (SVF) and ASC survival from the standard tumescent with lidocaine. Ropivacaine is also a commonly used local anesthetic. The effect of ropivacaine on ASC survival was examined.
Modeling radiowave scattering by an elliptical cylinder and its applications in communications and imaging

The scattering of a normally incident plane wave from an infinitely long, elliptical cylinder is investigated using the combined method of ray tracing and diffraction (CMRTD). Both horizontally and vertically polarized incident plane waves are considered. The analytical solution is given for the case when the size of the elliptical cylinder is large compared to the wavelength of the incident field, which is applied to simulate scattering from one row of elliptical trees in radiowave propagation. The numerical simulation results are presented and discussed.
“Can you keep it real?” : Practical, and culturally tailored lifestyle recommendations by Mexican American women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes: A qualitative study

The purpose of this article is to engage clinicians in a dialogue about ideas on how to provide more specific, contextually relevant, practical and culturally tailored diabetes self-management recommendations as suggested by Mexican-American women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Current diabetes self-management recommendations, targeting Mexican Americans in particular, remain largely broad (“reduce your calorie intake” or “cut back on carbs”), overly ambitious (“stop eating tortillas”), and relatively ineffective (Svedbo Engstrom et al., BMJ Open 6(3):e010249, 2016; Johansson et al., Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 11, 2016; Oomen et al., The Diabetes Educ 25:220-225, 1999; Franek, Ont Health Technol Assess Ser 13(9):1-60, 2013; Purnell et al. Patient 9:349, 2016). A secondary and focused analysis (N = 12) was performed on data gathered from a larger qualitative study (N = 16), which explored diabetes among Mexican-American women residing in rural South Texas. Findings from the secondary analysis were that study informants elicited more realistic or contextually relevant, specific self-management strategies that reflected the cognitive, emotive, and behavioral areas but were reframed within the context of the Mexican-American culture. Self-management strategies fell into the categories of: (a) environmental controls, (b) avoiding overeating, (c) lifestyle changes, (d) cooking tips, and (e) active self-management. Diabetes remains a serious health threat to Mexican Americans, women in particular. Few individuals attain glycemic control, likely due in part to the disconnect between global and non-contextual self-management recommendations offered by health care providers and the need for more detailed and realistic guidance required for the day-to-day self-management of diabetes.
Inviting eating disorder patients to discuss the academic literature: a model program for psychoeducation

Psychoeducation initiatives in which patients read primary scientific literature have not yet been studied as a treatment intervention for eating disorders. In this paper, we discuss and evaluate the acceptability of a novel psychoeducational journal club for individuals with anorexia and bulimia nervosa in inpatient and partial hospitalization program settings. Primary literature about eating disorders is presented and discussed with patients. By presenting scientifically-supported information, our “Psychoeducational Research Group” is designed to help patients restructure disordered thoughts and encourage adherence to evidence-based treatment. Using a Likert scale questionnaire (0 = not at all; 5 = very much), participants provided ratings for how much they liked the group and felt that it helped them across several domains. Average scores from 33 participants (26 inpatient, 7 partial hospital patients) indicated they would recommend this group to others receiving eating disorder treatment (4.8 ± 0.6). Scores also suggested patients’ likeability (4.6 ± 0.8), benefit regarding challenging eating disorder thoughts (4.1 ± 1.1), improved motivation for eating behavior change (4.0 ± 1.0) and completion of prescribed nutritional plan (3.6 ± 1.0), and usefulness in working towards treatment goals (4.2 ± 0.9) associated with group participation. Preliminary findings support the acceptability of this psychoeducational group and that it may serve as a useful adjunct to larger evidence-based programming across eating disorder treatment settings.
Current Surgical Treatment and Outcomes for Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation

Functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a consequence of asymmetric dilation of the tricuspid annulus due to right ventricular dysfunction and enlargement from valvular and myocardial abnormalit...
Participatory development of incentives to coexist with jaguars and pumas

Reducing costs and increasing benefits for rural communities coexisting with large carnivores is necessary for conservation of jaguar (Panthera onca) and puma (Puma concolor). To design acceptable incentives, stakeholders must be involved in the process. We conducted an innovative, structured, group communication process based on a Delphi technique as a template for identifying potential incentives. Community workshops with 133 members of 7 communities and surveys with 25 multidisciplinary experts from government, nongovernmental organizations, and academia provided iterative data to design a plan of incentives through 4 rounds of discussion. The final product integrated 862 ideas into 6 types of incentives: organization of communities, mechanisms for improved dialogue, citizen technical assistance, green labeling for community products, payment for the ecosystem service of biodiversity, and an assessment of financial alternatives. We used quantitative and qualitative techniques to indicate support for decisions about the design of incentives, which reduced researcher subjectivity. The diverse incentives developed and the cooperation from multiple stakeholders resulted in an incentive plan that integrated issues of governance, equity, and social norms.
Oryza latifolia Desv

Oryza latifolia Desv is an aquatic plant belonging to the Officinalis complex of Oryza. It is an allotetraploid species contains a CCDD genome with 2n = 48 chromosomes. It grows widely in aquatic ecosystems of Latin American region. Oryza latifolia is closely related to two other allotetraploid species of the Officinalis complex, namely O. alta and O. grandiglumis. Morphologically and cytologically, these three species resemble each other with few distinct features. However, genomic studies have demonstrated clear distinctions among these three species of the Officinalis complex. Multiple sequence-based phylogenetic studies have revealed that the CD genome of O. latifolia might have originated from a single hybridization event between C genome species (O. officinalis or O. rhizomatis) as maternal parent and an E genome species (O. australiansis) as paternal parent during evolution. O.latifolia possesses important genes/QTLs for yield-enhancing traits, biotic, and biotic stress. Through interspecific hybridization and embryo rescue, synthetic amphidiploids of O. sativa and O. latifolia are successfully developed. Several QTLs for plant height, primary branches per panicles, grains per panicle, biomass, and lodging resistance have been identified from O. latifolia. Monosomic alien addition lines derived from O. latifolia were developed for introgression of beneficial QTLs. Brown planthopper resistance gene Bph12 was identified and introgressed from O. latifolia. Therefore, O. latifolia is an important genetic resource for genetic improvement of domesticated cultivars.
Oblix: An Efficient Oblivious Search Index

Search indices are fundamental building blocks of many systems, and there is great interest in running them on encrypted data. Unfortunately, many known schemes that enable search queries on encrypted data achieve efficiency at the expense of security, as they reveal access patterns to the encrypted data. In this paper we present Oblix, a search index for encrypted data that is oblivious (provably hides access patterns), is dynamic (supports inserts and deletes), and has good efficiency. Oblix relies on a combination of novel oblivious-access techniques and recent hardware enclave platforms (e.g., Intel SGX). In particular, a key technical contribution is the design and implementation of doubly-oblivious data structures, in which the client's accesses to its internal memory are oblivious, in addition to accesses to its external memory at the server. These algorithms are motivated by hardware enclaves like SGX, which leak access patterns to both internal and external memory. We demonstrate the usefulness of Oblix in several applications: private contact discovery for Signal, private retrieval of public keys for Key Transparency, and searchable encryption that hides access patterns and result sizes.
Age-Related Change in 5-HT6 Receptor Availability in Healthy Male Volunteers Measured with 11C-GSK215083 PET

Serotonin receptor 6 (5-hydroxytrypamine-6, or 5-HT6) is a potential therapeutic target given its distribution in brain regions that are important in depression, anxiety, and cognition. This study sought to investigate the effects of age on 5-HT6 receptor availability using 11C-GSK215083, a PET ligand with affinity for 5-HT6 in the striatum and 5-HT2A in the cortex. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy male volunteers (age range, 23-52 y) were scanned with 11C-GSK215083 PET. Time-activity curves in regions of interest were fitted using a multilinear analysis method. Nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND) was calculated using the cerebellum as the reference region and corrected for partial-volume effects. Results: In 5-HT6-rich areas, regional 11C-GSK215083 showed a negative correlation between BPND and age in the caudate (r = -0.41, P = 0.03) (14% change per decade) and putamen (r = -0.30, P = 0.04) (11% change per decade) but not in the ventral striatum or pallidum. A negative correlation with age was also seen in cortical regions (r = -0.41, P = 0.03) (7% change per decade), consistent with the literature on 5-HT2A availability. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this was the first in vivo study on humans to examine the effect of age on 5-HT6 receptor availability. The study demonstrated a significant age-related decline in 5-HT6 availability (BPND) in the caudate and putamen.
Type and placement of zinc fertilizer impacts cadmium content of harvested durum wheat grain

Due to potential international marketing concerns, North Dakota durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. Desf.) producers require strategies that limit cadmium (Cd) in harvested grain. These trials were conducted in order to determine the impact of type and placement of zinc (Zn) fertilizer on harvested grain seed Cd levels and to determine the best timing of foliar Zn-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Foliar Zn-EDTA applied at Feekes 10 growth stage had the lowest grain Cd of 0.97 mg kg−1 when evaluating different fertilizer sources and application timings. Application of 22.4 kg ha−1 potassium chloride with the seed at planting resulted in the highest grain Cd of 0.151 mg kg−1 and might be a concern when environmental conditions are conducive for Cd uptake from soil. Stepwise linear regression determined that soil pH and chloride explained 96% of the variability of grain Cd. Applying 1.1 kg Zn ha−1 as foliar Zn-EDTA in combination with 33 kg nitrogen ha−1 at Feekes 10.54 growth stage resulted in ...
Pediatric Robotic Pyeloplasty with Prepyeloplasty Retrograde Stent Placement Using the HIdES Technique and 8 mm Instruments

Abstract Introduction and Objective: Robot-assisted pyeloplasty (RAP) is becoming increasingly more utilized in the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children. Although many center...
Plasmids as vectors for gene cloning: past, present, and future use.

The title of this conference in itself suggests the merging of several traditional disciplines of study (chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and genetics) with recent and dramatic developments in molecular genetics. The revolutionary breakthroughs of recombinant DNA research are providing unique opportunities for the genetic manipulation of microorganisms. One of the major objectives of this conference is to assemble scientists of diverse expertise to focus collectively on the problem of constructing microorganisms with new or greatly enhanced capacities to produce chemical substances of agricultural, industrial, and medical importance. For this purpose, it is necessary to consider the most effective means of merging our understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and ecological properties of microorganisms with the powerful technological developments that have occurred in molecular genetics. This paper will deal with plasmids, a key molecular ingredient for the genetic manipulation of microorganisms using recombinant DNA techniques.
Improving the Health of Alaska Native People Through Use of a Policy Change Model and Capacity Building

Public health training often includes program and education development but not policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies. The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium's Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country program works to build tribal PSE change capacity. Trainings included community health assessment, facilitation and leadership engagement, policy and systems, and digital storytelling. From 2014 to 2017, 30 PSE changes were made: 3 tobacco-free healthcare organization policies; 2 tobacco-free tribal resolutions; 1 tobacco-free school district policy; 3 healthy food policies and environmental changes; 4 improvements in patient-provider communication; 13 prediabetes, obesity, and/or tobacco screening and referral policies; 3 improvements to health care facility signage; and 1 Baby-friendly Hospital application, protecting the health of 46,000 tribal community members. Targeted training and technical assistance moved tribal staff from a focus on direct services to population-based improvements. This increased self-efficacy may increase the sustainability of chronic disease public health efforts and improve tribal health.
Circadian-Hypoxia Link and its Potential for Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

Throughout the evolutionary time, all organisms and species on Earth evolved with an adaptation to consistent oscillations of sunlight and darkness, now recognized as 'circadian rhythm.' Single-cellular to multisystem organisms use circadian biology to synchronize to the external environment and provide predictive adaptation to changes in cellular homeostasis. Dysregulation of circadian biology has been implicated in numerous prevalent human diseases, and subsequently targeting the circadian machinery may provide innovative preventative or treatment strategies. Discovery of 'peripheral circadian clocks' unleashed widespread investigations into the potential roles of clock biology in cellular, tissue, and organ function in healthy and diseased states. Particularly, oxygen-sensing pathways (e.g. hypoxia inducible factor, HIF1), are critical for adaptation to changes in oxygen availability in diseases such as myocardial ischemia. Recent investigations have identified a connection between the circadian rhythm protein Period 2 (PER2) and HIF1A that may elucidate an evolutionarily conserved cellular network that can be targeted to manipulate metabolic function in stressed conditions like hypoxia or ischemia. Understanding the link between circadian and hypoxia pathways may provide insights and subsequent innovative therapeutic strategies for patients with myocardial ischemia. This review addresses our current understanding of the connection between light-sensing pathways (PER2), and oxygen-sensing pathways (HIF1A), in the context of myocardial ischemia and lays the groundwork for future studies to take advantage of these two evolutionarily conserved pathways in the treatment of myocardial ischemia.
The Load Distribution Method of Hydropower Unit with Minimum Water Consumption

The problem of actual efficiency characteristic variation and critical vibration region is not considered in optimal load distribution of traditional hydropower units. According to the actual efficiency characteristic curve of the unit, considering the continuous cumulative running time of the critical vibration region of the unit, the method of successive approximation is used to optimize the unit load. Good results have been obtained by field application
Impact of nurse practitioner navigation on access to care for patients with refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common digestive complaint that can negatively affect patients' quality of life and have serious complications if inadequately treated. LOCAL PROBLEM Facilitating prompt and efficient access to digestive care is imperative especially given the current burden of gastrointestinal diseases such as GERD. METHODS A clinical team conducted a quality improvement study in which a nurse practitioner (NP) navigator performed a preconsultation chart review for patients with refractory GERD referred to an Esophagus Center between August and December 2018. INTERVENTIONS Based on preconsultation chart review, the NP navigator arranged for diagnostic testing and follow-up. Days from consultation to testing completion and establishment of plan were tracked and compared with historic controls. The NP navigator documented time spent for chart review and care coordination. RESULTS The median number of days from consultation to testing completion for patients who underwent NP navigation and required diagnostic testing (n = 26) was 33.5 as compared with 64.5 for historic controls who required testing but received usual care (n = 28) (p = .005). The median number of days from consultation to establishment of a management plan was 52 for patients who underwent NP navigation as compared with 97 for historic controls who did not (p = .005). The mean amount of time spent by the NP navigator for chart review and care coordination was 17.5 min (n = 30). CONCLUSIONS Incorporation of NP navigators into gastroenterology practices offers a potential solution for timelier patient care delivery.
A reduction in convergent extension underlies susceptibility to midfacial hypoplasia in the ethanol-sensitive mutant, vangl2

ABSTRACT Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) describes the full range of defects that result from prenatal alcohol exposure. The clinical diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most severe outcome, characterized by facial dysmorphism and neurological deficits. Gene-ethanol interactions underlie susceptibility to FASD but we lack a clear understanding of the genetic risk factors. Here, we leverage the genetic tractability of zebrafish to address this problem. We first show that vangl2, a member of the Wnt/planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) pathway that mediates convergent extension movements, strongly interacts with ethanol during late blastula and early gastrula stages. Embryos mutant or heterozygous for vangl2 are sensitized to ethanol-induced midfacial hypoplasia. However, we have no understanding of the potential mechanism of this sensitization. We performed single-embryo RNA-Seq during early embryonic stages, to assess individual variation to the transcriptional response to ethanol and determine the mechanism of the vangl2-ethanol interaction. Transcriptional changes due to ethanol are indicative of increased oxidative stress and ion transport as well as reduced DNA replication and cell division. To identify the pathway(s) that are disrupted by ethanol we used these global changes in gene expression to identify small molecules, often pathway inhibitors, that mimic the effects of ethanol via the Library of Integrated Network-based Cellular Signatures (LINCS L1000) dataset. This dataset predicted that the Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) pathway inhibitor, cyclopamine, would mimic the effects of ethanol, despite ethanol not altering the expression levels of direct targets of Shh signaling. Indeed, we found that ethanol and cyclopamine strongly interact to disrupt midfacial development. Collectively, these results suggest that the midfacial defects in ethanol-exposed vangl2 mutants are due to an indirect interaction between ethanol and the Shh pathway. Vangl2 functions as part of a signaling pathway that regulates coordinated cell movements during midfacial development. Consistent with an indirect model, a critical source of Shh signaling that separates the developing eye field into bilateral eyes, allowing the expansion of the midface, becomes mispositioned in ethanol-exposed vangl2 mutants.
Closed Loop dv/dt Control for Equal Voltage Sharing Between Series Connected SiC MOSFETs

Series-connected Low Voltage (LV) devices (SiC MOSFETs) is an efficient and cost-effective approach to realize Medium Voltage (MV) power switch for many emerging MV power conversion applications. This approach has low on-state resistance, which results in low conduction losses and it is more cost-effective than equivalent MV semiconductor devices. The main concern of the series connected SiC devices is unequal voltage distribution during commutation especially turn-off period. This paper proposes a closed loop active gate driver circuit which can control the rate of rise of the drain-source voltage of SiC MOSFET during turn-off and turn-on interval. The principle of operation for the active gate driver circuit is explained and based on the derived model for the control circuit, stability analysis of the closed-loop system is carried out for SiC MOSFET. Simulations were carried out using SaberRD tool and finally experimental results obtained to verify the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
Temperature Sensing and Hydration Study of Carbon Nanofiber Aggregates

AbstractFiber research in concrete construction technology has been helping to prevent catastrophic disasters due to the loss of structural integrity and service life by functioning as structural h...
Early sexual debut: A multi-country, sex-stratified analysis in sub-Saharan Africa.

This study examined outcomes associated with early sexual debut in five sub-Saharan African countries for males and females, separately. We employed Violence Against Children Surveys (VACS) from Ke...
USMLE step 1 pass/fail: The impact on international medical graduates

On February 12th, 2020, and after a yearlong discussion, the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) announced that the reporting of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step one exam will transition to pass/fail reporting system and is expected to kick in as early as 2022. The decision was met with various responses, especially by the IMG community. In this paper, we discuss this change and its effect on IMG trainees and their selection process.
Bibliography of norman i. platnick

The complete bibliography of the late Norman I. Platnick is presented. His scientific contribution, published over the course of 39 years, includes almost 12,000 pages in 340 printed publications, including 42 monographs, six books and two edited volumes on subjects ranging from the theory and practice of systematics and historical biogeography to the taxonomy of spiders (Araneae), an online searchable database, the World Spider Catalog, and two children's books. During the past 22 years, he self-published 27 full-color books and three articles on the illustration art of magazine covers, advertisements, and articles from America's ‘Golden Age of Illustration’ (1905–1920).
The Face of American Government: Effects of Racial and Ethnic Firsts on Minority Perceptions of Government Responsiveness

What effect does seeing a member of a historically marginalized group in high-level office have on attitudes toward government among those who identify with that group? We hypothesize that, when salient, increased descriptive representation will increase feelings of government responsiveness among members of historically marginalized groups. Moreover, we hypothesize that this effect will persist even when substantive representation is not expected, that is, when the official is viewed as unlikely to represent the individual's own political interests. We explore this theory by taking advantage of two exogenous changes in descriptive representation: the election of the first African–American president, Barack Obama, and the confirmation of the first Latino on the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor. Using panel data and a difference-in-differences design, we analyze within-person changes in attitudes toward government among African–Americans and Latinos, from before to after these events. In doing so, we attempt to separate descriptive from anticipated substantive representation.
Effective Screening and Treatment to Reduce Suicide Risk Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth.

* Abbreviations: AAP — : American Academy of Pediatrics EMR — : electronic medical record SGM — : sexual and gender minority In this issue of Pediatrics , Luk et al1 describe the risk of suicidal behavior within a 7-year nationally representative longitudinal sample of US adolescents. They found that sexual minority adolescents had an earlier onset of suicidality and faster progression from suicide ideation to a suicide plan, compared with that of heterosexual adolescents. The increased risk for suicidal ideation and behavior among this vulnerable population of youth is well described.2 The findings in this report regarding the early emergence and rapid progression of suicide risk among sexual minority adolescents suggest that early identification of risk and implementation of risk reduction interventions are critical. Rates of suicide3 and suicide-related emergency department visits4 are increasing among adolescents in the United States. Screening for depression is currently recommended at annual visits from the age of 12 years,5 and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed resources, tool kits, and trainings to facilitate this activity.6,7 In recent research, it is suggested that screening for depression alone may not capture many suicidal youth8,9 because 32% of patients at risk for suicide in an inpatient medical sample were not identified by depression screening. In other reviews,10,11 authors cite accumulating evidence that suicide risk is better captured by direct questions about suicidal ideation. Validated instruments to identify suicide risk are available, and accurate identification of risk allows referral for emergency consultation or treatment that has the potential to prevent suicidal behavior. In addition to screening all youth for depressive symptoms and … Address correspondence to: Dr Pamela Murray, Boston Children’s Hospital, 333 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02215. E-mail: pamela.murray{at}childrens.harvard.edu
Change in worry over time among Hispanic women with thyroid cancer.

The purpose of this study is to assess change in worry over time in Hispanic women with thyroid cancer. Worry about recurrence, quality of life, family at risk, death, and harm from treatments was assessed in 273 Hispanic women with thyroid cancer diagnosed in 2014–2015. Subjects were recruited from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Los Angeles. Participants were surveyed at two points in time (time 1: 2017–2018 and time 2: 2019). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine correlates with high worry (somewhat, quite a bit, very much) versus low worry (not at all, a little) at time 2. For the five worry items, 20.1–39.6% had high worry at both time 1 and time 2. An additional 7.6–13.4% had low worry at time 1 that became high worry at time 2. In multivariable logistic regression controlling for age, recurrence status, education level, and number of complications or side effects symptoms, younger age (20–39) as compared to older (40–79) was associated with high worry about thyroid cancer recurrence (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.12–4.17). History of recurrent or persistent disease was associated with high worry about harms from treatment (OR 2.94, 95% CI 1.29–6.67). Greater number of complications or side effects of symptoms was associated with more worry across all five items. Some Hispanic women with thyroid cancer have persistently high worry, with young adult Hispanic women vulnerable to worry about recurrence. Hispanic women with thyroid cancer may benefit from targeted psychosocial support during survivorship, with interventions informed by patient and cancer characteristics.