cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of pH adjustment and sodium ions on sour taste intensity of organic acids

Protonated organic acid species have been shown to be the primary stimuli responsible for sour taste of organic acids. However, we have observed that sour taste may be modulated when the pH of acid solutions is raised using sodium hydroxide. Objectives were to evaluate the effect of pH adjustment on sour taste of equimolar protonated organic acid solutions and to investigate the potential roles of organic anions and sodium ions on sour taste perception. Despite equal concentrations of protonated acid species, sour taste intensity decreased significantly with increased pH for acetic, lactic, malic, and citric acids (P < 0.05). Total organic anion concentration did not explain the suppression of sour taste in solutions containing a blend of 3 organic acids with constant concentration of protonated organic acid species and hydrogen ions and variable organic anion concentrations (R(2)= 0.480, P = 0.12). Sour taste suppression in these solutions seemed to be more closely related to sodium ions added in the form of NaOH (R(2)= 0.861, P = 0.007). Addition of 20 mM NaCl to acid solutions resulted in significant suppression of sour taste (P = 0.016). However, sour taste did not decrease with further addition of NaCl up to 80 mM. Presence of sodium ions was clearly shown to decrease sour taste of organic acid solutions. Nonetheless, suppression of sour taste in pH adjusted single acid solutions was greater than what would be expected based on the sodium ion concentration alone, indicating an additional suppression mechanism may be involved.
Research on teacher education programs: Logic model approach

Abstract Teacher education programs in the United States face increasing pressure to demonstrate their effectiveness through pupils’ learning gains in classrooms where program graduates teach. The link between teacher candidates’ learning in teacher education programs and pupils’ learning in K-12 classrooms implicit in the policy discourse suggests a one-to-one correspondence. However, the logical steps leading from what teacher candidates have learned in their programs to what they are doing in classrooms that may contribute to their pupils’ learning are anything but straightforward. In this paper, we argue that the logic model approach from scholarship on evaluation can enhance research on teacher education by making explicit the logical links between program processes and intended outcomes. We demonstrate the usefulness of the logic model approach through our own work on designing a longitudinal study that focuses on examining the process and impact of an undergraduate mathematics and science teacher education program.
Secondary electron emission induced by impact of low-velocity molecular ions on a microchannel plate

Abstract In this study, the question of the previously reported existence of a velocity threshold at 18 000 m s−1 for secondary electron emission induced by ion impact on a surface is examined. This is of concern for the use of electron multipliers for the detection of high mass molecular ions. A 252Cf plasma desorption mass spectrometer was used to determine the secondary electron emission coefficients for molecular ions from three small peptides striking the surface of a microchannel plate electron multiplier detector. Secondary electron coefficients were found to vary exponentially with velocity between 15 000 and 32 000 m s−1 and linearly with mass from m/z 86 to m/z 1059. An expression for the secondary electron coefficient as a function of velocity and mass was derived from the data. It was found to correlate with results previously obtained for insulin using different acceleration voltages.
Proteomic Mapping of 4-Hydroxynonenal Protein Modification Sites by Solid-Phase Hydrazide Chemistry and Mass Spectrometry

The modification of proteins by the cytotoxic, reactive aldehyde 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) is known to alter protein function and impair cellular mechanisms. In order to identify susceptible amino acid sites of HNE modification within complex biological mixtures by microcapillary liquid chromatography and linear ion trap tandem mass spectrometry, we have developed a solid-phase capture and release strategy that utilizes reversible hydrazide chemistry to enrich HNE-modified peptides. To maximize the detection of fragment ions diagnostic of HNE modification, both neutral loss-dependent acquisition of MS/MS/MS spectra and the pulsed Q dissociation operation mode were employed. When the solid-phase hydrazide enrichment strategy was applied to a yeast lysate treated with HNE, 125 distinct amino acid sites of HNE modification were mapped on 67 different proteins. The endogenous susceptibility of many of these proteins to HNE modification was demonstrated by analyzing HNE-treated yeast cell cultures with a compleme...
Design, synthesis, and biological evaluations of novel oxindoles as HIV-1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Part 2.

A novel oxindole was discovered as an HIV non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor via HTS using a cell-based assay. Systematic structural modifications were carried out to establish its SAR. These modifications led to the identification of oxindoles with low nanomolar potency for inhibiting HIV replication. These novel and potent oxindoles could serve as advanced leads for further optimizations.
A relationship between sensitivity and stability of multivariable feedback systems

Both comparison sensitivity and robust stability analysis attempt to extend concepts which are well understood in scalar feedback systems to multivariable control system design. Although the two bodies of work have developed about a decade apart, the basic philosophies are similar. Both attempt to maintain a system property (sensitivity reduction versus stability) in the presence of plant modeling errors. This paper demonstrates how the similarity in philosophy translates into a similarity in results and interpretations.
A “solvated rotamer” approach to modeling water‐mediated hydrogen bonds at protein–protein interfaces

Water-mediated hydrogen bonds play critical roles at protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interfaces, and the interactions formed by discrete water molecules cannot be captured using continuum solvent models. We describe a simple model for the energetics of water-mediated hydrogen bonds, and show that, together with knowledge of the positions of buried water molecules observed in X-ray crystal structures, the model improves the prediction of free-energy changes upon mutation at protein-protein interfaces, and the recovery of native amino acid sequences in protein interface design calculations. We then describe a "solvated rotamer" approach to efficiently predict the positions of water molecules, at protein-protein interfaces and in monomeric proteins, that is compatible with widely used rotamer-based side-chain packing and protein design algorithms. Finally, we examine the extent to which the predicted water molecules can be used to improve prediction of amino acid identities and protein-protein interface stability, and discuss avenues for overcoming current limitations of the approach.
Primena novog fiskalnog aktivizma

Za vecinu posmatraca trenutna recesija kreira neodoljive okolnosti za obnavljanje aktivizma fiskalne politike. Ali, snažna podrska diskrecionoj fiskalnoj politici predstavlja odraz obnovljenog poverenja prema aktivnijoj ekonomskoj politici koje je postojalo i pre sadasnje krize. Međutim, nedavne debate o mogucim intervencijama fiskalne politike sugerisu da se mi jos uvek oslanjamo na pristupe diskrecionoj politici koriscene u proteklim periodima aktivizma politike. Nije iznenađujuce sto su prisutna samo neznatna poboljsanja u oblikovanju diskrecione politike, s obzirom da diskreciona ekonomska politika dugo nije bila favorizovana. Ali, ako cemo sprovoditi diskrecionu politiku u vecoj meri, onda je krajnje neophodno obratiti vise pažnje oblikovanju mera ekonomske politike. .
Rapid Fluorescence-Based Screening for Wolbachia Endosymbionts in Drosophila Germ Line and Somatic Tissues

Wolbachia is a globally distributed bacterial endosymbiont present in arthropods and nematodes. The advent of sensitive PCR-based approaches has greatly facilitated the identification of Wolbachia-infected individuals and analysis of population infection levels. Here, a complementary visual fluorescence-based Wolbachia screening approach is described. Through the use of the fluorescent dye Syto-11, Wolbachia can be efficiently detected in various Drosophila tissues, including ovaries. Syto-11 also stains Wolbachia in other insects. Because Wolbachia is inherited through the maternal germ line, bacteria reside in the ovaries of flies in infected populations. An advantage of this staining approach is that it informs about Wolbachia titer as well as its tissue and cellular distribution. Using this method, the infection status of insect populations in two central California locations was determined, and variants with unusually low or high Wolbachia titers were isolated. In addition, a variant with ovarioles containing both infected and uninfected egg chambers was identified. Syto-11 staining of Cardinium- and Spiroplasma-infected insects was also analyzed.
Adjunctive therapy of phenytoin overdose-a case report using plasmaphoresis

Phenytoin is widely used as an anticonvulsant. In overdose situations phenytoin demonstrates saturable metabolic kinetics making treatment difficult. Phenytoin's high protein binding makes it a poor candidate for hemodialysis or hemoperfusion. We report a case of an attempted suicide in which plasmaphoresis was used in an attempt to lower plasma levels and reduce toxicity. A review of the use of plasmaphoresis in acute intoxications is included.
Covering trees and lower-bounds on quadratic assignment

Many computer vision problems involving feature correspondence among images can be formulated as an assignment problem with a quadratic cost function. Such problems are computationally infeasible in general but recent advances in discrete optimization such as tree-reweighted belief propagation (TRW) often provide high-quality solutions. In this paper, we improve upon these algorithms in two ways. First, we introduce covering trees, a variant of TRW which provide the same bounds on the MAP energy as TRW with far fewer variational parameters. Optimization of these parameters can be carried out efficiently using either fixed–point iterations (as in TRW) or sub-gradient based techniques. Second, we introduce a new technique that utilizes bipartite matching applied to the min-marginals produced with covering trees in order to compute a tighter lower-bound for the quadratic assignment problem. We apply this machinery to the problem of finding correspondences with pairwise energy functions, and demonstrate the resulting hybrid method outperforms TRW alone and a recent related subproblem decomposition algorithm on benchmark image correspondence problems.
Two-tone suppression in a cochlear model

Two-tone rate suppression is a nonlinear property of the cochlea in which the total neural firing rate in the region most sensitive to a probe tone is reduced by the addition of a second (suppressor) tone at a different frequency. A cochlear model featuring a cascade of adaptive-Q filter sections was investigated to determine its ability to reproduce two-tone suppression. It was found that the adaptive-Q filter sections are adequate to reproduce two-tone suppression when the suppressor is located higher in frequency than the probe tone but are not adequate to reproduce suppression for a suppressor lower in frequency than the probe. A modification to the cochlear model, in which the output signal level is adjusted in response to the estimated peak signal levels in the regions of the cochlear filter tip and tail, was much more accurate in reproducing two-tone suppression behavior. A speech example is also presented, and the implications of two-tone suppression in applications of the cochlear model are discussed. >
A role for the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α in T-cell physiology and ageing immunobiology

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) a represents an important member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that can be activated by a variety of natural fatty acids, some of their metabolites and by commonly-used anti-lipidaemic drugs. We recently demonstrated PPARa expression in T lymphocytes, where it controls the initiation of transcription of T-box expressed in T-cells (T-bet) independent of added agonist. T-bet is an activation-inducible transcription factor regulator of interleukin 2 (suppression) and interferon y (stimulation) synthesis. A suppressed ability to produce interleukin 2 and an enhanced production of interferon y occurs in activated T-cells from PPARα-/- mice, as well as in T-cells from wild-type aged animals whose lymphocytes express lowered basal levels of PPARα. The dysregulated expression and/or function of cytokines, glucocorticoids or leptin that occurs with advanced age could all be responsible for the reduced expression of PPARa. Dietary supplementation of aged mice with vitamin E, or supplementation with known agonists of PPARa, was associated with elevation of lymphocyte expression of this nuclear hormone receptor, restoration of control over T-bet expression and elimination of the dysregulated production of interleukin 2 and interferon y following lymphocyte activation. Interleukin 2 and interferon y play very important roles in the initiation and/or regulation of immune, inflammatory and autoimmune disease states. Thus, the mechanisms that control the timing, magnitude and duration of specific cytokine production by activated T lymphocytes need clarification before appropriate nutritional or therapeutic strategies can be devised to treat disease conditions where cytokine expression and/or activities are deemed to be dysregulated and responsible.
Ethics, “Vulnerability,” and Feminist Participatory Action Research With a Disability Community

We consider the work of research ethics boards and funding models for research that at times are incompatible with the relationship building required for feminist participatory action research with a disability community. We explore the barriers that emerged for university- and community-based partners as they asserted individual and collective identities, and negotiated boundaries, access, and power relations in the process of designing and conducting research. This critical reflection contributes to our understanding of the structures of academic research funding, ethics approval, and how problematic conceptualizations of vulnerability embedded in the Tri-Council Policy Statement and research ethics board practices impact on relationship building and the research process. Recommendations for change will be helpful to researchers studying disability, those using participatory action research, and individuals serving on ethics review boards.
Accurate indoor ranging by broadband passive NLTL tags

Millimeter-precision, decameter-distance real-time indoor ranging capability is challenging due to multipath reflections in rich scattering environment. We present a solution by passive broadband nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) tags. Via harmonic backscattering, reader self-jamming and errors caused by direct reflections from ambient scatterers can be greatly reduced. By the broadband property of NLTL, a simple, robust method by multi-frequency continuous wave (MFCW) is formulated to resolve the phase integer ambiguity and to further improve ranging accuracy in the occasion of large phase errors. We present theoretical and simulation analyses, followed by experimental verification.
Effects of diet for early-weaned crossbred beef steers on metabolic profiles and febrile response to an infectious bovine herpesvirus-1 challenge

Abstract Thirty-three early-weaned steers (average age at weaning = 132 days) were used to evaluate effects of protein supplementation of forage diets vs. a 70% concentrate diet fed during a backgrounding phase (84 d) on metabolic profiles and febrile response to an infectious bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1) challenge during a receiving phase (27 d). Backgrounding treatments included a bermudagrass hay diet (CTRL); CTRL plus soybean meal (SBM) fed at 0.175% of BW (as-fed); CTRL plus SBM at 0.35% of BW; or a 70% concentrate (CONC) diet. During the receiving phase, all steers were fed CONC and intranasally challenged on d 85 with an infectious dose of BHV-1. Unexpectedly, 3 d after the BHV-1 challenge, serum IgG was greater ( P P
An examination of middle school students’ representation practices in mathematical problem solving through the lens of expert work: towards an organizing scheme

Representation is viewed as central to mathematical problem solving. Yet, it is becoming obvious that students are having difficulty negotiating the various forms and functions of representations. This article examines the functions that representation has in students’ mathematical problem solving and how that compares to its function in the problem solving of experts and broadly in mathematics. Overall, this work highlights the close connections between the work of experts and students, showing how students use representations in ways that are inherently similar to those of experts. Both experts and students use representations as tools towards the understanding, exploration, recording, and monitoring of problem solving. In social contexts, experts and students use representations for the presentation of their work but also the negotiation and co-construction of shared understandings. However, this research also highlights where students’ work departs from experts’ representational practices, hence, providing some directions for pedagogy and further work.
Pilot feedback for an automated planning aid system in the cockpit

It is the primary responsibility of the airline pilot to safely complete a flight plan and safely land the airplane. This task can become very difficult in the face of an onboard emergency. One of the challenging tasks faced by the pilots in case of an emergency is the determination of an appropriate landing site as well as the development of a safe trajectory to reach that site. An Automated Planning Aid (APA) can assist the pilot with the tasks of selecting a landing site and developing a suitable trajectory to land. In order to evaluate such an APA, a survey of airline pilots was conducted during the late summer of 2008. The participants were presented with several questions related to the task of planning a path during a performance altering emergency, a non-performance altering emergency and an unforeseen emergency. Participants were also presented with questions about how they would prefer to interact with an APA in the cockpit and the circumstances under which such a device might be most useful. The results of the survey showed that time was the most important criterion to consider, however the methods pilots use to complete the landing site selection and trajectory development tasks vary with the type of emergency and the pilot's familiarity with the circumstances. The results of the survey are used to understand the mental processes currently used by the pilots to complete the path planning task as well as to provide insights to how an APA could be most useful during an onboard emergency.
Positive, Negative, and Neutral Peer Interactions as Indicators of Children's Social Competency: The Issue of Concurrent Validity

Many studies examining the effects of treatments for socially isolated/withdrawn children have used behavioral measures to assess children's peer relations. In an attempt to examine the concurrent validity of these measures, we observed 258 preschool children during free play and coded their interactions into the categories of positive, negative, and neutral behaviors. We also interviewed these children individually, using a sociometric nomination procedure, and asked them to indicate liked and disliked peers. Our examination of the results revealed that, consistent with other research, the correlation between the sociometric measures and the children's total rate of interaction with peers was low. In addition, measures of positive, negative, and neutral behaviors were also only weakly correlated with the children's sociometric scores. We agree with others in concluding that multiple methods of assessment are needed to properly assess the adequacy of children's peer relations.
Haemophilia A Carriers Demonstrate Pathological and Radiological Evidence of Structural Joint Changes

Haemophilia A is an X-linked recessive disorder resulting in deficient FVIII activity that leads to moderate to severe bleeding, most notably haemarthrosis or joint bleeding. Heterozygotes for mutations in the FVIII gene (haemophilia A carriers) may exhibit an increased bleeding tendency despite plasma FVIII activity (0.41 IU mL−1 to 0.60 IU mL−1) within the range considered normal [1]. A cross-sectional study con- ducted by our team showed that 16% (n = 47, mean FVIII activity 48 IU dL−1) of haemophilia A carriers self-report joint bleeds, similar to previous estimates of haemarthrosis (8–14%) in carriers [1,2]. Furthermore, an unpublished cross-sectional study utilizing the Universal Data Collection project revealed a significant reduction in mean overall joint range of motion (ROM) in haemophilia A carriers compared to age- and BMI (body mass index)-matched historic controls.
Improved Aging Characteristics of NTC Thermistor Thin Films Fabricated by a Hybrid Sol–Gel–MOD Process

Negative temperature coefficient thermistor oxide thin films with improved aging characteristics are described. Better thermal stability has been achieved by incorporating sol–gel techniques with metallo-organic decomposition methods. A compositional range was identified whereby borosilicate may incorporate into the thermistor oxides, forming nanocomposites showing thermistor electrical characteristics. Thermistor thin films, with composition Ni0.48Co0.24Cu0.6Mn1.68O4·0.22SiO2·0.15B2O3 were deposited onto glass substrates from a solution containing organic transition metal salts, tetraethyl orthosilicate and triethyl borate. Electrical resistance measurements verified characteristic thermistor behavior. Nanocomposite thin films exhibited a factor of four improvement as compared with pure oxides after aging at 150°C for 500 h.
A fully synthesized 0.4V 77dB SFDR reprogrammable SRMC filter using digital standard cells

This paper presents a fully synthesized 0.4V analog Biquad filter in a 0.13μm technology using digital standard cells. A new fully reprogrammable multi-stage opamp array is introduced which can provide variable gain and bandwidth depending on the desired performance. In the proposed analog filter, all the active blocks such as the opamps and matched-RC duty-cycle generator are implemented using digital gates. This filter is implemented using Verilog code and synthesized using automated place and route. The prototype IC achieves 77.17dB peak SFDR and a tunable bandwidth of 1.7–2.5MHz while consuming 0.8mW power from a 0.4V analog supply and 1V supply for the switches.
Incremental initiation of dialysis: one center's experience over a two-year period.

ObjectiveThis pilot study describes our center's experience with peritoneal dialysis (PD) over the past 2 years using a “healthy start” dialysis protocol with an incremental approach to prescriptio...
Learning and predicting dynamic networked behavior with graphical multiagent models

Factored models of multiagent systems address the complexity of joint behavior by exploiting locality in agent interactions. History-dependent graphical multiagent models (hGMMs) further capture dynamics by conditioning behavior on history. The challenges of modeling real human behavior motivated us to extend the hGMM representation by distinguishing two types of agent interactions. This distinction opens the opportunity for learning dependence networks that are different from given graphical structures representing observed agent interactions. We propose a greedy algorithm for learning hGMMs from time-series data, inducing both graphical structure and parameters. Our empirical study employs human-subject experiment data for a dynamic consensus scenario, where agents on a network attempt to reach a unanimous vote. We show that the learned hGMMs directly expressing joint behavior outperform alternatives in predicting dynamic human voting behavior, and end-game vote results. Analysis of learned graphical structures reveals patterns of action dependence not directly reflected in the original experiment networks.
Thermionic field emission transport at nanowire Schottky barrier contacts

The high carrier concentrations typically reported for nanowire devices indicate that when Schottky barrier transport is present, it occurs in the thermionic field emission regime with a substantial but not exclusive tunneling component. Analysis by thermionic field emission is difficult due to its multivariate nature. In recent work, we developed a mathematical stability approach that greatly simplified the evaluation of the multivariate thermionic field emission parameters. This is a general method with potentially wide applicability, requiring only the effective mass m* and relative dielectric constant er for a given semiconductor as inputs. In the present work, we investigate the influence of the materials properties effective mass m* and relative dielectric constant er on stability for a range of real and simulated semiconductor nanowires. A further investigation of temperature sensitivity and regime trends is presented.
AN EVALUATION OF BOWEN AND BYRNE'S INTERPRETATIONS

The article presents a reply to comments made by Donald D. Bowen and Robert F. Byrne on the author's article “Relationships Among Role Accuracy, Compliance, Performance Evaluation, and Satisfaction...
Talarolutins A–D: Meroterpenoids from an endophytic fungal isolate of Talaromyces minioluteus

Four meroterpenoids [talarolutins A-D] and one known compound [purpurquinone A] were characterized from an endophytic fungal isolate of Talaromyces minioluteus (G413), which was obtained from the leaves of the medicinal plant milk thistle [Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. (Asteraceae)]. The structures of talarolutins A-D were determined by the analysis of various NMR and MS techniques. The relative and absolute configuration of talarolutin A was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. A combination of NOESY data and comparisons of ECD spectra were employed to assign the relative and absolute configuration of the other analogs. Talarolutins B-D were tested for cytotoxicity against human prostate carcinoma (PC-3) cell line, antimicrobial activity, and induction of quinone reductase; no notable bioactivity was observed in any assay.
Identification and characterization of the rat intestinal epithelial cell (IEC-18) interleukin-1 receptor

Interleukin-1 (IL-1), an important mediator of inflammation, may act in chronic inflammatory disorders of the intestine such as idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases. Although the IL-1 receptor (I...
Disinfection Effect of A Medical Air Disinfector

objective To observe the indoor air disinfection effict of a medical air disinfector in hosptial clinnicl using.Methods Multi-level air microorganism sampler was used to carry out laboratory and on-the-spot tests.Results Operation of the air disinfector for 60 min killed 99.96% of Staphylococcus albus in air of the aerosol chamber,while the natural decay rate of S.albus in air of the laboratory was ≤52.28%.Operation of the air disinfector for 60 min,120 min,180 min killed 90.4%,92.2%,93.5% of the natural bacteria in internal medicine ICU air flow respectively.Conclusion Under the specified conditions for use,the medical air disinfector has good efficacy in removing bacteria in internal medicine ICU,meets the standard specifications.
Cyclosporin A inhibits the production of gamma interferon (IFNγ), but does not inhibit production of virus-induced IFNα/β

Abstract The effect of cyclosporin A (CsA) on the production of gamma interferon (IFNγ) versus IFNα/β was studied using mouse and human lymphocytes and fibroblasts. Spleen cells from C57B1/6 mice produced low but significant levels (40–60 U/ml) of IFNγ after 2 to 3 days of culture with irradiated DBA spleen cells. The addition of CsA at concentrations as low as 0.1 μg/ml completely inhibited (
Potentials of Proteomics in Crop Breeding

Recent incorporation of new molecular technologies, for example genomics and molecular markers, to the conventional plant breeding methods has resulted in a paradigm shift in crop improvement strategies. Proteomics is a comparatively new tool which is gradually becoming essential for the new generation of plant breeders because it is capable of providing new insights at cellular levels. Proteome, a translational version of a genome, is vital to expose molecular mechanisms essential for plant growth, development, and their interactions with physical and biological environment. A specific advantage of proteomics over all other -omics methods in crop breeding advancement is its ability to consider post-translational modifications that reflect the functional impressions of protein modifications on crop plant productivity. In this chapter we discuss various proteomic techniques, with examples of their applications for the advancement of conventional crop breeding programs. Proteomic methods can be used to measure subtle changes in protein expression levels in response to selective breeding, and for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance studies among different germplasm or cultivars. We demonstrate that the prospects of possible inclusion of proteomic techniques will lead to stronger crop breeding programs and a solid food security in the coming years.
Time Dependent Covariates

The partial likelihood theory for survival data, introduced in Chap. 5, allows one to model survival times while accommodating covariate information. An important caveat to this theory is that the values of the covariates must be determined at time t = 0, when the patient enters the study, and remain constant thereafter. This issue arises with survival data because such data evolve over time, and it would be improper to use the value a covariate to model survival information that is observed before the covariate’s value is known. To accommodate covariates that may change their value over time (“time dependent covariates”) , special measures are necessary to obtain valid parameter estimates. An intervention that occurs after the start of the trial, or a covariate (such as air pollution exposure) that changes values over the course of the study are two examples of time dependent variables.
Macracanthorhynchus ingens Infection in an 18-Month-Old Child in Florida: A Case Report and Review of Acanthocephaliasis in Humans

A case of acanthocephaliasis in an 18-month-old child caused by Macracanthorhynchus ingens is reported from Florida. This represents only the third documented case of this species in a human host. An overview of human cases of acanthocephaliasis in the literature is presented, along with a review of the biology, clinical manifestations and pathology in the human host, morphology, and diagnosis.
P146 The use of surrogate crossmatching allows for the detection of a possible donor specific antibody to an HLA-DQ heterodimer

Aim The development of de novo donor-specific antibodies (DSA) post-transplant is an area of interest for the transplant community. There are several challenges in detecting DSA, including the use of recombinant HLA antigens vs. affinity-purified antigens from a phenotype, and the lack of donor typing at many loci. Herein, we describe a case where surrogate flow-cytometric crossmatch (FCXM) was used in conjunction with solid-phase immunoassays for the detection of DSA in a heart transplant recipient. Methods Post-transplant serum was tested by solid-phase immunoassays for the detection of DSA to the following donor antigens: A2,23; B7,8; Bw6; Cw7; DR15,17; DR52; DQ2,6. Confirmation of antibody specificity was obtained using FCXM using three surrogate donor cells. Results Initial testing by One Lambda LABScreen® PRA and Single Antigen assays provided negative results for HLA class I, and inconclusive results for HLA class II, suggesting possible reactivity to HLA-DQ2, HLA-DQA1∗05:01/DQB1∗02:01, or false-positive reactivity. In order to confirm the possible specificities obtained, surrogate crossmatching was performed utilizing pronased cells from donors with the following HLA types: Donor 1- DQB1∗02:XX, 03:XX (DQ9); DQA1∗02:01; Donor 2- DQB1∗02:01; DQA1∗05:01; Donor 3- DQB1∗02:01, 03:01 (DQ7); DQA1∗05:01, with recipient serum at dilutions of Neat, 1:2, 1:4, and 1:16. T cell crossmatch results at all dilutions were negative for each donor cell tested. Donor 1 tested B cell negative at all dilutions tested, while donor 2 tested positive at serum dilutions of Neat, 1:2, and 1:4, and donor 3 tested positive at serum dilutions of Neat and 1:2. This evidence allowed for us to assign a strong antibody, defined by our laboratory as predicted to yield a positive FCXM, to the DQA1∗05:01/DQB1∗02:01 heterodimer. Since donor HLA-DQA1 typing was not available, it is inconclusive whether the antibody detected should be considered donor-specific. Conclusion We conclude that while solid-phase immunoassays are useful tools for the detection of HLA antibodies, there are several challenges present which could require the use of additional assays for confirmation of test results. In addition, the lack of complete donor typing often makes it difficult for the laboratory to accurately interpret the findings of such results.
Investigating Spheres of Influence in Communication Design: Comparing the Citation Practices of Research Faculty and Industry Leaders

Divides among academic knowledge and practitioner needs have been well documented in technical communication and related fields. However, the recent popularity of practitioner publications indicates a timely moment to reassess the relationships among academic and nonacademic influencers in emerging communication design knowledge. In this paper, we introduce initial findings from the first phase of an ongoing research project that analyzes citation practices in communication design publications. First, we created a sample of over 1500 citations from 30 recent peer-reviewed journal articles that treat emerging communication design themes. Next, we coded authors or author teams from the 30 original articles and the 1500 cited publications to identify whether each author or author team was comprised of academic research faculty, nonacademics, or both. Based on this analysis, we show that academic citations comprise just over 60 percent of the total number in our sample. While this is a clear majority, non-academic citations do frequently influence the shape of peer-reviewed work on emerging communication design themes. Based on our findings, we argue for extending citation analysis to a larger sample of peer-reviewed journal articles and different publications types (i.e., proceedings, books, trade magazines, blogs, social media conversations) in order to test our findings. We furthermore call for social network analysis (SNA) that can reveal more complex interconnections among academic researchers and industry or independent thought leaders around topics such as user experience, content management and strategy, and project management.
Pediatric Somatic Symptom Disorders

Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a common disorder encountered in pediatric medicine. It involves the presentation of physical symptoms that are either disproportionate or inconsistent with history, physical examination, laboratory, and other investigative findings. SSDs result in significant impairment with considerable increase in healthcare utilization, school absenteeism, and the potential for unnecessary diagnostic evaluation and treatment intervention. Patients and families often feel dismissed and may worry that a serious condition has been missed. Primary care providers are frequently frustrated due to a lack of a successful approach to patients and families impacted by SSD. The result is often a cycle of disability, frustration and missed opportunities for collaboration towards enhanced patient functionality. This review summarizes the current evidence-based understanding, as well as insights from clinician experience, on the evaluation and management of pediatric SSD.
International union of basic and clinical pharmacology. CI. structures and small molecule modulators of mammalian adenylyl cyclases

Adenylyl cyclases (ACs) generate the second messenger cAMP from ATP. Mammalian cells express nine transmembrane AC (mAC) isoforms (AC1–9) and a soluble AC (sAC, also referred to as AC10). This review will largely focus on mACs. mACs are activated by the G-protein Gαs and regulated by multiple mechanisms. mACs are differentially expressed in tissues and regulate numerous and diverse cell functions. mACs localize in distinct membrane compartments and form signaling complexes. sAC is activated by bicarbonate with physiologic roles first described in testis. Crystal structures of the catalytic core of a hybrid mAC and sAC are available. These structures provide detailed insights into the catalytic mechanism and constitute the basis for the development of isoform-selective activators and inhibitors. Although potent competitive and noncompetitive mAC inhibitors are available, it is challenging to obtain compounds with high isoform selectivity due to the conservation of the catalytic core. Accordingly, caution must be exerted with the interpretation of intact-cell studies. The development of isoform-selective activators, the plant diterpene forskolin being the starting compound, has been equally challenging. There is no known endogenous ligand for the forskolin binding site. Recently, development of selective sAC inhibitors was reported. An emerging field is the association of AC gene polymorphisms with human diseases. For example, mutations in the AC5 gene (ADCY5) cause hyperkinetic extrapyramidal motor disorders. Overall, in contrast to the guanylyl cyclase field, our understanding of the (patho)physiology of AC isoforms and the development of clinically useful drugs targeting ACs is still in its infancy.
Modeling and simulation of a novel 4.5 kWe multi-stack solid-oxide fuel cell prototype assembly for combined heat and power

Abstract The United States Geological Survey estimates that over four trillion barrels of crude oil are currently trapped within U.S. oil shale reserves. However, no cost-effective, environmentally sustainable method for oil production from oil shale currently exists. Given the continuing demand for low-cost fossil-fuel production, alternative methods for shale-oil extraction are needed. Geothermic Fuel Cells™ (GFC) harness the heat generated by high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells during electricity generation to process oil shale into “sweet” crude oil. In this paper, a thermo-electrochemical model is exercised to simulate the performance of a 4.5 kW e (gross) Geothermic Fuel Cell module for in situ oil-shale processing. The GFC analyzed in this work is a prototype which contains three 1.5 kW e solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack-and-combustor assemblies packaged within a 0.3 m diameter, 1.8 m tall, stainless-steel housing. The high-temperature process heat produced by the SOFCs during electricity generation is used to retort oil shale within underground geological formations into high-value shale oil and natural gas. A steady-state system model is developed in Aspen Plus™ using user-defined subroutines to predict the stack electrochemical performance and the heat-rejection from the module. The model is validated against empirical data from independent single-stack performance testing and full GFC-module experiments. Following model validation, further simulations are performed for different values of current, fuel and air utilization to study their influence on system electrical and heating performance. The model is used to explore a wider range of operating conditions than can be experimentally tested, and provides insight into the competing physical processes at play during Geothermic Fuel Cell operation. Results show that the operating conditions can be tuned to generate desired heat-flux conditions as needed across applications.
The Association Between Geometry and Wall Stress in Emergently Repaired Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a prevalent cardiovascular disease characterized by the focal dilation of the aorta, which supplies blood to all the organs and tissues in the systemic circulation. With the AAA increasing in diameter over time, the risk of aneurysm rupture is generally associated with the size of the aneurysm. If diagnosed on time, intervention is recommended to prevent AAA rupture. The criterion to decide on surgical intervention is determined by measuring the maximum diameter of the aneurysm relative to the critical value of 5.5 cm. However, a more reliable approach could be based on understanding the biomechanical behavior of the aneurysmal wall. In addition, geometric features that are proven to be significant predictors of the AAA wall mechanics could be used as surrogates of the AAA biomechanical behavior and, subsequently, of the aneurysm’s risk of rupture. The aim of this work is to identify those geometric indices that have a high correlation with AAA wall stress in the population of patients who received an emergent repair of their aneurysm. In-house segmentation and meshing algorithms were used to model 75 AAAs followed by estimation of the spatially distributed wall stress by performing finite element analysis. Fifty-two shape and size geometric indices were calculated for the same models using MATLAB scripting. Hypotheses testing were carried out to identify the indices significantly correlated with wall stress by constructing a Pearson’s correlation coefficient matrix. The analyses revealed that 12 indices displayed high correlation with the wall stress, amongst which wall thickness and curvature-based indices exhibited the highest correlations. Stepwise regression analysis of these correlated indices indicated that wall stress can be predicted by the following four indices with an accuracy of 76%: maximum aneurysm diameter, aneurysm sac length, average wall thickness at the maximum diameter cross-section, and the median of the wall thickness variance. The primary outcome of this work emphasizes the use of global measures of size and wall thickness as geometric surrogates of wall stress for emergently repaired AAAs.
Psychological distance of timber harvesting for private woodland owners

Abstract Private woodland owners (PWOs) in the U.S.A. often do not actively manage their forests, and forest policies appeal to a small subset of owners that have management plans and participate in incentive programs. We address this policy disconnect by considering a new possible explanation; PWOs perceive forest management as an abstract and distant concept. Psychological distance (PD) is built on the premise that an individual's mental representations of objects and activities depend on four dimensions of distance between the individual and the object: spatial, temporal, social, and hypothetical. There are few applications of PD in natural resource and environmental research. Our objectives were to: 1) Understand the PD of private woodland owners; and 2) Evaluate how the four dimensions of PD are specifically related to the timber harvesting decision. We interviewed 32 PWOs in Maine, U.S.A. to understand their timber harvesting decision. Results suggest that PD can be described using frequency of harvesting, absentee ownership, co-ownership structure, and harvesting knowledge. PWOs with distant representations of harvesting require different policy mechanisms than those who are psychologically closer. PD is a useful theory in understanding forest management behavior by describing the extent to which timber harvesting is relevant to a private woodland owner. Social, temporal, and hypothetical distance can be shortened by offering frequent opportunities for woodland owner engagement like peer-to-peer networking and learning events and a deeper understanding of how timber harvesting promotes sustainable forest management.
Crime and Criminal Justice: Applied Research from Routine Monitoring to Evidence-Based Practices

Applied research has been at, and remains at, the heart of the fields of criminology and criminal justice since the days of the ‘moral statisticians.’ This article examines some of the history of applied research in these fields, and the roles of government, university-based, and nonuniversity-based researchers. The impact of different sources of funding and the challenges that funding produce to the integrity of applied research are canvassed. Particular attention is paid to applied research in the areas of prevention, intervention, and evaluation studies. The development of evidence-based practices, implementation research, and translational research is also covered as part of the evolution of applied research in criminal justice and criminology. Exemplars in the areas of corrections and policing are offered to highlight the continuing development of this important aspect of the application of social science research to applied problems.
Beginning High School: Christian Students' Perceptions and Choices.

ABSTRACTMoving from middle to high school can bring challenges for adolescents in the United States, with self-reports indicating areas that might need attention. Christian ninth grade students gave structured interviews about their perceptions of the transition. Issues like a change in the type (e.g., private to public) or size of school were discussed. Narrative analysis revealed key themes: reasons for a change in the type of school; whether the transition environment was supportive; differing perceptions of middle and high school schedules; and importance of study hall and lunch. Quantitative coding supplemented narratives to elucidate one theme, thereby co-mingling methods of analysis.
The Boy in the Bubble and the Baby With the Berlin Heart: The Dangers of "Bridge to Decision" in Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support

On the day of his birth in 1971, David Vetter was "temporarily" placed in a sterile isolator to wait for a bone marrow donor who would cure his Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome. After enduring 12 years in isolation, David, now known to the world as "The Boy in the Bubble", received a bone marrow transplant from his unmatched sister and died 4 months later. Like Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome, pediatric heart failure is a rare and life-threatening condition for which organ transplantation is often the only option for survival. Nearly 15 years ago, the Berlin Heart EXCOR ventricular assist device was developed, as the isolator was for David, to be a bridge to transplantation for infants and children with unstable heart failure. Yet, when symptoms progress faster than the patient's suitability for transplant can be evaluated, this device may be implanted as a "bridge-to-decision" while a transplant evaluation is completed. Therein lies the potential for history to repeat itself. As biomedical science carries us ever forward in our ability to sustain life, we must always bear in mind that the miraculous EXCOR must not be a machine that simply sustains the circulation. It must be, and always remain, a bridge to somewhere.