cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypnosis for the Treatment of Functional Respiratory Disorders

Clinical hypnosis is an efficient and effective tool for addressing the mind/body connection for many patients with functional respiratory disorders. Such patients can benefit from learning self-hypnosis techniques in as little as 10 min, which can help them rapidly improve or resolve their symptoms altogether, as ­demonstrated in several published case series. Asthma sometimes has been shown to improve with the use of hypnosis perhaps because of the large number of patients who have a functional component as part of their presentation. Keys to successful hypnosis include establishment of rapport with patients and their families, facilitating patients’ self-mastery, and following patients’ expectations, motivation, lead, and interests. Clinicians who have completed 3- to 4-day hypnosis training workshops learn to appreciate better the power of communication and usually find that their language and nonverbal interactions with patients improve, even when they are not employing formal hypnosis. Practical considerations regarding provision of clinical hypnosis in a primary care setting are discussed in this chapter; a sample text of an hypnotic encounter intended to achieve relaxation is provided; and case studies are presented that include links to videos demonstrating instruction in ­hypnosis to children and adults, with accompanying quiz questions and explanatory material regarding patients with chest pain, dyspnea, habit cough, vocal cord ­dysfunction, and insomnia.
Redox Chemistry of Noninnocent Quinones Annulated to 2Fe2S Cores

Noninnocent ligands that are electronically coupled to active catalytic sites can influence the redox behavior of the catalysts. A series of (μ-dithiolato)Fe2(CO)6 complexes, in which the sulfur atoms of the μ-dithiolato ligand are bridged by 5-substituted (Me, OMe, Cl, t-Bu)-1,4-benzoquinones, 1,4-naphthoquinone, or 1,4-anthraquinone, have been synthesized and characterized. In addition, the bis-phosphine complex derived from the 1,4-naphthoquinone-bridged complex has also been prepared and characterized. Cyclic voltammetry of these complexes shows two reversible one-electron reductions at potentials 0.2 to 0.5 V less negative than their corresponding parent quinones. In the presence of acetic acid two-electron reductions of the complexes result in conversion of the quinones to hydroquinone moieties. EPR spectroscopic and computational studies of the one-electron-reduced complexes show electron delocalization from the semiquinones to the 2Fe2S moieties, thereby revealing the “noninnocent” behavior of the...
Whether the Mixed Operation Leading to Financial Crisis

It has been representing an irresistible trend that the mixed operation will be put into practise in the finance trade,what,then,worries the advocates for divided operation seriously is whether it will be bound to initiate a financial crisis.Starting from the thesis for divided operation,the conclusion has been eventually drawn in this dissertation that there is no direct causation between the mode of mixed operation and a financial crisis through the analysis and expounding of the aspects relating to the relation between risk and crisis,the security of the traditional bank operation,the surviving mechanism in a financial crisis,and the case research of non-bank business run by the banks.
Construction of Network Information Safety in Power Enterprise

The conception of network information safety is introduced in view of information safety of eleetric power enterprise.The threat source of network safety is elaborated,and the resolution to network information safety of eleetrie power enterprise is put forward in combination with the actuality of electric power enterprise.
Building a Culture of Health

Every company, large and small, impacted health in four main ways. First, through the healthfulness and safety of the products and services it sold. Second, through its attention to employee health and well-being in its work practices and benefits. Third, through contributions to the broader communities in which it operated. And, fourth, through the environmental impacts of its operations.
Beyond Hypothesis: Direct Evidence That V(D)J Recombination Is Regulated by the Accessibility of Chromatin Substrates.

The pioneering work of Hozumi and Tonegawa ([1][1]) revealed that B lymphocytes can assemble Ig genes via somatic DNA recombination. This process, V(D)J recombination, is essential to create the highly variable and clonally distributed AgR repertoires of B and T cells that are central to adaptive
Disk space infections in children.

Summary The present review of disk space infection in children agrees with that carried out in 1962.12 The physician who encounters a child with back or hip pain, irritability, and a change in walking pattern should always suspect an infection of the vertebral column, particularly in the presence of limited spine motion, spasm, and an elevated sedimentation rate. S. aureus still is the usual primary infecting agent. Treatment consisting of rigid immobilization of the spinal column during the acutely painful phase appears to be adequate therapy. The use of antibiotics is not generally recommended. Because of this, hospitalization is usuallv not prolonged unnecessarily. The rationale for the use of antibiotics in one atypical case included recurrence of clinical signs and symptoms despite immobilization. These included persistent pain and spasm associated with a high sedimentation rate. Disk space aspiration probably is no longer necessary or desirable in the usual patient in whom immobilization is generally effective. The prognosis for most patients is good. Occasionally spinal fusion should be considered in this young age group if mechanical backache persists after the infection has been cured. The findings and recommendations regarding management of this disease in children should not be applied to the adult.
Redox Regulation of Retinoic Acid Receptor Function in Myeloid Leukemia Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis.

Ape1/ref-1 is a multifunctional base excision DNA repair protein that is involved in the repair of abasic sites in DNA. However, it also has a distinct role in the redox regulation of a variety of cellular proteins, such as Fos, Jun, p53, NFkB, PAX, HIF-1a, HLF, and others. Ape-1/ref-1 maintains these proteins in a reduced state thereby facilitating their DNA binding and transcriptional activation capability. HL-60 cells are known to respond to retinoic acid (RA) with terminal granulocytic differentiation and apoptosis, which is mediated through the RA receptors. Previous experiments suggested that Ape1/ref-1 expression is related to apoptosis. To further define this relationship, we used retroviral gene transduction to over-express HA-tagged Ape1/ref-1 in HL-60 myeloid leukemia cells. We observed that the RA-induced growth inhibition of HL-60 cells over-expressing Ape1/ref-1 was significantly enhanced compared to wild type HL-60 cells. To determine if the growth inhibition was related to enhanced programmed cell death and differentiation, we treated Ape1/ref-1 transduced and vector-only (LXSN) transduced HL-60 cells with RA and evaluated the expression of Ape1/ref-1 and the development of apoptosis and markers of differentiation. Results: 1) RA induced expression of the retroviral Ape1/ref-1 construct as determined by Western blot resulting in a higher (ie retroviral + endogenous Ape1/ref-1) overall expression of Ape1/ref-1 compared to control cells; 2) analysis of RA-treated cells for apoptosis by propidium iodide, TUNEL, and Annexin V staining as well as morphology, unexpectedly demonstrated enhanced programmed cell death in cells expressing the transduced Ape1/ref-1; 3) Ape-1 over-expression enhanced the retinoid differentiation response by morphology and expression of CD11b. Additional mobility shift experiments demonstrated the redox dependence of retinoic acid receptor binding to retinoid response elements mediated by Ape-1/ref-1. In conclusion, our data supports the contention that Ape1/ref-1 expression may be important for mediating RA-induced myeloid differentiation and programmed cell death.
Acceptance of International Criminal Justice Through Fragmented Domestication, the Case of Kosovo

A study of the Acceptance of International Criminal Justice, from the legal perspective. More concretely the fragmented legal domestication of international justice as means of express or silent acceptance of international criminal justice.
Sub-seasonal predictability of the onset and demise of the rainy season over monsoonal regions

Sub-seasonal to seasonal (S2S) retrospective forecasts from three global coupled models are used to evaluate the predictability of the onset and demise dates of the rainy season over monsoonal regions. The onset and demise dates of the rainy season are defined using only precipitation data. The forecasts of the onset and demise dates of the rainy season are based on a hybrid methodology that combines observations and simulations. Although skillful model precipitation predictions remain challenging in many regions, our results show that they are skillful enough to identify onset and demise dates of the rainy season in many monsoon regions at sub-seasonal (approximately 30 days) lead-times in retrospective forecasts. We verify sub-seasonal prediction skill for the onset and demise dates of the rainy season over South America, East Asia, and Northern Australia. However, we find low prediction skill for the onset and demise of the rainy season on sub-seasonal scales over the Indian monsoon region. This information would be valuable to sectors related to water management.
Fast STR allele identification with STRait Razor 3.0

The short tandem repeat allele identification tool (STRait Razor), a program used to characterize the haplotypes of short tandem repeats (STRs) in massively parallel sequencing (MPS) data, was redesigned. STRait Razor v3.0 performs ∼660× faster allele identification than its previous version (v2s), a speedup that is largely due to a novel indexing strategy used to perform "fuzzy" (approximate) string matching of anchor sequences. Written in a portable compiled language, C++, STRait Razor v3.0 functions on all major operating systems including Microsoft Windows, and it has cross-platform multithreading support. In silico estimates of precision and accuracy of STRait Razor v3.0 were 100% in this evaluation and results were highly concordant with those of Strait Razor v2s. STRait Razor v3.0 adds several key features that simplify the haplotype reporting process, including simple filters to remove low frequency haplotypes as well as merging haplotypes within a locus encoded on opposite strands of the DNA molecule.
Kidney function is associated with an altered protein composition of high-density lipoprotein.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit a myriad of metabolic derangements, including dyslipidemia characterized by low plasma concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)–associated cholesterol. However, the effects of kidney disease on HDL composition have not been comprehensively determined. Here we used a targeted mass spectrometric approach to quantify 38 proteins contained in the HDL particles within a CKD cohort of 509 participants with a broad range of estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) (CKD stages I-V, and a mean eGFR of 45.5 mL/min/1.73m 2 ). After adjusting for multiple testing, demographics, comorbidities, medications, and other characteristics, eGFR was significantly associated with differences in four HDL proteins. Compared to participants with an eGFR of 60 mL/min/1.73m 2 or more, those with an eGFR under 15 mL/min/1.73m 2 exhibited 1.89-fold higher retinol-binding protein 4 (95% confidence interval 1.34-2.67), 1.52-fold higher apolipoprotein C-III (1.25-1.84), 0.70-fold lower apolipoprotein L1 (0.55-0.92), and 0.64-fold lower vitronectin (0.48-0.85). Although the HDL apolipoprotein L1 was slightly lower among African Americans than among Caucasian individuals, the relationship to eGFR did not differ by race. After adjustment, no HDL-associated proteins associated with albuminuria. Thus, modest changes in the HDL proteome provide preliminary evidence for an association between HDL proteins and declining kidney function, but this needs to be replicated. Future analyses will determine if HDL proteomics is indeed a clinical predictor of declining kidney function or cardiovascular outcomes.
Reinterpreting polarity and cancer: The changing landscape from tumor suppression to tumor promotion

Cell polarity is a fundamental property used to generate asymmetry and structure in all cells. Cancer is associated with loss of cell and tissue structure. While observations made in model system such as Drosophila, identify polarity regulators as tumor suppressors that cause inappropriate cell division, studies in mammalian epithelia do not always support such a causative contribution. Our analysis of published cancer dataset shows that many polarity genes, including PARD6B, SCRIB, PRKCI, DLG1, DLG2, DLG5 and LLGL2, are frequently amplified in multiple cancers raising the possibility that mammalian epithelia may have evolved to use polarity proteins in multiple ways where they may have tumor promoting functions. In this review, we reinterpret the published results and propose a modified perspective for the role of polarity regulators in cancer biology. In addition to the traditional form of cell polarity, which is involved establishment of maintenance of normal cell structure and asymmetry, we propose that some mammalian polarity proteins also regulate subcellular polarity (intracellular asymmetry), which can improve cellular fitness to carry out functions such as proliferation, apoptosis, stress adaptation, stemness and organelle biology. Here, we define subcellular polarity and discuss evidence that supports a role for subcellular polarity in biology.
Effects of naloxegol on whole gut transit in opioid-naïve healthy subjects receiving codeine: A randomized, controlled trial.

Background Nausea, vomiting, and constipation (OIC) are common adverse effects of acute or chronic opioid use. Naloxegol (25 mg) is an approved peripherally active mu-opiate opioid receptor antagonist. Aim To compare the effects on pan-gut transit of treatment with codeine, naloxegol, or combination in healthy volunteers. Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center, parallel-group study in 72 healthy opioid-naive adults, randomized to: codeine (30 mg q.i.d.), naloxegol (25 mg daily), codeine and naloxegol, or matching placebo. During 3 days of treatment, we measured gastric emptying (GE) T1/2 , colonic filling at 6 hours (CF6), colonic geometric center at 24 and 48 hours, and ascending colon emptying (ACE) T1/2 . Key results Participants were 59.7% women, median BMI 25.0 kg/m2 , and median age 33.8 years. Codeine significantly retarded GE T1/2, CF6, overall colonic transit, and ACE T1/2 . There was significant difference (P = .026) in GE T1/2 between codeine (144.0 min [IQR 110.5-238.6]) and naloxegol (95.5 min [89.1-135.4]). There was a significant overall group difference in CF6 (P = .023), with significant difference (P = .019) between codeine (11.0% [0.0-45.0]) and naloxegol (51% [18.8-76.2]). However, no significant differences were found between codeine-treated participants concomitantly receiving placebo or naloxegol. Conclusions and inferences Short-term administration of naloxegol (25 mg) in healthy, opioid-naive volunteers does not reverse the retardation of gastric, small bowel, or colonic transit induced by acute administration of codeine. Further studies with naloxegol at higher dose are warranted to assess the ability to reverse the retardation of transit caused by acute administration of codeine in opioid-naive subjects.
A performance analysis of dispatch rules for semiconductor assembly & test operations

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to statistically compare six dispatch rules for semiconductor assembly & test operations with respect to two hierarchical objectives: minimise the weighted sum ...
Effects of high in-situ source/drain boron doping in p-FinFETs on physical and device performance characteristics

Abstract In this study, the effects of high in-situ boron (B) doping in embedded source/drain (S/D) silicon germanium (SiGe) stressor of p-channel Fin Field Effect Transistors (FinFETs) in a 14 nm technology node were investigated. The device results were correlated to physical characteristics of B doped S/D regions which were probed using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) and Low Energy Electron Induced X-ray Emission Spectroscopy (LEXES) on representative device structures. B doping was established to be around low-E20 atoms/cm3 range as measured by LEXES. Reduction in on-state resistance (RON) and an increase in drive current (ION) was observed with higher B doping in SiGe but physical constraints, especially B segregation offered manufacturable challenges. These observed results are expected to critically help in SiGe stressor based S/D junction optimization of advanced FinFET Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) devices.
Blocking IL-6 signaling deflates pulmonary arterial hypertension

IL-6 signaling contributes to the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension by orchestrating pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell expansion.
Fear of failure, fear of evaluation, perceived competence, and self-esteem in competitive-trait-anxious children

The competitive trait anxiety of 316 male youth soccer participants was assessed prior to the start of a season. Players' performance expectancies, anticipated affective reactions to success-failure, expectations of criticism for failure, performance- and evaluation-related worries, perceived competence, and self-esteem also were recorded. The responses of players in the upper (n = 79) and lower (n = 84) competitive trait-anxiety quartiles indicated that, as predicted, high-anxious players expected to play less well and experience greater shame, upset, and more frequent criticism from parents and coaches in the event of poor performance. Even when these expectancies were controlled, high-anxious players worried more frequently than low-anxious players about not playing well, losing, and being evaluated by parents, coaches, and teammates. No between-group differences existed in players' self-perceived athletic competence or in their ability as rated by coaches. Competitive trait anxiety was weakly related ...
A Grand Experiment: USDA Forest Service Experimental Forests and Ranges

The history of the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service’s network of experimental forests and ranges is traced starting in the late 1800s. This overview gives examples of forest research in the US predating establishment of the USDA Forest Service and features the leaders instrumental in subsequently planting the seeds for and nurturing experimental forests and ranges across the country in the twentieth century. Topics of research conducted at these locations reflect a variety of influences, such as controversy over livestock grazing in the West. This research has contributed extensively to greater understanding in areas from hydrology to forest products. It continues to inform and inspire the work of today’s scientists and land managers, who increasingly must take into account the disparate needs and wants of multiple stakeholders.
Population Clocks: Motor Timing with Neural Dynamics**Reprinted from Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Vol 14, Dean V. Buonomano, Rodrigo Laje, Population Clocks: motor timing with neural dynamics, pg 520–527, 2010, with permission from Elsevier.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on motor problems that explicitly require timing, as opposed to the production of any sequence of movements, such as touching different points on a computer screen. One area known to be important for motor coordination, the cerebellum, was one of the first structures hypothesized to contribute to timing and it has been proved that the cerebellum is critical to some forms of motor timing. Different neocortical areas have also been implicated in motor timing. Biologically plausible implementations of such spectral, or delay line, models have been proposed, including the time constants of neurotransmitter receptors, the time constant of slow membrane conductances, and the decay time of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. The cerebellar circuitry is unique for its absence of recurrent excitatory activity. Consequently, the cerebellum cannot sustain a self-maintaining and dynamic pattern of activity in the absence of an external input. Population clock models propose that motor timing arises from the time-varying activity of a population of neurons.
International Tax Reform Should Begin at Home: Replace the Corporate Income Tax with a Territorial Expenditure Tax

The present U.S. system of international taxation is riddled with problems because it does not satisfy critical principles of economics, justice, or common sense. It fails to accomplish the most important goals that an international system should achieve-that is, protecting the domestic tax base in a way that fosters domestic economic development and the creation of jobs. This paper explores alternatives to the present system to see if they do a better job. Some of the alternatives fail for the same reasons as the present system because they are predicated on the same outmoded theories. Some are clearly an improvement, but at the same time raise other significant issues. There is one system, however, that consistently overcomes these defects in a way that would promote domestic business activity and job growth. That system is a destination-based, territorial consumption tax for all corporations.
Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) Method for Monitoring Methotrexate in the Setting of Carboxypeptidase-G2 Therapy

Medications that have a narrow therapeutic window must be regularly monitored to assist in clinical dosing. Methotrexate (MTX) is one such chemotherapeutic agent that is closely monitored using various standard assays. Patients who have renal failure and who are treated using high-dose protocols are often given carboxypeptidase-G2 (CPDG(2)) as a chemoprotective agent. In this setting an inactive metabolite of MTX, 2, 4-diamino-N(10)-methylpteroic acid (DAMPA) is produced. DAMPA cross-reacts with MTX in most immunoassays, thus making them unsuitable for the monitoring of MTX in the setting of CPDG(2) therapy. We describe a rapid LC-MS-MS method that can be used to determine MTX levels in these cases.
Dynamic Reconfiguration and Fault Isolation for a Self-Healing Distribution System

This paper proposes a new mathematical model for network reconfiguration and fault isolation in a self-healing distribution network. The proposed model dynamically operates automatic switches in the distribution network. The model includes a new approach to ensure network radiality by combining spanning tree constraints with a virtual network framework. Multiple faults and their associated clearance and recovery are taken into account. The mathematical model is formulated as a mixed integer linear program (MILP) that can be efficiently solved using commercial solvers such as CPLEX. The model is tested on a modified IEEE 123-bus distribution system with automatic switches, distributed generators (DGs) and energy storage system (ESS).
Modular Universal Converter for MVDC Applications

This paper presents the design and build of a universal MVDC converter that can interface either LVAC or LVDC while providing bi-directional power flow and high-frequency isolation. The proposed universal MVDC converter module can serve as a building block for higher-voltage higher-power systems. The converter modules are based on the soft-switching solid-state transformer (S4T), realized using 3.3 kV SiC MOSFETs, and can provide integrated high-frequency isolation, low EMI through low dv/dt, and high efficiency over the full operating load range realized with soft-switching techniques. The topology, operating principle, control philosophy addressing challenges associated with modular converters including dynamic and steady-state voltage sharing between modules on the HV side, design and selection of components to realize a 50 kVA 5 kV DC to 600 V DC/480 V AC is presented. Simulation results verifying the operation of the MVDC converter are also presented.
Ensemble Classifier Based Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio Networks

Spectrum sensing is one of the most important and challenging tasks in cognitive radio. To develop methods of dynamic spectrum access, robust and efficient spectrum sensors are required. For most o...
Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of Acute and Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been linked to acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, current evidence has only been evaluated in a small number of studies with short follow-up periods. This study examined the association between PPI use and risk of incident AKI and CKD in a large population-based health maintenance organization (HMO) cohort. METHODS Patients aged 18 years or older, without evidence of preexisting renal disease, started on PPI therapy, and those continuously enrolled for at least 12 months between July 1993 and September 2008 were identified in an HMO database. Incidences of AKI and CKD were defined using documented International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes or a glomerular filtration rate less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 after initiation of PPI therapy. Patients with AKI were followed for up to 90 days (cohort 1), and patients with CKD required at least 1 year of follow-up (cohort 2). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for differences in demographics (excluding race), comorbidities, and medication use between groups. RESULTS In 93,335 patients in the AKI cohort, 16,593 of whom were exposed to PPIs, the incidence rate of AKI was higher in the PPI group than nonusers (36.4 vs 3.54 per 1000 person-years, p<0.0001, respectively). In adjusted models, PPI exposure was associated with an increased risk of AKI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.14-6.04, p<0.0001). In 84,600 patients in the CKD cohort, 14,514 of whom were exposed to PPIs, the incidence rate of CKD was higher in the PPI group than nonusers (34.3 vs 8.75 per 1000 person-years, p<0.0001, respectively). In adjusted models, PPIs were associated with a higher risk of CKD compared with controls (aOR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12-1.28, p<0.0001). Associations between PPI use and AKI and CKD persisted in propensity score-matched analyses. CONCLUSION The use of PPIs is associated with an increased risk of incident AKI and CKD. This relationship could have a considerable public health impact; therefore, health care provider education and deprescribing initiatives will be necessary to raise awareness and reduce health care burden.
Biomimetic foliage echo simulation

Many echolocating bat species are capable of navigating through highly cluttered environments, such as dense foliage—apparently without difficulty. Since interpreting foliage echoes must hence be key to the animals' navigation capabilities, simulating such echoes would be a major step towards understanding bat navigation. This is a difficult task, as vegetation echoes are highly complex and stochastic signals. Prior work on modeling foliage echoes frequently relied on physical approximations, since full physics models are computationally infeasible. For simulating the echo from a leaf, a round disk approximation has been used, since it’s echo has a known physical solution. These disks have been distributed according to the locations of leaves in a tree using a Lindenmayer System (L-System), thus creating a full tree echo model. Successful prior work in using a machine learning approach for echo based tree classification, shows that a data driven approach may also be useful in modeling echoes. Hence, future research will be using machine learning methods, such as auto-encoders and generative adversarial networks, to simulate the echoes of leaves and trees. The echo data to be fed into these methods will be of leaves recorded in an anechoic chamber using a biomimetic sonar head.Many echolocating bat species are capable of navigating through highly cluttered environments, such as dense foliage—apparently without difficulty. Since interpreting foliage echoes must hence be key to the animals' navigation capabilities, simulating such echoes would be a major step towards understanding bat navigation. This is a difficult task, as vegetation echoes are highly complex and stochastic signals. Prior work on modeling foliage echoes frequently relied on physical approximations, since full physics models are computationally infeasible. For simulating the echo from a leaf, a round disk approximation has been used, since it’s echo has a known physical solution. These disks have been distributed according to the locations of leaves in a tree using a Lindenmayer System (L-System), thus creating a full tree echo model. Successful prior work in using a machine learning approach for echo based tree classification, shows that a data driven approach may also be useful in modeling echoes. Hence, futur...
Realization of $r$ -Robust Formations in the Plane Using Control Barrier Functions

This letter presents control laws to drive groups of robots into formations with communication graphs that satisfy the r-robustness property, which allows for consensus in the presence of malicious robots. Using results in r-robustness and control barrier functions, the presented control laws ensure such formations in finite time, using a reference adjacency matrix or only a desired number of neighboring robots. The results are illustrated through simulations.
2D and Heterostructure Nanomaterial Based Strategies for Combating Drug-Resistant Bacteria

In the last three decades, there has been a huge increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, which is becoming a serious threat to public health. Since the discovery of new effective antibiotics has dramatically decreased in last ten years, there are huge initiatives to develop new antimicrobial approaches to fight drug-resistant bacterial infections. In the last decade, a new nanoparticle-based tool has emerged to combat deadly bacterial infections, which may overcome the barriers faced by antibiotic resistance. The current mini-review highlights recent reports on two-dimensional (2D) graphene oxide (GO), 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), 2D MXenes, and 2D heterostructure material-based approaches to tackle bacteria. Notably, we discuss the major design criteria which have been used to develop novel antimicrobial 2D and heterostructure materials to eliminate bacterial infections. Next, details on the various mechanisms underlying antibacterial activity for 2D and heterostructure materials such as physical/mechanical damage, lipid extraction, oxidative stress, and photothermal/photodynamic effects have been discussed. Finally, we highlight the promises, major challenges, and prospects of nanomaterial-based approaches to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
'I want a doctor who looks like me': The dilemma of race-based requests.

Patient experience has found its way to the top of the list of priorities for healthcare organizations, which are now obliged to gather and interpret patient feedback in a way that optimizes medical care. Requests for providers based on race and ethnicity create an uncomfortable, delicate situation
Digital Informed Consent in a Rural and Low-Income Population.

This cohort study examines a process of digitized informed consent for the enrollment of a rural population in research.
Simulating Surfzone Bubbles

Abstract : Our long term goal is to develop a tested model of optical properties in the surf zone and adjacent nearshore ocean, including the influence of suspended sediment, bubble population and surface foam, to assess how optical properties are related to short term events such as individual breaking wave crests, and to determine how wave-driven surf zone circulation influences spatial distribution of optical properties just offshore of breaking through seaward transport of fine sediment, small persistent bubbles and surface foam.
Correlation of serum levels of Vitamin D3 with serum parathormone in nursing mothers and infants 1-6 months' age from South Punjab, Pakistan.

Background and Objective: Parathormone (PTH) and serum Vitamin D3 (VD3) share a complex interplay where increased VD3 leads to a negative response on parathormone level. Our objective was to determine the correlation of parathormone (PTH) and Vitamin D3 (VD3) levels in nursing mothers and infants 1-6 months’ age from South Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis of previously conducted cross sectional study which was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Medicine, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, during August 2010 to June 2011. Study included 67 infants 1-6 months of age and 60 nursing mothers. A venous blood sample was drawn for estimation of VD3, calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, parathormone and albumin. Spearman correlation coefficient was calculated to determine the inverse correlation between PTH and VD3 levels. Results: Mean age (in days) of the infants was 83±53.7 days whereas maternal mean age was 25.53 ± 4.12 years. Median VD3 level in infants was 20.90 ng/ml (IQR – 49.5). Median serum PTH levels were 20.90 pg/ml (IQR – 26.17). Median VD3 level in nursing mothers was 21.0 ng/ml (IQR 7.2– 43.8). Median maternal serum PTH levels were 20.89 pg/ml (IQR 2.9 – 232.4). Substantial negative relation between VD3 and parathormone in infants and mothers was not evident (r = - 0.027, p-value 0.83) and (r = 0.156, p-value 0.23) respectively. A significant positive association between infant and maternal VD3 was observed (rs –0.55, p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study affirms that the customary negative correlation between VD3 and parathormone levels does not exist. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.5.2150 How to cite this:Mustafa G, Khalid M, Ahmed I, Talib MA. Correlation of serum levels of Vitamin D3 with serum parathormone in nursing mothers and infants 1-6 months’ age from South Punjab, Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(5):1015-1019. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.5.2150 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Admins, mods, and benevolent dictators for life: The implicit feudalism of online communities:

Online platforms train users to interact with each other through certain widespread interface designs. This article argues that an “implicit feudalism” informs the available options for community m...
Do Morning Butterfly Visitors Benefit a Night-Flowering Hawkmoth Pollinated Plant?

The white, tubular, fragrant flowers of Guettarda scabra (Rubiaceae), rough-leaved velvetseed, open in the evening and are visited by hawkmoths (Sphingidae). Flowers last for one day, and recent observations reveal that butterflies also visit these flowers. Hawkmoths hover over the flower and lower their proboscis into the corolla to collect the nectar. Butterflies land on the petals before inserting their proboscis and may transport pollen on their bodies as well as their mouthparts. We conducted an experiment to determine the importance of each of these guilds for pollination of G. scabra. We excluded day-time visitors from some inflorescences and night-time visitors from others on the same plants (with two controls: some open all the time and some bagged all the time). We maintained this regimen during the entire flowering period of the selected inflorescences over two months and compared fruit set among the treatments. The control-open inflorescences and the night-open inflorescences had substantially higher fruit set than day-open and control-bagged inflorescences. Mean fruit set of day-open plus night-open inflorescences approximated that of control-open inflorescences, and although the fruit set of day-open flowers was small, it differed from bagged controls. Fruit set in G. scabra is determined almost entirely by hawkmoths, but butterflies may be useful as secondary pollinators. As plants flower in months when afternoon and evening rains can extend into the night, morning pollinators may be important. This study provides additional evidence that diurnal pollinators can contribute to the reproduction of predominantly nocturnal pollinated plants.
IL-33/ST2 activation of IL-9-secreting T cells alters the balance of fatal immunity and tumor immunity (TRAN1P.926)

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the most potent curative therapy for cancers of the bone marrow; however, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) continues to be the major limitation to successful HCT, with mortality rates around 50%. Current strategies to suppress GVHD also compromise the beneficial graft-versus-tumor (GVT) activity. We have shown that elevated IL-33-sequestering soluble ST2 in the plasma is a risk factor for severe GVHD. In addition, the IL-9-secreting Th9 and Tc9 cell subsets have higher antitumor activity than Th1 and Tc1. We hypothesized that induction of the ST2/IL-33 pathway will both alleviate GVHD and increase GVT activity. Differentiation of Th9 with IL-33 increased expression of membrane ST2 (ST2L) and PU.1, a transcription factor that promotes IL-9 production. Adoptive transfer of IL-33-treated Th9 cells with bone marrow cells in HCT murine models showed less severe GVHD compared to Th9 without IL-33, or Th2 cells that are protective of GVHD. Polarization of total T cells with IL-33 to IL-9 secreting cells showed that IL-9 was also increased in Tc9 cells via Th9 help. Transcriptome analysis of IL-33-T9 cells showed increased expression of genes with anti-tumor activity. Higher GVT activity with IL-33-T9 cells was demonstrated in models of GFP+MLL-AF9 acute myeloid leukemia. Human IL-33-T9 cells also showed a strong anti-leukemia cytolytic activity. Thus, IL-33-T9 cells represent a promising curative cellular therapy following HCT.
The National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education: An Academic Society for the 21st Century

Thank you for joining us this year at the 2015 NAKHE Conference.1 Before we begin, I would like to thank the members of the NAKHE Board of Directors for their leadership throughout the past year. W...
The formation of fluorinated tetraphenylporphyrin nanoparticles via rapid expansion processes: RESS vs RESOLV.

Organic nanoparticles of a fluorinated tetraphenylporphyrin (TBTPP) were produced by rapid expansion of supercritical CO2 solutions into both air (RESS) and an aqueous receiving solution containing...
Deep submicron AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with ion implanted source/drain regions and non-alloyed ohmic contacts

Silicon ions were implanted to source-drain regions to achieve a non-alloyed ohmic contact resistance as low as 0.2 Ω · mm. Based on this technology, T-shaped deep submicron HEMTs were fabricated. An extrinsic fT of 92 GHz and an extrinsic fmax of 148 GHz have been measured in a passivated 0.15×150 µm device. Power measurements at 10 GHZ showed 70.7% power-added-efficiency and 4.1 W/mm power density at 20 V drain bias.
A note on "Prediction error identification methods for stationary stochastic processes"

111. CONCLUSION A method of adaptive control of a minimum-phase plant with reference to a stable model has been proposed which does not invoke the Kalman-Yacobovich lemma and thus needs much less information about the model than Monopoli's method [2]. No "augmented error" signal has to be generated and no derivatives of the model input are required regardless of the relative number of zeros in the transfer-functions of the plant and the model.
Does loss of bile acid homeostasis make mice melancholy

Bile is at the center of the traditional medicines of many cultures. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, each of the four macrocosmic elements that comprised the natural world, fire, earth, air, and water, had a specific microcosmic reflection in the four humors from which the body was constructed, yellow bile, black bile, blood, and phlegm. The view that imbalances in these components cause disease dominated Western medical thought for nearly 2000 years. Ayurvedic, or Indian traditional medicine is based on the similar belief that health is dependent on the balance of the three doshas, pitta (bile), kapha (wind), and vata (phlegm), each of which represents two of their five macrocosmic elements. Bile has a much more humble place in current medical thinking. It is generally thought of as a detergent needed for the absorption of lipids and fat-soluble nutrients, as well as a potentially harmful agent responsible for adverse effects in cholestasis and other pathologic situations. This simplistic view was challenged by the recent discovery by three independent groups (1–3) that a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, farnesoid X receptor (FXR), functions as a specific receptor for a wide variety of bile acids. Since other members of this family include the receptors for steroids and thyroid hormone, this observation suggested that bile acids should be thought of as hormones.
Direct Numerical Simulations of Planar and Cylindrical Density Currents

The collapse of a heavy fluid column in a lighter environment is studied by direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations using the Boussinesq approximation for small density difference. Such phenomenon occurs in many engineering and environmental problems resulting in a density current spreading over a no-slip boundary. In this work, density currents corresponding to two Grashof (Gr) numbers are investigated (10 5 and 1.5 × 10 6 ) for two very different geometrical configurations, namely, planar and cylindrical, with the goal of identifying differences and similarities in the flow structure and dynamics. The numerical model is capable of reproducing most of the two- and three-dimensional flow structures previously observed in the laboratory and in the field. Soon after the release of the heavier fluid into the quiescent environment, a density current forms exhibiting a well-defined head with a hanging nose followed by a shallower body and tail. In the case of large Gr, the flow evolves in a three-dimensional fashion featuring a pattern of lobes and clefts in the intruding front and substantial three-dimensionality in the trailing body. For the case of the lower Gr, the flow is completely two dimensional. The dynamics of the current is visualized and explained in terms of the mean flow for different phases of spreading. The initial phase, known as slumping phase, is characterized by a nearly constant spreading velocity and strong vortex shedding from the front of the current. Our numerical results show that this spreading velocity is influenced by Gr as well as the geometrical configuration. The slumping phase is followed by a decelerating phase in which the vortices move into the body of the current, pair stretch and decay as viscous effects become important. The simulated dynamics of the flow during this phase is in very good agreement with previously reported experiments.
The friendly barbarians: Professional norms and work routines of online journalists in the United States

As online publications increasingly serve as professional entry points into journalism, online journalists are being trained in a professional environment markedly different from traditional public...
Biodistribution study of 99m Tc labeled low density lipoprotein in B16 melanoma bearing mice. Visualization of a differential fixation in tumoral tissue

The research was focused upon the availability of lipoprotein labeled with 99mTc, tracer used in nuclear medicine, in order efficaciously to reach tumoral cells, in the present case the B16 melanoma in CD57 black female mice. In a biodistribution study, we used the parallel methods of scintigraphic images and tissue radioactivity counts of different organs.
Vegetation dynamics and seed banks of a monsoonal wetland overgrown with Paspalum distichum L. in northern India

Abstract Wetlands in the Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India, have been dominated by the grass Paspalum distichum L. since the removal of cattle and water buffalo from the park in the early 1980s. The mean water depth was lowest just before the onset of monsoon, highest immediately after it, and then declined slowly over the winter and spring. The mean cover of P. distichum was also lowest just prior to the onset of the monsoon (e.g. 19% in June 1984), increased after the monsoon (e.g. 35% in October 1985) and did not reach its maximum until late winter (e.g. 49% in March 1985). There was relatively little change in the species composition of the vegetation over an annual cycle. Because of the poor monsoon in 1986, water depths were much lower during the post-monsoonal period than normal. The cover of P. distichum was also reduced during this period and fell to only 2% by March 1987. The seed banks of areas dominated by Paspalum and four other emergent species contained a total of 55 species and between 1100 and 3100 seeds m−2. Seeds of P. distichum were found in all vegetation types. Paspalum-dominated areas grazed by geese had a seed bank that contained 44 species and a mean of about 1000 seeds m−2. Only goose droppings collected in November contained viable seeds, of which 90% were Paspalum seeds. Paspalum litter (6 cm or more) reduced recruitment from the seed bank by about 80% and the number of species recruited by about 50%. Only 12 species (total seedling density
A taxonomy for programming style

Programming style guidelines, style analyzers, and code formatters have been developed without a solid empirical or theoretical basis. In this paper we provide: (1) a justification for developing a programming style taxonomy, (2) an operational style taxonomy, (3) example applications of the taxonomy illustrating the diverse and sometimes contradictory nature of programming style guidelines, and (4) a discussion on how the taxonomy can be used to further teaching and research in programming style. The taxonomy provides a context for understanding and identifying specific style factors and empirical studies necessary to determine the effects of style on program comprehension. The results of this paper have a direct impact on programming instruction, programming standards, automated style analyzers, and code formatting tools like pretty-printers and syntax directed editors.
cAMP enhanced aggregation of cells from early chick embryos.

Abstract Whole chick embryos incubated for 24–36 hr were disaggregated with EDTA. The populations of single cells were incubated both in suspension and after being plated at various densities on agar blocks in a humid environment. In both cases aggregates formed. The aggregation was enhanced by cAMP and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX; a phosphodiesterase inhibitor). The density of aggregates which formed on the agar blocks decreased sharply at a critical cell density, suggesting that aggregation was mediated by a relayed signal. The critical density was decreased by IBMX and increased by phosphodiesterase (PDE), suggesting that aggregation was mediated by a cyclic nucleotide, most probably cAMP. Evidence was obtained for the presence of an extracellular PDE.