cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on the Nature of Germinal Centers

At the end of the first germinal center conference, several questions were placed squarely in focus. Four of these seemed particularly to demand an answer if, in our two-component concept of the lymphoid tissue, the germinal center was to continue to be considered an integral part of the thymus-independent lymphoid system — that system which, when fully differentiated, is responsible for immunoglobulin and antibody synthesis. The four questions we chose to consider are: (1) Do germinal centers represent simply inflammatory responses in the lymphoid tissue to antigen-antibody complex stimulation, as Turk [1] suggested? (2) Are the lymphoid follicles associated with the gut epithelium (e.g., Peyer’s patches and sacculus rotundus) simply the same as germinal centers elsewhere, or are they a distinguishable type of follicle deserving special consideration, as is the case with the follicles of the bursa of Fabricius? (3) Can the germinal centers, plasma cells, and capacity for immunoglobulin synthesis be eliminated in chickens by bursectomy without use of irradiation? In such experiments, can evidence be brought forward to link the germinal centers with production of one or more of the immunoglobulins? (4) Can more definitive extirpative studies of the Peyer’s patch type of lymphoid tissue be carried out to establish or reject the hypothesis that germinal centers and plasma cells of mammals, like germinal centers and plasma cells of chickens, are dependent upon a gut-epithelium-associated central lymphoid tissue?
The Ischemic and Postischemic Effect on the Activities of Cerebral Monoamine Oxidase, Cytochrome Oxidase and Acetylcholinesterase in Mongolian Gerbils

Cerebral ischemia modifies many metabolites and enzymatic systems in the brain. However, little correlation was found between the altered levels of cerebral metabolites and the changes of some enzymatic activities such as cyclic nucleotide-related enzymes and ATPase (22). These investigations suggested that the enzyme activities in the cellular membranes especially the bound ones were more susceptible than the others to ischemia and/or recirculation. A particular sensitivity of the membrane’s properties to the ischemic injury was also implied by the observed synaptosomal decreased uptake and increased release of norepinephrine. Moreover, ischemia was found to depress greatly the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase and the content of biogenic neurotransmitters in the brain. Thus, the depletion of cerebral monoamines occurring in ischemia was accountable by the decreased synthesis and the augmented release of the amines (5, 15–20, 26, 28, 29).
Insomnia: A Review of the Use of eszopiclone

The present paper presents a review of the literature examining the efficacy of eszopiclone for treating insomnia. The purpose of the paper was to evaluate both the statistical and clinical efficacy of eszopiclone for treating insomnia. Both subjective and objective assessments of insomnia were evaluated across various sleep variables. Additionally, the efficacy of eszopiclone for treating insomnia comorbid with other conditions (sleep disordered breathing, psychiatric diagnoses, peri/post-menopause, rheumatoid arthritis), transient insomnia, and across diverse samples (adults, older adults, and samples pooled by race) was reviewed. Finally, the impact of eszopiclone use on daytime functioning was examined.
ESTUARINE LARVAL RETENTION MECHANISMS ON TWO SCALES

Abstract Circulation processes can explain the observational evidence of estuarine larval retention, but knowledge of water motion is required on the small spatial and temporal scales appropriate to larval transport. Two cases are presented - the oyster Crassostrea uirginica and the blue crab Callinectes sapidus - in which the operative mechanism is recruitment or return rather than retention in the strict sense. In the case of the oyster, marked differences in spat settlement success between two adjacent tributaries in the lower Choptank River (Chesapeake Bay) are explained by subtle differences in the exchange mechanisms between the tributaries and the lower Choptank proper. In the case of the blue crab, the return of later stage larvae to Chesapeake Bay from the continental shelf can be provided by the northward flowing inner shelf band which is driven by the wind against the prevailing southward flow.
Lymphadenopathy in IgG4-Related Disease

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is a systemic entity characterized by multiorgan sclerosing inflammation that involves predominantly extranodal sites. Other features common in patients with IgG4-related disease include an increased number of IgG4-positive plasma cells, elevated serum levels of IgG4, and usually an excellent response to steroid therapy. The most common extranodal sites affected by IgG4-related disease are the pancreas (and manifesting primarily as sclerosing pancreatitis), hepatobiliary tract, salivary glands (Kuttner tumor), and lacrimal glands (Mikulicz disease), but any extranodal site can be affected.
Age-dependent cardiac function during experimental sepsis: effect of pharmacological activation of AMP-activated protein kinase by AICAR

Our data suggest that sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction manifests with age-dependent characteristics, which are associated with a distinct regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase-dependent meta...
Dynamic Multicast Session Provisioning in WDM Optical Networks with Sparse Splitting Capability

In this work, we study dynamic provisioning of multicast sessions in a wavelength-routed sparse splitting capable WDM network with an arbitrary mesh topology where the network consists of nodes with full, partial, or no wavelength conversion capabilities and a node can be a tap-and-continue (TaC) node or a splitting and delivery (SaD) node. The objectives are to minimize the network resources in terms of wavelength-links used by each session and to reduce the multicast session blocking probability. The problem is to route the multicast session from each source to the members of every multicast session, and to assign an appropriate wavelength to each link used by the session. We propose an efficient online algorithm for dynamic multicast session provisioning. To evaluate the proposed algorithm, we apply the integer linear programming (ILP) optimization tool on a per multicast session basis to solve off-line the optimal routing and wavelength assignment given a multicast session and the current network topology as well as its residual network resource information. We formulate the per session multicast routing and wavelength assignment problem as an ILP. With this ILP formulation, the multicast session blocking probability or success probability can then be estimated based on solving a series of ILPs off-line. We have evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed online algorithm via simulation in terms of session blocking probability and network resources used by a session. Simulation results indicate that our proposed computationally efficient online algorithm performs well even when a fraction of the nodes are SaD nodes.
Computer-assisted instruction for nuclear criticality safety

The task of keeping fissile material handlers current in their criticality safety certification, while necessary and important, can be extremely time consuming for the individuals involved and disruptive to the affected processes. At the Los Alamos Plutonium Facility, this problem has been partially solved by implementing a computer-assisted (CAI) recertification program. A brief description of the system, advantages and disadvantages of the system over the past safety meeting methods, changes in the system since its beginning, and plans for future improvements are presented in the paper.
Micro-scale Analysis of Compositional and Mechanical Properties of Dentin Using Homotopic Measurements

High resolution techniques are being increasingly applied to image or measure biomaterial properties. Data interpretations from these measurements have to be performed carefully to extract meaningful information. Two aspects become significant when such techniques are used in a complementary manner. Firstly, the measurements have to be performed using a homotopic methodology such that property correlations or ‘data fusion’ considers the same material volume. Secondly, appropriate mathematical models must be applied to interpret the data in terms of material properties since the high resolution technique seldom measure the properties directly. In this paper, we have described the application of scanning acoustic and scanning electron microscopy to measure the mechanical and the compositional properties of primary tooth dentin using a homotopic methodology. We have then utilized a homogenization technique in order to understand the variation in the measured elastic moduli.
Purified CD34+ Lin- Thy+ stem cells do not contain clonal myeloma cells.

High-dose therapy with autologous marrow or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) rescue has been extensively applied in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) patients during the past 10 years resulting in improved event-free and overall survival when compared with standard chemotherapy. However, relapses are common and cure is unlikely in the majority of patients. Because both bone marrow and PBSCs are contaminated with myeloma cells it is conceivable that relapse after autotransplantation originates at least in part from autografted tumor cells. In this study, mobilized PBSCs were examined for the presence of myeloma cells based on immunophenotyping and sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques. In addition, CD34+ Lin- Thy+ stem cells were purified from mobilized PBSC harvests of 10 MM patients by sequentially using counterflow elutriation centrifugation, treatment with phenylalanine methylester, and flow sorting, using 5-parameter gating (propidium iodide, forward scatter, side scatter, CD34+ v Lin- and CD34+ v Thy+). Virtually all mobilized unsorted PBSC preparations contained myeloma cells in sufficient quantities (range, 10%) potentially causing a disease relapse. Stem cell purification led to an overall enrichment by about 50-fold in all 10 patients; approximately 90% of the final cell population expressed CD34+ Lin- Thy+ with no evidence of myeloma cell contamination based on flow cytometric analysis of CD38bright cells (< 0.1%). Quantitative PCR amplification of patient-specific complementarity determining region III (CDRIII) DNA sequences showed depletion of clonal B cells by 2.7 to 7.3 logs, with the highest log reduction noted in the samples initially containing the most tumor cells. Our results show that purification of CD34+ Lin- Thy+ cells depletes myeloma cells to undetectable levels from up to 10% present in unsorted PBSCs, thus offering a tool to investigate whether MM relapse after autotransplantation can be reduced markedly.
Reaction pathways in the oxidation and pesting of molybdenum disilicide MoSi2 studied with scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy

Abstract The oxidation and pesting of Molybdenum Disilicide is a critical limiter in its technical use. The materials disintegration during the pesting reaction in cracks and at grain boundaries prevents direct observation of the process. A model system consisting of silicide crystallites on a Si(001) surface was developed to study the progression of the oxidation reaction in-situ with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy. Deposition and annealing of Mo thin films is used to synthesize crystallites in a size range between 10 and 100 nm, and atomic resolution is achieved on several facets. The MoSi2 is oxidized in the temperature range 400–800°C bracketing the pesting regime and beyond, combined with molecular oxygen exposure from 2 to 100 Langmuir. The oxidation process can be subdivided in three distinct regimes defined by their respective oxidation conditions: regime 1 (incubation) where only subtle changes in the electronic structure of the crystallites occurs, to regime 2 with a rapid increase in the crystallite density due to the volume gain of the pesting reaction transforming silicide to oxide, and regime 3 where a silica layer starts to form. The incubation time is attributed to oxygen dissolution and/or formation of a ternary Mo-Si-O phase, which is followed by the release of MoOx molecules. The diffusion of MoOx triggers secondary nucleation events, and contributes to the accelerated oxidation of the surface. Increasing the surface temperature > 650°C promotes desorption and sublimation over diffusion and supports silica formation. This study unraveled the intermediate reaction steps of silicide oxidation, and specifically underscores the critical role of reactant diffusion in the rapid progression of the pesting reaction.
Single-Molecule FRET Detection of Early-Stage Conformations in α-Synuclein Aggregation.

Misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein are linked to many neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Despite intense research efforts, detailed structural characterization of early conformational transitions that initiate and drive α-synuclein aggregation remains elusive often due to the low sensitivity and ensemble averaging of commonly used techniques. Single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) provides unique advantages in detecting minor conformations that initiate protein pathologic aggregation. In this chapter, we describe an smFRET-based method for characterizing early conformational conversions that are responsible for α-synuclein self-assembly and aggregation.
Quantified Effects of Particle Refractive Index Assumptions on Laser Diffraction Analyses of Selected Soils

The use of laser diffraction (LD) to conduct soil mechanical analysis is rapidly growing across a variety of disciplines. Almost always these techniques require a particle refractive index (RI) assumption. Here, for the first time, we quantify the effects of this assumption across the entire fine earth fraction (FEF) in soils with diverse pedogenic, textural, and mineralogical properties. While most discussions of RI emphasize clay-sized particle sensitivity, we demonstrate that the effects of particle RI assumption are often bimodal across the FEF, with pronounced modes in the 0.5- to 1.5- and 100- to 600-μm diameter regions. The uncertainty derived from particle RI assumptions averages 5.7 ± 2.9 (mean ± 95% CI), 1.9 ± 1.6, and 4.0 ± 1.6% (v/v) for estimates of clay, silt, and sand concentration respectively, and 14.5 ± 6.3, 0.20 ± 0.04, and 0.10 ± 0.05 µm for estimates of the mean diameter of all soil particles, clay-sized particles, and sand-sized particles respectively across our samples. We expose a close relationship between particle RI assumption derived error and the textural properties of samples (i.e., coarse vs. fine-textured), and utilize this relationship to provide first-order constraints that quantitatively inform forthcoming LD analyses of soils about the effects of particle RI assumptions. Generally, uncertainty derived from particle RI assumption is similar in magnitude to that of a full process replicate and is minute compared to inter-soil variability. We suggest that quantitative inquiries evaluating particle RI assumptions across the entire FEF, and in edaphically diverse samples, are too rare. Such work fundamentally informs broader discussions of methodological standardization of LD mechanical analyses.
Horner Syndrome from a Pediatric Otolaryngology Perspective.

Introduction:Horner syndrome is described as the clinical triad of miosis, ptosis, and anhidrosis. In pediatric patients the condition may be congenital or acquired from neoplastic, infectious or t...
P190-B RhoGAP Is Critical for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Niche Regulation

Abstract 221 Hematopoiesis is regulated by components of the stromal microenvironment, so-called niche. Although the concept of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSC/P) niche is well known, its molecular regulation remains ill-defined. Here, we provide evidence that p190-B GTPase Activating Protein (p190-B), a negative regulator of Rho activity, is a regulator of mesenchymal/stromal cell functions necessary for normal hematopoiesis during fetal development. Mice lacking p190-B die before birth. At day 14.5 post coitum, p190-B−/− embryos are paler than WT embryos with a 40% lower hematocrit. Cellularity and numbers of burst forming-unit (BFU) erythroid (E), colony forming-unit (CFU)-granulo-monocytic and CFU-erythroid per p190-B−/− fetal livers (FL) were 50% lower than WT. In addition, the frequency of LongTerm-HSC (LinnegScaposKitposCD150posCD48neg), ShortTerm-HSC (LSK-CD150posCD48pos), and progenitors (LK) appeared significantly reduced in the bone marrow of e17.5/18 embryos. These data suggest a defect in fetal hematopoiesis. However, p190-B−/− FL cells were able to fully reconstitute hematopoiesis of adult irradiated recipients (Xu, Blood 2009). Mice reconstituted with p190-B−/− FL cells exhibited bone marrow content, white blood count, red blood count and hematocrit similar to those reconstituted with WT cells. Furthermore, hematopoietic recovery of p190-B−/− reconstituted animals following 5-Fluorouracil or phenylhydrazine-induced stress was comparable to that of WT. Therefore, FL HSC/P retain hematopoietic potential, which suggests a non-cell autonomous defect in p190-B−/− embryos. In the present study, we examined in more detail this possibility. The numbers of CFU-fibroblast (CFU-F) were 2-fold lower in p190-B−/− FL compared to WT FL. We next examined the hematopoietic supportive capacity of p190-B−/− FL microenvironment using stromal cell cultures derived from e14.5 FL. No noticeable differences were observed during the establishment of the stromal cell cultures. p190-B−/− stromal cells exhibited a spindle-like shape and expressed CD90, CD44 and Sca-1 but not CD45, CD31 or CD11b similarly to WT stromal cells. Cobblestone Area Forming Cell assays (CAFC) was performed in co-culture between various number of WT BM cells and p190-B−/− and WT stromal cells. We examined 5 independent stromal cell cultures from both genotypes. Frequency of CAFC was 75% lower on p190-B−/− stroma than WT stroma at both 1 week (1 in 5 × 10 3 versus 1 in 21 × 10 3, n = 5 p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Learning Scheduling Policies for Multi-Robot Coordination With Graph Attention Networks

Increasing interest in integrating advanced robotics within manufacturing has spurred a renewed concentration in developing real-time scheduling solutions to coordinate human-robot collaboration in this environment. Traditionally, the problem of scheduling agents to complete tasks with temporal and spatial constraints has been approached either with exact algorithms, which are computationally intractable for large-scale, dynamic coordination, or approximate methods that require domain experts to craft heuristics for each application. We seek to overcome the limitations of these conventional methods by developing a novel graph attention network-based scheduler to automatically learn features of scheduling problems towards generating high-quality solutions. To learn effective policies for combinatorial optimization problems, we combine imitation learning, which makes use of expert demonstration on small problems, with graph neural networks, in a non-parametric framework, to allow for fast, near-optimal scheduling of robot teams with various sizes, while generalizing to large, unseen problems. Experimental results showed that our network-based policy was able to find high-quality solutions for ~90% of the testing problems involving scheduling 2-5 robots and up to 100 tasks, which significantly outperforms prior state-of-the-art, approximate methods. Those results were achieved with affordable computation cost and up to 100× less computation time compared to exact solvers.
The safety of bovine tissue arterial repair in removal of infected prosthetic hemodialysis grafts.

Background:More than 400,000 Americans require dialysis, and many receive it via a prosthetic arteriovenous graft. Infection of these grafts is rare, but associated with significant morbidity and m...
Fetal Lung Echo Texture in Pregnancies at Risk for Pulmonary Hypoplasia

Pulmonary hypoplasia is associated with severe respiratory distress immediately after birth and frequently leads to neonatal death. In this study, we compared the fetal lung echo texture in pregnancies at high and low risk for pulmonary hypoplasia. Ultrasonic tissue heterogeneity was determined by a dynamic range calculation. This quantification uses a dithering technique based on the Floyd-Steinberg algorithm, in which the pixels are transformed into a binary map. Pregnancies at high risk for pulmonary hypoplasia showed decreased fetal lung heterogeneity on ultrasound imaging. This image-processing technique may allow improved risk stratification, patient counseling, and treatment approaches for pulmonary hypoplasia.
Evolutionary outcomes of plasmid-CRISPR conflicts in an opportunistic pathogen

The persistence of antibiotic resistance plasmids in pathogens is a global health concern. Plasmid persistence results from host-plasmid co-evolution that enhances plasmid stability, where the role of CRISPR-Cas is not well understood. Enterococcus faecalis is an opportunistic pathogen that disseminates antibiotic resistance via conjugative plasmids. Some E. faecalis possess CRISPR-Cas that limit acquisition of resistance plasmids; however, transconjugants arise despite CRISPR-Cas activity. We utilized in vitro evolution to investigate how the conflict between CRISPR-Cas and plasmid targets is resolved. We observed a cost to maintain both the plasmid and functional CRISPR-Cas. Under antibiotic selection, heterogeneous populations with compromised CRISPR-Cas emerged, which benefited acquisition of other plasmids. Using targeted sequencing, we demonstrate RecA-independent allelic heterogeneity provides an evolutionary basis for the emergence of compromised CRISPR-Cas. Overall, antibiotic selection for plasmids targeted by CRISPR-Cas results in host mutations that stabilize plasmid maintenance and reduce the barrier to future horizontal gene transfer events.
Deucetopia? Mapping spatio-temporalities in HBO’s The Deuce

Set during the burgeoning of theatrically exhibited hardcore pornography and the concomitant transformations of sex work in New York’s Times Square, HBO series The Deuce presents a fictionalized ac...
Pegfilgrastim-induced leukocytosis and hyperleukocytosis

Objective: To report a case of leukocytosis (LCT) and hyperleukocytosis (HLCT) episodes post Pegfilgrastim (Neulasta) administration. Case Summary: A 74-year-old female presented with several episodes of LCT and HLCT following administration of Pegfilgrastim while undergoing adjunct dose dependent chemotherapy for adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder. The patient had completed cycle 6, day 8 of chemotherapy and subsequently received Neulasta 48 hours later. Two days later, she presented to the ER with white blood cell (WBC) count of 110K. Prior to Neulasta administration, her WBC counts were within normal range and after each episode of leukocytosis, the patient’s WBC count trended downward. Upon consultation, hematology considered Pegfilgrastim as a likely cause for this patient’s WBC cycling and HLCT. Discussion: Pegfilgrastim-induced HLCT occurs in less than 1% of patient cases. Dose-dependent chemotherapy combined with Pegfilgrastim treatment is an optimal treatment option to reduce the length of chemotherapy schedules and risk of febrile neutropenia. Following the dosing of Pegfilgrastim, the drug clearance is mediated by neutrophil receptors which results in a reduction of ANC values. Conclusions: Further studies are needed to determine the optimum timing and dosage of Pegfilgrastim to offer maximum myeloprotective benefit while also minimizing the risks of adverse events such as leukocytosis and hyperleukocytosis experienced by our patient.
أثر وضوح رؤية المؤسسة التعليمية لدي العاملين بالمستويات الوظيفية الدنيا علي کل من : جودة أدائهم وروحهم المعنوية والتزامهم المستمر وانعکاس ذلک علي الکفاءة و الفعالية المؤسسية

تهدف الدراسة الحالية الي البحث في مدي وجود علاقة بين وضوح الرؤية "Clarity of Vision" لدي شاغلي المستويات الوظيفية الدنيا وکل من جودة أدائهم للعمل "Quality of job performance" ، وروحهم المعنوية ""Morale ، والتزامهم المستمر "Continuance Commitment" ، ومن ثم أثر ذلک علي کفاءة وفعالية المؤسسة التعليمية ککل Organizational Efficiency and Effectiveness ، أو بمعني اخر : هل تؤثر رؤية المؤسسة التعليمية حينما يتم الاهتمام بتوصيلها وتوضيحها للعاملين بالمستويات الوظيفية الدنيا من الاکاديميين والاداريين بل بغرسها واقناعهم بها علي جودة أدائهم وعلي روحهم المعنوية والتزامهم المستمر بالعمل ؟ وهل يؤثر ذلک بالتبعية علي کفاءة وفعالية المؤسسة التعليمية ککل ؟ وقد قام الباحث بتطبيق دراسته علي عينة مکونة من 80 مفردة من شاغلي المستويات الإدارية الدنيا سواء من الاکاديميين ( من مساعدي أعضاء هيئة التدريس ) او الاداريين (من موظفي ادارة القبول والتسجيل وادارة التوجيه والارشاد الاکاديمي وادارة التدريب وادارة التسويق) بأربعة کليات من الکليات الکندية الدولية CIC ( عدد 2 کلية ادارة الاعمال وعدد 2 کلية هندسة بالتجمع الخامس والشيخ زايد) . وقد جاءت نتائج البحث لتؤکد علي الاثر الايجابي لوصول ووضوح رؤية المؤسسة التعليمية الي المستويات الادارية الدنيا علي جودة أدائهم وعلي روحهم المعنوية وعلي التزامهم المستمر ، وانعکاس ذلک ايجابيا ايضا علي کفاءة المؤسسة التعليمية ببعديها : "مدي الاستخدام الامثل للموارد" و " سلامة النظم والعمليات الداخلية" ، وکذلک علي فعالية المؤسسة التعليمية ببعديها : "تحقيق الاهداف العامة للمؤسسة" و "تحقيق تطلعات اصحاب المصلحة"، اي انه کلما کان العاملون بالمستويات الادارية الدنيا سواء من الاکاديميين او الاداريين علي دراية ووعي واقتناع برؤية المؤسسة التي يعملون بها، کلما أدي ذلک الي تحسن ملحوظ في جودة ادائهم للدور المنوط بهم ، وکلما ادي ايضا الي ارتفاع في روحهم المعنوية ، وکلما ادي کذلک الي زيادة ملحوظة في التزامهم المستمر بالعمل ، وانه کلما تحسنت جودة الاداء لشاغلي تلک المستويات - خاصة ممن لهم تواصل واحتکاک مباشر مع الطلاب - وارتفعت روحهم المعنوية وازداد التزامهم المستمر بالعمل کلما ادي ذلک الي تحسن ملحوظ في تحقيق المؤسسة لاهدافها وزيادة کفاءتها وفعاليتها ، وعلي العکس من ذلک کلما تم اهمال توصيل وتوضيح رؤية المؤسسة التعليمية للعاملين بالمستويات الدنيا من الاکاديميين والاداريين کلما تدنت جودة ادائهم لاعمالهم ، وانخفضت روحهم المعنوية ، وقل التزامهم المستمر بالعمل ، ومثلوا عقبة في طريق تحقيق المؤسسة التعليمية لاهدافها وتسببوا في تدني کفاءتها وفعاليتها . وبناء عليه کانت التوصية باهتمام الادارة العليا للمؤسسات التعليمية بتوصيل وتوضيح رؤيتها الي شاغلي المستويات الدنيا من الاکاديميين والاداريين ومتابعة وقياس ذلک باستمرار ، لما لذلک من اثر ملحوظ علي تحسين جودة ادائهم وارتفاع روحهم المعنوية وزيادة التزامهم المستمر بالعمل، مما سيکون له بالغ الاثر علي کفاءة وفعالية تلک المؤسسات .
CMOS sensors for X-ray detection

Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) sensors may offer improved performance compared to the charge-coupled devices common in X-ray satellites. We demonstrate x-ray detection in the soft x-ray band (250 to 1700 eV) by a commercially available back-illuminated CMOS sensor using the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. While operating the device at room temperature, we measure energy resolutions (FWHM) of 48 eV at 250 eV and of 83 eV at 1700 eV, which are comparable to the performance of the CCD on Chandra and Suzaku.
The Early Impacts of COVID-19 on Food Security and Livelihood in Vietnam

In April 2020, Vietnam initiated a country-wide lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19. This secondary data analysis evaluates whether NGO-supported households (n=3,431) reporting to be severely impacted by the lockdowns differ from those reporting a lesser impact, regarding food availability within households and at markets and affordability. 19.2% of respondents indicated that the pandemic had severely impacted their livelihoods. In the severely impacted group, there was a higher percentage of urban residents (25.3% vs. 8.6%; p < 0.001), households reporting decreased income (85.4% vs. 39.9%), and females (56.4% vs. 45.6%; p < 0.001) than in the less impacted group. Both groups reported similar availabilities of staple food groups at the household-level, but the availability of green vegetables was lower in the severely affected group (Adjusted OR [aOR] = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.38, 1.00) than in the less affected group. However, local market availability of hygiene items (aOR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.39) and essential medicines (aOR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.50) were higher for the more impacted group relative to the less impacted group. While the self-reported livelihood impact of COVID-19 was associated with a loss of income, the association of indicators of food availability within households and at markets, and essential item affordability, did not frequently differ. Self-determination of a severe economic impact may represent a relative change in the household’s socioeconomic status from before the pandemic.
Antidysthymic Drugs (Antidepressants and Antimanics)

This chapter will summarize primarily the use of antidepressants and lithium in children and adolescents. Other antimanic drugs such as carbamazepine, valproate, and clonazepam, which are all used as antiepileptics (anticonvulsants), are also discussed but further details on these drugs will be found in Chapter 12. Here, much of the discussion on the use of antidepressants will focus on their use in mood disorders (for which they were originally introduced) and on extensions of their use to anxiety disorders, attention-deficit disorders, and enuresis.1-7
Effect of movement velocity on the median frequency of the electromyographic activity of the quadriceps and hamstrings during isokinetic testing

The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to examine the median frequency of the electromyographic activity (mfEMG) of the quadriceps and hamstrings during isokinetic movements at 60, 180 and 300° . s -1 and 2) to examine the changes in the mfEMG with fatigue at 300° . s -1 . Fourteen female athletes had their dominant limb tested on a Cybex II+ isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex, Ronkonkoma, NY). The mfEMG of the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups was determined by placing bipolar surface electrodes on the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, and medial hamstrings. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated no effect of movement velocity on the mfEMG of the quadriceps. Significant differences were noted however in the mfEMG of the hamstrings with the higher movement velocities effecting significant upward shifts in the mfEMG. Significant differences were also noted in the mfEMG of both the quadriceps and the hamstrings within the 300° . s -1 trials with the mfEMG shifting downward as the muscles fatigued. These results suggest that there is a difference in motor recruitment strategies for the hamstrings between low, moderate and high speed isokinetic activity and for the quadriceps and the hamstrings during high velocity movement.
Changes of membrane proteins and their relation to deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis and cell division of Escherichia coli.

Abstract Escherichia coli K-12 were treated in five ways to alter DNA synthesis, cell division, or both. Their membranes were then examined for changes. The bacteria were grown in the presence of radioactive l-arginine to label the membranes. 14C-Arginine was used for the experimental culture and 3H-arginine for the control, or vice versa. The cells were mixed, and their membranes were isolated and run on acrylamide gels in 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate to obtain a spectrum of proteins. Gel fractions were counted for both labels in order to find differences caused by the experimental treatment. Two principal changes were found in the membranes. At a position Y, corresponding to molecular weight 34,000, less protein appeared whenever DNA synthesis was inhibited. At a position X, molecular weight 39,000, extra protein appeared whenever bacterial division was inhibited. Rates of changes of Y and X were examined during thymidine deprivation to stop DNA synthesis, and after restoration of thymidine. Whereas DNA synthesis was rapidly affected, the changes of Y were gradual, suggesting that Y is not responsible for the synthesis of DNA; rather, its slowed rate of formation might be a consequence of arrested DNA synthesis. Changes of X were more immediate, and could possibly be responsible for altered cell division which is only affected after a lag. No significant changes in synthesis of X and Y were noted between cells near the beginning and end of the division cycle, suggesting that these proteins are normally made continuously or are not produced under normal conditions. Pulse chase experiments indicated that X and Y do not have a precursor-product relation. This is also suggested by the kinetic studies. Temperature-sensitive changes of membrane proteins in a previously described temperature-sensitive DNA synthesis mutant were further examined. The mutation appears to influence the formation of Y indirectly by stopping DNA synthesis. But production of X in the absence of DNA synthesis was much less in the mutant than in the wild type, which is compatible with ability of the mutant to divide even in the absence of DNA synthesis.
Floral scent production in Clarkia (Onagraceae). I: Localization and developmental modulation of monoterpene emission and linalool synthase activity

The flowers of many plants emit volatile compounds as a means of attracting pollinators. We have previously shown that the strong, sweet fragrance of Clarkia breweri (Onagraceae), an annual plant native to California, consists of approximately 8 to 12 volatile compounds[mdash]three monoterpenes and nine benzoate derivatives (R.A. Raguso and E. Pichersky [1994] Plant Syst Evol [in press]). Here we report that the monoterpene alcohol linalool is synthesized and emitted mostly by petals but to a lesser extent also by the pistil and stamens. Two linalool oxides are produced and emitted almost exclusively by the pistil. These three monoterpenes are first discernible in mature unopened buds, and their tissue levels are highest during the first 2 to 3 d after anthesis. Levels of emission by the different floral parts throughout the life span of the flower were correlated with levels of these monoterpenes in the respective tissues, suggesting that these monoterpenes are emitted soon after their synthesis. Activity of linalool synthase, an enzyme that converts the ubiquitous C10 isoprenoid intermediate geranyl pyrophosphate to linalool, was highest in petals, the organ that emits most of the linalool. However, linalool synthase activity on a fresh weight basis was highest in stigma and style (i.e. the pistil). Most of the linalool produced in the pistil is apparently converted into linalool oxides. Lower levels (0.1%) of monoterpene emission and linalool synthase activity are found in the stigma of Clarkia concinna, a nonscented relative of C. breweri, suggesting that monoterpenes may have other functions in the flower in addition to attracting pollinators.
The Magnesium Industry in Transition

Dow Chemical dominated the magnesium industry for decades but ultimately exited in 1998. This article considers the evolution of the industry and Dow's decision to divest.
Block-wise constrained sparse graph for face image representation

Subspace segmentation is one of the hottest issues in computer vision and machine learning fields. Generally, data (e.g. face images) are lying in a union of multiple linear subspaces, therefore, it is the key to find a block diagonal affinity matrix, which would result in segmenting data into different clusters correctly. Recently, graph construction based segmentation methods attract lots of attention. Following this line, we propose a novel approach to construct a Sparse Graph with Block-wise constraint for face representation, named SGB. Inspired by the recent study of least square regression coefficients, SGB firstly generates a compact block-diagonal coefficient matrix. Meanwhile, graph regularizer brings in a sparse graph, which focuses on the local structure and benefits multiple subspaces segmentation. By introducing different graph regularizers, our graph would be more balanced with b-matching constraint for balanced data. By using k-nearest neighbor regularizer, more manifold information can be preserved for unbalanced data. To solve our model, we come up with a joint optimization strategy to learn block-wise and sparse graph simultaneously. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, we consider two application scenarios, i.e., face clustering and kinship verification. Extensive results on Extended YaleB, ORL and kinship dataset Family101 demonstrate that our graph consistently outperforms several state-of-the-art graphs. Particularly, our method raises the performance bar by around 14% in kinship verification application.
Infrared study of adsorption in situ at the liquid-solid interface

Abstract Infrared spectra were recorded in situ as long-chain fatty acids adsorbed onto oxides from CCl 4 solution. Only physical adsorption occurred on silica, stearic acid adsorbing predominantly as monomers at low concentration. Adsorbed stearic acid acid dimers were also formed at higher concentration. The predominant reaction of stearic acid with alumina was the formation of a layer of stearate and adsorbed water. The arrangement of stearate chains in the surface layer was irregular. Adsorbed stearic acid dimers were observed at high coverage. The main reaction of magnesia with decanoic acid solution was the formation of a surface decanoate layer with the production of perturbed hydroxyl groups. The packing of the hydrocarbon chains in the decanoate layer was fairly regular. Adsorbed decanoic acid dimers occurred at higher coverages, the dimers being arranged much like those in solid decanoic acid. There were probably two adsorbed dimer species. In contrast, when decanoic acid was adsorbed on magnesia through the gas phase, the decanoate layer was less well oriented, and the adsorbed dimers had no regular orientation but were deposited randomly over the surface.
Cardiovascular Mortality in Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Treated With Continuous Positive Airway Pressure or Oral Appliance: An Observational Study

Background and objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term cardiovascular mortality in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) treated with either continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or mandibular advancing device (MAD). Methods A non-concurrent cohort study of 570 subjects with severe OSA (apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) ≥ 30/h) and a control group of 269 subjects (AHI < 5/h) were followed up for a median of 79 months (interquartile range 76–88 months). All patients received CPAP initially. MAD was offered for those who were non-adherent to CPAP. The endpoint was cardiovascular death. Results Two hundred and eight control subjects, 177 patients treated with CPAP, 72 with MAD and 212 who declined treatment were analysed. Forty-two patients had a fatal cardiovascular event during the course of the study. The non-apnoeic group had the lowest cardiovascular death rate (0.28 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08–0.71)) followed by the CPAP-treated (0.56 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 0.20–1.23)) and the MAD-treated OSA group (0.61 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 0.13–1.78)), with the highest cardiovascular mortality rate observed in the untreated OSA group (2.1 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 1.37–2.92)). Although residual AHI for MAD-treated patients was significantly higher than CPAP-treated patients (16.3 ± 5.1/h vs. 4.5 ± 2.3/h; P < 0.001), there was no difference in cardiovascular death rate between the two groups (hazard ratio 1.08 (95% CI: 0.55–1.74); P = 0.71). Conclusions Both CPAP and MAD may be equally effective therapy in reducing the risk of fatal cardiovascular events in patients with severe OSA.
Upregulation of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20 in adult epidermal keratinocytes in direct current electric fields

Electric fields (EFs) of around 100 mV/mm are present in normal healing wounds and induce the directional migration of epithelial cells. Reepithelialization during wound healing thus may be controlled in part by this electrical signal. In this study, the early transcriptional response of human epidermal keratinocytes to EFs is examined using microarrays. Increased expression of various chemokines, interleukins, and other inflammatory response genes indicates that EFs stimulate keratinocyte activation and immune stimulatory activity. Gene expression activity further suggests that interleukin 1 is either released or activated in EFs. Expression of the chemokine CCL20 steadily increases at 100 mV/mm over time until around 8 h after exposure. This chemokine is also expressed at field strengths of 300 mV/mm—above the level of endogenous wound fields. The early effects of EFs on epithelial gene expression activity identified in these studies suggest the importance of naturally occurring EFs both in repair mechanisms and for the possibility of controlling these responses therapeutically.
The nature and role of 8-deltacyclyl and 7-isodeltacyclyl cations in solvolytic reactions of parent brosylates.

Solvolysis of exo-8-deltacyclyl brosylate proceeds directly through a C2 delocalized cation to exo-8-deltacyclyl acetate. The solvolysis of the endo epimer presents a more complex picture, reacting via a classical deltacyclyl cation, the nonclassical C2 delocalized cation, and the isodeltacyclyl cation. The solvolysis of exo-7-isodeltacyclyl brosylate generates the 7-isodeltacyclyl ion and subsequently the C2 delocalized deltacyclyl cation forming 8-deltacyclyl acetate and exo-7-isodeltacyclyl acetate. The cationic intermediates in these three related reaction manifolds are characterized using density functional methods at the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) and BPW91/6-311+G(3df, 2p)//BPW91/6-31G(d) levels.
Interactions between stimulants: Effects on DRL performance and lethality in rats

Abstract The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 drastically reduced the supply of amphetamines available to the public. It also inadvertently prompted the emergence of a new drug industry, namely the marketing of caffeine/phenylethylamine combinations packaged to look like many of the previously available amphetamine preparations. The findings of one recent experimental study corroborate anecdotal evidence that the interoceptive “high” produced by these look-alike stimulants mimics that produced by amphetamine. The present study was designed to further characterize the behavioral effects of caffeine/phenylethylamine combinations. The present findings suggest that adding ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine to caffeine markedly enhances the disruption of DRL performance, as well as the lethality of the drug. In addition, different patterns of interactions were obtained between amphetamine and caffeine versus the caffeine/ephedrine/phenylpropanolamine combination.
Magnetic and quadrupole moments of the W boson

The validity of the external-field treatment for the electromagnetic scattering of a W boson in the Weinberg model is examined, and calculation of the magnetic and quadrupole moments of the W boson is carried out in the renormalizable gauge instead of the unitary gauge used by earlier authors. Our results agree with those of Bardeen, Gastmans, and Lautrup in the static approximation, and thus gauge independence of these results is demonstrated. (AIP)
Faculty Malfeasance: Understanding Academic Deviance

This study evaluates deviance among academicians in university settings. A typology is suggested which includes two dimensions and delineates four basic types of academic deviance. The relationship of these types to university and disciplinary organization is offered as the sources of academic deviance are explained.
Racial and ethnic disparities in sarcoidosis : From genetics to socioeconomics

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown cause that occurs worldwide. The clinical expression of sarcoidosis varies by race. These racial differences may be the result of genetic and socioeconomic factors. Many of these genetic associations are race-specific in that they are found in either African Americans or whites but not both. Socioeconomic differences may also explain the racial disparities between African American and white patients with sarcoidosis. Finally, the phenotypic differences be-tween races may relate to an interaction between genetics and socioeconomic factors. The influences of genetics and socioeconomic status on the development and phenotypic expression of sarcoidosis will be better understood as the mechanisms of disease development are uncovered.
Prediction of College Achievement Using the Need Achievement Scale From the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule1

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of the Edwards need achievement scale (n-Ach) for predicting achievement performance, as (a) a supplement to academic aptitude test, and (b) a predicator of over- and under-achievement. Subjects were 217 college students enrolled in five sections of a general introductory psychology course. A correlational analysis was carried out among the following measures: Edwards n-Ach score, American College Testing Program Examination (ACT) score, overall grade point average (GPA), psychological course grade, and derived measures of over- and under-achievement.From the results of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:a. Little support for the use of the Edwards n-Ach scale as a supplement to ability test scores in the prediction of academic performance was offered.b. The n-Ach scale was of little value in differentiating between over- and under-achievers.c. Further investigation is needed to evaluate a single course grade as an alternative to overal...
Differential Reactivities of Enyne Substrates in Ruthenium- and Palladium-Catalyzed Cycloisomerizations

Complementary methods for the transition-metal-catalyzed enyne cycloisomerizations of cyclic olefins have been developed. By using distinct ruthenium and palladium catalysts, decalins and 7,6-bicycles can be obtained with dichotomous stereochemical outcomes. The change in mechanism that accompanies the change in metal affords trans-fused 1,4-dienes with ruthenium and their cis-fused diastereomers under palladium catalysis. In the reactions under ruthenium catalysis, a coordinating group is required and acts to direct the metal to the same side of the carbocycle, resulting in the observed trans diastereoselectivity. Subtle changes in the carbocyclic substrate led to the discovery of a heretofore-unobserved mechanistic pathway, providing bicyclic cycloisomerization products under palladium catalysis and tricyclic products under ruthenium catalysis in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA). The differential effect of DMA supports a mechanism in which the coordination requirements of the two paths differ, allowing for the reaction to be shuttled through the metallacycle pathway (generating tricyclic products) when DMA is used as a solvent.
Photosystem I charge separation in the absence of centers A and B. II. ESR spectral characterization of center 'X' and correlation with optical signal 'A2'.

The Photosystem I electron acceptor complex was characterized by optical flash photolysis and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy after treatment of a subchloroplast particle with lithium dodecyl sulfate (LDS). The following properties were observed after 60 s of incubation with 1% LDS followed by rapid freezing. (i) ESR centers A and B were not observed during or after illumination of the sample at 19 K, although the P-700+ radical at g = 2.0026 showed a large, reversible light-minus-dark difference signal. (ii) Center ‘X’, characterized by g factors of 2.08, 1.88 and 1.78, exhibited reversible photoreduction at 8 K in the absence of reduced centers A and B. (iii) The backreaction kinetics at 8 K between P-700, observed at g = 2.0026, and center X, observed at g = 1.78, was 0.30 s. (iv) The amplitudes of the reversible g = 2.0026 radical observed at 19 K and the 1.2 ms optical 698 nm transient observed at 298 K were diminished to the same extent when treated with 1% LDS at room temperature for periods of 1 and 45 min. We interpret the strict correlation between the properties and lifetimes of the optical P-700+ A−2 reaction pair and the ESR P-700+ center X− reaction pair to indicate that signal A2 and center X represent the same iron-sulfur center in Photosystem I.