cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The “Docile” Organization

When I visited the Acropolis at Athens, I remember that beside the wonderful Parthenon there is a smaller temple called Erechtheum, which is dedicated to Athena, goddess of knowledge, war, arts, and justice. This small temple has a world-famous characteristic: Its columns are feminine statues that carry the weight of the roof. They are the caryatids. They serve a very useful purpose, that of preventing the temple from falling down and, in doing that, allow everybody to get into it. It is not in the power of these beautiful statues to decide who can and who cannot enter the temple. The previous chapters are like the caryatids since they bring the theoretical infrastructure up but cannot help state what can and cannot be a future theoretical outcome. They are premises and allow multiple options to become available.
Case study: A conservative approach to green roof benefit quantification and valuation for public buildings

The U.S. federal government is routinely making severe spending cuts in an attempt to correct financial instability resulting from overspending. A more recently surfaced avenue of cost savings that...
Unconscious bias and the value of training for medical students

The term unconscious (implicit) bias and its possible effects in multiple disciplines has been recognised for some time (Moss-Racusin, Dovidio, Brescoll, Graham, & Handelsman, 2012; Sabin, Rivara, & Greenwald, 2008). In medical education, implicit bias is especially important since it may impact quality of care (Goldyne, 2007). Therefore, some institutions are beginning to integrate training for students to illuminate biases and develop strategies to manage them. As a part of a reciprocal best practices exchange with Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), stemming from an NIH grant partnership, Texas A&M Health Science Center (HSC) College of Medicine (COM) replicated an implicit associations (IA) workshop that has taken place at BCM for a number of years. Texas A&M HSC COM attended training through BCM, slightly revised shared materials and then implemented the activity. The purpose was to determine whether or not the workshop, including small group discussions at Texas A&M HSC COM, effectively enabled students to identify possible unconscious biases and to discuss their potential impact on patient care.
Review: Regional groundwater flow modeling in heavily irrigated basins of selected states in the western United States

Water resources in agriculture-dominated basins of the arid western United States are stressed due to long-term impacts from pumping. A review of 88 regional groundwater-flow modeling applications from seven intensively irrigated western states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas) was conducted to provide hydrogeologists, modelers, water managers, and decision makers insight about past modeling studies that will aid future model development. Groundwater models were classified into three types: resource evaluation models (39 %), which quantify water budgets and act as preliminary models intended to be updated later, or constitute re-calibrations of older models; management/planning models (55 %), used to explore and identify management plans based on the response of the groundwater system to water-development or climate scenarios, sometimes under water-use constraints; and water rights models (7 %), used to make water administration decisions based on model output and to quantify water shortages incurred by water users or climate changes. Results for 27 model characteristics are summarized by state and model type, and important comparisons and contrasts are highlighted. Consideration of modeling uncertainty and the management focus toward sustainability, adaptive management and resilience are discussed, and future modeling recommendations, in light of the reviewed models and other published works, are presented.
Preserving intangible heritage: defining a research agenda

The past decade has seen tremendous progress in the field of preservation, particularly with respect to preservation of digital materials. To date, however, there has been only minimal research activity within North America on the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, and its relationship to the preservation of material expressions of culture. Given the importance of intangible heritage to the cultural and scholarly record, we believe that a more significant research program in this area would be of benefit to the scholarly community. This panel will focus on the nature of intangible heritage and the problems in preserving it in a digital age.
PKCδ Regulates Eukaryotic Initiation Factor eIF2α through PKR during Retinoic Acid-Induced Myeloid Cell Differentiation.

Dysregulation of mRNA translation can contribute to malignant transformation. Translation initiation is a rate limiting step of mRNA translation and protein synthesis and plays a critical role in regulation of cell growth, proliferation and differentiation. We previously reported that ATRA induces translational suppression through multiple posttranscriptional mechanisms during terminal cell differentiation detected by proteomic analysis (Harris et al, Blood, 104 (5) 2004). Here we investigated the regulation of translation initiation and the role of eIF2α during terminal differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells. We found that ATRA and other granulocytic differentiation inducing agents, such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), arsenic trioxide (ATO) induce phosphorylation of eIF2α on serine 51 in promyelocytic leukemia (NB4) cells, indicating the suppression of translation initiation. However, monocytic/macrophagic differentiation of NB4 cells by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (phorbol ester, PMA), or by ATRA in U937 and THP-1 myelomonoblastic myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, was not accompanied with induction of eIF2α phosphorylation. ATRA, ATO or DMSO-induced granulocytic differentiation closely correlated with induction of expression and phosphorylation/activation of protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ) on threonin 505 and serine 643 in NB4 cells. The specific PKCδ inhibitor, rottlerin, markedly inhibited ATRA-induced expression and phosphorylation (serin 51) of eIF2a in NB4 cells. Rottlerin reduced phosphorylation of eIF2α expression not only in the leukemia cells but also in solid tumor cells such as breast (MCF7) and pancreatic (Panc28) cancer cells. Because protein kinase R (PKR) has been shown to inhibit mRNA translation by inducing phosphorylation of eIF2α, we also examined whether this pathway is involved in ATRA-induced phosphorylation of eIF2α and whether it is downstream of PKCδ. We observed that ATRA induces expression and phosphorylation/activation of PKR in NB4 cells. Rottlerin inhibited ATRA-induced expression and activity of PKR , suggesting that activity of PKR is regulated by PKCδ in response to ATRA in NB4 cells. Overall, our data suggest that retinoic acid suppresses translation initiation through PKCδ/PKR/eIF2α pathway during granulocytic but not monocytic differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells. These results revealed a novel role of ATRA in granulocytic cell differentiation of myeloid cells. Because malignant cells usually have hyperactivated mRNA translation, targeting translational factors/regulators of initiation may offer new strategies for the treatment of myeloid leukemia cells.
Wealth Creation from Information Technology Investments Using the EVA

EVA® has recently been touted by the business press, analysts and researchers as the best method for assessing firm performance. EVA® focuses on maximization of incremental income above capital costs while adjusting for accounting items frequently used to manage earnings. In the current study, EVA® is used to assess differences in firm performance as related to IT investment in order to add clarity to conflicting results in the extant research. Our study focuses on manufacturing firms during 1998-2000 when there was widespread adoption of factory automation, enterprise resource planning and advanced production scheduling systems. Consistent with several earlier studies, results in the sample firms were inconsistent when applying traditional accounting measures (i.e. IT investment was not correlated with increases in ROI and ROA but was correlated with ROE and ROS). However, a significant relationship exists between IT investment and EVA®, indicating increased IT investment was associated with increased we...
Innate Lymphoid Cell Immunometabolism

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are tissue-resident "first responders" of the immune system that function to protect epithelial barriers against pathogens and maintain tissue homeostasis. However, because ILCs are finely tuned to perturbations within tissue microenvironments, they can also contribute to host pathology when upstream activating signals are dysregulated. Recent work has demonstrated that the crosstalk between ILCs and their environment has a significant impact on host metabolism in health and disease. In this brief review, we summarize recent studies that demonstrate the ability of ILCs to influence tissue and systemic metabolism, as well as how ILC biology can be regulated by environmental changes in host metabolism. We also highlight studies showing how ILC-intrinsic metabolism influences their activation, proliferation, and homeostasis. Finally, this review discusses the challenges and open questions in the rapidly expanding field of immunometabolism.
Dynamic fracture behavior of single and contacting Poly(methyl methacrylate) particles

Abstract Fracture behaviors of single, two, and multiple contacting spherical Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) particles were recorded using high speed synchrotron X-ray phase contrast imaging. A miniaturized Kolsky bar setup was used to apply dynamic compressive loading on the PMMA particles. In both single and two particle experiments, cracking initiated near the center of the particles and propagated towards the contacts. The crack bifurcated near the contact points for single particle experiments, thus forming conical fragments. The crack bifurcation and subsequent conical fragment formation was observed only at the particle-particle contact for two particle experiments. The particles were observed to fracture in hemispherical fragments normal to the contact plane in the multi-particle experiments. The observed failure mechanisms strongly suggest that the maximum tensile stress near the center of the particle is the critical parameter governing fracture of the particles. Furthermore, the compressive stress under the contact areas led to the bifurcation and subsequent conical fragment formation.
Sources of Extracerebellar Afferent Inputs to the Cerebellar Nuclei

Conceptually, this point represents the natural division of the contents of this volume. The preceding eight chapters have revealed the disposition of form and organization in the dentate nucleus by examination of it as a whole and of its elements in situ. The nucleus has been examined grossly, reconstructed, and placed on coordinates in preparation for experimentation. Its neurons and neuroglial cells have been measured, counted, and examined minutely with regard to their form and the organizational preference that each cell type exhibits in its relations with other cells. The foundation thus laid, and with the basic units composing the dentate now familiar, we are prepared for the next phase of study. The subsequent chapters comprise a series of investigations aimed at defining connectivities of dentate neurons: which is linked to what, how, where, and when? These questions necessitate first knowing the sources of informations impinging upon dentate neurons—the more complete the list, the greater our appreciation for dentate organization.
Road death trend in the United States: implied effects of prevention

This study estimates road deaths prevented by U.S. vehicle safety regulations, state laws, and other efforts based on comparison of actual deaths to those predicted from temperature and precipitation effects on exposure, migration to warmer areas, population growth, median age of the population, and vehicle mix. Logistic regression of risk factors predictive of road deaths in 1961, prior to the adoption of federal vehicle safety regulations, state behavioral change laws, and other preventive efforts were used to predict deaths in subsequent years given the changing prevalence of the risk factors from 1962 to 2015. The included risk factors are strong predictors of road death risk. Without the preventive efforts, an additional 5.8 million road deaths would likely have occurred in the U.S. from the initiation of federal safety standards for new vehicles in 1968 through 2015.
Doing battle with "the monster:" how high-risk heterosexuals experience and successfully manage HIV stigma as a barrier to HIV testing.

Annual HIV testing is recommended for populations at-risk for HIV in the United States, including heterosexuals geographically connected to urban high-risk areas (HRA) with elevated rates of HIV prevalence and poverty, who are primarily African American/Black or Hispanic. Yet this subpopulation of “individuals residing in HRA” (IR-HRA) evidence low rates of regular HIV testing. HIV stigma is a recognized primary barrier to testing, in part due to its interaction with other stigmatized social identities. Guided by social-cognitive and intersectionality theories, this qualitative descriptive study explored stigma as a barrier to HIV testing and identified ways IR-HRA manage stigma. In 2012-2014, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 31 adult IR-HRA (74% male, 84% African American/Black) with unknown or negative HIV status, purposively sampled from a larger study for maximum variation on HIV testing experiences. Interviews were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using a systematic content analysis approach that was both theory-driven and inductive. Stigma was a primary barrier to HIV testing among IR-HRA. In the context of an under-resourced community, HIV stigma was experienced as emerging from, and being perpetuated by, health care organizations and educational institutions, as well as community members. Participants noted it was “better not to know” one’s HIV status, to avoid experiencing HIV-related stigma, which could interact with other stigmatized social identities and threaten vital social relationships, life chances, and resources. Yet most had tested for HIV previously. Factors facilitating testing included health education to boost knowledge of effective treatments for HIV; understanding HIV does not necessitate ending social relationships; and tapping into altruism. In the context of economic and social inequality, HIV stigma operates on multiple, intersecting layers. IR-HRA struggle with an aversion to HIV testing, because adopting another stigmatized status is dangerous. They also find ways to manage stigma to engage in testing, even if not at recommended levels. Findings highlight strategies to reduce HIV stigma at the levels of communities, institutions, and individuals to improve rates of annual HIV testing necessary to eliminate HIV transmission and reduce HIV-related racial and ethnic health disparities among IR-HRA.
Unilateral Parkinson’s Disease and Contralateral Tardive Dyskinesia: A Unique Case with Successful Therapy That May Explain the Pathophysiology of These Two Disorders

A unique case is reported of a patient with right-sided Parkinson’s disease and left-sided tardive dyskinesia. This Situation occurred because the patient’s parkinsonian tremor was treated with antipsychotic drugs. After several months she developed tardive dyskinesia on the left side of the body. Successful treatment was achieved nine years later, using dopaminedepleting drugs (combination reserpine and alpha-methylparatyrosine) to suppress the tardive dyskinesia and trihexyphenidyl to reduce the parkinsonism. Control of the symptoms was complicated when parkinsonism symptoms later increased on the right and developed on the left, due to the dopamine-depleting drugs. A small amount of carbidopa/levodopa restored the proper balance of symptoms, effectively reducing the parkinsonism while not aggravating the tardive dyskinesia.
Effects of Maternal Nutrition on Human Lactation

Although a decline in breast-feeding has been evident in many industrialized countries during the last decades, human milk is a major source of nutrition for the infant in most parts of the world. The many benefits provided by human milk, beyond being a source of nutrients, are now well-recognized. Components with physiological activity include immunoglobulins (especially secretory IgA), enzymes (such as lipases and lysozyme), growth factors and oligosaccharides with anti-adhesive function (inhibiting attachment of bacteria). Having recognized the significance of human milk in providing nutrition and functional components to the growing and vulnerable infant, it is logical to be concerned about the possibility that poor maternal nutrition may compromise the quantity and quality of human milk. Furthermore, if milk yield and composition can be affected by maternal nutrition, will dietary supplementation of the mother overcome any shortcomings? Such information will aid in designing effective relief programs in areas of poor nutrition and in nutrition counseling to less educated and poor mothers in areas of otherwise adequate food supply.
Phase II Clinical Trial of GM-CSF Treatment in Patients with Hormone-Refractory or Hormone-Naïve Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate.

The objective of this Phase II clinical trial was to determine the effects of chronic GM-CSF dosing on PSA levels in men with hormone-refractory or hormone-naive prostate cancer. Six hormone-refractory and 10 hormone-naive patients were recruited from an institutional practice and were treated with 250 and 125 μg/m2 of GM-CSF, respectively, 3 times per week for continuous 12-week treatment cycles until evidence of disease progression, as indicated by 2 consecutive rising PSA levels. PSA levels were measured every 6 weeks. Of the 6 hormone-refractory patients, 2 were classified with progressive disease after 4 months and 1 after 1.75 months. The best PSA responses for the remaining 3 patients were 3%, 12%, and 32% declines which lasted from 1.75 to 8.5 months. Of the 10 hormone-naive patients, 2 were classified with progressive disease after 3 and 12 months, and 1 patient met the criteria for stable disease after 7.75 months. The best PSA response for the remaining 7 patients ranged from 7% to 42% declines which lasted from 0.5 to 10 months. These results indicate that further study of GM-CSF administration is not warranted for hormone-refractory patients but is recommended for hormone-naive patients using a chronic dosing regimen.
Application of Intelligent Control Techniques in Advanced AGC

The multi-area interconnected electric power system is a complex, large-scale dynamic system. The imbalance between load and generation in any individual area makes the system frequency and the net power interchange deviate from their scheduled values. The generation control process is fundamentally a tracking problem in which area generation must be controlled to match the time-varying area load and prearranged interchange transactions within an acceptable tolerance defined by system control performance criteria. The primary task of an area Automatic Generation Control (AGC) system is to (1) match area generation to area load, (2) regulate system frequency and area net interchange to their scheduled values, and (3) economically distribute area generation among available resources.
Indigenous core values and education: Community beliefs towards sustaining local knowledge

This article highlights core values linked with Indigenous ways of conceptualizing community and education. In doing so, this work explores Indigenous tensions with restrictive historical policies ...
Sugar in the Sea: The History of Lai’e Pier at Pounders Beach, Lai’e, Hawai’i, U.S.A as a Unique Example of Structures that Supported Late Nineteenth Century Hawai’ian Inter-island Steamboat Shipping

The Lai’e Pier is a little-known maritime structure that lies near the village of Lai’e, on the Hawai’ian island of Oahu. Lai’e lies along the northeast coast of the island. The pier was a wharf that was built to ease the process of loading sugar that was produced at the Lai’e Plantation’s sugar mill. While there was some debate of when the structure was actually built, historical records indicate it was built in 1887. It was used extensively by small, inter-island, steam ships that carried mail, sugar, molasses, and other supplies between coastal villages and Honolulu, Hawai’i. Records indicate it was used from 1887 until 1898, but with the advent of rail lines linking the various sugar plantations, the pier was abandoned. All that remains of the pier is an array of large iron posts that served as the support structure for the loading crane and platform. It is, however, one of the few remaining examples of such structures that were used during the unique historical period of Hawai’ian inter-island steamboat shipping, especially on the Island of Oahu. This paper describes all that is known about the pier, its use, and its present state.
Investigations on the Quality Factor of Lithium Niobate Laterally Vibrating Resonators with Figure of Merit Greater than 1,500

This paper reports on quality factor investigations of high-performance 50 MHz X-cut Lithium Niobate (LN) Laterally Vibrating Resonators (LVR). The effects of resonators' topology on the Figure of Merit (FoM) -product of quality factor at series resonance $(\pmb{Q}_{\mathbf{s}})$ and electromechanical coupling $(\pmb{k}_{\mathbf{t}^{2}})$ - are studied in regard to the most important design variables for single element devices. Vacuum measurements highlighted a consistent increase (+ 25%) in $\pmb{Q}_{\mathbf{s}}$ . Low temperature measurements pointed out that electrical loading is one of the most important sources of damping for the devices under study. A Monte Carlo approach was used to simulate the effects of frequency mismatch on $\pmb{Q}_{\mathbf{s}}$ as a function of the number of elements forming parallel arrays of resonators. For individual resonators, $\mathbf{FoMs}$ over 1,500 were recorded in vacuum, with $\pmb{Q}_{\mathbf{s}}$ ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 and $\pmb{k}_{\mathbf{t}^{2}} > 30\%$ , the highest ever recorded for resonators in the MHz range.
Direction trees

Given a finite set of noncollinear points in the real plane, it is shown that they can be connected to form a tree using lines, no two of which are parallel.
Influence of Shear Lip Symmetry on the Fracture Behavior of Charpy Specimens

An investigation was conducted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on the influence of shear lip symmetry on the fracture behavior (absorbed energy and data scatter) of Charpy specimens at different energy levels, corresponding to NIST low-energy, high-energy, and super-high-energy certified verification specimens. Whenever both shear lips are on the same tested specimen half (symmetrical fracture), absorbed energy tends to be lower than when each specimen half includes one shear lip (asymmetrical fracture). Fracture type does not have a significant effect on impact toughness or variability at low- or high-energy levels, but its influence becomes significant above 200 J. Specifically, super-high-energy specimen lots do not fulfill the NIST requirement (sample size < 5.0) when both fracture types are combined, whereas they may become acceptable if only symmetrical or asymmetrical fractures are considered. This tendency is particularly clear for the 9310 (3-nickel) steel, which is currently under consideration for the reinstatement of super-high-energy specimens in the NIST Standard Reference Materials catalog. The most effective method for preventing the formation of shear lips, and therefore avoiding this type of bimodal behavior, is to side-groove the Charpy specimens for a total thickness reduction of 10 %.
Allopregnanolone and reproductive psychiatry: an overview

Psychiatric symptoms that coincide with reproductive transitions are related to changes in sex steroids, but studies show that this relationship is governed by individual women's vulnerability to change rather than by differences in level. There is growing interest in the role of allopregnanolone (ALLO), a 3-α reduced metabolite of progesterone and a strong allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor, in such symptoms, with enough evidence now across various times of reproductive transition to offer an overview of the role of this hormone in reproductive psychiatry. This review offers a brief overview, focusing on literature of the last 3 years, of the relationship between allopregnanolone and mood at menarche; in the menstrual cycle; in the peripartum; and in the menopausal transition. ALLO dysregulation is identified in all of these transitions and found to be associated with mood symptoms, although evidence of its exact role; its relationship to other systems; and directionality is not consistent.
Abstract A01: Standardizing tracking and evaluation in cancer disparities research: Utilizing REDCap to track training, education, and community engagement activities

The Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is dedicated to enhancing the diversity of the scientific workforce through training and education and supporting community engagement. The utilization of standardized tools to track and assist in the evaluation of outcomes from training, education, and community engagement programs is important to grants supported by the CRCHD. This case study describes the utilization of a readily available and secure web-based electronic tool, REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture), to broadly track and evaluate community engagement activities and training and education milestones in an Academic Cancer Center. Aim 1 describes the online survey tool created in REDCap to track all community engagement activities for the Cancer Center. Aim 2 describes methods and assessment tools created to track and evaluate mentoring relationships, training, educational activities, and career outcomes of trainees in an emerging cancer center seeking NCI designation. Training programs in the University of Illinois (UI) Cancer Center occur across the pipeline and target high school and undergraduate students, graduate and pre- and post-doctoral students, and early-stage investigators with a focus on populations under-represented in health disparities research. The utilization of REDCap will allow outcomes from NCI CRCHD funded programs and other training, education, and community engagement programs to uniformly track outcomes and assess efficacy to ensure alignment with NCI priorities for cancer centers in community engagement and training and education. Our case study supports the NIH9s efforts to ensure longitudinal tracking of training and education programs for a minimum of 10 years and to ensure community engagement targeting the cancer center9s catchment area. This case study can provide generalizable information to other cancer centers and NCI CRCHD awardees. Citation Format: Ifeanyi Beverly Chukwudozie, Karriem S. Watson, Stacey Rhodes, Ahlam Al-Kodmany, Erica Martinez, Christopher Gay, Marian L. Fitzgibbon, Paul Grippo, Robert A. Winn, Robert A. Winn. Standardizing tracking and evaluation in cancer disparities research: Utilizing REDCap to track training, education, and community engagement activities [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr A01.
Macroscopic Metaphysics: Middle-sized Objects and Longish Processes: by Paul Needham, Cham, Springer, 2017, xi + 224 pp., ISBN 9783319709987, US$109.99 (hardcover)

In Macroscopic Metaphysics, Paul Needham compiles a variety of meditations on the interrelations between metaphysics and matter theory that represent the long arc of his research career and which r...
Human Parechovirus Meningoencephalitis: Neuroimaging in the Era of Polymerase Chain Reaction–Based Testing

Human parechovirus infection is an increasingly recognized cause of neonatal meningoencephalitis. We describe characteristic clinical features and brain MR imaging abnormalities of human parechovirus meningoencephalitis in 6 infants. When corroborated by increasingly available polymerase chain reaction-based testing of the CSF, the distinctive MR imaging appearance may yield a specific diagnosis that obviates costly and time-consuming further clinical evaluation. In our study, infants with human parechovirus presented in the first 35 days of life with seizures, irritability, and sepsis. MR imaging consistently demonstrated low diffusivity within the thalami, corpus callosum, and subcortical white matter with a frontoparietal predominance. T1 and T2 shortening connoting white matter injury along the deep medullary veins suggests venous ischemia as an alternative potential pathogenetic mechanism to direct neuroaxonal injury.
Preterm neonatal immunology at the intestinal interface

Fetal and neonatal development represents a critical window for setting a path toward health throughout life. In this review, we focus on intestinal immunity, how it develops, and its implications for subsequent neonatal diseases. We discuss maternal nutritional and environmental exposures that dictate outcomes for the developing fetus. Although still controversial, there is evidence in support of an in utero microbiome. Specific well-intentioned and routine applications of antibiotics, steroids, and surgical interventions implemented before, during, and after birth skew the neonate towards pro-inflammatory dysbiosis. Shortly after birth, a consortium of maternal and environmentally derived bacteria, through cross-talk with the developing host immune system, takes center stage in developing or disrupting immune homeostasis at the intestinal interface. We also examine subsequent immunological cross-talks, which involve neonatal myeloid and lymphoid responses, and their potential impacts on health and disease such as necrotizing enterocolitis and sepsis, especially critical disease entities for the infant born preterm.
Gastro-intestinal and oral microbiome signatures associated with healthy aging

The human oral and gut microbiomes influence health via competition for a distinct niche in the body with pathogens, via metabolic capabilities that increase host digestive capacity and generate compounds engaged in signaling pathways and modulation of immune system functions. Old age alters our metabolic and regenerative capacity. Following recruitment of 65 human subjects in the age range of 70 to 82, we discerned healthy aging (HA) and non-healthy aging (NHA) cohorts discordant in the occurrence of one or more major diseases: (1) cancer, (2) acute or chronic cardiovascular diseases, (3) acute or chronic pulmonary diseases, (4) diabetes, and (5) stroke or neurodegenerative disorders. We analyzed these cohorts' oral microbiomes (saliva) and gut microbiomes (stool) to assess diversity and identify microbial biomarkers for HA. In contrast to the gut microbiome where no change was observed, we found that the saliva microbiome had higher α-diversity in the HA compared with the NHA group. We observed the genus Akkermansia to be significantly more abundant in the gut microbiota of the HA group. Akkermansia muciniphila is a colonic mucin-degrading bacterium believed to have beneficial effects on gastrointestinal health, particularly in the context of diabetes and obesity. Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-003 was a taxon increased in abundance in the HA cohort. Streptococcus was the only genus observed to be significantly decreased in abundance in both the gut and oral microbiomes of the HA cohort compared with the NHA cohort. Our data support the notion that these microbes are potential probiotics to decrease the risks of non-healthy aging.
Assessing Drug Release from Manipulated Abuse Deterrent Formulations.

There is a need to develop in vitro dissolution methods that discriminate for particle size of the manipulated abuse deterrent formulation (ADF) and that can be used for in vivo predictive models since dissolution methods developed for intact formulation might not be suitable for manipulated ones. A vertical diffusion cell (VDC) and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Apparatus 1, 2, and 4 were evaluated for measuring the dissolution of intact and manipulated metoprolol succinate tablets with abuse deterrent-like properties. These tablets were physically manipulated to produce fine (106–500 μm) and coarse (500–1000 μm) powder samples. The VDC method was not able to discriminate the effect of particle size on drug release with varied stirring rate (200 to 800 rpm), molecular weight cut-off (MWCO, 3–5 kDa to 12–14 kDa) of the diffusion membrane, or composition and ionic strength (0.45% and 0.9%) of receiver medium. Standard and modified USP Apparatus 1 and 2 methods were assessed; however, large variations (RSD > 20%) were observed with USP Apparatus 1 for manipulated product dissolution and floating powder samples caused failure of auto-sampling when using standard USP Apparatus 2. For the USP Apparatus 4 dissolution method, packing configuration (1, 3, 8 layers and blend), ionic strength of dissolution medium (0.017, 0.077, and 0.154 M additional NaCl), and flow rate (4, 8, 16 mL/min) were studied to discriminate the effect of particle size on release. The USP Apparatus 4 dissolution method was optimized by using a packaging configuration of 8 layers with 8 mL/min flow rate which exhibited low variability and complete drug release and it could be used for in vivo predictive models. The dissolution method variables can be optimized for a specific product for desirable reproducibility and discriminatory power when using USP Apparatus 4.
A Density Metric for Semiconductor Technology [Point of View]

Since its inception, the semiconductor industry has used a physical dimension (the minimum gate length of a transistor) as a means to gauge continuous technology advancement. This metric is all but obsolete today. As a replacement, we propose a density metric, which aims to capture how advances in semiconductor device technologies enable system-level benefits. The proposed metric can be used to gauge advances in future generations of semi-conductor technologies in a holistic way, by accounting for the progress in logic, memory, and packaging/integration technologies simultaneously.
The Naturalist’s Workshop: Virtual Reality Interaction with a Natural Science Educational Collection

For experiential educators who utilize or maintain physical collections, The Naturalist’s Workshop is an exemplar virtual reality platform to interact with digitized collections in an intuitive and playful way. The Naturalist’s Workshop is a purpose-developed application for the Oculus Quest standalone virtual reality headset for use by museum visitors on the floor of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences under the supervision of a volunteer attendant. Within the application, museum visitors are seated at a virtual desk. Using their hand controllers and head-mounted display, they explore drawers containing botanical specimens and tools-of-the-trade of a naturalist. While exploring, the participant can receive new information about any specimen by dropping it into a virtual examination tray. 360-degree photography and three-dimensionally scanned specimens are used to allow user-motivated, immersive experience of botanical metadata such as specimen collection coordinates.
Examining Trends in Beverage Sales in New York City During Comprehensive Efforts to Reduce Sugary Drink Consumption, 2010–2015

Since 2006, New York City (NYC) has attempted to reduce sugary drink consumption through several population-based initiatives, media campaigns and policy proposals. We estimated trends in the relative market share of sugary drinks and other beverage categories in NYC, using over 5 years of weekly, point-of-sale data from a retailer sample. We used an interrupted time series approach to assess whether changes in NYC beverage purchasing patterns occurred following the announcement of a proposed portion cap rule for consumer purchases of sugary drinks. Overall, market share of sugary drinks declined in NYC between 2010 and 2015. While the proportion of beverage volume sold that was sugary drinks was stable prior to the May 2012 portion cap rule announcement, decreases of 1.25% per year were observed in the period following the announcement compared to the period before (95% confidence interval (CI) - 1.60, - 0.90). Water/seltzer market share was increasing prior to the announcement and increased by an additional 1.03% per year in the post-announcement period (95% CI 0.48, 1.57). City-led efforts to increase public awareness about sugary drink-associated health risks in NYC may have led to reductions in consumer purchases of these beverages. Though never implemented, the portion cap proposal and accompanying media coverage may have contributed to decreases in sugary drink sales.
A Ground Clamped Solid-State Circuit Breaker for DC Distribution Systems

In solid-state circuit breakers, back electromotive forces need to be synthesized across the breakers to absorb the electromagnetic energy stored in the system inductors and ultimately clear the fault current. For the conventional solid-state circuit breaker, the back electromotive force is synthesized due to the difference between its switch surge voltage and its source voltage, which makes the voltage rating of its switching devices excessively overdesigned in the systems having significant inductances and sensitive loads. To overcome this dilemma, a new Ground Clamped Solid-State Circuit Breaker for DC distribution system has been proposed here. In comparison with its counterpart of conventional solid-state circuit breaker applied to the same scenario, the proposed breaker clears fault current in a significantly shorter break time by employing switches rated at lower voltage as well as surge protectors at lower energy volume and therefore the breaker can have lower material costs and longer life span. The installation of the proposed breaker into DC distribution systems with designs of integrated load converter, resonant capacitor and bi-directional configuration has also been proposed to demonstrate its practical values. The plausibility and superiority of the proposed breaker have been validated by the simulation and experimental results in the paper.
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) caused by over-the-counter calcium supplement ingestion.

A 59-year-old woman was found unresponsive at home. Initial neurologic examination revealed aphasia and right-sided weakness. Laboratory results demonstrated a serum calcium level of 17.3 mg/dL (corrected serum calcium for albumin concentration was 16.8 mg/dL). Extensive workup for intrinsic aetiology of hypercalcemia was unrevealing. Further discussion with family members and investigation of the patient’s home for over-the-counter medications and herbal supplements revealed chronic ingestion of calcium carbonate tablets. CT angiogram of the brain revealed multifocal intracranial vascular segmental narrowing, which resolved on a follow-up cerebral angiogram done 2 days later. These findings were consistent with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome. Appropriate blood pressure control with parenteral agents, calcium channel blockade with nimodipine and supportive care therapies resulted in significant improvement in neurologic status. By discharge, patient had near-complete resolution of neurologic symptoms.
Shelf Life of Critical Care Knowledge

The authors convey their concerns about the shelf life of critical care knowledge and the COVID-19 pandemic Topics mentioned include the use of current literature by clinicians and authors as a basis for decision-making, three reasons why a short-sighted view of clinical history is problematic, and prone positioning in the COVID-19 pandemic
Emerging therapies for rare cutaneous cancers: A systematic review

Abstract Background Rare cutaneous cancers require early management given their aggressive nature; however, few therapeutic options exist for managing these rare cancers. Objective To identify emerging therapies for extramammary Paget’s disease, Merkel cell carcinoma, sebaceous gland carcinoma, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, Kaposi sarcoma and cutaneous angiosarcoma. Methods A systematic review was conducted using PubMed database from October 2010 to October 2020. Published clinical trials and case reports/series were included if they involved primarily a targeted agent rather than classic cytotoxic chemotherapy or photosensitizing medication. Active clinical trials were evaluated using ClinicalTrials.gov, the Japanese University Hospitals Clinical Information Network, and the ISRCTN registry. Quality of evidence for each study was rated using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Level of Evidence Rating Scale. Results There are several emerging therapies for rare cutaneous cancers with many clinical trials actively recruiting. PD-1 receptor inhibitors were the most investigated treatment, targeting several cancers. Merkel cell carcinoma and Kaposi sarcoma had the most clinical trials while microcystic adnexal carcinoma and sebaceous gland carcinoma had the least. The main limitation was a lack of key findings from clinical trials still in progress. Conclusions Emerging therapies exist for rare cutaneous cancers; results of ongoing studies will provide more robust evidence in the future.
Menaal exercises in placental transfer

M A N Y attempts have been made to determine the mechanisms of transfer of substances between mother and fetus across the placental membranes. The technique most frequently employed is that of inducing changes in the composition of the blood entering the maternal or fetal sides of the placenta and measuring the effects of these changes on the blood leaving the placenta. From the data obtained through this approach, placental exchange mechanisms have been postulated which have varied from concurrent to countercurrent or even multicurrent systems. These conflicting results seem to suggest the existence of a basic defect in the technique of determining the nature of intraplacental transfer mechanisms from extraplacental stresses and measurements. In our view, this approach does not take into consideration the many variables which enter into play simultaneously or independently when a substance is transferred across the placental membrane. The problem is further complicated by the fact that the interrelationship of the anatomic structures
The importance of a forensics investigation of sudden infant death syndrome: recommendations for developing, low and middle income countries

Sudden infant deaths syndrome (SIDS), the sudden and unexpecteddeath of a normal and healthy infant, has remaineda medical and forensic mystery. Despite years of research allattempts to ascertain the exact cause and manner of deathhave failed. The information collected during the course ofthe comprehensive investigation by the various investigationagencies and analysis of the data has not been in vain. Theepidemiological, demographic, and pathological data haveidentified distinctive features and risk factors associated withinfants that died from SIDS. Epidemiological data has providedthe unique characteristics of infants that died of SIDSthat differentiates them from non-SIDS infants. Analysis ofinformation from the death scene investigation has identifiedkey risk factor behaviour associated with SIDS, namelythe prone sleeping position. Pathological examination of theinternal organs, specifically the brain, has shown some differencesbetween SIDS and non-SIDS infants. However, togain a complete picture of SIDS data, all countries around theworld must provide information, even basic information, tounderstand this syndrome better. Developing countries mustunderstand their role and importance in developing plans toinvestigate, collect, and disseminate SIDS data to the rest ofthe world. This paper provides general guidelines for the investigationof SIDS in developing countries.
Intravenous Ketorolac Tromethamine versus Morphine Sulfate in the Treatment of Immediate Postoperative Pain

Intravenous ketorolac tromethamine was compared with morphine sulfate for the relief of moderate to severe postoperative pain and for side effects in 125 women undergoing major abdominal gynecologic surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to receive an initial intravenous dose of ketorolac 10 mg, ketorolac 30 mg, morphine 2 mg, or morphine 4 mg, administered in a double-blind fashion. No other narcotics were administered in the 3 hours preceding the first dose of study drug. A second dose was administered on request, but no sooner than 15 minutes after the initial dose. Patients who required additional analgesia within the 6-hour observation period were remedicated with a backup analgesic and withdrawn from the study. Pain scores and side effect evaluations were performed at baseline, 30 minutes, 1 hour, and then hourly for up to 6 hours or until the subject terminated the study. No significant differences among the treatments were noted in terms of area under the time-effect curves for pain intensity differences or pain relief. In each treatment group, 70-80% of patients withdrew within 1 hour and approximately 90% within 3 hours of the initial drug dose because of inadequate analgesia. With the dosage regimens used, neither drug adequately controlled moderate to severe pain in the immediate postoperative period. Patients receiving ketorolac experienced significantly less drowsiness than those given morphine, and some subjects in each experienced nausea. No serious adverse effects were reported.
Replacement of Lysine by Hydroxylysine and Its Effects on Cell Lysis in Streptococcus faecalis

Shockman, Gerald D. (Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa.), J. Stuart Thompson, and Margaret J. Conover. Replacement of lysine by hydroxylysine and its effects on cell lysis in Streptococcus faecalis. J. Bacteriol. 90:575–588. 1965.—Hydroxylysine was not significantly incorporated by Streptococcus faecalis ATCC 9790 or 8043 until exponential growth ceased as a result of lysine exhaustion. Uptake was then rapid and virtually complete within 1 hr. Lysine absence, rather than physiological age, seemed to be the governing factor. Hydroxylysine uptake rapidly reached a peak in the acid-soluble fraction, suggesting a precursor role for substances in this fraction. Substitution of hydroxylysine for lysine was much more efficient in mucopeptide synthesis than in protein synthesis. In wall medium, less than 1% of the incorporated hydroxylysine was found in the protein fraction. Addition of lysine to both growth and wall media inhibited both further hydroxylysine uptake and transfer of hydroxylysine from acid-soluble to mucopeptide or protein fractions. Hydroxylysine resulted in decreased penicillin susceptibility only after it was postexponentially incorporated. This effect was physiologically similar to that seen after threonine deprivation or chloramphenicol treatment. Hydroxylysine incorporation increased resistance to autolysis, but failed to decrease lysozyme susceptibility when measured after heat inactivation of autolysis. Electron microscopy of negatively stained cells showed increased thickness of cell walls containing hydroxylysine. Thus, most of the effects of replacement of lysine by hydroxylysine resemble those seen after deprivation of a nonwall amino acid (e.g., threonine or valine) or after chloramphenicol treatment. Each of these conditions results in inhibition of protein synthesis while permitting cell-wall synthesis to continue, resulting in autolysis-resistant, thick-walled cells.