cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Facilitating functional complexity: Differentiated linguistic scaffolding in two-way Spanish-English immersion

This article reports on a dissertation study that explored the efficacy of language-focused differentiated instruction targeted to facilitate student oral proficiency development. The study took place in a linguistically diverse Grade 3 immersion classroom. Students’ (n = 24) oral proficiency was assessed and focal student language was evaluated at different stages of the study with attention to complexity measures. The teacher and researcher collaboratively designed instructional language supports to promote more complex language production during math and reading classes. Overall, students expanded their language complexity although Spanish home language (SHL) students appeared to benefit less than English home language students. A functional approach to language development was key to the study as students took more risks to meet their communicative needs, thereby expanding their linguistic repertoires. The teacher provided increasingly more complex alternatives for students to integrate into their classroom interactions, particularly for SHL students.
Signal processing techniques for enhancing multispectral images of ancient documents

Digital multispectral imaging (MSI) has been widely adopted to aid in the study of ancient artefacts including paintings and documents. MSI is able to capture views of the subject at multiple narrowband wavelengths ranging from the ultraviolet through the infrared. Stacking the imagery data in three dimensions creates a large image data cube which can be processed using statistical signal and image processing techniques. This paper is a brief review of how signal processing can aid in reducing three general problem areas that may be present in MSI data sets of ancient documents, namely: image fusion, ink identification, and bleed-through removal.
Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies do not significantly increase the risk of finding iodine avid metastases on post-radioactive iodine ablation scan in low-risk thyroid cancer patients

Post-operative thyroglobulin (Tg) levels can predict the likelihood of residual cancer, including distant metastases, thereby influencing postsurgical treatment strategies even in patients with low-risk disease. Circulating anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (anti-Tg Abs) interfere with Tg measurement preventing this clinical use. It is not known if the presence of anti-Tg Abs predicts metastatic disease on post-therapy scan in patients with low-risk disease or if they should influence the use or dose of I-131 therapy. In the present study, we compare post-therapy scans in low-risk patients with and without anti-Tg Abs. This is a single-institution retrospective study. The study population (Group A) included all patients with low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) who underwent total thyroidectomy and RAI between 1/1/2006 to 9/11/2015 with intrathyroidal T1-T2, Nx, N0 or N1a (≤5 nodes all measuring, when reported, <2 mm) that had anti-thyroglobulin antibodies. Patients were excluded if they had known distant metastases and/or extensive vascular invasion. A second group of patients (Group B) treated during the same period but without anti-Tg antibodies was selected to match group A by propensity core matching with a logistic regression model. Each group included 37 patients. In group A: Median age was 40 years, 86% female and 76% PTC. Median tumor size was 2 cm (0.2–3.8), 32% had multifocal disease, 16% were N1a and 4% had vascular invasion. Parameters in group B were not statistically different from Group A, as expected based on the selection criteria, except being less likely to have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis on pathology (p < 0.001). Post-therapy scan results were compared by Chi-square test with 86% negative post therapy scan frequency in group A and 92% in group B without evidence of a difference (p = 0.45). In patients with low-risk DTC, anti-Tg Abs did not significantly predict metastatic disease on post-therapy scan. If confirmed, these data suggest that the presence of anti-Tg Abs alone should not influence initial therapy in patients with low-risk DTC.
Health Education as a Requirement for Certification of Secondary School Teachers

Abstract This study is a continuation of an investigation begun in 1949 and discloses the changes in health education requirements for the certification of secondary school teachers between October 1951 and October 1953. These changes include the extent of health education as a requirement in general education, professional education, and in the special fields for certification of secondary school teachers in the 48 states and in the District of Columbia and the health education differences as certification requirements among the states.
Abstract 3107: Targeting nanotherapeutics to the invasive glioblastoma margin via the cell surface receptor Fn14

The most common and deadly form of primary brain cancer, glioblastoma (GBM), is characterized by significant intratumoral heterogeneity, high vascularity, and infiltrative growth. Delivering effective and sustained treatments to the invading GBM cells without worsening damage to the adjacent brain is a major challenge. We aim to develop an innovative, local delivery approach that couples chemotherapy-loaded brain penetrating biodegradable nanoparticles with tumor cell-targeting capabilities and convection enhanced delivery (CED). We formulated sub-100 nm sized, close to neutrally charged, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG) nanoparticles with ~5% w/w carmustine (BCNU) payload coated with a fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14) antibody to specifically target Fn14-positive brain-invading tumor cells. We observed that PLGA surface modification using non-adhesive PEG allowed nanoparticles to rapidly move through brain tissue in ex vivo rat brain slices, potentially increasing the distribution of delivered therapeutics. We showed that Fn14-targeted nanoparticles were able to selectively bind to recombinant Fn14 but not to brain extracellular matrix proteins in surface plasmon resonance assays, as well as diffuse within brain tissue in multiple particle tracking assays. In addition, when administered intracranially, Fn14-targeted nanoparticles showed improved brain tumor retention in C57BL/6 mice bearing orthotopic KR158B tumors compared to non-targeted nanoparticles. We propose that targeting treatments to invading cancer cells using non-adhesive nanoparticles will limit non-specific interactions within brain and tumor tissue and thereby allow specific interactions at target structures and increase the BCNU therapeutic index. To test this hypothesis, we plan to determine the therapeutic efficacy of Fn14-targeted and non-targeted, non-adhesive nanoparticles, capable of releasing BCNU over a 3 week period, by intracranial CED injections in C57BL/6 mice bearing orthotopic KR158B invasive tumors. Citation Format: Aniket S. Wadajkar, Jimena G. Dancy, Nina P. Connolly, Jeffrey A. Winkles, Graeme F. Woodworth, Anthony J. Kim. Targeting nanotherapeutics to the invasive glioblastoma margin via the cell surface receptor Fn14 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3107. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3107
Black Feminist Hip-Hop Rhetorics and the Digital Public Sphere

AbstractDigital public discourse spaces like Twitter and blogs like The Crunk Feminist Collective allow for Black voices not only to be inserted in the mainstream media, but to transform those media to focus on their needs from their perspective. These digital counterdiscourses challenge the traditional boundaries between the academy and the community, and invite students and scholars to consider the real-world uses of writing and technology and its ability to change the world.
Integrated catalytic sequences for catalytic upgrading of bio-derived carboxylic acids to fuels, lubricants and chemical feedstocks

In the late 1850s, Charles Friedel's dry distillation of calcium acetate gave the world a novel route to the commercial production of acetone, a process that would later be referred to as decarboxylative dehydration (ketonization). While the subsequent development of the petrochemical industry made this route to acetone uncompetitive, today there is considerable interest in ketonization as means for converting biomass-derived fatty acids to produce longer-chained ketones, which could serve as precursors to fuels and lubricants. However, the lack of strategies beyond direct hydrogenation of the ketones into hydrocarbons has limited the practical application of ketonization for producing biofuels. We describe here integrated catalytic sequences for converting a range of biomass-derived carboxylic acids, sourced through fermentation of sugars, hydrolysis of lipids, or biomass pyrolysis, to compounds that are fully compatible with the existing energy infrastructure and require minimal hydrogen input.
Towards intelligent geospatial data discovery: a machine learning framework for search ranking

ABSTRACTCurrent search engines in most geospatial data portals tend to induce users to focus on one single-data characteristic dimension (e.g. popularity and release date). This approach largely fails to take account of users’ multidimensional preferences for geospatial data, and hence may likely result in a less than optimal user experience in discovering the most applicable dataset. This study reports a machine learning framework to address the ranking challenge, the fundamental obstacle in geospatial data discovery, by (1) identifying a number of ranking features of geospatial data to represent users’ multidimensional preferences by considering semantics, user behavior, spatial similarity, and static dataset metadata attributes; (2) applying a machine learning method to automatically learn a ranking function; and (3) proposing a system architecture to combine existing search-oriented open source software, semantic knowledge base, ranking feature extraction, and machine learning algorithm. Results show ...
Naive Bayesian inference of handwritten digits using a memristive associative memory

Although Bayesian inference enhances intelligent probabilistic computing systems, it is computationally expensive and not efficient to implement on traditional von Neumann architectures. In this paper we propose a simple and novel way to implement approximate Bayesian inference that relies on the Naive Bayes Nearest Neighbour (NBNN) algorithm using memristors. We also show that incorporating variable prior probabilities helps the inference process and helps in saving ≈ 300x the power because we can lower the input voltage without having to sacrifice significant performance. We tested our system with the MNIST dataset and showed that it can perform up to ≈ 2–4% better by including variable priors.
Extraction of protein-protein interactions using natural language processing based pattern matching

A significant part of our knowledge is relationships between two terms. However, most of these information is documented as unstructured text in various forms, like books, online articles and webpages. Extract those information and store them in a structured database could help people utilize these information more conveniently. In this study, we proposed a novel approach to extract the relationships information based on Nature Language Processing (NLP) and graph theoretic algorithm. Our method, Grammatical Relationship Graph for Triplets (GRGT), extracts three layers of information: the pairs of terms that have certain relationship, exactly what type of the relationship is, and what direct this relationship is. GRGT works on a grammatical graph obtained by parsed the sentence using Natural Language Processing. Patterns were extracted from the graph by shortest path among the words of interests. We have designed a decision tree to make the pattern matching. GRGT was applied to extract the protein-protein-interactions (PPIs) from biomedical literature, and obtained better precision than the best performing method in literature. Beyond extracting PPIs, our method could be easily extended to extracting relationship information between other bioentities.
Concerned, meet terrified: Intersectional feminism and the Women's March

Abstract The first US Women's March on January 21, 2017 seemingly had the potential to unite women across race. To assess the progress of feminism towards an increasingly intersectional feminist approach, the authors collected and analyzed interview data from 20 young African American women who shared their impressions of the Women's March that followed Donald Trump's inauguration during the month after the march. Interviewees believed that Trump's election and his sexism spurred the march, prompting the participation of many women who had not previously embraced feminism. Interviewees suggested that the march provided white women with a means to protest the election rather than a way to address social injustice disproportionately affecting lower social classes and people of color. Interviewees believed that a racially inclusive feminist movement would remain elusive without a greater commitment to intersectional feminism.
Plateau targeted conditioning: An additive-free approach towards robust SEI formation in Li-S batteries for enhanced capacity and cycle life

Abstract Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) is one of the most promising next-generation lithium-ion battery systems due to its high theoretical specific capacity. However, Li-S batteries suffer from a short cycling life, poor mechanical stability and low coulombic efficiency. Developing a robust solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) plays a critical role in alleviating these issues. Current approaches for a robust SEI are mostly based on using additives, which negatively impact the energy density. Herein, newly developed electrochemical conditioning techniques were applied to study their effects on the formation of the SEI in Li-S batteries. The dynamic mechanisms in the battery associated with each conditioning technique were investigated using city and highway models based on real world driving conditions. City and highway models incorporated various electrochemical characterization techniques while introducing varying levels of cycling stress. As an additive free approach, the novel plateau targeted conditioning method improves Li-S SEI formation that increases battery capacity and cycling stability. This work will pave the way for the realization of additive free approaches to improving the performance of Li-S batteries.
Defect Structure and Generation Mechanisms at the Si/SiO2 Interface

We first review recent work elucidating the oxide structure around the Pb center and illustrating important chemical differences among defects at the (100) interface. Then we present new results concerning the identification of defects generated by hot electrons in the gate oxide of devices. Using electrically-detected magnetic resonance to study interface degradation in MOSFETs, we observe the generation of Pb0 centers by hot-electron stress at fields above the electron heating threshold. In contrast, no Pb0 centers are created by electron-hole recombination near the interface, even though this process generates interface states.
The Moderating Influence of Privacy Concern on the Efficacy of Privacy Assurance Mechanisms for Building Trust: A Multiple-Context Investigation

Privacy policy statements and privacy-assurance cues are among the most important website features that online providers use to alleviate web customers’ privacy concern. This study examines the moderating role of privacy concern on how the quality of privacy policy statements and privacy assurance cues contribute to increased trust, and the subsequent decision to disclose private information online. The results of this study show distinct behavioral differences between how individuals with high versus low privacy concern form their trust to disclose private information across different contexts. The paper adds to the trust literature by highlighting the influence of the customer’s level of privacy concern (as who) and of the context (as where). The paper also adds to the Elaboration Likelihood Model Theory (ELM) by demonstrating the combined moderating roles of context and degree of involvement (privacy concern).
Effects of oral contraceptives on anions and cations of human cervical mucus

With the use of oral contraceptives, the secretion of mucus reduced and increased in content of dry matter and elasticity; little or no fern appeared. The mucus becomes hostile toward sperm migration. Mucus contains sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and calcium in the order: Na > K > Mg > Ca > Zn. The concentration of sodium chloride is not effected by the use of oral contraceptives. The concentration of potassium chloride slightly increases with the use of oral contraceptives; however, this change is not significant, although the conductivity of the mucus alters. The contents of magnesium, zinc, and calcium are not effected by the use of oral contraceptives; however, the determinations are rather uncertain due to the small amount of the samples. With the use of contraceptives, no sharp peak of sodium chloride occurred in mid cycle (in dry mucus) as compared with normal. Iron is found to be present only in bloody mucus.
Cross-Cultural and Religious Perspectives

Two interacting sources and energies mold an individual’s development and experiences as a sexual person. On the endogenous side, emerging psychobiologic sexual identity develops from the synergisms of genes, hormones, anatomy, body self-image, and gender identity. On the exogenous side, the individual experiences a constant bombardment of social scripting (3) Together, these two forces of sources create the unique realities of sexual identity and experience.
A Novel Mouse Model of Inducible Lymphangiogenesis Through Controlled Local Expression of VEGF-D

Lymphatic vessels are an integral part of the body’s circulatory system. Lymphatic circulation modulates tissue fluid balance and inflammation and provides a conduit for endocrine and lipid transpo...
Adjustable sockets may improve residual limb fluid volume retention in transtibial prosthesis users

Background:Loss of residual limb volume degrades socket fit and may require accommodation.Objectives:To examine if either of two accommodation strategies executed during resting, socket release wit...
Flow and transport in fractured poroelastic media

We study flow and transport in fractured poroelastic media using Stokes flow in the fractures and the Biot model in the porous media. The Stokes–Biot model is coupled with an advection–diffusion equation for modeling transport of chemical species within the fluid. The continuity of flux on the fracture-matrix interfaces is imposed via a Lagrange multiplier. The coupled system is discretized by a finite element method using Stokes elements, mixed Darcy elements, conforming displacement elements, and discontinuous Galerkin for transport. The stability and convergence of the coupled scheme are analyzed. Computational results verifying the theory as well as simulations of flow and transport in fractured poroelastic media are presented.
Using a Data-Driven Approach to Unveil Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensities of Different Pulp and Paper Products

Abstract Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been used to evaluate the life-cycle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of pulp and paper production, and most previous studies rely on process-based models for specific product types (e.g., printing paper), industry-average data, or information from a few mills. In this work, a data-driven approach is used to quantify GHG emissions intensities of different paper products manufactured by the U.S. mills. Facility-level emission data collected from publically available governmental databases and mill-level production data collected from the private sector were integrated to track the GHG emissions for different product lines and paper products in mills (in total, 165 mills were matched and analyzed). The results highlight the ranges of GHG emissions intensities by different product groups and categories, and can be used as a transparent data source for LCA practitioners, policymakers, and the pulp and paper industry to perform further analysis on carbon accounting and strategic planning for GHG mitigation.
Organizational readiness for wellness promotion - a survey of 100 African American church leaders in South Los Angeles.

Churches are an important asset and a trusted resource in the African American community. We needed a better understanding of their readiness to engage in health promotion before launching a large-scale health promotion effort in partnership with South Los Angeles churches. In 2017, we conducted surveys with leaders of 100 churches. Surveys were conducted face-to-face (32%) or by telephone (68%) with senior pastors (one per church) and lasted on average 48 min. We compared small (less than 50 active members), medium (50–99 active members) and large churches (at least 100 active members), and assessed which church characteristics were associated with the implementation of wellness activities. Medium and large churches conducted significantly more wellness activities than small churches and were more likely to have wellness champions and health policies. Regardless of church size, insufficient budget was the most commonly cited barrier to implement wellness activities (85%). A substantial proportion of churches was not sure how to implement wellness activities (61%) and lacked volunteers (58%). Forty-five percent of the variation in the number of wellness activities in the last 12 months was explained by church characteristics, such as size of congregation, number of paid staff, leadership engagement, having a wellness ministry and barriers. Many churches in South Los Angeles are actively engaged in health promotion activities, despite a general lack of resources. We recommend a comprehensive assessment of church characteristics in intervention studies to enable the use of strategies (e.g., stratification by size) that reduce imbalances that could mask or magnify study outcomes. Our data provide empirical support for the inner settings construct of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research in the context of health promotion in African American churches.
Osteolytic lesion of the mandible in a 42-year-old female

A case of metastatic breast cancer with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws is described in a 42-year-old Hispanic female who was previously unaware of a preexisting breast carcinoma. Radiographic examination demonstrated the absence of visible lamina dura and periodontal ligament on teeth in the affected area; while clinical examination demonstrated a moderately diffuse swelling of the right mandible and vestibule without distinct masses. Microscopy revealed disordered lesional cells with moderate variations in nuclear size, shape, and chromaticity, with a low mitotic index. Also noted were segments of necrotic remodeled resorbed lamellar bone showing enlarged empty osteocytic lacunae, a serrated external surface, adherent granular basophilic bacteria, and a fibrinous exudate with neutrophils.
The Burden of Meniscus Injury in Young and Physically Active Populations

Meniscus injuries affect the young and physically active population. Although meniscus injuries are common in many sports, football, soccer, basketball, and wrestling are associated with the greatest risk. In an occupational setting, jobs requiring kneeling, squatting, and increased physical activity level have the greatest risk. Meniscus injury can be isolated to the meniscus or associated with other concomitant injuries, including anterior cruciate ligament tears and tibial plateau fractures. The frequency of meniscal repair is increasing because of a better understanding of meniscal pathophysiology, technological advancements, and a focus on meniscal preservation following injury to mitigate long-term consequences such as osteoarthritis.
Detecting Herpesvirus By Negative Contrast Electon Microscopy in Tissue and Cell Culture From Mule Deer with Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis

Mule deer are infected with a herpesvirus associated with acute infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) or “pink eye”. in December 2000, many young male mule deer in Wyoming had clinical signs of IKC including corneal edema, mucopuvulent conjuctivitis, blepharospasm, and blindness.Conjunctival swab samples from 5 mule deer with IKC were processed for negative contrast electron microscopy (NCEM) at the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory (WSVL). Homogenized samples from each deer were centrifuged for 20 minutes at 3440g in a Beckman Avanti J-25 centrifuge (Beckman Instruments Inc., Fullerton, CA, USA). The supernatant from each sample was subsequently centrifuged for 60 minutes at 39,800g. The final pellet was resuspended in 210 μl of sterile deionized microfiltered water. 105 μ1 of the virus suspension was mixed with sodium phosphotungstic acid stain containing 84 μl of 4% aqueous phoshotungstic acid, pH 6.8 with NaOH, 420 μl sterile, deionized microfiltered water, and 21 μl 0.1% bovine serum albumin.
Trait anxiety and adolescent's academic achievement: The role of executive function

Abstract Research has demonstrated a strong association between self-regulation, in particular executive function (EF), and academic achievement in children. There is evidence suggesting that anxiety, common among children and adolescents, is associated with poor academic achievement and academic failure. Although results from studies with adults indicate that trait anxiety and self-regulation are related, less attention has been given to examining this relation among adolescents. The goals of this study were to examine the associations among EF, trait anxiety and academic achievement and to test the mediating role of EF on the relation between trait anxiety and academic achievement among adolescents. A sample of 174 sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students (M age = 12.78, SD = 1.18) were recruited from middle schools and summer programs in Florida. Students completed measures of working memory (WM), inhibitory control (IC), shifting (SH), trait anxiety, and reading and math skills. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to determine the best fitting structure of EF. Mediational analyses were conducted to examine the indirect effects of EF on the relation between trait anxiety and each academic outcome. A two-factor model of EF (WM and combined IC and SH) provided the best fit to the data. The Trait Anxiety factor was positively related to both EF factors but there was no difference in the strength of the associations. WM mediated the relation between Trait Anxiety and academic outcomes. The findings suggest that trait anxiety may enhance WM, which could lead to improvements in academic achievement in adolescents.
Alzheimer's-Like Pathology at the Crossroads of HIV-Associated Neurological Disorders.

Despite the widespread success of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in suppressing viremia, the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated neurological disorders (HAND) and associated comorbidities such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-like symptomatology is higher among people living with HIV. The pathophysiology of observed deficits in HAND is well understood. However, it has been suggested that it is exacerbated by aging. Epidemiological studies have suggested comparable concentrations of the toxic amyloid protein, amyloid-β42 (Aβ42), in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of HAND patients and in the brains of patients with dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Apart from abnormal amyloid-β (Aβ) metabolism in AD, a better understanding of the role of similar pathophysiologic processes in HAND could be of substantial value. The pathogenesis of HAND involves either the direct effects of the virus or the effect of viral proteins, such as Tat, Gp120, or Nef, as well as the effects of antiretrovirals on amyloid metabolism and tauopathy, leading, in turn, to synaptodendritic alterations and neuroinflammatory milieu in the brain. Additionally, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the causative or bystander role of Alzheimer’s-like pathology in HAND, which is a barrier to the development of therapeutics for HAND. This review attempts to highlight the cause–effect relationship of Alzheimer’s-like pathology with HAND, attempting to dissect the role of HIV-1, HIV viral proteins, and antiretrovirals in patient samples, animal models, and cell culture model systems. Biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s-like pathology can serve as a tool to assess the neuronal injury in the brain and the associated cognitive deficits. Understanding the factors contributing to the AD-like pathology associated with HAND could set the stage for the future development of therapeutics aimed at abrogating the disease process.
The change in endometrial thickness following progesterone exposure correlates with in vitro fertilization outcome after transfer of vitrified-warmed blastocysts.

To determine if the change in endometrial thickness following exogenous progesterone (P) initiation correlates with outcome following autologous transfer of a single thawed blastocyst. The study is a retrospective observational cohort study conducted at a private fertility center. Patients scheduled for thawed blastocyst transfer received artificial endometrial preparation (artificial cycle FET) and underwent serial ultrasonography. The main outcomes were the rate of ongoing pregnancy (fetal heart motion at 12 weeks of gestation) and early pregnancy loss. Logistic regression was used to test for correlations between these outcomes and the change in endometrial thickness while adjusting for potential confounders (patient age, embryo quality, and the use of genetic testing). There were 232 qualifying autologous single-blastocyst transfers in the 20-month study period ending 31 December 2019. Mean endometrial thicknesses were 3.8 mm, 10.0 mm, and 11.2 mm at baseline, P initiation, and at transfer, respectively. The change in endometrial thickness after exogenous P exposure ranged from − 5 to + 9 mm and negatively correlated with ongoing pregnancy in logistic regression analyses. Specifically, ongoing pregnancy rates per transfer were 63.2% in 19 cases where endometria compacted by 10% or more, 64.2% in 95 cases where there was unchanged endometrial thickness, and 52.5% in 118 cases where endometria expanded. The change in endometrial thickness after P initiation was associated with the probability of ongoing pregnancy but not with early pregnancy loss. Ongoing pregnancy rates were greater in endometria with negative growth (compaction) when compared to endometria that grew (expanded) after P exposure.
The Periodic Cellular Behaviors Under the Physical Effects of Plasma Medicine

After more than a decade of study, plasma medicine has shown its capability for cancer therapies and sanitations due to its compounding dose of ultraviolet (UV), reactive oxygen, and nitrogen species (RONS) directly and indirectly applied on the targets such as tumors in vivo , bacteria and cancer cell colonies in vitro 1 . However, some recent studies introduced the necrosis of cancer cells after an in vitro cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) treatment with the cell colonies isolated from the plasma chemistry, UV, and thermal effects 2,3 . Apparently, under such a circumstance, only the radiofrequency (RF) emissions from CAPs can be applied to cells. Considering the streamer physics of CAPs, the RF spectrum should include a high-voltage pulse at the discharge frequency as a result of the streamer head approaching and a low-power microwave from the plasma oscillation 4 . According to a previously published simulation, due to the surface charges on the cell membrane, the oscillations of cell membranes occur in micrometer-scale regions at several micrometers-per-second velocities when we are applying an external electric field 5 . In this work, we observed the periodic mechanical cellular behaviors under the external RF using a laser Michelson interferometer. Synchronized with the external RF, a series of high-speed camera images of interference fringes produce 3D and temporally resolved single-cell geometry and membrane behaviors. Therefore, the comparison among various types of cells gives a clue to explain the selectivity and the physical mechanism behind CAP treatments.
Older incarcerated persons' mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE Older incarcerated persons are an especially vulnerable segment of the prison population, with high rates of multimorbidity. This study aims to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older incarcerated persons' mental and physical health. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH Participants were 157 currently-incarcerated persons age ≥50 years who were enrolled in an ongoing longitudinal study before the pandemic. Anxiety symptoms (seven-item generalized anxiety disorder questionnaire), depressive symptoms (eight-item patient health questionnaire) and self-rated health (SRH) were assessed during in-person interviews completed before the pandemic and via mailed surveys during the pandemic (August-September 2020). A mediation model evaluated the relationship among anxiety, depression and SRH. FINDINGS Participants were 96% male, racially diverse (41% White, 41% Black, 18% Hispanic/Other), with average age 56.0(±5.8) years. From before to during the pandemic, anxiety symptoms increased (worsened) (from 6.4 ± 5.7 to 7.8 ± 6.6; p < 0.001), depressive symptoms increased (worsened) (from 5.5 ± 6.0 to 8.1 ± 6.5; p < 0.001) and SRH decreased (worsened) (from 3.0 ± 0.2 to 2.6 ± 0.2; p < 0.001). The total effect of worsening anxiety symptoms on worsening SRH (-0.043; p < 0.001) occurs entirely because of worsening depressive symptoms, i.e. the direct effect was statistically non-significant -0.030 (p = 0.068). PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Older incarcerated persons experienced worsening mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic which was associated with worsening SRH. These findings have implications for health-care costs and services needed to care for this vulnerable group. ORIGINALITY/VALUE This is the first study to evaluate change in older incarcerated persons' mental health from before the COVID-19 pandemic to during the pandemic.
Protocol for Development of a Reporting Guideline for Causal and Counterfactual Prediction Models

[Introduction] While there are protocols for reporting on observational studies (e.g., STROBE, RECORD), estimation of causal effects from both observational data and randomized experiments (e.g., AGREMA, CONSORT), and on prediction modelling(e.g., TRIPOD), none is purposely made for assessing the ability and reliability of models to predict counterfactuals for individuals upon one or more possible interventions, on the basis of given (or inferred) causal structures. This paper describes methods and processes that will be used to develop a reporting guideline for causal and counterfactual prediction models(tentative acronym: PRECOG). [Materials and Methods] PRECOG will be developed following published guidance from the EQUATOR network, and will comprise five stages. Stage 1 will be bi-weekly meetings of a working group with external advisors (active until stage 5). Stage 2 will comprise a scoping/systematic review of literature on counterfactual prediction modelling for biomedical sciences(registered in PROSPERO). In stage 3, we will perform a computer-based, real-time Delphi survey to consolidate the PRECOGchecklist, involving experts in causal inference, statistics, machine learning, prediction modelling and protocols/standards. Stage 4 will involve the write-up of the PRECOG guideline (including its checklist) based on the results from the prior stages. In stage 5, we will work on the publication of the guideline and of the scoping/systematic review as peer-reviewed, open-access papers, and on their dissemination through conferences, websites, and social media. [Conclusions] PRECOG can help researchers and policymakers to carry out and critically appraise causal and counterfactual prediction model studies. PRECOG will also be useful for designing interventions, and we anticipate further expansion of the guideline for specific areas, e.g., pharmaceutical interventions.
Interpretation Objects for Multi-Disciplinary Design

The computer-based representation of semantic meaning for multi-disciplinary design remains a difficult problem. Commercial computer-aided design (CAD) systems which emulate the drafting metaphor are inadequate for representing complex semantics and accommodating dynamic changes during the design stage. Research computer systems which impose a formal symbolic approach for representing designs typically are unable to support fast, multi-faceted visualization and feedback that designers can obtain with pencil and paper. By building upon design theory literature and observation of a case study of an actual building design project, we have identified and devised computational strategies for addressing these needs. We describe a conceptual approach and a prototype implementation, Semantic Modeling Extension (SME), for representing multi-disciplinary semantic meaning of a shared 3D graphic building model. SME is part of an on-going research project which explores the development of an Interdisciplinary Communication Medium (ICM) for collaborative design. Our approach distinguishes sharply between the interactive graphic model necessary for creative design and the symbolic models necessary for automated reasoning, yet provides a dynamic link between the graphic model and the symbolic models. The fundamental concepts discussed in this paper include: (1) Context, a domain of relatively independent reasoning about the design performance; (2) Feature Object, a pointer to a graphic entity and an associated symbolic object, representing the meaning of that graphic entity within a particular Context; (3) Interpretation Object, a Context and an associated list of Features; and (4) Interpretation Manager Object, a list of Interpretation Objects associated with a shared 3D building model to support multiple points of view. The prototype provides an open system integration architecture which enables designers to share a graphic 3D model, yet dynamically support multiple interpretations of the design. We describe the operation of SME with an illustrative example.
Regulator selection and financial performance for public utilities: selection method and the returns experienced by common equity owners

Abstract This paper extends the work of others who have analysed the relationship between regulatory process and regulatory outcome, and examines the hypothesis that there is a difference in regulatory treatment received by public utilities depending on whether their regulators are elected directly by the public or appointed. The hypothesis of differential treatment is tested using the market-based returns and risks realized by the utility's common stockholders. The relevance of these measures is based on the premise that share prices incorporate all information about the future expected cash flows of the firm and thus reveal any perceived differences in the treatment received or expected to be received from the two subsets of regulators. Raw return and risk measures indicate higher returns and lower risks for equity owners of electric utilities regulated by appointed commissioners for the periods 1964–1968 and 1970–1979. The outcome was reversed for the period 1980–1984 with the equity owners of electric utilities regulated by elected commissioners earning higher returns than owners of firms regulated by appointed commissioners. When standard statistical testswere applied, the only significant differences in risk-adjusted returns were those for 1964–1968, when the owners of firms under appointed commissioners earned higher risk-adjusted returns than did owners of firms regulated by elected commissioners.
Selection experiments and the study of phenotypic plasticity1

Abstract Laboratory selection experiments are powerful tools for establishing evolutionary potentials. Such experiments provide two types of information, knowledge about genetic architecture and insight into evolutionary dynamics. They can be roughly classified into two types: (1) artificial selection in which the experimenter selects on a focal trait or trait index, and (2) quasi-natural selection in which the experimenter establishes a set of environmental conditions and then allows the population to evolve. Both approaches have been used in the study of phenotypic plasticity. Artificial selection experiments have taken various forms including: selection directly on a reaction norm, selection on a trait in multiple environments, and selection on a trait in a single environment. In the latter experiments, evolution of phenotypic plasticity is investigated as a correlated response. Quasi-natural selection experiments have examined the effects of both spatial and temporal variation. I describe how to carry out such experiments, summarize past efforts, and suggest further avenues of research.
The survival characteristics of dense sickle cells

Sickle red blood cells (RBCs) become depleted of potassium, leading to dehydration and abnormally elevated cellular density. The increased sickling that results is important for both hemolysis and vasocclusion. In this study, sickle cells were subjected to high-speed centrifugation, and the bottom 15% were isolated. This procedure removed light cells and to a variable degree enriched cells that were denser than normal to produce a high-density-enriched (HDE) population of sickle cells. Autologous HDE cells from 3 subjects were labeled with biotin and re-infused. The following determinations were performed: (1) the survival and density changes of HDE cells; (2) the amount of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) in labeled cells after magnetic isolation; (3) the percentage of labeled F cells; (4) the percentage of labeled cells displaying external phosphatidylserine (PS). For patients with 3.5%, 4.5%, and 24% HbF in the HDE RBCs, the circulation half-time was 40, 80, and 180 hours, respectively. The percentage of HbF (measured in all 3 subjects) and of F cells (measured in 2 subjects) in labeled RBCs increased with time after re-infusion, indicating that HDE F cells have longer in vivo survival than HDE non-F cells. The percentage of PS(+), biotin-labeled HDE cells showed no consistent increase or decrease with time after re-infusion. These data provide evidence that HDE sickle cells, especially those that do not contain HbF, have a very short in vivo survival, and that the percentage of PS(+) cells in a re-infused HDE population does not change in a consistent manner as these cells age in the circulation.
Developmentally Regulated Spontaneous Activity in the Embryonic Chick Retina

Even before birth and the onset of sensory experience, neural activity plays an important role in shaping the vertebrate nervous system. In the embryonic chick visual system, activity in the retina before vision has been implicated in the refinement of retinotopic maps, the elimination of transient projections, and the survival of a full complement of neurons. In this study, we report the detection of a physiological substrate for these phenomena: waves of spontaneous activity in the ganglion cell layer of the embryonic chick retina. The activity is robust and highly patterned, taking the form of large amplitude, rhythmic, and wide-ranging waves of excitation that propagate across the retina. Activity waves are most prominent and organized between embryonic days 13–18, coinciding with the developmental period during which retinal axons refine their connections in their targets. The spatial and temporal features of the patterns observed are consistent with the role of activity patterns in shaping eye-specific projections and retinotopic maps but inconsistent with the hypothesis that they specify lamina-specific projections in the tectum. Antagonists of glutamatergic and glycinergic transmission and of gap junctional communication suppress spontaneous activity, whereas antagonists to GABAergic transmission potentiate it. Based on these results, we propose that spontaneous activity in the ganglion cells is regulated by chemical inputs from both bipolar and amacrine cells and by gap junctional coupling involving ganglion cells.
Lung transplantation and concomitant cardiac surgery: Is it justified?

Abstract Objective Increasing numbers of lung transplant candidates have cardiac conditions that affect their survival after transplantation. Our objective was to determine if patients who undergo concomitant cardiac surgery (CCS) during the lung transplant procedure have similar outcomes, as a cohort of isolated lung transplant recipients. Methods This was a retrospective, observational, matched-cohort analysis. The records of lung transplant recipients who underwent CCS from August 2000 to August 2013 were reviewed. A cohort of isolated lung transplant recipients, matched on the basis of age, lung allocation score, diagnosis, type of procedure, and era, was identified. The primary endpoint of this trial was 5-year survival. The secondary endpoints were primary graft dysfunction, grade III, at 72 hours, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay, and 5-year major adverse cardiac event rates. Results A total of 120 patients underwent lung transplantation and CCS. Compared with the isolated lung transplant group, the donor, recipient, and operation characteristics were similar. No difference was found in the survival of the 2 groups for up to 5 years, or in the incidence of primary graft dysfunction Grade III at 72 hours, intensive care unit length of stay, invasive ventilation, hospital length of stay, or incidence of 5-year major adverse cardiac events. Conclusions Lung transplant recipients undergoing CCS have early and midterm clinical outcomes similar to those of isolated lung transplant recipients. Given that this report is the largest published experience, offering cardiac surgery at the time of lung transplantation, to selected patients, remains justified.
ID: 32: Roles of A-to-I editing by RNA adenosine deaminase ADAR1 in innate immunity RNA sensing

ADAR1, an interferon inducible adenosine deaminase acting on RNA, catalyzes the C6 deamination of adenosine (A) to produce inosine (I) in RNA with double-stranded (ds) character, leading to genetic recoding and altered RNA structure as I pairs as G instead of A. Adar1 expression occurs from multiple promoters and encodes an IFN-inducible p150 cytoplasmic protein and a constitutively expressed N-terminally truncated p110 nuclear protein. The roles of ADAR1 p150 and p110 in uninfected and virus-infected cells were examined using human cell clones stably deficient in ADAR1, mouse cells genetically deficient in ADAR1, and by complementation strategies. Exemplified by measles virus (MV) infected cells, ADAR1 suppressed activation of PKR and IRF3, suppressed IFN β induction, and protected cells from stress granule formation and cytopathic damage. RNA expression profiles and A-to-I editing were characterized by qPCR and RNA deep sequencing, with differences found between CKO mutant and parental MV infections, and between untreated and IFN-treated uninfected cells. Both non-self (viral) and self (cellular) RNAs with ds character were identified and their editing characterized. Results obtained with mouse cells genetically deficient in either adar1 or the related deaminase adar2, or stat1 or stat2, suggest a central role of ADAR1 in overall A-to-I editing and p150 in the IFN-induced editing and innate immunity RNA sensing. In summary, ADAR1 behaved as an anti-apoptotic host factor that suppressed innate immune activities and was pro-viral. Our findings furthermore implicate a balanced interplay between PKR and ADAR1, two IFN inducible dsRNA binding enzymes, in modulating IFN β protein production and stress responses.
Electrical slow waves in oviductal smooth muscle of the guinea-pig, mouse and the immature baboon.

Oviducts of the guinea-pig, mouse and immature baboon show prominent electrical slow waves. In the guinea-pig oviduct they are 40–50 mV in amplitude and have a duration of 1.5 sec in the isthmus. Slow waves in these tissues propagate at a speed of 1–13 mm/sec.