cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The assessment of non-pathogenic related effects of the seed treatment Stamina on germinating maize under cold stress

Maize is an important crop grown in the Midwest. Low temperatures in this region can cause irreversible damage to maize, limiting stand establishment and ultimately affecting yield. Fungal contamination also contributes to poor stand establishment, affecting yield. A new seed treatment fungicide for maize (Stamina) has shown positive effects on maize plants under cold stress, not related to protection against fungi. The goal of this project was to determine whether the seed treatment Stamina protects maize seedlings from cold stress or freezing injury by enhancing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in maize seedlings. In this study, three seed treatments (Stamina and a binding agent, binding agent only, and no treatment) were used for each of three seed lots. Seeds were planted and grown at 10°C for seven days, followed by four days at 25°C. At the end of the four days at 25°C, seedlings were moved back to 10°C for ten days to provide additional stress. Seedling height, dry weight, and SOD were measured at the end of the 25°C treatment (Point A), as well as at the end of the second stress (Point B). Freeze injury was measured at Point B at three temperatures: -1.0°C, -1.5°C, and -2.0°C. Stamina treated seedlings were taller and contained greater SOD activity at Point A, compared to seedlings treated with binders or no treatment. Stamina treated seedlings were taller and heavier than seedlings treated with binders or no treatment at Point B, but no differences in SOD activity were found. The effects of temperature, seed lot, and treatment were variable over all levels in the freezing assay. Variability in injury was most evident at -1.5°C. These results indicate Stamina provides protection against oxidative stress at Point A, evidenced by increased SOD activity. This leads to greater performance in seedling height. Mean relative growth rate measurements
Effects of inter-layer magnetic interactions in multilayered CoCrTa/Cr thin film media

The magnetic properties and media noise of double-magnetic-layer longitudinal CoCrTa/Cr thin-film media were investigated as a function of the Cr separation layer thickness. It is found that the media noise power decreases rapidly for initial increase of Cr separation layer thickness (10 AA approximately 25 AA) and gradually increases for further increase of Cr spacer thickness (25 AA approximately 300 AA). The highest signal-to-noise ratio improvement obtained was 5.5 dB for a double magnetic layer film with 25 AA Cr separation, rather than the expected 3 dB for the film with thicker Cr separation. The remanent magnetization delta M-curves vs. applied field are utilized to study the magnetic interactions between the two magnetic layers. The results indicate that 25 AA Cr separation layer is adequate to decouple the two magnetic layers from exchange coupling, and the magnetostatic interactions between two magnetic layers can alter the effects of the magnetic interactions inside the magnetic layers so as to further reduce the media noise. >
Eigenvalue problem for singular potentials

The self-adjoint extensions of −d2/dx2−λx−n,n≧2, on [0, ∞) are described in terms of an inhomogeneous boundary value problem. The eigenvalue equation may be obtained in terms of the connection coefficients, connecting the solutions at zero and infinity.
Working Toward a Solution: The Unanswered Questions About Silicone Gel Breast Implants.

In this issue, Balk and colleagues perform an updated review of the long-term health outcomes of silicone gel breast implants. The editorialists discuss the importance of optimization of data colle...
Predicting tool operator capacity to react against torque within acceptable handle deflection limits in automotive assembly

The proportion of tool operators capable of maintaining published psychophysically derived threaded fastener tool handle deflection limits were predicted using a biodynamic tool operator model, interacting with the tool, task and workstation. Tool parameters, including geometry, speed and torque were obtained from the specifications for 35 tools used in an auto assembly plant. Tool mass moments of inertia were measured for these tools using a novel device that engages the tool in a rotating system of known inertia. Task parameters, including fastener target torque and joint properties (soft, medium or hard), were ascertained from the vehicle design specifications. Workstation parameters, including vertical and horizontal distances from the operator were measured using a laser rangefinder for 69 tool installations in the plant. These parameters were entered into the model and tool handle deflection was predicted for each job. While handle deflection for most jobs did not exceed the capacity of 75% females and 99% males, six jobs exceeded the deflection criterion. Those tool installations were examined and modifications in tool speed and operator position improved those jobs within the deflection limits, as predicted by the model. We conclude that biodynamic tool operator models may be useful for identifying stressful tool installations and interventions that bring them within the capacity of most operators.
Immigration and Democratic Principles: On Carens’ Ethics of Immigration

Carens has done more than any other political theorist or philosopher to develop the normative perspective of prospective migrants from within the liberal democratic tradition, but he has not sufficiently engaged with the other side of the argument – in particular, with the value of political community and the principle of collective self-determination. What is at stake for the immigrant-receiving country that might justify its claim to control immigration? I first examine Carens’ theory of social membership and its connection to political community. I then discuss his method of ‘political theory from the ground up’ and his interpretation of democratic principles. I conclude with a discussion of the principle of collective self-determination.
Constraints on the P-V-T equation of state of MgSiO3 perovskite

Equation of state fits to experimental P,V,T data were examined by the inversion of synthetic data sets using the thermoelastic parameters of MgSiO 3 perovskite. Our results show that by extending the pressure and temperature range to 130 GPa and 2500 K, the volume dependence of the Gruneisen parameter, q (=∂lnγ/∂lnV), could be resolved to ~10% under the best circumstances. However, simulations also showed strong correlation between the bulk modulus, K T 0 , and its pressure derivative, K ′ T T 0 , and q within the currently accepted uncertainty of elastic parameters for MgSiO 3 perovskite. We considered the effect of random error based on the reported uncertainty for different measurement techniques. Even though the laser heated diamond-anvil cell (LHDAC) technique has significantly larger temperature uncertainty, the ability to extend the pressure and temperature ranges allows for improved resolution of higher order thermodynamic parameters. However, systematic error from temperature inhomogeneity in the LHDAC sample could result in overestimation of q . We also performed Birch-Murhanghan-Debye (BMD) equation of state (EOS) fits for currently available data sets. Consistent with the simulation results, combining recent LHDAC (Fiquet et al. 1998) and resistance heated diamond-anvil cell (RHDAC) (Saxena et al. 1999) with lower P-T measurements (Ross and Hazen 1989; Wang et al. 1994; Utsumi et al. 1995; Funamori et al. 1996) we obtained q = 2.0(3) and γ 0 = 1.42(4). The difference between q = 2.0(3) and the normally assumed value of q =1 strongly affects calculated values for higher order thermoelastic parameters [e.g., α, (∂ K T /∂ T ) P ] as well as first order parameters, such as density and bulk modulus at lower mantle conditions. However, possible systematic error sources need to be further investigated and measurements at higher P-T conditions promise to yield better constraints on the thermoelastic parameters of MgSiO 3 perovskite.
Decision-Making and Leading Through Crisis

During a discussion, a physician once pointed to the name on his lab jacket and said, â¬SMDâ¬ makes decisions!â¬? One of the greatest challenges we face in cultivating leadership competence is being centered and skillful in the midst of difficult and upsetting situations, or during times of crisis. Each of the three vignettes in this case offers an opportunity to practice decision-making in challenging situations. The material helps students focus on decision-making. What guides effective decision-making? The vignettes present situations that can be used to describe common approaches to decision-making and explore problems or challenges with traditional decision-making.
Hemagglutination reaction in streptococcal infections and acute rheumatic fever.

Summary and Conclusions(1) The hemagglutination technic of Middlebrook and Dubos has been applied to the study of streptococcal infections and rheumatic fever. Two of 4 streptococcal extracts gave excellent sensitization of sheep erythrocytes. These were the formamide extract, containing the group specific carbohydrate, and a concentrated solution of streptolysin O, which is a protein. Surprisingly, hemagglutination titers were identical with a variety of human sera when these two preparations were used as sensitizing antigens. (2) Hemagglutination was shown by many sera in titers ranging from 1:4 to 1:128, but there was no correlation between the magnitude of antistreptolysin and hemagglutination titers. Patients with non-strepto-coccal respiratory infections, streptococcal pharyngitis, and acute rheumatic fever could not be differentiated on the basis of the hemagglutination test. (3) The one consistent observation was that, for any one patient, hemagglutination titers tended to remain constant with bot...
Dielectric Properties of CaCu3Ti4O12-P(VDF-TrFE) Composite

By using conventional solution casting method, a flexible ceramic [CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO)]-Polymer [P(VDF-TrFE)] composite has been fabricated. The CCTO ceramic powders with a relative uniform size were prepared by traditional powder processing method. The dielectric properties of these films with different CCTO fractions were determined. The process was optimized to achieve high dielectric constant. A dielectric constant about 510 at room temperature and 1240 at 95 °C at 1 kHz for 6 layer hot compression was obtained.
Rutkowski, L., von Davier, M., & Rutkowski, D. (Eds.). (2009). Handbook of International Large-Scale Assessment: Background, Technical Issues, and Methods of Data Analysis. New York, NY: CRC Press.

This book is an excellent resource and guide to international large-scale assessments, or ILSAs. The three editors have done an excellent job identifying a group of prominent scholars whose experti...
Simultaneous determination of five disinfectant by-products in drinking water by ion chromatography

Objective: To simultaneous determine the content of BrO-3;ClO-2;ClO-3;DCAA;TCAA in drinking water by ion chromatography.Methods:The antibiotics were separated on DIONEX Ionpac AS19-2mm with KOH as the gradient eluent which was produced online by RFIC eluent generator,then detected by the suppressed conductivity detector with the injection volume of 200 μl.Results:The detection limits were BrO-3,ClO-2 0.65 μg/L,ClO-3 0.50 μg/L,DACC 2.00 μg/L,TACC 2.00 μg/L.The recovery rate was between 87.8% and 108.0%.Conclusion:The method is simple,accurate and reliable.
Prevention and correction of deformity after severe burns.

Significant developments in pathophysiologic research are outlined, and a program directed to the prevention and correction of postburn deformity is described.
Effect of salinity on 2 H/ 1 H fractionation in lipids from continuous cultures of the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi

Abstract Salinity and temperature dictate the buoyancy of seawater, and by extension, ocean circulation and heat transport. Yet there remain few widely applicable proxies for salinity with the precision necessary to infer all but the largest hydrographic variations in the past. In the last decade the hydrogen isotope composition ( 2 H/ 1 H or δ 2 H) of microalgal lipids has been shown to increase systematically with salinity, providing a foundation for its use as a paleosalinity proxy. Culture and field studies have indicated a wide range of sensitivities for this response, ranging from about 0.6–3.3‰ ppt −1 depending on the lipid, location and/or culturing conditions. Lacking in these studies has been the controlled conditions necessary to isolate the response to salinity while keeping all other growth parameters constant. Here we show that the hydrogen isotope composition of lipids in the marine coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi grown in chemostats increased by 1.6 ± 0.3‰ ppt −1 ( p −1 ( p −1 . This sensitivity of δ 2 H alkenone to salinity is 45–71% of that previously reported for E. huxleyi , which can be attributed to the fact that previous experiments were performed with batch cultures in which growth rates and other parameters differed between salinity treatments. The underlying cause of this response to salinity remains unknown, but may result from changes in (1) the proportion of lipid hydrogen derived from NADPH versus water, (2) the proportion of lipid hydrogen derived from NADPH from Photosystem I versus the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (and other metabolic sources), or (3) the δ 2 H value of intracellular water.
Simultaneous Improvement of Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of Aluminum Alloys

The use of Al-alloys is limited in many applications due to a dramatic deterioration of the corrosion properties with any effort made to increase the strength. The hardening phases, uniformly distributed fine intermetallics, act as electrochemical heterogeneities and promote galvanic interactions, thus causing localized corrosion. The chemical composition, size, number, and distribution of the intermetallics in the matrix govern the corrosion of Al alloys. Refining the size and doping of intermetallics via microalloying have been found effective in improving corrosion resistance of Al alloys. This paper presents an overview of recent research on: 1) understanding the influence of intermetallics on corrosion of Al alloys and methods to optimize corrosion and mechanical properties by controlling intermetallic formation via advanced production and post-production processing techniques, and 2) development of ultra-high strength and corrosion resistant Al alloys by combining suitable alloying additions and alloy production techniques.
Abstract 5141: Determinants of metastatic competence in breast carcinoma: a role for immune cells

Dynamic interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment influence tumor survival, growth and metastasis. The tumor microenvironment harbors a complex variety of cells including T lymphocytes and macrophages that produce a host of cytokines, chemokines, growth factors or interleukins, all of which presumably work in coordination to determine net tumor biology. Immune cells can offer a critical check-point in tumor progression. Interestingly however, infiltration of the tumor by immune cells appears to have dual functionality - they can reportedly either be pro-metastatic or anti-metastatic in their contribution. These clearly conflicting roles of immune cells limit our comprehension of their actual input to tumor advancement. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, in particular, the infiltration by T cells, has emerged as a good prognostic marker for a variety of cancers. However, the key molecular factors that regulate the cross-talk between tumor cells and T lymphocytes, and the underlying signaling pathways are still ill-defined. Moreover, the impact of T lymphocytes of the inflammatory tumor microenvironment, on the epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity and associated metastatic traits in breast cancer cells, is incompletely understood. We previously demonstrated that two key EMT/CSC factors - FOXC2 and Twist - are critical requirements for breast carcinoma cells to metastasize. The objective of the current study is to systematically investigate the role of regulatory T cells in EMT/CSC-dictated breast tumor progression, using two isogenic breast cancer cell lines (67NR and 4T1) that form primary mammary tumors similarly, but differ drastically in their ability to metastasize. Citation Format: Robiya Joseph, Rama Soundararajan, Anurag Paranjape, Sendurai Mani. Determinants of metastatic competence in breast carcinoma: a role for immune cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 5141.
Outcome of Candida Parapsilosis Complex Infections Treated with Caspofungin in Children.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the correlation of caspofungin E-tests with the prognosis and response to caspofungin therapy of Candida parapsilosis complex bloodstream infections in children hospitalized in pediatric intensive care unit. Methods: All children who had C.parapsilosis complex bloodstream infections and who were treated with caspofungin were included in this retrospective study. For each patient, the following parameters, including all consecutive blood and central venous catheter (CVC) cultures, duration between diagnosis and CVC removal, mortality rate, relapses of the C.parapsilosis complex infections as well as the demographic features, were recorded. Results: The study covered 53 patients with a median age of 11 months. The median duration of C.parapsilosis complex isolation was 31 days. The CVC rescue rate was 33.3% under caspofungin treatment. In 92.4% of the patients, the negative culture was achieved within a median duration of 14 days. The rate of relapses was 18.9%. The overall mortality rate was %37.7 (20 patients) and 30-days mortality rate was 7.5% (4 patients). Conclusions: Caspofungin is an attractive option due to its effects on biofilms in vivo, while the reflection of its affect on C.parapsilosis complex was limited in our study, but it should not be underestimated in children who strongly need the presence of central venous catheters. Moreover, in vivo susceptibility might not always guarantee good clinical response in clinical practice. The clinicians should weigh their priority for their patients and choose the optimal antifungal therapy for C.parapsilosis complex infections in children.
Double the excitement over helium

Collisions are used in many areas of physics to probe basic interactions and particle dynamics in quantum systems, and a new and notable example in atomic physics is the experimental work of J O P Pedersen and P Hvelplund at Aarhus, Denmark (Phys. Rev. Lett. 62 2373). They have studied the double excitation of the electrons in a helium atom target using fast electrons, protons and carbon ions, as part of the continuing saga of exploring the effect of electron correlation during collisions. One important way of doing this is to compare the effect of projectiles of positive versus negative charge, e.g. using protons and antiprotons or electrons.
T-Cell Depleted PBSCT Mitigates Acute GVHD, but Preserves Protective Chronic GVHD. Long Term Follow up of 138 Patients.

Between 1997 and 2004, 138 patients with hematological malignancies had an HLA-identical sibling peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT). Preparative regimen was TBI (12–13.6Gy), cyclophosphamide 120mg/kg +/− fludarabine 125mg/m 2 . T-cell dose was adjusted to 0.2-1 x 10 5 CD3+ cells/kg. CD34 dose was 2.7 – 15.9 x 10 6 /kg (median 5.9). Patients without ≥ grade 2 acute GVHD received 1 or 2 donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) of 10 7 CD3+ cells/kg between days 45 and 100. For GVHD prophylaxis, all patients received cyclosporine (CSA) following the DLI for a minimum of 6 months. In addition 72 patients received CSA in the first 6 weeks post PBSCT and 66 received no CSA immediately post-transplant. Patients were aged between 10–56 (median 34 years). Seventy-seven patients with CML-CP (42), acute leukemia in first remission (22) or MDS RA (10) were designated as standard risk (SR) for transplant outcome. Sixty-one patients with more advance or refractory disease were designated as high risk (HR) for transplant outcome. Seven patients, distributed in both groups had CLL, NHL, MM and CMML. Overall survival, relapse and TRM were 58 ± 4.5%, 40.2 ± 5.5% and 18.4 ± 3.4% respectively after a median follow up of 4 years. Twenty-two patients did not receive DLI, 70 received one and 46 received two DLI. Twenty-three patients had TRM, 2 from graft failure, 5 from acute or chronic GVHD. Fifty two (37%) developed ≥ grade II, and 21 (15%) patients grade III-IV acute GVHD. Forty two (30%) had limited and 30 (22%) extensive chronic GVHD. In univariate Kaplan-Meier analyses standard risk disease, cGVHD, single DLI and day 30 lymphocyte count (LC30) above median, favorably affected overall survival (DLI p=0.002; LC30 p=0.0002, all other variables p In a Cox regression analysis, only cGVHD (RR, 4.268; p=0.001; 95% CI=1.77–10.25) and standard risk (RR, 0.146; p Aggressive T-cell depletion, combined with relatively high doses of CD34+ cells had proven to be a key strategy to minimize TRM and severe aGVHD. Similar to unmanipulated PBSCT this approach appears to provide a protective effect of chronic GVHD, but with low late mortality.
Rituximab Monotherapy in the Management of a Rare Case of an HIV Associated Lymphoproliferative Disorder.

Background. Castleman’s disease (CD), also known as angiofollicular node hyperplasia, is a rare heterogenous lymphoproliferative disorder. This disease exists as two distinct entities: a localized or unicentric CD (UCD) which has a more benign clinical course and multicentric CD (MCD) which is a systemic disease and carries a worse prognosis. MCD is often associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and these patients are usually coinfected with human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8). Rituximab is an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that has become integral to the management of this disease. It is used alone or in combination with chemotherapy to treat MCD. Case Report. We describe a case of a 58-year-old man with HIV and HHV-8 MCD and evidence of organ failure with a poor performance status that went into complete remission after four cycles of therapy with weekly rituximab. Conclusion. HIV-MCD can be challenging to diagnose and to manage. Early recognition can reduce morbidity and mortality associated with the disease. Rituximab monotherapy can be used as a safe and effective treatment option in patients with a poor performance status.
NEUTRON-SPECTRA CALCULATIONS FOR RADIATION-DAMAGE STUDIES

Fast-neutron spectra were computed using three different codes: GNU-II, HFN, GE -HAPO-S-X. Significant diffurences in spectra were seen as codes with varying degrees of refinement were used. GE -RAPO-S-X was chosen for calculating cross section values and testing damage models because of its greater accuracy and wider applicability. The calculations illustrate spectral differences existing at different points in a reactor lattice. The spectra are used to compute relative activation for such fast-neutron flux monitor materials as Ni/ sup 58/, Fe/sup 54/, and Am/sup 243/ and to calculate gross vacancy production using widely varying damage models. From the results it was concluded that calculation of spectra in irradiation facilities is necessary for the proper reduction of monitor activities to neutron exposures and for correlation of observed radiation effects in materials irradiated in dissimilar facilities. (auth)
Audience Participation Games: Blurring the Line Between Player and Spectator

Audience Participation Games challenge traditional assumptions about gameplay by blurring the line between audience and player, allowing audience members to impact gameplay in a meaningful way. Their recent rise in popularity has created new opportunities for game research and development. To better understand this design space, we developed several versions of two prototype games as design probes. We livestreamed them to an online audience in order to develop a framework for audience motivations and participation styles, to explore ways in which mechanics can affect audience members' sense of agency, and to identify promising design spaces. Our results show the breadth of opportunities and challenges that designers face in creating engaging Audience Participation Games.
On the computation of plane-wave impressed fields and far-zone fields of arbitrary current sources in planar multilayer dielectric and plasmonic media

AbstractA unified and succinct transmission line formulation is presented for the computation of the plane-wave impressed fields and far-zone radiation fields due to arbitrary electric and magnetic current source distributions embedded in planar layered media. The equivalence principle and the spectral-domain transmission-line network analogue of the multilayer medium are used to express the fields in terms of the voltage and current transmission-line Green functions. The new formulation is applied to sample problems involving both dielectric and plasmonic multilayer media.
Metastasis: Lymphatic detours for cancer

The growth factor MIDKINE, which is secreted by skin tumours called melanomas, stimulates the formation of lymphatic vessels at distant lymph nodes and organ sites, paving the way for metastatic cancer spread. See Letter p.676 Lymph nodes are a common metastatic site of many tumour types, including melanomas. The contribution of lymphangiogenesis to metastatic progression is not well defined, as removing the sentinel lymph node does not always improve the survival chances of melanoma patients. Here the authors develop a 'lymphoreporter' mouse model that allows them to track lymphatic vessels with a VEGFR3 reporter, and use it to visualize metastatic routes during relapse. In addition, the authors identify a mediator of lymphangiogenesis, MIDKINE, that contributes to metastasis and indicates a poor prognosis for patients with melanoma. The authors suggest that VEGFR3 reporters could be useful in the search for further drivers and inhibitors of metastasis.
Evaluating the self-consumption of a solar house in coastal region of Bou Ismaïl, Algeria

This paper presents the findings of the study investigating the utilization of electricity produced by the solar photovoltaic (PV) system installed in a house for satisfying the energy demand of a family for one year. The evaluation of the self-consumption has been done using a PV plant installed on the coastal site of Bou Ismail (Algeria), the energy demand is based on the specific energy needs of the house for each season. It appears that for the spring and autumn the energy demands of the house are well satisfied. This is not the case for the winter and the summer where a lack of energy is high. The implementation of the Demand Side Management (DSM) must be done in order to meet the self-consumption of the house.
Implantable Energy Harvesting Stents for Transcutaneous Wireless Monitoring of Peripheral Artery Disease

More than five million adults in U.S. are affected by the peripheral artery disease. Current wireless stent monitors are unsuitable to use in the thigh. In this paper, wireless powering and communication with implanted stents were investigated. Specifically, we investigated the effects of thigh tissue morphology and tissue thickness variations on wireless power gain and electromagnetic safety when using skin-contact touch probe antennas. Thigh simulation models were derived from anthropometric data for the diseased population. Power gain and specific absorption rate were determined for each variation. To corroborate human model simulation results, a power-to-frequency converter was designed, benchmarked, and implanted within ex vivo porcine tissue. The experiments showed the most realistic simulations reported so far that have the best agreement with measured results. This paper indicates that touch probe powered stent systems can safely deliver significant power to an implant. This research enables frequent at-home monitoring to replace costly in-hospital quarterly check-ups.
The Evolution of Human Cerebral Asymmetry

Although considerably less extensive and obvious than functional cerebral asymmetries in the human brain (see Bradshaw & Nettleton, 1983), recent research has demonstrated beyond question that the two cerebral hemispheres are laterally specialized in species as widely separated as passerine birds, rodents, and monkeys (see Glick, 1985, for reviews). The presence of cerebral asymmetry in such diverse groups can be explained by a parallel evolution in response to common selective pressures for an efficient use of neural space, in which different neural programs that serve different functions are organized in opposite sides of the brain. A neural organization that is optimally designed to serve one set of functions cannot normally be optimally designed to serve a different set of functions, and lateral differentiation allows the development of two different operational programs that serve different and equally important processes.
Equality and Quality: The Influence of Private Funds in Public Arts Education in Boston and Baltimore.

The aim of this article is to explore the influence of private foundation funding on arts policy and practice in two large, urban school districts: Boston Public Schools and Baltimore City Schools....
Radiofrequency pasteurization process for inactivation of Salmonella spp. and Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354 on ground black pepper.

Abstract Salmonella persistence in ground black pepper has caused several foodborne outbreaks and created public concern about the safety of low water activity (aw) foods. In this study, radiofrequency (RF) processing was evaluated for pasteurization of ground black pepper. Stability and homogeneity tests were done for both Salmonella spp. and E. faecium during moisture equilibration before RF heating to evaluate the inoculation method. Moisture content of samples were conditioned such that the final moisture content after RF heating reached the optimal storage moisture. RF heating was shown to provide more than 5.98 log CFU/g reduction for Salmonella spp. and the reduction of 3.89 log CFU/g for E. faecium with a 130 s of treatment time. The higher thermal resistance of E. faecium indicated its suitability as surrogate for Salmonella spp. during RF heating of ground black pepper. Piperine, total phenolics, volatile compounds, and antioxidant activity were assessed as quality parameters for ground black pepper. The results demonstrated that the RF processing provided effective inactivation of Salmonella spp. with insignificant (p > 0.05) quality deterioration.
Evidence-Based Guidelines for Management of Diabetic Macular Edema:

Purpose:The purpose of this article is to provide a data-driven set of best practices to consider in the management of diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods:The current discussion and recommendation...
Therapeutic High‐Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Concurrently Improves Mood and Anxiety in Patients Using Benzodiazepines

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS In this study, we tested the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to reduce depression and anxiety in patients using or not using benzodiazepines. We hypothesized that rTMS would concurrently reduce symptoms in both depression and anxiety and that these reductions would correlate with patients using benzodiazepines. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study screened for patients treated in a TMS clinic within a five-year period. Each patient had received high-frequency (10 or 20 Hz) rTMS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and completed pre- and posttreatment Beck Depression Inventory and Visual Analog Scale-Anxiety ratings. Fifty-eight patients (37 women) met these criteria and 37 (63.8%) took benzodiazepines. We used two mixed analysis of variance analyses to separately evaluate the effects of rTMS on depression and anxiety. We additionally directly evaluated the relationship between reductions in depression and anxiety by computing three linear correlations (all patients, benzodiazepine users, nonbenzodiazepine users). RESULTS rTMS was an effective treatment of depression for all patients (p < 0.001). rTMS also reduced anxiety scores from pre- to posttreatment (p = 0.002). Furthermore, reductions in depression and anxiety were correlated (p = 0.002). These changes in depression and anxiety only correlated with benzodiazepine users (p < 0.001) and not nonbenzodiazepine users (p = 0.608). CONCLUSIONS rTMS concurrently improved both depression and anxiety, and changes in these measures correlated with patients using benzodiazepines. With further investigation, rTMS may be a helpful treatment for both anxiety and depression simultaneously.
Non-magnetic origin of spin Hall magnetoresistance-like signals in Pt films and epitaxial NiO/Pt bilayers

Electrical control of magnetic order in antiferromagnetic insulators (AFIs) using a Pt overlayer as a spin current source has been recently reported, but detecting and understanding the nature of current-induced switching in AFIs remain a challenge. Here, we examine the origin of spin Hall magnetoresistance-like signals measured in a standard Hall bar geometry, which have recently been taken as evidence of current-induced switching of the antiferromagnetic order in Pt/AFI bilayers. We show that transverse voltage signals consistent with both the partial switching and toggle switching of the Neel vector in epitaxial Pt/NiO bilayers on Al2O3 are also present in Pt/Al2O3 in which the AFI is absent. We show that these signals have a thermal origin and arise from (i) transient changes in the current distribution due to nonuniform Joule heating and (ii) irreversible changes due to electromigration at elevated current densities, accompanied by long-term creep. These results suggest that more sophisticated techniques that directly probe the magnetic order are required to reliably exclude transport artifacts and thus infer information about the antiferromagnetic order in such systems.
Scalable and energy efficient wireless inter chip interconnection fabrics using THz-band antennas

Abstract Computing platforms ranging from embedded systems to server blades comprise of multiple Systems-on-Chips (SoCs). Conventionally, communication between chips in these multichip platforms are realized using high-speed I/O modules over metal traces on a substrate. Due to the high-power consumption of I/O modules and non-scalable pitch of pins or solder bumps their bandwidth density and power consumption becomes bottleneck for multichip systems. Wireless chip-to-chip communication is emerging as an alternative solution to the traditional interconnection challenges of multichip systems. Novel devices based on graphene structures capable of establishing wireless links are explored in recent literature to provide high bandwidth THz links. In this work, we propose to utilize graphene-based wireless links to enable energy-efficient, multi-modal chip-to-chip communication protocol to create toroidal folding based interconnection architectures for multichip systems. With cycle-accurate simulations we demonstrate that such designs can outperform state-of-the-art wireline multichip systems.
Response to: ‘Fentanyl versus remifentanil-based TIVA for pediatric scoliosis repair: does it matter?’ by Kars et al

To the Editor, We read the article by Kars et al [1][1] comparing fentanyl with remifentanil-based total intravenous anesthesia for pediatric scoliosis with great interest. The authors’ findings that fentanyl is associated with increased postoperative opioid use and hyperalgesia when compared
Combinatorial patterns of graded RhoA activation and uniform F-actin depletion promote tissue curvature

During development, gene expression regulates cell mechanics and shape to sculpt tissues. One example is epithelial folding, which proceeds through distinct cell shape changes that occur in different regions of the tissue. How transcription factors combinatorially coordinate cell shape across a tissue is poorly understood. Here, using Drosophila melanogaster as a model, we investigate how cell shape changes are coordinated to promote tissue bending during gastrulation. By quantifying the multicellular patterns of RhoA activation, F-actin, and myosin-2 and perturbing RhoA activation, we find that Snail and Twist regulate distinct patterns of graded F-actin accumulation and uniform F-actin depletion, which synergize to create zones of high and low F-actin levels within the Drosophila mesoderm. Graded actomyosin results from a gradient in RhoA activation and the width of this zone regulates tissue curvature. Thus, changes in tissue shape are regulated through the choreographed interplay of distinct gene expression patterns.
E-034 Optimal management approach for treating anterior communicating artery aneurysm

Introduction Coiling has been the first line armamentarium for treating intracranial aneurysms, especially ruptured ones. Coiling has a relatively high recurrence rate as compared to clipping which leads to increased costs and procedural risks. Purpose We aimed to determine complication rates, occlusion outcomes, functional status, and mortality of Anterior communicating artery (ACOM) aneurysms following coiling. We also determined re-treatment rate and compared occlusion outcomes between recoiling and clipping of recurrences. We also assessed factors predictive of aneurysms recurrence. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients with ACOM aneurysms. Results 516 ACOM aneurysms were included (Av age 55.5 years, 54.3% female). 78% (401) presented as ruptured aneurysms, 55.6% presented with a high-grade H&H. The average aneurysm size was 5.8 mm(SD=2.8). 93%(478) were treated with coiling as stand-alone divided into primary coiling 86%(412), balloon-assisted coiling 12%(57), and stent-assisted coiling 2%(9). While 7%(37) were treated with coiling in addition to clipping, coiling was placed to secure the dome, and then the aneurysm was clipped during the same hospital stay in acute settings. At the end of the procedure, >95% occlusion was achieved in 90.9% of the cases. The average length of hospital stay was 15.8days, and the mortality rate was 7.2%. There was a significant six folds higher aneurysm recurrence in the coiled group reaching 17.3%(78) while in the clipped/coiled group the recurrence rate was 2.9%(1) (p=0.026). Of all patients with recurrence (n=79), 28 were treated with clipping, 22 with coiling, 16 with coiling followed by clipping due to recurrence, and 13 patients were not re-treated. Out of the whole 38 patients who received coiling at least once, 34 needed recoiling once, 3 required recoiling twice, and 1 patient required recoiling four times. Approximately 76% of coiled patients(n=29) showed recurrence, while none of the clipped patients showed recurrence(p Conclusion The recurrence rate of coiled aneurysms compared to clipping was associated with 6 folds higher rate of recurrence. Clipping of a recurred ACOM aneurysms achieves higher occlusion outcomes, lower recurrence rate, and comparable risk of complication and functional outcome compared to coiling. Increasing aneurysm size and ruptured status was a significant predictor of aneurysm recurrence. Disclosures A. Sweid: None. N. Herial: None. S. Tjoumakaris: None. S. Rahm: None. C. Andrews: None. M. Gooch: None. R. Rosenwasser: None. P. Jabbour: None.
Galectin-3 protects against ischemic stroke by promoting neuro-angiogenesis via apoptosis inhibition and Akt/Caspase regulation:

Post-stroke neurological deficits and mortality are often associated with vascular disruption and neuronal apoptosis. Galectin-3 (Gal3) is a potent pro-survival and angiogenic factor. However, little is known about its protective role in the cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We have previously shown significant up-regulation of Gal3 in the post-stroke rat brain, and that blocking of Gal3 with neutralizing antibody decreases the cerebral blood vessel density. Our current study demonstrates that intracerebral local delivery of the Gal3 into rat brain at the time of reperfusion exerts neuroprotection. Ischemic lesion volume and neuronal cell death were significantly reduced as compared with the vehicle-treated MCAO rat brains. Gal3 increased vessel density and neuronal survival after I/R in rat brains. Importantly, Gal3-treated groups showed significant improvement in motor and sensory functional recovery. Gal3 increased neuronal cell viability under in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation conditions in association with increased phosphorylated-Akt, decreased phosphorylated-ERK1/2, and reduced caspase-3 activity. Gene expression analysis showed down regulation of pro-apoptotic and inflammatory genes including Fas-ligand, and upregulation of pro-survival and pro-angiogenic genes including Bcl-2, PECAM, and occludin. These results indicate a key role for Gal3 in neuro-vascular protection and functional recovery following ischemic stroke through modulation of angiogenic and apoptotic pathways.
Child Obesity Prevention Intervention in Kuwaiti Summer Camps Targeting Health Behaviors in Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Screen Time

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of an eight-week nutrition and physical activity intervention, entitled: “My Healthy Habits”, at summer camps to prevent obesity, reduce screen time, promote healthy eating habits and physical activity among children. Material and Methods: Eight-week pretest-posttest: intervention versus a comparison group was conducted, in two comparable summer camps in Kuwait and randomized at the site level. Convenient sampling (n=79) included children aged 6-10, receiving 8 weeks of nutrition education: 2 days/week, 40 minutes/day and physical activity sessions: 4 days/week for 20 minutes/day. Outcomes included: the Modified Healthy Habits Survey (items about diet, physical activity and sedentary behavior) and anthropomorphic: Body mass index (BMI) for age and gender percentile and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Group changes were measured by independent t-test, and within group changes by the McNemar’s test (categorical data) and paired t-test (interval data). Results: Significant increases in nutrition knowledge scores (from 4.3±1.7 to 10.5±1.2) and in the total score of the major food groups (from 10.0±2.6 to 13.7±2.2) were observed from pretest to posttest. Healthy eating significantly increased (from 12.8±1.8 to 14.5±1.5) for the intervention group only; however, intake of French fries, chips (FF) and sugarsweetened beverages (SSB) remained the same for both groups. Physical activity increased and screen time decreased,only in the intervention group. The participants’ BMI and WHtR decreased significantly in the intervention group: p-value=0.001. Conclusion: Healthy food and physical activity increased, while screen time decreased. Consumption of unhealthy food (FF and SSB) remains an issue.
Encapsulation Narrows and Preserves the Excitonic Homogeneous Linewidth of Exfoliated Monolayer Mo Se 2

Monolayer semiconductors have the potential to transform the industry, but their intrinsic properties are difficult to characterize due to strong interaction with the environment. This study uses multidimensional coherent spectroscopy to measure the intrinsic homogeneous linewidth of a monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenide that has been isolated from its environment through encapsulation. The measurements reveal that the linewidths become substantially narrower after encapsulation, indicating reduced sample degradation. These findings have the potential to impact the materials and process-control methods used in the semiconductor industry.
The smuggler’s world: illicit trade and Atlantic communities in eighteenth century Venezuela; Tides of revolution: information, insurgencies, and the crisis of colonial rule in Venezuela: by Jesse Cromwell, Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2018. (ISBN 9781469636887)by Cristiana Soriano, Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2018. (ISBN 9 78-0826359865)

Not that long ago, scholars who wanted to study Venezuelan history were met with raised eyebrows. Venezuela was considered peripheral in the colonial experience and scholarship. Atlantic studies’ e...
Simple monetary rules: many strengths and few weaknesses

This paper endeavors to examine the basic idea in Richard Epstein’s book Simple Rules for a Complex World. It does so by considering a specific simple rule which was explicitly designed for complex world. A basic idea in Epstein’s book is that the more complex is the world the better is the case for simple rules. To show this, he develops six simple rules pertaining to the rights of individuals, first possession, contracts, torts, government eminent domain and the power of taxation to provide public goods. This paper considers one rule rather than six rules, and it looks at monetary policy rather than policy in general. While the context is different, the case for simple rules made here provides a useful comparison with the case made by Epstein.
From Surgeries To Startups: How Institutions Shape Entrepreneurial Activity In The Field Of Health Care

Despite an emerging stream of literature connecting institutions to entrepreneurship, little is known about the ways in which conflicting institutional pressures operating across multiple spheres o...
Refining Estimates of Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Salt Marsh “Blue Carbon” Erosion and Decomposition

Coastal wetlands have sediments that contain organic matter preserved against decomposition for timespans that can range up to millennia. This “blue carbon” in wetland sediments has been proposed as a sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide and a potential source of greenhouse gases if coastal habitats are lost. A missing gap in the role of coastal habitats in the global carbon cycle is elucidating the fate of wetland sediment carbon following disturbance events, such as erosion, that can liberate organic matter to an oxygenated environment where decomposition can readily occur. Here, we track the fate of previously-stored salt marsh sediment by measuring the production of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) during an oxygenated incubation. Sediments from two depth horizons (5-10 cm and 20-25 cm) were incubated at two temperatures (20 and 30 °C) for 161 days. Q10 of the decomposition process over the entire course of the experiment was 2.0±0.1 and 2.2±0.2 for shallow and deep horizons, respectively. Activation energy for the decomposition reaction (49.7 kJ · mol-1 and 58.8 kJ · mol-1 for shallow and deep sediment horizons, respectively) was used to calculate temperature-specific decomposition rates that could be applied to environmental data. Using high-frequency water temperature data, this strategy was applied to coastal states in the conterminous United States (CONUS) where we estimated annual in situ decomposition of eroded salt marsh organic matter as 7-22% loss per year. We estimate 62.8±0.4 Gg C · yr-1 is emitted from eroded salt marsh sediment decomposition in the CONUS.