cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Confidence limit calculation for antidotal potency ratio derived from lethal dose 50.

AIM: To describe confidence interval calculation for antidotal potency ratios using bootstrap method. METHODS: We can easily adapt the nonparametric bootstrap method which was invented by Efron to construct confidence intervals in such situations like this. The bootstrap method is a resampling method in which the bootstrap samples are obtained by resampling from the original sample. RESULTS: The described confidence interval calculation using bootstrap method does not require the sampling distribution antidotal potency ratio. This can serve as a substantial help for toxicologists, who are directed to employ the Dixon up-and-down method with the application of lower number of animals to determine lethal dose 50 values for characterizing the investigated toxic molecules and eventually for characterizing the antidotal protections by the test antidotal systems. CONCLUSION: The described method can serve as a useful tool in various other applications. Simplicity of the method makes it easier to do the calculation using most of the programming software packages.
Imaging characteristics of zinc sulfide shell, cadmium telluride core quantum dots.

Aims: Quantum dots are optical nanocrystals whose in vitro and in vivo use in molecular imaging is expanding rapidly. In comparison with organic fluorophores, quantum dots exhibit desirable properties, such as multiwavelength fluorescence emission, excellent brightness and resistance to photobleaching. Their electron-dense, metallic cores suggest utility in other clinical imaging modalities. Methods: Core-shell zinc sulfide-cadmium telluride quantum dots were studied by magnetic resonance and computed tomography phantoms. Quantum dots were also injected into rat brain, as well as intravenously, using convection-enhanced delivery, prior to animal imaging. Results: Computed tomography studies suggest that current formulations of quantum dots might be imaged in vivo in animals. Conclusions: Used in conjunction with optical imaging techniques, quantum dots have the potential to function as multimodal imaging platforms in vivo. The ability to detect an optical nanoparticle preoperatively with clinical imaging ...
Viral hepatitis B and C in children.

Viral hepatitis B and C are the cause of significant disease worldwide. Acute infection is more common with hepatitis B than C in childhood; but chronic asymptomatic infection leading to chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma is a considerable concern. The natural history of hepatitis B is well established in adults but the long-term outcome for children is still under debate. Following an acute infection, 90% will recover spontaneously; but approximately 1% of patients develop acute fulminant hepatitis requiring liver transplantation. The main source of infection in childhood is perinatal transmission, which is effectively prevented using vaccination, antenatal screening and screening of blood products and organ donors. The vaccine is effective in 97% of newborn infants and lasts for 10-15 years. All children with chronic hepatitis B infection should be annually monitored and those with persistent infection should be considered for anti-viral therapy. Treatment options include Interferon (5 M units per m2 subcutaneously ×3 weekly for 6 months) or Lamivudine (3 mg/kg for 12-24 months), but neither therapy is completely effective. Interferon clears viral infection in 20%-40% and is most effective in children with elevated transaminases or horizontal transmission. Only 23% seroconvert after lamivudine, 26% of whom may develop resistance with YMDD mutant variants of the hapatitis B virus. A number of other drugs, such as Adefovir Dipivoxil, Famciclovir, Entecavair and Pegylated Interferon, are under evaluation. Liver transplantation is an effective treatment for children with acute or chronic liver failure, but recurrence is high without prophylaxis. The main route of transmission for hepatitis C was originally through infected blood products or organs; but now the most common source is vertical transmission which ranges from 2%-12% depending on maternal infectivity. Breast feeding is safe in mothers with low titres of hepatitis C RNA. The natural spontaneous clearance rate for hepatitis C is between 20% and 40% and is higher in children who have been parenterally infected compared to perinatal infection. It is a mild disease in children, but the indication for treatment is based on the future risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular cancer. Children with persistent infection (hepatitis C RNA positive for 6 months) and evidence of histological disease should be considered for combination treatment with Pegylated Interferon (3 M units/m2 subcutaneously × 1 weekly) and oral Ribavirin (15 mg/kg) which has a sustained response rate of 80%-100% for genotypes 2 and 3, and 50% for genotype 1. Liver transplantation for hepatitis C in children is rarely required, but 100% recurrence can be expected without prophylaxis. Emerging new therapies include viral enzyme inhibitors, cytokines, antisense oligonucleosides which are at an early stage of development.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with previous ipsilateral complete axillary lymph node dissection.

Background Prior ipsilateral completion axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) may be considered a contraindication to performing a sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping in a patient with recurrent breast carcinoma. However, reoperative SLN biopsy following axillary dissection would determine if alternative lymphatic drainage pathways exist. If nodes were found to contain metastatic disease, staging and locoregional control of the disease could be affected.
Speech coding using a method of discrete energy separation (DESA)

The use of the Discrete Energy Separation Algorithm (DESA), developed by Kaiser, Quatieri, and Maragos (1993) to code speech signals is investigated. We show that the DESA-demodulated signals can be coded and decoded using a combination of polynomial and sinusoidal approximations. We discuss how the data is subband filtered. Then how each subband is processed to encode and decode the data. A brief discussion is given of the quality of the reconstructed or synthesized speech output.
Lentiviral delivery of short hairpin RNAs protects CD4 T cells from multiple clades and primary isolates of HIV

Viral heterogeneity is a major hurdle for potential therapeutic use of RNA interference (RNAi) against HIV-1. To determine the extent of RNAi tolerance to mutations, we tested 3 viral target sites with differing propensity for mutations: a highly variable rev sequence, a gag sequence conserved only among clade B isolates, and a vif sequence highly conserved across clades. Lentiviral expression of all 3 shRNAs inhibited replication of the homologous HIVIIIB strain. However, they differed in their ability to protect primary CD4 T cells against multiple isolates within and across HIV clades. The least conserved rev sequence inhibited only 2 of 5 clade B isolates. The gag sequence (conserved within clade B) protected 5 of 5 clade B isolates but not other clade viruses with 2 or 3 mutations in the central region. In contrast, the vif sequence, which was conserved across clades except for single mutations at positions 14 and 17, inhibited viruses from 5 different clades. Moreover, siRNAs with introduced mutations at sites of gag sequence polymorphisms showed reduced antiviral activity, whereas mutations in vif siRNA only modestly decreased silencing. Thus, although 1 or 2 mutations at peripheral sites are tolerated, mutations in the central target cleavage region abolish RNAi activity.
A Comparative Analysis of Oral Health on the Santo Domingo Pueblo Reservation.

The study was done to compare oral health data from a tribe in a relatively accessible location between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico to national American Indian data and broader US data sets. Participants (N = 399) were recruited via random sampling of housing units. Dental health measures included DMFT/dmft and dental sealants. Comparisons were made using data from large-scale oral health surveillance studies. There was no difference in oral health for 3–5 year olds compared to a recent study of AI/AN preschool children. Compared to the general US population, Santo Domingo Pueblo children and adults showed higher prevalence of untreated decay. Children ages 5–19 had higher rates of sealant retention on permanent teeth, and adults showed lower prevalence of complete tooth retention. The children ages 5–19 and 12–19 with at least one sealant have significantly lower DMFT and less untreated decay than those without sealants. However, the percentage of children with and without sealants who had untreated decay was still more than two times higher than the general US population. Oral health of American Indian children and adults in Santo Domingo Pueblo was worse compared to the general US population but similar to previous results reported for the same Indian Health Service Area even though their location is less isolated than many other tribes.
The Effects of Wounding and Mite Infestation on Soybean Leaf Lipoxygenase Levels

Numerous studies have demonstrated induction of proteins in plant tissues by wounding and infestations by various pests and pathogens. Lipoxygenase (LOX) is among the proteins that has been found to be induced by pathogens, but detailed information on the induction of LOX has not been reported. We have found a large (up to 10-fold) increase in LOX activity upon wounding of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) leaves and variable increases due to feeding of the twospotted spider mite. This induction in LOX activity was reflected in increases in amounts of both LOX protein and transcripts suggesting that the induction was at the transcriptional level. LOX activity was also found to be increased in unwounded leaves from plants with wounded leaves lower on the stem indicating that translocatable factors can cause remote induction of LOX activity.
Performing selections under dynamic conditions for synthetic biology applications

As the design of synthetic circuits and metabolic networks becomes more complex it is often difficult to know a priori which parameters and design choices will result in a desired phenotype. To counter this, rational design can be complemented by library-based approaches where diversity is introduced and then coupled with screening or selection methods. Here, we used a model of competitive growth to show that selection can rapidly identify library variants with near-optimal phenotypes. Many synthetic biology applications require phenotypes that balance multiple objectives, such as responding to more than one chemical signal. In addition, desired traits may be time-dependent, for example changing with the growth phase. By applying dynamic inputs to the selection, we show that it is possible to select for traits that satisfy multiple goals. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the underlying diversity in a library is heavily influenced by the initial circuit design. Overall, our findings argue that rational synthetic circuit design, coupled with diversity generation and dynamic selection are powerful tools for many synthetic biology applications.
On the Cauchy Criterion for the Convergence of an Infinite Series

(1957). On the Cauchy Criterion for the Convergence of an Infinite Series. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 64, No. 7P1, pp. 469-471.
Effects of medium fatty acid concentration, epinephrine, and glucose on palmitate-l-C14 oxidation and incorporation into neutral lipids by skeletal muscle in vitro

The rate of oxidation of palmitate-l-C14 to C14O2 by rat skeletal muscle in vitro was shown to increase markedly as a function of the concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA) in the medium. Neither epinephrine nor glucose had any important effect. The rate of incorporation of palmitate-l-C14 into tissue neutral lipids was also increased by higher levels of FFA in the medium. At any given concentration of FFA this incorporation was also increased by glucose but was not altered by epinephrine. It is concluded that the deposition of triglyceride reported to occur in muscle after epinephrine or norepinephrine administration is due to the effects of these hormones on serum FFA levels and not to a direct effect on muscle metabolism. The profound effect of FFA concentration on the rate of FFA oxidation suggests that regulation of the serum concentrations of this labile lipid fraction may be of central importance in determining over-all rates of body metabolism. In particular, it is proposed that the elevated metabolic rates after epinephrine administration and in hyperthyroidism may, in part, be directly attributable to the elevations of serum FFA in these conditions.
EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULAR CONTENT IMPROVES STUDENT KNOWLEDGE AND CHANGES ATTITUDES TOWARDS TRANSGENDER MEDICINE

Objective: Previous studies have demonstrated that the addition of transgender medicine content to a medical school curriculum increased students' comfort and willingness to treat transgender patients. We aimed to demonstrate that (1) evidence-based curricular content would improve knowledge of and change attitudes towards transgender medicine, and (2) students would consider cross-sex hormone therapy a legitimate treatment option for transgender patients. Methods: Curricular content with a focus on the biologic evidence for the durability of gender identity was added to the first-year medical program at Boston University School of Medicine. Immediately before and after exposure to the content, students were presented with an assessment of their knowledge of the etiology of gender identity. Results: Immediately following exposure to the content, a significant number of students changed their answer regarding the etiology of gender identity so that the number of correct responses increased from 63% (n = 56...
Analysis of Oil Field Casing Damage under Soil Moving

In the casing-cement ring-soil model,solid element is used for cement ring and the soil,and interaction between them is simulated by contact element,casing and cement ring are fixed.ADINA is used considering material nonlinearity and geometrical nonlinearity,the displacement load is used to model soil moving.According to maximum strain,the mechanical performance is discussed.
A novel apolipoprotein C-III variant, apoC-III(Gln38–>Lys), associated with moderate hypertriglyceridemia in a large kindred of Mexican origin

Apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) is a major protein component of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), chylomicrons, and a minor component of high density lipoproteins (HDL). Studies of naturally occurring human variants of apoC-III will help in adding to our understanding of the physiological function of this apolipoprotein. Using isoelectric focusing (IEF) of VLDL fractions we screened over 2500 lipid clinic patients and have identified an individual with a novel apoC-III variant. DNA sequencing revealed the variant to be a Lys for GIn exchange at amino acid residue 38 due to an A for C substitution in exon 3. This was confirmed by NH2-terminal protein sequence analysis. The mutant Lys38 variant was present in VLDL at about the same level as the normal form although the total amount of apoC-III was increased by 34%. The proband, a 16-year-old boy of Mexican origin, had a plasma level of total triglycerides above the 95th percentile for his age. Family studies revealed a further 16 individuals who were heterozygous for this apoC-III (Gln38–>Lys) variant. Compared to 21 unaffected relatives, the 17 heterozygous subjects had a statistically significant 32% elevation of their plasma levels of triglycerides when adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, and lifestyle. Other lipid and lipoprotein values were unaffected. The presence of an additional positive charge at residue 38 suggests that this residue is involved in the function of apoC-III. The elevation of plasma levels of triglycerides supports the view that apoC-III is involved in the regulation of the catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.
Passive immunotherapy for treatment of endobronchitis in cystic fibrosis

Chronic endobronchial infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major clinical problem in cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder of epithelial ion transport and mucus secretion. Functional defects in the opsonic antibody response to critical surface antigens of P. aeruginosa, including lipopolysaccharide and mucoid exopolysaccharide (alginate), have been implicated in the initial colonization and/or persistence of infection of the respiratory tract of cystic fibrosis patients with this bacterium. These defects are correctable in vitro with functional opsonic antibodies against P. aeruginosa present in intravenously administered immunoglobulins (ivIg). Moreover, functional opsonic polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against P. aeruginosa are protective in animal models of chronic pseudomonal endobronchitis. Two pilot studies on passive immunotherapy with ivIg--one with standard ivIg and one with hyperimmune globulin enriched with anti-Pseudomonas lipopolysaccharide antibodies (Psomaglobin N)--have demonstrated safety and short-term efficacy in terms of improved pulmonary function. Multicenter placebo-controlled trials of passive immunotherapy with conventional ivIg and hyperimmune globulin enriched with antibodies against P. aeruginosa alginate are planned in the United States.
Synthesis and reactivity of 3-tert-butyl-8-r-pyrimido-[4′,5′:3,4]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine-4,10(6h,9h)-dithiones

Treatment of 3-tert-butyl-8-R-pyrimido[4′,5′:3,4]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine-4,10(6H,9H)-diones with diphosphorus pentasulfide gave 3-tert-butyl-8-R-pyrimido[4′,5′:3,4]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine-4,10(6H,9H)-dithiones whose hydrazinolysis afforded 3-tert-butyl-10-hydrazinyl-8-R-pyrimido[4′,5′:3,4]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine-4(6H)-thiones. 3-tert-Butyl-10-hydrazinylpyrimido[4′,5′:3,4]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]-triazine-4(6H)-thione reacted with sodium nitrite in phosphoric or polyphosphoric acid yielding 10-azido-3-tert-butylpyrimido[4′,5′:3,4]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazine-4(6H)-thione and 3-tert-butyltetrazolo[1″,5″:3′,4′]pyrimido[5′,6′:3,4]pyrazolo[5,1-c][1,2,4]triazin-4(12H)-one, respectively.
Narrow linewidth unstable resonator

Unstable resonators are an effective source of low-divergence high-power laser radiation and have been used successfully with many different types of laser. However, the large divergence associated with radiation on one of its passes inside the unstable resonator makes it difficult to obtain narrowband radiation from these devices. Although successful single-line operation of unstable resonators in the IR has been reported,1-2 effective extension of these cavities to narrower linewidths or shorter wavelengths is limited. We describe here an alternative geometry for a negative-branch unstable resonator that avoids the restrictions on linewidth imposed by the large divergence of the beam within the cavity and allows operation at arbitrarily narrow linewidths. We use an asymmetric ring in the feedback section of the resonator so that only collimated light passes through the frequency narrowing optics (prisms, gratings, or etalons). Collimated light from the main cavity enters the ring through a beam splitter after passing through a hole in the scraper out- coupler. After passing through the frequency narrowing elements the beam is focused so that its subsequent expansion matches the requirements of the cavity. The beam is then returned to the main cavity with the beam splitter, expands to fill the available aperture, and is recollimated by the output mirror for another round trip. An aperture is used at the focus of the lens to block the coun- terpropagating beam in the ring, ensuring that the feedback comes only from the beam that passes through the frequency-narrowing optics while collimated.
Association between physical activity and pain processing in adults with chronic low back pain compared to pain-free controls.

BACKGROUND Pain sensitivity has been negatively associated with physical activity levels. Few studies have examined associations between experimentally induced pain sensitivity and physical activity in adults with chronic low back pain and pain-free controls. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine associations between physical activity levels and how an individual processes pain using experimentally induced pain stimuli. METHODS Seventy subjects (CLBP = 49; mean age = 46.8 ± 14.9; Pain-free = 21; mean age = 45.3 ± 18.2, n of females = 46) participated. A self-report questionnaire derived from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to calculate an activity level index. Pain sensitivity was assessed via quantitative sensory testing (QST) at the right lower extremity. RESULTS Moderate (U = 688, p 0.05; CLBP: R2 = 0.01, p> 0.05). Both moderate (R2 = 0.49, p< 0.05) and vigorous (R2 = 0.68, p< 0.01) physical activity were associated with pain modulation amongst pain-free individuals. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that physical activity influences pain modulation amongst pain-free individuals, however no relationship exists once CLBP is present. However, future investigation will elucidate the extent to which physical activity level either prevents CLBP or is effective in alleviating CLBP.
Family Torts and Remedies

In this chapter we define the concept of a tort and explain the distinction between tort and criminal liability. We introduce the doctrines of parental and spousal immunity that are still used in some jurisdictions to shield parents and spouses from lawsuits brought against them by a child or spouse. We begin the chapter by asking general and particular questions about tort law and its application to injuries occurring in the family. The general questions are: What is the general aim of tort law? Why are certain types of conduct classified as torts and other kinds of conduct are not torts? Responses to these questions refer to principles governing the just allocation of costs when a person has suffered an injury. In the section on intrafamily immunities we distinguish between several variations of the extent to which parents and spouses have historically been immunized, and we will determine whether any of these immunities can be morally justified. Finally, in those cases in which a parent or spouse has no immunity and is a defendant in a tort action for negligence, then they must prove that their act or omission that led to the tort was not a violation of legal duty. This raises the final normative question of the chapter. Under what standard of care should a jury be instructed to decide whether the defendant is or is not negligent? Should the defendant’s conduct be judged by an objective standard (for example,“the reasonable parent”) or should the jury use a subjective standard and inquire only about what the defendant honestly believed?
Alternate modes of photosynthate transport in the alternating generations of Physcomitrella patens

Physcomitrella patens has emerged as a model moss system to investigate the evolution of various plant characters in early land plant lineages. Yet, there is merely a disparate body of ultrastructural and physiological evidence from other mosses to draw inferences about the modes of photosynthate transport in the alternating generations of Physcomitrella. We performed a series of ultrastructural, fluorescent tracing, physiological, and immunohistochemical experiments to elucidate a coherent model of photosynthate transport in this moss. Our ultrastructural observations revealed that Physcomitrella is an endohydric moss with water-conducting and putative food-conducting cells in the gametophytic stem and leaves. Movement of fluorescent tracer 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate revealed that the mode of transport in the gametophytic generation is symplasmic and is mediated by plasmodesmata, while there is a diffusion barrier composed of transfer cells that separates the photoautotrophic gametophyte from the nutritionally dependent heterotrophic sporophyte. We posited that, analogous to what is found in apoplasmically phloem loading higher plants, the primary photosynthate sucrose, is actively imported into the transfer cells by sucrose/H+ symporters (SUTs) that are, in turn, powered by P-type ATPases, and that the transfer cells harbor an ATP-conserving Sucrose Synthase (SUS) pathway. Supporting our hypothesis was the finding that a protonophore (2,4-dinitrophenol) and a SUT-specific inhibitor (diethyl pyrocarbonate) reduced the uptake of radiolabeled sucrose into the sporangia. In situ immunolocalization of P-type ATPase, Sucrose Synthase, and Proton Pyrophosphatase - all key components of the SUS pathway - showed that these proteins were prominently localized in the transfer cells, providing further evidence consistent with our argument.
$$P^5$$: Planner-less Proofs of Probabilistic Parameterized Protocols

Liveness of many probabilistic parameterized protocols are proven by first crafting a family of sequences of “good"random draws, thus, in effect “de-probabilizing" the system, and then proving the system just as one would for a non-probabilistic parameterized system. The family of “good"random draws (known in different names, such as “planner" and “strategy") is often an intricate piece of machinery, arising from the need to reason about a parameterized Markov Decision Process (MDP). In effect, it represents a parameterized strategy for an infinite game played between a probabilistic player and a non-deterministic adversary.
Nationalism, identity and statehood in post-Yugoslav Montenegro

Montenegro, one of Europe’s smallest countries, was known for centuries mainly for its violent politics, backwardness and isolation. The country has rehabilitated most of that reputation in the las...
Including nature in the food-energy-water nexus can improve sustainability across multiple ecosystem services

Abstract Activities in the food-energy-water nexus require ecosystem services to maintain productivity and prevent ecological degradation. This work applies techno-ecological synergy concepts in an optimization formulation to design a system for co-producing food and energy under constraints on ecological sustainability. The system includes land use activities and biomass conversion processes for the production of energy carriers, as well as supporting ecosystems that increase the supply of key ecosystem services. The co-production system was linearized and reduced to a mixed-integer linear program, which was optimized for single objectives under a variety of production and sustainability constraints. Results indicate that for the system considered to achieve high food and energy co-production, land use options should be balanced between food-producing crops and electricity-producing wind turbines and solar panels. Results also show that ecological sustainability can be achieved for this system with relatively small changes in land use patterns. The inclusion of nature in the design enables the system as a whole to achieve ecological sustainability for multiple ecosystem services with moderate sacrifices of food and energy productivity.
Revision of Disfiguring Surgical Scars of the Back

Surgical procedures are performed on the back for a variety of reasons and universally result in some degree of scar formation. Optimally, these scars would result in a barely-perceptible, fine line that blends naturally with the color and texture of adjacent skin. Unfortunately, an optimal scar is rarely the end result, and a patient can be left with a scar that is deemed disfiguring. A disfiguring scar is one which has an appearance outside the accepted norm and which is deemed unsatisfactory by the patient and/or physician.
Simultaneity and Conventionality

The role that conventionality plays in the standard definition of simultaneity in the special theory of relativity has been the subject of much debate. I should like to review certain aspects of that debate, and suggest an analogy between an argument thought by many to show the nonconventionality of standard synchrony and an earlier argument that was not generally thought to be damaging to the conventionalist point of view.
cmIF: A Python Library for Scalable Multiplex Imaging Pipelines

Histological staining and analysis of tissue sections is integral to diagnosis and treatment of many diseases, including cancer. Multiplex imaging technologies (e.g., cyclic immunostaining) have dramatically increased capabilities for assessing prognostic biomarkers in situ, enabling new insights into complex diseases. However, high-resolution, multiplex image data can be terabytes (TB) in size, and traditional pipelines for image analysis are not suited for these rich datasets. While much software development effort goes towards improving image processing tools such as stitching, registration, and segmentation; integration of these tools into a pipeline is often manual, which is highly laborious, error-prone and lacks reproducibility and scalability. Therefore, we developed a Python3 library, cmIF, a free and open-source tool to handle our high-throughput multiplex image processing pipeline. cmIF enables analysis of full-slide pathology tissue sections and tissue microarrays (TMAs), facilitating processing from raw image files through registration, segmentation, feature extraction, manual thresholding, and spatial pattern analysis. Our cmIF library includes functionality for image handling, quality control, metadata extraction, and subtraction of background images (i.e., autofluorescence subtraction). Additionally, it includes a Jupyter notebook for efficient generation and visualization of manual thresholds. Compared to a manual pipeline, use of cmIF reduces errors and improves processing time of datasets from weeks to hours, while documenting processing steps for reproducibility. All code is available on https://gitlab.com/engje/cmif. While our library is specific to our pipeline elements, it is a blueprint for types of functions needed for high throughput analysis. In the future, we will continue developing this open-source tool, and with input from the wider community, adapt it to a range of multiplex image pipelines.
Fibre-enriched beverages

The addition of fibre into products fulfils a role in improving the health positioning and nutritional content with a view to making a product claim. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the important factors when fortifying non-dairy beverages with fibre, to introduce some fibre ingredients that are suitable for adding into non-dairy beverage systems and to provide some practical tips to ensure optimal stability and final product quality.
Unpacking the Learning Ecosystems Framework: Lessons from the Adaptive Management of Biological Ecosystems

An ecological framework is often used to describe the context for learning in educational research and practice. However, there is often a focus on descriptive aspects that frame the ecosystem as a...
Evaluations of POP and CPOP Strategies Internationally

After a week meeting with senior executives of the Bangladesh National Police and other key stakeholders as part of an assessment of the status of community policing in the country in November 2012, this researcher was excited to spend some time in the beautiful countryside outside of Rajshahee visiting with police and community at the thana (local police operational area) level to observe how community policing works in practice in the field, and specifically rural areas.
192 Ir Source Localization via Gamma Ray Skyshine using Large Volume Pixelated CdZnTe

The direct line-of-sight between a detector and strong gamma-ray source can be heavily shielded in urban environments. In extreme scenarios, such as measuring a source through several buildings, little-to-no gamma-ray flux streams from the source direction due to building attenuation. This unknown, non-spatially-smooth attenuation from buildings hinders traditional 1/r2-based localization in urban environments. Air-scattered gamma rays, known as skyshine, offer a complimentary signal that is a weak function of unknown ground-based shielding between the source and detector. Skyshine can be leveraged to localize strong gamma-ray sources, without the use of count rates, in attenuation heavy scenarios. Skyshine-based localization was demonstrated for a 83 Ci 192Ir source in a silo geometry using a H3D H420 CdZnTe detector. Source directionality was successfully estimated from coded aperture reconstructions of skyshine gamma rays at distances ranging from 25-150 m.
The Impact of Inequality on Intergenerational Mobility

The extent and causes of trends and cross-national variation in social class and occupational status mobility have been major topics of sociological research for decades. This topic has acquired re...
Three transports of children with respiratory or cardiac failure under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support

Objective To introduce experience of 3 transports of children with respiratory or cardiac failure under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) support. Methods The clinical data of three patients, neonatal transposition of great arteries/intact ventricular septum with heart failure(case 1), severe pneumonia complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome(case 2) and nephrotic syndrome complicated with pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome(case 3)transferred to Bayi Children′s Hospital under ECMO support from February to April 2016, were analyzed retrospectively. Results Case 1 was safely transferred to our hospital after 8-hour ECMO transport with the assistance of 43 hours.Switch operation was finished the next day.The sternum was closed postoperatively in 2 days, ventilation was weaned in 7 days and transferred out of ICU in 15 days.Case 2 was transported to our institution after 8 hours.The patient with 45-hour assistance of the ECMO device had to be ventilatied for 8 days, the stay on ICU was 10 days.The 3rd patient had been treating with the ECMO device 32 days after 15-hour transportion under ECMO support, died of multiple organ failure. Conclusion ECMO support for the critical respiratory or cardiac failure in children can be performed safely and reliably, if the ECMO transport team members received strict training, highly organization and cooperation. Key words: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; Heart failure; Acute respiratory distress syndrome; Neonate; Pediatrics; Transport
Improving Safety for Children with Tracheostomies at Home Using Quality Improvement Methodology

Purpose: Children discharged from the hospital with a tracheostomy tube require thorough caregiver training and a safe home environment. Despite these precautions, many patients experience tracheostomy complications at home requiring urgent medical care. Accidental decannulation or cannula obstruction may cause severe neurologic disability or death. Our aim was to reduce the incidence of accidental decannulation and cannula obstruction among children with tracheostomies at home through standardized caregiver education and improved communication of airway characteristics. Methods: A multidisciplinary team completed a simplified Failure Modes and Effects Analysis …
Crossover between Fermi liquid and non-Fermi liquid behavior in the non-centrosymmetric compound Yb2Ni12P7.

A crossover from a non-Fermi liquid to a Fermi liquid phase in Yb2Ni12P7 is observed by analyzing electrical resistivity ρ(T), magnetic susceptibility χ(T), specific heat C(T), and thermoelectric power S(T) measurements. The electronic contribution to specific heat, Ce(T), behaves as Ce(T)/T ~ −ln(T) for 5 K 4 K. A crossover between Fermi-liquid and non-Fermi liquid behavior suggests that Yb2Ni12P7 is in close proximity to a quantum critical point, in agreement with results from recent measurements of this compound under applied pressure.
Examining the Collateral Effects of Reducing Voice Level on Vocal Stereotypy and Functional Speech

The current study examined the collateral effects of an antecedent intervention for decreasing speech volume on vocal stereotypy. After teaching the participant to use a conversational voice level by providing visual feedback from a decibel meter app, conversational voice levels were differentially reinforced in the presence of a green card. Differential effects in voice magnitude during a green-card condition and a no-card condition were demonstrated using an alternating-treatments design. Results showed a decrease in volume of speech during the green-card condition, an overall decrease in vocal stereotypy, and a decrease to zero levels in loud stereotypical vocalizations. The implications of these findings on the treatment of vocal stereotypy are discussed.
Employee Perceptions on Ethics, Racial-Ethnic and Work Disparities in Long-Term Care: Implications for Ethics Committees.

This study explored the perceptions of ethics among long-term care employees (N275) in order to test two hypotheses. A cohort cross-sectional survey examined employees' perceptions of an ethics environment, racial-ethnic, and position disparities (HO1; ANOVA), and, secondarily, ethics in relationship to select, research-grounded work features measured as manage disagreements, effectiveness, work satisfaction, and opinions of care, the latter including intention to remain (HO2; Pearson Correlations). Established questionnaires with robust psychometrics were employed. Response rate was 51%. Non-significant differences between sample and population on key variables supported extrapolation of results. Statistically significant differences between racial-ethnic (p < 0.03; F 2.42) and work positions (p <0.0001; F 6.24) were revealed on ethics (3.16; HO1). Statistically significant relationships (p <0.0001; r = 0.26-0.68; HO2) between ethics and employees' work features also were found, confirming both hypotheses. Perceptions of ethics based on racial-ethnic and position disparities, as well as the robust links with employee work features, offered potential avenues for decreasing disparities at work and improving the quality of long-term care. Noted further on ethics item scoring were relatively low scores indicating less involvement in, and access to, ethics discussions and decisions. In contrast, the literature review substantiated the importance of empowerment and retention, which were enhanced by employee involvement in work, notably, discussions and decisions. Thus, implications of ethics committees in long-term care sites as ways to potentially enhance employees' work and quality of care, especially work satisfaction and retention, were explored; relevant concerns raised by the Covid pandemic were, briefly, discussed.
Improvement in Pulmonary Function Following Discontinuation of Vaping or E-Cigarette Use in Adolescents with EVALI

Introduction: In 2019, an alarming number of cases coined as e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) were described in adolescents ranging from mild respiratory distress to fulminant respiratory failure. Limited data have been published on outcomes at short-term follow-up. We aimed to describe pulmonary manifestations, function, and radiologic findings after corticosteroid therapy in a cohort of adolescent patients. Methods: A retrospective chart analysis of all patients presenting to our institution between July 2019 and December 2019 with EVALI was conducted. Patients who had pulmonary follow-up were included. Spirometry was performed before discharge from the hospital and during outpatient follow-up. A paired t-test was used to compare serial spirometry data between visits. Results: Eight patients (6 males) were included. Two patients required intubation with mechanical ventilation, 2 required bilevel positive airway pressure, and 3 required oxygen supplementation. All patients received glucocorticoids (3 receiving pulse dosing). Initial spirometry revealed decreased forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity with clinically and statistically significant improvement at follow-up (mean follow-up was 46.5 days). Radiographic manifestations also improved after vaping was discontinued. Conclusion: In our cohort of patients with EVALI, at short-term follow-up, all normalized their spirometry parameters and showed clinical resolution of symptoms.
How photovoice can be used for continuous improvement within an aviation certified flight academic degree program

Abstract The purpose of this study is to show how photovoice can be used as a continuous improvement approach for increasing quality assurance in aviation flight programs. Previous research initiatives have made positive impacts on aviation programs, however, two major gaps exist. First, the studies have not yet applied the photovoice approach, which uses pictures and narratives to gain deeper insights into challenges and barriers associated with current aviation programs. Second, previous studies were primarily dependent upon industry (e.g., pilots, managers, training organizations, and advisory boards) to address the need for educational curriculum changes instead of collaborating and including perspectives of the customers (e.g., students) themselves to evaluate the learning experience concerning recruitment, persistence, and completion. This study provides a pathway to address these gaps by conducting a photovoice assessment with senior-level aviation students completing their final semester of the certified flight program. Student participants were instructed to answer questions (related to program challenges and motivations) with two pictures and a description for each. The study used thematic analysis for discovering patterns within the data. The results from this work provide insight into challenges and motivators associated with the holistic student learning experience.
A rational diagnostic approach to the "phantom hCG" and other clinical scenarios in which a patient is thought to be pregnant but is not.

The scenario in which a patient tests positive for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the absence of pregnancy can pose a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. The term “phantom hCG” refers to pers...
Cigarette smoking and its possible effects on sperm

The possible effects of cigarette smoking on sperm were evaluated by comparison of the quality of sperm from 103 smokers and 135 nonsmokers in a blind study. Smokers were found to possess significantly (P less than 0.001) decreased density (number) and motility of their sperm than nonsmokers. Morphologic abnormalities, particularly bicephalia, although prevalent among individual smokers, did not differ significantly (P greater than 0.9) when a comparison of smokers versus nonsmokers was made as a whole. Based on these observations and those of others demonstrating the presence of the mutagenic properties of smoke condensates, we suggest that decreases in sperm density and motility in cigarette smokers may be reflective of smoke condensate-induced mutagenic spermatogenital alterations.
The mixed mechanisms of large-earthquake nucleation

Where do big earthquakes come from? That's an important open question in seismology. High-energy earthquakes often come from faults under high strain, but the mechanism that underlies their onset is still debated.
Calculation of Springback and Its Variation in Channel Forming Operations

An approximate plane strain analysis of the springback of sheet metal which has been bent under tension around a small radius is presented. The tensile load can be applied either before the bending takes place (called a «preload») or after bending («postload»). Some of the material and process parameters which govern springback are identified, and it is shown that postloads are always more effective than preloads in reducing spring-back
Impact of exposure accrual on sequential postmarket evaluations: a simulation study

Purpose We frame the challenges in conducting sequential database surveillance (SDS) analyses and use simulation techniques to illustrate one of these aspects: the accrual of exposed person-time. We discuss the role of SDS analyses in the US Food and Drug Administration's planned Sentinel System and suggest the outline of a decision–analytic framework that might aid regulatory authorities in planning postmarket surveillance. Methods We trace exposure accrual using US Medicaid data for new molecular entities approved in 2005 and 2006 and simulate risk estimates that are observable using SDS by varying the event rate of the health outcome of interest (HOI) in the control group. Results Sequential database surveillance may considerably narrow risk estimates for most products within 2 years when the underlying control group HOI occurs commonly (i.e., at least 1 HOI/100 person-years). Exposure accrual may be insufficient for detecting relative risks with infrequent, rare, or very rare HOIs (i.e., less frequent than 1 event/1000 person-years). However, if SDS is used to quickly detect or rule out an incremental risk difference, then a majority of products are viable SDS candidates. Conclusions As a surveillance tool, SDS performs differently depending on whether its intended regulatory target is to narrow relative risk estimates or to confirm/rule out absolute levels of excess risk. These desired endpoints, in addition to the number of exposures available for analysis and the underlying HOI rates, influence the number of products that would be viable candidates for SDS. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cooperative Base Station Coloring for Pair-Wise Multi-Cell Coordination

This paper proposes a method for designing base station (BS) clusters and cluster patterns for pair-wise BS coordination. The key idea is that each BS cluster is formed by using the second-order Voronoi region, and the BS clusters are assigned to a specific cluster pattern by using edge-coloring for a graph drawn by Delaunay triangulation. The main advantage of the proposed method is that the BS selection conflict problem is prevented, while users are guaranteed to communicate with their two closest BSs in any irregular BS topology. With the proposed coordination method, analytical expressions for the rate distribution and the ergodic spectral efficiency are derived as a function of relevant system parameters in a fixed irregular network model. In a random network model with a homogeneous Poisson point process, a lower bound on the ergodic spectral efficiency is characterized. Through system level simulations, the performance of the proposed method is compared with that of conventional coordination methods: dynamic clustering and static clustering. Our major finding is that, when users are dense enough in a network, the proposed method provides the same level of coordination benefit with dynamic clustering to edge users.
Raman scattering from CdSe/ZnSe self-assembled quantum dot structures

We report Raman scattering from CdSe/ZnSe self-assembled quantum dot structures. A series of samples, each with a different growth-interruption time before ZnSe caping of the CdSe dots, is investigated. ZnSe longitudinal optical (LO) phonon shifts as a function of the interruption time show a complex pattern due to the evolution of CdSe dots. We observe an LO phonon from the CdSe dots at $\ensuremath{\sim}221{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ as well as an interface phonon at $\ensuremath{\sim}245{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}.$ We present evidence that the interface phonon is localized at the interface between the CdSe dots and the ZnSe cap layer.