cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strong independent association between obesity and essential hypertension

Obesity and hypertension (HTN) are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Association between obesity and HTN has not been studied in a large populations following adjustment for comorbidities. The goal of this study was to evaluate any association between obesity and HTN after adjusting for baseline characteristics. We used ICD-9 codes for obesity and HTN from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) databases. Two randomly selected years, 1992 and 2002, were chosen from the databases as two independent samples. We used uni- and multivariable analysis to study any correlation between obesity and HTN. The 1992 database contained a total of 6,195,744 patients. HTN was present in 37.2 % of patients with obesity versus 12% of the control group (OR: 4.36, CI 4.30-4.42, P < 0.001). The 2002 database contained a total of 7,153,982 patients. HTN was present in 50.7% of patients with obesity versus 25.6% of the control group (OR: 2.98, CI 2.96-3.00, P < 0.001). Using multivariable analysis adjusting for gender, hyperlipidaemia, age, smoking, type 2 diabetes and chronic renal failure, obesity remained correlated with HTN in both years (1992: OR 2.69, CI 2.67-2.72, P < 0.001; 2002: OR 2.98, CI 2.96-3.00, P < 0.001). The presence of obesity was found to be strongly and independently associated with HTN. The cause of this correlation is not known warranting further investigation.
Analysis on results of physical examination among employees in food services and public places in Changping District of Beijing in 2012

[Objective]To know the results of physical examination among employees in food services and public places in Changping District of Beijing in 2012.[Methods]By using the Beijing Public Health Information Management System,results of physical examination among employees in Changping District in 2012 were analyzed statistically.[Results]A total of 92 466 employees have received the preventive health examination,and 144 employees had the professional contraindications,with the detection rate of 0.156%.There was 1 case of positive antibody to hepatitis A( 0.69%),1 case of positive antibody to hepatitis E( 0.69%),139 cases of active tuberculosis( 96.53%),and 3 cases of suppurative or exudative skin diseases( 2.08%).The typhoid / dysentery was not found.The detection rate of active tuberculosis was the highest,that in local employees and nonlocal was 0.055% and 0.180% respectively,and the difference was statistically significant( χ2= 353.31,P 0.01).[Conclusion]Among the detected infectious diseases,the detection rate of active tuberculosis is the highest,followed by suppurative or exudative skin diseases.The physical examination should be carried out among employees in food services and public places annually,and employees with infectious diseases should leave the related posts.
A novel method to promote behavioral improvement and enhance mitochondrial function following an embolic stroke.

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is the only FDA-approved treatment for stroke; tPA increases cerebral reperfusion, blood flow and improved behavior. Novel transcranial laser therapy (TLT) also enhances cerebral blood flow and activates mitochondrial function. Using the rabbit small clot embolic stroke model (RSCEM), we studied the effects of continuous wave TLT (7.5mW/cm(2)) alone or in combination with standardized intravenous (IV) tPA (3.3mg/kg) applied 1h post-embolization on 3 endpoints: 1) behavioral function measured 2 days [effective stroke dose (P50 in mg) producing neurological deficits in 50% of embolized rabbits], 2) intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) rate, and 3) cortical adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) content was measured 6h following embolization. TLT and tPA significantly (p 0.05) for the TLT-tPA combination to further increase P50. TLT and tPA both attenuated stroke-induced ATP deficits, and the combination of tPA and TLT produced an additive effect on ATP levels. This study demonstrates that the combination of TLT-tPA enhances ATP production, and suggests that tPA-induced reperfusion in combination with TLT neuroprotection therapy may optimally protect viable cells in the cortex measured using ATP levels as a marker.
Major Approaches of Promoting and Developing Dominant Ideas in Universities——on the Set-up and Functions of a Concise Outline of Chinese Modern History

After being experimented in 2006 and generally established in the resent two years,the course of a Concise Outline of Chinese Modern History has gradually become an important approach of promoting and developing dominant ideas as well as a main course for the students 'ideological education and quality development,which has its constant and special educational sense.
Effect of simulation on knowledge, self-confidence, and skill performance in the USA: A quasi-experimental study.

In health care, high-fidelity simulation has been shown to result in increased student learning outcomes when compared to low-fidelity simulation. With educational facilities investing significant amounts of money into purchasing high-fidelity simulators, it is imperative to identify if the midlevel simulator, which is less costly, will result in the same learning outcomes. In this study, we examined the effect of midlevel-fidelity simulation versus low-fidelity simulation on Bachelor of Science in Nursing nursing students' knowledge, self-confidence, and skill performance. A quasi-experimental design examined the effects of midlevel-fidelity simulation (n = 37) versus low-fidelity simulation (case study) (n = 37) in junior-level nursing students. There was a significant difference for both groups in knowledge and skill performance (measured with a mini Objective Structured Clinical Examination), but not between the groups. Unexpectedly, the case-study group had a higher level of self-confidence (self-reported). The results of this study indicate that further research is needed to support faculties' selection of learning strategies with the lowest cost and highest effectiveness in achieving the desired learning outcomes.
Spatiotemporal modulation for non-reciprocal radiation and scattering

Lorentz reciprocity imposes constraints on radiation and scattering. For instance, a reciprocal antenna in a reciprocal medium will have identical radiation patterns in transmission and reception; therefore, in a dense environment a directive antenna will be prone to ‘hear’ its own echoes. Likewise, a scattering matrix in reciprocal medium will be symmetric, implying particularly that a metasurface that reflects plane wave A to plane wave B will necessarily do the reciprocal process, from B to A, with identical efficiency. Recent works have shown that weak spatiotemporal modulation in high-Q ring resonators can create drastic non-reciprocity. Here we show theoretically and experimentally that, by proper design, taking advantage of the light-cone filtering property, spatiotemporal modulation of low-Q radiating and scattering systems, can exhibit also significant non-reciprocity. Possible applications are in radio-frequency communication systems, as well as open new directions in nanophotonics, energy harvesting, and thermal management, when translated to different frequency regimes.
TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION IN PHOSPHATE ABSORPTION OCCURRING OVER DIVERSE TIME SCALES

This study confirms, amplifies, and, in part, explains earlier work showing that arctic plants effectively compensate both morphologically and physiologically for low soil temperatures. High root-to-shoot ratios in coldsoil species were achieved in part by lower temperature optima for root initiation, elongation, and production in species from cold soil environments. However, at low soil temperatures all species invested more biomass to grow a given distance or produce a given unit of surface area.
Multidisciplinary Systems Engineering Processes

Multidisciplinary System Engineering provides the processes and oversight for the three main critical aspects of System of Systems design:
A simplified overview of handling faults in systems around us

Faults cause the observed behavior of a system to deviate from the expected behavior. They occur throughout the lifetime of a typical system. They may occur in the design phase of the system, the manufacturing phase, or during normal operation. In this paper, we present a simplified overview of handling faults in electronic as well as nonelectronic systems such as systems in engineering, science, biology, etc. The paper first defines the concepts of faults, errors, and failures. It then demonstrates the high cost of failure via several examples. The goal of this paper is to present a detailed and simplified discussion of the methods of handling faults in systems around us including fault avoidance; fault dismissal; error detection; fault location; error correction; fault masking; fault tolerance; and reconfiguration. Faults in a system can be divided into three categories: Faults that can be avoided (at a substantial cost), faults that can be dismissed due to various reasons, and faults that must be handled correctly before they become errors and ultimately lead to the overall failure of the system. The paper discusses the various techniques that prevent the faults in the system from leading the system to failure. The paper also discusses the requirements for fault tolerance and the methods used to achieve the desired fault tolerant capabilities in a typical system. The paper also presents two case studies to illustrate the concepts described above. The first system is the personal computer and the second system is the human digestive system. The case studies demonstrate the significant similarities between handling faults in electronic and non-electronic systems.
A cross-cultural comparative analysis of crowdfunding projects in the United States and South Korea

Despite the popularity of crowdfunding in academy and practice, there is a lack of cross-cultural study. To fill the research gap, this research explored similarities and differences of successful crowdfunding. In addition, by applying Hofstede's cultural dimensions, this research compared crowdfunding projects of U.S. and South Korea. By employing the content analysis method, the study addresses how culture influences the success of crowdfunding and message strategies. This research contributes to the knowledge building of crowdfunding and cultural significance, as well as providing guidelines for practitioners. A total of 510 crowdfunding projects from both the U.S. and Korea was analyzed for cross cultural comparison.Korean crowdfunding sites demonstrated a certain level of collectivism.U.S. sites demonstrated more power distance features on their crowdfunding sites than Korean sites did.U.S. crowdfunding sites displayed more features related to uncertainty avoidance.Culture influences crowdfunding performance as factors of successful crowdfunding sites between two countries are different.
Advanced Doppler radar physiological sensing technique for drone detection

A 24 GHz medium-range human detecting sensor, using the Doppler Radar Physiological Sensing (DRPS) technique, which can also detect unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones), is currently under development for potential rescue and anti-drone applications. DRPS systems are specifically designed to remotely monitor small movements of non-metallic human tissues such as cardiopulmonary activity and respiration. Once optimized, the unique capabilities of DRPS could be used to detect UAVs. Initial measurements have shown that DRPS technology is able to detect moving and stationary humans, as well as largely non-metallic multi-rotor drone helicopters. Further data processing will incorporate pattern recognition to detect multiple signatures (motor vibration and hovering patterns) of UAVs.
“That’s Why I Say Stay in School”: Black Mothers’ Parental Involvement, Cultural Wealth, and Exclusion in Their Son’s Schooling:

This study examines parental involvement practices, the cultural wealth, and school experiences of poor and working-class mothers of Black boys. Drawing upon data from an ethnographic study, we exa...
A Lesson in Justice

Mr. Stephens came to my office to wage war against his union, and he thought of me, a first-year staff attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, as his personal tank, his fighter jet, and his destroyer. He had filed a charge alleging that the union had wrongly passed him over for a union position with an employer. Government investigators thought he had a case, and I had two weeks to prepare for a trial.But Mr. Stephens’s dissatisfaction with the union went way beyond getting passed over. I his half-hour tirade, he told me about the many things he felt were wrong with the way the union was run – things he wanted me to change.I was dismayed to see that Mr. Stephens held such an inflated view of what the United States government could do for him. As an administrative law attorney, my primary duty was to prove one minor charge of illegal conduct. I had no power to instigate a full-scale investigation of union hiring practices. I represented the government, not him. I couldn’t even call him my client. I would have to explain to him that the complaint the government had filed on his behalf would do little more than get him some back pay.I wondered about this man. What kind of guy would take on a union by himself? I had doubts whether his frenetic personality would impress the court. Finally, who would the union’s lawyer be? Finding out was just a matter of pawing through the endless government forms. My heart sank with the discovery: Here I was, with the ink on my law school diploma still not quite dry, and I was being opposed by one of the most feared labor attorneys in San Francisco.
Shelley’s “Perpetual Orphic Song”: Music as Pagan Ideology in Prometheus Unbound

Barnett explores the importance of music to Shelley’s work after his Marlow period, when the circle adopted the shared consumption of music as performative paganism, a liberal, taste-based, pastoral indolence and aesthetic luxuriousness of ten labeled by the Tory press as depraved and obscene sensuality. Music was not merely a pastime for these writers; it was a way of enacting a pagan, self-sustaining, communal enjoyment of sensual pleasures. Barnett’s reading of Prometheus Unbound illuminates the ways in which music—particularly opera and ballet—not only influence the style of Shelley’s poetics but transform it by providing Shelley with a new mode of discourse that can overcome the deficiencies of what he calls “inefficient and metaphorical” words.
Middle cerebral artery pressure changes following Pipeline flow diversion.

ObjectivePipeline embolization devices (PED) are commonly used for endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms but changes in intracranial hemodynamics after PED deployment are poorly understood. Here, we assess middle cerebral artery (MCA) and systemic blood pressure before and after PED treatment.MethodsRecords of patients with cerebral aneurysms proximal to the internal carotid artery terminus treated with PED at our institution between 2015 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included if ipsilateral MCA pressure measurements were available. Ipsilateral MCA pressure was transduced via the microcatheter before and after PED deployment. Systemic arterial blood pressure was also simultaneously recorded. MCA, systemic blood pressure, and ratios of MCA to systemic blood pressure values were compared before and after treatment among the study cohort using the two-sample paired Student t test.ResultsFourteen patients were included. Mean age was 54 years. Among the entire cohort, the ratio o...
Measurement of wavefront aberrations in cortex and peripheral nerve using a two-photon excitation guidestar

Neural-machine interfaces using optogenetics are of interest due to their minimal invasiveness and potential for parallel read in and read out of activity. One possible biological target for such an interface is the peripheral nerve, where axonlevel imaging or stimulation could greatly improve interfacing with artificial limbs or enable neuron/fascicle level neuromodulation in the vagus nerve. Two-photon imaging has been successful in imaging brain activity using genetically encoded calcium or voltage indicators, but in the peripheral nerve, this is severely limited by scattering and aberrations from myelin. We employ a Shack-Hartman wavefront sensor and two-photon excitation guidestar to quantify optical scattering and aberrations in peripheral nerves and cortex. The sciatic and vagus nerves, and cortex from a ChAT-Cre ChR-eYFP transgenic mouse were excised and imaged directly. In peripheral nerves, defocus was the strongest aberration followed by astigmatism and coma. Peripheral nerve had orders of magnitude higher aberration compared with cortex. These results point to the potential of adaptive optics for increasing the depth of two-photon access into peripheral nerves.
Cannibalism, kuru and anthropology

This essay discusses the image and practice of cannibalism in a wide range of studies. It also presents the anthropological research on kuru which led to the proposal that cannibalism had enabled transmission of the infectious agent, as well as doubts about the hypothesis, and the assertion by some that cannibalism as a socially approved custom did not exist. The figure of the cannibal as an icon of primitivism took form in the encounter between Europe and the Americas. Cannibalism was to become the prime signifier of "barbarism" for a language of essentialized difference that would harden into the negative racism of the nineteenth century. Anthropological and medical research now challenge the derogatory image of the cannibal as we learn more about the many past consumers of human flesh, including ourselves.
My Not-So-Secret Double-Life as a Chemistry Professor and Mom

I’m leading a double-life as a Chemistry Professor and as a Mother. My double-life is, however, not a secret. My university colleagues all know that I am also a mother. My family is also very aware that I am a Chemistry Professor. As I write this chapter, I’ve been a chemist for the last 17 years, a professor for the last 10 years, and a mother for the last 6 years. While I cannot claim to be the perfect role model for those considering a similar double-life, I can say that I am very happy doing both. I cannot imagine my life without either of these two parts.
Mast Cell Precursors and Signaling Pathways

Mast cells are primary effector cells in allergic inflammation, where they cause symptoms related to mediators produced and released after mast cell activation. Understanding mast cell growth and differentiation is critical for deciphering the pathophysiology of allergic inflammation and developing new therapies [1]. Mastocytosis is a condition characterized by a pathologic accumulation of mast cells in tissues. It offers a unique opportunity to study the growth and differentiation of mast cells and their contribution to various pathologic processes. The molecular pathways regulating the proliferation and survival of mast cells are strikingly similar between normal mast cells and mast cells involved in mastocytosis. KIT, a transmembrane receptor for stem cell factor (SCF) is critical for normal mast cell growth and differentiation, and yet activating mutations in c-kit are often implicated in the etiology of mastocytosis [2].
Reactive Oxygen Species, Na+/H+ Exchange and Ca2+ Overload During Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury: The Paradox Explained?

Reperfusion of the myocardium following an ischemic episode is associated with profound contractile and metabolic dysfunction. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl (•OH) radicals, are produced during reperfusion after a transient ischemic attack of the myocardium. Reperfusion is also associated with the activation of the cardiac Na+/H+ exchanger isoform-1 (NHE-1), which restores intracellular pH (pHi) towards normal following ischemia-induced acidosis. Activation of NHE-1 also produces undesirable secondary effects leading to the exacerbation of tissue injury, a phenomenon termed the “pH paradox”. Increased generation of ROS plays an important role in reperfusion-induced myocardial stunning and NHE-1 activation. However, the exact relationship between ROS, NHE-1 activity and intracellular Ca2+ overload has not been defined. Recent development of new, more specific NHE-1 inhibitors has enhanced our understanding of the link between ROS burst, the pH paradox, and Ca2+ overload during I/R injury.
Who's Readmitted for Heart Failure and Why? Real-time Capture of Admissions through an Institutional Analytics Dashboard

Introduction Enhanced cognizance and timely reporting are crucial for hospitals engaging in readmissions reduction efforts to improve both process and outcomes among heart failure (HF) patients. Utilizing electronic medical record and claims data, we created an analytics dashboard to identify admissions and readmissions across multiple campuses of an academic medical center with over 3000 annual acute decompensated HF (ADHF) hospitalizations. We hypothesized that the addition of the dashboard to the established HF readmissions reduction program (HFRRP) would further reduce the 30-day all-cause readmission rate. Methods The dashboard captured HF admissions by medical record number 72 hours post discharge and generated a 24-hour look-back report that provided recent activity for patients that presented to the emergency department or were rehospitalized within 30 days. To track progress over time the dashboard displayed 3 years of data and could be filtered by hospital campus, unit and discharging provider. Monthly audits of readmitted patients identified through the dashboard were conducted to evaluate adherence to HFRRP interventions. Patients who routinely appeared on the look-back reports with multiple admissions for ADHF were interviewed to determine patient-specific gaps in care. Clinical teams received quarterly updates on the readmission rate. Results Construction of the dashboard facilitated quality improvement initiatives throughout the medical center. Increased transparency of HFRRP data, along with feedback to the clinical teams, stimulated interest in performance and outcomes. Targeted efforts determined by data analysis and reporting reduced the 30-day all-cause HF readmission rate from 25.2% in 2016 to 22.9% in 2017. Conclusion An informatics-based approach using an institutional dashboard further reduced the readmission rate of our existing HFRRP. Hospitals can incorporate real-time data derived from a dashboard to improve decision making and resource utilization for patients admitted with HF.
Biosignatures of Cellular Components and Metabolic Activity

The astrobiological search for biosignatures requires a working concept of the fundamental attributes of life. Life’s basic capabilities of energy harvesting, metabolism, and self-replication can create objects, substances and patterns—biosignatures—that indicate their biological origins. High relative abundances of certain lipids, hydrocarbons, amino acids and polysaccharides are diagnostic products of billions of years of evolution. Lipid assemblages having narrow molecular weight ranges are key constituents of cellular membranes. The molecular structures of lipids provide details of their biosynthetic pathways. Some lipid biosignatures are diagnostic for particular groups of microorganisms. The biosynthesis of organic matter and biochemical oxidation-reduction reactions can discriminate against the heavier isotopes of carbon and sulfur and thereby create molecular isotopic patterns that indicate not only their biological origins, but also key details about biosynthetic pathways. Sulfur isotopic patterns can indicate biological redox reactions. Because microorganisms can greatly enhance, at relatively low to moderate temperatures, reaction rates between oxidized and reduced sulfur compounds, they can create a range in the stable isotopic compositions of these compounds that is substantially larger than nonbiological reactions can achieve under similar conditions. The simultaneous presence of multiple biosignature objects, substances and patterns in a demonstrably habitable earlier environment constitutes the most compelling evidence of past life.
Response of ‘Moonbeam’ Coreopsis and ‘Goldsturm’ Rudbeckia to B-Nine and Cycocel

Abstract Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ and Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ were sprayed with tank mixes of B-Nine and Cycocel in all combinations of 0, 2500, 5000 or 7500 ppm B-Nine and 0, 1000, 1500 or 2000 ppm Cycocel. B-Nine was more effective in controlling height of both cultivars than Cycocel or B-Nine/Cycocel tank mixes. B-Nine alone suppressed height of coreopsis 26-52% (over all concentrations and all data collection dates), in contrast to a 17–41% height suppression when B-Nine was combined with Cycocel. Cycocel alone suppressed height of coreopsis 6–16% over all concentrations and data collection dates. B-Nine suppressed height of rudbeckia 20–40% over all data collection dates, while Cycocel suppressed height of rudbeckia only in the last two weeks of data collection (10 and 12% at weeks 8 and 9, respectively). Tank mixes applied to rudbeckia were not as effective as B-Nine alone for height suppression. Flowering of coreopsis was delayed 6 days by B-Nine and 12–14 days by tank mixes of B-Nin...
Findings from What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2014 support salad consumption as an effective strategy for improving adherence to dietary recommendations

Objective To verify the previously untested assumption that eating more salad enhances vegetable intake and determine if salad consumption is in fact associated with higher vegetable intake and greater adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommendations. Design Individuals were classified as salad reporters or non-reporters based upon whether they consumed a salad composed primarily of raw vegetables on the intake day. Regression analyses were applied to calculate adjusted estimates of food group intakes and assess the likelihood of meeting Healthy US-Style Food Pattern recommendations by salad reporting status. Setting Cross-sectional analysis of data collected in 2011-2014 in What We Eat in America, the dietary intake component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.ParticipantsUS adults (n 9678) aged ≥20 years (excluding pregnant and lactating women). Results On the intake day, 23 % of adults ate salad. The proportion of individuals reporting salad varied by sex, age, race, income, education and smoking status (Pl0·001). Compared with non-reporters, salad reporters consumed significantly larger quantities of vegetables (total, dark green, red/orange and other), which translated into a two- to threefold greater likelihood of meeting recommendations for these food groups. More modest associations were observed between salad consumption and differences in intake and likelihood of meeting recommendations for protein foods (total and seafood), oils and refined grains. Conclusions Study results confirm the DGA message that incorporating more salads in the diet is one effective strategy (among others, such as eating more cooked vegetables) to augment vegetable consumption and adherence to dietary recommendations concerning vegetables.
Modeling Potential Energy of the Gaussian Gun

The Gaussian gun is an arrangement of magnets and ball bearings (pictured in Fig. 1) such that—when the leftmost ball is released—the rightmost ball is ejected at high speeds. The device has been described in several articles on energy education. The sudden appearance of kinetic energy offers a productive context for considering a range of challenging ideas: the often-counterintuitive relationship between force and potential energy, the escape velocity for attractive forces, why energy is required to break bonds, and why energy is released when bonds form. Beyond these ideas, it is also useful for motivating the representation of a potential well and bound states for both quantum mechanics and chemistry.
Mesenchymal stem cell infusion shows promise for combating coronavirus (COVID-19)-induced pneumonia

A new study published by the journal Aging & Disease reported that intravenous administration of clinical-grade human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted in improved functional outcomes (Leng et al., Aging Dis, 11:216-228, 2020). This study demonstrated that intravenous infusion of MSCs is a safe and effective approach for treating patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, including elderly patients displaying severe pneumonia. COVID-19 is a severe acute respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, treating COVID-19 patients, particularly those afflicted with severe pneumonia, is challenging as no specific drugs or vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are available. Therefore, MSC therapy inhibiting the overactivation of the immune system and promoting endogenous repair by improving the lung microenvironment after the SARS-CoV-2 infection found in this study is striking. Additional studies in a larger cohort of patients are needed to validate this therapeutic intervention further, however.
Polar Lipid Fraction E from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius and Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine Can Form Stable yet Thermo-Sensitive Tetraether/Diester Hybrid Archaeosomes with Controlled Release Capability

Archaeosomes have drawn increasing attention in recent years as novel nano-carriers for therapeutics. The main obstacle of using archaeosomes for therapeutics delivery has been the lack of an efficient method to trigger the release of entrapped content from the otherwise extremely stable structure. Our present study tackles this long-standing problem. We made hybrid archaeosomes composed of tetraether lipids, called the polar lipid fraction E (PLFE) isolated from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, and the synthetic diester lipid dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Differential polarized phase-modulation and steady-state fluorometry, confocal fluorescence microscopy, zeta potential (ZP) measurements, and biochemical assays were employed to characterize the physical properties and drug behaviors in PLFE/DPPC hybrid archaeosomes in the presence and absence of live cells. We found that PLFE lipids have an ordering effect on fluid DPPC liposomal membranes, which can slow down the release of entrapped drugs, while PLFE provides high negative charges on the outer surface of liposomes, which can increase vesicle stability against coalescence among liposomes or with cells. Furthermore, we found that the zeta potential in hybrid archaeosomes with 30 mol% PLFE and 70 mol% DPPC (designated as PLFE/DPPC(3:7) archaeosomes) undergoes an abrupt increase from −48 mV at 37 °C to −16 mV at 44 °C (termed the ZP transition), which we hypothesize results from DPPC domain melting and PLFE lipid ‘flip-flop’. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DXO) can be readily incorporated into PLFE/DPPC(3:7) archaeosomes. The rate constant of DXO release from PLFE/DPPC(3:7) archaeosomes into Tris buffer exhibited a sharp increase (~2.5 times), when the temperature was raised from 37 to 42 °C, which is believed to result from the liposomal structural changes associated with the ZP transition. This thermo-induced sharp increase in drug release was not affected by serum proteins as a similar temperature dependence of drug release kinetics was observed in human blood serum. A 15-min pre-incubation of PLFE/DPPC(3:7) archaeosomal DXO with MCF-7 breast cancer cells at 42 °C caused a significant increase in the amount of DXO entering into the nuclei and a considerable increase in the cell’s cytotoxicity under the 37 °C growth temperature. Taken together, our data suggests that PLFE/DPPC(3:7) archaeosomes are stable yet potentially useful thermo-sensitive liposomes wherein the temperature range (from 37 to 42–44 °C) clinically used for mild hyperthermia treatment of tumors can be used to trigger drug release for medical interventions.
Engaging fathers in the first 1000 days to improve perinatal outcomes and prevent obesity: Rationale and design of the First Heroes randomized trial.

Abstract Background Early pregnancy through the first year of life represents an important period for family health promotion and obesity prevention. Overall, preventive interventions in pregnancy and infancy have insufficiently engaged fathers. We describe the rationale and design of First Heroes, an intervention to improve perinatal and obesity-related outcomes among mother-father-infant triads beginning in pregnancy. Methods/design First Heroes is a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation randomized trial of mother-father-infant triads recruited in the second trimester of pregnancy from a large Obstetric practice in eastern Massachusetts and continuing through 12 months of infant age. Triads are randomized to the intervention arm or to an enhanced safety education control group. Triads randomized to the intervention arm receive three virtual visits with a health educator, in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, at 3–4 weeks, and 3–4 months postpartum, and receive continuous multimedia education through text messaging, print material, and videos. The educational curriculum addresses parent health behaviors, family relationships, social determinants of health, and infant feeding, sleep, and development. The primary outcome is prevalence of rapid infant weight gain from birth to 6 months of age. Secondary outcomes include parent anthropometrics, parent obesogenic behaviors, family functioning, and infant behaviors. Discussion First Heroes will evaluate the extent to which intentional mother-father dyad engagement, coaching on adoption of early life health behaviors, and addressing social determinants of health, influence obesogenic behaviors and outcomes in the first year of life. Findings from this work will inform future obesity prevention efforts, especially those focused on whole family inclusion.
Longitudinal trends using a point-of-care gelatin-based model for ultrasound-guided central venous catheter insertion.

Ultrasound (US)-guided central venous catheter (CVC) insertion is a procedure that carries the risk of significant complications. Simulation provides a safe learning atmosphere, but most CVC simula...
Effect of poultry litter biochar on the biomethanation of alkaline wet air-oxidized water hyacinth at high feed to inoculum (F/I) ratio

Pretreating water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes Mart) with alkaline wet air oxidation (AWAO) increases the methane production rate when the feed to inoculum ratio (F/I) is equal to 1. Using higher F/I is more practical at large scale, but substrate inhibition occurs. The optimal conditions for the biomethanation of AWAO water hyacinth using high F/I (15) and the effect of biochar on the system were studied. Kinetic studies were conducted on the biomethanation of water hyacinth pretreated at 80 °C, 100 °C, 170 °C with 0.07, and 0.14 g Na2CO3/g feed and digested with 0 g, 0.05 g, and 0.10 g of biochar per g of feed. After 21 days of digestion, the methane rates for the untreated biomass and the water hyacinth pretreated at high temperature and alkali concentration (170 °C, 0.07 g Na2CO3/g) were 5.4 ± 0.1 and 3.6 ± 2.0 N. mL CH4/g feed *day, respectively. Higher methane rates (10.0 ± 0.7 N. mL CH4/g feed *day) were attained for the water hyacinth pretreated at lower temperature (80 °C) and lower alkali concentration (0.07 g Na2CO3/g). Also, the methane yield for the biomass pretreated at 80 °C was twice than that for the pretreated at 170 °C. The biomethanation of the water hyacinth pretreated at higher temperatures and low alkaline concentration showed a 20-day pseudo lag phase that was reduced by adding poultry litter biochar. The use of biochar on high F/I anaerobic digestion from pretreated water hyacinth is promising.
Management of Pelvic Retroperitoneal Tumors

Pelvic tumors are commonly encountered in urology and encompass a wide range of tumor types. These are best classified by location. In the following chapter, literature was reviewed via PubMed search of prostate, bladder, ureteral, and seminal vesicle cancer. Controversies regarding lymphadenectomy and use of chemotherapy are discussed for the relevant tumors. Finally, the advances in minimally invasive techniques are discussed. In conclusion, pelvic retroperitoneal urologic tumors often require extirpation, lymphadenectomy, and reconstruction. Minimally invasive therapies are successful in appropriately selected cases.
Directional Distributions and Mean Square Slopes of Surface Waves

Abstract : Field observations show that the crosswind component constitutes a significant portion of the ocean surface mean square slope. The average ratio between the crosswind and upwind mean square slope components is 0.88 in slick-covered ocean surfaces. This large crosswind slope component cannot be explained satisfactorily based on our present models of ocean wave directional distributions. Two-dimensional spectral analysis of 3D ocean surface topography reveals that bimodal directional distribution is a common feature for wave components shorter than the peak wavelength. The calculated result of the upwind and crosswind mean square slope components using a bimodal directional distribution function is in very good agreement with field measurements.
How open should an open system be? essays on mobile computing

"Systems" goods---such as computers, telecom networks, and automobiles---are made up of multiple components. This dissertation comprises three essays that study the decisions of system innovators in mobile computing to "open" development of their systems to outside suppliers and the implications of doing so. The first essay considers this issue from the perspective of which components are retained under the control of the original innovator to act as a "platform" in the system. Based on detailed review of leading systems in this industry in data spanning 1984-2004, I find that platform boundaries expand and contract over time as a means for platform suppliers to promote the adoption of the platform (by end-customers, downstream manufacturers, and suppliers of complements) and simultaneously to ensure the continuing innovation of the system. The second essay provides a systematic empirical investigation of how the extent of openness chosen by the platform supplier affected the rate of innovation of mobile computing devices. I measure openness in relation to both the boundaries of the platform and the extent to which actions were taken by platform suppliers to promote entry by hardware device manufacturers. I find regular relationships across multiple measures of innovation that suggest that whether openness increases or decreases innovation depends on the nature of innovation and the intensity of competition between device makers. The third essay moves from device hardware to the applications software developer networks that form around opened platforms. I investigate the effect of platform suppliers' aggressive promotion of entry of software developers around their platforms. I find that while large developer networks are associated with a wide selection of software titles, that very large developer networks in fact lead to less software output. I interpret this result as revealing the importance of maintaining investment incentives---even in a context with network effects. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Arresting hospitality: the case of the ‘handshake in space’

The diplomatic event which symbolically terminated the Space Race was a high-risk mission on low Earth orbit which came to be known as the Apollo-Soyuz ‘handshake in space’. Designed as an act of detente to literally and figuratively transcend national borders and technocultural differences, the mission in the end transcended itself in denying any but space nature –‘space-as-itself’– the sovereignty of hosting. Humorous exchanges between astronauts and cosmonauts illustrate how the ‘risk exchange economy’ of the human space flight programme performed what might be termed an extra-territorial ethics of hospitality, with far-reaching implications for mapping possible worlds of nature-culture accountability. Resume L'evenement diplomatique qui mit fin symboliquement a la course a l'espace fut une mission a haut risque en orbite terrestre basse, la « rencontre dans l'espace » entre Apollo et Soyouz. Qualifiee d'acte de detente, transcendant au sens propre comme au sens figure les frontieres nationales et les differences technoculturelles, la mission a fini par se transcender elle-meme en deniant a tout ce qui n'etait pas la nature de l'espace, l'espace « en lui-meme », la souverainete de l'accueil. Les echanges de plaisanteries entre astronautes et cosmonautes illustrent la maniere dont « l'economie d'echange des risques » du programme de vols spatiaux habites realisait ce que l'on pourrait appeler une ethique extraterritoriale de l'hospitalite, dont les implications vont tres loin dans l'elaboration de mondes possibles de responsabilite envers la nature-culture.
Chronic exercise confers neuroprotection in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the CNS, resulting in accumulated loss of cognitive, sensory, and motor function. This study evaluates the neuropathological effects of voluntary exercise in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of MS. Two groups of C57BL/6J mice were injected with an emulsion containing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and then randomized to housing with a running wheel or a locked wheel. Exercising EAE mice exhibited a less severe neurological disease score and later onset of disease compared with sedentary EAE animals. Immune cell infiltration and demyelination in the ventral white matter tracts of the lumbar spinal cord were significantly reduced in the EAE exercise group compared with sedentary EAE animals. Neurofilament immunolabeling in the ventral pyramidal and extrapyramidal motor tracts displayed a more random distribution of axons and an apparent loss of smaller diameter axons, with a greater loss of fluorescence immunolabeling in the sedentary EAE animals. In lamina IX gray matter regions of the lumbar spinal cord, sedentary animals with EAE displayed a greater loss of α-motor neurons compared with EAE animals exposed to exercise. These findings provide evidence that voluntary exercise results in reduced and attenuated disability, reductions in autoimmune cell infiltration, and preservation of axons and motor neurons in the lumbar spinal cord of mice with EAE.
Sequences for OFDM and Multi-Code CDMA: Two Problems in Algebraic Coding Theory

We study the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) problem for two different kinds of communications systems, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Multi-Code Code-Division Multiple Access (MC-CDMA). We describe a common coding theoretic approach to reducing the PAPR of both kinds of transmissions. In both cases, the classical Reed-Muller codes turn out to play a critical role. There is an intimate connection between Reed-Muller codes and Golay complementary sequences which can be exploited to produce codes suitable for OFDM. For MC-CDMA, it turns out that bent functions lead to transmissions with ideal power characteristics. In this way, the problem of finding good codes for OFDM and MC-CDMA can be closely related to some old and new problems in algebraic coding theory and sequence design.
Variable reliance on phonological information in visual word recognition.

Strong evidence was obtained that coding operations are variable and efficient during visual word recognition. Subjects were asked to make lexical judgments about words and nonwords when phonological recoding was either beneficial or detrimental to making their decisions. It was found that subjects utilized a phonological strategy where it was helpful and abandoned that strategy where it was a hindrance. The results are interpreted as providing support for a dual retrieval model of word recognition.
Syringe fading as treatment for feeding refusal

The efficacy of nonremoval of the cup or spoon as treatment for feeding refusal is dependent on prevention of escape from presentations. In the current investigation, 1 child with feeding refusal escaped presentations during nonremoval of the cup and spoon by clenching his teeth. Therefore, we used a syringe to deposit liquids and solids, increased the volume of liquids and solids in the syringe, and conducted syringe-to-cup and syringe-to-spoon fading.
Regional Interactions between California and the Southwest: The Western Edge of the North American Continental System

The first few centuries of the second millennium saw drastic changes in Coastal California and the American Southwest. In both areas, systems of internal trade intensified, and social systems sped down a path of increasing complexity. Following Peter Peregrine and Stephen Lekson (2006, 2012), we do not believe that these neighboring developments were purely coincidental. Rather, we see California and the Southwest as components in a continental-wide interaction system spanning both North and Central America. We argue that prehistoric interaction between the two regions was regular and sustained and that economic or political developments in one area are likely to have had important implications in the other. Specifically, we outline archaeological and ethnohistoric evidence for the trade of goods between the two areas, with shell beads and asphaltum moving east from coastal California in exchange for Southwestern ceramics and textiles. Rather than seeing each area as a case study in autochthonous social development, we argue that a regional synthesis of economic interactions and connectivity will build toward a better understanding of social changes in both regions. [world systems theory, trade and exchange, North America] RESUMEN Durante los primeros siglos del segundo milenio muchos cambios importantes ocurrieron en las regiones representadas por la Costa de California y el Suroeste de los Estados Unidos. En estas dos regiones, los sistemas de intercambio se intensificaron, y los sistemas sociales se desarrollaron en una ruta de complejidad creciente. Siguiendo el trabajo de Peter Peregrine y Stephen Lekson (2006, 2012) nosotros no creemos que estos desarrollos sean una coincidencia. Por el contrario, vemos a California y el Suroeste como componentes en un sistema de interaccion continental que abarca todo Centroamerica y America del Norte. Debatimos que la interaccion prehistorica entre las dos regiones era regular y sostenida, y que los desarrollos economicos o politicos en una de los areas probablemente haya tenido consecuencias importantes en la otra. Especificamente, describimos la evidencia arqueologica y etnohistorica sobre intercambio entre las dos areas, con cuentas de conchas y asfalto moviendose hacia el este desde la costa de California, a cambio de ceramica y textiles desde el Suroeste. Debatimos que una sintesis regional de las interacciones economicas puede construir una mejor comprension del desarrollo y cambio social en ambas regiones. [teoria del sistema-mundo, comercio e intercambio, arqueologia de America del Norte]