cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technology: Measuring the socioeconomic impact of manufacturing automation

Abstract In this report the potential savings of computer-directed manufacturing systems are hypothesized. It is contended that computer-directed automation of manufacturing is a continuation of the ongoing technological progress that the United States has been experiencing. Technological progress has significantly contributed to the growth of the GNP, permitting a high rate of return on investment. It is our contention that the development of computer-based automation will yield benefits greater than those produced by conventional technological progress. However, this present paper examines cost savings rather than contribution to growth. The reduction in the production costs of the discrete manufacturing sector made possible by computer-based automation is hypothesized by assuming the existence of an automated factory, although such a factory is in reality perhaps several decades away. Many assumptions are made about costs, their components and relationships. Case studies, literature references, opinions of consultants, and other informed but conjectural judgments provide the basis for the hypothesis. The impacts of computer-directed manufacturing automation upon environment, employment, general price level, urban/rural mix, and international trade are also conjectured. A number of definitions and distinctions are made with respect to automation, productivity, technology, and related points.
Metamemory monitoring and control following retrieval practice for text

Test-taking is assumed to help learners diagnose what they do and do not know, and by so doing improve the effectiveness of their subsequent study. Previous work has examined metamemory monitoring (e.g., predictions of future performance) and control (e.g., restudy decisions) following testing or retrieval practice with relatively simple materials (e.g., word pairs). There is reason to believe, however, that such monitoring and control decisions might be more difficult with text materials, even after retrieval practice, owing perhaps to difficulty in accurately assessing one's performance on the retrieval-practice test. In two experiments, participants read texts about world regions, then engaged in retrieval practice or rereading of the information in those texts, made estimates about future performance, and then received an opportunity to restudy the texts before taking a final recall test, with self-paced restudy enabling an examination of control processes. Memory predictions were more accurate in the retrieval-practice than in the rereading condition, and learners in both conditions allocated restudy time on the basis of their predictions. Additionally, restudy provided a greater benefit following retrieval practice than following rereading. The present study has implications for how students can use retrieval practice with text to foster subsequent learning.
MEMS actuators for silicon micro-optical elements

Micro actuators are critical elements in all micro-systems which require components that are not stationary. Numerous technologies have been developed in the field of MEMS to provide actuation. These devices are both surface and bulk micromachined and employ a variety of methods including electrostatics, thermal expansion and magnetism to generate forces and displacements. With the rapid growth of micro-optical system applications new actuators are required with unique characteristics. In this paper a review of common actuation technologies is presented. In addition two actuation methods, asymmetric combdrives and electrothermal vibromotors, which are well suited for optical systems are presented. Finally, the importance of control in micro-optical systems is discussed.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Interaction of Francisella asiatica with tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) innate immunity.

Members of the genus Francisella are facultative intracellular bacteria that cause important diseases in a wide variety of animals worldwide, including humans and fish. Several genes that are important for intramacrophage survival have been identified, including the iglC gene, which is found in the iglABCD operon in the Francisella sp. pathogenicity island (FPI). In the present study, we examined the interaction of wild-type Francisella asiatica and a ΔiglC mutant strain with fish serum and head kidney-derived macrophages (HKDM). Both the wild-type and the mutant strains were resistant to killing by normal and heat-inactivated sera. The wild-type F. asiatica is able to invade tilapia head kidney-derived macrophages and replicate vigorously within them, causing apoptosis and cytotoxicity in the macrophages at 24 and 36 h postinfection. The ΔiglC mutant, however, is defective for survival, replication, and the ability to cause cytotoxicity in HKDM, but the ability is restored when the mutant is complemented with the iglC gene. Uptake by the HKDM was mediated partially by complement and partially by macrophage mannose receptors, as demonstrated by in vitro assays. Light and electron microscopy analysis of the infected macrophages revealed intracellular bacteria present in a tight vacuole at 2 h postinoculation and the presence of numerous bacteria in spacious vacuoles at 12 h postinfection, with some bacteria free in the cytoplasm.
Feasibility of the Walk, Address, Learn and Cue (WALC) Intervention for Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

The WALC intervention was designed to motivate exercise in the elderly. Persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) face similar exercise barriers. We described theoritical underpinnings of the WALC intervention and how we adapted it for SSDs. We conducted a feasibility study of the adapted intervention in 17 persons with SSDs. The adapted intervention incorporated low intensity stretches, exercise education and exercise cues. The intervention was feasible and acceptable to participants; approximately two-thirds of all groups were attended and nearly half of participants attended at least 75% of groups. Follow up studies should examine the effect of the intervention upon future exercise behavior, with the goal of identifying evidence based interventions to increase exercise in this group.
Variation in pupil diameter in North American Gartersnakes (Thamnophis) is regulated by immersion in water, not by light intensity

A variable pupil generally regulates the amount of incoming light available for image formation on the retina. However, some of the semi-aquatic snakes (North American Gartersnakes, Thamnophis) that forage in relatively low light conditions reduce the pupil aperture in response to submergence underwater at the expense incoming light. Given that these snakes have all-cone retinas, reduction of incoming light because of pupillary constriction upon immersion seems counterintuitive. To test the effect of light and water on pupil aperture, three species of North American Gartersnakes (T. atratus, T. hammondii, and T. sirtalis) were exposed to nine light intensities in air and water. There was no effect of light on relative pupil aperture for any species. However, all three species showed a significant reduction in pupil aperture upon submergence underwater. The lack of a light response is surprising, and may be related to the method of accommodation in snakes. Snakes lack a ciliary muscle, and move the lens by constricting the pupil, which increases pressure in the posterior chamber and pushes the lens forward. Upon submergence, the snakes may be attempting to overcome the change in refractive index and defocus imposed by the water, by constricting the pupil. Thus, having the iris muscle involved in accommodation may preclude it from much of a light regulating function.
Lightning initiation–conventional and runaway-breakdown hypotheses

We evaluate two candidate mechanisms for the onset of lightning in the relatively low electric fields measured inside thunderstorms. The first is conventional dielectric breakdown due to local enhancement of the electric field in the vicinity of hydrometeors. The second is runaway breakdown, due to extended acceleration of high-energy electrons (from cosmic rays or terrestrial sources of ionizing radiation) by the in-cloud electric field. We compare the electric fields required for lightning onset by each mechanism with those observed inside lightning-producing clouds, and we examine the sensitivity of the computed results to input parameters and assumptions. The conclusion of our analysis is that the conventional breakdown mechanism alone cannot trigger lightning while the runaway breakdown mechanism appears a more likely candidate. We identify the parameters on which each mechanism depends and emphasize the impact of observational uncertainties on our conclusions.
Prenatal alcohol exposure and infant negative affect as precursors of depressive features in children

Cette etude a examine la continuite des variations negatives du temperament de la naissance a la petite enfance. Nous etudions aussi l'association de l'exposition prenatale a l'alcool avec un affect negatif chez les bebes et avec des traits de depression chez les jeunes enfants. 41 enfants de six ans participerent a l'etude, et ont ete suivis longitudinalement des l'âge d'un an. L'affect negatif des bebes fut observe et evalue selon le comportement a l'âge d'un an, et les symptomes depressifs des enfants ont ete mesures a l'âge de six ans en utilisant un questionnaire personnel. Les resultats ont revele une continuite entre l'affect negatif chez le bebe et les symptomes de depression dans l'enfance. De plus, l'exposition prenatale a l'alcool s'est averee etre un facteur de risque important dans le developpement de traits depressifs a la fois a travers son association directe avec l'enfant et avec son effet indirect sur l'affect negatif chez le bebe. Les enfants ayant de plus haut niveaux d'exposition a l'alcool, qui avaient de plus hauts niveaux d'affect negatif a un an, avaient plus de symptomes depressifs a six ans. Cet effet fut observe avant tout chez les filles. Les resultats suggerent un mecanisme suivant lequel les enfants exposes a l'alcool in utero peuvent etre predisposes a faire preuve de plus hauts niveaux d'emotionalite negative dans la toute petite enfance, les mettant a plus risque de depression durant leur enfance. La continuite de l'affect negatif et des symptomes negatifs chez les jeunes exposes prenatalement a l'alcool suggere que les interventions pourraient commencer durant la toute petite enfance et pourraient specifiquement cibler les comportements negatifs de l'enfant.
State Regulation of Corporations in the Late Nineteenth Century: A Critique of the New Jersey Thesis

The transformation from nineteenth-century proprietary capitalism to twentieth-century corporate capitalism involved fundamental changes in the rights of business corporations as market actors. At the end of the Civil War, corporations were controlled by individuals and families. At the turn of the twentieth century, corporations were in the midst of a merger movement that resulted in firms with concentrated capital, large numbers of shareholders, and control residing in management. New legal rights needed to be put in place to support this more advanced level of capitalist development. Most scholarship on the transformation of business corporation rights has focused on changes in the courts and in Congress, principally in regard to antitrust regulation. In addition, however, there was another locale essential to transforming the shape of the business organization: state legislatures developed and allocated corporate rights. Nineteenth-century state laws sought not only to enable the corporation to exist, but also to regulate its place within the state economy. With the advent of corporate capitalism at the turn of the twentieth century, state capacity to regulate through statutory law waned.
Surface Structure of Chromatium okenii and Chromatium weissei

The outermost structured layer of both Chromatium weissei and C. okenii is composed of a hexagonal array of hollow cone-shaped subunits approximately 25 nm in length and 13 nm in diameter.
Haploinsufficiency of Hedgehog interacting protein causes increased emphysema induced by cigarette smoke through network rewiring.

Background: The HHIP gene, encoding Hedgehog interacting protein, has been implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and our subsequent studies identified a functional upstream genetic variant that decreased HHIP transcription. However, little is known about how HHIP contributes to COPD pathogenesis. Methods: We exposed Hhip haploinsufficient mice (Hhip +/- ) to cigarette smoke (CS) for 6 months to model the biological consequences caused by CS in human COPD risk-allele carriers at the HHIP locus. Gene expression profiling in murine lungs was performed followed by an integrative network inference analysis, PANDA (Passing Attributes between Networks for Data Assimilation) analysis. Results: We detected more severe airspace enlargement in Hhip +/- mice vs. wild-type littermates (Hhip +/+ ) exposed to CS. Gene expression profiling in murine lungs suggested enhanced lymphocyte activat ion pathways in CS-exposed Hhip +/- vs. Hhip +/+ mice, which was supported by increased numbers of lymphoid aggregates and enhanced activation of CD8+ T cells after CS-exposure in the lungs of Hhip +/- mice compared to Hhip +/+ mice. Mechanistically, results from PANDA network analysis suggested a rewired and dampened Klf4 signaling network in Hhip +/- mice after CS exposure. Conclusions: In summary, HHIP haploinsufficiency exaggerated CS-induced airspace enlargement, which models CS-induced emphysema in human smokers carrying COPD risk alleles at the HHIP locus. Network modeling suggested rewired lymphocyte activation signaling circuits in the HHIP haploinsufficiency state.
Allometry, nitrogen status, and carbon stable isotope composition of Pinus ponderosa seedlings in two growing media with contrasting nursery irrigation regimes

Nursery irrigation regimes that recharged container capacity when target volumetric water content reached 72%, 58%, and 44% (by volume) influenced Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Lawson & C. Lawson growth more than either a 1:1 (by volume) Sphagnum peat - vermiculite (PV) or a 7:3 (by volume) Sphagnum peat - sawdust (PS) medium. Exponential fertilization avoided confounding irrigation and fertilization. Temporary nitrogen (N) immobilization in PS caused transient allometric differences prior to hardening. Subsequent release of immobilized N during the onset of hardening, when daily N flux decreased from 4.2% to 1.6%, allowed PS seedlings to avoid foliar N dilution experienced by PV seedlings. Media yielded seedlings with similar final morphological characteristics, although PS seedlings had improved N status. At onset, particle density and volumetric water content were similar for both media, but PS held about 10% more water than PV at all water potentials at experiment conclusion. Exposure to the driest water content (44%) decreased seedling growth and root N status compared with cohorts that were provided ample moisture (72%). Despite maximum tissue heterogeneity within sam- ples and regardless of irrigation regime, seedlings became 1.3‰ more depleted of 13 C as the growing season progressed. Refinement of sampling procedures, with focus on ontogenetics, may improve subsequent use of stable carbon isotopes in
Assessing a dry surface layer-based soil resistance parameterization for the Community Land Model using GRACE and FLUXNET-MTE data

The Community Land Model (CLM) exhibits biases in evapotranspiration (ET) and total water storage (TWS) in semiarid regions. The TWS seasonal cycle amplitude is too low, while evapotranspiration is too strong and variable. These biases are consistent with excessive soil evaporation when the canopy is sparse or absent, which reduces moisture inputs into the ground. Here we improve the simulation of soil evaporation by replacing CLM's existing empirical soil resistance parameterization with a more mechanistically based formulation in which soil evaporation is controlled by the rate of diffusion of water vapor through a dry surface layer (DSL). The thickness of the DSL is parameterized as a soil-type dependent function of top layer soil moisture. Soil resistances are calculated from the DSL thickness combined with a soil tortuosity factor. Compared to the existing CLM soil resistance parameterization, the DSL-based soil resistances for a given soil moisture value are generally larger, especially for moister soils. CLM simulations using the DSL-based soil resistance expression have reduced biases of ET relative to the FLUXNET-MTE (Model Tree Ensemble) data set and TWS relative to Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) observations. Averaged over global semiarid regions, the CLM mean annual amplitude of TWS increases from 26.3 mm to 32.5 mm when the new soil resistance parameterization is used, in good agreement with the GRACE mean annual amplitude for these regions of 32.2 ±2.1 mm. CLM mean annual ET, averaged over global semiarid regions, decreases from 27.8 mm/month to 23.5 mm/month, closer to the FLUXNET-MTE mean annual ET of 21.1 ± 0.9 mm/month. The seasonal amplitude of CLM ET also decreases, from 23.3 mm/month to 18.3 mm/month compared to 14.9 ± 1.1 mm/month for FLUXNET-MTE.
Toxicity of Al to Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

The toxicity of Al to Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20 was assessed over a period of 8 weeks in a modified lactate C medium buffered at four initial pHs (5.0, 6.5, 7.2, and 8.3) and treated with five levels of added Al (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, and 10 mM). At pH 5, cell population densities decreased significantly and any effect of Al was negligible compared to that of the pH. At pHs 6.5 and 7.2, the cell population densities increased by 30-fold during the first few days and then remained stable for soluble-Al concentrations of or =1 mM, soluble-Al concentrations exceeded 5 x 10(-5) M and limited cell population growth substantially and proportionally. At pH 8.3, soluble-Al concentrations were below the 5 x 10(-5) M toxicity threshold and cell population density increases of 20- to 40-fold were observed. An apparent cell population response to added Al at pH 8.3 was attributed to the presence of large, spirilloidal bacteria (accounting for as much as 80% of the cells at the 10 mM added Al level). Calculations of soluble-Al speciation for the pH 6.5 and 7.2 treatments that showed Al toxicity suggested the possible presence of the Al(13)O(4)(OH)(24)(H(2)O)(12)(7+) "tridecamer" cation and an inverse correlation of the tridecamer concentration and the cell population density. Analysis by (27)Al nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, however, yielded no evidence of this species in freshly prepared samples or those taken 800 days after inoculation. Exclusion of the tridecamer species from the aqueous speciation calculations at pHs 6.5 and 7.2 yielded inverse correlations of the neutral Al(OH)(3) and anionic Al(OH)(4)(-) monomeric species with cell population density, suggesting that one or both of these ions bear primary responsibility for the toxicity observed.
Impact of pre-existing conditions, age and the length of cardiopulmonary bypass on postoperative outcome after repair of the ascending aorta and aortic arch for aortic aneurysms and dissections

BACKGROUND Repair of the ascending aorta and aortic arch carries a high morbidity and mortality, which can be complicated by the often emergent nature of the intervention. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated the morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival in 101 patients who underwent repair of ascending aorta and aortic arch. Depending on the urgency of the operation, the patients were categorized as elective (EL, n=82) or emergent (EM, n=19). Log-rank-list and SPS were used to evaluate the data. RESULTS The average age was 58+/-16 years. The aortic diameter was 5.5+/-1 cm in the EL group and 6.1+/-1.4 cm for EM group. The aortic dissection in EL and EM groups was 15% and 79%, respectively. The mean circulatory arrest time (n=32 patients) was 38+/-18.5 min. The overall 30-day mortality was 4%: 0% for the EL group and 26% for the EM group. The overall 6-month mortality was 8%: 3.7% and 26% in EL and EM groups, respectively. Overall CVA was 3%: 0% in the EL group and 15.7% in the EM group. The mean CPB time was 176+/-81 min. The prolonged CPB time correlated with increased need for blood transfusion. The LOS was 12+/-8 days and correlated with increasing age (95% CI 0.06860-0.2307, P=0.0004), with NYHA stage of patients at the time of surgery (95% confidence intervals, 1.328-4.202, P=0.0003), with left ventricular ejection fraction (95% CI 0.2357 to -0.003029, P=0.0442) and with postoperative atrial fibrillation (95% CI 0.1192-0.4745, P=0.0018). The average ICU stay was 123+/-145 h. A prolonged CPB time resulted in extended ICU stay (95% CI 0.3655-1.486, P=0.0014). Further, the length of ICU stay correlated with NYHA status (95% CI 19.98-73.42, P=0.0008), age (95% confidence intervals 0.01668-3.761, P=0.0477), urgency of surgery (95% CI 65.00-124.0, P<0.0001), and length of CPB time (95% CI 0.3655-1.486, P=0.0014). CONCLUSION Emergent operations are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Pre-existing heart failure, advanced age, and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass are associated with prolonged monitoring in the ICU.
The effect of point-of-care personal digital assistant use on resident documentation discrepancies.

Background We recently found documentation discrepancies in 60% of resident daily-progress notes with respect to patient weight, medications, or vascular lines. To what extent information systems can decrease such discrepancies is unknown. Objective To determine whether a point-of-care personal digital assistant (PDA)-based patient record and charting system could reduce the number of resident progress-note documentation discrepancies in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Design/methods We conducted a before-and-after trial in an academic NICU. Our intervention was a PDA-based patient record and charting system used by all NICU resident physicians over the study period. We analyzed all resident daily-progress notes from 40 randomly selected days over 4 months in both the baseline and intervention periods. Using predefined reference standards, we determined the accuracy of recorded information for patient weights, medications, and vascular lines. Logistic and Poisson regression were used in analyses to control for potential confounding factors. Results A total of 339 progress notes in the baseline period and 432 progress notes in the intervention period were reviewed. When controlling for covariates in the regression, there were significantly fewer documentation discrepancies of patient weights in notes written by using the PDA system (14.4%-4.4% of notes; odds ratio [OR]: 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.56). When using the PDA system, there were no significant changes in the numbers of notes with documentation discrepancies of medications (27.7%-17.1% of notes; OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.35-1.13) or vascular lines (33.6%-36.1% of notes; OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.66-1.87). Conclusions The use of our PDA-based point-of-care patient record and charting system showed a modest benefit in reducing the number of documentation discrepancies in resident daily-progress notes. Further study of PDAs in information systems is warranted before they are widely adopted.
Foreign body aspiration presenting with asthma- like symptoms

Aspiration of a foreign body into the tracheobronchial tree is rare in adults. In the majority of these cases there is an underlying condition such as mental retardation, depressed mental status, impairment in the swallowing reflex, neurological impairment, alcohol or sedative abuse, or complications from dental manipulations that contributed to the aspiration. These patients are commonly misdiagnosed with asthma and typically do not respond to mainstay anti-inflammatory and/or bronchodilator therapy. We describe the case of a patient with a foreign body aspiration in the upper trachea not recognized by radiographic studies that presented with asthma-type symptoms.
Inclusion for People with Developmental Disabilities: Measuring an Elusive Construct

The philosophy of inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) has evolved over the last 50 years. Over time, inclusion research has shifted from a focus on deinstitutionalization to understanding the extent to which individuals with IDD are meaningfully involved in the community and social relationships. Yet, there has been no agreed on way to measure inclusion. Many different measurement and data collection techniques have been used in the literature. This study proposes a brief measure of inclusion that can be used with family members and on survey instruments.
Non-Classfcal Kinetiics in Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange Reaction on Metal Catalyst

Monte Carlo simulations of the A2 + B2→ P (with P = AA, AB, and BB) reaction on various monodisperse island systems provided various models for the reaction H2 + D2 → HD on alumina supported platinum catalysts. Anomalous reaction kinetics and reaction orders due to the effects of diffusion, reactant correlation, and ensemble character of the catalyst in low dimensional systems are observed not only at early time but also at steady state. Concentration effects and spillover studies indicate that surface diffusion and hydrogen spillover may be responsible for the anomalous behaviors.
Seizure-Induced Miosis

Researchers at University of Southampton, UK report an infant with focal seizures secondary to cortical dysplasia who presented at age 4 months with bilateral pinpoint pupils as first feature of right-sided clonic seizure.
Antinuclear antibody testing: discordance between commercial laboratories

Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test results frequently affect the course of patients’ evaluations, diagnosis, and treatment, but different laboratory centers may yield conflicting results. This study investigated the degree of agreement between laboratory results in a group of subjects who had ANA testing performed at two commercial laboratories. This was a chart review study, in which all ANA tests ordered by the authors from one commercial laboratory over a 4-year period were queried. Corresponding patient charts were reviewed, and if ANA testing had also been performed at the second commercial laboratory, subjects were entered into the study. The primary measurement was agreement between paired ANA results, and we performed sensitivity analysis using varying criteria defining agreement (criteria A to criteria D [strictest to most lenient definition of agreement]). Other data captured included relevant data obtained through the course of evaluation (e.g., presenting complaints, exam findings, other laboratory data) and final diagnoses. Of 101 paired ANA tests, there was 18 % agreement according to the strictest criteria and 42 % according to the most lenient. Of the seven subjects with ANA-associated rheumatic disease, none of the paired tests were in agreement according to criteria A (two agreed according to criteria D). Our findings demonstrate poor agreement between paired ANA tests performed at two commercial laboratories. The low level of agreement may have far-reaching clinical implications. Specifically, this finding calls into question the reliability of ANA testing as it is currently performed and suggests that results may in part depend upon the laboratory center to which patients are referred.
Occult Metastases in Pelvic Lymphadenectomy Specimens From Patients With Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder.

Objective To identify occult metastases within lymph nodes (LNs) reported as negative by routine histologic evaluation. In patients with high-grade, muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder, pelvic lymphadenectomy during radical cystectomy demonstrates a survival advantage, increasing with the number of LNs removed, even if negative for metastatic disease. This finding may potentially be explained by the presence of occult metastases. Materials and Methods Radical cystectomy specimens with high-grade UC invading the perivesical tissue and negative LNs (pT3N0) between 2000 and 2014 were reviewed. Five levels were cut for each LN block. Two sections were cut per level: 1 stained for hematoxylin and eosin and 1 for AE1/AE3. Micrometastases were defined as tumor deposits >0.2 mm but Results We identified 21 cases, consisting of 370 lymph nodes. Six of 21 patients (29%) had occult metastases, including 5 occult metastatic UC and 1 occult metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma. There were 10 positive LNs; 2 macrometastases, 2 micrometastases, and 6 with ITCs. Two of 6 patients (33%) had lymphovascular invasion identified in the primary tumor. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference in overall survival between the group of patients who remained N0 versus those upstaged due to discovery of occult metastases ( P -value = .42). Conclusion In patients with pT3 UC undergoing cystectomy, we demonstrated the presence of occult metastases in 29% of patients. The high percentage of occult metastases present in these cases possibly explains the proven survival advantage of removing "negative" LNs. This finding might also have implications in the histologic evaluation of LNs.
Effects of Early Versus Delayed Selective Surfactant on Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Objective To compare the effects of early versus delayed selective surfactant therapy for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome(NRDS).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 99 preterm infants with NRDS.These infants were divided into two groups according to the time of surfactant given:the early group(n=48) with selective surfactant administration within the first 2 hours of life and the delayed group(n=51) with selective surfactant administration within 2-12 hours after birth.To observe the differences in the duration of mechanical ventilation,duration of oxygen therapy,mortality of preterm infants and the incidence of air leak syndromes(pulmonary interstitial emphysema,pneumothorax),pulmonary hemorrhage,bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD),necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC),patent ductus arteriosus(PDA),severe intraventricular hemorrhage(IVH)between the 2 groups.Results Early selective surfactant administration significantly decreased duration of mechanical ventilation[(4.14±1.88) d vs(5.84±3.36) d,P0.05].There was also significant diffe-rence in duration of oxygen therapy[(5.84±3.36) d vs(8.05±5.48) d] between the 2 groups(P0.05).The mortality of preterm infants within 28 d after birth were 6.25% in the early group and 5.88% in the delayed group.There was no significant difference in mortality(OR=1.07,95%CI 0.21-5.56,P=1.00).The incidence of BPD in early group(8.7%) was lower than that in delayed group(16.0%),but didn′t show significant difference(OR=0.49,95% CI 0.13-1.74,P=0.36).There were no significant differences in the incidence of air leak syndromes,pulmonary hemorrhage,PDA,NEC,severe IVH between the 2 groups(Pa0.05).Conclusions Early selective surfactant administration given to preterm infants with NRDS requiring mechanical ventilation leads to significantly decrease duration of mechanical ventilation and duration of oxygen therapy,and the incidence of BPD was decreased compared with delayed treatment.
Mechanism,detection and prevention strategies of mosquito resistance

Mosquito is an important bio-vector which can transmit malaria,Japanese encephalitis,dengue fever and other diseases.Chemical control is one of the important means of prevention,but due to the large-scale use of hygienic insecticide,the mosquitoes have produced resistance to different insecticide which has become the global problem studied by many countries in-depth.Therefore,it is very important to understand and master the resistance knowledge in mosquito control.This paper summarizes the mosquito resistance mechanisms,resistance detection method,resistance levels and preventive measures.
The Regulatory Role of KIBRA and PTPN14 in Hippo Signaling and Beyond

The Hippo signaling pathway regulates cellular proliferation and survival, thus exerting profound effects on normal cell fate and tumorigenesis. Pivotal effectors of this pathway are YAP/TAZ, transcriptional co-activators whose dysfunction contributes to the development of cancer. Complex networks of intracellular and extracellular signaling pathways that modulate YAP and TAZ activities have recently been identified. Among them, KIBRA and PTPN14 are two evolutionarily-conserved and important YAP/TAZ upstream regulators. They can negatively regulate YAP/TAZ functions separately or in concert. In this review, we summarize the current and emerging regulatory roles of KIBRA and PTPN14 in the Hippo pathway and their functions in cancer.
A mechanism of basal spacing reduction in sodium smectitic clay materials in contact with DNAPL wastes

There has been concern regarding the possible attack of clays in aquitards, slurry walls and landfill liners by dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) wastes, resulting in cracking. Despite the fact that a reduction in basal spacing in sodium smectitic clay materials has been linked to cracking, no plausible mechanism by which this reduction occurs in contact with waste DNAPLs has been formulated. To elucidate a mechanism, screening studies were conducted that showed that the combination of an anionic surfactant (AOT), a nonionic surfactant (TritonX-100) and a chlorinated solvent, tetrachloroethylene (PCE), could replicate the basal spacing reduction and cracking behavior of water-saturated bentonite caused by two waste DNAPLs obtained from the field. FTIR measurements of this system showed a displacement of the HOH bending band of water symptomatic of desiccation. Sorption measurements showed that the uptake of AOT by bentonite increased eight fold in the presence of TritonX-100 and PCE. The evidence presented here supports a mechanism of syneresis, involving the extraction of water from the interlayer space of the clay through the synergistic sorption of a nonionic and anionic surfactant mixture. It is speculated that the solvation of water in reverse micellar aggregates is the process driving the syneresis.
Species differences in μ- and δ-opioid receptors

Abstract The μ opioid receptor ligand [D-Ala2, NMePhe4, Gly-ol5]enkephalin (DAGO) and δ opioid receptor ligand [D-Pen2, D-Pen5] enkephalin (DPDPE) show similar specificity in competition binding studies in whole brain homogenate in rat and mouse. However, in saturation studies, the density and affinity of DPDPE binding sites were substantially greater in the mouse. There was no difference between the mouse and rat in the density and affinity of DAGO sites. Results from dose-response studies for analgesia using the same ligands administered i.c.v. in both species paralleled the binding studies. DAGO was approximately 2 times more potent in the mouse compared to the rat; while DPDPE was more than 15 times more potent in the mouse. Thus, binding capacity and affinity differences appear to be related to the functional potency of the μ and δ ligands in the two species. These results suggest that the difference in potency of DPDPE between rat and mouse is related to the differences in brain δ opioid receptors.
Effect of pressure on poly-l-Lactic Acid morphology

Abstract When exposed to pressures below and above its glass transition temperature (T g ) over time, both the amorphous and crystalline regions of Poly- l -Lactic Acid (PLA) can be oriented. The most pronounced effect was the existence of an intense birefringence which lacked any sign of crystalline structure as observed by polarized light microscopy as well as the existence of a non-birefringent area in some of the same samples. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis of the birefringent areas revealed decreased enthalpy of relaxation (ΔH ER ) and specific heat capacity (ΔC P ) values as well as the existence of at least two T g ’s when samples were treated at 63 °C and above, indicating increased orientation of the amorphous region. These same samples additionally displayed increased crystallinity which was depicted by an increased enthalpy of crystallization (ΔH). Additionally, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) revealed a shift from an amorphous to a crystalline structure. Regions that did not display intense birefringence revealed minimal changes in T g , ΔH ER , and ΔC P .
Intravitreal implantation of TPP1-transduced stem cells delays retinal degeneration in canine CLN2 neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis.

The CLN2 form of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a neurodegenerative disease that results from mutations in the TPP1 gene. Affected children exhibit progressive declines in most neurological functions including vision. Functional declines are accompanied by progressive brain and retinal atrophy. TPP1 encodes the soluble lysosomal enzyme tripeptidyl peptidase-1 (TPP1). Dachshunds with a TPP1 null mutation exhibit a disorder very similar to human CLN2 disease. Periodic infusion of recombinant TPP1 protein or a single injection of a TPP1 gene therapy vector into the cerebrospinal fluid of affected dogs significantly delays the onset and progression of neurological signs but does not slow vision loss or retinal degeneration. Studies were conducted to determine whether intravitreal implantation of autologous bone marrow derived stem cells transduced with a TPP1 expression construct would inhibit retinal degeneration in the canine model. A single injection of the transduced cells at an early stage in the disease progression substantially inhibited the development of disease-related retinal function deficits and structural changes. No adverse effects of the treatment were detected. These findings indicate that ex vivo gene therapy using autologous stem cells is an effective means of achieving sustained delivery of therapeutic compounds to tissues such as the retina for which systemic administration would be ineffective.
Methane Manifesto: A Theorist’s Perspective on Catalytic Light Alkane Functionalization

The catalytic functionalization of light alkanes, particularly methane, has attracted considerable attention from the inorganic and organic research communities for nearly five decades. The literature mechanisms for C—H activation may be divided into three broad categories: metal directed, ligand directed, or metal-ligand directed. The advantages for metal-ligand directed pathways have both steric and electronic origins. Furthermore, computations suggest that the stereoelectronic requirements for the activation and functionalization component reactions can be diametrically opposed. From this research, several questions emerge for theorists that would aid in the hunt for synthesizable complexes for efficient catalytic functionalization of light alkanes. First, is there a happy medium by which a complex is nucleophilic enough to activate a alkane C—H bond with a reasonable rate, but that is not so basic as to thwart the subsequent C—O,N bond-forming step? Second, what are the energetic consequences of movin...
Molecular Testing in Patients with Suspected Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) comprise a heterogeneous group of clonal hematologic malignancies characterized by a hypercellular bone marrow and morphologic dysplasia in one or more lineage (i.e., myeloid, erythroid, or megakaryocytic), presenting clinically with leukopenia, anemia, and/or thrombocytopenia and with a propensity to transform to acute myelogenous leukemia. Newer technologies such as next-generation sequencing have allowed better understanding of the genetic landscape in MDS. Nearly 80 % of MDS patients have at least one mutation, and approximately 40 recurrent somatic mutations have been identified to occur in >1 % of cases. Many of these mutations are relevant for prognosis, help with selection of therapy, and/or have specific targeted treatment options. In this article, we will explore the impact of molecular testing on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions in patients with suspected MDS.
Reducing Power Consumption and Latency in Mobile Devices Using an Event Stream Model

Most consumer-based mobile devices use asynchronous events to awaken apps. Currently, event handling is implemented in either an application or an application framework such as Java’s virtual machine (VM) or Microsoft’s .NET, and it uses a “polling loop” that periodically queries an event queue to determine if an event has occurred. These loops must awaken the process, check for an event, and then put the process back to sleep many times per second. This constant arousal prevents the CPU from being put into a deep sleep state, which increases power consumption. Additionally, the process cannot check for events while it sleeps, and this delay in handling events increases latency, which is the time that elapses between when an event occurs and when the application responds to the event. We call this model of event handling a “pull” model because it needs to query hardware devices or software queues in order to “pull” events from them. Recent advances in input devices support direct, informative interrupts to the kernel when an event occurs. This allows us to develop a much more efficient event-handling model called the “Event Stream Model” (ESM). This model is a push model that allows a process to sleep as long as no event occurs but then immediately awakens a process when an event occurs. This model eliminates the polling loop, thus eliminating latency-inducing sleep between polls and reducing unnecessary power consumption. To work properly, the ESM model must be implemented in the kernel rather than in the application. In this article, we describe how we implemented the ESM model in Android operating system (OS). Our results show that with the event stream model, power consumption is reduced by up to 23.8% in certain circumstances, and latency is reduced by an average of 13.6ms.
ELECTRON-TRANSFER ACTIVATION OF METAL CARBONYLS

The availability of various carbonylmetal species is used to underscore the importance of electron transfer, transient radicals and ion radicals in the reactions of both mononuclear analogues and polynuclear clusters. Thus the coupling of carbonylmetallate anions with carbonylmetal cations to dimetal carbonyls is chosen as a prototypical system to emphasize the role of 17- and 19-electron carbonylmetal radicals in the formation of metal-metal bonds. The chemical properties of these reactive intermediates are examined independently by electrochemical generation from the oxidation and reduction of diamagnetic carbonylmetal anions and cations, respectively. These carbonylmetal radicals show unusually enhanced substitutional lability of the ligands. The formation of the hydrido and formyl derivatives of metal carbonyls is also shown to proceed readily via such metastable paramagnetic intermediates.
Objective, domain-specific HER2 measurement in uterine and ovarian serous carcinomas and its clinical significance

Abstract Introduction HER2 overexpression/amplification is identified in up to 40% of uterine serous carcinomas (USC) and 10% of ovarian serous carcinomas (OSC). However, clinical trials using various HER2-targeted agents failed to show significant responses. FDA-approved HER2 assays target only the protein's intracellular domain (ICD) and not the extracellular domain (ECD). Previous quantitative studies in breast cancer by our group have shown that ICD of HER2 is expressed in some cases that do not express the HER2 ECD. We measured HER2 ICD and ECD in USC and OSC samples, and determined their relationship with clinico-pathologic characteristics and survival. Methods We measured HER2 ICD and ECD levels in 2 cohorts of USC and OSC comprising 102 and 175 patients, respectively. HER2 antibodies targeting ICD (CB11) and ECD (SP3) were validated and standardized using the AQUA® method of quantitative immunofluorescence (QIF) and a previously reported HER2 standardization tissue microarray (TMA). Objective, population-based cut-points were used to stratify patients according to HER2 ICD/ECD status. Results In USC, 8% of patients with high HER2 ICD had low ECD levels (6/75 patients). In OSC, 42% of patients with high HER2 ICD had low ECD levels (29/69 patients). HER2 ICD/ECD status in USC and OSC was not significantly associated with major clinico-pathological features or survival. Conclusion Using objective, domain-specific HER2 measurement, 8% of USC and 42% of OSC patients with high HER2 ICD levels do not show uniform overexpression of the ECD. This may be related to the presence of p95 HER2, an oncogenic fragment generated by full protein cleavage or alternative initiation of translation. These observations raise the possibility that USC/OSCs expressing low ECD despite being HER2-positive by ICD measurement, may benefit from therapies directed against the intracellular domain (e.g. lapatinib or afatinib) alone or in combination with extracellular domain-directed drugs (e.g. trastuzumab, pertuzumab, T-DM1).
A pilot feeding study for adults with asthma: The healthy eating better breathing trial.

Rationale Evidence from observational studies and to a lesser extent clinical trials suggest that a healthy diet may improve symptoms and lung function in patients with asthma. We conducted a pilot study to determine the feasibility of conducting a larger scale dietary trial and to provide preliminary evidence on the impact of a healthy diet on asthma outcomes. Methods In a randomized, two period cross-over trial, participants with asthma received a 4-week dietary intervention followed by a usual diet (or vice versa), separated by a 4-week washout. The dietary intervention was a healthy diet rich in unsaturated fat. During the dietary intervention, participants ate three meals per week on site at the Johns Hopkins ProHealth Research Center. All remaining meals and snacks were provided for participants to consume off-site. During the control diet, participants were instructed to continue their usual dietary intake. Relevant biomarkers and asthma clinical outcomes were assessed at 0, 2, and 4 weeks after starting each arm of the study. Results Eleven participants were randomized, and seven completed the full study protocol. Among these seven participants, average age was 42 years, six were female, and six were African American. Participant self-report of dietary intake revealed significant increases in fruit, vegetable, and omega-3 fatty acid intake with the dietary intervention compared to usual diet. Serum carotenoids (eg. lutein and beta-cryptoxanthin) increased in the intervention versus control. Total cholesterol decreased in the intervention versus control diet. There was no consistent effect on asthma outcomes. Conclusions The findings suggest that a feeding trial in participants with asthma is feasible. Larger trials are needed to definitively assess the potential benefits of dietary interventions on pulmonary symptoms and function in patients with asthma.