cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
STUDY ON STABILITY OF COMPOUND HIGH-VITAMIN BEVERAGE

Wild Rosa Roxburghii juice and Kiwi pulp were chosen as raw materials to prepare compound beverage with high vitamin C and other functional components by scientific blend method.Some stabilizers were added and followed processes were used such as homogenization etc.Thus not only the good flavor and taste of the beverage were guaranteed but also well tissue state and stability were obtained.The best stabilizing effect was obtained by homogenizing juice at 60 ℃,28 MPa and 22 MPa respectively and at the same time the following stabilizer were added: XG 0.12%、CMC-Na 0.12%、PGA 0.08%.
Canopy gaps do not help establish pioneer species in a South Florida dry forest

Canopy gaps create a temporary spatial heterogeneity, often allowing pioneer species to establish and grow in mature forests. In this study, we asked whether the above model holds for tropical dry forests in the Florida Keys. Six hundred and forty-eight canopy gaps in an extensive Key Largo forest were identified with a LiDAR digital canopy model. The structure and composition of juvenile trees were examined in 45 selected gaps in three stands of known age, and weighted averaging calibration and regression were applied to the data to determine the successional age optimum for each tree species, and the inferred age for each gap based on its sapling composition. Less than 1% of the forest area was recorded as canopy gaps in the LiDAR model. The inferred stand ages were about 70 y greater in canopy gaps in young forest than in the surrounding, unimpacted forest. This suggested that gap formation advanced succession rather than reversing or resetting it. The apparent lack of recruitment by early-successional species may be due to the small size of canopy gaps in this forest, and the minimal contrast between gap and understorey environments; light and water conditions in the small gaps may favour late-successional rather than pioneer species. Establishment of pioneer species may not take place without intense, large-scale disturbances such as fires and hurricanes that remove the entire canopy and consume or erode soils.
The dietary tryptophan requirement of juvenile red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus

•The importance of accurate estimates of IAA requirements for aquaculture species has become increasingly important due to replacing fishmeal with alternative protein feedstuffs.•Tryptophan is the third most limiting amino acid in plant protein feedstuffs used in aquaculture diets.•The minimum dietary tryptophan requirement of red drum was determined to be 0.28±0.05% of dry diet (0.80% of dietary protein).
The Poetics of Annihilation: On the Presence of Women and Children at Massacre Sites in the Ancient Southwest

Disarticulated assemblages often are seen as the end result of some kind of violent episode involving executions and/or massacres. Given the slippery nature of defining violence in cross-cultural perspectives, a poetics approach to violence in the archaeological record provides a way to focus on how extreme violence may reflect cosmology and ideology and how it is a cultural system in its own right. To the trained eye focused on linking skeletal remains to broader social constructs, arrangements of bones, and marks on bones are intentional products of human agency. Interpretations of the meaning of extreme violence can only be revealed by utilizing theoretical frameworks that link direct violence and its underlying connections with other aspects of human behavior and social organization. Examples of this approach as applied to three massacre sites in the American Southwest provide insight into thinking about the underlying reasons for the presence of infants, children, and women in these kinds of contexts.
Evaluation of the Cortical Silent Period of the Laryngeal Motor Cortex in Healthy Individuals.

Objective: This work aimed to evaluate the cortical silent period (cSP) of the laryngeal motor cortex (LMC) using the bilateral thyroarytenoid (TA) muscles with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Methods: In 11 healthy participants, fine-wire EMG was used to record bilateral TA muscle responses to single pulse TMS delivered to the LMC in both hemispheres. Peripheral responses to stimulation over the mastoid, where the vagus nerve exits the skull, were collected to verify the central origin of the cortical stimulation responses by comparing the latencies. Results: The cSP duration ranged from 41.7 to 66.4 ms. The peripherally evoked MEP peak occurred 5-9 ms earlier than the cortical responses (for both sides of TAs: p<.0001) with no silent period. The right TA MEP latencies were earlier than the left TA responses for both peripheral and cortical measures (p≤.0001). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate the feasibility of measuring cSP of LMC based on intrinsic laryngeal muscles responses during vocalization in healthy volunteers. Significance: The technique could be used to study the pathophysiology of neurological disorders that affect TA muscles, such as spasmodic dysphonia. Further, the methodology has application to other muscles of the head and neck not accessible using surface electrodes.
Myeloma patients: genes increase risk for osteonecrosis of the jaw

Anti-resorptive medications such as bisphosphonates are widely used agents in the setting of both malignant and nonmalignant pathology of bone turnover. From an oncological perspective, anti-resorp...
Survey of primary care providers' knowledge of screening for, diagnosing and managing prediabetes.

Prediabetes affects 86 million US adults, but primary care providers’ (PCPs') knowledge, practices, attitudes and beliefs toward prediabetes are unclear. Assess PCPs’ (1) knowledge of risk factors that should prompt prediabetes screening, laboratory criteria for diagnosing prediabetes and guidelines for management of prediabetes; (2) management practices around prediabetes; (3) attitudes and beliefs about prediabetes. Self-administered written survey of PCPs. One hundred forty of 155 PCPs (90%) attending an annual provider retreat for academically affiliated multispecialty practices in the mid-Atlantic region. Descriptive analyses of survey questions on knowledge, management, and attitudes and beliefs related to prediabetes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association between provider characteristics (gender, race/ethnicity, years since training, specialty and provider type) and knowledge, management, and attitudes and beliefs about prediabetes. Six percent of PCPs correctly identified all of the risk factors that should prompt prediabetes screening. Only 17% of PCPs correctly identified the laboratory parameters for diagnosing prediabetes based on both fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c. Nearly 90% of PCPs reported close follow-up (within 6 months) of patients with prediabetes. Few PCPs (11%) selected referral to a behavioral weight loss program as the recommended initial management approach to prediabetes. PCPs agreed that patient-related factors are important barriers to lifestyle change and metformin use. Provider characteristics were generally not associated with knowledge, management, attitudes and beliefs about prediabetes in multivariate analyses. Addressing gaps in knowledge and the underutilization of behavioral weight loss programs in prediabetes are two essential areas where PCPs could take a lead in curbing the diabetes epidemic.
Vanadium, Sulfur, and Iron Valences in Melt Inclusions as a Window into Magmatic Processes: A Case Study at Nyamuragira Volcano, Africa

Abstract This study describes microscale sulfur (S), vanadium (V), and iron (Fe) K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (µ-XANES) spectroscopy measurements on olivine-hosted melt inclusions (MI) preserved in tephras (1986 and 2006) and lavas (1938 and 1948) erupted from Nyamuragira volcano (D.R. Congo, Africa). The S, V, and Fe spectroscopic data are used to constrain the evolution of oxygen fugacity (fO2) and sulfur speciation for the entrapped melts. Melt inclusions from lavas show evidence of post-entrapment crystallization and were thus reheated prior to µ-XANES analysis. The MI from tephra show no evidence of post-entrapment crystallization and were, therefore, not reheated. Sulfur, V, and Fe µ-XANES results from 1938, 1948, and 2006 eruptive materials are all similar within analytical uncertainty and provide similar average calculated melt fO2’s based on XANES oxybarometry. However, olivine-hosted MI from the 1986 tephras yield significantly different S, V, and Fe XANES spectra when compared to MI from the other eruptions, with disagreement between calculated fO2’s from the three valence state oxybarometers beyond the uncertainty of the calibration models. Their V µ-XANES spectra are also significantly more ordered and yield more reduced average V valence. The S µ-XANES spectra display a significantly more intense low-energy spectral resonance, which indicates differences in Fe-S bonding character, and greater variability in their measured sulfate content. These V and S spectroscopic features are best explained by crystallization of sub-micrometer magnetite and sulfide crystallites within the 1986 inclusions. The sensitivity of XANES spectroscopy to short-range order allows these crystallites to be recognized even though they are not easily detected by imaging analysis. This shows that V and S µ-XANES are potentially highly sensitive tools for identifying the presence of volumetrically minor amounts of spinel and sulfide within inclusions extracted from rapidly-cooled samples of tephra. Additionally, the observation that rehomogenized 1938 and 1948 inclusions from lava yield similar S, V, and Fe XANES spectra to the 2006 inclusions from tephra may be an encouraging indication that rehomogenization appears to have enabled the successful recovery of their pre-eruptive fO2, despite their complex post-eruptive histories.
Implications of Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure Management

Acute heart failure episodes are a leading cause of admissions in elderly Americans, and the majority of these admitted patients are evaluated initially in the Emergency Department. Due to shared predisposing risk factors, patients with heart failure often have concomitant atrial fibrillation (AF). The combination of both diseases complicates treatment and may lead to unstable clinical presentations and even death. In unstable situations, patients may require urgent cardioversion, whereas in the stable, patient rate and/or rhythm control for the AF can be attempted along with standard heart failure treatment and anticoagulation as indicated. While many of these patients will require admission, a small percentage may be managed in a short-stay unit setting. Success of the short-stay unit admission will depend in part on the use of consultants and also by providing patients and families with detailed education and discharge planning. Patients with AF and heart failure are likely to present to the hospital and outpatient settings with increasing frequency over time. A thoughtful, evidence-based approach to treatment will help ensure the best possible clinical outcomes for these high risk patients.
Torsion-Free Abelian Groups

There are two equivalence relations on torsion-free abelian groups that are weaker than group isomorphism, namely quasi-isomorphism and isomorphism at a prime p. Properties of these equivalence relations are conveniently expressed in a categorical setting.
Homelessness and the Chronically Mentally Ill

In some respects, homelessness is the basic human service problem. Before there was an organized public response to mental illness, mental retardation, family disruption, or even physical illness, provision was made for the care of the homeless.
The road to accreditation for fellowship training in regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to provide the background and rationale for pursuing accreditation of regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine (RAAPM) fellowships, explain specific steps and challenges in the process, and forecast the future of fellowship training. RECENT FINDINGS In 2016, the first fellowship program in RAAPM was able to apply for accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The establishment of this newly accredited subspecialty fellowship and the announcement of the first accredited programs represented a tremendous achievement in anesthesiology training and medical education in general and was the culmination of nearly 4 years of dedicated effort. SUMMARY Programs with initial ACGME accreditation are on a 2-year term and will be reviewed to evaluate adherence to the program requirements and the quality of fellowship training. Deficiencies identified will need to be resolved or face loss of accreditation. However, a program's maintenance of accreditation represents a commitment to its fellows to provide a training experience that can be held as a benchmark for all programs.
Shedding Light on Chemically Mediated Tri-Trophic Interactions: A 1H-NMR Network Approach to Identify Compound Structural Features and Associated Biological Activity.

Diverse mixtures of plant natural products play an important role in plant-herbivore-parasitoid interactions. In the pursuit of understanding these chemically-mediated interactions, we are often faced with the challenge of determining ecologically and biologically relevant compounds present in complex phytochemical mixtures. Using a network-based approach, we analyzed binned 1H-NMR data from 196 prepared mixtures of commonly studied secondary metabolites including alkaloids, amides, terpenes, iridoid glycosides, saponins, phenylpropanoids, flavanoids and phytosterols. The mixtures included multiple dimensions of chemical diversity, including molecular complexity, mixture complexity and differences in relative compound concentrations. This approach yielded modules of co-occurring chemical shifts that were correlated with specific compounds or common structural features shared across compounds. This approach was then applied to crude phytochemical extracts of 20 species in the phytochemically diverse tropical plant genus Piper (Piperaceae). Combining the activity of crude plant extracts in an array of bioassays with our 1H-NMR network approach, we identified a potential prenylated benzoic acid from these mixtures that exhibits antifungal properties and identified small structural differences that were potentially responsible for antifungal activity. In an intraspecific analysis of individual Piper kelleyi plants, we also found ontogenetic differences in chemistry that may affect natural plant enemies. In sum, this approach allowed us to characterize mixtures as useful network modules and to combine chemical and ecological datasets to identify biologically important compounds from crude extracts.
A systematic study of stereotypy in epileptic seizures versus psychogenic seizure-like events

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to quantify the features of stereotypy in epileptic seizures and compare it with that of stereotypy in psychogenic nonepileptic seizure-like events (PNES) confirmed by video-electroencephalography (VEEG) monitoring. Methods Video-electroencephalography monitoring records of 20 patients with temporal lobe seizures (TLS) and 20 with PNES were retrospectively reviewed (n = 138 seizures, 48 TLS and 90 PNES). We analyzed the semiology of 59 behaviors of interest for their presence, duration, sequence, and continuity using quantified measures that were entered into statistical analysis. Results We identified discontinuity as the parameter that was clearly distinct between PNES and epileptic TLS events: there were significantly more frequent pauses of behavior (i.e., “on–off” pattern) in PNES compared with TLS (P = 0.012). The frequency of pauses during an event was diagnostic of PNES events. For instance, the presence of 2 “pauses” during an episode determines a 69% probability of the seizure being nonepileptic. Moreover, PNES events had significantly greater duration (143 s) than TLS events (68 s) (excluding outliers, P = 0.002) and greater duration variability from one event to another in the same subject (P = 0.005). Significance Our work provides the first quantified measure of behavioral semiology during epileptic and nonepileptic seizures and offers novel behavioral measures to differentiate them from each other.
The Jameson Raid: An American Imperial Plot?

South Africa’s Jameson Raid ultimately betrayed African rights by transferring power to white Afrikaner nationalists after helping to precipitate the Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902). The Raid also remov...
4-40 GHz Permittivity Measurements of Indoor Building Materials

The transmission properties of common building materials, such as glass and red brick, are measured at normal incidence over a range of 4-40 GHz in a modular anechoic chamber using a vector network analyzer. Complex permittivity values are estimated using only transmission S-parameters of the material under test and an air reference measurement. Results suggest that the method provides reasonable estimates of complex permittivity at high microwave and lower mm-wave frequencies.
A sensitive double antibody radioimmunoassay for human growth hormone (HGH): levels of serum HGH following rapid tolbutamide infusion.

A double antibody radio-immunoassay for human growth hormone is described. — The assay can detect 0.0625 mμg HGH/ml serum and has good reproducibility. It was found that: 1. a highly pure labelled hormone; 2. a specific and very potent guinea pig antihuman growth hormone antibody; and 3. at least five days of incubation for the first reaction were necessary to achieve this accuracy and sensitivity. -Porcine and rat growth hormone, sera from cow, guinea pig, rabbit, mouse, and toad fish did not react with the guinea pig anti-HGH serum used in the assay. — In four patients after hypophysectomy, HGH concentrations disappeared almost completely, and in another patient no rise of the hormone was seen during an IV insulin tolerance test.-Undiluted human serum appears to produce falsely high levels of HGH. — Normal males exhibited fasting HGH levels from 0 –2.2 mμg/ml (mean 0.8 mμg/ml). Females ranged from 0.6–15.0 mμg/ml (mean 5.1 mμg/ml) and 15 acromegalics from 8.0–103.0mμg/ml (mean 31.2 mμg/ml). — During a rapid tolbutamide tolerance test, serum HGH rose between 2.5- and 82-fold over the fasting levels within 10 to 70 minutes following the glucose nadir.
Neonatal body composition by air displacement plethysmography in healthy term singletons: a systematic review.

There is increasing evidence that intrauterine environment and, consequently, growth in utero have both immediate and far-reaching consequences for health. Neonatal body composition might be a more sensitive marker of intrauterine environment and neonatal adiposity than birth weight and could serve as a predictor for non-communicable diseases later in life. To perform a systematic literature review on neonatal body composition determined by air displacement plethysmography in healthy infants. The systematic review was performed using the search terms “air displacement plethysmography”, “infant” and “newborn” in Pubmed. Data are displayed as mean (Standard deviation). Fourteen studies (including n = 6231 infants) using air displacement plethysmography fulfilled inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. In these, weighted mean body fat percentage was 10.0 (4.1) % and weighted mean fat free mass was 2883 (356) g in healthy term infants. Female infants had a higher body fat percentage (11.1 (4.1) % vs. 9.6 (4.0) %) and lower fat free mass (2827 (316) g vs. 2979 (344) g). In the Caucasian subpopulation (n = 2202 infants) mean body fat percentage was 10.8 (4.1), whereas data for reference values of other ethnic groups are still sparse. Body composition varies depending on gender and ethnicity. These aggregated data may serve as reference for body composition in healthy, term, singletons at least for the Caucasian subpopulation.
Sociodemographic and medical influences on neurobehavioral patterns in preterm infants: A multi-center study.

Abstract Background Among preterm infants, neurodevelopmental outcomes are influenced by both medical and sociodemographic factors. Less is known about the impact on these factors on neonatal neurobehavioral patterns. Objective To determine associations between demographic, psychosocial and medical risk factors and neonatal neurobehavior. Methods Multi-center observational study of infants born Results 709 infants were enrolled in the NOVI study, and for 679 infants with neurobehavioral assessments, 6 NNNS behavioral profiles were calculated using latent profile analysis. Profile 6 infants (n = 47/679, 7%) were atypical, having poor attention, self-regulation and movement quality, hypertonia and increased stress signs. After adjustment for site, profile 6 infants had significantly smaller head circumferences at birth (β −0.87; −1.59, −0.14), and higher rates of late sepsis (OR 3.38; CI 1.66, 6.92) compared to Profiles 1–5 infants. There were no significant differences in other neonatal morbidities between the two groups. Profile 6 infants had a higher prenatal demographic risk score (1.46 vs 1.07;β 0.34; CI 0.06, 0.61) compared to Profiles 1–5 infants. Conclusion NNNS behavioral profiles identify an atypical behavioral pattern that is associated with early influences of demographic and medical variables. Such behavioral patterns may be seen as early as NICU discharge.
Diffusion of bound water in wood

Fick's law states that during steady-state diffusion, moisture flux is proportional to the gradient in moisture concentration, making concentration gradient the driving force for diffusion. Although Fick's law permits convenient comparisons between predicted and measured moisture contents, fundamental and experimental difficulties with it have been reported. In this paper, the dependence of spreading pressure on vapor pressure and temperature is developed. This information is used to show that gradients in spreading pressure and chemical potential are not proportional. Spreading pressure gradient is considered the correct driving force because the associated transport law can be derived from first principles.
Regulatory T Cells in Cancer

The immune system has evolved complex effector mechanisms to protect the host against a diversity of pathogenic organisms and regulatory adaptations that can curtail pathological sequelae of inflam...
Bridging Radiation Therapy Before Commercial Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy for Relapsed or Refractory Aggressive B-Cell Lymphoma

Purpose CD19-targeting chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CART) therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma (r/rABL), culminating in 2 US Food and Drug Administration–approved therapies: tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) and axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel). Following leukapheresis and in preparation for CART infusion, contemporary bridging and lymphodepletion regimens rely mostly on cytotoxic chemotherapy. Here, in a cohort of patients treated with commercial tisa-cel and axi-cel, we show that bridging-RT may offer a supplemental approach. Methods and Materials Thirty-one patients receiving commercial tisa-cel (n = 13) or axi-cel (n = 18) between August 2018 and February 2019 for r/rABL were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: (1) bridging-RT within 30 days of CART infusion or (2) nonbridging-RT (NBRT), in which patients received either remote RT greater than 30 days before CART infusion or no prior RT. Results Five patients received bridging-RT within 30 days of CART infusion. Median bridging-RT dose was 37.5 Gy and was completed a median of 13 days before infusion. No grade 3 (G3) or higher RT-toxicities occurred. No patients in the bridging-RT group experienced G3 or higher CART-related toxicities (CRS or neurotoxicity), and 23% (n = 6) and 15% (n = 4) experienced G3-5 CRS and G3-5 neurotoxicity in the NBRT group, respectively. Overall treatment response in the bridging-RT and NBRT groups was 80% and 64%, respectively. The axi-cel CART product was associated with CRS (odds ratio [OR] = 26.67, P = .001) and CRS correlated with neurotoxicity (OR = 12.22, P = .028). There was a trend toward an association for CRS with metabolic tumor volume (OR = 1.06/mL, P = .141) and TLG (OR = 1.01/mL x standard uptake value, P = .099). Conclusions Bridging-RT before commercial CART does not appear to increase the risk for CART-related toxicities or negatively affect outcomes in r/rABL patients. No G3 or higher RT-toxicities occurred in this series. Pretreatment metabolic tumor burden may be associated with CART-associated CRS; however, larger patient numbers are required to elucidate significant associations. Future work to prospectively assess the value of bridging-RT is warranted.
Socioeconomic Status and Childhood Obesity: a Review of Literature from the Past Decade to Inform Intervention Research

This is a review of the patterns, conceptualization, and suggested mechanisms underlying the relationship of socioeconomic status (SES) to obesity in childhood and the implications of these data for interventions going forward. Adiposity and SES are negatively associated in high-income countries and positively associated in medium to low-income countries. Several mechanisms, such as early introduction of solid food and parental behaviors, which may explain the association of SES and adiposity, have been identified. Parental education and adiposity and early pediatric nutrition appear to be particularly salient SES-related effectors on adiposity. There is a clear association of SES and adiposity which is affected by population affluence. Evaluation of the relationship of SES and obesity in children are complicated by the complexity of SES and lack of common definition. A number of SES-related interventional targets have been identified. Intervention research should ensure they are addressing SES-associated issues in the study population.
FlyWire: Online community for whole-brain connectomics

ABSTRACT Due to advances in automated image acquisition and analysis, new whole-brain connectomes beyond C. elegans are finally on the horizon. Proofreading of whole-brain automated reconstructions will require many person-years of effort, due to the huge volumes of data involved. Here we present FlyWire, an online community for proofreading neural circuits in a fly brain, and explain how its computational and social structures are organized to scale up to whole-brain connectomics. Browser-based 3D interactive segmentation by collaborative editing of a spatially chunked supervoxel graph makes it possible to distribute proofreading to individuals located virtually anywhere in the world. Information in the edit history is programmatically accessible for a variety of uses such as estimating proofreading accuracy or building incentive systems. An open community accelerates proofreading by recruiting more participants, and accelerates scientific discovery by requiring information sharing. We demonstrate how FlyWire enables circuit analysis by reconstructing and analysing the connectome of mechanosensory neurons.
Primary cilia sensitize insulin receptor-mediated negative feedback in pancreatic β cells

Insulin receptors (IR) can localize to the primary cilia of pancreatic {beta} cells. Because primary cilia are known to sensitize or bias the signaling of cell surface receptors, we investigate how ciliary insulin receptors influence glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in {beta} cells by gauging how cytosolic calcium concentration changes in a mouse insulinoma cell line (MIN6). Purified recombinant insulin suppresses calcium elevation in response to glucose in these cells. Interestingly, ciliated cells show attenuated cytosolic calcium elevation compared to cilium-free cells after glucose stimulation even in the absence of exogenous insulin. We observe that ciliary IR is highly phosphorylated, and the phospho-IR density decreases when cells are either treated with an insulin receptor (IR) inhibitor, BMS536924, or ciliary function is disrupted through either IFT88 or BBS1 knockdown. Consistently, the attenuation of calcium elevation in ciliated cells is abrogated when cells are either treated with IR inhibitor or when primary cilia are impaired. We further demonstrate that ciliary IR signaling hyperpolarizes the plasma membrane but has no apparent impact on glucose-induced ATP production. Thus, our results argue that primary cilia sensitize insulin receptor signaling and mediate negative feedback in GSIS in pancreatic {beta} cells.
TLR Agonists as Mediators of Trained Immunity: Mechanistic Insight and Immunotherapeutic Potential to Combat Infection

Despite advances in critical care medicine, infection remains a significant problem that continues to be complicated with the challenge of antibiotic resistance. Immunocompromised patients are highly susceptible to development of severe infection which often progresses to the life-threatening condition of sepsis. Thus, immunotherapies aimed at boosting host immune defenses are highly attractive strategies to ward off infection and protect patients. Recently there has been mounting evidence that activation of the innate immune system can confer long-term functional reprogramming whereby innate leukocytes mount more robust responses upon secondary exposure to a pathogen for more efficient clearance and host protection, termed trained immunity. Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists are a class of agents which have been shown to trigger the phenomenon of trained immunity through metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modifications which drive profound augmentation of antimicrobial functions. Immunomodulatory TLR agonists are also highly beneficial as vaccine adjuvants. This review provides an overview on TLR signaling and our current understanding of TLR agonists which show promise as immunotherapeutic agents for combating infection. A brief discussion on our current understanding of underlying mechanisms is also provided. Although an evolving field, TLR agonists hold strong therapeutic potential as immunomodulators and merit further investigation for clinical translation.
Girls scouting out pharmacy: A story about youth empowerment.

Abstract Introduction The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy's vision statement is part of a national strategic endeavor to elevate pharmacy's professional profile. Community populations lack awareness of the unique roles and responsibilities of pharmacists. To positively influence the pipeline of future pharmacists, it is necessary to promote pharmacy as a career path. Proactively targeting younger age groups to engage in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and health (STEM+H) educational activities will increase knowledge and understanding of the profession of pharmacy. Educational engagement is most successful when a positive relationship is established with a community alliance. Perspective Doctor of pharmacy students established a community partnership to create the inaugural “Girl Scouting Out Pharmacy” event. Over forty pharmacy students and faculty created and led an interactive event to advocate for the betterment of our profession while simultaneously educating on various pharmacy topics. Four unique, hands-on sessions incorporated pharmacy activities for girl scouts and their parents. These activities engaged youth to imagine their future while promoting an appreciation of pharmacy careers. Implications Creating unique events to promote STEM+H education grants early opportunities to explore pharmacy-related concepts. The combination of healthcare professional students and community outreach produces the greatest potential to spark interest. Pharmacists have a duty to inspire young individuals, ensuring the next generation meets the needs of the nation's workforce. It is the responsibility of today's pharmacists to foster intellectual curiosity and instill a progressive drive in the following generation, lest we fall behind the curve on an ever-evolving healthcare culture.
Writing and Designing Curricula

This chapter describes procedures for designing, writing, and applying curricula based on research in behavior analysis, verbal behavior, and the epistemology of behavior selection. This curricular mode is concerned with the development of mathematical, writing, and reading repertoires that are necessary for advanced study and habilitation. They include both the concepts (e.g., identifying characteristics of species) and operations (e.g., performing steps in science, performing mathematical operations). Some responses need to be controlled intraverbally (often imprecisely termed rote learning); some need to be rule governed or verbally mediated. The problem-solving instructions; curricula designed to provide instruction in solving problems bring to bear repertoires associated with basic academic literacy and repertoires of self-instruction/self-management to provide solutions to problems are further described in the chapter. In addition, writing as a problem-solving repertoire is explained; curriculum reforms that attempt to insert opportunities for students to grapple with “real world” problems move in the right direction but need to be aligned with the tenets of science. The critical function of writing is that the written text of the writer should function to affect the behavior of a reader as the writer intends.
CRYSNET, a crystallographic computing network with interactive graphics display.

More than the simple study of crystals, modern crystallography can be defined as the study of the structure of crystalline matter at or near atomic resolution by means of diffraction of X-rays, neutrons or electrons (15). As a science, crystallography throbs with relevancy (8). Crystallography settled the debate over the chemical form of NaCl (1914), served as a basis for the understanding of the chemical bond (1938), and more recently ushered in the now widely popular field of molecular biology (1953). Within the past 10 years the number of small compounds under study has risen to a current level of about 2,000 reports per year, and equally important, the number, size, and variety of macromolecules under investigation is steadily increasing.
Mechanisms of vanilloid-induced apoptosis.

Chemical compounds that contain the vanillyl moiety (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl) are collectively classified as vanilloids. Vanilloid phytochemicals can be found in a variety of sources, some of which are routinely consumed by humans throughout the world. The dietary and/or medicinal use of vanilloids may be effective in inhibiting or reversing carcinogenesis, which has sparked a considerable interest in these compounds as potential chemopreventive or chemotherapeutic agents. Certain vanilloids are also valuable as pharmacological tools for investigating neurobiology, and have been proven effective in alleviating neurogenic pain and inflammation. Recently several vanilloids have demonstrated the ability to induce apoptosis in various cell types. Vanilloids can interact with proteins and membranes to initiate pleiotropic effects, some of which are potentially cytotoxic. Certain vanilloids bind to cation channels on nociceptive sensory neurons to regulate Ca2+ uptake, which can promote neurotoxicity resulting in apoptosis and necrosis. Furthermore, some vanilloids appear to interfere with enzymatic processes in the plasma membrane and the mitochondria by functioning as coenzyme Q antagonist. This can promote reactive oxygen species production and/or the disruption of redox homeostasis resulting in apoptosis. This review will examine the cellular targets, cytotoxic effects, and the downstream effector mechanisms associated with vanilloid-induced apoptosis.
Translational treatment paradigm for managing non‐unions secondary to radiation injury utilizing adipose derived stem cells and angiogenic therapy

Background Bony non-unions arising in the aftermath of collateral radiation injury are commonly managed with vascularized free tissue transfers. Unfortunately, these procedures are invasive and fraught with attendant morbidities. This study investigated a novel, alternative treatment paradigm utilizing adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) combined with angiogenic deferoxamine (DFO) in the rat mandible. Methods Rats were exposed to a bioequivalent dose of radiation and mandibular osteotomy. Those exhibiting non-unions were subsequently treated with surgical debridement alone or debridement plus combination therapy. Radiographic and biomechanical outcomes were assessed after healing. Results Significant increases in biomechanical strength and radiographic metrics were observed in response to combination therapy (p < .05). Importantly, combined therapy enabled a 65% reduction in persisting non-unions when compared to debridement alone. Conclusion We support the continued investigation of this promising combination therapy in its potential translation for the management of radiation-induced bony pathology. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2015
Pattern measurement distance for broad beam antennas

Measurement distance requirements for electrically large, broad beam antennas are investigated in this paper. Design guidelines are developed for determining far-field measurement distances for various pattern types. Results show that while the popular 2D2/λ measurement distance usually ensures accurate measurements of broad beam antenna patterns, measurement distances less than 2D2/λ can provide acceptable results.
In Vitro Studies of Intestinal Endotoxin Absorption: I. Kinetics of absorption in the isolated everted gut sac

Previous studies have shown in a qualitative manner that endotoxin can cross gut epithelium, but precise quantitation has not been possible. The present studies were undertaken to measure quantitatively the mucosal to serosal unidirectional flux of endotoxin with the use of an in vitro rat gut sac preparation. 51Cr-Labeled endotoxin was placed in the mucosal bath in concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 2.0 mg per ml. Over a 2-hr period of time, a small amount of endotoxin was transported transmurally, which was shown chromatographically to be similar to the starting material and which retained its toxic and immunogenic properties. It was first shown that the presence of 2.0 mg per ml of endotoxin in the mucosal bath did not significantly alter the tissue's histology or permeability to 3-O-methyl-D-glucose. When unidirectional fluxes were measured, it was found that the flux was not proportional to the endotoxin concentration as would be expected with a passively permeable solute, but rather its transport system became "saturated," displaying a maximum transport rate of 4.72 (mug per cm) per 2 hr and a Km of 0.425 mg per ml. The isolated gut sac provides an excellent model for the precise study of factors involved in endotoxin absorption.
Syndiotactic polystyrene aerogels containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract This work investigated the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on density, surface area, compressive strength, and electrical conductivity of syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) aerogels. The non-covalently modified MWCNTs were dispersed in sPS solution before thermo-reversible gelation of the polymer. The aerogels were obtained by exchanging the solvent with liquid carbon dioxide and by removing carbon dioxide under supercritical condition. The materials were characterized by electron microscopy, wide angle X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms. It was found that sPS phase formed strands of approximately 50 nm in diameter and that MWCNTs formed an interpenetrating network within the sPS aerogel. The presence of MWCNTs caused little changes in morphology, crystalline structure of sPS, and surface areas of the aerogels, but significantly increased the compressive modulus and electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity also showed sensitivity to compressive strain.
Reiterative Recombination for the in vivo assembly of libraries of multigene pathways.

The increasing sophistication of synthetic biology is creating a demand for robust, broadly accessible methodology for constructing multigene pathways inside of the cell. Due to the difficulty of rationally designing pathways that function as desired in vivo, there is a further need to assemble libraries of pathways in parallel, in order to facilitate the combinatorial optimization of performance. While some in vitro DNA assembly methods can theoretically make libraries of pathways, these techniques are resource intensive and inherently require additional techniques to move the DNA back into cells. All previously reported in vivo assembly techniques have been low yielding, generating only tens to hundreds of constructs at a time. Here, we develop “Reiterative Recombination,” a robust method for building multigene pathways directly in the yeast chromosome. Due to its use of endonuclease-induced homologous recombination in conjunction with recyclable markers, Reiterative Recombination provides a highly efficient, technically simple strategy for sequentially assembling an indefinite number of DNA constructs at a defined locus. In this work, we describe the design and construction of the first Reiterative Recombination system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and we show that it can be used to assemble multigene constructs. We further demonstrate that Reiterative Recombination can construct large mock libraries of at least 104 biosynthetic pathways. We anticipate that our system’s simplicity and high efficiency will make it a broadly accessible technology for pathway construction and render it a valuable tool for optimizing pathways in vivo.
The effects of passive or active warm-up upon certain physiological measures

17 runners in training status for the University of Kansas track squad were used as subjects for this study. The purpose was to determine whether significant mean differences in certain physiological measures would result during a treadmill run and during a standard recovery period following active warm-up or passive warm-up. The means for minute-volume of inspired air were found to be significantly larger following active warm-up than those following passive warm-up during the 3rd through the 9th min of a ten-minute treadmill run. Other than the significantt-values for minute-volume of inspired air, there were no consistent trends toward significant differences in the means for other variables whether subjects warmed passively or actively.
Disability management of low back injuries by employer-retained physicians: ratings and costs.

Background Medico-legal models of disability determination for low back pain lack empirical support. Besides diagnostic and functional parameters, social and situational factors may influence impairment/disability ratings and costs. Methods Archival data from employer-retained occupational medicine physician files and public court records were examined for 184 Workers' Compensation claimants with low back injuries. Regression was used to predict ratings, costs, and settlement duration from medical, functional, social, and situational variables. Results Diagnosis, surgery, pain, rating year, and clinic predicted impairment ratings from employer-retained physicians. The clinic effect partially reflected claimant ethnicity. Diagnosis, surgery, tests ordered, legal representation, and impairment rating predicted disability ratings at the administrative law judge level. Diagnosis, tests, and impairment rating predicted costs. For musculoskeletal diagnoses, settlement duration was related negatively to treatment duration and positively to costs. Conclusions Social and situational parameters influence disability management among employer-retained physicians, while functional variables have little impact. For musculoskeletal low back pain, increased disability and cost may result from variation in treatment duration. Am. J. Ind. Med. 38:529–538, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
OrthoMCL-DB: querying a comprehensive multi-species collection of ortholog groups

The OrthoMCL database (http://orthomcl.cbil.upenn.edu) houses ortholog group predictions for 55 species, including 16 bacterial and 4 archaeal genomes representing phylogenetically diverse lineages, and most currently available complete eukaryotic genomes: 24 unikonts (12 animals, 9 fungi, microsporidium, Dictyostelium, Entamoeba), 4 plants/algae and 7 apicomplexan parasites. OrthoMCL software was used to cluster proteins based on sequence similarity, using an all-against-all BLAST search of each species' proteome, followed by normalization of inter-species differences, and Markov clustering. A total of 511,797 proteins (81.6% of the total dataset) were clustered into 70,388 ortholog groups. The ortholog database may be queried based on protein or group accession numbers, keyword descriptions or BLAST similarity. Ortholog groups exhibiting specific phyletic patterns may also be identified, using either a graphical interface or a text-based Phyletic Pattern Expression grammar. Information for ortholog groups includes the phyletic profile, the list of member proteins and a multiple sequence alignment, a statistical summary and graphical view of similarities, and a graphical representation of domain architecture. OrthoMCL software, the entire FASTA dataset employed and clustering results are available for download. OrthoMCL-DB provides a centralized warehouse for orthology prediction among multiple species, and will be updated and expanded as additional genome sequence data become available.
Development and validation of discriminant functions for the Strong Interest Inventory

Abstract This study compared the relative accuracy of (a) single Occupational Scale (OS) scores on the Strong Interest Inventory (SII) and (b) multiple-predictor scoring functions for discriminating members of nine occupations from people-in-general. The functions were constructed using discriminant function analysis with 4797 adults drawn from criterion samples for the 1985 SII. The analyses included Basic Interest Scale (BIS) scores only or combinations of OSs and BISs. Two subsequent analyses, one of which was cross-validation using 1302 young adults with little work experience, also were conducted. Results indicated that BIS-only functions yielded hit rates comparable to single OSs, and functions that combined OSs and BISs generally produced slight improvements in accuracy. These findings are potentially relevant for future SII scale development decisions.
Families of Multivariate Distributions Involving the Rosenblatt Construction

Recently, Jones pointed out a useful device for enriching families of univariate distributions. Typically, one may construct a random variable with distribution F by considering F−1(U),where U is a uniform (0,1) random variable. Jones suggested replacing the uniform random variable by a beta-distributed random variable. In this article an analogous enriching process is applied to the Rosenblatt construction of multivariate distributions. Several parametric families are introduced using this construction, together with discussion of appropriate parameter estimation strategies. It turns out that the resulting families of distributions are very flexible and easy to estimate. The method is illustrated with simulated and real data.