cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estradiol promotes the development of a fibrotic phenotype and is increased in the serum of patients with systemic sclerosis

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is more prevalent in women. Our goal is to determine the effects of 17bestradiol (E2) on the development of fibrosis and to compare circulating levels of estrogens in SSc patients and healthy controls. Methods: Using primary human dermal fibroblasts, we evaluated the effect of E2 on fibronectin (FN) expression with and without the estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist ICI 182,780, inhibitors of signaling, propyl-pyrazole-triol, an ERa specific ligand, and genistein, an ERb selective ligand, to identify the signaling pathways mediating E2’s effect. We confirmed the fibrotic effect of E2 in human skin using an ex vivo organ culture model. Lastly, we measured levels of E2 and estrone in serum samples from SSc patients with diffuse cutaneous involvement and healthy controls using mass spectrometry. Results: E2 increased expression of FN in dermal fibroblasts. ICI 182,780, inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate inhibitor, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor blocked the effects of E2 on FN. Propyl-pyrazole-triol, but not genistein, significantly increased FN expression. Ex vivo, E2 induced fibrosis of human skin. The effects of E2 were abrogated by ICI 182,780. Circulating levels of E2 and estrone were significantly increased in sera of patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc. Conclusion: Our findings implicate estrogens in the fibrotic process and may explain the preponderance of SSc in women. ICI 182,780 or other ER signaling antagonists may be effective agents for the treatment of fibrosis.
Business Education for College Prep Students (Part I)

(1961). Business Education for College Prep Students (Part I) The Journal of Business Education: Vol. 36, No. 4, pp. 157-158.
HIV infection and bone mineral density in middle-aged women.

Background. Osteopenia is prevalent in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and is part of a normal sequence of aging in women. Most studies of bone mineral density (BMD) and HIV infection have focused on men or have lacked a comparison group of individuals without HIV infection with similar behavioral risk factors. Methods. We analyzed BMD in 495 middle-aged women (defined as women ≥40 years of age); 263 women had HIV infection, and 232 women were HIV-negative with behavioral risk factors similar to those of the HIV-positive group. Results. The median age of the women in the study was 44 years, 54% were black, and 92% had used illicit drugs. Femoral neck BMD and lumbar spine BMD were reduced in women with HIV infection, compared with women without HIV infection (femoral neck BMD, 1.01 ± 0.13 g/cm 2 vs. 1.05 ± 0.13 g/cm 2 ; P =.001; lumbar spine BMD, 1.21 ± 0.17 g/cm 2 vs. 1.24 ± 0.17 g/cm 2 ; P =.04). In addition to HIV infection, other factors independently associated with lower BMD in both sites were being older, not being black, and having a low body weight. In race-stratified multivariate analyses, HIV infection was associated with BMD only in non-black women. Among HIV-positive women, 84% had taken antiretrovirals, and 62% had taken protease inhibitors, but their use was not associated with BMD. Methadone treatment was also independently associated with reduced lumbar spine BMD. Conclusion. Middle-aged women with HIV infection have reduced BMD, compared with women at similar risk for HIV infection, independent of antiretroviral use. Among HIV-positive women, those who are not black, who are underweight, and who use opiates may be at particular risk. Although the prevalence of reduced BMD in this cohort was higher among women with HIV infection than among those without (27% vs. 19%), the overall prevalence of reduced BMD was low, compared with national estimates and with previous studies involving HIV-positive women and men.
The Vitamin B12-Formaldehyde Complex as a One-Carbon Unit Precursor in the Biosynthesis of Methionine in Turkey Poult Liver Homogenates

Abstract IT IS known that vitamin B12 plays a role in the biosynthesis of labile methyl groups in vivo (Stekol and Weiss, 1950; Davis and Mingioli, 1950; Gillis and Norris, 1951; Liener and Schultze, 1952; Kratzer, 1953; Arnstein and Neuberger, 1953; Langer and Kratzer, 1964) and in vitro (Helleiner and Woods, 1956; Guest et al., 1960; Takayama et al., 1961; Dickerman et al., 1964). Vohra et al. (1958) have shown that vitamin B12 reacts nonenzymatically with formaldehyde to yield a “vitamin B12-formaldehyde complex.” Vohra and Kratzer (1960) have reported the isolation of a vitamin B12, formaldehyde complex from turkey poult liver homogenates supplemented with vitamin B12. They also reported that the formaldehyde portion of the complex was derived from either the β-carbon of serine or the α-carbon of glycine. Recently, the transfer of the methyl group from a methyl analogue of vitamin B12 to homocysteine, with the resultant formation of methionine …
Web Site Accessibility At Institutions Of Higher Education: An Introduction To Accessibility Awareness

The proliferation of information in electronic format does not guarantee its accessibility. The fact that many Web sites are not accessible to large segments of the disabled community has created a digital divide. Web accessibility is especially important in University communities, since the Internet and the digitization of information have changed the ways education is delivered. Over 9 percent of entering freshmen reported disabilities in 1998. There have been significant developments in the field of accessible design, legislation and institutional effort to remove inaccessibility of Web sites. But this research reveals that by far the majority of people surveyed in a representative University community are unaware of these developments, although they are positive that removing any inaccessibility will be a wise and mutually beneficial step. As aging of America continues, the number of people with disabilities is expected to increase.
Mitotic Transcriptional Activation: Clearance of Actively Engaged Pol II via Transcriptional Elongation Control in Mitosis

Although it is established that some general transcription factors are inactivated at mitosis, many details of mitotic transcription inhibition (MTI) and its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We have identified mitotic transcriptional activation (MTA) as a key regulatory step to control transcription in mitosis for genes with transcriptionally engaged RNA polymerase II (Pol II) to activate and transcribe until the end of the gene to clear Pol II from mitotic chromatin, followed by global impairment of transcription reinitiation through MTI. Global nascent RNA sequencing and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization demonstrate the existence of transcriptionally engaged Pol II in early mitosis. Both genetic and chemical inhibition of P-TEFb in mitosis lead to delays in the progression of cell division. Together, our study reveals a mechanism for MTA and MTI whereby transcriptionally engaged Pol II can progress into productive elongation and finish transcription to allow proper cellular division.
Powdered alcohol: Awareness and likelihood of use among a sample of college students.

Background and Objectives In March 2015, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved the sale of Palcohol, the first powdered alcohol product to be marketed and sold in the U.S. Powdered alcohol is freeze-dried, and one individual-serving size packet added to 6 ounces of liquid is equivalent to a standard drink. This study assessed awareness of powered alcohol and likelihood to use and/or misuse powdered alcohol among college students. Methods Surveys were administered to a convenience sample of 1,841 undergraduate students. Results Only 16.4% of respondents had heard of powdered alcohol. After being provided a brief description of powdered alcohol, 23% indicated that they would use the product if available, and of those, 62.1% also indicated likelihood of misusing the product (eg, snorting it, mixing it with alcohol). Caucasian students (OR = 1.5) and hazardous drinkers (based on AUDIT-C scores; OR = 4.7) were significantly more likely to indicate likelihood of use. Hazardous drinkers were also six times more likely to indicate likelihood to misuse the product. Discussion and Conclusions These findings can inform upstream prevention efforts in states debating bans on powdered alcohol. In states where powdered alcohol will soon be available, alcohol education initiatives should be updated to include information on the potential risks of use and be targeted to those populations most likely to misuse. Scientific Significance This is the first peer-reviewed study to assess the awareness of and likelihood to use and/or misuse powdered alcohol, a potentially emerging form of alcohol. (Am J Addict 2015;XX:1–6)
Mode of action of insulin in the regulation of protein biosynthesis in muscle.

It is a trial that proves one thing weak and another strong. A house built on the sand is in fair weather just as good as if builded on rock.
Abstract 106: Prevention of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm by Anti-MiRNA-712 or Anti-miR-205 in Angiotensin II--Infused Mice

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is characterized by weakening of the vessel wall, followed by progressive expansion of the diseased aortic segment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulator of gene expression in the cardiovascular diseases and may play a key role in therapeutically targeting AAA development. Although,vascular wall degradation by matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) is the key mechanism in AAA development, their targeting through miRNAs have never been studied. We identified microRNA-712 (miR-712) as a novel Angiotensin II(AngII)-sensitive miRNA which is upregulated in the abdominal aortic endothelium of AngII-infused mice. Mechanistically, we identified that miR-712 directly regulates two key endogenous inhibitors of MMP: tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) and reversion inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK). Furthermore, inhibition of miR-712 by subcutaneous injection of anti-miR-712 significantly decreased MMP activity in the AngII-infused abdominal aorta wall, prevented the dilatation of aortae and significantly reduced AAA incidence from 80% (8/10) to 20% (2/10), compared to its mismatched control in ApoE -/- mice. Interestingly, based on the seeding sequence, we identified miR-205 as the human homolog of miR-712. miR-205 was also upregulated by AngII treatment and like miR-712 regulated MMPs activity via TIMP3 and RECK. Moreover, inhibition of miR-205 dramatically inhibits AngII-induced AAA development. We also found that miR-205 was significantly upregulated in the aortic sections of AAA patients in comparison to the healthy controls. Our findings demonstrate that AngII-sensitive miRNAs, miR-712 and miR-205, regulate MMP activity through TIMP3 and RECK and play important role in the pathogenesis of AAA. These results suggest that targeting these miRNAs using their inhibitors may hold promise as a therapeutic strategy to prevent the development of AAA.
Modeling mutation on a vector processor

Mutation analysis is a software testing methodology designed to substantiate the correctness of a program P. The mutation approach is to induce syntactically correct changes in P, thereby creating a set of mutant programs. The goal of a tester is to construct a set of test data T that distinguishes the output of P(T) from that of all mutant programs. Test data sensitive enough to distinguish al1 mutant programs is deemed adequate to infer the probable correctness of P.We propose an algorithm designed to exploit the architecture of a vector processor like the Cyber 205 or Cray X/MP. The algorithm manages the simultaneous execution of multiple mutant FORTRAN 77 programs. This is accomplished by viewing the execution of these mutants as a sequence of vector instructions. The algorithm promises potential to greatly increase the performance of a mutation based testing system, as well as points towards a general method of simultaneous program execution against multiple data sets.
A channel-adaptive nonbinary LDPC decoder

We propose a low-complexity decoding message truncation technique for nonbinary LDPC decoders by exploiting the extended min-sum algorithm. The proposed technique dynamically adjusts the decoding message length according to channel conditions, thereby reducing the decoding complexity while conforming to the desired level of decoding performance. Utilizing the proposed technique, the decoding operations as well as the power consumption of the non-binary LDPC decoder can be greatly reduced. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed technique can achieve a better power-performance tradeoff over conventional techniques.
The FTC's Advertising Substantiation Program:

The FTC's advertising substantiation program—a regulatory mechanism effecting many marketer's decision making—is examined. The program's genesis and current status are described, suggestions for ma...
350 LONGITUDINAL MONITORING OF TACROLIMUS EXPOSURE IN PEDIATRIC RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS.

Due to the narrow therapeutic index of calcineurin inhibitors, monitoring of drug exposure is recommended after transplantation (Tx). Unlike cyclosporine, tacrolimus (T) trough levels supposedly have better correlation with the area under the time concentration curve (AUC) of the drug, although pediatric data are scant. The purpose of our study was to longitudinally monitor the AUC of T using a validated abbreviated method and to compare the T trough levels with the AUC. Renal transplant patients, who were transplanted between 8/01 and 6/05, were monitored prospectively. Trough, 2 hr, and 4 hr samples for serum T levels were drawn at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after Tx. Subjects were analyzed in two separate groups, based on duration of prednisone therapy: the standard protocol group (SP) received long-term prednisolone (n = 15) and the steroid-minimization (SM) group received only 3 days of prednisolone (n = 5). The immediate, 1- and 3- to 12-month target troughs for T were set at 10-15, 5-10, and 5 ng/mL respectively. Simple descriptive statistics and the Pearson correlation test were performed using SPSS. The mean age at Tx was 8.5 years. The median AUCs for the 2 cohorts are outlined in the Table. The correlation between T trough and AUCs was better in the SM (r = .96) versus the SP cohort (r = .84) and was most exaggerated in the first month (SM r = .91 versus SF r = .53). The correlation between the dose of T and the AUC was poor at all times in both groups (r = 0.2-0.4). In conclusion, except for the first month in the SP cohort, T trough levels correlate well with the AUC in pediatric renal transplant patients. In all patients receiving T, there is marked interindividual variation in the AUC of T for a given dose. Based on this, we feel it is useful to follow the abbreviated AUC in patients taking prednisone. In the SM population, the concordance between the AUC and T trough should be assessed in each patient before relying on the T trough as a marker of exposure. Albeit limited in number, our study provides clinicians with the first longitudinal data in children on T AUCs corresponding to target trough goals at different time points after renal Tx.
Survey of Trypanosoma lewisi in Rattus in some areas of Qingyuan

Objective To understand the status of natural infection of Trypanosoma lewisi in Rattus in some areas of Qingyuan. Methods From 2009 to 2010, Rattus were captured from outdoors in Lianzhou, Fogang and Qingxin counties. Two thin blood smears were prepared from each rat, stained with Giemsa solution and observed under microscope using oil immersion lens. Results 238 rats were examined and the rate of natural infection with Trypanosoma lewisi was 13.87%. The natural infection rates in rats of Lianzhou, Fogang, Qingxin were 18.18%, 7.04% and 14.71%, respectively. And the natural infection rate in Rattus norvegicus was 12.75%. Conclusion The natural infection of Trypanosoma lewisi in Rattus is quite common in Qingyuan. Rattus norvegicus is the dominant rat species with infection of Trypanosoma lewisi. Whether there are any suspected case and inapparent infection in people need further study.
X-Vine: Secure and Pseudonymous Routing in DHTs Using Social Networks.

Distributed hash tables suffer from several security and privacy vulnerabilities, including the problem of Sybil attacks. Existing social network-based solutions to mitigate the Sybil attacks in DHT routing have a high state requirement and do not provide an adequate level of privacy. For instance, such techniques require a user to reveal their social network contacts. We design X-Vine, a protection mechanism for distributed hash tables that operates entirely by communicating over social network links. As with traditional peer-topeer systems, X-Vine provides robustness, scalability, and a platform for innovation. The use of social network links for communication helps protect participant privacy and adds a new dimension of trust absent from previous designs. XVine is resilient to denial of service via Sybil attacks, and in fact is the first Sybil defense that requires only a logarithmic amount of state per node, making it suitable for large-scale and dynamic settings. X-Vine also helps protect the privacy of users social network contacts and keeps their IP addresses hidden from those outside of their social circle, providing a basis for pseudonymous communication. We first evaluate our design with analysis and simulations, using several real world large-scale social networking topologies. We show that the constraints of X-Vine allow the insertion of only a logarithmic number of Sybil identities per attack edge; we show this mitigates the impact of malicious attacks while not affecting the performance of honest nodes. Moreover, our algorithms are efficient, maintain low stretch, and avoid hot spots in the network. We validate our design with a Planetlab implementation and a Facebook plugin.
Surgical therapy of soft tissue sarcoma. I. General principles and resections of the trunk

Resection, preferably wide resection is the primary treatment modality for localized (primary or locally recurrent) soft tissue sarcomas. Sarcomas of the chest or abdominal wall usually do not present great difficulty in their resection. When a mesh is used in the abdominal wall care should be exercised that there will be no direct contact between bowel loops and the mesh by using tissue interposition since otherwise the rate of bowel fistulization due to erosion by the mesh is considerable. Although the average rate of resectability in published reports in the United States for retroperitoneal sarcomas is 53%, with the incisions and techniques described below this rate is 95%.
To cross or not to cross: modeling wildlife road crossings as a binary response variable with contextual predictors

Roads are significant barriers to landscape-scale movements of individuals or populations of many wildlife taxa. The decision by an animal near a road to either cross or not cross may be influenced by characteristics of the road, environmental conditions, traits of the individual animal, and other aspects of the context within which the decision is made. We considered such factors in a mixed-effects logistic regression model describing the nightly road crossing probabilities of invasive nocturnal Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) through short-term radiotracking of 691 snakes within close proximity to 50 road segments across the island of Guam. All measures of road magnitude (traffic volume, gap width, surface type, etc.) were significantly negatively correlated with crossing probabilities. Snake body size was the only intrinsic factor associated with crossing rates, with larger snakes crossing roads more frequently. Humidity was the only environmental variable affecting crossing rate. The distance of the snake from the road at the start of nightly movement trials was the most significant predictor of crossings. The presence of snake traps with live mouse lures during a portion of the trials indicated that localized prey cues reduced the probability of a snake crossing the road away from the traps, suggesting that a snake's decision to cross roads is influenced by local foraging opportunities. Per capita road crossing rates of Brown Treesnakes were very low, and comparisons to historical records suggest that crossing rates have declined in the 60+ yr since introduction to Guam. We report a simplified model that will allow managers to predict road crossing rates based on snake, road, and contextual characteristics. Road crossing simulations based on actual snake size distributions demonstrate that populations with size distributions skewed toward larger snakes will result in a higher number of road crossings. Our method of modeling per capita road crossing probabilities as a binary response variable, influenced by contextual factors, may be useful for describing or predicting road crossings by individuals of other taxa provided that appropriate spatial and temporal resolution can be achieved and that potentially influential covariate data can be obtained.
Sending a message: extracellular vesicles of pathogenic protozoan parasites

Parasitic unicellular eukaryotes use extracellular vesicles (EVs) as vehicles for intercellular communication and host manipulation. By using various mechanisms to generate EVs and by transferring a wide range of molecules through EVs, pathogenic protozoans are able to establish infective niches, modulate the immune system of the host and cause disease. In addition to effects on the host, EVs are able to transfer virulence factors, drug-resistance genes and differentiation factors between parasites. In this Progress article, we explore recent insights into the biology of EVs from human infectious protozoan parasites, including Trichomonas vaginalis, Plasmodium spp. and kinetoplastids, such as Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp.
Reply: Effect of Gadolinium Deposition on 18F-FDG PET/CT of Dentate Nucleus and Globus Pallidus.

REPLY: We thank Dr. Naganawa for his interest in our article, in which we present the findings from our pilot study investigating 18F-FDG uptake in the brain after repeated gadolinium-based contrast agent administration ([1][1]). In our retrospective analysis, patients who had previously undergone 3
Density-mediated indirect effects from active predators and narrow habitat domain prey

The hunting mode-habitat domain range framework suggests that the mechanism driving trophic cascades [i.e. trait-mediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) versus density-mediated indirect interactions (DMIIs)] should depend upon the functional traits of predators and prey. For example, trophic cascades containing active, broad habitat domain range (BHDR) predators interacting with narrow habitat domain range (NHDR) prey are predicted to arise primarily via TMIIs, because these prey should reduce their conspicuous activity in the presence of these predators. Unfortunately, this hypothesis is difficult to test given the strong bias against studies assessing trophic cascades containing NHDR prey. Furthermore, this hypothesis ignores evidence that 1) active predators can have high consumption rates on prey, 2) continuously responding to active predators foraging across broad areas is energetically costly for prey and 3) cues from active, BHDR predators may not influence prey density. We examined the TMIIs and total indirect interaction (TII) produced during interactions between an active, BHDR ladybeetle predator (Naemia seriata) and its NHDR prey (scale insects). We exposed scale insects to nonlethal and lethal ladybeetle predators in laboratory mesocosms for 15-weeks. We measured the growth of the scale insect's host plant (cordgrass) and the population density of scale insects. Contrary to theory, nonlethal ladybeetles did not induce TMIIs. However, lethal ladybeetles increased cordgrass total and root dry biomass by 36% and 44% (respectively), suggesting the presence of strong DMIIs. Additionally, both lethal and nonlethal ladybeetles reduced scale insect population density. Our findings suggest that DMIIs, rather than TMIIs, can result from interactions between active, BHDR predators and NHDR prey. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Functional outcomes and quality of life after total laryngectomy with noncircumferential radial forearm free tissue transfer

Background The purpose of this study was to compare long-term functional and quality of life (QOL) outcomes after total laryngectomy with primary closure and those who underwent reconstruction with noncircumferential radial free forearm tissue transfer (RFFTT). Methods Sixty-seven patients were identified by chart review and underwent long-term follow-up using QOL surveys and standardized interviews. Results The RFFTT group had significantly higher rates of chemotherapy, gastric tube (G-tube) at surgery, and postoperative stricture. At follow-up, most patients (88%) had a tracheoesophageal prosthesis (TEP) and were using it as their primary communication method. Diet and swallowing outcomes were comparable and no one had a G-tube. Device life and TEP complications did not differ significantly. Only voice-related QOL differed significantly between the RFFTT group and those who had undergone total laryngectomy without adjuvant treatment. Conclusion Despite more extensive treatment, the reconstructed group achieved comparable outcomes to those who had undergone total laryngectomy with adjuvant treatment.
Photoinduced degradation from trace 1,8-diiodooctane in organic photovoltaics

1,8-Diiodooctane (DIO) is a high boiling point solvent additive commonly used to control the active layer morphology of bulk-heterojunction organic photovoltaic (OPV) films. OPV devices fabricated using DIO often show improved efficiency, but recent studies have suggested that light exposure may cause residual DIO to react with OPV materials. We use NMR to quantify the amount of residual DIO in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layers, finding that after a typical thermal evaporator high vacuum cycle DIO is still easily observed. This suggests that most completed devices contain trapped DIO. While OPV devices processed without DIO remain stable, devices processed with DIO rapidly degrade under illumination, even if they had undergone sequential heating and vacuum steps to remove the DIO impurity. These results suggest that impurities that can act as radical initiators, such as DIO, can be detrimental even at concentrations as low as 20 ppm by mass.
Non-Isothermal Flows of Viscoelastic Fluids

During the last two decades, considerable progress has been made in developing stress-deformation rate relationships for viscoelastic liquids: the ground rules pertaining to an admissible equation of state were set forth by Coleman and Noll (1961) and Coleman (1964). According to their theory, the extra stress in a material is assumed to be a functional of the history of the deformation process that the material has experienced as well as of the history of the temperature. Unfortunately, almost all existing theories ignore temperature -- treating it as a parameter and not as a variable. In such analyses, once a constitutive equation has been derived for isothermal conditions allowance is made for varying temperature conditions by incorporating within the equation the experimentally-observed time-temperature superposition, or other equivalent empirical observations. While this ensures the correct behavior at different fixed temperature levels, it need not give the correct results for the transition process between two temperatures, and should not if the temperature history is important.
A Comparison of the Impacts of Wind Energy and Unconventional Gas Development on Land-use and Ecosystem Services: An Example from the Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma, USA

The United States energy industry is transforming with the rapid development of alternative energy sources and technological advancements in fossil fuels. Two major changes include the growth of wind turbines and unconventional oil and gas. We measured land-use impacts and associated ecosystem services costs of unconventional gas and wind energy development within the Anadarko Basin of the Oklahoma Woodford Shale, an area that has experienced large increases in both energy sectors. Unconventional gas wells developed three times as much land compared to wind turbines (on a per unit basis), resulting in higher ecosystem services costs for gas. Gas wells had higher impacts on intensive agricultural lands (i.e., row crops) compared to wind turbines that had higher impacts on natural grasslands/pastures. Because wind turbines produced on average less energy compared to gas wells, the average land-use-related ecosystem cost per gigajoule of energy produced was almost the same. Our results demonstrate that both unconventional gas and wind energy have substantial impacts on land use, which likely affect wildlife populations and land-use-related ecosystem services. Although wind energy does not have the associated greenhouse gas emissions, we suggest that the direct impacts on ecosystems in terms of land use are similar to unconventional fossil fuels. Considering the expected rapid global expansion of these two forms of energy production, many ecosystems are likely to be at risk.
Presence of intermediate filament protein synemin in select sarcomas

Synemin, a large intermediate filament protein, is expressed during development in the central and peripheral nervous system as well as in tumors derived from those tissues. It is also abundant in ...
Xanthine Oxidase is not Likely to be a Source of Injurious Free Radicals in the Ischemic Human Heart: A Study of Species Differences

Oxygen derived free radicals appear to contribute to ischemia-reperfusion injury in the heart (1,2). The source of these radicals, however, remains a subject of current debate. Studies from this laboratory indicate that xanthine oxidase is an important source of cytotoxic free radicals in the reperfused dog heart (3). Xanthine oxidase can produce oxi-radicals by the following mechanism. During ischemia ATP in the myocyte is degraded through several intermediates to hypoxanthine (4) which is the substrate for cardiac xanthine oxidase. This enzyme, which is thought to reside exclusively in the coronary capillary endothelium (5), oxidizes hypoxanthine to urate. An important feature of the xanthine oxidase hypothesis is the conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase to xanthine oxidase. The enzyme is thought to exist primarily as a dehydrogenase in normal myocardium and in this state it can only use NAD+ as the electron acceptor during the oxidation of purines (6,7). Thirty minutes of ischemia in the dog heart caused about 30% of the enzyme to be converted to the oxidase form (3) which can utilize molecular oxygen as an electron acceptor, reducing that oxygen to Superoxide and hydrogen peroxide (8).
Fuels and Fuel Processing

H2 is an ideal fuel for fuel cells (FCs) because of its high reactivity and zeroemission characteristics. Unfortunately, H2 is not easily available, and neither its production nor distribution infrastructure are widely spread. Therefore, development of technologies for production of H2 onboard and onsite from other sources such as natural gas, methanol, and gasoline is necessary. In the next section, different feedstocks that are suitable for H2 production for fuel cell application are presented. Subsequent sections focus on reforming of hydrocarbons that are processed by a series of steps that include fuel desulfurization, reforming, water-gas shift reaction and carbon monoxide (CO) removal [1,2,3,4]. Figure 5.1 illustrates what is known as the fuel processing train with some options for the essential steps. This general fuel processing train is usually used for PEM fuel cells running on fossil fuels such as natural gas. The processing steps that the feedstock are subjected to depend on the type of the fuel and the fuel cell. For example, if methanol is the fuel for PAFC, the CO removal step might not be necessary. The last two steps, water-gas shift reaction and CO removal, are not necessary in the case of MCFC. If feedstocks heavier than methane are used as a feed to the SOFC, an additional process step known as prereforming might be used. Such variations are described in more detail in Section 5.3.
Reliability of Hydraulic Structures Possessing Random Loading and Resistance

The safety-threatening external loading from geophysical and nongeophysical sources and the capacity or resistance of a hydraulic structure both vary randomly in time and space. In the traditional analysis of the risk of a hydraulic structure, only the hydrologic factors are taken into consideration. Alternately, a safety factor could be arbitrarily assigned in order to provide some degree of protection against our ignorance. These approaches either provide us a partial view of the risk or are empirical and arbitrary. A true reliability evaluation cannot be accomplished unless all the factors are accounted for and properly analyzed and combined. At the other extreme, the method of direct integration for risk evaluation which would give exact, true reliability evaluation requires knowing the exact probability distribution of each of all the factors. This requirement is rarely satisfied in real situations. In this presentation a number of approximate techniques that could provide an estimate of the system reliability of a hydraulic structure are briefly reviewed. Emphasis is then placed on the mean-value first-order second-moment method and the advanced first-order method. These two methods, when applied conjunctively with a fault tree or event tree, provide a formal, albeit approximate, framework for considering quantitatively all the factors that influence total system reliability. It also gives a formal structure to combine quantitatively the risks evaluated separately by different hydrologic, hydraulic, geotechnical, structural and other specialists.
Robotic path planning for surgeon skill evaluation in minimally-invasive sinus surgery

We observe that expert surgeons performing MIS learn to minimize their tool path length and avoid collisions with vital structures. We thus conjecture that an expert surgeon's tool paths can be predicted by minimizing an appropriate energy function. We hypothesize that this reference path will be closer to an expert with greater skill, as measured by an objective measurement instrument such as Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS). To test this hypothesis, we have developed a Surgical Path Planner (SPP) for Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS). We measure the similarity between an automatically generated reference path and surgical motions of subjects. We also develop a complementary similarity metric by translating tool motion to a coordinate-independent coding of motion, which we call the Descriptive Curve Coding (DCC) method. We evaluate our methods on surgical motions recorded from FESS training tasks. The results show that the SPP reference path predicts the OSATS scores with 88% accuracy. We also show that motions coded with DCC predict OSATS scores with 90% accuracy. Finally, the combination of SPP and DCC identifies surgical skill with 93% accuracy.
NON-NORMAL SPACES

Publisher Summary This chapter discuses topological space that is sufficient to ensure normality. A space is called countably paracompact if each countable open cover has a locally finite refinement. One uses perfect to mean that every closed set is a Gδ. A space X is collection-wise Hausdorff if for each closed discrete subset D of X, there exists a family, {Ux | x ɛ D}, of open subsets of X. If there exists a normal, nonmetrizable Moore space, then there exists a countably paracompact, nonnormal Moore space. It implies that if one can show under V = L that each countably paracompact Moore space is normal, then one has solved the normal Moore space problem.
The Value of Urgent and Emergent Care in Otolaryngology

The aim of this report is to review the literature regarding the value of care provided for urgent and emergent otolaryngologic conditions and to investigate alternative models of health care delivery. Ear, nose, and throat problems comprise a large portion of chief complaints in emergency departments (EDs). Otolaryngologic conditions are predominantly low acuity and may be handled on an outpatient basis, leading to a potential mismatch between the needs of the patient and the level of resources expended. Alternative models have been investigated both in otolaryngology and in other medical specialties, but the implications for quality of care and cost are uncertain. Urgent and emergent care for ear, nose, and throat conditions is not well studied and is ripe for new models of health care delivery, which may include specialty-specific EDs, clinics, and urgent care centers. Economic analysis of the models will be essential to provide evidence of value and is currently lacking.
Rate of dark photon emission from electron positron annihilation in massive stars

We calculate the rate of production of dark photons from electron-positron pair annihilation in hot and dense matter characteristics of supernova progenitors. Given the nonlinear dependence of the emission rate on the dark photon mass and current astrophysical constraints on the dark photon parameter space, we focus on the mass range of 1--10 MeV. For the conditions under consideration both mixing with the in-medium photon and plasma effects on the electron dispersion relation are non-negligible and are explored in detail. We perform our calculations to the leading order in the fine-structure constant. Transverse and longitudinal photon modes are treated separately given their different dispersion relations. We consider the implications for the evolution of massive stars when dark photons decay either into particles of the standard model or of the dark sector.
Sequential sampling strategy for extreme event statistics in nonlinear dynamical systems.

We develop a method for the evaluation of extreme event statistics associated with nonlinear dynamical systems from a small number of samples. From an initial dataset of design points, we formulate a sequential strategy that provides the “next-best” data point (set of parameters) that when evaluated results in improved estimates of the probability density function (pdf) for a scalar quantity of interest. The approach uses Gaussian process regression to perform Bayesian inference on the parameter-to-observation map describing the quantity of interest. We then approximate the desired pdf along with uncertainty bounds using the posterior distribution of the inferred map. The next-best design point is sequentially determined through an optimization procedure that selects the point in parameter space that maximally reduces uncertainty between the estimated bounds of the pdf prediction. Since the optimization process uses only information from the inferred map, it has minimal computational cost. Moreover, the special form of the metric emphasizes the tails of the pdf. The method is practical for systems where the dimensionality of the parameter space is of moderate size and for problems where each sample is very expensive to obtain. We apply the method to estimate the extreme event statistics for a very high-dimensional system with millions of degrees of freedom: an offshore platform subjected to 3D irregular waves. It is demonstrated that the developed approach can accurately determine the extreme event statistics using a limited number of samples.
Embedded Multidie Interconnect Bridge—A Localized, High-Density Multichip Packaging Interconnect

This article provides an overview of the embedded multidie interconnect bridge (EMIB) multichip packaging (MCP) technology. EMIB is a unique packaging paradigm that provides very high-density interconnects (currently in the range of 500–1000 I/O/mm) localized in between two devices, thus enabling high-bandwidth (BW) on-package links while leaving the rest of the package structures and designs unaffected. The construction of the silicon bridge and the package to allow high BW electrical signaling between two dies is discussed in detail. Examples of the EMIB implementations for the links between the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) logic and high bandwidth memory generation 2 (HBM2) memory stacks, graphics die and HBM2 memory stacks, FPGA logic die, and high-performance transceiver die are described. EMIB packaging is compared with similar high-density interconnect technologies such as silicon interposer with through-silicon vias (TSVs) and other fan-out-based package technologies. Design optimization strategies for power delivery and I/O routing in the presence of an embedded bridge are highlighted.
Quantifying Entatic States in Photophysical Processes: Applications to Copper Photosensitizers.

The entatic or rack-induced state is a core concept in bioinorganic chemistry. In its simplest form, it is present when a protein scaffold places a transition metal ion and its first coordination s...
Sonographer-acquired ultrasound protocol for deep endometriosis

Endovaginal sonographic imaging has been shown to reliably identify pelvic endometriosis, but most United States imaging practices do not adequately assess locations and features of endometriosis beyond ovarian endometrioma. In this article, we propose a protocol for sonographer-acquired images and maneuvers to be interpreted subsequently by sonologists (radiologists or gynecologists). The purpose is to improve the sensitivity of endovaginal sonography for the detection of endometriosis in imaging practices that involve the non-physician sonographer as part of their workflow.
Understanding and Mitigating the Contamination of Intrinsic poly-Si Gaps in Passivated IBC Solar Cells

We investigate factors that are critical for the performance of interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cells based on polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) passivated contacts. During patterning of doped lines using direct plasma deposition through a shadow mask, we show that the intrinsic poly-Si gap becomes contaminated with dopants, leading to shunting. Possible contamination mechanisms during masked deposition and high- temperature annealing are tested. Strategies developed to mitigate the contamination, such as reactive ion etching after deposition and amorphous to poly-Si crystallization in oxygen, will lead to improved IBC fabrication methods.
Dual-Slope Imaging in Frequency-Domain Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

We propose a dual-slope imaging method in frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy. Compared to intensity, phase dual-slopes exhibit preferential sensitivity to deep perturbations and are not confounded by simultaneous superficial perturbations.
Outbreak of sudden death in weaned calves on a New York dairy caused by Strongyloides papillosus

S. papillosus are slender hair-like worms that have a predilection for the duodenum and proximal jejunum of ruminants. The third larval stage of S. papillosus penetrates the skin, often in the coronary band region of the limb, and migrates to the gastrointestinal tract where it matures to the parthenogenetic adult stage. Typically S. papillosus infection of calves in North America is associated with clinical signs of diarrhea, dehydration, anorexia, and weight loss or poor weight gain (Thamsborg et al, 2017). Outbreaks of sudden death associated with heavy S. papillosus burden are rare and have only been reported in 2-5 month old calves in Japan (Taira and Ura, 1991). These Japanese outbreaks occurred in the summer, where common conditions included sawdust bedding, high environmental temperatures, and high humidity. Experimental studies revealed the sudden death of calves with heavy worm burdens to be preceded by cardiac arrhythmias for 1-2 days and ventricular arrhythmias leading to cardiac arrest (Tsuji et al, 1992). These researchers hypothesized that S. papillosus may produce a cardiotoxin that leads to cardiac arrest of infected calves. S. papillosus has recently been implicated as the novel cause of an outbreak of sudden death in weaned dairy calves on a well-managed farm in New York State. The following report describes this first documented North American outbreak of sudden death in calves caused by S. papillosus.
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Neonatal Project ECHO (NeoECHO) as a Dissemination and Implementation Strategy to Prevent Necrotizing Enterocolitis

BACKGROUND Caregivers in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) often determine care practices in silos, although access to learning communities can improve quality. Project ECHO, a telehealth-delivered mentoring intervention, provides specialists' expertise but not in the NICU until now. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) prevention and timely recognition is one area where specialist support and engaging with a learning community could improve outcomes. NEC-Zero is one care bundle that aims to improve care quality by providing tools to implement NEC prevention in family-engaged ways. AIMS To examine the feasibility and acceptability of NeoECHO to disseminate NEC-Zero education and describe the intentions of internal facilitators (IFs) and clinicians to initiate quality improvement changes. METHODS This was a convergent mixed-methods study. Our team delivered the first neonatal adaptation of Project ECHO called "NeoECHO" to leverage facilitation as an implementation strategy to disseminate NEC-Zero evidence and support practice change. RESULTS Six IFs and seven NICUs participated. All units and IFs that began the series finished it. Of the 261 session attendees, 206 (79%) study evaluations were completed. Of those who completed evaluations, 89 (100%) completed at least one session and 29 (33%) completed three or more. Satisfaction was high. Participants appreciated the engaged and accessible format to learn from experts using real case examples and didactic sessions. Individuals and IFs reported intentions to adopt evidence based on NeoECHO. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION NeoECHO was an acceptable and feasible way to engage under-resourced NICUs and share NEC-Zero evidence and tools. More research is needed to examine the impact of NeoECHO on care processes and patient outcomes.
The Cost of Scale Inefficiency In The Canadian Brewing Industry: A Multi-Product Cost Function Approach

The study examines economies of scale for the Canadian beer industry using multi-product cost functions using micro data. The results reflect the effects of product mix, industry regulation, and interprovincial trade prohibitions. With the present mix of products 10 plants could supply the needed quantity of beer at less expense than the current configuration of 25 plants. The cost of regulation is estimated to be approximately 6.5% above the optimal plant cost.
Ribosomal RNA Processing

Ribosomal RNAs are heavily processed and modified before they become mature constituents of ribosomes. This essential process begins in the nucleolus and is completed in the cytoplasm. Enzymatic processing by exo and endonucleases removes spacers between coding sequences. Specific residues are chemically modified by pseudouridylation or methylation. These modifications are mediated by interactions with small nucleolar RNAs. Folding of the precursors is important for enzyme recognition and activity. This article describes in detail our current knowledge of the rRNA processing pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli , and the manner in which mammals and other eukaryotes differ most strikingly.