cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploration of Imaging Biomarkers for Predicting Survival of Patients With Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Antiangiogenic Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to compare imaging biomarkers, including 18F-FDG PET, CT perfusion (CTP), and CT texture analysis (CTTA), in predicting the survival of patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with antiangiogenic chemotherapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A total of 35 patients (17 men and 18 women; median age, 64.0 years) with advanced NSCLC treated with antiangiogenic chemotherapy were evaluated. CTP and FDG PET were performed before the therapy, and blood flow, blood volume, mean transit time, and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the tumor were measured. Texture parameters, including the mean value of pixels with positive values (MPP) and entropy (a measure of irregularity), were also measured on pretherapeutic unenhanced CT images, using CTTA software with a medium texture scale filtration. The best percent change in the tumor burden was also measured. These image-derived tumor parameters were then compared with progression-free survival (P...
Finding Earth clones with SIM: the most promising near-term technique to detect, find masses for, and determine three-dimensional orbits of nearby habitable planets

SIM is a space astrometric interferometer capable of better than one-microarcsecond ( as) single measurement accuracy, providing the capability to detect stellar "wobble" resulting from planets in orbit around nearby stars. While a search for exoplanets can be optimized in a variety of ways, a SIM five-year search optimized to detect Earth analogs (0.3 to 10 Earth masses) in the middle of the habitable zone (HZ) of nearby stars would yield the masses, without M*sin(i) ambiguity, and three-dimensional orbital parameters for planets around ~70 stars, including those in the HZ and further away from those same stars. With >200 known planets outside our solar system, astrophysical theorists have built numerical models of planet formation that match the distribution of Jovian planets discovered to date and those models predict that the number of terrestrial planets (< 10 M(+) ) would far exceed the number of more massive Jovian planets. Even so, not every star will have an Earth analog in the middle of its HZ. This paper describes the relationship between SIM and other planet detection methods, the SIM planet observing program, expected results, and the state of technical readiness for the SIM mission.
Healthcare, Policy Implementation, and Culture: What Cultural Values Influence Unpaid Primary Caregivers to Provide Care to Older Adults?

ABSTRACTThis research examines home healthcare programs implemented in Puerto Rico and Indiana. Puerto Rico is primarily a Hispanic territory of the United States, while Indiana is a culturally Anglo Midwestern state. This study explores the cultural values that influence unpaid care of older adults in these two settings. I hypothesize that dissimilar cultural values will influence care of unpaid primary caregivers (UPCs) in both jurisdictions. Results supported the hypothesis: UPCs emphasized different cultural values in caregiving. The study recommends that the federal government support families with essential services to enable them render badly-needed care to their elderly family members.
Sexual orientation differences as deficits: Science and stigma in the history of American Psychology.

This article briefly describes how psychology, psychiatry, and the mental health professions (here collectively referred to as Psychology) treated sexual orientation differences as deficits for much of the 20th century, as well as some of the negative consequences that practice had for sexual minorities. The 1970s witnessed a remarkable turnaround when the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the American Psychological Association called for psychologists to work to remove the stigma historically associated with homosexuality. This history illustrates not only how cultural institutions play a central role in legitimating stigma, but also how they can recognize their own complicity in this process and work effectively to undo its harmful effects. It is argued that Psychology still has an important role to play in challenging the differences-as-deficits model in contemporary policy debates.
EPSA: A Novel Supercritical Fluid Chromatography Technique Enabling the Design of Permeable Cyclic Peptides

Most peptides are generally insufficiently permeable to be used as oral drugs. Designing peptides with improved permeability without reliable permeability monitoring is a challenge. We have developed a supercritical fluid chromatography technique for peptides, termed EPSA, which is shown here to enable improved permeability design. Through assessing the exposed polarity of a peptide, this technique can be used as a permeability surrogate.
A Site-Specific Comparison of Simplified Procedures for Evaluating Cyclic Resistance of Non-Plastic Silt

Assessing the liquefaction potential of silts is a challenging problem for practicing engineers. A common approach to performing such assessments is to apply a fines content "correction" factor to field-based correlations that were developed primarily for sands that relate cyclic resistance and in-situ indices (i.e., standard penetration test (SPT) N-value, cone penetration test (CPT) qc-value, or shear wave velocity (VS)). This paper compares the cyclic resistance estimated using these methods for a site in Providence, Rhode Island which is characterized by deep deposits of non-plastic silt. Standard penetration tests with energy measurements were performed in conjunction with seismic cone penetration tests, and representative samples were collected for laboratory testing. A site-specific VS-based cyclic resistance correlation was developed from cyclic triaxial tests with shear wave velocity measurements and was used as a baseline for comparing the results of current SPT- and CPT-based simplified approaches. The analysis suggests that the existing SPT- and CPT-based methods, as described in Youd et al. (2001), provide reasonable predictions of cyclic resistance of the non-plastic silt when the recommended fines content corrections are applied.
Isolation,identification and expression analysis of interleukin 2 receptor alpha chain(CD25) gene in Tupaia belangeri

CD25 is an important cell surface marker for CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells(Tregs) and tree shrew is an animal model used in the study of human viral infections.However,the molecular identity of tree shrew CD25(tsCD25) remains unclear.We cloned tsCD25 and analyzed its expression pattern.A full-length cDNA of tree shrew interleukin 2 receptor alpha chain(tsCD25) gene was obtained from tree shrew spleen by RT-PCR(reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction).The tsCD25 cDNA contains an ORF of 816 bp,encoding a 30.9 ku of peptide with a predicted 271 amino acids.The mature tsCD25 peptide contains two Sushi domains,two N-linked and multiple O-linked glycosylation sites.The tsCD25 is very similar to those of primates at the amino acid level,ranging from 65.3% to 66.4%.Tissue transcription analysis indicates that tsCD25 mRNA is expressed in peripheral blood,spleen and lung.Lymphocytes expression analysis demonstrates that tsCD25 mRNA is up-regulated by PMA and ionomycin stimulation.Our results may provide a basis for future studies such as generating monoclonal antibodies to tsCD25.
Natural history of histiocytosis-X.

In this article on the natural history of histiocytosis-X, we focus on the most common sites, tissues, and organs involved without restricting our discussion to defined syndromes.
Clinical Effects of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists Compared with Marijuana in Emergency Department Patients with Acute Drug Overdose

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) are heterogeneous compounds originally intended as probes of the endogenous cannabinoid system or as potential therapeutic agents. We assessed the clinical toxicity associated with recent SCRA use in a large cohort of drug overdose patients. This subgroup analysis of a large (n = 3739) drug overdose cohort study involved consecutive ED patients at two urban teaching hospitals collected between 2009 and 2013. Clinical characteristics of patients with the exposure to SCRAs (SRCA subgroup) were compared with those from patients who smoked traditional cannabinoids (marijuana subgroup). Data included demographics, exposure details, vital signs, mental status, and basic chemistries gathered as part of routine clinical care. Study outcomes included altered mental status and cardiotoxicity. Eighty-seven patients reported exposure to any cannabinoid, of whom 17 reported SCRAs (17 cases, 70 controls, mean age 38.9 years, 77 % males, 31 % Hispanic). There were no significant differences between SRCA and marijuana with respect to demographics (age, gender, and race/ethnicity), exposure history (suicidality, misuse, and intent), vital signs, or serum chemistries. Mental status varied between SRCA and marijuana, with agitation significantly more likely in SCRA subgroup (OR = 3.8, CI = 1.2–11.9). Cardiotoxicity was more pronounced in the SCRA subgroup with dysrhythmia significantly more likely (OR = 9.2, CI = 1.0–108). In the first clinical study comparing the adverse effects of SCRA overdose vs. marijuana controls in an ED population, we found that SCRA overdoses had significantly pronounced neurotoxicity and cardiotoxicity compared with marijuana.
The respiratory effects of codeine and morphine in man.

A controlled study was carried out in human volunteers to compare the respiratory effects of codeine and morphine administered intramuscularly and codeine administered orally and intram1lScularly. Codeine intramuscularly was found to be 0.1 as potent as morphine. Oral codeine was 0.72 as potent as intramuscular codeine. These relative potency estimates are in close agreement to those published for analgesic relative potency. It is concluded that when intramuscular morphine and codeine or oral and intramuscular codeine are given in equianalgesic doses, similar degrees of respiratory depression are induced.
Trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms associate with violence in inner city civilians

Understanding whether a history of psychological trauma is associated with perpetrating aggressive and violent behavior is of critical importance to public health. This relationship is especially important to study within urban areas where violence is prevalent. In this paper we examined whether a history of trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in inner city civilians was associated with violent behavior. Data were collected from over 1900 primary care patients at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Childhood trauma history was assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and adult trauma history with the Traumatic Events Inventory (TEI). PTSD symptoms were measured with the PTSD Symptom Scale (PSS) and violent behaviors were measured with the Behavior Questionnaire (BQ). Using these measures we studied violent behavior in the inner city and its association with childhood or adult trauma history or PTSD. Trauma, PTSD and violence were all prevalent in this at-risk urban cohort. Perpetrating interpersonal violence was associated with a history childhood and adult trauma history, and with PTSD symptoms and diagnosis. An association between violent behavior and PTSD diagnosis was maintained after controlling for other pertinent variables such as demographics and presence of depression. Our findings point to a dysregulation of aggressive and violent behavior that may be a consequence of trauma and PTSD. These data indicate that more effective PTSD screening and treatment may help to reduce urban violence.
Influence of Cell Size on Re-Entrant Transformation of Negative Poisson's Ratio Reticulated Polyurethane Foams

Several foams of different cell-size, including Scott Industrial polyurethane foam with large cells (20 pores per inch, ppi, or 1.2 mm per pore, black), medium cells (65 ppi, or 0.4 mm per pore, gr...
Modeling and control of a wide-input hybrid resonant microconverter for photovoltaic applications

In modular photovoltaic conditioning system (PCS), microinverter is the important device to convert solar energy to grid electricity. A hybrid resonant microconverter served as front-end converter in a two-stage microinverter with two different modes was proposed previously [1]. The topology with two operating modes can achieve wide-input regulation and maintain high-efficiency over a wide input range. This paper derives the linearized models and control-to-input transfer functions of two operating modes for this high-efficiency hybrid resonant microconverter. Voltage controllers and a smooth transition are designed based on proposed models. The derived linearized models matched well with simulations. Experimental results with a 300 W prototype verify the performance of voltage controllers and transition.
Helping Students THRIVE—A Two-Way Street

At the University of Central Missouri (UCM), the THRIVE program is made up of young adults, ages 18 to 25, who have developmental or intellectual disabilities. A merger occurred between the THRIVE program and the adapted physical education course required for physical education teacher education (PETE) students to provide practical experiences for the PETE majors to work with students with special needs, and to provide THRIVE students with meaningful learning experiences related to fitness, skill and healthy lifestyles. Most importantly, all students develop positive relationships. This merger — THRIVE PE program — has led to positive outcomes for both the PETE students and the THRIVE students. The purpose of this article is to share the “nuts and bolts” of how this program works so others in PETE programs can consider adopting a similar course of action for their students. The hope is that this article will serve as a springboard for the development of similar programs that benefit both PETE students and...
EEG Biofeedback as a Treatment for Substance Use Disorders: Review, Rating of Efficacy, and Recommendations for Further Research

Electroencephalographic (EEG) biofeedback has been employed in substance use disorder (SUD) over the last three decades. The SUD is a complex series of disorders with frequent comorbidities and EEG abnormalities of several types. EEG biofeedback has been employed in conjunction with other therapies and may be useful in enhancing certain outcomes of therapy. Based on published clinical studies and employing efficacy criteria adapted by the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research, alpha theta training—either alone for alcoholism or in combination with beta training for stimulant and mixed substance abuse and combined with residential treatment programs, is probably efficacious. Considerations of further research design taking these factors into account are discussed and descriptions of contemporary research are given.
Biocompatibility of a quad-shank neural probe

Abstract Multichannel, flexible neural probes have been fabricated using standard CMOS techniques. The neural probe consists of four shanks with 16 recording sites each of approximately 290 μm 2 . The recording sites are created using gold rectangular pyramidal electrodes sandwiched between two polyimide dielectric layers. Windows in the first polyimide layer expose the electrode sites and bonding pads. The bonding pads and interconnect wires at the topmost section of the probe are soldered to tungsten wire followed by encapsulation with epoxy to protect the interconnections from contact with phosphate buffered saline solution. The electrode test impedance values at 1 kHz are on average 135 kΩ. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were deposited on electrode sites resulting in a reduction of impedance at 1 kHz to 6.89 kΩ on average. Moreover, the cell viability and proliferation of the PC12 cells on the surface of the probe was investigated by trypan blue exclusion assay to evaluate biocompatibility of the probe material. The PC12 cells attached and grew on the surfaces of the probe with no significant effect on the cells’ morphology and viability. The polyimide probe displayed a good cell viability and proliferation, making the polyimide attractive for potential candidate as probe materials in the fabrication of neural probes.
Surgical ovarian ablation for hormone receptor positive primary breast cancer in premenopausal women.

e12536Background: Ovarian ablation is increasingly used to complement endocrine therapy in select premenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC). It can be achieved by ...
Structural Articulation of Biochemical Reactions Using Restrained Geometries and Topology Switching.

A strategy named “restrained geometries and topology switching” (RGATS) is presented to obtain detailed trajectories for complex biochemical reactions using molecular mechanics (MM) methods. It enables prediction of realistic dynamical pathways for chemical reactions, especially for accurately characterizing the structural adjustments of highly complex environments to any proximal biochemical reaction. It can be used to generate reactive conformations, model stepwise or concerted reactions in complex environments, and probe the influence of changes in the environment. Its ability to take reactively nonoptimal conformations and generate favorable starting conformations for a biochemical reaction is illustrated for a proton transfer between two model compounds. Its ability to study concerted reactions in explicit solvent is illustrated using proton transfers between an ammonium ion and two conserved histidines in an ammonia transporter channel embedded in a lipid membrane. Its ability to characterize the ch...
Pleural electrical impedance is a sensitive, real-time indicator of pneumothorax.

Abstract Background Chest tube management protocols, particularly in patients with alveolar-pleural air leak due to recent surgery or trauma, are limited by concerns over safety, especially concerns about rapid and occult development of pneumothorax. A continuous, real-time monitor of pneumothorax could improve the quality and safety of chest tube management. We developed a rat model of pneumothorax to test a novel approach of measuring electrical impedance within the pleural space as a monitor of lung expansion. Materials and methods Anesthetized Sprague–Dawley rats underwent right thoracotomy. A novel impedance sensor and a thoracostomy tube were introduced into the right pleural space. Pneumothorax of varying volumes ranging from 0.2 to 20 mL was created by syringe injection of air via the thoracostomy tube. Electrical resistance measurements from the pleural sensor and fluoroscopic images were obtained at baseline and after the creation of pneumothorax and results compared. Results A statistically significant, dose-dependent increase in electrical resistance was observed with increasing volume of pneumothorax. Resistance measurement allowed for continuous, real-time monitoring of pneumothorax development and the ability to track pneumothorax resolution by aspiration of air via the thoracostomy tube. Pleural resistance measurement demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity for all volumes of pneumothorax tested and was significantly more sensitive for pneumothorax detection than fluoroscopy. Conclusions The electrical impedance-based pleural space sensor described in this study provided sensitive and specific pneumothorax detection, which was superior to radiographic analysis. Real-time, continuous monitoring for pneumothorax has the potential to improve the safety, quality, and efficiency of postoperative chest tube management.
Type II (Idiopathic) Diabetes (Non-Insulin-Dependent)

The manifestations of diabetes mellitus, because of their complex and diversified nature, make it often difficult to categorize the various types of the disease. It is not a single disease, but rather a syndrome that may be produced by a number of factors. It may result from extrapancreatic lesions, such as hyperplasia or tumors of the anterior pituitary gland or the adrenal cortex or medulla, or hyperthyroidism. In some cases, diabetes may follow surgical removal of the pancreas, or its origin may be the destruction of the pancreatic islets resulting from pancreatic diseases such as hemochromatosis, pancreatitis, pancreatic lithiasis, and tumors of the pancreas.
Signal Pathway Regulation of Interleukin-8-Induced Actin Polymerization in Neutrophils

Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a recently described peptide cytokine, is a neutrophil chemoattractant and activator that exerts effects similar to fMLP, yet their receptors and their roles in pathophysiology differ. The effect of IL-8 on the neutrophil cytoskeleton has not been well studied; therefore, we compared and contrasted the effects of IL-8 and fMLP on neutrophil actin conformation and on the signal pathway regulation of actin responses. IL-8 caused a rapid, dose-dependent increase in neutrophil F-actin content within 30 seconds. The maximum increase was twofold. These changes were accompanied by the development of F-actin-rich pseudopods, as noted with fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Selected biochemical inhibitors were used to study the regulation of the IL-8-induced actin changes. Incubation of neutrophils with 2 micrograms/mL pertussis toxin resulted in a 67% inhibition of the IL-8-induced F-actin increase. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, staurosporine and H7, did not inhibit the increase in F-actin caused by IL-8. IL-8 caused a rapid increase in neutrophil intracellular calcium that could be completely inhibited by the chelating agent 1,2-bis(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N-N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA). However, BAPTA-treated neutrophils retained the ability to increase F-actin in response to IL-8. Similar results were seen with fMLP, indicating that, similar to fMLP, the IL-8-induced actin response is mediated through pertussis-toxin-sensitive G-proteins but is neither dependent on PKC nor increases in cytosolic calcium. Thus, although IL-8 and fMLP exert their effects on neutrophils through different receptors, the signal transduction pathways used and the effects on actin conformation and pseudopod formation are similar.
Framing kids: children, immigration reform, and same-sex marriage

Children often have played crucial roles – both as political symbols and frontline activists – in the struggles of marginalized groups to secure basic membership rights. This was true of the Africa...
Composite Metagenome-Assembled Genomes Reduce the Quality of Public Genome Repositories

In their recent study, Espinoza et al. employ genome-resolved metagenomics to investigate supragingival plaque metagenomes of 88 individuals (1). The 34 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that the authors report include those that resolve to clades that have largely evaded cultivation efforts, such as Gracilibacteria (formerly GN02) and Saccharibacteria (formerly TM7) of the recently described Candidate Phyla Radiation (2). Generating new genomic insights into the understudied members of the human oral cavity is of critical importance for a comprehensive understanding of the microbial ecology and functioning of this biome, and we acknowledge the contribution of the authors on this front. However, the redundant occurrence of bacterial single-copy core genes suggests that more than half of the MAGs that Espinoza et al. report are composite genomes that do not meet the recent quality guidelines suggested by the community (3). Composite genomes that aggregate sequences originating from multiple distinct populations can yield misleading insights when treated and reported as single genomes (4). To briefly demonstrate their composite nature, we refined some of the key …
An Operational Pipeline for Generating Digital Surface Models from Multi-Stereo Satellite Images for Remote Sensing Applications

Multi-view satellite images are particularly useful in providing large-scale geometric information and can benefit a wide range of remote sensing applications. This paper presents an operational and fully automated pipeline that performs stereo and multi-stereo reconstruction using RPC stereo processor (RSP) software. We demonstrate that the processed information such as per-pixel registered orthophotos and digital surface models may serve as attractive sources for remote sensing applications such as 3D building and canopy modeling, land-cover classification that might be traditionally limited in 2D remote sensing.
Zika virus and its implications on cord blood banking and transplantation

Umbilical cord blood is an important cellular therapy product used for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, but the US Food and Drug Administration guidance regarding donor screening to reduce the risk of Zika transmission has decreased the number of licensed, eligible cord blood units available for transplantation. There is a crucial need for updated travel risk assessment for Zika virus transmission, validated screening tests for Zika virus in umbilical cord blood, and further research on Zika virus transmissibility due to umbilical cord blood products to ensure that umbilical cord blood and related tissues are safe and available for transplantation.
Fast and accurate calculation of myocardial T 1 and T 2 values using deep learning Bloch equation simulations (DeepBLESS)

Purpose To propose and evaluate a deep learning model for rapid and accurate calculation of myocardial T1 /T2 values based on a previously proposed Bloch equation simulation with slice profile correction (BLESSPC) method. Methods Deep learning Bloch equation simulations (DeepBLESS) models are proposed for rapid and accurate T1 estimation for the MOLLI T1 mapping sequence with balanced SSFP readouts and T1 /T2 estimation for a radial simultaneous T1 and T2 mapping (radial T1 -T2 ) sequence. The DeepBLESS models were trained separately based on simulated radial T1 -T2 and MOLLI data, respectively. The DeepBLESS T1 -T2 estimation accuracy was evaluated based on simulated data with different noise levels. The DeepBLESS model was compared with BLESSPC in simulation, phantom, and in vivo studies for the MOLLI sequence at 1.5 T and radial T1 -T2 sequence at 3 T. Results After DeepBLESS was trained, in phantom studies, DeepBLESS and BLESSPC achieved similar accuracy and precision in T1 -T2 estimations for both MOLLI and radial T1 -T2 (P > .05). For in vivo, DeepBLESS and BLESSPC generated similar myocardial T1 /T2 values for radial T1 -T2 at 3 T (T1 : 1366 ± 31 ms for both methods, P > .05; T2 : 37.4 ms ± 0.9 ms for both methods, P > .05), and similar myocardial T1 values for the MOLLI sequence at 1.5 T (1044 ± 20 ms for both methods, P > .05). DeepBLESS generated a T1 /T2 map in less than 1 second. Conclusion The DeepBLESS model offers an almost instantaneous approach for estimating accurate T1 /T2 values, replacing BLESSPC for both MOLLI and radial T1 -T2 sequences, and is promising for multiparametric mapping in cardiac MRI.
Interlaced maternity and matrimony in Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God

When Janie Crawford, the protagonist of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, reflects on her third marriage, she looks down at her sleeping husband, Tea Cake, and feels “a self-crushi...
Formation of nanocrystalline manganese oxide in flames: oxide phase governed by classical nucleation and size-dependent equilibria

Particle nucleation and growth of crystalline manganese oxide nanoparticles was examined in a complementary experimental and modelling study. Gas-to-particle conversion occurred in a flame-assisted chemical vapor deposition process whereby a premixed stagnation flame drove the high-temperature synthesis. The structure of the stagnation flame was computed using pseudo one-dimensional and axisymmetric two-dimensional methods to assess the accuracy of using a faster similarity-based calculation for flame-deposition design. The pseudo one-dimensional computation performs reasonably well for the narrow aspect ratio stagnation flow currently studied as evidenced by reasonable agreement between the measured flame position and both computational methods. Manganese oxide nanoparticles having II, II–III, III or IV oxidation states were observed depending on the flame conditions. These observations may be explained by size-dependent equilibria between nano-scale manganese oxide and surrounding gas-phase oxygen. Local equilibrium was assessed during the particle temperature–oxygen–time history to gain insight into oxide formation in the flame. Analysis of the saturation ratio for formation of condensed MnO in the flame indicates that nucleation may be limited by a thermodynamic barrier. This nucleation mechanism is supported by measured particle sizes smaller than what would be expected from a coagulation limited growth process. Nanocrystalline MnO, reported here for the first time by flame synthesis, was obtained in oxygen lean flames. MnO2 is the phase predicted to be thermally stable as the particles approach the deposition surface, yet other metastable oxide phases were produced in many of the flames examined. In fact, MnO2 was only observed in the smallest particle size conditions which may indicate that high cooling rates limit phase equilibrium to less massive particles.
3-D printed soft magnetic helical coil actuators of iron oxide embedded polydimethylsiloxane

Abstract Soft actuators have grown to be a topic of great scientific interest. As the fabrication of soft actuators with conventional microfabrication methods are tedious, expensive, and time consuming, employment of 3-D printing fabrication methods appears promising as they can simplify fabrication and reduce the production cost. Complex structures can be fabricated with 3-D printing such as helical coils that can achieve actuation performances, which otherwise would be impossible with simpler geometries. In this study, development of soft magnetic helical coil actuators of iron oxide embedded polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was achieved with embedded 3-D printing techniques. Composites with three different weight ratios of 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % iron nanoparticles to PDMS were formulated. Using iron nanoparticles with the size of 15−20 nm helps preserve viscosity of the printing material low enough to print it with a small-bore needle (30-gauge, 180 micrometers inner diameter). The hydrogel support of Pluronic f-127 bath and the ability to maintain the ratio of the printed fiber’s diameter to coil diameter about 0.25 resulted in the successful fabrication and release of fabricated helical coil structures. This enabled 3-D printed structures characterized as magnetic actuators to achieve linear and bending actuation of more than 300 % and 80° respectively in the case of composites with 30 % iron oxide nanoparticles. Moreover, it was shown that the 3-D printed helical coils with 10 % iron oxide nanoparticles can be utilized as untethered soft robots capable of locomotion on 45 and 90 degrees inclines under an applied magnetic field.
From guests of the Imam to unwanted foreigners: the politics of South Asian pilgrimage to Iran in the twentieth century

In January 2020, Iran’s religious representative in India, Hojjat ol-Eslam Mahdi Mahdavipour, called for efforts to attract more Indian pilgrims to the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, Iran, noting ...
Short-term outcomes in children following emergency department visits for minor injuries sustained at home.

Minor injuries are very common in the pediatric population and often occur in the home environment. Despite its prevalence, little is known about outcomes in children following minor injury at home. Understanding the impact of these injuries on children and their families is important for treatment, prevention, and policy. The objectives of our study were (1) To describe the distribution of short-term outcomes following pediatric minor injuries sustained at home and (2) To explore the relationship of injury type and patient and household demographics with these outcomes. Children (n = 102) aged 0–7 years with a minor injury sustained at home were recruited in an urban pediatric emergency department as part of the Child Housing Assessment for a Safer Environment (CHASE) observational study. Each patient had a home visit following the emergency department visit, where five parent-reported outcomes were assessed. Relationships were explored with logistic regression. The most common type of injury was soft tissue (57.8 %). 13.2 % of children experienced ≥ 7 days of pain, 21.6 % experienced ≥ 7 days of abnormal activity, 8.9 % missed ≥ 5 days of school, 17.8 % of families experienced ≥ 7 days of disruption, and 9.1 % of parents missed ≥ 5 days of work. Families reported a total of 120 missed school days and 120 missed work days. Children who sustained a burn had higher odds of experiencing pain (OR 6.97), abnormal activity (OR 8.01), and missing school (OR 8.71). The parents of children who sustained a burn had higher odds of missing work (OR 14.97). Families of children suffering a minor injury at home reported prolonged pain and changes in activity as well as significant school and work loss. In this cohort, burns were more likely than other minor injuries to have these negative short-term outcomes reported and represent an important target for interventions. The impact of these injuries on missed school and disruption of parental work warrants further consideration.
Online Laboratory Course using Low Tech Supplies to Introduce Digital Logic Design Concepts

This paper describes a Digital Logic Design Laboratory Course developed to engage students with hardware systems within an online setting. This is a junior level core course for students from Computer Science (CS), Computer Engineering (CE) and Electrical Engineering (EE). Hence, the laboratories are designed to provide the hands-on experience of breadboarding, testing and debugging essential to CE and EE while accommodating CS students with no prior hardware experience. Commercially available low-cost electronic trainers (portable workstations) are loaned to the students in addition to basic electronic components. To ensure a strong foundation in debugging, prior to utilizing these workstations, students are introduced to the concepts of design, build, test and debug through everyday stationary supplies and educational toys like Snap Circuits. Results from students’ surveys regarding their perception of such an introduction as well as their eventual confidence in breadboarding digital logic systems is discussed. The lab structure in context of the course objectives and its implementation in an online classroom is presented. Some of the student work is included for demonstration.
Modulation of a Stable Neurobehavioral Trait Using Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A Preregistered Randomized Controlled Trial

Hypnotizability, one9s ability to experience cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical changes in response to suggestions in the context of hypnosis, is a highly stable trait associated with increased functional connectivity between the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). We conducted a preregistered, triple-blinded, randomized controlled trial to test the ability of continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) over a personalized neuroimaging-based L-DLPFC target to temporarily enhance hypnotizability. We tested our hypothesis in 78 patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), a functional pain disorder for which hypnosis has consistently been shown to be beneficial as a nonpharmacological treatment option. Pre-to-post cTBS change in Hypnotic Induction Profile scores (HIP; a standardized measure of hypnotizability) was significantly greater in the Active versus Sham group. Our findings suggest a causal relationship between L-DLPFC and dACC function and hypnotizability. Dose-response optimization should be further examined to formalize guidelines for future clinical utilization.
Local epitaxial-like templating effects and grain size distribution in atomic layer deposited Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 thin film ferroelectric capacitors

The microstructure in fluorite-structure oxide-based ferroelectric thin films, especially when on standard semiconductor manufacturing platforms, is poly-/nano-crystalline, which controls the functionality, performance, and reliability of the device technologies based on them. Understanding the relationships between microstructure, process, and performance for this class of materials has remained challenging. Here, a systematic approach is presented for analyzing and visualizing grains, their size distributions, and interlayer templating effects in ferroelectric thin film systems by utilizing an advanced microscopy technique, namely nanobeam electron diffraction, coupled with dark-field transmission electron microscopy and atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. A 10 nm TiN/10 nm Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO)/10 nm TiN ferroelectric heterostructure is probed. A geometric mean of the grain size in HZO of 26.8 nm ranging from 5 to 95 nm with top and bottom TiN layers having a much smaller grain size of approximately 6.8 nm ranging from 3 to 17 nm is observed. Furthermore, there is evidence of templating effects between HZO and TiN grain and domain boundaries showing [111] and [001] growth directions locally for HZO and TiN, respectively.
The influence of LiH and TiH2 on hydrogen storage in MgB2 II. XPS study of surface and near-surface phenomena

Abstract Mg(BH4)2 is a promising solid-state hydrogen storage material, releasing 14.9 wt% hydrogen upon conversion to MgB2. The rehydrogenation of MgB2 is particularly challenging, requiring prolonged exposure to high pressures of hydrogen at high temperature. Here we report an XPS study probing the influence of LiH and TiH2 on the hydrogen storage properties of MgB2 in the surface and near-surface regions, as a complementary investigation to a preceding study of the bulk properties. Surface and near-surface properties are important considerations for nanoscale and bulk hydrogen storage materials. If there are reactions occurring at the surface that modify the chemical composition in the near-surface region, species diffusion can alter the chemical composition even deep into the bulk of the material. For LiH/MgB2, metastable LiH–B and LiH–Mg species are produced that are more reactive than Bulk MgB2. With prolonged glovebox storage, the LiH/MgB2 material shows increased reactivity towards O and C and enriched levels of Li and B in the near-surface region. In addition, Li induces the growth of Li2CO3 in the surface and near surface regions. Exposing LiH/MgB2 to hydrogen at 700 bar and 280 °C for 24 h produces borohydride at a temperature 100 °C below the threshold for bulk MgB2 hydrogenation. In a specifically surface process with macroscopic implications, the hydrogenation conditions also cause Li2CO3 to react with boron hydroxide in the sample to form a Li-deficient glassy lithium borate melt at the interfaces of the particles, bonding them together. Subsequent heating to 380 °C dehydrogenates the borohydride and eliminates the Li-deficient glassy lithium borate. The LiH/MgB2 material is not reversible because desorption does not lead back to LiH/MgB2, but rather to elemental B and Mg metal in the near-surface region. In contrast to LiH, TiH2 does not react with MgB2, despite the favorable thermodynamics for destabilization via TiB2 formation. Furthermore, high pressure hydrogenation yields only unreacted TiH2 and MgB2 in the surface and near-surface regions. Thus, added TiH2 provides no benefit to MgB2 hydrogenation, in agreement with the findings of the preceding bulk study.
Achieving Short-Blocklength RCU bound via CRC List Decoding of TCM with Probabilistic Shaping.

This paper applies probabilistic amplitude shaping (PAS) to a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) aided trellis coded modulation (TCM) to achieve the short-blocklength random coding union (RCU) bound. In the transmitter, the equally likely message bits are first encoded by distribution matcher to generate amplitude symbols with the desired distribution. The binary representations of the distribution matcher outputs are then encoded by a CRC. Finally, the CRC-encoded bits are encoded and modulated by Ungerboeck's TCM scheme, which consists of a $\frac{k_0}{k_0+1}$ systematic tail-biting convolutional code and a mapping function that maps coded bits to channel signals with capacity-achieving distribution. This paper proves that, for the proposed transmitter, the CRC bits have uniform distribution and that the channel signals have symmetric distribution. In the receiver, the serial list Viterbi decoding (S-LVD) is used to estimate the information bits. Simulation results show that, for the proposed CRC-TCM-PAS system with 87 input bits and 65-67 8-AM coded output symbols, the decoding performance under additive white Gaussian noise channel achieves the RCU bound with properly designed CRC and convolutional codes.
Mapping Functional Domains of Human Platelet Thrombospondin with Electro-Blotting and High Sensitivity Sequencing

Thrombospondin (TSP) is secreted from platelet alpha-granules at sites of platelet activation and aggregation and is also produced by a variety of cell types in vitro and in vivo. Our laboratory has recently selected a monoclonal antibody (Mab) against TSP which blocks platelet aggregation and has provided direct evidence that TSP is required in this important and highly regulated process (1). The protein is a trimer of subunits of 180 KDa linked by disulfide bonds (2). The only practical source for its purification is the secretion products of fresh platelets stimulated with thrombin from which it can be purified in quantities of aobut 2 to 5 mg per preparation (3). Thus any characterization of the structure of this large protein requires high sensitivity techniques.
An Undergraduate Science Information Literacy Tutorial in a Web 2.0 World

The development of an interactive web-based science information literacy tutorial that introduces undergraduate science majors to basic components of scientific literature is described. The tutorial introduces concepts, vocabulary and resources necessary for understanding and accessing information. The tutorial content is based on the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education and the Information Literacy Standards for Science and Engineering/Technology (American Library Association (ALA) /Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)/Science and Technology Section (STS) Task Force on Information Literacy for Science and Technology). In order to engage students in a Web 2.0 world, the tutorial has evolved to incorporate interactivity, graphics, and self-assessment. This paper provides information on the development of the tutorial, examples from the tutorial, suggestions for future designers, and the next steps in development of the tutorial and web-based tutorials. This tutorial fills a gap in information literacy as professors are trying to provide more instruction in limited classroom time and provides a resource that can be assigned or reviewed throughout a user's college career, reinforcing information literacy principles. This is especially important for science majors who, unlike social science and humanities majors, may not need to use science reference materials actively until upper division classes.
The Conley index theory: A brief introduction

A brief introduction to the Conley index theory is presented. The emphasis is the fundamental ideas of Conley’s approach to dynamical systems and how it avoids some of the difficulties inherent in the study of nonlinear systems.
Examination of TEA-induced synaptic enhancement in area CA1 of the hippocampus: the role of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in the induction of LTP

The role of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCCs) in the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus was determined by examining the relationship between LTP and the long-lasting synaptic enhancement induced by extracellular application of tetraethylammonium (TEA). Consistent with previous findings (Aniksztejn and Ben-Ari, 1991), the TEA-induced synaptic enhancement did not require NMDA receptor activation. It was blocked by the L-type VDCC antagonist nifedipine or by intracellular injection of the Ca2+ chelator 1,2-bis(2-amino-phenoxy)ethane N,N,N',N'-tetra-acetic acid (BAPTA) and could be mimicked by direct activation of VDCCs with repetitive depolarizing current pulses. In contrast to its effect on TEA-induced synaptic enhancement, nifedipine had no effect on the magnitude or duration of NMDA receptor-dependent LTP. Saturation of NMDA receptor-dependent LTP reduced the magnitude of the TEA-induced synaptic enhancement. Similarly, increasing synaptic strength by initial application of TEA reduced the magnitude of the subsequent tetanus-induced LTP. Like LTP, the TEA-induced synaptic enhancement did not significantly affect paired-pulse facilitation. These results suggest that dihydropyridine-sensitive VDCCs do not normally contribute to the induction of NMDA receptor-dependent LTP even though their repetitive activation can generate an increase in synaptic strength. The mutual occlusion of LTP and TEA-induced synaptic enhancement suggests that they share a common expression mechanism and perhaps are generated by activation of common Ca(2+)-dependent intracellular processes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of Actinomycin D on the Cytopathology Induced by Poliovirus in HEp-2 Cells

One possible mechanism of virus-induced cell damage is that the redistributed (released) lysosomal enzymes produce the cytopathic effect during cytolytic types of infections such as poliovirus in HEp-2 cells. To determine if the lysosomal enzyme redistribution and cell damage are host-cell directed, we studied sensitivity of these events to the action of actinomycin D. By the use of actinomycin D at concentrations producing the least toxicity but maximal effectiveness in shuting down cell RNA synthesis, it was shown that the cytopathic effect and enzyme redistribution were not inhibited and, therefore, not directly controlled and induced by the cell genome in response to the virus infection. Evaluation of cytopathic effect by a phase contrast microscopy method detected changes earlier than the erythrocin B uptake method.
Assessing and quantifying high risk: Comparing risky behaviors by youth in an urban, disadvantaged community with nationally representative youth

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether youth who live in an urban, disadvantaged community are significantly more likely than youth representing the nation to engage in a range of health-compromising behaviors. METHODS: Analyses were based on the Youth Violence Survey conducted in 2004 and administered to students (n=4131) in a high-risk school district. Students in ninth grade (n=1114) were compared with ninth-grade students in the 2003 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n=3674) and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health conducted in 1995/1996 (n=3523). Analyses assessed the differences in prevalence of risk and protective factors among ninth-grade students from the three studies using Chi-square tests. RESULTS: The results showed that youth in this urban, disadvantaged community were significantly more likely than their peers across the country to report vandalism, theft, violence, and selling drugs. Youth in this community also reported significantly less support from their homes and schools, and less monitoring by their parents. Moreover, youth in this community were significantly less likely to binge drink or initiate alcohol use prior to age 13 than youth across the U.S. CONCLUSIONS: Youth who live in this urban, disadvantaged community reported significantly higher prevalence of some, but not all, risky behaviors than nationally representative U.S. youth. These findings highlight that some caution is justified when defining what might constitute high risk and that demographic and other characteristics need to be carefully considered when targeting certain high-risk behaviors. Language: en