cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, Characterization and the gas phase catalytic activity of metal doped nanoporous carbon

Metal doped nanoporous carbon(NPC) materials, based on polyfurfuryl alcohol and polyethylene glycol were synthesized using new method. The characterization were carried out using acid-base titration, PXRD, TEM, diffused reflectance FTIR, SEM and mass spectrometer. Their gas phase catalytic activities were checked by passing CO and H 2 through the catalysts. Carbondioxide and methane were the evolved gases when CO was passed through the catalyst, whereas carbonmonoxide and methane are the resultant gases when H 2 was taken up by the catalyst.
Sequential Actions of Rab5 and Rab7 Regulate Endocytosis in the Xenopus Oocyte

To explore the role of GTPases in endocytosis, we developed an assay using Xenopus oocytes injected with recombinant proteins to follow the uptake of the fluid phase marker HRP. HRP uptake was inhibited in cells injected with GTPγS or incubated with aluminum fluoride, suggesting a general role for GTPases in endocytosis. Injection of Rab5 into oocytes, as well as Rab5:Q79L, a mutant with decreased GTPase activity, increased HRP uptake. Injection of Rab5:S34N, the dominant-negative mutant, inhibited HRP uptake. Injection of N-ethylmaleimide–sensitive factor (NSF) stimulated HRP uptake, and ATPase-defective NSF mutants inhibited HRP uptake when coinjected with Rab5:Q79L, confirming a requirement for NSF in endocytosis. Surprisingly, injection of Rab7:WT stimulated both uptake and degradation/activation of HRP. The latter appears to be due to enhanced transport to a late endosomal/prelysosomal degradative compartment that is monensin sensitive. Enhancement of uptake by Rab7 appears to function via an Rab5-sensitive pathway in oocytes since the stimulatory effect of Rab7 was blocked by coinjection of Rab5:S34N. Stimulation of uptake by Rab5 was blocked by Rab5:S34N but not by Rab7:T22N. Our results suggest that Rab7, while functioning downstream of Rab5, may be rate limiting for endocytosis in oocytes.
Acute Cytoskeletal Alterations and Cell Death Induced by Experimental Brain Injury Are Attenuated by Magnesium Treatment and Exacerbated by Magnesium Deficiency

Traumatic brain injury results in a profound decline in intracellular magnesium ion levels that may jeopardize critical cellular functions. We examined the consequences of preinjury magnesium deficiency and post-traumatic magnesium treatment on injury-induced cytoskeletal damage and cell death at 24 h after injury. Adult male rats were fed either a normal (n = 24) or magnesium-deficient diet (n = 16) for 2 wk prior to anesthesia and lateral fluid percussion brain injury (n = 31) or sham injury (n = 9). Normally fed animals were then randomized to receive magnesium chloride (125 micromol, i.v., n = 10) or vehicle solution (n = 11) at 10 min postinjury. Magnesium treatment reduced cortical cell loss (p < 0.05), cortical alterations in microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) (p < 0.05), and both cortical and hippocampal calpain-mediated spectrin breakdown (p < 0.05 for each region) when compared to vehicle treatment. Conversely, magnesium deficiency prior to brain injury led to a greater area of cortical cell loss (p < 0.05 compared to vehicle treatment). Moreover, brain injury to magnesium-deficient rats resulted in cytoskeletal alterations within the cortex and hippocampus that were not observed in vehicle- or magnesium-treated animals. These data suggest that cortical cell death and cytoskeletal disruptions in cortical and hippocampal neurons may be sensitive to magnesium status after experimental brain injury, and may be mediated in part through modulation of calpains.
Molecular Actions of Ginkgo Biloba Extract In Vivo and In Vitro

A standardized herbal extract, containing flavonoids and terpenoids, from leaves of Ginkgo biloba trees is used as a dietary supplement for the prevention and treatment of a broad spectrum of human diseases (McKenna et al., 2001). Recently, its use as a remedy for age related decline in neurological functions has become more popular (DeFeudis and Drieu, 2000). The rationale for the use of Ginkgo biloba extract for the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases is based on human clinical trials and studies in rodents. In this chapter we address some of the molecular actions of the effects of the standardized extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves using the tools of functional genomics. The observations show that the extract affects transcriptional mechanisms in vitro and in vivo and identify some of the molecular targets that may account for its physiological effects and its potential for the prevention and treatment of neurological diseases.
Analysis of Static and Dynamic E-Reference Content at a Multi-Campus University Shows that Updated Content is Associated with Greater Annual Usage

A Review of: Lamothe, A. R. (2015). Comparing usage between dynamic and static e-reference collections. Collection Building, 34(3), 78-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/CB-04-2015-0006 Abstract Objective – To discover whether there is a difference in use over time between dynamically updated and changing subscription e-reference titles and collections, and static purchased e-reference titles and collections. Design – Case study. Setting – A multi-campus Canadian university with 9,200 students enrolled in both graduate and undergraduate programs. Subjects – E-reference book packages and individual e-reference titles. Methods – The author compared data from individual e-reference books and packages. First, individual subscription e-reference books that periodically added updated content were compared to individually purchased e-reference books that remained static after purchase. The author then compared two e-reference book packages that provided new and updated content to two static e-reference book packages. The author compared data from patron usage to new content added over time using regression analysis. Main Results – As the library acquired e-reference titles, dynamic title subscriptions added to the collection were associated with 2,246 to 4,635 views per subscription while static title additions were associated with 8 to 123 views per purchase. The author also found that there was a strong linear relationship between views and dynamic titles added to the collection (R2=0.79) and a very weak linear relationship (R2=0.18) with views when static titles are added to the collection. Regression analysis of dynamic e-reference collections revealed that the number of titles added to each collection was strongly associated with views of the material (R2=0.99), while static e-reference collections were less strongly linked (R2=0.43). Conclusion – Dynamic e-reference titles and collections experienced increases in usage each year while static titles and collections experienced decreases in usage. This indicates that collections and titles that offer new content to users each year will continue to see growth in usage while static collections and titles will see maximum usage within a few years and then begin to decline as they get older. Fresh content is strongly associated with usage in e-reference titles, which mirrors the author’s previous work examining static and dynamic content in e-monographs.
Preparation of titanate nanosheets and nanoribbons by exfoliation of amine intercalated titanates

Amine intercalated titanates were synthesized by direct exchange of potassium ions of K2Ti4O9 by alkyl ammonium ions of various alkyl chain lengths. These intercalated solids exfoliate well in alcohols of different alkyl chain lengths and non-polar solvents such as toluene and hexane to yield colloidal dispersions of titanate nanosheets. The longer the alkyl chain of the intercalated amine the better the exfoliation of the intercalated titanate in long chain alcohols and non-polar solvents. While non-uniform rectangular nanosheets were obtained when aggressive sonication was employed for exfoliating the solids, nanoribbons were obtained when the exfoliation was carried out by gently stirring the solids in the solvent.
Can ambulatory blood pressure monitoring improve the diagnosis of mild hypertension

Hypertension is usually defined, and treatment initiated, when blood pressure exceeds a certain threshold level. This level is usually determined by a limited number of clinic measurements, which may give a poor estimate of the true level of blood pressure, because of both the inherent variability of blood pressure and the white coat effect. Another way of defining the need for treatment is the threshold decision-making approach, which describes two threshold levels, the treatment and the testing thresholds. When the pressure is between these two, further testing is indicated. Ambulatory monitoring and self-monitoring avoid the inherent limitations of clinic pressure, by increasing the number of readings and taking readings outside the clinic setting. What evidence there is indicates that ambulatory pressures do give a better measure of prognosis, and hence of the need for treatment, but better criteria are needed to define the upper normal limit. While it may be premature to recommend the widespread application of ambulatory monitoring, there are good prospects that it will provide the basis for a more rational diagnosis.
Ferritin translation by interleukin-6: the role of sequences upstream of the start codons of the heavy and light subunit genes

Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) elevates H- and L-ferritin subunit synthesis in both human hepatoma cells (HepG2) and primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Ferritin induction is greater than the increase in total HepG2 protein synthesis in response to IL-1. IL-6 causes a moderate increase in L-subunit synthesis. The levels of the mRNAs for the ferritin H-subunits (H-mRNA) and light subunits (L-mRNA) remain unchanged, indicating that expression of the iron storage protein, ferritin, is regulated by translational mechanisms during inflammation. We have found a translational enhancer region in the L- ferritin mRNA 5′UTR that confers two-fold baseline and twofold IL-1- dependent translational regulation to a CAT reporter message. The L- mRNA motif is related to a 61 nucleotide (nt) G+C-rich translational enhancer within 70 nt of the H-ferritin start codon. Sequences upstream of the start codons (SUS elements) in both H-mRNA and L-mRNAs confer IL- 1beta but not IL-6-dependent translation to hybrid ferritin/CAT reporter mRNAs. The H- and L-ferritin mRNA SUS elements contain a motif similar to a consensus reported for the 5′ leaders of other acute phase response mRNAs. Transfected hybrid H-mRNA SUS/CAT mRNAs with a three nucleotide deleted version of the H-mRNA SUS displays an eightfold reduced level of translation and no longer confer IL-1beta-dependent translation.
Work and the Domination of Nature in Utopian Political Thought

Utopian theorists who seek to demonstrate the possibility of bringing their ideal societies to fruition must identify tendencies in the present that have the potential to realize their visions of the future. For some early modern utopian thinkers and nineteenth century utopian socialists such as Francis Bacon and Henri de Saint-Simon, the domination of nature through scientific and technological progress served as a precondition for a world where poverty and hunger could be rendered obsolete. Bacon and Saint-Simon's emphasis on the domination of nature poses a problem for contemporary utopian theorists who envision an ecological future in which humanity's impact on the environment is minimized: it implies that human needs can only be met at the expense of nonhuman nature. In this paper, however, I argue that another strand of utopian thought, which seeks enlarge the sphere of human freedom by transforming the nature of work, can provide a foundation for ecological utopian speculation. Work takes the form of wage labor in capitalist society, and this historically specific labor process requires workers to treat nature as a mere means to the realization of surplus value. Rather than celebrate the mastery of nature as the basis of human well being, contemporary utopian theorists can point to the anachronistic character of wage labor from the perspective of emerging ecological forms of production generated by tendencies existing in the present.
Two species of Halimeda, a calcifying genus of tropical macroalgae, are robust to epiphytism by cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria, an increasingly important epiphyte on macroalgae and seagrass, have been shown to have strong effects on its hosts; this association has been identified as a driving mechanism that maintains algal blooms on coral reefs. We examined both the costs and benefits of epiphytism on 2 algal congeners of Halimeda (H. tuna and H. opuntia), both of which are abundant members of tropical reef communities in the Caribbean. To evaluate potential benefits of an associational defense as well as costs to growth, we manipulated herbivore access to (uncaged/caged) and cyanobacteria presence on (epiphytized/cleaned) 2 species of Halimeda on shallow patch reefs in Belize and measured change in branch length and segment number after 10 (H. tuna) and 5 (H. opuntia) days. Cyanobacterial epiphytes did not serve as an associational defense from herbivory as there were no differences between caged and uncaged treatments for either response variable. The presence of cyanobacterial epiphytes did not affect the growth of branches or net generation of new segments, demonstrating there was also no cost to growth. The robustness of both species of Halimeda to epiphytism contrasts strongly with recent research that found strong effects of epiphytes on several other species of tropical algae. Our results may be attributed to the unique characteristics of Halimeda, a heavily physically and chemically defended algal genus, and the shallow nature of the patch reefs reducing the potential for significant light limitation. These findings suggest that close interactions such as epiphytism may not be as generalizable as originally assumed; studies must consider differences among host species, as this may lead to a better understanding of community-wide effects.
Hydrogen sulfide attenuates opioid withdrawal-induced jumping and pain sensitization

A to opioid drugs is a serious clinical and social problem. Withdrawal-induced symptoms are the main cause of keeping drug-dependent individuals craving for continued opioids. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a novel endogenous neuromodulator. The role of H2S in opioid induced syndrome was investigated in the present study. We found that exogenous application of NaHS, an H2S donor, significantly alleviated naloxone-precipitation induced robust withdrawal jumping in mice. Application of NaHS or stimulation of endogenous H2S production suppressed naloxone precipitation induced cAMP rebound and CREB phosphorylation. Our data suggest that H2S may produce beneficial effects against opioid addiction by suppression of AC/cAMP /CREB pathway. Hyperalgesia often occurs in opioid-induced withdrawal syndrome. In the present study, we also studied the effect of H2S on opioid withdrawal induced hyperalgesia. We found that application of NaHS together with three hourly injections of DAMGO (a μ-opioid receptor agonist) attenuated naloxoneprecipitated withdrawal hyperalgesia. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that NaHS significantly reversed the gene and protein expression of up-regulated spinal calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in naloxone-treated animals. NaHS also inhibited naloxone-induced cAMP rebound and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation in rat spinal cord. In addition, NaHS pretreatment suppressed naloxone-stimulated activation of protein kinase C (PKC) α, Raf-1, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 in rat spinal cord. In conclusion, our data suggest that H2S prevents the development of opioid withdrawal induced symptoms via suppression of synthesis of CGRP through inhibition of AC/cAMP and PKC/Raf-1/ERK pathways.
MAP-IT: Multipass Accurate Passive Inferences from Traceroute

Mapping the Internet at scale is increasingly important to network security, failure diagnosis, and performance analysis, yet remains challenging. Accurately determining the interface addresses used for inter-AS links from traceroute traces can be hard because these interfaces are often assigned addresses from neighboring ASes. Identifying these interfaces can benefit Internet researchers and network diagnosticians by providing accurate IP-to-AS mappings where such mapping is most difficult -- at AS boundaries. We describe a new algorithm, Multipass Accurate Passive Inferences from Traceroute (MAP-IT), for inferring the exact interface addresses used for point-to-point inter-AS links, as well as the specific ASes involved. MAP-IT combines evidence of an AS switch from distinct traceroute traces; using traceroute data makes it portable across IP networks. Each pass leverages prior inferences to refine existing inferences and to discover additional inter-AS link interfaces. We test MAP-IT with interface-level ground truth information from Internet2, achieving 100% precision. Using approximate ground truth from Level 3 and TeliaSonera yields 95.0% precision. These results suggest that MAP-IT is sufficiently reliable for network diagnostics.
Bone marrow fat content is correlated with hepatic fat content in paediatric non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Aim To investigate the relationship between bone marrow fat content and hepatic fat content in children with known or suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Materials and methods This was an institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)-compliant, cross-sectional, prospective analysis of data collected between October 2010 to March 2013 in 125 children with known or suspected NAFLD. Written informed consent was obtained for same-day research magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine, liver, and abdominal adiposity. Lumbar spine bone marrow proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and hepatic PDFF were estimated using complex-based MRI (C-MRI) techniques and magnitude-based MRI (M-MRI), respectively. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) were quantified using high-resolution MRI. All images were acquired by two MRI technologists. Hepatic M-MRI images were analysed by an image analyst; all other images were analysed by a single investigator. The relationship between lumbar spine bone marrow PDFF and hepatic PDFF was assessed with and without adjusting for the presence of covariates using correlation and regression analysis. Results Lumbar spine bone marrow PDFF was positively associated with hepatic PDFF in children with known or suspected NAFLD prior to adjusting for covariates (r=0.33, p=0.0002). Lumbar spine bone marrow PDFF was positively associated with hepatic PDFF in children with known or suspected NAFLD (r=0.24, p=0.0079) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index z-score, VAT, and SCAT in a multivariable regression analysis. Conclusion Bone marrow fat content is positively associated with hepatic fat content in children with known or suspected NAFLD. Further research is needed to confirm these results and understand their clinical and biological implications.
Introduction to Nucleic Acid Polymerases: Families, Themes, and Mechanisms

Template-dependent and template-independent nucleotidyl transfer reactions are fundamentally important in the maintenance of the genome as well as for gene expression in all organisms and viruses. These reactions are conserved and involve the condensation of an incoming nucleotide triphosphate at the 3′ hydroxyl of the growing oligonucleotide chain with concomitant release of pyrophosphate. DNA polymerase I (Pol I) isolated from E. coli extracts was initially characterized in in vitro reactions well over 50 years ago by the seminal work of Arthur Kornberg’s laboratory (Kornberg 1957; Lehman et al. 1958; Bessman et al. 1958). Inspired by this work, the discovery of a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase quickly followed in 1960 from a variety of researchers including Samuel Weiss (Weiss and Gladstone 1959), Jerald Hurwitz (Hurwitz et al. 1960), Audrey Stevens (Stevens 1960), and James Bonner (Huang et al. 1960). These early enzymatic characterizations of DNA-dependent deoxyribonucleotides and ribonucleotide incorporations gave credibility both to Watson and Crick’s DNA double helix model (Watson and Crick 1953) and the transcription operon model proposed by Francois Jacob and Jacques Monod (Jacob and Monod 1961).
Digitalizing Paper-Based Exams: An Assessment of Programming Grading Assistant

In this study, we evaluate a new electronic mobile application, PGA (Programming Grading Assistant). It was designed to make grading paper-based exams easier for graders and professors. Not only does it facilitate grading, but PGA also provides students with more meaningful (semantic) feedback than non-PGA grading. We outline the PGA grading process, the execution of a user study, and the results from that study that prove the effectiveness of PGA technology. Other results indicate that PGA awarded grades are equivalent to red-pen awarded grades and that PGA grades are more consistent across the board.
Differential Consumer Adoption of Imported Products: Process, Purchase Intention, and Market Development Level (An Abstract)

When consumers adopt imported products, they are likely to confront new cultures, alterative ideas, and innovative practices. At the present time, however, research has failed to explain how determinant this process of adopting imported products is in consumers’ purchase intention. Thus, this study examines (1) the process that leads consumers to adopt imported products, (2) the effect this process has on consumers’ purchase intention, and (3) the influence of the market development level of the product’s country on consumers’ purchase intention for imported products. A survey of 491 participants from Mexico and the United States revealed (1) that the adoption process of imported products (APIP) could be represented through an explanation chain sequentially described by the attitude toward an imported product, the behavioral intention to use an imported product, imported product selection, imported product evaluation, and the acceptance of an imported product, (2) that the APIP has a determinant effect on consumers’ purchase intention for imported products, and (3) that significant differences in consumers’ purchase intention are due to the country’s level of market development in which imported products are made. Such differences are due to the variety of cognitive, affective, and normative influences that are generated by different beliefs, groups of reference, past and present experiences, and acquired product knowledge. Mexican participants showed a higher purchase intention level when the imported product is made in a developed market. Conversely, American participants showed a similar purchase intention level for all imported products indistinctively of the market development level of the country (developed vs. emerging) as long as the country is recognized by the participants as a renowned manufacturer of that product.
Learning and Teaching: The Reciprocal Link

Background Learning and teaching are active processes occurring simultaneously on a continual basis. Within this framework, the learner and the teacher are reliant on each other. Understanding the intricacies of this linkage enhances the teacher's effectiveness in enabling learners to achieve their full potential. Method A review of the literature on teaching and learning styles was completed. Conclusion Learning best occurs when learners are motivated and attend to the important aspects of what is to be learned. Using a wide variety of teaching approaches in the hope of covering most individuals' preferences is expedient but not necessarily effective. The process of exploring the effectiveness of one's teaching styles enhances the ability to facilitate the learning process.
Core tungsten radiation diagnostic calibration by small shell pellet injection in the DIII-D tokamak

Injection of small (outer diameter = 0.8 mm) plastic pellets carrying embedded smaller (10 μg) tungsten grains is used to check calibrations of core tungsten line radiation diagnostics in support of the 2016 tungsten ring campaign in the DIII-D tokamak. Observed total brightness (1 eV–10 keV) and soft x-ray (1 keV–10 keV) brightness are found to be reasonably well (<factor 2) predicted using existing calibration factors and rate calculations. Individual core (extreme ultra-violet/soft x-ray) tungsten line brightness appears to be somewhat less reliable (factor 2-4) for the prediction of core tungsten concentration.
Continuous-Time Electro-Optic PLL with Decimated Optical Delay/Loss and Spur Cancellation for LIDAR

Current EO-PLLs for laser chirp modulation require large, lossy delay waveguides in an MZI to detect chirp slope. EO-PLLs, and electronic control loops generally, are dominantly digital. A new analog EO-PLL breaks the trade-off between chirp bandwidth and MZI delay, reducing area and loss by 10 x.
Contact area determination between a N95 filtering facepiece respirator and a headform

This study investigates two methods to determine the contact area between a N95 filtering facepiece (NFF) respirator and a headform. Five size headforms (large, medium, small, long/narrow and short/wide) wear a NFF respirator (3M 8210) respectively. A biofidelity finite element model of headform is built to simulate its interaction with a NFF respirator. During the simulation, the respirator contacts the headform. Two methods are presented in this paper for determining contact areas: The first one is through the observation of contact pressure distribution. The assumption is that the contact area is the fraction of surface area with positive contact pressure. The second method is through extracting the intersecting area between deformed surfaces of the headform and NFF respirator. Finally, the experiment, which directly measures the dimensions of contact area between prototypes of the headform and the NFF respirator, validates the proposed methods.
A locally tuned nonlinear technique for color image enhancement

An innovative technique for the enhancement of digital color images captured under extremely non-uniform lighting conditions is proposed in this paper. The key contributions of this technique are adaptive intensity enhancement, contrast enhancement and color restoration. Simultaneous enhancement of extreme dark and bright intensity regions in an image is performed by a specifically designed Locally Tuned Sine Non-Linear (LTSN) function. The intensity of each pixel's magnitude is tuned based on its surrounding pixels to accomplish contrast enhancement. Retrieval of the color information from the enhanced intensity image is achieved by a linear color restoration process which is based on the chromatic information of the input image. Experimental evaluations show that the proposed algorithm can be effectively used for improving the visibility of night time surveillance video sequences with frames having extreme bright and dark regions.
Hand-Held Force Magnifier for Surgical Instruments: Evolution toward a Clinical Device

We have developed a novel and relatively simple method for magnifying forces perceived by an operator using a surgical tool. A sensor measures force between the tip of a tool and its handle, and a proportionally greater force is created by an actuator between the handle and a brace attached to the operator’s hand, providing an enhanced perception of forces at the tip of the tool. Magnifying forces in this manner may provide an improved ability to perform delicate surgical procedures. The device is completely hand-held and can thus be easily manipulated to a wide variety of locations and orientations. We have previously developed a prototype capable of amplifying forces only in the push direction, and which had a number of other limiting factors. We now present second-generation and third-generation devices, capable of both push and pull, and describe some of the engineering concerns in their design, as well as our future directions.
Can capnography detect bronchial flap-valve expiratory obstruction?

Objective. We have previously shown in a mechanical lung model [1] that bronchial flap-valve expiratory obstruction results in sequential lung expiration, best detected by prolonged and low magnitude tracheal expired flow (\({{\dot V}}\)) from the obstructed lung. However, the normal expiratory resistance of clinical ventilation circuits might also generate prolonged, low value exhaled \({{\dot V}}\), that could be confused with bronchial flap-valve obstruction. We reasoned that bronchial flap-valve obstruction would also cause sequential CO2 unloading from each lung and result in a biphasic tracheal capnogram. Methods. To test this hypothesis, we ventilated (VT, 650 ml; f, 10 br/min) a dual mechanical test lung, with each side connected to a separate alcohol-burning chamber. An airway adapter-monitor system measured airway \({{\dot V}}\), P, PCO2, and FO2. The circumference of the diaphragm in a respiratory one-way valve was trimmed to generate unidirectional resistance to expiratory \({{\dot V}}\). Measurement sequences were repeated after this flap-valve was interposed in the left “main-stem bronchus.” Results and Discussion. During moderate or severe left bronchial flap-valve obstruction, left bronchial\({{\dot V}}\) was delayed so that the left lung anatomical dead space (devoid of CO2) mixed with normal right exhalate to depress the expiratory upstroke or early plateau of the tracheal capnogram. During severe obstruction, decreased perfusion of the left lung caused lower alveolar PCO2. Then, prolonged low \({{\dot V}}\) from the left bronchus also resulted in depression of the end of the tracheal alveolar plateau. In general, the low magnitude of bronchial \({{\dot V}}\) from the obstructed lung limited its effect on the tracheal capnogram and the best marker of sequential lung emptying during bronchial flap-valve obstruction may be late exhaled \({{\dot V}}\) without reduction in total tidal volume.
Pulsed Eddy Current Method: an Overview

As the name implies, the pulsed eddy current (PEC) method uses a transient excitation of an eddy current probe, as opposed to the continuous-wave (CW) excitation used in conventional eddy current inspection. The PEC approach offers several advantages over the conventional method. First, because the transient field is related, by means of a Fourier transform, to the CW field at multiple frequencies, a single PEC measurement is equivalent to multiple CW measurements as a function of frequency. PEC instrumentation is, however, much simpler and less expensive, and PEC data acquisition is much faster than multiple CW measurements. The transient method also offers the possibility of time-gating, which enables the user to distinguish signals originating from deep within a specimen from signals originating nearer the surface.
Altering the Gut Microbiome of Cattle: Considerations of Host-Microbiome Interactions for Persistent Microbiome Manipulation

The beef cattle industry represents a significant portion of the USA’s agricultural sect, with beef cattle accounting for the most red meat consumed in the USA. Feed represents the largest input cost in the beef industry, accounting for approximately 70% of total input cost. Given that, novel methods need to be employed to optimize feed efficiency in cattle to reduce monetary cost as well as environmental cost associated with livestock industries, such as methane production and nitrogen release into the environment. The rumen microbiome contributes to feed efficiency by breaking down low-quality feedstuffs into energy substrates that can subsequently be utilized by the host animal. Attempts to manipulate the rumen microbiome have been met with mixed success, though persistent changes have not yet been achieved beyond changing diet. Recent technological advances have made analyzing host-wide effects of the rumen microbiome possible, as well as provided finer resolution of those effects. This manuscript reviews contributing factors to the rumen microbiome establishment or re-establishment following rumen microbiome perturbation, as well as host-microbiome interactions that may be responsible for possible host specificity of the rumen microbiome. Understanding and accounting for the variety of factors contributing to rumen microbiome establishment or re-establishment in cattle will ultimately lead to identification of biomarkers of feed efficiency that will result in improved selection criteria, as well as aid to determine methods for persistent microbiome manipulation to optimize production phenotypes.
Long-distance extraction attraction: A production-based account of an unexpected cross-linguistic structure

The focus of this paper is a grammatically unexpected long-distance (LD) extraction structure in which the extracted element morphologically articulates with the verb of the clause where it is pronounced rather than with the verb of the extraction clause. The structure manifests itself differently cross-linguistically, depending on the language’s morphosyntax. I suggest that this grammatical possibility evolved in response to the sentence planning challenge posed by LD wh-movement. Specifically, LD movement structures conflict with the incremental clause-by-clause planning production process; the fronted element relates to a clause whose internal structure isn’t planned at the outset. The unexpected structure is seen as a consequence of production pressures playing a role in shaping grammars.
Obstacle Detection and Traversal with Noisy Range Sensors

The problem of obstacle detection and avoidance for wheeled mobile rovers with noisy ultrasound range sensors is discussed. We propose a path planning algorithm, split into detection and traversal behaviors, which overcome the problems associated with noisy range sensors. Said methods first monitor and verify perceived objects then gerate appropriate control inputs. A robust detection scheme affords accurate object recognition which lends itself to smoother and quicker traversal. We provide examples of various obstacle encounters and traversal scenarios using high fidelity simulations built in the ROS and Gazebo environments. We aim to analyze the influence of monitoring and verifying sonar detections as well as evaluate new path planning techniques.
Thirty-Day Outcomes of Fenestrated and Chimney Endovascular Repair and Open Repair of Juxtarenal, Pararenal, and Suprarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Using National Surgical Quality Initiative Program Database (2012-2016).

Background:Fenestrated endovascular repair (FEVAR) and chimney endovascular repair (ChEVAR) endovascular repair offer a less invasive alternative to open aortic repair (OAR) in managing juxtarenal,...
Reconstructing Upper-Ocean Vertical Velocity Field from Sea Surface Height in the Presence of Unbalanced Motion

AbstractReconstructability of upper-ocean vertical velocity w and vorticity ζ fields from high-resolution sea surface height (SSH) data is explored using the global 1/48° horizontal-resolution MITg...
Preliminary Evaluation of a Wearable Sensor System for Assessment of Heart Rate, Heart Rate Variability, and Activity Level in Working Dogs

This paper reports the development of a wearable wireless canine harness for tracking heart rate, heart rate variability, and activity level in working dogs. This new design is based on 3D-printed conductive electrodes embedded into the structure of a chest strap instrumented with a wireless data acquisition system. We tested the functionality of this system on adult detection dogs for their wellness assessment. The preliminary in vivo results demonstrate the feasibility of this system to track performance and wellness of working dogs up to walking speeds of 5-10 km/h.
The USDA, Gender, and Race Equity: Representation on Conservation Agency Websites and Social Media

How to increase conservation practices on farmland is a never-ending discussion topic for those working in the area of agriculture. Targeting of potential clients through conservation marketing is ...
A biometric analysis of the Eiffellithus eximius species complex and its biostratigraphic implications

Abstract The evolution of the calcareous nannofossil Eiffellithus turriseiffelii – E. eximius lineage in the Turonian from the western tropical Atlantic and Indian Ocean indicates identical eiffellithid forms with morphological change in the rotation of the crossbar, relative to the longitudinal axis, from an “x” (E. turriseiffelii) to a “+” (E. eximius). Within these indistinguishable eiffellithid assemblages, neither the size nor shape show significant change during the morphological transition of the crossbar orientation. The rotation of the crossbar toward an axial alignment results in two shifts in the mean angle values. Prior to the first shift, the mean angles of the eiffellithid assemblage have values between 35o and 45o with no forms with crossbar angles of
Evaluation of Two Major Rhodiola Species and the Systemic Changing Characteristics of Metabolites of Rhodiola crenulata in Different Altitudes by Chemical Methods Combined with UPLC-QqQ-MS-Based Metabolomics

Rhodiola species have a long history of use in traditional medicine in Asian and European countries and have been considered to possess resistance to the challenges presented by extreme altitudes. However, the influence of different Rhodiola species on quality is unclear, as well as the influence of altitude on phytochemicals. In this study, the phenolic components and antioxidant abilities of two major Rhodiola species are compared, namely Rhodiolacrenulata and Rhodiola rosea, and the metabolomes of Rhodiolacrenulata from two representative elevations of 2907 and 5116 m are analyzed using a UPLC-QqQ-MS-based metabolomics approach. The results show that the phenolic components and antioxidant activities of Rhodiolacrenulata are higher than those of Rhodiola rosea, and that these effects in the two species are positively correlated with elevation. Here, 408 metabolites are identified, of which 178 differential metabolites (128 upregulated versus 50 downregulated) and 19 biomarkers are determined in Rhodiola crenulata. Further analysis of these differential metabolites showed a significant upregulation of flavonoids, featuring glucosides, the enhancement of the phenylpropanoid pathway, and the downregulation of hydrolyzed tannins in Rhodiola crenulata as elevation increased. Besides, the amino acids of differential metabolites were all upregulated as the altitude increased. Our results contribute to further exploring the Rhodiola species and providing new insights into the Rhodiola crenulata phytochemical response to elevation.
Normalized Criteria and Comparative Analysis of Legged Stability

Stepping is a vital strategy for legged systems to recover balance while they interact with their environment. This work presents normalized criteria for the analysis of legged system stability based on balanced and steppable regions. These criteria are applied to both a comprehensive region-based analysis of the contact transitions during a normal human step cycle and a comparative analysis of humanoid and human systems. In this work, the steppable, single support balanced, and double support balanced regions are evaluated for a human model with full-order system dynamics and joint actuation limits based on biomechanical models of maximum voluntary joint torques. The normalized regions are also compared with the capturability of an equivalent reduced-order model in order to demonstrate the role of steppability as a general extension of and complementary concept to capturability. In the comparative analysis of the humanoid and human systems, the normalized regions are used to directly compare the capability for balance recovery in both systems. The proposed approaches can be generalized beyond sagittal planar walking to analyze balance stability in any multi-contact scenario where stepping or step-like contact transitions can occur.
Contextualization in Teaching Short Stories: Students’ Interest and Comprehension

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of contextualization in teaching Philippine short stories in English to students’ reading comprehension and the relationship between students’ reading interest and their comprehension levels. Approach/Methodology/Design: The study is experimental in design. It employed the Z-test and utilized a structured survey questionnaire in collecting the data. Seventy-two (72) Grade 7 students of Lila National High School in the school year 2018-2019 had the Frustration level of reading comprehension based on the Phil-IRI results conducted before the experimentation took place. Contextualized teaching instruction and learning activities were utilized by the experimental group during the discussion of the three Philippine short stories in English. Findings: The study revealed that (a) both the experimental and control groups had the average interest level towards Philippine short stories in English, (b) in the Phil- IRI comprehension result, both the experimental and control groups’ level of comprehension is in the frustration level in three comprehension test categories namely literal, inferential, and evaluative/critical, (c) in the formative comprehension test results, the experimental group’s comprehension level increased to instructional level where in the literal and inferential test levels, the group is classified under independent level and instructional level in evaluative/critical. On the other hand, the control group’s comprehension level fell under instructional in the literal and inferential test levels and remained frustration under evaluative/critical. Practical Implications: The study has practical implications for literature teachers. The findings will assist the literature teachers especially those who are handling Philippine Literature subjects. In addition, an Action Program is proposed to improve reading comprehension in Lila National High School, Philippines. Originality/value: The study is different from existing researches since it focused on the contextualization in teaching Philippine literary pieces, particularly short stories to increase students’ interest in learning and improve comprehension.
Effective collaboration in the productive failure process

Abstract Productive failure is a learning design that encompasses problem solving prior to instruction and the learning that occurs during and after this process. In the mathematics education literature, there is a need for analyses of students’ interactions that occur as they collaborate during the productive failure process. In this paper, we contribute to this area by taking a closer look at students’ interactions that characterize an effective productive failure process. In analyzing video footage of two different groups of students working on invention tasks in a flipped mathematics classroom, we observed that the productive failure process seemed to work best in groups of students among whom the instructional design evoked students’ intellectual need and curiosity. These students also developed a set routine for solving problems whose solutions are difficult to find without prior direct instruction on the topic, which proved valuable on follow-up in-class and posttest problems.
Infection fatality rate of COVID-19 in community-dwelling populations with emphasis on the elderly: An overview

ABSTRACT Background The infection fatality rate (IFR) of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) varies widely according to age and residence status. Purpose Estimate the IFR of COVID-19 in community-dwelling elderly populations and other age groups from seroprevalence studies. Study protocol: https://osf.io/47cgb. Data Sources Seroprevalence studies done in 2020 and identified by any of four existing systematic reviews. Study Selection SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies with ≥1000 participants aged ≥70 years that presented seroprevalence in elderly people; aimed to generate samples reflecting the general population; and whose location had available data on cumulative COVID-19 deaths in elderly (primary cutoff ≥70 years; ≥65 or ≥60 also eligible). Data Extraction We extracted the most fully adjusted (if unavailable, unadjusted) seroprevalence estimates and sampling procedure details. We also extracted age- and residence-stratified cumulative COVID-19 deaths (until 1 week after the seroprevalence sampling midpoint) from official reports, and population statistics, to calculate IFRs corrected for unmeasured antibody types. Sample size-weighted IFRs were estimated for countries with multiple estimates. Secondary analyses examined data on younger age strata from the same studies. Data Synthesis Twenty-three seroprevalence surveys representing 14 countries were included. Across all countries, the median IFR in community-dwelling elderly and elderly overall was 2.4% (range 0.3%-7.2%) and 5.5% (range 0.3%-12.1%). IFR was higher with larger proportions of people >85 years. Younger age strata had low IFR values (median 0.0027%, 0.014%, 0.031%, 0.082%, 0.27%, and 0.59%, at 0-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69 years). Limitations Biases in seroprevalence and mortality data. Conclusions The IFR of COVID-19 in community-dwelling elderly people is lower than previously reported. Very low IFRs were confirmed in the youngest populations.
Uninvestigated dyspepsia

Dyspepsia, which is defined as pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen, is encountered frequently in primary care and subspecialty practice. Dyspepsia is a symptom complex caused by a heterogeneous group of disorders and diseases. A large fraction of patients with dyspepsia suffer from functional dyspepsia, in which no evidence of organic disease (typically on the basis of upper endoscopy) is found to explain persistent or recurrent symptoms. Initial management strategies for uninvestigated dyspepsia include empiric antisecretory therapy, the “test-and-treat” strategy for Helicobacter pylori, or prompt upper endoscopy. The cost-effectiveness of empiric therapy versus the test-andtreat strategy is dependent upon a number of variables including the prevalence of H. pylori infection, ulcer prevalence, and likelihood that an ulcer is due to H. pylori infection. As the prevalence of H. pylori infection falls and the likelihood of H. pylori negative ulcer increases, empiric antisecretory therapy will become more cost-effective. Upper endoscopy should be reserved for patients older than 45 to 50 years with symptom presentation and those with warning signs. Endoscopy also should be considered in those for whom empiric therapy or an attempt at the test-andtreat strategy fails. Common-sense dietary counseling can be helpful in patients with meal-related symptoms. Highly restrictive diets rarely improve symptoms and may be counterproductive if nutrition is compromised.