cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An integrated CMOS transmitter-antenna for UWB systems

A new low-cost, low-power fully integrated CMOS transmitter-antenna was designed, built and tested for UWB systems. The CMOS pulse generator can generate monocycle and impulse signals with tunable pulse duration. The UWB antenna is integrated directly with the CMOS chip. The antenna has less than 18- dB return loss and can transmit and receive UWB impulse signals over the entire UWB bandwidth of 3.1-10.6 GHz. The UWB transmit-antenna module can generate and transmit both monocycle pulses from 140 to 350 ps and impulses from 100 to 300 ps.
Genetics of Pink Bollworm Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin Cry1Ac

Laboratory selection increased resistance of pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) to the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin Cry1Ac. Three selections with Cry1Ac in artificial diet increased resistance from a low level to .100-fold relative to a susceptible strain. We used artificial diet bioassays to test F1 hybrid progeny from reciprocal crosses between resistant and susceptible strains. The similarity between F1 progeny from the two reciprocal crosses indicates autosomal inheritance of resistance. The dominance of resistance to Cry1Ac depended on the concentration. Resistance was codominant at a low concentration of Cry1Ac, partially recessive at an intermediate concen- tration, and completely recessive at a high concentration. Comparison of the artificial diet results with previously reported results from greenhouse bioassays shows that the high concentration of Cry1Ac in bolls of transgenic cotton is essential for achieving functionally recessive inheritance of resistance.
Influence of Synthesis Conditions on the Transport Properties of Graphene Oxide Laminates

In this study, the effect of oxidation conditions during the synthesis process of graphene oxide (GO) flakes on the transport characteristics of its laminates is investigated. Transport properties of the GO laminates synthesized by different oxidation methods are characterized by determining their ionic conductivity (via proton conductivity) and mass diffusion of species (via methanol permeability). These properties are observed to be considerably different for each sample owing to the difference in their physicochemical properties. It is determined that for GO synthesized under a more aggressive environment, proliferation of surface defects plays a dominant role in determining mass transport across GO laminate. A parametric study is conducted to systematically understand the impact of changing oxidation level on transport properties of GO laminate.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Creativity in the everyday: Culture, self, and emotions.

Nothing is more everyday than emotion, and nothing seemingly less creative. Yet, creativity in the domain of emotion, both eminent and everyday, is the topic of this chapter. As in other domains of creativity, a creative response must be effective in meeting some challenge or standard of excellence. Two other criteria for creativity are novelty and authenticity. Novelty requires that the response be unique to the individual or group, and authenticity requires that the response originates in the self, as opposed to being an imitation or copy. (As here conceived, the "self can extend beyond the boundaries of the individual person.) The exact weight given to the criteria of novelty and authenticity may vary from one person to another, from one domain of creativity to another, and, most important for our present concerns, from one culture to another. A second major concern of this chapter is the way cultures differ in the criteria for assessing creativity. Western cultures are often characterized as individualistic, and Eastern cultures as collectivist. These cultural orientations, we suggest, reflect dimensions along which a person's intraand interpersonal transactions may vary, namely through (a) differentiation and (b) involvement. Through literary examples—John Keats from the West
Analysis of therapeutic efficacy and etiology of hemangioma in 400 children with cutaneous vascular anomalies.

Objective To study the relationship between low birth weight and hemangioma, as well as the efficacy of dye laser alone and in combination with intralesional drugs in the treatment of cutaneous vascular anomalies. Methods A questionaire was designed and delivered to assess the health status of 209 children with hemangioma and 100 normal control children, as well as the situation of their mothers during pregnancy.Pulsed dye laser was utilized to treat capillary hemangioma, venular malformation, spider angioma and pyogenic granuloma, and pulsed dye laser plus intralesional drugs to manage mixed hemangioma, followed by evaluation of therapeutic efficacy. Results Low birth weight babies amounted to 33.49% in 209 children with hemangioma and 9% in normal controls (u = 4.621, P ＜ 0.05). The effective rate of pulsed dye laser was 83.69% for capillary hemangioma, 92.59% for venular malformation, 100% for spider angioma and 50% for pyogenic granuloma. An effective rate of 95.59% was observed for pulsed dye laser plus intralesional drugs in the treatment of mixed hemangioma. Conclusions Low birth weight has a close relationship with the development of hemangioma. A favorable efficacy has been observed for pulsed dye laser in the treatment of capillary hemangioma, venular malformation and spider angioma, and for pulsed dye laser plus intralesional drugs in the treatment of mixed hemangioma. Key words: Hemangioma; Infant, low birth weight; Lasers; Drug therapy, combination
Carbon dots of different composition and surface functionalization: cytotoxicity issues relevant to fluorescence cell imaging

Nanoscale carbon particles have emerged as versatile precursors for a new class of highly fluorescent nanomaterials that resemble semiconductor quantum dots. The surface-passivated fluorescent carbon nanoparticles, dubbed 'carbon dots', were already demonstrated for their potential optical bioimaging applications in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we conducted a systematic cytotoxicity evaluation on the carbon dots prepared by various combinations of precursor carbon nanoparticles and molecules for the particle surface functionalization. The results suggested that the cytotoxicity of carbon dots was dependent on the selection of surface passivation molecules. Those dots showing more significant cytotoxicity at higher concentrations were also evaluated for their effects on the fluorescence imaging of live cells. The implications of the results on the eventual use of carbon dots as cell imaging agents are discussed.
Natural History of Early Onset Multiple Sclerosis

The clinical course of multiple sclerosis (MS) in 116 patients with onset before age 16 (prevalence 3.6% in total MS clinic attendees) was evaluated by longitudinal study (mean duration 19.76 +/- 0.9 years) at the University of British Columbia MS Clinic.
Why Our Child

The initial shock when parents learn their child is allergic can be distressing. Parents invariably want to know: “Why our child?” “Will our other children come down with the same thing?” “Will it develop into asthma?” They then eye each other, either in the doctor’s office or back home, and wonder if the partner or their own self is somehow at fault.
Economic and Clinical Burden of Opioid-Induced Nausea and Vomiting.

Opioids are the standard of care for treating moderate-to-severe pain; however, their efficacy can be limited by adverse events (AEs), including nausea and vomiting. Opioid-induced nausea and vomiting (OINV) is an inherent adverse effect of opioid treatment, exerting effects centrally and peripherally. Opioid-related AEs can impact treatment adherence and discontinuation, which can result in inadequate pain management. OINV may persist long-term, negatively affecting patient functional outcomes, physical and mental health, patient satisfaction, and overall costs of treatment. Multiple factors may contribute to OINV, including activation of opioid receptors in the chemoreceptor trigger zone, vestibular apparatus, and gastrointestinal tract. Prophylactic or early treatment with antiemetics may be appropriate for patients who are at high risk for OINV.
Introduction: Learning Through Conflict, Working for Transformation

The introduction explains the approach of the volume and the themes (faith, power, and relationship) running through the diverse essays. It also provides an introduction to conflict transformation and explains the ways in which these essays draw from and extend its literature and practices. It makes specific reference to the essays in the volume to acquaint readers with the contexts, approaches, and theological convictions running through the book. Finally, it underscores the ways in which these contributors apply conflict transformation to their own contexts of teaching and ministry and encourages readers to do so as well.
Multifaceted quality improvement initiative to decrease pediatric asthma readmissions

ABSTRACTBackground: Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and a leading cause of hospitalization in children. A primary goal of asthma control is prevention of hospitalizations. A hospital admission is the single strongest predictor of future hospital admissions for asthma. The 30-day asthma readmission rate at our institution was significantly higher than that of other hospitals in the Children's Hospital Association. As a result, a multifaceted quality improvement project was undertaken with the goal of reducing the 30-day inpatient asthma readmission rate by 50% within two years. Methods: Analysis of our institution's readmission patterns, value stream mapping of asthma admission, discharge, and follow-up processes, literature review, and examination of comparable successful programs around the United States were all utilized to identify potential targets for intervention. Interventions were implemented in a stepwise manner, and included increasing inhaler availability after discharge,...
Understanding the symptom experience of breast cancer outpatients: The validity and utility of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI).

9106 Background: Breast cancer and its treatments can produce multiple symptoms that cause distress and impair function. The MDASI, a patient-reported outcome measure of symptoms (sxs) and function...
Elevated total homocysteine levels increased the risk for vascular disease

Source Citation Graham IM, Daly LE, Refsum HM, et al. Plasma homocysteine as a risk factor for vascular disease. The European Concerted Action Report. JAMA. 1997 Jun 11;277:1775-81.
Bioinspired Nanostructured Anti-Biofouling and Anti-inorganic Surfaces

In this chapter, biofouling and inorganic fouling are introduced. I then summarize fields susceptible to fouling followed by discussion of biofouling and inorganic fouling formation mechanisms, antifouling strategies from living nature, and current prevention and cleaning techniques. Finally, demonstrations of the antifouling uses of bioinspired rice leaf surfaces are presented. The data shows that micropatterned surfaces facilitate antifouling.
Force-extension behavior of DNA in the presence of DNA-bending nucleoid associated proteins

Interactions between nucleoid associated proteins (NAPs) and DNA affect DNA polymer conformation, leading to phenomena such as concentration dependent force-extension behavior. These effects, in turn, also impact the local binding behavior of the protein, such as high forces causing proteins to unbind, or proteins binding favorably to locally bent DNA. We develop a coarse-grained NAP-DNA simulation model that incorporates both force- and concentration-dependent behaviors, in order to study the interplay between NAP binding and DNA conformation. This model system includes multi-state protein binding and unbinding, motivated by prior work, but is now dependent on the local structure of the DNA, which is related to external forces acting on the DNA strand. We observe the expected qualitative binding behavior, where more proteins are bound at lower forces than at higher forces. Our model also includes NAP-induced DNA bending, which affects DNA elasticity. We see semi-quantitative matching of our simulated force-extension behavior to the reported experimental data. By using a coarse-grained simulation, we are also able to look at non-equilibrium behaviors, such as dynamic extension of a DNA strand. We stretch a DNA strand at different rates and at different NAP concentrations to observe how the time scales of the system (such as pulling time and unbinding time) work in concert. When these time scales are similar, we observe measurable rate-dependent changes in the system, which include the number of proteins bound and the force required to extend the DNA molecule. This suggests that the relative time scales of different dynamic processes play an important role in the behavior of NAP-DNA systems.
The Demise of Authenticity

Progressive educators tend to use the term “authentic” as the highest form of praise, reserved for educational experiences which most capture their sense of what schools should do. Whole language teachers seek authentic writing experiences, and progressive evaluators now recommend “authentic assessment.” However, the term authenticity has divergent meanings, and it is not entirely clear what progressive educators have in mind for their students. While the term authenticity, for some, evokes images of a rebel artist whose morally charged canvasses break the mold of convention, many contemporary educational uses of the term seem strikingly conformist and pedestrian. For example, when Theodore Sizer proposes that students finish their term with an exhibition requiring a group of them to accurately fill out tax forms, he offers the reform as a type of authentic evaluation. In this case, authenticity appears to have little to do with educating rebels. Presumably, the drudgery of completing tax forms is authentic because it is a real aspect of life; according to an old adage, all students will face tax forms.
Chapter 6 - Friction and Wear of Metal Matrix–Graphite Fiber Composites

Abstract The friction and wear behavior of metal matrix graphite fiber composites is dependent on manufacturing, operational, and environmental parameters. In particular, the type of fiber employed seems to have a significant influence. The graphite fibers are bent and broken at the subsurface during sliding. It is found that composites containing low modulus fibers exhibit, in general, lower wear rates than the high modulus composites. It is suggested that this behavior may be due, in part, to the larger amount of work needed to bend and break the low modulus compared with the high modulus fibers. The friction and wear behavior of various composites is also significantly influenced by the fiber orientation with respect to the sliding interface. Based on experiments conducted on aluminum matrix composites at relatively low sliding speed, a new wear equation is proposed. Some potential tribological applications of metal matrix–graphite fiber composites are discussed.
A Computationally Efficient Model for Three-dimensional Monte Carlo Simulation of Ion Implantation into Complex Structures

A new three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulator has been developed based on UT-MARLOWE. Unbalanced Octree algorithm was used for spatial decomposition. A new trajectory replication scheme was developed and implemented to enhance computational efficiency. More than two orders of magnitude savings on CPU time have been achieved.
Customer Service Soft Skills for Student Employees

Today's new student hires require less technology training in order to answer many 1st level helpdesk calls. However, we found that an increasing number of new student hires lacked exposure in proper customer service and professional communication. This observation led us to introduce customer service training for our new hires. This allowed us to achieve two goals. First, we improved the Helpdesk experience for our end users. Second, we improved our student employee's soft skills to help them succeed in their first post-college professional job.Training initially focused on professional work etiquette, active listening, and traditional customer service skills for a three-hour training session. Though we saw an improvement in service performance, our satisfaction feedback from campus surveys showed only a marginal increase. Additionally, our student employees struggled with what they considered a "forced enthusiasm" that did not feel natural to themMore recently we added four additional themes to our training: empathy, patience, clarity, and positivity. Using a combination of videos, real-life examples, and training exercises, we encourage our students to practice these skills and build their comfort level when interacting with others. By teaching our students exercises in natural communication, empathy, and situational conversation, we hope to observe a more substantial increase in customer satisfaction and improved student employee job satisfaction.
Molecular recognition of S-nitrosothiol substrate by its cognate protein denitrosylase

Protein S-nitrosylation mediates a large part of nitric oxide's influence on cellular function by providing a fundamental mechanism to control protein function across different species and cell types. At steady state, cellular S-nitrosylation reflects dynamic equilibria between S-nitrosothiols (SNOs) in proteins and small molecules (low-molecular-weight SNOs) whose levels are regulated by dedicated S-nitrosylases and denitrosylases. S-Nitroso-CoA (SNO-CoA) and its cognate denitrosylases, SNO-CoA reductases (SCoRs), are newly identified determinants of protein S-nitrosylation in both yeast and mammals. Because SNO-CoA is a minority species among potentially thousands of cellular SNOs, SCoRs must preferentially recognize this SNO substrate. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism by which cellular SNOs are recognized by their cognate enzymes. Using mammalian cells, molecular modeling, substrate-capture assays, and mutagenic analyses, we identified a single conserved surface Lys (Lys-127) residue as well as active-site interactions of the SNO group that mediate recognition of SNO-CoA by SCoR. Comparing SCoRK127A versus SCoRWT HEK293 cells, we identified a SNO-CoA–dependent nitrosoproteome, including numerous metabolic protein substrates. Finally, we discovered that the SNO-CoA/SCoR system has a role in mitochondrial metabolism. Collectively, our findings provide molecular insights into the basis of specificity in SNO-CoA–mediated metabolic signaling and suggest a role for SCoR-regulated S-nitrosylation in multiple metabolic processes.
Plasma Metabolites Associated with Brain MRI Measures of Neurodegeneration in Older Adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities–Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS)

Background: Plasma metabolites are associated with cognitive and physical function in the elderly. Because cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and neurodegeneration are common causes of cognitive and physical function decline, the primary objective of this study was to investigate the associations of six plasma metabolites (two plasma phosphatidylcholines [PCs]: PC aa C36:5 and PC aa 36:6 and four sphingomyelins [SMs]: SM C26:0, SM [OH] C22:1, SM [OH] C22:2, SM [OH] C24:1) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of cerebral SVD and neurodegeneration in older adults. Methods: This study included 238 older adults in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study at the fifth exam. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association of each metabolite (log-transformed) in separate models with MRI measures except lacunar infarcts, for which binary logistic regression was used. Results: Higher concentrations of plasma PC aa C36:5 had adverse associations with MRI features of cerebral SVD (odds ratio of 1.69 [95% confidence interval: 1.01, 2.83] with lacunar infarct, and beta of 0.16 log [cm3] [0.02, 0.30] with log [White Matter Hyperintensities (WMH) volume]) while higher concentrations of 3 plasma SM (OH)s were associated with higher total brain volume (beta of 12.0 cm3 [5.5, 18.6], 11.8 cm3 [5.0, 18.6], and 7.3 cm3 [1.2, 13.5] for SM [OH] C22:1, SM [OH] C22:2, and SM [OH] C24:1, respectively). Conclusions: This study identified associations between certain plasma metabolites and brain MRI measures of SVD and neurodegeneration in older adults, particularly higher SM (OH) concentrations with higher total brain volume.
The Improved Estimation of Distribution Algorithms for Community Detection

Based on the analysis of local monotonic of modularity function, this paper designs a fast and effective mutation operator, and then proposes an improved Estimation of Distribution Algorithm (EDA) for solving community detection problem. The proposed algorithm is tested on basic network and big scale complex network. Experimental results show that this algorithm can get 0.419 8 for the average Q function while running 100 times, has better performance than Girvan-Newman(GN) algorithm, Fast Newman (FN) algorithm and Tasgin Genetic Algorithm (TGA).
Non-Medical Prescription Drug Use among Latino College Students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

This study tests theories of social learning and strain to explain non-medical prescription drug use (NMPDU) among Latino college students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Logistic regressi...
Cervical 3 to Cervical 6 Laminectomy for Arteriovenous Malformation: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

According to the Spetzler spinal cord classification system,1 this patient had an extradural-intradural arteriovenous malformation (AVM), also known as a type III or juvenile AVM. The patient underwent a surgical resection of the lesion via a cervical 3 to cervical 6 laminoplasty. Direct observation confirmed intra- and extramedullary components. During the surgical resection, an attempt was made to avoid transgressing the pia mater. Therefore, the traversing vessels were interrupted during the circumdissection. The nidus was removed, and postprocedural digital subtraction angiography confirmed complete obliteration. The patient gave informed consent for surgery and video recording. Institutional review board approval was deemed unnecessary. Used with permission from Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.
Impact of moderate pump–Stokes chirp on femtosecond coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering spectra

The author would like to thank Dr. Carlo Scalo for his great help on the parallelization of the numerical code. Funding for this research program was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, Division of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences (Grant DE-FG02-03ER15391); Basic Energy Sciences fundation (DE-FG02-03ER15391), and by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, CCF subaward (No. 1975-01).
COVID-19 and SCA: an old friend comes to the rescue.

In this issue of Blood, DeBaun proposes a forward-thinking evidence-based strategy to limit the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) at high risk for stroke. DeBaun argues that rapid initiation of low- and fixed-dose (10 mg/kg per day) hydroxyurea treatment while the children are receiving prophylactic chronic transfusions, and before blood supply is disrupted, ensures that when blood shortages do occur, the clinical benefit of hydroxyurea will be more quickly established, and the children will be better protected.
Flavor compounds in Vine Tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) infusions

Vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) is a tea traditionally used in Chinese herbal medicine that is rich in the natural antioxidant dihydromyricetin (ampelopsin). In addition to its multiple health benefits, vine tea extracts and dihydromyricetin have been suggested as potential natural antioxidants for food applications, such as soybean oil and meat products. However, there is still little information available on vine tea chemistry, and in particular the volatile profile and sensory characteristics, which can affect product acceptability and restrict its use as a natural antioxidant. The objective of this exploratory study was to identify potential volatile components present in vine tea in order to support further research and applications in the food industry. Vine tea infusions brewed from commercial samples were characterized by acidic pH values and a dark, reddish-yellow color. Twenty-one volatile compounds were identified as potential flavor components of vine tea, including aldehydes and ketones. Further studies are suggested to quantify the volatile compounds and understand their importance to vine tea's aroma profile. Sensory studies are also suggested to access consumer's acceptability of vine tea and products containing vine tea as an ingredient.
Expansion Methods Applied to Internal Acoustic Problems

Expansion techniques have been used for many years to predict the response of un-instrumented locations on structures. These methods use a projection or transformation matrix to estimate the response at un-instrumented locations based on a sparse set of measurements. The transformation to un-instrumented locations can be done using modal projections or transmissibilities. Here, both expansion methods are implemented to demonstrate that expansion can be used for acoustic problems, where a sparse set of pressure measurements, say from a set of microphones in a cavity or room, are used to expand and predict the response at any location in the domain. The modal projection method is applied to a small acoustic cavity, where the number of active modes is small, and the transmissibility method is applied to a large acoustic domain, where the number of active modes is very large. In each case, expansion is shown to work well, though each case has its benefits and drawbacks. The numerical studies shown here indicate that expansion could be accurate and therefore useful for a wide range of interior acoustic problems where only sparse measurements are available, but full-field information is desired, such as field reconstruction problems, or model validation problems.
Defining pediatric asthma: phenotypes to endotypes and beyond

Asthma is the most common chronic pediatric lung disease that has traditionally been defined as a syndrome of airway inflammation characterized by clinical symptoms of cough and wheeze. Highlighting the complex and heterogeneous nature of asthma, this review summarizes recent advances in asthma classification that are based on pathobiology, and thereby directly addresses limitations of existent definitions of asthma. By reviewing and contrasting clinical and mechanistic features of adult and childhood asthma, the review summarizes key biomarkers that distinguish childhood asthma subtypes. While atopy and its severity are important features of childhood asthma, there is evidence to support the existence of a childhood asthma endotype distinct from the atopic endotype. Although biomarkers of non-atopic asthma are an area of future research, we summarize a clinical approach that includes existing measures of airway-specific and systemic measures of atopy, co-existing morbidities, and disease severity and control, in the definition of childhood asthma, to empower health care providers to better characterize asthma disease burden in children. Identification of biomarkers of non-atopic asthma and the contribution of genetics and epigenetics to pediatric asthma burden remains a research need, which can potentially allow delivery of precision medicine to pediatric asthma. IMPACT: This review highlights asthma as a complex and heterogeneous disease and discusses recent advances in the understanding of the pathobiology of asthma to demonstrate the need for a more nuanced definitions of asthma. We review current knowledge of asthma phenotypes and endotypes and put forth an approach to endotyping asthma that may be useful for defining asthma for clinical care as well as for future research studies in the realm of personalized medicine for asthma.
Der Übergeist und das reine Bewusstsein

Ein positives Merkmal der integrierten Informationstheorie ist die Fruchtbarkeit, mit der sie neue Ideen hervorbringt, wie der primitive, aber effektive Bewusstseinsdetektor, den ich gerade diskutiert habe. Andere Ideen betreffen die relevante raumzeitliche Grosenordnung der Detailgenauigkeit, die die integrierte Information maximiert und welche die Ebene ist, auf der das Erleben stattfindet (siehe Anmerkung 21 im letzten Kapitel); sie betreffen das neuronale Korrelat reinen Erlebens und die Schaffung eines einzelnen, bewussten Geistes durch die Verschmelzung zweier Gehirne, eine der erstaunlichsten Vorhersagen der Theorie. Bevor ich dazu komme, lassen Sie mich mit dem Gegenteil beginnen: der Spaltung eines Gehirns in zwei selbststandige geistige Einheiten.
A high-throughput liquid bead-array assay confirms strong correlation between SARS-CoV-2 antibody level and COVID-19 severity

Summary A detailed understanding of the adaptive host response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans is urgently needed. We developed a sensitive, high-throughput, and efficient assay using liquid bead array technology. We observed advantages over traditional ELISA for the detection and quantification of binding IgG against the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. To determine whether COVID-19 symptom severity correlates with SARS-CoV-2 IgG, we measured anti-RBD IgG levels from 67 subjects recovered from PCR-confirmed COVID-19. We found that COVID-19 symptom severity strongly correlated with RBD IgG level (p
Antibody Titers and Seroconversion Kinetics of Outbred Swiss and Heterozygous Nude Soiled-bedding Sentinels for Murine Norovirus and Mouse Hepatitis Virus.

Sentinel animals remain a common means of evaluating rodent health in research colonies. An evaluation of our sentinel program revealed that using Crl:CD1(ICR)-Elite (CD1-E) mice was expensive, occasionally disrupted by limited supply, and minimally responsive to the 3Rs. This evaluation prompted us to explore the use of CRL:NU-Foxn1nu/+ (Het-nude) mice as soiled-bedding sentinel (SBS) animals. Het-nude mice are a byproduct of breeding outbred athymic nude mice and are reared in isolators, with similar health status as CD1-E. Het-nude mice have a thymus, but may have smaller thymic size and fewer bone marrow stem cells than do wildtype controls, suggesting that Het-nude mice might not be immunologically normal. This study compared the antibody titer and seroconversion kinetics of Het-nude and CD1-E SBS to murine norovirus (MNV) and mouse hepatitis virus (MHV). Het-nude and CD1-E female SBS (n = 22 mice of each stock) were housed continuously on soiled bedding collected from MNV-positive or MNV- and MHV-positive colonies at cage changes. Blood was collected for serology at 3, 9 and 12 to 19 wk after the start of soiled bedding exposure. Antibody titers to MNV or MHV did not differ significantly between Het-nude and CD1-E mice. A significant relationship was found between weeks of exposure and titer levels with an increase in titer over the testing period. This study supports the possible use of Het-nude mice as SBS, given that their antibody responses to MNV and MHV are equivalent to those of CD1-E mice.
Perspective on the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in the context of potential sars-cov-2 infection during the pandemic

SARS-CoV-2 infections are rising at an alarming rate and various aspects of this pandemic must be quickly and adequately addressed in order to enhance effective healthcare delivery and protect at risk populations such as cancer patients Preventing Covid-19 infection must be a top system wide priority to avoid mortality, and considerable financial and disease burden Most cancer patients, and in particular those with tumors resistant to chemotherapy are particularly vulnerable to infection In this review, we connect potential viral infection of patients with lung tumors that have somewhat quiesced the immune response in the tumor microenvironment and categorize target molecules in metabolism that may be used to identify at risk patients leading to more effective treatment regimens;keeping continuity of therapy and disease prevention during a very tumultuous period of time surrounding the pandemic © 2018-2021, Rangsit University
Skin cancer in solid organ transplant recipients: Advances in therapy and management

Skin cancer is the most frequent malignancy in organ transplant recipients, 95% of which are nonmelanoma skin cancer, especially squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas. This paper also discusses the incidence of other tumors (eg, melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and Kaposi sarcoma) that are also increased in organ transplant patients compared to the general population. Part I of this two-part series describes the latest data concerning the epidemiologic and pathogenic aspects of nonmelanoma skin cancer development in solid organ transplant recipients. This review also highlights the concept of "field cancerization," represented by extensive areas of actinic damage and epidermal dysplasia, which accounts for increased risk of aggressive skin cancer development in susceptible patients.
Invisible and unequal: Unincorporated community status as a structural determinant of health.

Abstract Despite increasing awareness of the importance of political determinants of health, place-based research has not interrogated one of the most common political statuses: the impact of living in a community without municipal incorporation. In 2010 an estimated 37% of the U.S. population lived in an unincorporated area (Cohen et al., 2015); despite their ubiquity, unincorporated communities are largely absent from the public health literature. Residents of unincorporated areas typically do not have their own local (e.g., city or municipal) government (Flegal et al., 2013). This lack of representation leads to political exclusion and diminished access to resources, especially for low-income communities of color, Furthermore, by not disaggregating health data to unincorporated communities, residents are subsumed into county or census tract data that may not be reflective of their community's composition or context (Mattiuzzi and Weir, 2020). Without jurisdictional distinction in research, there is no accountability for the manufacturing of health inequities in unincorporated communities (Krieger, 1994). In the absence of empirical research on unincorporated communities, this paper uses the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) Framework of the World Health Organization (Solar and Irwin, 2010) to argue that lack of municipal status is a structural determinant of health responsible for social conditions which generate cumulative health risks for residents. This includes using existing evidence on social conditions typical of unincorporated communities to describe patterns of residential segregation, neighborhood disadvantage, and environmental hazards that may increase residents' exposure to unhealthy environments in unincorporated communities. Finally, we provide an agenda for future public health research that can begin to address this health and racial equity gap for low-income unincorporated communities of color who have, until now, been absent in health equity discourse.
The encroachment of artificial intelligence: Timing and prospects

This chapter describes several instances of artificial intelligence (AI), artificial neural network and machine learning systems that are judged to be highly successful. It also highlights the shortcomings of these systems to explain their limitations. Through examples such as so-called self-driving cars, image recognition, handwriting analysis and digital virtual assistants like Siri, the chapter explores the ways in which AI is both like and unlike human intelligence. It clarifies ways in which AI will and will not be useful in various workplaces. It also examines capabilities of humans that are likely to outpace AI for some time, and therefore may remain critical factors in employment practice.
Endometriosis in a twin pregnancy leading to massive hemoperitoneum and intrauterine death: a case report

Endometriosis, defined as ectopic endometrium-like glands outside the uterus, is well known to be the main cause of infertility. It is commonly thought to become quiescent during pregnancy. In rece...
Vitamins and metabolism in Neurospora.

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes vitamins and metabolism in Neurospora. Wild type strains of Neurospora can be grown satisfactorily on a synthetic medium consisting of a solution of inorganic salts, sugar, and one vitamin, biotin, in distilled water. The remaining vitamins and other essential metabolites can be synthesized from these raw materials by the mold during growth. A mutation in the wild type strains often results in the loss of a step in the synthesis of a metabolite and thus, causes a new nutritional requirement. These new strains have been most useful in studying mechanisms of metabolism, in spite of the fact that a mutation often produces profound physiological changes in addition to the introduction of the new growth requirement. Mutants with requirements for vitamins and many other metabolites have been produced in Neurospora by treatment of the mold, at various stages of the life cycle with ultraviolet, X- and other types of radiation, as well as by treatments with the sulfur mustards, and nitrogen mustards. The chapter discusses in detail production of mutants, selection of mutants, and some physiological results of mutations in Neurospora. Genes, enzymes, and reactions in Neurospora are elaborated and biosynthesis and functions of vitamins are also described.
Biomedical Products, International Standards for

International standards for biomedical products have become the coin-of-the-realm in the discussions among governments, product manufacturers, and users. These stakeholders use these documents to allow a supplier and user of goods or services to describe to each other what is being supplied and to ensure or improve public safety and health. What are international standards? This article will discuss the topic at several levels and identify the sources of these standard for biomedical products. Keywords: international standards; barriers to trade; harmonization; consensus; voluntary; regulation; risk management
Tunable wavelength conversion and back-conversion through the spectral evolution of higher-order solitons

This study describes a wavelength conversion method that exploits the spectral separation and reassembly that occurs during the evolution of N=2 or N=3 solitons. This method involves breaking the temporal degeneracy of the sub-pulses by introducing one of three perturbation type at the soliton period midpoint. These include loss elements, bandpass filters, or dispersion steps.
Comparison of aggressive and conservative management of premature rupture of fetal membranes

Abstract A 3-year prospective study was undertaken to compare two types of management of rupture of the fetal membranes between 26 and 34 weeks. Patients in whom amniotic fluid, obtained by amniocentesis, was shown to have no evidence of infection, and who had less than mature lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratios, were given steroids and, if needed, treated with tocolytic agents. Patients in whom no amniotic fluid could be obtained were not given steroids, but were managed expectantly. Only patients with rupture of membranes ≥24 hours were included in the collection of data. Despite the aggressive treatment protocol of the steroid group, no significant difference was found between the two groups in the prevalence of respiratory distress, hyperbilirubinemia, patent ductus arteriosus, episodes of apnea and bradycardia, or necrotizing enterocolitis. Perinatal mortality rates were similar in the two groups, and no difference in the incidence of maternal or neonatal infectious complications was found.
Ultrasonic studies on the volumetric growth of the human placenta

Abstract A method has been developed to ascertain placental volumes in vivo by ultrasound. The sonographic volumetric measurements of the placenta are consistently larger than the immersion volumes measured after delivery. The difference in these volumes probably represents the blood lost from the intervillous space and the umbilical cord. Sonographic placental volumes from 207 gravidas at various stages of gestation were used to construct a placental growth curve and to illustrate the degree of individual variation. Several serial volumetric measurements were made on one normal primigravida and on one patient, one of the twins of whom showed intratuerine growth retardation.
Interacting with IDA

This chapter describes IDA, an autonomous and “conscious” software agent, and how she interacts with humans. IDA’S purpose is to converse with sailors in the U.S. Navy using natural language in order to arrive at a job placement situation that is beneficial for the sailor and the Navy. Along the way we will explore the general notion of autonomy and what role IDA’S “consciousness” plays in extending that concept.
Alpha 2-adrenergic receptors and the Na+/H+ exchanger in the intestinal epithelial cell line, HT-29.

Abstract alpha 2-Adrenergic receptors (alpha 2-AR) are negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase via the GTP-binding protein Gi. However, inhibition of adenylylcyclase does not account for many effector cell responses to alpha 2-AR agonists, suggesting that the receptor can couple to other signal transduction pathways. One potential pathway may be the stimulation of Na+/H+ exchange elicited by alpha 2-AR activation in renal proximal tubule cells, platelets, and the NG-10815 cell line. To determine whether the various receptor-effector coupling mechanisms operate in a tissue-specific manner, we studied the effect of alpha 2-AR activation on basal and stimulated Na+/H+ exchange in epithelial cells isolated from human colon (HT-29 adenocarcinoma cells). Na+/H+ exchange was measured by quantitation of intracellular hydrogen ion concentration (acetoxymethyl ester 2,7-biscarboxyethyl-5(6)carboxyfluorescein) and 22Na+ uptake. HT-29 cells expressed an amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchanger that was activated by reduction of intracellular pH (pHi) to 6.0 but was quiescent at a physiological pHi. The rapid alkalinization observed after acid loading (0.57 +/- 0.07 pH units/min/10(4) cells) was dependent on external sodium and was blocked by amiloride (Ki approximately 2.1 microM). Although epinephrine and the selective alpha 2-AR agonists clonidine and UK-14304 inhibited forskolin-activated adenylylcyclase, these compounds did not alter basal Na+/H+ exchange. Stimulated Na+/H+ exchange was similarly unaffected by epinephrine. In contrast, stimulated Na+/H+ exchanger activity was completely inhibited by the selective alpha 2-agonists clonidine, UK-14304, and guanabenz. This inhibitory effect was not blocked by the alpha 2-AR antagonist rauwolscine, and it is likely due to a direct interaction with the exchanger molecule itself. Structure/activity studies indicated that the compounds inhibiting exchanger activity possess either an imidazoline or guanidinium moiety. Although these molecules bear structural similarity to amiloride, they did not inhibit the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel in toad urinary bladder, suggesting that these compounds may be useful as "amiloride-like" ligands selective for the Na+/H+ exchanger. These data indicate that in the HT-29 intestinal cell line, in contrast to observations in other tissues, alpha 2-adrenergic receptors are not coupled to the Na+/H+ exchanger, suggesting that the cell-signaling mechanisms utilized by the alpha 2-AR are tissue specific.
Grounded Conceptual Graph Models

The ability to represent real-world objects is an important feature of a practical knowledge system. Most knowledge systems involve informal or ad-hoc mappings from their internal symbols to objects and concepts in their environment. This work introduces a framework for formally associating symbols to their meanings, a process we call grounding. Two kinds of grounding are discussed with respect to conceptual graphs --- active grounding, which involves actors to provide mappings to the environment, and terminological grounding, which involves actors that establish the basic elements of meaning with respect to a subject field's agreed-upon terminology. The work incorporates active knowledge systems and international terminological standards.
Metformin decreases growth of pancreatic cancer cells by decreasing reactive oxygen species: Role of NOX4

Abstract Background Retrospective epidemiologic studies show that metformin reduced the incidence of pancreatic cancer in diabetic patients. One potential mechanism may be by altering reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. In this in vitro study, we explore the role of ROS and apoptosis in mediating the growth-inhibitory effects of metformin in pancreatic cancer cells. Methods We cultured MIA PaCa and Panc1 pancreatic cancer cells in medium containing physiological concentrations of glucose (5 mM) or supra-physiological concentrations of glucose and then treated cells with metformin. Cell viability, ROS production, apoptosis, and protein levels of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), NADPH oxidase (NOX) 2, and NOX4 were measured. Results Metformin decreased viability of MIA PaCa and Panc1 cells under physiological glucose conditions in comparison to untreated cells; metformin did not have any effect on human pancreatic normal epithelial (HPNE) cells. The decrease in cell survival was associated with decreased intracellular ROS, increased protein levels of MnSOD, and decreased levels of NOX2 and NOX4 proteins in MIA PaCa and Panc1 cells but not HPNE cells. Transfecting MIA PaCa and Panc1 cells with pcDNA3NOX4 protected against the anti-survival effects of metformin. Conclusion Our findings suggest that metformin decreases cell survival by reducing ROS production, in part through down regulation of NOX4 protein expression.
Sustained growth of the Southern Ocean carbon storage in a warming climate

We investigate the mechanisms controlling the evolution of Southern Ocean carbon storage under a future climate warming scenario. A subset of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 models predicts that the inventory of biologically sequestered carbon south of 40°S increases about 18–34 Pg C by 2100 relative to the preindustrial condition. Sensitivity experiments with an ocean circulation and biogeochemistry model illustrates the impacts of the wind and buoyancy forcings under a warming climate. Intensified and poleward shifted westerly wind strengthens the upper overturning circulation, not only leading to an increased uptake of anthropogenic CO2 but also releasing biologically regenerated carbon to the atmosphere. Freshening of Antarctic Surface Water causes a slowdown of the lower overturning circulation, leading to an increased Southern Ocean biological carbon storage. The rectified effect of these processes operating together is the sustained growth of the carbon storage in the Southern Ocean, even under the warming climate with a weaker global ocean carbon uptake.
The effects of biological additives on the fermentation process and fibre composition of farm-scale grass silages

The effects of bacterial and enzymatic additives on the course of fermentation process and on changes in the fibre composition of grass silages were investigated under farm-scale conditions over three years. Fourteen silages were prepared from die back grass stands in each of three variants, with no additive (control), with inoculants of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and with LAB combined with cellulase and hemicellulase. The content of lactic acid was significantly (P<0.05) elevated, while the degree of proteolysis decreased (P<0.01) in both variants with the additives. The changes in the fermentation processes resulted in pH values about 4.8 and 4.3 in the control and the variants with additives, respectively. The qualitative parameters of fermentation were very similar for both the groups of additives.