cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathological analysis and mRNA expression of apoptosis genes in rat kidney tissue after subacute melamine treatment

Objective To investigate pathological changes and mRNA expression of apoptosis genes bcl-2, bax and Caspase-3 in rat kidney tissue after rats are administrated with melamine for 28 days. Methods 10 male SD rats and 10 female SD rats in each group were administrated with three doses of melamine (low dose, middle dose, high dose) by gavage for 28 days. The animals were divided into three experimental groups and one control group. The doses for male rats were 200, 400, 800 mg/kg, but for female rats they were 150,300, 600 mg/kg. After melamine treatment the animals were sacrificed and the kidneys were taken out for pathological analysis and for detecting mRNA expression of bcl-2, bax and Caspase-3 with fluorescent quantitative PCR assay. Results The tubular cylinders were observed in three experimental groups. The positive rates of tubular cylinders in three groups (from low dose to high dose) were 11/20, 13/20, 16/20, respectively.Additionally, melanine induced a significant decrease in mRNA expression of bcl-2 at low dose, middle dose or high dose, bcl-2 expression decreased by 20.58%-49.51% in three groups treated with melamine. Furthermore, bax mRNA levels increased by 44.66%-300.96% in groups treated with three doses of melamine, and Caspase-3 mRNA levels increased by 64.76%-360.75% in groups treated with three doses of melamine.Conclusions Melamine could induce pathological changes of rat kidneys, and it also induces a significant alteration of apoptosis Bcl-2,Bax and Caspase-3 mRNA expression in rat kidney tissue. Key words: Melamine; Toxicity tests; Kindney tubules; Pathology; Gene expression
Phosphocholine-containing ligands direct CRP induction of M2 macrophage polarization independent of T cell polarization: Implication for chronic inflammatory states.

Introduction We studied monocyte transendothelial migration and subsequent polarization into M1/M2 macrophages in response to C‐reactive protein (CRP) with two disease‐related ligands: (1) phosphocholine (PC) and (2) multilamellar liposomes containing both unoxidized and oxidized forms of the lipid, phosphatidylcholine. These ligands differ in biological origin: PC is present on bacterial cell walls while oxidized lipids are present in atherogenic lipids.
Hazards of the Laser

Precipitate and uninformed use of the laser in medicine could well be accompanied by harmful effects reminiscent of those associated with the x-ray in its early stages of development, Dr. Klein says. Apart from its limited applications in ophthalmologic surgery for retinal detachment, there are presently no indications whatever for clinical use of the laser.
Four ways from universal to particular: how Chomsky’s principles-and-parameters model is not selectionist

Following the development of the selectionist theory of the immune system, there was an attempt to characterise many biological mechanisms as being ‘selectionist’ as juxtaposed with ‘instructionist’. However, this broad definition would group Darwinian evolution, the immune system, embryonic development, and Chomsky’s principles-and-parameters (P&P) language-acquisition mechanism together under the ‘selectionist’ umbrella, even though Chomsky’s mechanism and embryonic development are significantly different from the selectionist mechanisms of biological evolution and the immune system. Surprisingly, there is an abstract way using two dual mathematical logics to make the distinction between genuinely selectionist mechanisms and what are better called ‘generative’ or symmetry-breaking mechanisms. This distinction is outlined in this note.
Decision Making and Semiotic Vulnerability

In addition to the peculiarities of medical jargon, legal vernacular can be an arcane abyss all its own. When these two disciplines collide in the clinical setting, failing to consider the interpla...
Multi-Network Access to IEEE P1451 Smart Sensor Information Using World Wide Web Technology | NIST

NIST and a consortium of companies are organizing a public demonstration of the features of IEEE P1451, a Draft Standard for a Smart Transducer Interface for Sensors and Actuators. The demonstration is set in a multivendor transducer and control network environment during the May ‘97 Sensors Expo in Boston. This paper presents the design of the demonstration system which uses a server architecture based on the industry standard UDP/IP protocol and the gateway software module that bridges the UDP Ethernet-based network and the specific control network technology. The definitions of a common set of ASCII-based message protocol units are defined to allows cross network and transducer device communication. Combining these approaches using Internet-based technologies such as World Wide Web browser software, Java, HTML Web pages, and the Internet Protocol suite, the demonstration shows the functionality and interoperable capability of the proposed interface for connecting sensors and actuators to control networks. It also shows that the implementation of the interface based on the draft specification is realizable.
Ames 32S16O18O line list for high-resolution experimental IR analysis

Abstract By comparing to the most recent experimental data and spectra of the SO2 628 ν1/ν3 bands (see Ulenikov et al., JQSRT 168 (2016) 29–39), this study illustrates the reliability and accuracy of the Ames-296K SO2 line list, which is accurate enough to facilitate such high-resolution spectroscopic analysis. The SO2 628 IR line list is computed on a recently improved potential energy surface (PES) refinement, denoted Ames-Pre2, and the published purely ab initio CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pV(Q+d)Z dipole moment surface. Progress has been made in both energy level convergence and rovibrational quantum number assignments agreeing with laboratory analysis models. The accuracy of the computed 628 energy levels and line list is similar to what has been achieved and reported for SO2 626 and 646, i.e. 0.01–0.03 cm−1 for bands up to 5500 cm−1. During the comparison, we found some discrepancies in addition to overall good agreements. The three-IR-list based feature-by-feature analysis in a 0.25 cm−1 spectral window clearly demonstrates the power of the current Ames line lists with new assignments, correction of some errors, and intensity contributions from varied sources including other isotopologues. We are inclined to attribute part of detected discrepancies to an incomplete experimental analysis and missing intensity in the model. With complete line position, intensity, and rovibrational quantum numbers determined at 296 K, spectroscopic analysis is significantly facilitated especially for a spectral range exhibiting such an unusually high density of lines. The computed 628 rovibrational levels and line list are accurate enough to provide alternatives for the missing bands or suspicious assignments, as well as helpful to identify these isotopologues in various celestial environments. The next step will be to revisit the SO2 828 and 646 spectral analyses.
Validation of Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System Version 2: A Retrospective Analysis.

Purpose Use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/transrectal ultrasound fusion biopsies to determine the accuracy of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), using Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADSv2), for detecting clinically significant prostate cancer in the overall gland and specifically the peripheral zone (PZ) and transitional zone (TZ). Methods A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent fusion biopsy identified 137 men with 231 prostate lesions was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Subjects initially classified under PI-RADSv1 criteria were regraded using PI-RADSv2 by a radiologist blinded to PI-RADSv1 score and biopsy results. Spearman correlation, chi-squared, and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results There was positive correlation between PI-RADSv2 and Gleason scores (P Conclusions PI-RADSv2 achieves excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value for both PZ and TZ lesions.
Nanofaceted Metal Surfaces: Structure, Reactivity, and Applications

Abstract Faceting occurs when an initially planar surface undergoes a morphological rearrangement exposing nanoscale new crystal faces (facets). Both morphology (shape) and structure of the faceted surface differ substantially from those of the initial planar surface. In this review, we will give an overview of adsorbate-induced faceting of metal single-crystal surfaces, identification of facets, and utilization of faceted metal single-crystal surfaces as nanoscale model catalysts to bridge the material gap between planar metal single-crystal surfaces and supported metallic nanoparticles, and as nanotemplates to synthesize metallic nanoparticles (nanosclusters) and nanostructured metallic monolayer electrocatalysts. The well-defined facets allow for detailed experimental and theoretical characterization that provides insights into structure–reactivity/selectivity relationships, which is crucial for improving reactivity and selectivity by controlling the nanoscale morphology and size distribution of heterogeneous catalysts.
Watching Reality TV Programs With Concurrent Sexual and Alcohol Themes Is Associated With Risky Drinking and Sexual Experiences

The real-life risks associated with engaging in sexual behavior while intoxicated or high are rarely depicted on television. This study examined whether heavy exposure to sexual and alcohol content...
Literature in Colonial Africa

In this chapter, I establish the relationship between African people’s culture and literature and their history and politics. The phases and kinds of literature in colonial Africa include oral literature and Arab/Islamic-influenced Hausa and Swahili literatures. Greatly reflecting the events of the era, there are the early wave of African literature modeled on European traditions, European writers on Africa, Negritude, Onitsha Market Literature, nationalist struggle-inspired literary works as well as late colonial works from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola, and Mozambique. The chapter also deals with the role of newspapers and magazines in promoting literature, especially in South Africa and Nigeria. To a large extent, literature portrays history in a non-conventional way by its portrayal of the implications of social, cultural, economic, political, and psychological consequences of colonialism. The imperial conquest and partition of Africa into colonies have left indelible marks on the psyche of the original inhabitants, and the literature of the time gives adequate testimony to the suffering, struggle, and resilience of colonized African peoples.
Monocular vehicle distance sensor using HOG and Kalman tracking

Reliable measurement of ground distance between a host vehicle and nearby vehicles is needed for driver assistance and collision avoidance systems. Although Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensors provide accurate information over a narrow field of view, a single camera system could provide a more versatile, cost-effective alternative. We demonstrate improvement in monocular vision methods for application in automotive distance measuring. We do this with deep learning neural networks that provide well placed and sized bounding boxes on the targets enhanced by a Kalman filter assisted estimator. We compare this work using Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) to demonstrate measurable performance improvement.
Iodine Deficiency in Zhejiang Pregnant Women in the Context of Universal Salt Iodization Programme

Zhejiang introduced universal salt iodization (USI) programme in 1995 and has achieved the goal of elimination of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) since 2011. However, no systematical data of iodine nutritional status in population in pregnancy is available. In this cross-sectional study, pregnant women were interviewed to complete questionnaires in addition to handing in samples of urine and household table salt between March 2016 to February 2017. Date of birth, age of pregnancy, ethnicity and dietary iodine habits were recorded. The overall median urinary iodine concentration in 8561 pregnant women was 130.47 µg/L, which was lower than the cut-off value of iodine sufficiency of 150 µg/L recommended by the WHO. Participants using non-iodized salt, taking non-iodine-containing supplements, in coastal and in Han group were independently associated with iodine deficiency. The current USI programme did not supply Zhejiang pregnant women with sufficient iodine intake. They are generally iodine deficient, which have great public health importance since even mild IDD in pregnancy have adverse effects on fetal neurodevelopment. We strongly recommend urgent measures to improve iodine intake in pregnancy.
Chikungunya Virus and Zika Virus Transmission Cycles

Abstract With respect to epidemics of CHIKV and ZIKV in humans, clearly the most, if not the only, significant mosquitoes are the anthropophagic and peridomestic species Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Although Ae. albopictus is a competent vector for ZIKV, its involvement in human transmission cycles of the virus has been very limited. This is not the case with CHIKV. Largely because of the effects of a viral mutation, Ae. albopictus played a highly significant role as a vector on Indian Ocean Islands, following the emergence of CHIKV from East Africa, in parts of Asia, and in isolated European outbreaks ( de Lamballerie et al., 2008 ). The more anthropophilic species, Ae. aegypti, implicated in all previous epidemics, has been the predominant vector, for example, in the Americas. Virus isolates have been obtained from, and specific antibodies detected in, a number of different vertebrate species; however, the importance of these as maintenance hosts outside of Africa is unknown. Nonhuman primates are likely the only significant hosts other than people. Domestic animals seem to play no significant role in viral amplification. Despite apparent suitable ecological conditions, the lack of significant zoonotic cycles in Asia is a mystery that demands further investigations.
Studies on the hemolysin and agglutinin of leukemic leukocytes.

1. Leukocytes from thirteen cases of leukemia were isolated, homogenized, and extracted in 0.88 M sucrose, 0.14 M NaCl, and 2.0 M NaCl solutions. All thirteen 0.88 M sucrose, twelve of thirteen 2.0 M NaCl, and seven of the thirteen 0.14 M NaCl extracts, were found to contain a hemolysin and agglutinin active against normal and trypsinized erythrocytes. 2. The hemolysin and agglutinin of leukemic leukocyte extracts was found to differ from coating antibody eluted from erythrocytes of patients with acquired hemolytic anemia, from β-glucuronidase, and from anti-H agglutinin. In spite of great similarities, the hemolysin and agglutinin differed in certain respects from the lysin-inhibitor complexes that have been extracted from tissues. 3. An inhibitor of the hemolysin and agglutinin of leukemic leukocyte extracts was found in normal serum. This inhibitor is stable at 56° C. for 30 minutes, is not dialyzable, is not exhausted from leukemic sera, and apparently does not permanently change the hemolysin or agglutinin. 4. The possible role of the leukemic leukocyte hemolysin and agglutinin in instituting premature senescene of the erythrocyte resulting in a "hemopathic" type of hemolytic anemia is discussed.
Abstract 2049: HNSCC-derived exosomes promote angiogenesis and tumor progression through reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment in vitro and in vivo

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the seventh most common malignant disease. For solid tumors, such as HNSCC, an adequate blood supply is of critical importance for tumor development, growth and metastasis. Tumor-derived exosomes (TEX) accumulate in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and serve as a communication system between the tumor and normal stromal cells. TEX may be one of the mechanisms responsible for induction of tumor angiogenesis. This study evaluates in vitro and in vivo effects mediated by TEX that result in promotion of tumor angiogenesis. Biologically-active exosomes produced by SCC47 and PCI-13 tumor cell lines were isolated by mini size exclusion chromatography (mini-SEC). Exosomes were also isolated from plasma specimens of HNSCC patients or healthy donors. Exosome morphology, size and numbers were characterized using TEM and q-Nano. Molecular profiles were evaluated by western blots with the exosome-specific marker TSG101 blotted as control. The angiogenesis-inducing potential of TEX was measured in arrays with human endothelial cells (HUVEC). Uptake of labeled TEX by HUVEC cells was demonstrated by confocal microscopy. Proliferation, migration, chemotaxis and the tube formation by HUVECs in response to TEX were investigated. The matrigel plug model and the 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO) oral carcinogenesis were used to confirm that exosomes induce the same results in vivo. In vitro and in vivo experiments were repeated with plasma-derived exosomes obtained from HNSCC patients and healthy donors. TEX were found to be potent inducers of angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo through functional re-programming and phenotypic modulation of endothelial cells. HNSCC-derived exosomes carried angiogenesis markers (coagulation factor III, IGFBP-3, thrombospondin 1 and uPA) and were internalized by HUVECs within 4 h. Cell line derived exosomes stimulated proliferation (PCI-13 p Our data suggest that HNSCC-derived exosomes promoting angiogenesis, are an adverse factor in carcinogenesis and a potential biomarker of angiogenesis. Moreover, future efforts should focus on eliminating or silencing TEX and thereby adding new options for improving existing anti-angiogenic therapies. Citation Format: Nils Ludwig, Saigopalakrishna S. Yerneni, Beatrice M. Razzo, Theresa L. Whiteside. HNSCC-derived exosomes promote angiogenesis and tumor progression through reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment in vitro and in vivo [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2049.
Estimation of Types of States in Partial Observable Network Systems

Estimating of types of states in network systems is essential for protecting network infrastructures from cyberattacks, managing network traffic, and detecting changes in network systems. It is very difficult to estimate the types of states in network systems due to their high complexity. The accuracy of the estimating the states in network systems depends heavily on the completeness of the collected sensor information. But the state of a network system at a given point in time may be never fully known due to noisy sensors; making more difficult to estimate the entire true state of a network system because certain features of the input data may be missing. In order to estimate the states in a network system in partially observable environments, an approach to estimating the types of states in partially observable cyber systems is presented. This approach involves the use of a convolutional neural network (CNN), and unsupervised learning with elbow method and k-means clustering algorithm.
Fighting the US Youth Sex Trade: Gender, Race, and Politics

Campaigns against prostitution of young people in the United States have surged and ebbed multiple times over the last fifty years. Fighting the US Youth Sex Trade: Gender, Race, and Politics examines how politically and ideologically diverse activists joined together to change perceptions and public policies on youth involvement in the sex trade over time, reframing 'juvenile prostitution' of the 1970s as 'commercial sexual exploitation of children' in the 1990s, and then as 'domestic minor sex trafficking' in the 2000s. Based on organizational archives and interviews with activists, Baker shows that these campaigns were fundamentally shaped by the politics of gender, race and class, and global anti-trafficking campaigns. The author argues that the very frames that have made these movements so successful in achieving new laws and programs for youth have limited their ability to achieve systematic reforms that could decrease youth vulnerability to involvement in the sex trade.
Comparative strength of elbow splint designs: a new splint design as a stronger alternative to posterior splints.

Background Musculoskeletal injuries of the upper extremity are frequently treated with temporary external immobilization. Traditionally, long arm posterior splints have been used to limit flexion/extension of the elbow. However, long arm posterior splints have been observed to fail clinically, necessitating a stronger alternative. In this study, we assessed the biomechanical strength of the long arm posterior splint compared with a new spiral splint design. Methods One male and one female participant were placed 10 times in long arm posterior splints and 10 times in spiral splints. Both splint types were subjected to a downward mechanical load of 39.2 N (4 kg) and assessed for a change in both flexion/extension and pronation/supination. Results There was no significant difference in starting position or starting flexion/extension between the 2 splint designs. Posterior splints allowed significantly greater initial pronation/supination compared with spiral splints. Both splint groups had significant increases in flexion/extension and pronation/supination compared with their starting ranges of motion. There was no significant difference in the change in pronation/supination between the 2 splint groups. Finally, posterior splints allowed a significantly greater change in flexion/extension compared with spiral splints. Conclusion Spiral splints offered less initial pronation/supination than long arm posterior splints. Furthermore, spiral splints are able to resist flexion/extension of the elbow after application of a downward mechanical load better than posterior splints, thus suggesting spiral splints are mechanically superior to long arm posterior splints.
Success of Small and Medium Enterprises in Myanmar: Role of Technological, Organizational, and Environmental Factors

ABSTRACTSmall and medium enterprises (SMEs) are key to economic growth and prosperity in developing countries. In this study we build on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, a w...
Computed optical coherence microscopy of mouse brain ex vivo

The compromise between lateral resolution and usable imaging depth range is a bottleneck for optical coherence tomography (OCT). Existing solutions for optical coherence microscopy (OCM) suffer from either large data size and long acquisition time or a nonideal point spread function. We present volumetric OCM of mouse brain ex vivo with a large depth coverage by leveraging computational adaptive optics (CAO) to significantly reduce the number of OCM volumes that need to be acquired with a Gaussian beam focused at different depths. We demonstrate volumetric reconstruction of ex-vivo mouse brain with lateral resolution of 2.2 μm, axial resolution of 4.7 μm, and depth range of ∼1.2 mm optical path length, using only 11 OCT data volumes acquired on a spectral-domain OCM system. Compared to focus scanning with step size equal to the Rayleigh length of the beam, this is a factor of 4 fewer datasets required for volumetric imaging. Coregistered two-photon microscopy confirmed that CAO-OCM reconstructions can visualize various tissue microstructures in the brain. Our results also highlight the limitations of CAO in highly scattering media, particularly when attempting to reconstruct far from the focal plane or when imaging deep within the sample.
Sequencing Endocrine Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer: What Do We Do After Disease Progression on a CDK4/6 Inhibitor?

Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment landscape for patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) and HER2-negative (HER2−) metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, optimal therapy after CDK4/6 inhibitors is unknown. This review provides an update on recent understanding of potential resistance mechanisms to CDK4/6 inhibitors and therapeutic strategies. CDK4/6 inhibitors are broadly effective for HR+/HER2− MBC. However, intrinsic and acquired resistance is inevitable. Although there are no established clinical predictors of response aside from ER positivity, several cell cycle-specific and non-specific mechanisms have emerged as potential resistance biomarkers and therapeutic targets in recent studies. Examples include loss of function mutations in RB1 or FAT1, overexpression or amplification of CDK6 and CCNE1, alterations of FGFR, and PI3K/mTOR-mediated CDK2 activation. Biomarker studies and clinical trials targeting CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance are critical to improve treatments for HR+/HER2− MBC.
Simulation, power evaluation and sample size recommendation for single-cell RNA-seq.

Motivation Determining the sample size for adequate power to detect statistical significance is a crucial step at the design stage for high-throughput experiments. Even though a number of methods and tools are available for sample size calculation for microarray and RNA-seq in the context of differential expression (DE), this topic in the field of single-cell RNA sequencing is understudied. Moreover, the unique data characteristics present in scRNA-seq such as sparsity and heterogeneity increase the challenge. Results We propose POWSC, a simulation-based method, to provide power evaluation and sample size recommendation for single-cell RNA-sequencing DE analysis. POWSC consists of a data simulator that creates realistic expression data, and a power assessor that provides a comprehensive evaluation and visualization of the power and sample size relationship. The data simulator in POWSC outperforms two other state-of-art simulators in capturing key characteristics of real datasets. The power assessor in POWSC provides a variety of power evaluations including stratified and marginal power analyses for DEs characterized by two forms (phase transition or magnitude tuning), under different comparison scenarios. In addition, POWSC offers information for optimizing the tradeoffs between sample size and sequencing depth with the same total reads. Availability and implementation POWSC is an open-source R package available online at https://github.com/suke18/POWSC. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Incarceration and Social Death - Restoring Humanity in the Clinical Encounter.

Incarceration and Social Death Hospitals may intersect with the carceral system and participate in processes of “social death,” in which a person is treated as a nonperson and discounted in social ...
Follow the smoke: The pollution haven effect on global sourcing

Research abstract We examine whether and how foreign environmental standards influence global sourcing decisions. Taking a question‐driven approach, we find a negative association between the stringency of a country's environmental standards and its share in US imports for 82 manufacturing industries across 77 countries between 2006 and 2016. This pollution haven effect holds not only for sourcing from owned foreign operations (offshore integration), but also for sourcing from unrelated third parties abroad (offshore outsourcing), and is stronger in industries with high toxic emissions and low technological intensity. These results are robust across alternative measures of environmental stringency and to using the Kyoto Agreement as an instrumental variable. These findings shed new light on how firms use global sourcing, and especially offshore outsourcing, to arbitrage across institutional environments. Managerial summary Prior work has shown that multinational firms prefer to locate their plants in countries with weak environmental standards: the so‐called Pollution Haven Effect. We extend this research to show that firms not only source from countries with weak environmental standards from their own plants, but also from third‐party foreign suppliers. Using Census data on US manufacturing imports from 77 countries between 2006 and 2016 we show that when the stringency of environmental standards in a country decreased, sourcing from that country increased, and that this effect was just as strong for sourcing from third parties as from owned operations. Our study thus suggests that previous work may have substantially underestimated the pollution haven effect, by focusing on owned global sourcing rather than all global sourcing.
Testimony of Professor Michael T. Morley Before the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties

This is the written statement I submitted in conjunction with my testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights & Civil Liberties concerning potential amendments to the Voting Rights Act. The statement begins by discussing the Supreme Court's evolving understanding of the scope of Congress' power to protect constitutional rights, including the right to vote, under Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment. Reviewing the numerous important federal laws the Court has struck down as exceeding Congress' Section 5 power, my testimony then distills the general principles underlying the Court's holdings. Finally, it reviews H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 in light of these principles, identifying provisions that are at the greatest risk of being struck down by the Court, as well as others that could be amended to more effectively and efficiently protect voting rights.
Driving while under the influence of hallucinogens: Prevalence, correlates, and risk profiles

Abstract Background Hallucinogen use is rising in the US, yet little is known regarding the prevalence and psychosocial/behavioral correlates of driving under the influence of these drugs. Methods This study examined data from 4447 individuals ages 16–64 who reported past-year hallucinogen use in the 2016–2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Prevalence estimates (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were calculated for driving under the influence of hallucinogens (DUIH). Logistic regression examined psychosocial/behavioral correlates of DUIH, and latent class analysis (LCA) characterized subgroups of individuals reporting DUIH. Results The prevalence of past-year hallucinogen use was 2.42% (CI = 2.30–2.54) and, in the general population, the prevalence of DUIH was 0.21%. Among past-year hallucinogen users, 8.94% (CI = 7.74–10.31) reported DUIH on at least one occasion over the previous 12 months. The probability of DUIH increased significantly with more frequent use. Compared to individuals who used hallucinogens and did not report DUIH, individuals reporting DUIH were significantly more likely to report mental health problems; use of other illicit drugs; selling drugs; a past-year arrest; or driving under the influence of alcohol, cannabis, or other illicit drugs. LCA identified three classes of individuals reporting DUIH, characterized by: use of and driving under the influence of cannabis; use of and driving under the influence of cannabis and other illicit drugs; and mental health concerns. Conclusions Nearly one in ten individuals who report using hallucinogens also report driving under the influence of hallucinogens—drugs that affect perception and risk-taking, with alarming implications for driving safety.
Duration of viral shedding and culture positivity with post-vaccination breakthrough delta variant infections

Isolation guidelines for SARS-CoV-2 are largely derived from data collected prior to emergence of the delta variant. We followed a cohort of ambulatory patients with post-vaccination breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections with longitudinal collection of nasal swabs for SARS-CoV-2 viral load quantification, whole genome sequencing, and viral culture. All delta variant infections (8/8, 100%) in our cohort were symptomatic, compared with 64% (9/14) of non-delta variant infections. Delta variant breakthrough infections were characterized by higher initial viral load, longer duration of virologic shedding by PCR (median 13.5 vs 4 days, hazard ratio [HR] 0.45, 95%CI 0.17-1.17), greater likelihood of replication competent virus at early stages of infection (6/8 [75%] vs 3/14 [23%], P=0.03), and longer duration of culturable virus (median 7 vs 3 days, HR 0.38, 95%CI 0.14-1.02) compared to non-delta variants. Nonetheless, no individuals with delta variant infections had replication competent virus by day 10 after symptom onset or 24 hours after resolution of symptoms. These data support current US Center for Disease Control isolation guidelines and reinforce the importance of prompt testing and isolation among symptomatic individuals with delta variant breakthrough infections. Additional data are needed to evaluate these relationships among asymptomatic and more severe delta variant breakthrough infections.
The Performance of Magnetic Anvil Cells From 1 to 100 MA

The properties of warm dense matter are keys to predict planetary formation, where the core of the planet is in a regime where strong quantum effects and Coulomb coupling limit our ability to evaluate even the most basic material properties. Usually produced by high power lasers or heavy ion beams, predictions from numerical simulations (PERSEUS) have shown that pulsed power drivers can be another effective to study bulk material properties in this regime1. The key ingredient added by using a pulsed power driver is the confinement of WDM by intense magnetic fields. A mega-ampere pulsed power generator can confine WDM up to 10 Mbars. Under such conditions, bulk material properties can be produced and diagnosed at the mesoscale. While a simple z-pinch configuration yields surface instabilities early on in the discharge, the addition of a damper, surrounding the cylindrical sample, dramatically improves the symmetry and homogeneity of the implosion. Numerical simulations show how this experimental setup scales with current, from HADES2 to Z 8003.
Molecular engineering of phase transition temperatures in dodecasil-3C clathrasils

Single crystals of the dodecasil-3C clathrasils 17SiO/sub 2/-M (M=cyclohexane, cyclopentane, piperidine, pyrrolidine, cyclopentylamine, and cyclobutylamine) were grown using hydrothermal techniques. The influence that the organic guest molecule in a given silica host framework has on the bulk properties of the clathrasil was demonstrated. Each material displayed two phase transitions, one between 59 and 180 degrees C and the other between -110 and -1 degrees C. These phase transition temperatures could be systematically varied by varying the size of the guest molecule. >
Aggression and Defense, Neurohormonal Mechanisms of

Aggression and defense are important behavioral strategies throughout the animal kingdom, and are linked to activation of brain areas in the prefrontal cortex, limbic system, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray matter. While substantial progress has been made toward understanding the neural and neurotransmitter systems underlying defense, and the neurotransmitter and hormonal systems involved in aggression, the relationship between aggression and defense systems is poorly understood, as are the applicability of these findings to human aggression and violence. Keywords: aggression; defense; neural systems; hormonal systems
CoLPE: Support for Communities of Learning Practice by the Effective Embedding of Information and Knowledge about Group Activity

Communities of Learning Practice is an innovative paradigm focused on providing appropriate technological support to both formal and especially informal learning groups who are chiefly formed by non-technical people and who lack of the necessary resources to acquire such systems. Typically, students who are often separated by geography and/or time have the need to meet each other after classes in small study groups to carry out specific learning activities assigned during the formal learning process. However, the lack of suitable and available groupware applications makes it difficult for these groups of learners to collaborate and achieve their specific learning goals. In addition, they lack of advanced mechanisms of information management from the group activity for its further use in extracting and providing effective knowledge on interaction behavior. Indeed, this issue represents a fundamental requirement for current collaborative learning environments in order to adequately regulate the learning process as well as to enhance learning group’s participation by means of providing appropriate awareness and feedback. In this chapter, we first describe the main guidelines that conducted the requirements and design of this. Then, we employ this tool in a real on-line learning environment to support a collaborative activity based on an asynchronous discussion. Finally, the experience and the evaluation results of using this application are reported, showing promising opportunities to support the formal and also informal discussion processes occurring in current communities of learning practice.
The metabolic functions of vitamin B12. I. Distinctive modes of unbalanced growth behavior in Lactobacillus leichmannii.

Abstract The rod-shaped organism Lactobacillus leichmannii has growth requirements for vitamin B12 or a deoxyriboside, free purines (xanthine and guanine) and a pyrimidine. Varying the concentrations of these nutrients in the medium produced the following distinctive growth patterns which investigation revealed to be different forms of unbalanced growth behavior: (1) vitamin B12 or deoxyriboside starvation produced long non-viable filaments with decreased DNA/RNA and DNA/protein ration; (2) gross excesses of vitamin B12 or deoxyriboside apparently accelerated DNA synthesis producing unusually small viable forms with increased DNA/RNA and DNA/protein ratios; (3) purine starvation in cultures containing adequate concentrations of vitamin B12 or deoxyriboside increased DNA/RNA ratios and in the case of thymidine-grown organisms produced filamentous forms; and (4) replacement of free purines and pyrimidines with the corresponding ribosides in vitamin B12 cultures produced unusually small forms with normal DNA/RNA ratios and elevated DNA/protein and RNA/protein ratios, whereas riboside substitution had no such effect in deoxyriboside cultures. The results support the view that vitamin B12 participates in the conversion of ribosyl to deoxyribosyl groups. The data also provides evidence on the physiological role of trans-N-deoxyribosidase in L. leichmannii.
Asymmetric interactions in the adenosine-binding pockets of the MS2 coat protein dimer

Background The X-ray structure of the MS2 coat protein-operator RNA complex reveals the existence of quasi-synmetric interactions of adenosines -4 and -10 in pockets formed on different subunits of the coat protein dimer. Both pockets utilize the same five amino acid residues, namely Val29, Thr45, Ser47, Thr59, and Lys61. We call these sites the adenosine-binding pockets.
Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy during lymphatic mapping for breast cancer: improved sentinel node imaging using subareolar injection of technetium 99m sulfur colloid.

Abstract Background: Preoperative lymphoscintigraphy has been recommended to confirm the successful uptake and direction of migration of radiotracer into sentinel nodes during lymphatic mapping for breast cancer. In addition, preoperative lymphatic mapping may provide a visually useful aid to the relative location of sentinel nodes within a nodal basin. One common method of breast lymphoscintigraphy involves injections of unfiltered technetium 99m sulfur colloid (Tc-99m-SC) directly into parenchymal tissues surrounding a tumor or biopsy cavity (IP injection). Because of the many imaging failures and prolonged imaging times of IP lymphoscintigraphy, the procedure has fallen into disfavor by oncologic surgeons. The purpose of this study is to document the increased success rate of preoperative breast lymphoscintigraphy using a new anatomic site of injection, the subareolar lymphatic plexus (SA injection). Study Design: In the 12 months between December 1, 1998, and December 29, 1999, 42 women with stage I and II breast cancer underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy by either the IP (n = 12, December 1998 to May 1999) or SA (n = 30, May 1999 to December 1999) route of injection. Both groups were injected with 1 mCi (37 MBq) of unfiltered Tc-99m-SC followed immediately by external gamma-camera imaging. The success rate for preoperative sentinel node imaging and the total imaging time were recorded in both groups. Results: The success rate of identifying a sentinel node by SA lymphoscintigraphy was 90% (n = 27 of 30 patients), compared with 50% (n = 6 of 12 patients) for IP lymphoscintigraphy (p = 0.009). The imaging time in the SA injection group was 34 ± 16 minutes, which was 59% shorter than the imaging time in the IP injection group of 82 ± 48 minutes (p Conclusions: Moving the site of injection of unfiltered Tc-99m-SC to the subareolar lymphatic plexus (SA injection) increased the success rate of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy to 90%, compared with 50% using IP injections. Preoperative SA lymphoscintigraphy resulted in the rapid visualization of axillary sentinel nodes within 30 minutes of SA injection, enabling a visual determination of the approximate number of sentinel nodes and their relative locations within the axilla. We conclude SA injection of unfiltered Tc-99m-SC is superior to IP injections when performing preoperative breast lymphoscintigraphy and is a visually useful aid to lymphatic mapping for breast cancer.
Study of the kinetics of electrochemical reactions by thin-layer voltammetry: IV. The influence of chemisorbed species on the reactions of platinum complexes at platinum electrodes

Summary The rates of the electrode reactions of representative acidoammine platinum (II) and (IV) complexes have been measured in halide solutions using platinum electrodes treated with irreversibly chemisorbed substances, in order to probe the role of the compact layer in these reactions. The chemisorbed substances apparently displaced most of the specifically adsorbed halide, shifted the potentials in the diffuse double layer to more positive values than would be observed otherwise, and sterically hindered the reactions to an extent which depended on the size and shape of the adsorbed species. For instance, adsorbed iodine and 1,3-butadiene accelerated the reactions of anionic platinum(II) complexes and decelerated the reactions of cationic complexes, as would be expected from simple electrostatic considerations, but adsorbed carbon monoxide, ethylene and 1-octene decelerated the reactions of all the complexes studied, apparently because steric hindrance predominated over electrostatic effects for these surfactants. Physically adsorbed surfactants such as alkanes, aromatics and gelatin had relatively little effect on Pt(II) oxidation. The results are consistent with a model in which adsorbed halide enhances electrontransfer between the electrode surface and the reactant in interconversion of Pt(II) and Pt(IV). Although a variety of chemisorbed substances were observed to partially displace adsorbed halide ions, they did not prevent the reactions from occurring—in keeping with the suggestion that a halide-assisted electron transfer path may be involved in which the bridging halide interactis directly with the electrode at points not occupied by non-bridging surfactants, or indirectly through the adsorbed species.
The Ups and Downs of Wnt Signaling

Laying down networks of neurons to form the nervous system in the developing embryo depends on numerous positional cues that direct extending axons to their target cells. In their Perspective, [Imondi and Thomas][1] discuss new work ([ Lyuksyutova et al .][2]) that identifies a member of the Wnt family of signaling molecules as a crucial cue that directs commissural axons of the spinal cord to "go anterior." [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/302/5652/1903 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/302/5652/1984
Puberty onset in female rats: relationship with fat intake, ovarian steroids and the peptides, galanin and enkephalin, in the paraventricular and medial preoptic nuclei.

Puberty is a time of rapid change, including a marked increase in fat consumption and body fat accrual, particularly in females. The mechanisms underlying these changes are unknown. Building on results obtained in adult rats, the present study in pubertal rats focused on the orexigenic peptides, galanin (GAL) and enkephalin (ENK), in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and medial preoptic nucleus (MPN), which are known to be responsive to female steroids and have a role in both energy balance and reproductive function. This study examined female rats maintained on pure macronutrient diets from before weaning (day 15) to day 70. After an initial burst in protein intake (days 21-35), the rats showed an increase specifically in preference for fat, from 15% to 30%. In rats examined at different ages before (day 30) and after (days 45 and 60) puberty, this rise in fat intake was associated with a marked increase, from days 30 to 45, in levels of oestradiol and progesterone and in GAL and ENK mRNA or peptide levels specifically in the PVN and MPN, but not other hypothalamic areas examined. This positive relationship with increased fat intake, steroids and peptides across ages was also observed when comparing pubertal rats that naturally preferred fat (>25% of total diet) to those consuming little fat (<15%) or rats that reached puberty at an early age (days 30-34) to those that were late (days 37-40). These rats with early puberty onset exhibited a strong fat preference 3-4 days before vaginal opening, which was positively related to steroid levels, GAL, fat intake and body fat accrual after puberty. These findings suggest that, in addition to providing a signal for puberty onset, early fat ingestion acting through mechanisms involving the steroids and orexigenic peptides may be related to long-term patterns of eating and body weight regulation.
Solid state studies of HfSe2-xTex and HfTe2-x

Abstract The nature of the conductivity in hafnium ditelluride was investigated by study of the systems HfSe2-xTex (0 ≤ x ≤ 2) and HfTe2-x (0.05
Pindolol and systolic time intervals in patients with hypertension

Abstract Two studies of systolic time intervals (STIs) in patients with mild to moderate hypertension (HBP) revealed that no mean change in systolic intervals occurred with pindolol therapy, although some patients had significant alterations in their STIs. Pindolol responders with normal pretreatment preejection period to left ventricular ejection time (PEPLVET) ratios had a significant increase in this ratio following pindolol therapy, whereas those with abnormal pretreatment PEPLVET ratios had improvement in this ratio on administration of the drug. Patients on propranolol showed no change in PEPLVET ratio. Propranolol administration slowed heart rate and lengthened Q-S2, S1-S2, and LVET, however, without altering the Q-S2 and LVET index, indicating that the changes were caused by the effect of propranolol on the heart rate alone. Chlorthalidone in high doses significantly reduced the Q-S2 index and the S1-S2 index, indicating that these changes were not caused by alteration of the heart rate. The second study suggests that STIs may provide a predictive clue for clinical response to pindolol. Patients with normal cardiac function (group I) are more likely to respond to pindolol than are those with abnormal cardiac function (group II). Directionally opposite changes in STIs in the two subgroups suggest different mechanisms for changing cardiac function. Pindolol's dual role as a beta-blocking agent with intrinsic sympathomimetic activity is proposed as a possible explanation, beta-blocking effects predominating in group I and sympathomimetic activity balancing the beta effect in group II.