cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement and analysis of the structural performance of cellular metal sandwich construction

The bending performance of sandwich construction with thin cellular metal cores has been measured and simulated. A mechanism map has been generated to characterize the predominant failure phenomena based upon collapse load criteria for face yielding, core shear and indentation. A previously developed constitutive law for the core material has been incorporated into numerical simulations. Comparisons have been made with the measured response. Initial discrepancies attributed to a core thinness effect were rectified by inputting core shear properties measured on materials having the same thickness. Analytical estimates for the stiffness, yield load and limit load are compared with the numerical simulations and experimental results.
Factorial Comparison of the Effects of Pentobarbital Sodium and Whole-Body X-Irradiation on VR-3 Food Reinforced Bar-Pressing

36 male albino rats were trained to bar-press for food on a VR-3 reinforcement schedule before administration of either 0, 4.75, or 475 rad. whole body x-irradiation combined factorially with Nembutal or saline. The 475-rad. condition produced a marked reduction in response rate within 24 hr. of exposure. A similar but less pronounced decrement was attributed to residual narcosis. No interaction of Nembutal with x-irradiation was obtained.
Effects of Recent Thermometer Changes in the Cooperative Station Network

During the past five years, the National Weather Service (NWS) has replaced over half of its liquid-in-glass maximum and minimum thermometers in wooden Cotton Region Shelters (CRSs) with thermistor-based Maximum–Minimum Temperature Systems (MMTSs) housed in smaller plastic shelters. Analyses of data from 424 (of the 3300) MMTS stations and 675 CRS stations show that a mean daily minimum temperature change of roughly +0.3°C, a mean daily maximum temperature change of−0.4°C, and a change in average temperature of −0.1 °C were introduced as a result of the new instrumentation. The change of −0.7°C in daily temperature range is particularly significant for climate change studies that use this element as an independent variable. Although troublesome for climatologists, there is reason to believe that this change (relative to older records) represents an improvement in absolute accuracy. The bias appears to be rather sharp and well defined. Since the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) station history database...
Osteoprotegerin secreted by inflammatory and invasive breast cancer cells induces aneuploidy, cell proliferation and angiogenesis

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a glycoprotein that has multifaceted role and is associated with several cancer malignancies like that of bladder carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, prostate cancer, multiple myeloma and breast cancer. Also OPG has been associated with several organ pathologies. The widespread expression of OPG suggests that OPG may have multiple biological activities that are yet to be explored. The anchorage-independent sphere cultures of the adherent cells were instrumental in our study as it provided a deeper insight into the complexity of a 3D tumor. Cytokine profiling was performed for OPG’s detection in the microenvironment. ELISA and western blotting were performed to quantify the OPG secretion and measure the protein levels respectively. OPG expression was detected in human breast cancer tissue samples by IHC. To decipher OPG’s role in tumor aggressiveness both recombinant human OPG as well as OPG rich and depleted breast cancer cell conditioned media were tested. Western blotting and MTT assay were performed to detect changes in signaling pathways and proliferation that were induced in presence of OPG. Onset of aneuploidy, in presence of OPG, was measured by cell cycle analysis and western blotting. Finally, human Breast Cancer qBiomarker Copy Number PCR Array was used to detect how OPG remarkably induced gene copy numbers for oncogenic pathway regulators. SUM149PT and SUM1315M02 cells secrete high levels of the cytokine OPG compared to primary human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC). High expression of OPG was also detected in human breast cancer tissue samples compared to the uninvolved tissue from the same patient. OPG induced proliferation of control HMEC spheres and triggered the onset of aneuploidy in HMEC sphere cultures. OPG induced the expression of aneuploidy related kinases Aurora-A Kinase (IAK-1), Bub1 and BubR1 probably through the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) and syndecan-1 receptors via the Erk, AKT and GSK3(3 signaling pathway. Gene copy numbers for oncogenic pathway regulators such AKT1, Aurora-A Kinase (AURKA or IAK-1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and MYC with a reduction in the copy numbers of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), PTEN and DNA topoisomerase 2 alpha (TOP2A) were induced in presence of OPG. These results highlight the role of OPG in reprogramming normal mammary epithelial cells to a tumorigenic state and suggest promising avenues for treating inflammatory breast cancer as well as highly invasive breast cancer with new therapeutic targets.
Product Architecture Model for Multistory Modular Buildings

AbstractThe modular building construction method is the industry’s effort for industrialization of building construction. Similar to other types of production, a product information model is requir...
Design and Apply Research Power-assistant in Bodyshop

In order to increase work efficiency,ensure workers in a safe environment,sgmw introduce a power-assistant in bodyshop.By use this equipment,the shop retrench worker cost 0.2million/year,and reduce work time from 120 second to 90 second,highly improve work efficiency.
Microfluidic Systems Being Adapted for Microbial, Molecular Biological Analyses

Microfluidic analysis depends on devices conaining micrometer-to millimeter-scale components capable of handling microliter-to nanoliter quantities of liquids and gases. Soon after microfluidic inkjet printers came into use in 1987, microfluidic analytic devices with chemical and microbiological endpoints became available in the early 1990s. However, the pace of development remained slow until 1997, when research in microfluidics analytical systems began to grow geometrically. Dozens of examples now illustrate the value of microfluidics in molecular biology, especially for genetic analyses at the DNA level.
The effect of drugs on breathing during sleep.

SUMMARY We hope that the reader is impressed with the relatively limited amount of information available about the effects of drugs on breathing during sleep in both normal subjects and patients with sleep-disordered breathing. Although more reports are appearing, well-controlled evaluations remain limited in number. We believe that this information gap will quickly close because it is now increasingly appreciated that either spontaneous or druginduced breathing abnormalities measured during wakefulness may be strikingly magnified during sleep. Therefore, this area of investigation is exciting. Finally, we hope the reader shares our view that, to date, drug therapy for sleep apnea has limited efficacy.
Local dynamics of security in Africa: The Central African Republic and private security

In the Central African Republic, successive rebellions and unstable governments have created a palpable sense of insecurity for decades, which often seemed to require outside solutions. In this issue of the African Security Review the relevance, to the outside world, of African responses to the challenges of peace and security is explored and this article contains a survey of the local private security sector in the Central African Republic as a local response to the challenges of security. The author presents some evidence about how private security companies operate in the field and reveal interesting findings on the growth of one local sector. He also discusses some of the relationships between private and public provision of security in the local context. This work is based on fieldwork and secondary literature; it is part of wider research on how the private security industry operates in the sub-regional context that includes Darfur, Chad and the Central African Republic.
TDCIV extraction of dopant-impurity concentration and oxide thickness in ultrathin gate oxide MOS transistors

A methodology is demonstrated for lateral position profiling of surface dopant-impurity concentration in the channel region and two extension regions using experimental tunnel direct-current current-voltage (TDCIV) curves on a pMOS transistor with W/L = 10/spl mu/m/0.3/spl mu/m fabricated by a factory 100nm technology. The methodology employs a zeroth-order and a first-order TDCIV model. Based on the zeroth-order model, constant oxide thickness, constant surface substrate-dopant-impurity concentration, and region length in each region were extracted. Then, using lateral dopant-impurity profile formulae in the first-order model to fit the TDCIV drain, source and basewell current data, the spatial variations of surface dopant-impurity concentration in the three regions are obtained.
Mobilities and Risks in Coastal Kenya: Jumping Scales Versus Staying Local

Removed from the roadsides by waves of “city cleaning” in the early 2000s, Kenyan crafts traders have spent their careers struggling for market access within the port city and tourism hub of Mombasa. An Indian Ocean city in which the mobile and immobile of the global economy converge and interact, some Kenyan traders strive to “jump scales” into international networks, made more possible in the last decade with the help of digital technologies such as cell phones and e-mail. Based on research conducted between 2001 and 2014, this article explores the stories of two Kenyan crafts traders and how they negotiate the changing relationships and risks of different types of mobility, from everyday travel around Mombasa and Kenya to the mobility made possible by new telecommunication technologies. I focus on emergent strategies for economic advancement and the need to negotiate a variety of formal and informal political, legal, and economic barriers. I demonstrate that translating the new forms of digital technologies and mobility into economic success is contingent on the types of risks accompanying these new mobilities and the capacity for individuals’ social networks to help in gaining access to jobs, land, and new social connections.
A Novel Approach to Assess the In Situ Versus Ex Vivo Mechanical Behaviors of the Coronary Artery

Ex vivo mechanical testing has provided tremendous insight toward prediction of the in vivo mechanical behavior and local mechanical environment of the arterial wall; however, the role of perivascular support on the local mechanical behavior of arteries is not well understood. Here, we present a novel approach for quantifying the impact of the perivascular support on arterial mechanics using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) on cadaveric porcine hearts. We performed pressure-diameter tests (n = 5) on the left anterior descending coronary arteries (LADCAs) in situ while embedded in their native perivascular environment using IVUS imaging and after removal of the perivascular support of the artery. We then performed standard cylindrical biaxial testing on these vessels ex vivo and compared the results. Removal of the perivascular support resulted in an upward shift of the pressure-diameter curve. Ex vivo testing, however, showed significantly lower circumferential compliance compared to the in situ configuration. On a second set of arteries, local axial stretch ratios were quantified (n = 5) along the length of the arteries. The average in situ axial stretch ratio was 1.28 ± 0.16; however, local axial stretch ratios showed significant variability, ranging from 1.01 to 1.70. Taken together, the data suggest that both the perivascular loading and the axial tethering have an important role in arterial mechanics. Combining nondestructive testing using IVUS with traditional ex vivo cylindrical biaxial testing yields a more comprehensive assessment of the mechanical behavior of arteries.
The Nature of the Diseases That Arise from Improper Regulation of the Alternative Pathway of Complement

The complement system is the cornerstone of innate immunity. As one of the first lines of host defense, it plays a major role in microbial killing, immune complex handling, apoptotic cell clearance, tissue homeostasis, and modulation of adaptive immunity (1–3). Critical to these functions is the sequential triggering of a series of cascades that result in the generation of metastable protease complexes and culminate in the formation of membrane attack complex (MAC) (4). Improper regulation of these cascades is associated with the development of multiple different diseases. In this chapter, we focus on the clinical consequence of dysregulation of the alternative pathway (AP) of complement. We first provide a review of the AP and then illustrate the consequence of its dysregulation by describing two ultrarare diseases: atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) and C3 glomerulopathy (C3G).
Plumbing Hardware Failure Analyses

The hardware used for plumbing assemblies play an important role in modern home, business, and industrial systems. Engineered plumbing hardware made from metals allow for an extensive network of plumbing assemblies accommodating complex designs which facilitate product and installation effectiveness, in addition to maintaining cost efficiency. Examples of plumbing hardware include fittings, valves, drains, fixtures, pipes, and so on. These materials are often subjected to a range of environments dependent on local water chemistry as well as varying service environments and installation techniques. Given the vast number of components in use failures do occur, often as a result of extreme service conditions or inappropriate installation techniques. Understanding the failure mechanisms associated with plumbing hardware and their assemblies is an important step in material and design optimization for future development. In view of that, this paper provides a range of plumbing component failure case studies for potable and non-potable water systems.
Administering multiple doses of a non N-(methylsuccinimido) anthranoyllycoctonine (MSAL)-containing tall larkspur (Delphinium occidentale) to cattle

Larkspurs (Delphinium spp.) are a serious toxic plant problem for cattle in western North America. There are two chemotypes of D. occidentale, a more toxic and a less toxic chemotype. The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity of the less toxic chemotype when administered in multiple doses to cattle. These results suggest that cattle could consume enough of the less toxic chemotype to be poisoned in a range setting.
Nitric oxide production is stimulated by bitter taste receptors ubiquitously expressed in the sinonasal cavity.

BackgroundBitter taste receptors (T2R) have recently been demonstrated to contribute to sinonasal innate immunity. One T2R, T2R38, regulates mucosal defense against gram-negative organisms through ...
Minocycline plus N-acteylcysteine induces remyelination, synergistically protects oligodendrocytes and modifies neuroinflammation in a rat model of mild traumatic brain injury:

Mild traumatic brain injury afflicts over 2 million people annually and little can be done for the underlying injury. The Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs Minocycline plus N-acetylcysteine (MINO plus NAC) synergistically improved cognition and memory in a rat mild controlled cortical impact (mCCI) model of traumatic brain injury.3 The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of the drug combination are unknown. This study addressed the effect of the drug combination on white matter damage and neuroinflammation after mCCI. Brain tissue from mCCI rats given either sham-injury, saline, MINO alone, NAC alone, or MINO plus NAC was investigated via histology and qPCR at four time points (2, 4, 7, and 14 days post-injury) for markers of white matter damage and neuroinflammation. MINO plus NAC synergistically protected resident oligodendrocytes and decreased the number of oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Activation of microglia/macrophages (MP/MG) was synergistically increased in white matter two days post-injury after MINO plus NAC treatment. Patterns of M1 and M2 MP/MG were also altered after treatment. The modulation of neuroinflammation is a potential mechanism to promote remyelination and improve cognition and memory. These data also provide new and important insights into how drug treatments can induce repair after traumatic brain injury.
Basal cell carcinoma of the temporal bone and external auditory canal

Objectives/hypothesis To review the presenting features, treatment, and outcomes for patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) involving the temporal bone or external auditory canal (EAC). Study design Retrospective case series. Methods Presenting characteristics, treatment strategies, and outcomes for patients with BCC involving the temporal bone or EAC were reviewed. Main outcome measures included rates of overall and disease-free survival at 5 years. Results Forty-two patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age, 67 years). The most common presenting symptoms were hearing loss (15 patients, 36%) and otorrhea (11 patients, 26%). The 5-year overall survival rate was 78%, and the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 77%. Patients who had undergone surgery elsewhere and presented with facial weakness had significantly worse overall survival (P = .004). Ten patients (24%) underwent sacrifice of at least a portion of the facial nerve at the time of their initial procedure at our institution. Two patients (5%) developed regional nodal disease. There was a trend toward better disease-free survival for patients who received adjuvant radiation therapy after surgery at our institution (P = .06). Conclusions BCC originating from or extending to the temporal bone can exhibit a wide range of behavior, ranging from superficial lesions readily managed with surgery to extensive locally invasive tumors with propensity for recurrence, treated with multimodality therapy. BCC may be associated with better prognosis than other temporal bone malignancies. Level of evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 128:1425-1430, 2018.
Abortion in a Post-Truth Moment: A Response to Erwin Chemerinsky and Michele Goodwin

In Abortion: A Woman’s Private Choice, Erwin Chemerinsky and Michele Goodwin respond to the crisis of abortion rights in our current political moment. While preserving the right to abortion is an ongoing challenge for reproductive-justice advocates and lawyers, the arrival of a new Republican administration led by Donald Trump and a Republican majority in the House and Senate heightens these concerns. In the face of ongoing and new threats to abortion access, Chemerinsky and Goodwin argue that abortion should be treated as a woman’s private choice. I agree with Chemerinsky and Goodwin, as all supporters of abortion rights should. This response to their insightful essay situates their argument in a set of debates and discussions that undergird many of the logics utilized by the court to justify their choice of standard: medical, psychological, and scientific evidence on abortion.
Bioengineering a Non-Genotoxic Vector for Genetic Modification of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Vectors used for stem cell transfection must be non-genotoxic, in addition to possessing high efficiency, because they could potentially transform normal stem cells into cancer-initiating cells. The objective of this research was to bioengineer an efficient vector that can be used for genetic modification of stem cells without any negative somatic or genetic impact. Two types of multifunctional vectors, namely targeted and non-targeted were genetically engineered and purified from E. coli. The targeted vectors were designed to enter stem cells via overexpressed receptors. The non-targeted vectors were equipped with MPG and Pep1 cell penetrating peptides. A series of commercial synthetic non-viral vectors and an adenoviral vector were used as controls. All vectors were evaluated for their efficiency and impact on metabolic activity, cell membrane integrity, chromosomal aberrations (micronuclei formation), gene dysregulation, and differentiation ability of stem cells. The results of this study showed that the bioengineered vector utilizing VEGFR-1 receptors for cellular entry could transfect mesenchymal stem cells with high efficiency without inducing genotoxicity, negative impact on gene function, or ability to differentiate. Overall, the vectors that utilized receptors as ports for cellular entry (viral and non-viral) showed considerably better somato- and genosafety profiles in comparison to those that entered through electrostatic interaction with cellular membrane. The genetically engineered vector in this study demonstrated that it can be safely and efficiently used to genetically modify stem cells with potential applications in tissue engineering and cancer therapy.
Prédire la structure des forêts à partir d'images PolInSAR par apprentissage de descripteurs LIDAR

Ce travail de these a pour objectif la prediction des parametres structurels des forets a grande echelle, grâce aux images de teledetection. La demarche consiste a etendre la precision des donnees LIDAR spatiales, en les utilisant la ou elles sont disponibles, en tant que donnee d'apprentissage pour les images radar a synthese d'ouverture polarimetriques et interferometrique (PolInSAR). A partir de l'analyse des proprietes geometriques de la forme de coherence PolInSAR, nous avons propose un ensemble de parametres susceptibles d'avoir une correlation forte avec les profils de densite LIDAR en milieu forestier. Cette description a ete utilisee comme donnees d'entree de techniques SVM, de reseaux de neurones, et de forets aleatoires, afin d'apprendre un ensemble de descripteurs de forets issus du LIDAR : la hauteur totale, le type de profil vertical, et la couverture horizontale. L'application de ces techniques a des donnees reelles aeroportees de forets boreales en Suede et au Canada, et l'evaluation de leur precision, demontrent la pertinence de la methode. Celle-ci prefigure les traitements qui pourront etre appliques a l'echelle planetaires aux futures missions satellites dediees a la foret : Biomass, Tandem-L et NiSAR.
Correction to: A Model for Lubricant Transfer from Media to Head During Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) Writing

The original version of this article unfortunately contained an error in the following equations.
High Throughput Sequencing and Assessing Disease Risk

High-throughput sequencing has dramatically improved our ability to determine and diagnose the underlying causes of human disease. The use of whole-genome and whole-exome sequencing has facilitated faster and more cost-effective identification of new genes implicated in Mendelian disease. It has also improved our ability to identify disease-causing mutations for Mendelian diseases whose associated genes are already known. These benefits apply not only in cases in which the objective is to assess genetic disease risk in adults and children, but also for prenatal genetic testing and embryonic testing. High-throughput sequencing has also impacted our ability to assess risk for complex diseases and will likely continue to influence this area of disease research as more and more individuals undergo sequencing and we better understand the significance of variation, both rare and common, across the genome. Through these activities, high-throughput sequencing has the potential to revolutionize medicine.
The J chain of polymeric immunoglobulins.

The polypeptide chain structures and properties of immunoglobulins from both human serum and colostrum were compared in 1966 by Rejnek et al. and by Cederblad et al. After cleavage of disulfide bonds and subsequent analysis of isolated heavy (H) and light (L) chain fractions, an electrophoretically fast, anodally moving polypeptide became detectable in the light chain fraction of immunoglobulin derived from colostrum. When these fractions were analyzed by starch-block gel electrophoresis in urea at alkaline pH, the polypeptide appeared as a sharp, intensely stained band that preceded the electrophoresis banding pattern typical of L chains. Further characteristics of this polypeptide were not determined, and for a time its origin remained obscure. In 1967 Cebra and Small detected a similar polypeptide in secretory IgA isolated from rabbit milk. Because of the earlier findings of Tomasi et al. (1965), this polypeptide was termed T chain and was assumed to represent a part of an additional entity of S-IgA, a secretory component (SC). At this stage, human and rabbit S-IgA molecules were thought to consist of two 7 S molecules, each containing two α and two L chains, connected by SC that was composed of two T chains (Cebra, 1969; Small et al., 1971). The reasoning behind this hypothesis was obvious: The research methods used revealed only H, L, and T chains, and the total molecular weights of the individual components corresponded to the molecular weight of the S-IgA molecule. The presence of T chain in serum myeloma IgA (Poulik, 1967) was assumed to result from the possible binding of SC to that type of IgA.
The Relationship of Pregnancy Status to Job Satisfaction: An Exploratory Analysis

Forty-three women who had worked outside of the home prior to becoming pregnant and had returned to the same place of employment after the birth of their children participated in the study. To do so, they responded to a two-part questionnaire asking about their work lives (e.g., level of job satisfaction before, during, and after their pregnancies) and demographic characteristics (e.g., occupation). The results indicated that their job satisfaction was significantly greater before their pregnancies than either during or after their pregnancies. Job satisfaction during pregnancy had a significant, positive correlation with satisfaction with organizational maternity leave policies. Perceived reactions from women's coworkers and supervisors were also examined. Implications for these findings for organizations are discussed. Limitations of the study, and how they might be rectified in future research, are also addressed.
Immunohistology of Skin from AIDS Patients

Autoimmune phenomena and Langerhans cells (LC) have been studied in clinically normal skin from patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) by several investigators using immunohistological (IH) techniques. In addition, IH techniques have been used to compare cytokine expression by skin overlying AIDS—associated Kaposi’s sarcoma to adjacent normal skin.
Addressing the social emotional needs of children in chronic poverty: A pilot of the Journey of Hope

Abstract Background Children who live in rural poverty face numerous hardships and are at a high risk of experiencing complex trauma such as abuse, neglect, and/or community violence. Given this risk, these young people are disproportionately affected by psychosocial difficulties. School-based trauma-informed interventions are one way to reach children who are at high risk of experiencing complex trauma. These programs target problem behaviors, such as emotional and behavioral dysregulation, that stem from adverse childhood experiences such as family violence and/or prolonged neglect. Objective This study examined a pilot of the Junior (JJoH) and Elementary (EJoH) Journey of Hope school-based intervention in rural, high-poverty public elementary schools in Tennessee. Methods The Junior and Elementary Journey of Hope was employed using a case series design with children pre-K-3rd grade who attended afterschool programs in four elementary schools in rural Tennessee. The sample for the study included children who received consent/assent and participated in the program (N = 112). To examine change over time, the Strengths and Difficulties Scale and the Child Behavior Scale were completed by teachers at three time points (baseline, post-intervention, and six-month follow-up). Results Repeated measures ANOVA revealed mean differences between time points for conduct problems F (1, 111) = 0.6.65, p = .02, hyperactivity F (1, 111) = 8.48, p = .04 and peer prosocial behaviors F (1, 111) = 5.01, p = .01. This trend, however, did not remain significant from post-intervention to six-month follow-up. Conclusions Our study found that while child behaviors and well-being improved when participating in the JJoH and EJoH, once the intervention was removed, children returned to baseline levels of functioning within six months. Future studies should consider incorporating additional sessions and supplemental parent and teacher education to amplify the impact of the intervention.
Critical period for weed control in grafted and nongrafted watermelon grown in plasticulture.

Field experiments determined the critical period for weed control (CPWC) in grafted and nongrafted watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thumb.) Matsum. & Nakai] grown in plasticulture. Transplant types included ‘Exclamation’ seedless watermelon as the nongrafted control as well as Exclamation grafted onto two interspecific hybrid squash (ISH) rootstocks, ‘Carnivor’ and ‘Kazako’. To simulate weed emergence throughout the season, establishment treatments (EST) consisted of two seedlings each of common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.), large crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.], and yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.) transplanted in a 15 by 15 cm square centered on watermelon plants at 0, 2, 3, 4, and 6 wk after watermelon transplanting (WATr) and remained until the final watermelon harvest at 11 WATr. To simulate weed control at different times in the season, removal treatments (REM) consisted of two seedlings of the same weed species transplanted in a 15 by 15 cm square centered on watermelon plants on the same day of watermelon transplanting and allowed to remain until 2, 3, 4, 6, and 11 WATr, at which time they were removed. Season-long weedy and weed-free controls were included for both EST and REM studies in both years. For all transplant types, aboveground biomass of weeds decreased as weed establishment was delayed and increased as weed removal was delayed. The predicted CPWC for nongrafted Exclamation and Carnivor required only a single weed removal between 2.3 and 2.5 WATr and 1.9 and 2.6 WATr, respectively, while predicted CPWC for Kazako rootstock occurred from 0.3 to 2.6 WATr. Our study results suggest that weed control for this mixed population of weeds would be similar between nongrafted Exclamation and Exclamation grafted onto Carnivor. But the observed CPWC of Exclamation grafted onto Kazako suggests that CPWC may vary with specific rootstock–scion combinations.
Chemical bonding analysis of excited states using the adaptive natural density partitioning method

A novel approach to chemical bond analysis for excited states has been developed. Using an extended adaptive natural density partitioning method (AdNDP) as implemented in AdNDP 2.0 code, we obtained chemically intuitive bonding patterns for the excited states of H2O, B5+, and C2H4+ molecules. The deformation pathway in the excited states could be easily predicted based on the analysis of the chemical bond pattern. We expect that this new method of chemical bonding analysis would be very helpful for photochemistry, photoelectron spectroscopy, electron spectroscopy and other chemical applications that involved excited states.
Coupled alkali halide color centers: Fractional charge errors, fractional spin errors, and a failure of spin symmetry breaking produce challenging tests for condensed-phase electronic structure calculations

Color centers (F-centers) consist of defect-trapped electrons confined and shielded by a surrounding ionic lattice. This work shows how adjacent color centers in lithium fluoride provide a suite of challenging tests for electronic structure calculations in condensed phases, mimicking theoretically well-studied but experimentally fleeting gas-phase model systems such as stretched H2+, stretched H2, and stretched H3+. Singlet-triplet gaps and electron transfer reactions among these centers exhibit delocalization (fractional charge), strong left-right correlation (fractional spin), and a density-driven failure of spin-symmetry-broken singlet calculations. Tests of representative density functional theory approximations show that new “non-zero-sum” approaches qualitatively improve agreement with correlated multireference benchmark values.
Applied regression analysis bibliography update 1990-91

The 25-page Bibliography in Applied Regression Analysis, 2nd edition, by N.R. Draper and H. Smith, published by Wiley in 1981, was previously extended by a list of selected references available during 1988-89, plus a few older references. See Communications in Statistics - Theory and Methods, 19(4), 1205-1229 (1990). Here is a further update covering the years 1990-91, and following the same format. As before, items were chosen on the basis of their perceived relevance to practical applications (sometimes rather widely interpreted). The classification system used is that of the book. The references were selected mostly from the issues of these journals: Annals of Statistics; Applied Statistics; Biometrika; Canadian Journal of Statistics; Bulletin of the International Statistical Institute; Journal of the American Statistical Association; Journal of Quality Technology; Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series A and B; and Technometrics.
Highly stable superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as functional draw solutes for osmotically driven water transport

In this work, we develop and demonstrate highly stable organic-coated engineered superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), which provide effective osmotic pressure without aggregation, reverse diffusion, or membrane blocking (by nanoparticles) for osmotically driven membrane systems, considering both forward osmosis (FO) and pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO). For this, we synthesized highly water stable, monodisperse 12 nm IONPs with a rational series of water stabilizing surface coatings, including sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). We then compared the library of surface functionalized IONPs as draw solutes for osmotic pressure-driven membrane processes. As synthesized, surface (organic) coatings are compact, thin, and can have very similar surface charge as the membrane itself, which results in effective osmotic pressure in forward osmosis (FO) mode configuration. To increase the osmotic pressure further, on a per mass basis, we synthesized and demonstrated novel hollow IONPs with identical surface coatings. Finally, water flux was further enhanced for stable particle systems using an oscillating magnetic field, thus physically altering concentration gradients, as a function of particle magnetic properties.
A review of glioblastoma immunotherapy

Glioblastoma is a very aggressive cancer with dismal prognosis despite standard of care including surgical resection, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. There is interest in applying immunotherapy to glioblastoma as this modality has demonstrated remarkable improvements in the management of several solid tumors including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of glioblastoma immunotherapy. Literature search was performed on PubMed between 1961 and 2020. Initial clinical trials of checkpoint inhibitors and vaccine therapy for glioblastoma have largely been disappointing for both primary and recurrent glioblastoma. This failure has been attributed to glioblastoma’s highly immunosuppressive environment and multiple mechanisms of therapy resistance including high tumor heterogeneity, low mutational burden, systemic immunosuppression, and local immune dysfunction. Current clinical trials are exploring combination therapy and novel treatment strategies beyond immune checkpoint therapies and vaccine therapy such as CAR T cells. There is also an effort to establish synergy between immunotherapy and current standard of care. Furthermore, recent advances in personalized neoantigen vaccines suggest a shift towards personalized, patient-specific GBM treatment.
Incidence of healthcare-associated infections in patients with fever during the first 48 hours after decannulation from veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Introduction:Fevers following decannulation from veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation often trigger an infectious workup; however, the yield of this workup is unknown. We investigated th...
Variations in tree growth provide limited evidence of species mixture effects in Interior West USA mixed‐conifer forests

1. In mixed stands, species complementarity (e.g. facilitation and competition reduction) may enhance forest tree productivity. Although positive mixture effects have been identified in forests world‐wide, the majority of studies have focused on two‐species interactions in managed systems with high functional diversity. We extended this line of research to examine mixture effects on tree productivity across landscape‐scale compositional and environmental gradients in the low functional diversity, fire‐suppressed, mixed‐conifer forests of the U.S. Interior West. 2. We investigated mixture effects on the productivity of Pinus ponderosa, Pseudotsuga menziesii and Abies concolor. Using region‐wide forest inventory data, we created individual‐tree generalized linear mixed models and examined the growth of these species across community gradients. We compared the relative influences of stand structure, age, competition and environmental stress on mixture effects using multi‐model inference. We analysed growth of neighbouring tree species to infer whether a mixture effect in a single species translated to the stand‐level. 3. We found support for a positive mixture effect in P. menziesii, although our results were equivocal in light of a weaker but still plausible alternative model. Growth of P. menziesii neighbouring species in mixed stands declined or held constant depending on aridity, suggesting that a positive mixture effect in P. menziesii does not necessarily extend to the stand level. We found no evidence for mixture effects in P. ponderosa, A. concolor or their neighbouring species. 4. Complementarity appears to have a limited influence on tree growth in the mixed‐conifer systems of the U.S. Interior West, reflecting limited functional diversity. Historical changes in stand structure following fire exclusion, particularly high stand densities, may limit the potential for positive species mixture effects. The limited species pool of Interior West forests increases the risk that, without careful management, what functional diversity exists could be lost to compositional changes resulting from stand dynamics or disturbance.
Durability of Triple Combination Therapy Versus Stepwise Addition Therapy in Patients With New-Onset T2DM: 3-Year Follow-up of EDICT

OBJECTIVE To compare the long-term efficacy of initiating therapy with metformin/pioglitazone/exenatide in patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) versus sequential addition of metformin followed by glipizide and insulin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Drug-naive patients (N = 318) with new-onset T2DM were randomly assigned to receive for 3 years either 1) combination therapy with metformin, pioglitazone, and exenatide (triple therapy) or 2) sequential addition of metformin followed by glipizide and insulin (conventional therapy) to maintain HbA1c at RESULTS Baseline HbA1c ± SEM values were 9.0% ± 0.2% and 8.9% ± 0.2% in the triple therapy and conventional therapy groups, respectively. The decrease in HbA1c resulting from triple therapy was greater at 6 months than that produced by conventional therapy (0.30% [95% CI 0.21–0.39]; P = 0.001), and the HbA1c reduction was maintained at 3 years in patients receiving triple therapy compared with conventional therapy (6.4% ± 0.1% and 6.9% ± 0.1%, respectively), despite intensification of antihyperglycemic therapy in the latter. Thus, the difference in HbA1c between the two treatment groups at 3 years was 0.50% (95% CI 0.39–0.61; P CONCLUSIONS Triple therapy with agents that improve insulin sensitivity and β-cell function in patients with new-onset T2DM produce greater, more durable HbA1c reduction than agents that lower glucose levels without correcting the underlying metabolic defects.
Association Between FFRCT and Instantaneous Wave-Free Ratio (iFR) of Intermediate Lesions on Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography.

Abstract Background New data suggests long term outcomes of coronary revascularization based on instantaneous wave free ratio (iFR) are equivalent to invasive fractional flow reserve (FFR). We aimed to evaluate the correlation between non-invasive FFR derived from cardiac CT (FFR CT) and iFR. Methods Data from 21 patients with 26 vessels, who underwent both FFRCT computation and invasive iFR measurement, were analysed. We evaluated diagnostic performance of FFRCT according to two cut-off values of ≤0.80 and ≤0.70 with iFR ≤0.89 as the reference standard. Results In a per vessel analysis, the average diameter stenosis was 59%, mean FFRCT was 0.81 while mean iFR was 0.90. Using an FFRCT cut-off of 0.80, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and overall accuracy for FFRCT were 86%, 84%, 67%, 94%, and 85% respectively. When the cut-off was lowered to 0.70, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and overall accuracy for FFRCT were 57%, 100%, 100%, 86% and 88% respectively. Conclusion FFRCT correlates well with iFR in this small retrospective study. Larger studies are required to confirm this finding.
The Carbon Footprint of Residency Interview Travel.

Background Over the last decade, medical student residency applicants have shown a substantial increase in the number of interviews attended, which is associated with a significant increase in travel. The carbon footprint associated with residency interviews has not been well documented prior to this investigation, and is a critical issue related to climate health. Objective The purpose of this study is to document the carbon footprint associated with travel to residency interviews of the applicants from a single institution. Methods Graduating medical students from the University of Michigan Medical School were surveyed in 2020 to gather information regarding travel related to residency interviews. A validated carbon emissions calculator was used to determine the associated carbon footprint. Results Response rate was 103 of 174 (59%). Average interviews per student across all specialties was 14.39 interviews per student. The overall class average for total carbon footprint per student was calculated as 3.07 metric tons CO2, making the class average carbon footprint per interview 0.21 metric tons CO2. If we extrapolate the results of our study to all residents, the resulting CO2 emissions approach 51 665 metric tons CO2 per year, which is equivalent to the amount of CO2 produced by 11 162 passenger cars in 1 year. Conclusions Medical education leaders could help reduce the carbon footprint by encouraging a reduction in number of in-person interviews attended by applicants.
Acute transverse myelitis in West Nile Virus, a rare neurological presentation

Abstract Introduction West Nile Virus varies in presentation from asymptomatic to a febrile illness often associated with malaise, weakness and maculopapular rash. West Nile neuro-invasive disease often manifests as meningitis, encephalitis, and less commonly acute flaccid paralysis in a "polio-like" presentation. Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a rare manifestation. We present a case of neuro-invasive West Nile Virus infection with radiographic evidence of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM), a subset of ATM, Case narration A 42-year-old male from Massachusetts presented with progressive asymmetric paralysis of 4 days duration after developing a prodrome of fever, neck stiffness and urinary retention. Physical examination demonstrated asymmetric lower extremity weakness Lumbar puncture revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis with normal protein and glucose and a positive West Nile IgM in CSF (4.89, reference Conclusion With our patient’s presentation of acute onset asymmetrical weakness following a viral illness, we ruled out differentials including demyelinating syndrome such as GBS, inflammation of the meninges through meningitis or meningoencephalitis, or traumatic/ischemic involvement of the spinal cord directly. Due to the MRI findings, his motor weakness and urinary retention, supporting CSF findings and WNV positive serologies, ATM due to WNV infection was the main suspect for his presentation. Although ATM is an uncommon manifestation of WNV, it is imperative to consider this in the differential for patients presenting with acute onset flaccid paralysis in regions where WNV is endemic.
A PET imaging strategy to quantify the residence time and kinetics of antibody therapeutics at the tumor

211 Objectives: We hypothesize that radiotracers designed to bind to the target monoclonal antibody (mAb) sites with a weaker affinity than the parent mAbs, and faster pharmacokinetics, can be used to quantify the unoccupied target expression levels at the disease site by positron emission tomography (PET). Those real-time measurements of unoccupied target levels by PET provide a compelling measure of mAb binding at the disease site, and will be agnostic to disease, location, and the type of mAb. Those measurements also account for intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence mAb kinetics at the disease site and location, and could be used for mAb dose finding and optimization. We demonstrate the feasibility of our hypothesis using three FDA approved mAbs (atezolizumab, avelumab or durvalumab)targeting the immune checkpoint protein programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) using a highly specific PD-L1 binding peptide-based PET imaging agent, [18F]DK222, in preclinical models of human cancer. Methods: A high affinity 14 amino acid human specific PD-L1 binding cyclic peptide was radiolabeled with [18F]fluoride by the AlF method to generate [18F]DK222. To test the ability of [18F]DK222 to quantify unoccupied PD-L1 levels, multiple PD-L1 positive (MDAMB231, LOX-IMVI) and negative cell lines (SUM149, MeWo) were incubated with PD-L1 antibodies followed by incubation with [18F]DK222, and the bound radioactivity was measured. To quantify how antibody dose impacted unoccupied PD-L1 levels in the tumors, LOX-IMVI tumor bearing mice were treated with 0.3 or 20 mg/kg of atezolizumab for 24 h before [18F]DK222 injection. To evaluate the impact of time and dose on the unoccupied tumor PD-L1 levels during treatment, LOX-IMVI tumor bearing mice were treated with 1 mg/kg bolus dose of atezolizumab, avelumab or durvalumab for 24 h or 96 h before [18F]DK222 injection. In all the studies, PET images and biodistribution studies were performed at 1 h after [18F]DK222 injection. Results: We observed significant reduction in [18F]DK222uptake in all PD-L1 positive cell lines treated with antibodies compared with PBS controls and PD-L1 negative cell lines. Imaging and biodistribution studies demonstrated reduced [18F]DK222 uptake in the LOX-IMVI tumors with increased atezolizumab dose indicating reduced unoccupied PD-L1 levels. We observed no significant differences in [18F]DK222 uptake in mice treated with 1 mg/kg dose of mAbs for 24 h, indicating that all the three mAbs bind and saturate tumor PD-L1 at 24h. A significant increase in unoccupied fraction of PD-L1 was observed in mice treated for 96 h with 1 mg/kg dose of atezolizumab and avelumab but not in mice treated with druvalumab, indicating prolonged PD-L1 engagement by durvalumab at the tumor compared to other PD-L1 antibodies. Conclusions: Target engagement and tumor residence kinetics of different mAbs targeting PD-L1 can be quantified non-invasively at the tumor and independently of the biophysical properties and pharmacokinetics of the mAbs. $$graphic_BAD89B28-698B-4BE9-9709-0E2F7C41D33B$$