cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxysterols Are Novel Activators of the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Pluripotent Mesenchymal Cells

Pluripotent mesenchymal cells form a population of precursors to a variety of cell types, including osteoblasts and adipocytes. Aging tilts the balance in favor of adipocyte differentiation at the expense of osteoblast differentiation, resulting in reduced bone formation and osteopenic disorders, including osteoporosis, in humans and animals. Understanding the mechanisms involved in causing this apparent shift in differentiation and identifying factors that stimulate osteoblast formation while inhibiting adipogenesis are of great therapeutic interest. In this study we report that specific, naturally occurring oxysterols, previously shown to direct pluripotent mesenchymal cells toward an osteoblast lineage, exert their osteoinductive effects through activation of Hedgehog signaling pathway. This was demonstrated by 1) oxysterol-induced expression of the Hh target genes Gli-1 and Patched, 2) oxysterol-induced activation of a luciferase reporter driven by a multimerized Gli-responsive element, 3) inhibition of oxysterol effects by the hedgehog pathway inhibitor, cyclopamine, and 4) unresponsiveness of Smoothened-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts to oxysterols. Using Patched-/- cells that possess high baseline Gli activity, we found that oxysterols did not dramatically shift the IC50 concentration of cyclopamine needed to inhibit Gli activity in these cells. Furthermore, binding studies showed that oxysterols did not compete with fluorescently labeled cyclopamine, BODIPY-cyclopamine, for direct binding to Smoothened. These findings demonstrate that oxysterols stimulate hedgehog pathway activity by indirectly activating the seven-transmembrane pathway component Smoothened. Osteoinductive oxysterols are, therefore, novel activators of the hedgehog pathway in pluripotent mesenchymal cells, and they may be important modulators of this critical signaling pathway that regulates numerous developmental and post-developmental processes.
Application of FIB/SEM and TEM to Bit Failure Analyses in SRAM Arrays

Many microelectronic chips contain embedded memory arrays. A single SRAM bit-cell contains several transistors. Failure of any of the transistors makes the entire bit-cell inoperable. Dual-beam Focused Ion Beam (FIB) combines the slicing capability of FIB with in-situ SEM imaging. The combination offers unparalleled precision in looking for root causes of failures in microelectronic devices. Once a failure site is located, an FIB lift-off method can be used to prepare a TEM sample containing the area of interest. Further structural, elemental information can then be acquired from the failure site. We report here analyses of single and multiple bit failures in SRAM arrays carried out using FIB/SEM, and in two cases TEM imaging and EDS/PEELS. Root causes of bit failures including remnant seed-layer metal between stacked vias have been identified.
Chaos theory for the biomedical engineer

A brief introduction to chaos theory is provided. Definitions of chaos and attributes of chaos and fractals are discussed. Several general examples are examined, and fractals are introduced with a brief look at the Mandelbrot and Julia sets. Biomedical examples of chaotic behaviour and fractals are presented. >
“The Commitment Problem”: Spending to Zero to Maximize the Efficiency of the Collections Budget

The difficulty for a library to spend their collections budget efficiently is a timeless problem. The diversity of a typical budget, with its mix of one-time and continuing funds, for an array of resources that have both regular and sometimes irregular frequencies, provides great challenges. Approval plans, usually expending one-time funds, generate expenditures that contain high variability on a weekly basis. Standing orders for serials fall into the same category. With some effort, it is possible to expend all continuing funds. But it is the commitments that do not result in expenditures, with funds remaining in cash balances that can determine what university administrators call “efficient results.” Acquisitions personnel must take an aggressive approach to commitments with the goal of turning as many possible into expenditures. New expenditures will compensate for the orders that remain committed. Based on the assumption that efficient spending focuses on a library budget’s final cash balance, this article presents a method to consistently achieve a zero or negative cash balance.
Obedience In Perspective: Psychology and the Holocaust

Stanley Milgram’s explanation of the Holocaust in terms of the mechanism of obedience is too narrow. While obedience was one mechanism which contributed to the outcome, the murder of Jews and other...
The Impact of Incarceration on Wage Mobility and Inequality

A life course perspective on crime indicates that incarceration can disrupt key life transitions. Life course analysis ofoccupations finds that earnings mobility depends on stable employment in career jobs. These two lines of research thus suggest that incarceration reduces ex-inmates' access to the steady jobs that usually produce earnings growth among young men. Consistent with this argument, evidence for slow wage growth among ex-inmates is provided by analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Because incarceration is so prevalent-one-quarter of black non-college males in the survey were interviewed between 1979 and 1998 while in prison or jail-the effect of imprisonment on individual wages also increases aggregate race and ethnic wage inequality
E-Government Functionality and Website Features: A Case Study of Indonesia

AbstractIndonesia is still in the early stages of e-government implementation. Therefore, an understanding of stakeholder perspectives can help the government plan its services and also provide useful information to other governments at similar stages of implementation. The current study assesses the importance of e-government functions and website features from the perspective of Indonesian citizens (regular users and government officials). Using a survey methodology it identifies that transactions functions are related to website appeal and efficiency; that services functions are related to website appeal; that local information functions are related to website appeal and personalization; that constituent functions are related to website quality, efficiency, and personalization; and that government resources functions are related to website efficiency. This study suggests that to develop successful e-government, it is important to consider the functionality and website features important to citizens. Im...
Metabolic Correlates of the Ictal-Interictal Continuum: FDG-PET During Continuous EEG

Ictal-interictal continuum (IIC) continuous EEG (cEEG) patterns including periodic discharges and rhythmic delta activity are associated with poor outcome and in the appropriate clinical context, IIC patterns may represent “electroclinical” status epilepticus (SE). To clarify the significance of IIC patterns and their relationship to “electrographic” SE, we investigated FDG-PET imaging as a complementary metabolic biomarker of SE among patients with IIC patterns. A single-center prospective clinical database was ascertained for patients undergoing FDG-PET during cEEG. Following MRI-PET co-registration, the maximum standardized uptake value in cortical and subcortical regions was compared to contralateral homologous and cerebellar regions. Consensus cEEG review and clinical rating of etiology and treatment response were performed retrospectively with blinding. Electrographic SE was classified as discrete seizures without interictal recovery or >3-Hz rhythmic IIC patterns. Electroclinical SE was classified as IIC patterns with electrographic and clinical response to anticonvulsants; clonic activity; or persistent post-ictal encephalopathy. Eighteen hospitalized subjects underwent FDG-PET during contemporaneous IIC patterns attributed to structural lesions (44 %), neuroinflammatory/neuroinfectious disease (39 %), or epilepsy (11 %). FDG-PET hypermetabolism was common (61 %) and predicted electrographic or electroclinical SE (sensitivity 79 % [95 % CI 53–93 %] and specificity 100 % [95 % CI 51–100 %]; p = 0.01). Excluding electrographic SE, hypermetabolism also predicted electroclinical SE (sensitivity 80 % [95 % CI 44–94 %] and specificity 100 % [95 % CI 51–100 %]; p = 0.01). In hospitalized patients with IIC EEG patterns, FDG-PET hypermetabolism is common and is a candidate metabolic biomarker of electrographic SE or electroclinical SE.
11 Checkpoints controlled by PCNA, DNA and ATP direct the timing and order of events in the clamp loading mechanism

PCNA (Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen) clamp is an essential ring shaped protein that is loaded around the primer-template (p/t) DNA junction to serve as a mobile tether for DNA polymerase and e...
Projection and prediction: Climate sensitivity on the rise

Recent observations of Earth's energy budget indicate low climate sensitivity. Research now shows that these estimates should be revised upward, resolving an apparent mismatch with climate models and implying a warmer future.
Ranking Scholarly Marketing Journals by Major Subarea

This study seeks to rank scholarly marketing journals in five major subareas using website, opinion and citation data. The five major marketing subareas are identified as the most popular US marketing doctoral program areas. The selection and ranking of scholarly journals in each of the five marketing subareas is based on the average unweighted normalized ranking of input from marketing doctoral program directors/chairs, journal editors, the literature, and citation data. The ranking of scholarly journals by marketing subarea offer an objective ranking of journal quality for use by marketing departments, doctoral programs, doctoral candidates and scholars wishing to submit their manuscripts to the most influential journals in their marketing subarea.
IGBT Structure and Operation

The insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) can be configured to provide forward and reverse blocking voltage capability using the symmetric structure or only forward blocking voltage capability using the asymmetric structure. The control of current flow through the IGBT can be obtained by using either a planar D-MOS gate structure or a trench U-MOS gate structure. The collector region doping profile can be adjusted to reduce the injected carrier density with the transparent emitter concept. Complementary n-channel and p-channel IGBT structures are useful for AC power control. Lateral IGBTs are of interest for integration with control circuits. Novel IGBT structures that allow enhanced performance are described.
Pro-environmental Purchasing Behavior of Consumers The Role of Norms

This study aims to examine the value of personal norms in addition to the theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables (i.e., attitude toward behavior, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, ...
Mapping evidence graphs to attack graphs

Attack graphs compute potential attack paths from a system configuration and known vulnerabilities of a system. Evidence graphs model intrusion evidence and dependencies among them. In this paper, we show how to map evidence graphs to attack graphs. This mapping is useful for application of attack graphs and evidence graphs for forensic analysis. In addition to helping to refine attack graphs by using known sets of dependent attack evidence, important probabilistic information contained in evidence graphs can be used to compute or refine potential attack success probabilities obtained from repositories like CVSS. Conversely, attack graphs can be used to add missing evidence or remove irrelevant evidence trails to build a complete evidence graph. We illustrated the mapping by using a database attack as a case study.
Successful Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma over the Age of 70 Years.

Autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a potentially curative procedure for patients with relapsed lymphoma (NHL). Over 60% of the cases arise in adults over 60 years of age. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of patients >60 years old who received high dose busulfan (Bu) and cyclophosphamide (Cy) and autologous SCT for NHL. Stem cells were mobilized with G-CSF with or without chemotherapy. Patients received a dose-adjusted regimen of Bu 0.8 mg/kg IV (n=17) or 1mg/kg po (n=9) q 6 hours x 14 doses starting on Day -7 and Cy 60 mg/kg IV q day on days -3 and -2. In overweight patients, IV Bu doses were calculated based on ideal body weight and oral Bu doses and Cy doses were calculated on an adjusted body weight. All patients were treated as inpatients and received our usual supportive care including transfusion support, pneumocystis prophylaxis, antiviral prophylaxis, growth factor support and broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage for febrile neutropenia. 26 consecutive patients > 60 with relapsed NHL underwent autologous SCT at Massachusetts General Hospital between 1995 and February 2005. The median age of the population was 66 (range 60–78) years. 17 (65%) of the 26 patients were females. 15 patients had large cell lymphoma, 2 immunoblastic lymphoma, 3 follicular lymphoma, and 6 mixed small cleaved cell and large cell. All patients had recurrent disease; 7 patients were in a CR and 19 patients in a PR at the time of transplant. The median time from diagnosis to transplant was 32 months. All patients engrafted. The median time to absolute neutrophil count > 500/uL was 10 days (range 9–11) days. The median time to platelet count > 50,000/uL unsupported was 15 (range 12–39) days. The 100-day transplant related mortality was 0%. Patients experienced the following serious toxicities: interstitial lung disease (n=1), seizures in a patient with CNS lymphoma (n=1), venoocclusive disease which resolved (n=2), and transient atrial fibrillation (n=3). With a median follow-up of 22 months (range 4 months–9.5 years), the two year overall survival is 63% and two year progression-free survival is 42%. Six patients above the age of 70 years have been transplanted. 100-day transplant related mortality was 0%. With a median follow up of 25 months, all 6 patients are alive and 3 of 6 are progression free. In conclusion, 1) Bu/Cy is a well-tolerated conditioning regimen for patients with NHL above the age of 60 years, including selected patients over the age of 70; 2) Age alone should therefore not be used as an exclusion criterion for autologous SCT.
Thomas M. Prymak. Gathering a Heritage: Ukrainian, Slavonic, and Ethnic Canada and the USA

Book review of Thomas M. Prymak. Gathering a Heritage: Ukrainian, Slavonic, and Ethnic Canada and the USA . U of Toronto P, 2015. xiv, 370 pp. Illustrations. Tables. Appendix. Notes. Index. $29.95, paper.
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: A Concise Review with a Comprehensive Summary of Therapeutic Interventions Emphasizing Supportive Measures.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are two of the most severe dermatologic conditions occurring in the inpatient setting. There is a lack of consensus regarding appropriate management of SJS and TEN. The scientific literature pertaining to SJS and TEN (subsequently referred to as SJS/TEN) is summarized and assessed. In addition, an interventional approach for the clinician is provided. PubMed was searched with the key words: corticosteroids, cyclosporine, etanercept, intravenous immunoglobulin, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis. The papers generated by the search, and their references, were reviewed. Supportive care is the most universally accepted intervention for SJS/TEN. Specific guidelines differ from the care required for patients with thermal burns. Adjuvant therapies are utilized in most severe cases, but the data are thus far underwhelming and underpowered. Using systemic corticosteroids as sole therapy is not supported. A consensus regarding combined corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has not been reached. Data regarding IVIG, currently the standard of care for most referral centers, is conflicting. Newer studies regarding cyclosporine and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors are promising, but not powered to provide definitive evidence of efficacy. Data regarding plasmapheresis is equivocal. Thalidomide increases mortality. Clinicians who manage SJS/TEN should seek to employ interventions with the greatest impact on their patients’ condition. While supportive care measures may seem an obvious aspect of SJS/TEN patient care, providers should understand that these interventions are imperative and that they differ from the care recommended for other critically ill or burn patients. While adjuvant therapies are frequently discussed and debated for hospitalized patients with SJS/TEN, a standardized management approach is not yet clear based on the current data. Therefore, until further data are available, decisions regarding such treatments should be made on a case-by-case basis.
Kinetic analysis of isotope exchange from a cylinder.

Abstract Isotopic exchange phenomena between a sample confined in a cylindrical container and a completely mixed solution of infinite size was analyzed. Fick's second law was used for the analysis of the transport of the labeled species from the cylindrical cell to the external solution. The model chosen for the analysis was that of two composite cylinders with different diffusion coefficients. Two cases were analyzed, where no mixing existed, and where complete mixing of the sample took place during the isotopic exchange. The analysis shows that the ratios of the diffusion coefficients and the thickness of the solution and membrane contribute to the number of observable exponential terms when the isotope remaining in the cylinder is plotted against time.
Classifying relational permanence among young adults who exited foster care through legal permanence as adolescents

The achievement of legal permanence is not only a primary goal of U.S. child welfare policy but is also presumed to translate into relational permanence. This study examines whether state-sanctione...
Water Resources Planning in Appalachia

The Appalachian Water Resource Survey formulates and applies an innovative planning process and evaluation procedure for developing water resource proposals which reflect in their accounts the associated economic expansion of the area in which they are to be located. In addition to measuring traditional user benefits and project costs, expansion benefits and costs are identified including income and employment expansion, induced investment, and their associated costs. Furthermore, these are allocated to regional and national accounts permitting the isolation of a project's impact on regional economic stimulation and economic growth. Projects are evaluated both in terms of the traditional benefit-cost ratio and a ratio which relates the change in total wage and salary flows accruing to the Region, to total project costs including those private and public costs which are induced and associated. This process is a response to the need for developing water resources in consonance with a comprehensive regional development program. The resultant plan's frailties should not be permitted to overshadow the valid methodological advances pioneered in this study.
CHALLENGES TO AUTOMATING SECURITY CONFIGURATION CHECKLISTS IN MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTS

Information technology is essential to today’s manufacturing systems, but it makes them more vulnerable to cyber security threats than ever before. This chapter discusses the challenges to developing automatable configuration checklists for manufacturing environments using the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) family of standards. Increased use of SCAP in manufacturing environments could reduce security vulnerabilities and the likelihood of damaging cyber attacks on manufacturing systems. However, complex relationships and dependencies within and between checklist rules, checking instructions and software result in platform fragmentation. Platform fragmentation makes it difficult to reuse or repurpose existing SCAP-expressed checklist content. Recent research and technological developments can be leveraged to yield potentially promising approaches for mitigating platform fragmentation and improving reuse.
Development and the Yucatec Maya in Quintana Roo: some successes and failures

Maya agriculture is currently outperforming alternatives across the Yucatan Peninsula, while changing to incorporate new ideas that fit with its basic commitment to shifting agriculture based on maize as the staple and over 100 minor crops. Considerable research over the last 60 years has shown the reasons for agricultural resilience, which include thorough understanding of the Yucatan environment and use of a range of resources and techniques that allow fine-tuning in particular situations while remaining flexible overall. Development efforts have usually failed in this environment, which has shallow and fragile soils and suffers from frequent droughts, typhoons, and pest outbreaks. The predictor of development success is usually supply and demand: where there is a market, the Maya will work to develop supply capability; where there is no market, traditional subsistence methods are better than the introductions. Government or international help is, however, needed to help develop markets and to provide expert knowledge of how to mobilize for them and connect to them. When this has been done, some important successes have followed. A current problem is the international subsidy economy. Neoliberalism in the Maya context involves a reduction of government help to local and small-scale enterprises while large-scale multinational firms are given enormous direct and indirect subsidies by their home governments and by commodity-producing nations. The resulting unfair competition is a block on development. Actual free markets—in the sense of local grassroots enterprise being given something like a level playing field—could be an improvement. Key words: Maya; neoliberalism; Indigenous agricultural knowledge; access to markets
Dendritic potassium channel dysfunction may contribute to dendrite degeneration in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1

Purkinje neuron dendritic degeneration precedes cell loss in cerebellar ataxia, but the basis for dendritic vulnerability in ataxia remains poorly understood. Recent work has suggested that potassium (K+) channel dysfunction and consequent spiking abnormalities contribute to Purkinje neuron degeneration, but little attention has been paid to how K+ channel dysfunction impacts dendritic excitability and the role this may play in the degenerative process. We examined the relationship between K+ channel dysfunction, dendritic excitability and dendritic degeneration in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1). Examination of published RNA sequencing data from SCA1 mice revealed reduced expression of several K+ channels that are important regulators of excitability in Purkinje neuron dendrites. Patch clamp recordings in Purkinje neurons from SCA1 mice identified increased dendritic excitability in the form of enhanced back-propagation of action potentials and an increased propensity to produce dendritic calcium spikes. Dendritic excitability could be rescued by restoring expression of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels and activating other K+ channels with baclofen. Importantly, this treatment combination improves motor performance and mitigates dendritic degeneration in SCA1 mice. These results suggest that reduced expression of K+ channels results in persistently increased dendritic excitability at all stages of disease in SCA1, which in turn may contribute to the dendritic degeneration that precedes cell loss.
Fuel Cells - Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells | Membranes: Elevated Temperature

The many positive attributes of the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) are overshadowed by their susceptibility to carbon monoxide poisoning, need for highly regulated thermal control, and detailed water management. These issues can be diminished through the development of elevated-temperature PEMFCs. The key materials issue facing cell operation at elevated temperatures is the development of membrane electrolytes that function in the 120–150 °C temperature range. Recently, several membrane systems have been developed that overcome the normal temperature limitations of standard pure sulfonated perfluorocarbon membranes (60–80 °C) and in certain cases allow cell operation up to temperatures approaching 200 °C. These membranes also show superior performance at diminished relative humidity levels. Three classes of systems having demonstrated elevated temperature proton exchange membrane (PEM) properties are considered here: Nafion®/inorganic composites, polybenzimidazole /ionomer systems, and solid-acid membranes. The composition, mechanism of operation, and output parameters for cells containing recently identified elevated-temperature PEM materials are reviewed here.
Flavor Profile Method

This exercise introduces the student to the use of reference standards for descriptive analysis by using the ingredients in a blended vegetable juice product. It provides an experience in flavor profiling, using a consensus procedure similar to the original method. It also provides an opportunity to discuss the advantages of using a statistical method or data analysis versus a consensus procedure. Students will gain experience working in a small group that must cooperate.
Directed graphical models of classifier combination: application to phone recognition.

Classifier combination is a technique that often provides appreciable accuracy gains. In this paper, we argue that the underlying statistical model of classifier combination should be made explicit. Using directed graphical models (DGMs), we provide representations of two common combination schemes, the mean and product rules. We also introduce new DGMs that yield novel combination rules. We find that these new DGM-inspired rules can achieve significant accuracy gains on the TIMIT phone-classification task relative to existing combination schemes.
Applications of the Derivative

We present five applications of the calculus: 1. Atmospheric pressure in a gravitational field 2. Motion in a gravitational field 3. Newton’s method for finding the zeros of a function 4. The reflection and refraction of light 5. Rates of change in economics
The Role of Awake Intubation

In 1993 the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Task Force on Management of the Difficult Airway published its first set of guidelines for management of the difficult airway [1]. These guidelines brought consideration of awake intubation (intubation of the trachea under topical anesthesia with or without sedation) to the forefront of airway management. In the updated guidelines published in 2003, one of the first recommendations is that the patient be evaluated to determine if the patient can safely be rendered unconscious and apneic prior to securing the airway or if spontaneous ventilation should be preserved [2]. The principles discussed herein generally apply to a wide variety of clinical settings apart from anesthesia, requiring management of a suspected or known difficult airway.
Abstract 1863: Ursolic acid sensitizes rhTRAIL-resistant triple negative breast carcinoma to rhTRAIL-induced apoptosis

Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (rhTRAIL) possesses the ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells independent of their p53 status while exhibiting minimal toxicity to normal, non-transformed cells, and thus, it is a promising anti-cancer therapeutic. However, rhTRAIL-induced apoptosis is not as effective in a majority of breast cancers due to the up-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins, down-regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins, and/or down-regulation of death receptors (DRs) 4 and 5. A combinatorial approach of rhTRAIL with the “mother nature”-derived compound ursolic acid (UA) has been applied to sensitize rhTRAIL-resistant triple negative breast carcinoma. UA is derived from the leaves and berries of various plants and found in the coatings of fruits and does not exhibit toxicity to normal, non-transformed cells. UA has been revealed to possess the ability to up-regulate DR5 and diminish the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins survivin and FLIP in cancer cells and thereby, making UA an encouraging choice to be utilized as a sensitizing agent. The aim of this study was to determine the capacity of UA to sensitize rhTRAIL-resistant triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) BT-20 and HCC1937 cells to rhTRAIL-induced apoptosis and elucidate the underlying mechanisms for UA9s sensitization. The combinatorial treatment of UA and rhTRAIL augmented the induction of apoptosis when compared to single agent UA and rhTRAIL treatments as detected by Annexin V/PI assays and through by the execution of the extrinsic pathway as marked by the activation of caspase 8, activation of the executioner caspases 3 and 7, and eventual PARP cleavage (a hallmark of apoptosis). The underlying mechanisms for UA9s sensitization of rhTRAIL-resistant TNBCs were established to be through the down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic protein FLIP and through the up-regulation of DR4 and DR5. Overall, these findings reveal that UA is an efficacious sensitizing agent for rhTRAIL-resistant TNBCs. Citation Format: Jasmine Manouchehri, Michael Kalafatis. Ursolic acid sensitizes rhTRAIL-resistant triple negative breast carcinoma to rhTRAIL-induced apoptosis [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 1863.
Effects of the antibiotics succinylsulfathiazole and sulfaquinoxaline on development and viability of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

Sulfa-drugs and other antibiotics are often used in nutritional studies to reduce the synthesis of vitamins by microbes in the gastrointestinal tract of animals. Succinylsulfathiazole (SS) has been...
Development of easy–to–understand vehicle malfunction warnings

This paper describes the research conducted as part of the development of a driver interface for warning drivers about low oil pressure, worn tyres, etc. In the first experiment, 27 drivers were asked questions that examined their knowledge of components that might fail (e.g. 'What is an alternator for?'). For about half of the items, their knowledge was inadequate. In a second experiment, 60 drivers selected the words they preferred for nine prototypical warnings from columns of choices (e.g. should the brake fluid warning use the word 'add,' 'low,' 'refill,' or something else). This new method allowed a large set of messages to be rapidly produced from a limited data set. Drivers preferred command messages (what to do) over error messages (what was wrong). In the third experiment, 20 drivers responded to 15 candidate messages. While most messages were well understood, this experiment identified a few problems with specific warnings and the vehicle mimic.
Stability of activity space footprint, size, and environmental features over six months.

Abstract As activity space measures are increasingly used to estimate exposure to environmental determinants of health, little is known about the stability of these measures over time. To test the stability of GPS-derived measures of activity-space footprint, size, and environmental features over time, we compared 14-day measures at baseline and six months later for 35 adults in a large city. Activity-space measures were based on convex hulls and 500 m route buffers, and included the geographic footprint (i.e. location of the activity space), size (i.e., area in square miles; ( Cummins, 2007 )), and environmental features including supermarket, fast-food restaurant, and parkland density. The proportion of the participants’ smaller geographic footprint covered by the larger was, on average, 0.64 (SD 0.17) for the 500 m route buffer and 0.84 (SD 0.18) for the convex hull. Mean percent change in activity space size ranged from 36.3% (mean daily 500 m route buffer) to 221.3% (cumulative convex hull). Mean percent change in the density of environmental features ranged from 28.8 to 66.5%. Forty-one percent to 92.4% of the variance at one timepoint was predicted by environmental features measured within approximately six months. Activity-space size and environmental features were moderately to highly stable over six months, although there was considerable variation in stability between measures. Strategies for addressing measurement error in studies of activity space-health associations are discussed.
A high-performance multiscale space-time approach to high cycle fatigue simulation based on hybrid CPU/GPU computing

Abstract A multiscale space/time computational framework for high cycle fatigue (HCF) life predictions is established by integrating the extended space-time finite element method (XTFEM) with a multiscale progressive damage model. While the robustness of the multiscale space/time method has been previously demonstrated, the associated high computational cost remains a critical barrier for practical applications. In this work, a novel hybrid iterative/direct linear system solver is first proposed with a unique preconditioner. Computational efficiency is further improved by taking advantage of the high-performance computing platform featuring hierarchy of the distributed- and the shared-memory parallelisms using CPUs and GPUs. Robustness of the accelerated framework is demonstrated through benchmark problems. It is shown that the serial version of the hybrid solver is at least 1–2 orders of magnitude faster in computing time and cheaper in memory consumption than the conventional sparse direct or iterative solver, while the parallel version efficiently handles XTFEM stiffness matrix equations with over 100 million unknowns using 64 CPU cores. Optimal speedups are achieved in the parallel implementations of the multiscale progressive damage model using either CPUs or GPUs. HCF simulations on 3D specimens are performed to quantify key effects due to mean stress and multiaxial load conditions.
Diagnosis of a Cerebrospinal Fluid-Venous Fistula Associated with a Venous Malformation Using Digital Subtraction and Computed Tomography Myelography.

Background Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks can be an intractable cause of orthostatic headaches but have several treatable causes. CSF-venous fistulas are an increasingly recognized cause of rapid CSF leaks. Although CSF-venous fistulas have been previously reported in the literature, their imaging appearance, associated anomalies, and treatment are incompletely understood. We present a case of a CSF-venous fistula draining to adjacent venous malformations with symptoms responding to surgical treatment. This is the first such case to our knowledge showing enhancement of venous malformations on computed tomography myelography. Case Description A 61-year-old woman with known soft tissue venous malformations presented with progressive hearing loss, headaches, and nausea. Brain magnetic resonance imaging performed at an outside institution showed findings of CSF hypotension. Her symptoms were refractory to a single-level blood patch. Digital subtraction and computed tomography myelography performed at our institution showed CSF-venous fistulas arising from thoracic nerve root sleeve diverticula and draining to paraspinal venous malformations. She was treated with surgical ligation of the fistula and associated nerve roots. At 3-month follow-up, she reported improvement in her headaches, and magnetic resonance imaging showed resolution of all brain abnormalities. Conclusions CSF-venous fistulas are a relatively uncommon cause of spontaneous CSF leaks. Though difficult to diagnose, they can respond to surgical treatment as seen in this case. In our experience, decubitus digital subtraction myelography combined with computed tomography myelography is instrumental in making the diagnosis and fully characterizing any abnormalities associated with the fistula. This case also supports the suggested association between CSF-venous fistulas and venous malformations, which is worthy of continued study.
Abstract IA07: Engineering natural killer cells for the treatment of cancer

Natural killer (NK) cells play critical roles in host defense against cancer. Our group is exploring a number of avenues to enhance NK cell function against hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. These include novel strategies to expand off-the-shelf cord blood (CB)-derived NK cells based on their coculture with genetically modified feeder cells that express membrane-bound cytokines and costimulatory molecules. To redirect NK cell specificity and enhance their in vivo persistence, we have successfully transduced expanded CB NK cells with a retroviral vector incorporating the genes for CAR-CD19, IL-15, and inducible caspase-9-based suicide gene (iC9). Data from a first-in-human phase I/II clinical study to test the safety and efficacy of escalating doses of off-the-shelf iC9/CAR.19/IL-15 CB-NK cells in patients with relapsed or refractory B-lymphoid malignancies will be presented. Citation Format: Katayoun Rezvani. Engineering natural killer cells for the treatment of cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2019 Nov 17-20; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(3 Suppl):Abstract nr IA07.
Pleadings and Presumptions

Throughout the formative years of the common law, the rules of civil procedure played a crucial role in the development of the substantive rules of law. Thus, the common law provided a distinct form of action for each kind of wrong and specified complex rules-some of general and some of particular application-for the elaboration of a case within the framework of its appropriate form. The forms of action have been abolished, as have most of the arcane rules of pleading that were so congenial to them. The rules of pleading today retain some of their original importance to the ordinary lawsuit, but their role is more modest. Under the most common view the pleadings are intended only to give to the adversary and the court "notice," in a general way, of the kinds of contentions that the pleader is apt to make on his own behalf.' They are not designed to bind the pleader to a particular theory of claim or defense, nor to a particular means of proving his contentions. With the pleadings thus restricted to a notice function, the modern law instead draws upon an extensive arsenal of pre-trial devices to help determine the truth and the worth of the contentions raised by the parties to a legal dispute.2 In one sense the shift is a healthy one because it helps insure that a lawsuit will be decided on its merits, and not by the procedural slips and errors that occur in the course of a lawsuit. Nonetheless, I think that the shift in emphasis has gone too far, and that many of the prized modern reforms may be mistaken and ill-advised. Formal
Experiences With Machismo and Pain: Latino Veterans.

Physical and emotional pain from combat-related injuries and experiences are serious problems among Latino veterans. This study fleshes out existing cultural constructs and concepts (e.g., machismo...
Using telehealth to assess depression and suicide ideation and provide mental health interventions to groups of chronically ill adolescents and young adults.

Telehealth distance health care is a significant resource for young, chronically ill patient populations given their numerous medical complexities and their concomitant depression and/or suicide ideation experiences. This manuscript shares the telehealth methods used to prepare for a larger study of interventions for increasing adolescents' and young adults' chronic care resiliency and skills for preventing depression. The young patients in this study were prescribed lifelong home parenteral nutrition infusions, treatment for those with short gut bowel diseases. The training methods for our mental health nurse and psychologist to conduct depression and suicide ideation assessments from a distance are presented. The study implementation methods of group facilitated interventions and discussion are reviewed. The group discussions were conducted via audiovisual telehealth devices over encrypted firewall-protected connections with patients in their own homes and professionals in an office. The results of assessments of the 40 participants, 25% (n = 10) with depressive symptoms or suicide ideation, are described. Following participants' assessments, their subsequent depression measures were all in the normal range, without any suicide ideation, across the year of the study. Patient evaluation ratings were high in the areas of being able to connect with other young patients in similar situations, using the audiovisual equipment, and learning new useful information from the interventions. The methods developed for the study ensured that the safety and well-being of participants were supported through telehealth.
EFFECT OF ESSENTIAL BUSINESS COMMUNICATION PRACTICES ON CONSUMER CHOICES IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY: A CASE STUDY OF NATIONAL OIL CORPORATION OF KENYA

The purpose of this paper was to examined the role of essential business communication practices on the consumer choices in the oil and gas industry. Business communication entails the sharing of information, both internally and externally in regard to the execution of company obligations towards the realization of mission and vision. Traditional mediums of business communication notably print media and visual audio communication have remained reliable and useful over many decades. However, with the advancement in technology in this information age, digital communication has really gained traction in business communication. Companies in the oil and gas industry have also embraced best practices in essential business communication in effort to appeal the ever growing consumer base in the oil and gas industry. This posits the importance of understanding the effect of essential business communication on consumer choices. This study adopted case study approach with National Oil Corporation being the organization of focus. Top managers from the company drawn from marketing, human resource and corporate communication department participated in the study. An interview schedule (Appendix 1), was used as the tool for data collection. The study established that essential business communication was a critical factor in selling reputation in the eyes of petroleum consumers. Digital communication was found out to be useful in regard to faster transmission of important information both internally and externally. The study concluded that most modern petroleum consumers were digital connected thus well confirmed on all trends within the oil and gas industry which informed their petroleum brand preferences. The study recommended for investment in digital communication, through modernization of communication systems and technologies into cutting edge high-tech systems. The study also recommended for capacity building in boosting digital communication and human resource pool for petroleum companies which is necessary for modernized communication with informed consumers. Key Words: Business Communication, Consumer Choices CITATION: Maundu, J. (2020). Effect of essential business communication practices on consumer choices in the oil and gas industry: A case study of National Oil Corporation of Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 7 (4), 1534 – 1546.
Compliance with USP General Chapter “Pharmaceutical Compounding-Sterile Preparations” – Mayo Clinic experience

2115 Objectives : We have operated a clean room facility in our nuclear pharmacy laboratory since 1997. However, with the recent introduction of we needed to re-evaluate and update the layout and operation. The purpose of this study was to exam the new changes that we have implemented and to ensure that they meet the procedures and standards of . Methods : A comprehensive comparison between the requirements as set forth in and our remodel plan, as well as the revised procedures was conducted. Numerous consultations and discussions with experts from pharmacy services and radiation safety were carried out to address issues related to how the would impact our nuclear pharmacy practice, what changes that we need to implement to be in compliance with , and what requirements would not allow us to adequately operate without jeopardizing radiation safety . Results : Our former nuclear pharmacy laboratory had a clean room but not an anteroom. Our personnel did not remove all jewelry, makeup or clean to their elbows using a scrub brush. Laboratory coats, gloves, hair and shoe covers were not put on in any particular order; nor did they remove them so the laboratory coat was hung inside out. Our ceiling was made of drop tile that was not sealed with caulking around all junctures. During cleansing, everything was not removed from the clean room and all surfaces were not sanitized at the beginning of each shift. The cleaning supplies used were not designated to our nuclear pharmacy laboratory and the floors were not mopped daily. However, there are some issues that we are unable to totally comply with . We are required to wear ring badges, but the prohibits the wearing of any jewelry. In order to prepare certain radiopharmaceuticals we require a hot water bath and/or a microwave oven in the clean room. These may contribute to unacceptable particle counts and/or disturbance of the airflow while operating, making it difficult to maintain a clean room environment (ISO 7). Another potential conflict is if our clean room becomes contaminated, the radiation safety staff would like the cleaning to be postponed until the radiation level is below certain limit, however the requires sanitization of the clean room at the beginning of each shift. Conclusions : We performed an in-depth analysis of the and we drew up remodel plans and operation procedures to meet these requirements. However, we have identified several areas of the that may not work well with the radiation safety standards. Modifications of and/or offering exemptions by USP would be necessary to allow a practical operation of the nuclear pharmacy laboratory in the preparation of sterile radiopharmaceuticals.
Renal and Hepatic Toxicity Analysis of Remdesivir Formulations: Does What Is on the Inside Really Count?

It has been postulated that the injectable solution formulation of remdesivir could be more nephrotoxic than the lyophilized powder since it contains twice as much sulfobutylether-s-cyclodextrin (SBECD). Therefore, we evaluated 1,000 hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) who received remdesivir lyophilized powder or solution. A logistic regression model accounting for baseline confounders identified that neither the use of the injectable solution (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49 to 2.29; P = 0.901) nor a creatinine clearance of <30 ml/min at the time of remdesivir initiation (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.51 to 3.5; P = 0.499) was significantly associated with acute kidney injury. Regarding hepatoxicity, there was no significant difference in early discontinuation of remdesivir due to abnormal liver function tests between patients who received the lyophilized powder versus those who received solution (0.9% versus 2.3%, P = 0.09).
Paul the Trojan Horse: The Legacy of Triumph in Philippians:

This article describes the use of Philippians in triumphalist narratives about the rise of Christianity. Outlining the place of two key terms in the reception history of the letter – praetorium (Ph...