cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA 21 (miR-21) and miR-181b Couple with NFI-A To Generate Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and Promote Immunosuppression in Late Sepsis

The sepsis initial hyperinflammatory reaction, if not treated early, shifts to a protracted state of immunosuppression that alters both innate and adaptive immunity and is associated with elevated mortality. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are myeloid progenitors and precursors that fail to differentiate into mature innate-immunity cells and are known for their potent immunosuppressive activities. We previously reported that murine MDSCs expand dramatically in the bone marrow during late sepsis, induced by cecal ligation and puncture, and demonstrated that they contribute to late-sepsis immunosuppression. However, the molecular mechanism responsible for generating these immature Gr1(+) CD11b(+) myeloid cells during sepsis remains unknown. We show here that sepsis generates a microRNA (miRNA) signature that expands MDSCs. We found that miRNA 21 (miR-21) and miR-181b expression is upregulated in early sepsis and sustained in late sepsis. Importantly, we found that simultaneous in vivo blockade of both miRNAs via antagomiR (a chemically modified miRNA inhibitor) injection after sepsis initiation decreased the bone marrow Gr1(+) CD11b(+) myeloid progenitors, improved bacterial clearance, and reduced late-sepsis mortality by 74%. Gr1(+) CD11b(+) cells isolated from mice injected with antagomiRs were able to differentiate ex vivo into macrophages and dendritic cells and produced smaller amounts of the immunosuppressive interleukin 10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) after stimulation with bacterial lipopolysaccharide, suggesting that immature myeloid cells regained their maturation potential and have lost their immunosuppressive activity. In addition, we found that the protein level of transcription factor NFI-A, which plays a role in myeloid cell differentiation, was increased during sepsis and that antagomiR injection reduced its expression. Moreover, knockdown of NFI-A in the Gr1(+) CD11b(+) cells isolated from late-septic mice increased their maturation potential and reduced their production of the immunosuppressive mediators, similar to antagomiR injection. These data support the hypothesis that sepsis reprograms myeloid cells and thus alters the innate immunity cell repertoire to promote immunosuppression, and they demonstrate that this process can be reversed by targeting miR-21 and miR-181b to improve late-sepsis survival.
High grain, low noise organic and nanoelectronic photodetectors (Presentation Recording)

The dramatically reduction of cost of photodetectors without comprising their performance will enable new applications in many fields. In this talk, I will brief our progress in the development of sensitive photodetectors/photon counters using low-cost solution processable organic and nano-electronic materials. Four types of device structures will be compared in terms of device gain, noise, sensitivity, response speed and linear dynamic range: 1) traditional diode structure, 2) a structure combine the photodiode and photoconductor through the interface trap triggered secondary charge injection, 3) an organic phototransistor that has combined photoconductive gain and photovoltaic gain, and 4) quantum dots modulated transistor channel conductance. Broad response spectrum from UV to NIR will be demonstrated, and active material limited performance will be discussed. Solution-Processed Nanoparticle Super-Float-Gated Organic Field-Effect Transistor as Un-cooled Ultraviolet and Infrared Photon Counter Yongbo Yuan, Qingfeng Dong, Bin Yang, Fawen Guo, Qi Zhang, Ming Han, and Jinsong Huang*, Scientific Reports, 3, 2707 (2013) A nanocomposite ultraviolet photodetector enabled by interfacial trap-controlled charge injection Fawen Guo, Bin Yang, Yongbo Yuan, Zhengguo Xiao, Qingfeng Dong, Yu Bi, and Jinsong Huang*, Nature Nanotechnology, 7, 798-802, (2012) Large Gain, Low Noise Nanocomposite Ultraviolet Photodetectors with a Linear Dynamic Range of 120 dB Yanjun Fang, Fawen Guo,Zhengguo Xiao, Jinsong Huang*, Advanced Optical Materials, 348-353 (2014) High Gain and Low-Driving-Voltage Photodetectors Based on Organolead Triiodide Perovskites Rui Dong, Yanjun Fang, Jungseok Chae, Jun Dai, Zhengguo Xiao, Qingfeng Dong,Yongbo Yuan, Andrea Centrone,Xiao Cheng Zeng , Jinsong Huang*. ,Advanced Materials, 2015
Bacterial Chromosome Structure

The structure of the bacterial chromosome can be considered at several different levels. By analogy with protein structure one can potentially describe: (a) a one-dimensional representation consisting of the nucleotide sequence of the entire circular DNA of the chromosome, or there can be a less molecular description of the linear sequence of genes; (b) a two-dimensional description of the folds that are placed in the circular DNA; (c) a three-dimensional picture of, the chromosomal DNA that includes the writhing and supercoiling of the axis of the DNA double helix in the chromosome. However, the analogy with protein structure should not be carried too far, because the three-dimensional structure of the chromosome appears to be dynamic in its organization and its structural fluctuations may go beyond the kinds of statistical perturbations expected in proteins. One indication of these fluctuations in three-dimensional structure is that the shape of the bacterial nucleoid is irregular and varies in different cells in the same culture. Furthermore, it is known that the average size and shape of the nucleoid change when cells are grown in different media or under different conditions (see for example, Woldringh and Nanninga 1985). This brief review will focus primarily on the last two descriptions, i.e., the two- and three- dimensional structures and their stabilizing protein-DNA interactions. The reader is referred to earlier reviews that also discuss the structure of the chromosome visualized by different microscopic techniques (Woldringh and Nanninga 1985; Pettijohn and Sinden 1985; Bjornsti et al. 1986) and other features of the structure of bacterial chromosomes as well (Kleppe et al. 1979; Drlica and Rouviere-Yaniv 1987; Pettijohn 1988).
The Legal and Historical Foundations of Patients as Medical Consumers

Rich academic debate has emerged over multiple competing views of health care law. Under one view, termed essentialism, health care law is a distinctive academic field because the particular attributes of medicine and treatment relationships matter fundamentally, not just incidentally, to how law governs this field. The competing conceptualization, which has been denigrated as the law of the horse view, is that much of health care law consists of nothing more than conventional rules from other legal fields as they apply to the services, actors, and institutions that happen to populate the medical arena. This essay supports the essentialism view by demonstrating that the legal system sees individuals who receive medical care more as patients than as consumers, even in the most commercial of settings - the payment for services. Normal rules of contract do not apply between providers and patients. Instead, like family law, medical law is as much about status as it is about contract. Patients' and physicians' contractual obligations are forged in the context of someone who is sick and vulnerable seeking care in a therapeutic relationship that entails special responsibility for the patient's welfare. This Essay documents how this contextualized view has affected law's treatment of medical transactions throughout history.
Efficacy of Abamectin and Tebuconazole Injections to Protect Lodgepole Pine from Mortality Attributed to Mountain Pine Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Attack and Progression of Blue Stain Fungi

Abstract Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) are important tree mortality agents in western coniferous forests. Protection of individual trees from bark beetle attack has historically involved applications of liquid formulations of contact insecticides to the tree bole using hydraulic sprayers. More recently, researchers have examined the effectiveness of injecting small quantities of systemic insecticides directly into trees, but early efforts were largely unsuccessful. In this study, we determine the efficacy of fall (16 - 18 September) injections of abamectin (Abacide™ 2Hp; Mauget Inc., Arcadia, CA) alone and combined with tebuconazole (Tebuject™ 16, Mauget Inc.) for protecting individual lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Laws., from mortality attributed to mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins. Both abamectin and abamectin + tebuconazole were efficacious for one field season, whereas results from a second field season were inconclusive due to insufficient beetle...
Alternative Routes to Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Revealed by Reprogramming of the Neural Lineage

During the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) to induced pluripotent stem cells, the activation of pluripotency genes such as NANOG occurs after the mesenchymal to epithelial transition. Here we report that both adult stem cells (neural stem cells) and differentiated cells (astrocytes) of the neural lineage can activate NANOG in the absence of cadherin expression during reprogramming. Gene expression analysis revealed that only the NANOG+E-cadherin+ populations expressed stabilization markers, had upregulated several cell cycle genes; and were transgene independent. Inhibition of DOT1L activity enhanced both the numbers of NANOG+ and NANOG+E-cadherin+ colonies in neural stem cells. Expressing SOX2 in MEFs prior to reprogramming did not alter the ratio of NANOG colonies that express E-cadherin. Taken together these results provide a unique pathway for reprogramming taken by cells of the neural lineage.
K-Targeted Metabolomic Analysis Extends Chemical Subtraction to DESIGNER Extracts: Selective Depletion of Extracts of Hops (Humulus lupulus)

This study introduces a flexible and compound targeted approach to Deplete and Enrich Select Ingredients to Generate Normalized Extract Resources, generating DESIGNER extracts, by means of chemical subtraction or augmentation of metabolites. Targeting metabolites based on their liquid–liquid partition coefficients (K values), K targeting uses countercurrent separation methodology to remove single or multiple compounds from a chemically complex mixture, according to the following equation: DESIGNER extract = total extract ± target compound(s). Expanding the scope of the recently reported depletion of extracts by immunoaffinity or solid phase liquid chromatography, the present approach allows a more flexible, single- or multi-targeted removal of constituents from complex extracts such as botanicals. Chemical subtraction enables both chemical and biological characterization, including detection of synergism/antagonism by both the subtracted targets and the remaining metabolite mixture, as well as definition ...
The United Nations Treaty Series Project

This article describes the origin and growth of the first research project using computers in international law. Substantive results have been reported elsewhere' and more publications continue to come out.2 The present article concentrates on the entrepreneurial process of the project. The description aims at encouraging those who like to think that it is still possible to start a major project with nothing but a new idea and a lot of persistence. This is not to
TAC Entity Linking by Performing Full-document Entity Extraction and Disambiguation.

The paper describes the system submitted to TAC 2011 for the English entity linking task of the Knowledge Base Population track. Instead of focusing only on the provided target strings, this system extracts and disambiguates globally all entities from each target document and then maps the target string to one of the entities extracted from the document. The main features employed by the system are topics associated with the entities in the knowledge base, which are derived from Wikipedia categories, list pages, and lexicosyntactic link patterns. The submitted run achieved high scores on the official test data (accuracy of 86.8% and B-cubed+ F-measure of 0.841).
Are children on jejunal feeds at risk of iron deficiency

Children on exclusive jejunal feeding may be at risk of iron deficiency due to the feeds bypassing the duodenum, which is the primary site for iron absorption. We describe the biochemical and hematological features of six children on exclusive jejunal feeding who did not receive iron supplementation. At a mean (standard deviation) period of 11 (6.5) mo after commencing jejunal feeds, there was a significant reduction in both serum iron (18.5 g/L vs 9.8 g/L, P = 0.01) and transferrin saturation levels (23.1% vs 13.7%, P = 0.02), suggesting iron deficiency. However, there was no significant change in ferritin, hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume levels post-commencement of jejunal feeds. This may be the result of small bowel adaptation in response to early iron deficiency. Larger and longer term prospective studies are required to investigate if children on jejunal feeds are at risk of developing iron deficiency.
Electrophoretic characterization of monoamine oxidase by [3H]pargyline binding in rat hepatoma cells with A and B activity.

[ 3 H]Pargyline bound to active sites of both A and B types of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in a clonal line of rat hepatoma cells. Crude mitochondrial preparations were incubated with this drug, washed and solubilized, then electrophoresis was carried out in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gels. At [ 3 H]pargyline concentrations up to 2 nmoles/mg mitochondrial protein (0.8 µM), a single major protein species of molecular weight 57,000 was identified by autoradiography. The dose-dependent inhibition of labeling of this protein band by clorgyline and deprenyl was consistent with the presence of both A and B sites of MAO. Moreover, both A and B types of activity were inhibited under conditions giving saturated binding of [ 3 H]pargyline to the 57,000 dalton protein Our results support the hypothesis that MAO activity resides in one protein or several proteins of similar molecular weight.
Naphthoquinones: Atovaquone, and Other Antimalarials Targeting Mitochondrial Functions

Mitochondria in malaria parasites are highly divergent from their counterparts in mammalian hosts. This degree of divergence underlies the validity of mitochondrial functions as targets for antimalarial drugs. The mitochondrial electron transport chain (mtETC) at the cytochrome bc 1 complex is selectively inhibited in malaria parasites by atovaquone. Proguanil, the synergistic partner of atovaquone, appears to target an alternative pathway that generates electropotential across the inner membrane of parasite mitochondria. However, the rapid emergence of atovaquone-resistance mutations effectively negates the synergistic effect of proguanil. New antimalarials targeting the mtETC with reduced propensity for resistance development could overcome this challenge. A critical function of the mtETC is to serve mitochondrially located dihydroorotate dehydrogensae (DHODH), an enzyme of the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. Compounds with selective activity against parasite DHODH are under development as potential new antimalarials. Recent studies on unusual tricarboxylic acid metabolism and ATP synthase structure point to additional opportunities for investigations aimed to identify other selective inhibitors.
Developing a Deep Brain Stimulation Neuromodulation Network for Parkinson Disease, Essential Tremor, and Dystonia: Report of a Quality Improvement Project.

Objective To develop a process to improve patient outcomes from deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), and dystonia. Methods We employed standard quality improvement methodology using the Plan-Do-Study-Act process to improve patient selection, surgical DBS lead implantation, postoperative programming, and ongoing assessment of patient outcomes. Results The result of this quality improvement process was the development of a neuromodulation network. The key aspect of this program is rigorous patient assessment of both motor and non-motor outcomes tracked longitudinally using a REDCap database. We describe how this information is used to identify problems and to initiate Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles to address them. Preliminary outcomes data is presented for the cohort of PD and ET patients who have received surgery since the creation of the neuromodulation network. Conclusions Careful outcomes tracking is essential to ensure quality in a complex therapeutic endeavor like DBS surgery for movement disorders. The REDCap database system is well suited to store outcomes data for the purpose of ongoing quality assurance monitoring.
A novel high speed, high density SRAM cell utilizing a bistable GeSi/Si tunnel diode

A three element SRAM cell consisting of a gate transistor, a load device and a bistable GeSi/Si quantum well tunnel diode as the storage element is proposed and demonstrated with a test structure. Being composed of a couple of closely-spaced n-type and p-type /spl delta/-doped layers and a GeSi/Si superlattice, the quantum diode has a unique bistable characteristic and features of high density and high speed. The new SRAM cell is expected to have both the advantages of high speed of SRAM's and high density of DRAM's. >
The Camp Setting for Promoting Youth Physical Activity: Systematic Observations of Summer Day Camps

The risk for youth obesity is higher during the summer than any other time of year. Summer day camps can be ideal settings for preventing obesity through reducing youth summer sedentary behaviors. However, little-to-no research has examined the role of camps for promoting youth physical activity (PA) and other healthy behaviors. This study begins to address the gap in research by conducting systematic observations of 4 summer day camps (2 highly- resourced and 2 low-resourced) to determine: 1) the degree to which camps engage youth in moderate-to-vigorous PA, and; 2) to what extent camps provide important physical and social-motivational features for promoting PA. Results indicate camps provide opportunities for youth to meet national recommendations of daily MVPA. However, there were differences in PA and motivational features by level of camp resources. This study helps inform practice and policy through identifying strengths and needs of camps for promoting PA.
Responsiveness of a Brief Measure of Lung Cancer Screening Knowledge

Our aim was to examine the responsiveness of a lung cancer screening brief knowledge measure (LCS-12). Eligible participants were aged 55–80 years, current smokers or had quit within 15 years, and English speaking. They completed a baseline pretest survey, viewed a lung cancer screening video-based patient decision aid, and then filled out a follow-up posttest survey. We performed a paired samples t-test, calculated effect size, and calculated absolute and relative percent improvement for each item. Participants (n = 30) were primarily White (63%) with less than a college degree (63%), and half were female (50%). Mean age was 61.5 years (standard deviation [SD] = 4.67) and average smoking history was 30.4 pack-years (range = 4.6–90.0). Mean score on the 12-item measure increased from 47.3% correct on the pretest to 80.3% correct on the posttest (mean pretest score = 5.67 vs. mean posttest score = 9.63; mean score difference = 3.97, SD = 2.87, 95% CI = 2.90, 5.04). Total knowledge scores improved significantly and were responsive to the decision aid intervention (paired samples t-test = 7.57, p < .001; Cohen’s effect size = 1.59; standard response mean [SRM] = 1.38). All individual items were responsive, yet two items had lower absolute responsiveness than the others (item 8: “Without screening, is lung cancer often found at a later stage when cure is less likely?” pretest correct = 83.3% vs. posttest = 96.7%, responsiveness = 13.4%; and item 10: “Can a CT scan find lung disease that is not cancer?” pretest correct = 80.0% vs. posttest = 93.3%, responsiveness = 13.3%). The LCS-12 knowledge measure may be a useful outcome measure of shared decision making for lung cancer screening.
Image formation in coronagraphs due to mirror polarization aberrations

The high contrast specifications of exoplanet coronagraphs drive optical system PSF, resolution, and stray light specifications far beyond previous optics. The effects of coatings on wavefront and polarization will compromise coronagraph performance unless properly designed.
Malpractice litigation following spine surgery.

OBJECTIVE Adverse events related to spine surgery sometimes lead to litigation. Few studies have evaluated the association between spine surgical complications and medical malpractice proceedings, outcomes, and awards. The aim of this study was to identify the most frequent causes of alleged malpractice in spine surgery and to gain insight into patient demographic and clinical characteristics associated with medical negligence litigation. METHODS A search for "spine surgery" spanning February 1988 to May 2015 was conducted utilizing the medicolegal research service VerdictSearch (ALM Media Properties, LLC). Demographic data for the plaintiff and defendant in addition to clinical data for the procedure and legal outcomes were examined. Spinal cord injury, anoxic/hypoxic brain injury, and death were classified as catastrophic complications; all other complications were classified as noncatastrophic. Both chi-square and t-tests were used to evaluate the effect of these variables on case outcomes and awards granted. RESULTS A total of 569 legal cases were examined; 335 cases were excluded due to irrelevance or insufficient information. Of the 234 cases included in this investigation, 54.2% (127 cases) resulted in a defendant ruling, 26.1% (61) in a plaintiff ruling, and 19.6% (46) in a settlement. The awards granted for plaintiff rulings ranged from $134,000 to $38,323,196 (mean $4,045,205 ± $6,804,647). Awards for settlements ranged from $125,000 to $9,000,000 (mean $1,930,278 ± $2,113,593), which was significantly less than plaintiff rulings (p = 0.022). Compared with cases without a delay in diagnosis of the complication, the cases with a diagnostic delay were more likely to result in a plaintiff verdict or settlement (42.9% vs 72.7%, p = 0.007) than a defense verdict, and were more likely to settle out of court (17.5% vs 40.9%, p = 0.008). Similarly, compared with cases without a delay in treatment of the complication, those with a therapeutic delay were more likely to result in a plaintiff verdict or settlement (43.7% vs 68.4%, p = 0.03) than a defense verdict, and were more likely to settle out of court (18.1% vs 36.8%, p = 0.04). Overall, 28% of cases (66/234) involved catastrophic complications. Physicians were more likely to lose cases (plaintiff verdict or settlement) with catastrophic complications (66.7% vs 37.5%, p 0.05). The average time to a decision for defendant verdicts was 5.1 years; for plaintiff rulings, 5.0 years; and for settlements, 3.4 years. CONCLUSIONS Delays in the diagnosis and the treatment of a surgical complication predict legal case outcomes favoring the plaintiff. Catastrophic complications are linked to large sums awarded to the plaintiff and are predictive of rulings against the physician. For physician defendants, the costs of settlements are significantly less than those of losing in court. Although this study provides potentially valuable data from a large series of postoperative litigation cases, it may not provide a true representation of all jurisdictions, each of which has variable malpractice laws and medicolegal environments.
Abstract 1982: β-arrestin 2 mediates tumor growth and metastasis in renal cell carcinoma cells

Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most lethal urological cancers worldwide, with incidence and mortality rates increasing in the past two decades. The disease does not present early clinical symptoms and is commonly diagnosed at the metastatic stage, leaving the 5-year survival rate at ≈ 10-20%. For a wide array of neoplasms, many key molecular determinants involved in mediating the process of tumor cell growth, invasion, and colonization at a secondary site (i.e. metastasis) have been reported. However, few molecular predictors have been identified for RCC, rendering the mechanism(s) underlying RCC metastases poorly understood. This results in the lack of effective treatment for patients with advanced RCC. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and their effectors, such as the arrestin proteins, have been implicated in tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Arrestin proteins are well known for their function in the desensitization and trafficking of GPCRs, but have also been implicated in unique signaling pathways to regulate fundamental cellular functions, including cell cycle progression, cell migration, and survival. Furthermore, arrestin involvement has been identified in a number of breast, colorectal, lung, and hematological malignancies. However, the role of arrestin proteins in RCC is yet to be determined. Our preliminary data show that β-arrestin 2 (βarr2) protein levels correlate with growth and metastatic potential in several RCC cell lines, including ACHN and SN12C. We hypothesize that βarr2 regulates RCC tumor progression, specifically through involvement in proliferation, invasion, and metastatic processes. To test our hypothesis, we used genetic-based loss of function approaches such as interfering RNA and CRISPR/Cas9. βarr2 knockdown results indicated a role in RCC malignancy as it significantly reduces the migration and invasion of RCC cell lines in vitro. βarr2 knockout (KO) impaired 3D spheroid formation of these cells and induced morphological changes compared to control cells as observed under confocal microscopy imaging. Moreover, epithelial marker E-cadherin expression levels were elevated while mesenchymal markers twist1, twist2 and vimentin levels were decreased in the βarr2 KO cells compared to control, indicating a mesenchymal to epithelial transition. In vivo data support our hypothesis that βarr2 plays a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis. Our data suggests a role for βarr2 in RCC malignancy and present a possible target in development of therapies for patients with advanced RCC. Citation Format: Jude Masannat, Yushan Zhang, Hamsa Purayil, Iqbal Mahmud, Yehia Daaka. β-arrestin 2 mediates tumor growth and metastasis in renal cell carcinoma cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1982. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1982
Efectos neurobiológicos del estrés prenatal sobre el nuevo ser

El estres prenatal (EP), investigado mayoritariamente en modelos animales, podria desencadenar modificaciones neurobiologicas permanentes en la descendencia mediante la programacion fetal, manifestadas como alteraciones conductuales, cognitivas, ansiosas y afectivas, hasta trastornos psiquiatricos durante la ninez y la adultez. Los principales efectos del EP se han hallado en el eje hipotalamico-hipofisiario-adrenal (HHA), los sistemas serotoninergicos, glutamatergicos y GABAergicos, y en estructuras nerviosas corticales (corteza prefrontal, temporal, insular), subcorticales (amigdala, hipocampo), cerebelo y placenta. Los glucocorticoides son los factores de transmision de estres materno-fetal mas estudiados, con efectos diferenciales segun la temporalidad de su accion, la fase del desarrollo y el sexo fetal. El patron de alteracion del eje HHA ante el EP seria similar al observado en algunos desordenes mentales. Otros neuromoduladores involucrados en la neurotoxicidad del EP son el oxido nitrico y el factor neurotrofico derivado del cerebro, implicados en los procesos de potenciacion y depresion sinaptica. A su vez, el sistema serotoninergico posee una relacion intrinseca con el eje HHA, verificandose una disminucion en la cantidad de transportadores de serotonina y una alteracion de la sintesis placentaria del neurotransmisor, esencial para el neurodesarrollo fetal. Otros mecanismos epigeneticos serian la modulacion de la plasticidad sinaptica mediante neurotrofinas, moleculas de adhesion y de membrana. El tratamiento con inhibidores selectivos de la recaptura de serotonina ha demostrado resultados controvertidos. El EP afectaria a la programacion fetal provocando alteraciones neurobiologicas significativas y permanentes con un correlato clinico. Mayor investigacion y difusion es necesaria en este complejo fenomeno, sobre todo, en modelos humanos.
Conditioning alleviates reduced yield of smaller plugs of ‘Albion’ strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa Duch.) in off-season plasticulture production

The influences of plug size, planting density, and mulch colour on responses to photoperiod and nitrogen conditioning of ‘Albion’ strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) plants were evaluated in off...
Effect of Concentration on the Electrochemistry and Speciation of the Magnesium Aluminum Chloride Complex Electrolyte Solution.

Magnesium batteries offer an opportunity to use naturally abundant Mg and achieve large volumetric capacities reaching over four times that of conventional Li-based intercalation anodes. High volumetric capacity is enabled by the use of a Mg metal anode in which charge is stored via electrodeposition and stripping processes, however, electrolytes that support efficient Mg electrodeposition and stripping are few and are often prepared from highly reactive compounds. One interesting electrolyte solution that supports Mg deposition and stripping without the use of highly reactive reagents is the magnesium aluminum chloride complex (MACC) electrolyte. The MACC exhibits high Coulombic efficiencies and low deposition overpotentials following an electrolytic conditioning protocol that stabilizes species necessary for such behavior. Here, we discuss the effect of the MgCl2 and AlCl3 concentrations on the deposition overpotential, current density, and the conditioning process. Higher concentrations of MACC exhibit...
First-Principles Calculations of Sarin Adsorption on Anatase Surfaces

We report density functional theory calculations investigating the adsorption of the organophosphate nerve agent sarin (GB) on clean (101), (001)-(1 × 4), and (001)-(1 × 1) surfaces of anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2). Our calculations show that GB chemisorbs on all three surfaces by the formation of a dative bond between the phosphoryl oxygen and a five-coordinated titanium atom in the surface. The adsorption of GB on the (001)-(1 × 4) and (001)-(1 × 1) surfaces (−45.1 and −34.8 kcal mol–1) is substantially stronger than on the (101) surface (−18.2 kcal mol–1). This could be a result of reactive surface states observed within the TiO2 band gap at the (001) surfaces but not the (101) surface. Our calculations show that the GB adsorption passivates these surface states. GB adsorption also breaks a bridging oxygen bond on both (001) surfaces, leading to a titanyl group that is also predicted to occur in adsorption of the simulant dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) on anatase (001). The ordering of the three a...
Thermoelectric Properties of Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) Doped with 2,3,5,6-Tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) by Vapor-Phase Infiltration

Doping of thin films of semiconducting polymers provides control of their electrical conductivity and thermopower. The electrical conductivity of semiconducting polymers rises nonlinearly with the carrier concentration, and there is a lack of understanding of the detailed factors that lead to this behavior. We report a study of the morphological effects of doping on the electrical conductivity of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films doped with small molecule 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ). Resonant soft X-ray scattering shows that the morphology of films of P3HT is not strongly changed by infiltration of F4TCNQ from the vapor phase. We show that the local ordering of P3HT, the texture and form factor of crystallites, and the long-range connectivity of crystalline domains contribute to the electrical conductivity in thin films. The thermopower of films of P3HT doped with F4TCNQ from the vapor phase is not strongly enhanced relative to films doped from solution, but the el...
The Role of Current Family Relationships in Associations Between Childhood Abuse and Adult Psychological Functioning.

Objectives Childhood abuse has long-term negative effects on adult psychological well-being. This study examined whether and how adults with a history of childhood abuse may experience poor psychological functioning partly due to aspects of current family relationships. Method We estimated multilevel mediation models using 3 waves of longitudinal data from 3,487 participants in the study of Midlife Development in the United States. Outcomes measured included negative affect, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being. We included aspects of family relationships as mediators: perceived support, perceived strain, frequency of contact, and hours of providing instrumental and emotional support. Results Multilevel mediation models showed that childhood verbal and physical abuse negatively affected diverse aspects of family relationships in later adulthood (i.e., less perceived support, more perceived strain, less frequent contact, and fewer hours of providing instrumental support). We also found that less perceived support and more family strain significantly mediated the associations between childhood abuse and all 3 psychological functioning outcomes. Discussion Childhood abuse appears to hinder perceived availability of family support in adulthood, which may undermine the psychological functioning of adults with a history of childhood abuse. To improve their psychological health, interventions should focus on facilitating supportive and functional family relationships.
A Methodology for Calculating Performance in an Optical Fiber Communications System

In this paper, we outline a methodology for calculating the performance — in particular the bit error rate — in optical fiber communications systems. We propose the development of an interlocking set of mutually-validating models that range from approximate and system-specific models that are computationally rapid to slower and generic models that are highly accurate. Experimental validation plays an important role in the methodology. We describe the progress in our research group toward fulfilling the goals prescribed by the methodology.
Carbon Nanotubes for Advancing TSV Technology

Resistivity, current density, and electromigration create concerns regarding the viability of copper (Cu) for interconnect in future CMOS technologies [13, 20, 70]. Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as a promising technology to meet these challenges [12, 78, 99]. We investigate in this chapter the feasibility of using CNTs for power delivery in a 3-D IC. We evaluate CNTs as TSVs and as on-chip power grid. We demonstrate that using CNTs in the power delivery network (PDN) of a 3-D IC results in tremendous reduction in the area occupied by TSVs for power delivery. Power can be delivered at coarser granularity while using CNT, thus requiring less number of TSVs and resulting in smaller chip area dedicated to TSVs.
Grid Extension and Enhancement

In most scenarios, the fastest and most cost-effective approach to providing high-tier electricity access is by extending or enhancing the existing grid. For this reason, grid extension is the default approach to increasing electricity access. However, in situations where an off-grid community is remote, sparsely populated, and whose electricity consumption is anticipated to be low, off-grid solutions can be preferable. This chapter describes grid extension as a method for providing access to electricity. The design and operation of medium-voltage distribution lines are discussed. An economic model considering substation, medium- and low-voltage lines, transformers, and user metering and wiring is developed. The model allows the grid extension approach to be compared to off-grid approaches. The role of Rural Electrification Authorities in grid extension is detailed.
Treatment of tuberculosis infection in children.

Introduction: Identifying and treating children with tuberculosis (TB) infection in both low and high-TB burden settings will decrease the incidence of TB disease worldwide.Areas covered: This revi...
Visuality and Identity in Post-Millennial Indian Graphic Narratives

Visuality and Identity in Post-Millennial Indian Graphic Narratives (2018) by E. Dawson Varughese is a valuable exploration of graphic narratives that portray how post-millennial modernity has infl...
A review of Money and Finance after the Crisis: Critical Thinking for Uncertain Times. Edited by Brett Christophers, Andrew Leyshon, and Geoff Mann.

Here we are, a full ten years past the global financial crisis, a time in which postcrisis seems simultaneously a timeless and an aspirational state. The lived consequences of ongoing reconfigurati...
A Highly Elastic and Autofluorescent Poly(xylitol-dodecanedioic Acid) for Tissue Engineering

In spite of the vast research on developing a highly elastic polymer for tissue regeneration, using a renewable resource and a simple, environment-friendly synthesis route to synthesize an elastic ...
On the design of magnetically insulated transmission lines for z -pinch loads

Many papers have been published on the theory of magnetic insulation and the use of Zflow analysis of magnetically insulated transmission lines (MITLs). We describe herein a novel design process using the circuit code SCREAMER for a real-world MITL for z-pinch loads based on the Zflow model of magnetic insulation. In particular, we design a 15-TW, 10-MA, 100-ns double-disk transmission line using only circuit modeling tools and Zflow analysis of the MITL. Critical issues such as current loss to the anode during the setup of magnetic insulation and the transition from a non-emitting vacuum power feed to an MITL play a large role in the MITL design. This very rapid design process allows us for the first time to explore innovative MITL designs such as variable-impedance MITLs that provide a significantly lower total inductance and improved energy delivery to the load. The tedious process of modeling the final MITL design with highly resolved 2D and 3D electromagnetic particle-in-cell codes occurs as a validation step, not as part of the design process.
“This Was Different, and I Wanted to Learn”: A President’s Response to a Student Hunger Strike at a Hispanic-Serving University

The purpose of this chapter is to consider the responses of Ricardo Romo, a former president of the University of Texas at San Antonio, to a student-led hunger strike in 2010 in relation to his own experiences as a student during the Civil Rights Movement. Drawing on Latina/o Educational Leadership and Applied Critical Leadership, this study utilizes historical methods to shed light on how past lived experiences frame the responses of university leaders from racially minoritized backgrounds. In connecting the past with the recent past, this chapter adds to the understudied body of work on Latinx leadership in higher education and provides an example for how university leadership may respond to student activists on their campuses.
Observation and mitigation of RF-plasma-induced damage to III-nitrides grown by molecular beam epitaxy

In this work, radio-frequency (RF) plasma-induced damage to III-nitride surfaces and bulk defects is observed and mitigated. It is shown that for InN films, the surface is more sensitive to plasma-induced damage than GaN films, as observed via atomic force microscopy and reflection high energy electron diffraction. In order to isolate any possible plasma-induced damage, a growth window for InN is established, and temperature ranges are determined for other damaging effects which include roughening due to low adatom mobility, InN decomposition, and indium desorption. In situ plasma monitoring and optimization are accomplished with a combination of optical emission spectroscopy as well as a remote Langmuir probe. It is shown that by increasing the plasma nitrogen flow, the positive ion content increases; however, the ion acceleration potential reduces. Additionally, a reduced RF plasma power results in a reduction of atomic nitrogen species. These plasma species and energetic variations result in variations in the bulk unintentional background electron concentrations observed by room temperature Hall effect measurements of ∼1 μm thick InN films. By increasing the nitrogen flow from 2.5 to 7.5 sccm for a constant RF power of 350 W, the background electron concentration decreases by 74% from 1.36 × 1019 cm−3 to 3.54 × 1018 cm−3, while maintaining a smooth surface morphology. Additionally, photoluminescence spectra indicate optical emission energies shift from ∼0.81 to 0.71 eV (closer to the fundamental bandgap of InN) by limiting the damaging plasma species. Finally, conditions are presented to further minimize plasma-induced damage in III-nitride devices.In this work, radio-frequency (RF) plasma-induced damage to III-nitride surfaces and bulk defects is observed and mitigated. It is shown that for InN films, the surface is more sensitive to plasma-induced damage than GaN films, as observed via atomic force microscopy and reflection high energy electron diffraction. In order to isolate any possible plasma-induced damage, a growth window for InN is established, and temperature ranges are determined for other damaging effects which include roughening due to low adatom mobility, InN decomposition, and indium desorption. In situ plasma monitoring and optimization are accomplished with a combination of optical emission spectroscopy as well as a remote Langmuir probe. It is shown that by increasing the plasma nitrogen flow, the positive ion content increases; however, the ion acceleration potential reduces. Additionally, a reduced RF plasma power results in a reduction of atomic nitrogen species. These plasma species and energetic variations result in variations...
Association of obesity with DNA methylation age acceleration in african American mothers from the interGEN study

African American women are affected by earlier onset of age-associated health deteriorations and obesity disproportionally, but little is known about the mechanism linking body mass index (BMI) and biological aging among this population. DNA methylation age acceleration (DNAm AA), measuring the difference between DNA methylation age and chronological age, is a novel biomarker of the biological aging process, and predicts aging-related disease outcomes. The present study estimated cross-tissue DNA methylation age acceleration using saliva samples from 232 African American mothers. Cross-sectional regression analyses were performed to assess the association of BMI with DNAm AA. The average chronological age and DNA methylation age were 31.67 years, and 28.79 years, respectively. After adjusting for smoking, hypertension diagnosis history, and socioeconomic factors (education, marital status, household income), a 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI is associated with 0.14 years increment of DNAm AA (95% CI: (0.08, 0.21)). The conclusion: in African American women, high BMI is independently associated with saliva-based DNA methylation age acceleration, after adjusting for smoking, hypertension, and socioeconomic status. This finding supports that high BMI accelerates biological aging, and plays a key role in age-related disease outcomes among African American women.
Feasibility of using in situ deformation to monitor CO2 storage

Abstract Deformation during CO2 injection can lead to problems, like seismicity or fluid leaks, but small strains have the potential to be a useful signal for monitoring. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the possible evolution of the strain field during injection, and then assess existing and emerging techniques for measuring the strain field. Poroelastic analyses show that normal strains caused by injection into a reservoir are tensile in the vicinity of the well, but everywhere else at least one strain component is compressive. The vertical strain is compressive in the confining unit, and the radial strain decreases and changes sign from tensile to compressive with distance from the well. Tilting is away from the injection well at the ground surface, but it is towards the well overlying the reservoir. Methods for measuring in-situ strain include instruments that are grouted in the annulus between casing and wall rock (∼ 0.1 microstrain resolution), portable strain sensors that are temporarily clamped to the borehole wall (∼ 0.01 microstrain resolution), and strainmeters that are grouted in place (∼0.001 microstrain resolution). Instruments for measuring in-situ normal strains at the magnitudes and rates expected during injection are emerging, but they have yet to be fully evaluated in applications related to CO2 storage. In-situ strain data measured with emerging instruments promises to fill an important gap between the episodes of fast strain rates measured by seismic data, and the slow strains measured over relatively long periods of time by InSAR and GPS.
Technological Heterogeneity and Path Diversity in Smart Home Resilience: A Simulation Approach

Abstract IoT has increased our vulnerability to technological failures and has expanded the available attack surface for our adversaries. We are concerned in this paper to understand how to increase system-level resilience, specifically in smart homes in light of increasing technological heterogeneity and path diversity and the increasing likelihood that security measures will be circumvented. Our approach involves simulating and modeling the interaction of diverse smart home technologies in the context of their relationship to the core internet. We show how technological diversity can be incorporated into system design in ways that can increase resilience.
Re-defining “Meaning”: Defending Semantic Internalism over Externalism

This chapter considers the objection that conventionalism’s picture of meaning is predicated on a debunked Wittgensteinian semantics. It thus considers the dominant approach to semantics in the philosophy of language, semantic externalism. This approach holds that the meaning of a referring expression (a kind term) is the kind to which it refers, where a kind is a language-independent essence. The essence of a kind term is thought to be the “internal nature” of the objects falling under its extension. Moreover, this internal nature is thought to be discoverable by the relevant science. Wittgenstein’s conventionalism, by contrast, provides an internalist rather than an externalist semantics because it posits that grammar is arbitrary (a matter of convention) and thus not responsible to the facts. If this is correct, then there is no essence of racism for science to discover. The author argues that Kripke and Putnam’s seminal arguments for externalism can be used to support conventionalism; hence, they do not demonstrate the plausibility of externalist semantics over internalist semantics. He concludes that Wittgensteinian semantics should not be rejected on the basis of standard arguments for externalism.
Asymptotic Estimate of the Potential Energy of a Plastically Deformed Thin Shell

We derive an asymptotic expression for the potential energy of a thin elastic shell that has undergone prior plastic deformation.
Syntactic foam under compressive stress: Comparison of modeling predictions and experimental measurements:

Syntactic foams are composite materials consisting in the association of hollow particles, called “microspheres” and a polymer matrix. The use of soft shell microspheres confers to the foam interes...