cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PVDF-TrFE Electroactive Polymer Mechanical-To-Electrical Energy Harvesting Experimental Bimorph Structure

Research of electrostrictive polymers has generated new opportunities for harvesting energy from the surrounding environment and converting it into usable electrical energy. Electroactive polymer (EAP) research is one of the new opportunities for harvesting energy from the natural environment and converting it into usable electrical energy. Piezoelectric ceramic based energy harvesting devices tend to be unsuitable for low-frequency mechanical excitations such as human movement. Organic polymers are typically softer and more flexible therefore translated electrical energy output is considerably higher under the same mechanical force. In addition, cantilever geometry is one of the most used structures in piezoelectric energy harvesters, especially for mechanical energy harvesting from vibrations. In order to further lower the resonance frequency of the cantilever microstructure, a proof mass can be attached to the free end of the cantilever. Mechanical analysis of an experimental bimorph structure was provided and led to key design rules for post-processing steps to control the performance of the energy harvester. In this work, methods of materials processing and the mechanical to electrical conversion of vibrational energy into usable energy were investigated. Materials such as polyvinyledenedifluoridetetra-fluoroethylene P(VDF-TrFE) copolymer films (1um thick or less) were evaluated and presented a large relative permittivity and greater piezoelectric β-phase without stretching. Further investigations will be used to identify suitable micro-electromechanical systems (MEMs) structures given specific types of low-frequency mechanical excitations (10-100Hz).
Formulating citizenship: The microbiopolitics of the malfunctioning functional beverage

Human and microbial lives constantly intersect. However, accounts of microbial-human partnerings have yet to explore how producers, consumers, and regulators use their imaginings of microbiological activity to shape individual action. How do these understandings and imaginings of microbial life shape relationships with the state in an environment where citizens expect and demand that their government promote food safety via regulatory intervention? This article provides a theoretical framework for understanding producer and consumer responses to the regulatory crackdown over minimal levels of alcohol in kombucha in the U.S., as well as larger conversations about human–microbe relationships. Through interviews with kombucha producers and consumers, media analysis, and observation, I develop the concept of microbiological citizenship to analyze how producers and consumers of kombucha – a fermented tea – sought to preserve their relations with microbial life in the face of regulatory crackdown. Producer practices to re-manage and preserve microbial life in the face of structural difficulties suggest that for post-Pasteurians, encouragement of human–microbe relationships creates new ties of responsibility that promote collaboration rather than competition. Read through the lens of microbiological citizenship, the controversy over kombucha points to how acknowledging, and even welcoming, the microbial irruptions into human life opens up, complicates, and potentially addresses some of the troubling aspects of biological citizenship.
Clinical Toxicology of Common Drugs and Chemicals in Humans: Stomach

It is estimated that about 50 000 chemicals are used in industry, agriculture, the household, and the practice of medicine, including dentistry and veterinary medicine. The Index Medicus lists 10 100 organic and inorganic chemicals, including 3000–4000 drugs, that have been tested in toxicologic and/or pharmacologic evaluations (Budavari 1989). Drugs represent a subgroup of chemicals that are used in medicine for treatment, prevention, and diagnosis. About 5% of patients receiving drugs experience some form of adverse reaction (Jick et al. 1970), and these account for 5% of hospital admissions (Barr 1967). Of all drug injuries noted, 18–33% affect one or more portions of the gastrointestinal tract (Benson 1971; Lewis 1986).
Disparities in plain, tap and bottled water consumption among US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2014.

Objective Differences in bottled v. tap water intake may provide insights into health disparities, like risk of dental caries and inadequate hydration. We examined differences in plain, tap and bottled water consumption among US adults by sociodemographic characteristics. Design Cross-sectional analysis. We used 24 h dietary recall data to test differences in percentage consuming the water sources and mean intake between groups using Wald tests and multiple logistic and linear regression models. Setting National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2014. Subjects A nationally representative sample of 20 676 adults aged ≥20 years. Results In 2011-2014, 81·4 (se 0·6) % of adults drank plain water (sum of tap and bottled), 55·2 (se 1·4) % drank tap water and 33·4 (se 1·4) % drank bottled water on a given day. Adjusting for covariates, non-Hispanic (NH) Black and Hispanic adults had 0·44 (95 % CI 0·37, 0·53) and 0·55 (95 % CI 0·45, 0·66) times the odds of consuming tap water, and consumed B=-330 (se 45) ml and B=-180 (se 45) ml less tap water than NH White adults, respectively. NH Black, Hispanic and adults born outside the fifty US states or Washington, DC had 2·20 (95 % CI 1·79, 2·69), 2·37 (95 % CI 1·91, 2·94) and 1·46 (95 % CI 1·19, 1·79) times the odds of consuming bottled water than their NH White and US-born counterparts. In 2007-2010, water filtration was associated with higher odds of drinking plain and tap water. Conclusions While most US adults consumed plain water, the source (i.e. tap or bottled) and amount differed by race/Hispanic origin, nativity status and education. Water filters may increase tap water consumption.
Crowd-O-Meter: Predicting if a Person Is Vulnerable to Believe Political Claims

Social media platforms have been criticized for promoting false information during the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign. Our work is motivated by the idea that a platform could reduce the circulation of false information if it could estimate whether its users are vulnerable to believing political claims. We here explore whether such a vulnerability could be measured in a crowdsourcing setting. We propose Crowd-O-Meter, a framework that automatically predicts if a crowd worker will be consistent in his/her beliefs about political claims; i.e., consistently believes the claims are true or consistently believes the claims are not true. Crowd-O-Meter is a user-centered approach which interprets a combination of cues characterizing the user's implicit and explicit opinion bias. Experiments on 580 quotes from PolitiFact's fact checking corpus of 2016 U.S. presidential candidates show that Crowd-O-Meter is precise and accurate for two news modalities: text and video. Our analysis also reveals which are the most informative cues of a person's vulnerability.
Nutrient Composition of Whole Green Frogs, Rana clamitans and Southern Toads, Bufo terrestris

ABSTRACT Whole prey samples of green frogs, Rana clamitans, and southern toads, Bufo terrestris, were analyzed for proximate composition (moisture, lipid, protein, ash), fat-soluble vitamins A and E, and selected minerals. The green frogs (n=7) were obtained from a pond in Cold Springs Harbor, NY in August 1996. The southern toads (n=5) were collected in July 1996 on St. Catherine's Island, GA. Water (77.5 ± 1.3 vs. 71.8 ± 2.9, %) and crude protein (71.2 ± 3.3 vs. 61.0 ± 1.2, % DM) percentages were significantly higher in frogs than in toads; all other proximate constituents were similar. Vitamin A was extremely variable, but averaged approximately 29,000 IU/kg DM (both species), while vitamin E in frogs was significantly lower (82.2 ± 1 5 .6 IU/kg DM) than in toads (369.3 ± 169.0 IU/kg DM). Frogs contained extremely high magnesium levels (2.5 ± 0.1 %DM) that may be considered excessive and affect mineral nutrition. Frogs also contained significantly higher values of calcium and sodium than toads. Copper,...
The Dying Role: Its Relevance to Improved Patient Care

SOCIETY is failing to meet the obligation it has to its dying members. Persons with terminal illnesses suffer isolation and neglect in hospitals, receive overzealous treatment by physicians, and are kept in ignorance of their situation by families and medical personnel. Evidence for these statements has come from observers of the medical care system and from dying patients themselves (Kubler-Ross, 1969; Reynolds and Kalish, 1974; Sudnow, 1967). In the nineteenth century it was common for persons to die in the familiar environs of their homes, surrounded by grieving families from whom they parted in a meaningful manner (Blauner, 1966). Dying persons of today no longer fill a well-defined social role. Instead, the distinction between the roles of sick and dying persons has been lost and, in the resulting confusion, the care of dying people has suffered. The purpose of this article is to clarify the distinction between the dying and sick roles, identify the signs of existing role confusion, suggest ways in w...
Wireless User Perspectives in the United States

The perspective of typical wireless service users in the United States is examined. Voice, data information, security, and location-based services and their expected evolution over the next few years is discussed. Handset design is considered with emphasis on handset evolution as data and location-based services emerge.
Isolation, Characterization and Differentiation of Mouse Cardiac Progenitor Cells.

Despite several strategies developed for replenishing the dead myocardium after myocardial infarction (MI), stem cell therapy remains the leading method to regenerate new myocardium. Although induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) and trans-differentiation of the differentiated cells have been used as novel approaches for myocardial regeneration, these approaches did not yield very successful results for myocardial regeneration in in vivo studies. Asynchronous contractility of newly formed cardiomyocytes with the existing cardiomyocytes is the most important issue with iPS approach, while very low yield of transdifferentiated cardiomyocytes and their chances to beat in the same rhythm as existing cardiomyocytes in the MI heart are important caveats with trans-differentiation approach. CSCs are present in the heart and they have potential to differentiate into myocardial cells. However, the number of resident CSCs are very low. Therefore, it is important to get maximum yield of CSCs during isolation process from the heart. Increasing the number of CSCs and initiating their differentiation ex vivo are crucial for CSCs-based stem cell therapy. Here, we present a better method for isolation, characterization and differentiation of CSCs from the mouse heart. We also demonstrated morphological changes in the CSCs after two-days, three-days and seven-days in maintenance medium and a separate group of CSCs cultured for twelve-days in differentiation medium using phase-contrast microscopy. We have used different markers for identification of CSCs isolated from the mouse heart such as a well-established marker for mouse CSC, Sca-1, cardiac specific markers NKX2-5, MEF2C, GATA4, and stemness markers OCT4 and SOX2. To characterize the differentiated CSCs, we used CSCs maintained in differentiation medium for twelve-days. To evaluate differentiation of CSCs, we determined the expression of cardiomyocyte specific markers, actinin and troponin I. Overall; we described an elegant method for isolation, identification, differentiation, and characterization of CSCs from the mouse heart.
Lay Beliefs About Attention to and Awareness of the Present: Implicit Mindfulness Theory (IMT) and Its Workplace Implications

While mindfulness (attention to and awareness of the present) has received growing attention from scholars and practitioners, little is known regarding how employees’ lay beliefs about the fixedness versus malleability nature of mindfulness can guide their work behaviors. To address this issue, we proposed the concept of implicit mindfulness theory (IMT) and developed and validated a new measure tapping this construct (with three items in the final scale). Across six studies, we found that the new measure had satisfactory reliabilities, validities, and other psychometric properties and also proved useful in predicting individuals’ voice, production deviance, and in-role behaviors in the workplace. Some individuals in our studies were inclined to view mindfulness as a relatively fixed quality rather than as an attribute developable through time and effort investments. We also found that while IMT had a direct relationship with voice (study 4), IMT modified the relationship between feedback from others at work and production deviance (study 5) or in-role behaviors (study 6); feedback from others at work was significantly related to production deviance or in-role behaviors only among IMT entity theorists. Notably, IMT had predictive validity above and beyond a measure of dispositional mindfulness. The insights provided by our studies highlight the need to better understand the individual difference of IMT and its workplace implications.
Biceps tendon rupture associated with ciprofloxacin use for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis prophylaxis.

A 70-year-old man with a medical history of alcoholic cirrhosis was sent from the skilled nursing facility to the emergency department with an abnormal haemoglobin value of 68 g/L (reference 125–165), compared with 103 g/L three weeks prior. On physical examination, the patient’s left
“Me Too”: Epistemic Injustice and the Struggle for Recognition

Congdon (2017), Giladi (2018), and McConkey (2004) challenge feminist epistemologists and recognition theorists to come together to analyze epistemic injustice. I take up this challenge by highlighting the failure of recognition in cases of testimonial and hermeneutical injustice experienced by victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. I offer the #MeToo movement as a case study to demonstrate how the process of mutual recognition makes visible and helps overcome the epistemic injustice suffered by victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault. I argue that in declaring “me too,” the epistemic subject emerges in the context of a polyphonic symphony of victims claiming their status as agents who are able to make sense of their own social experiences and able to convey their knowledge to others.
Adolescent HIV Healthcare Providers’ Competencies in Motivational Interviewing Using a Standard Patient Model of Fidelity Monitoring

The goal of this project is to describe adolescent HIV care providers’ competence in Motivational Interviewing (MI) using a standard patient interaction model of fidelity assessment. Providers (N = 151) at 11 clinics completed monthly MI role plays. The MI Coach Rating Scale was utilized to assess MI skill. Despite mean differences in baseline MI ability by provider type (medical providers, psychologists/social workers, other), when examined together, only clinic had a significant main effect. Aspects of the clinic environment may have a greater impact on providers’ baseline MI ability than their job type. Future research should continue to explore these clinic factors.
Computing human to human Avian influenza ℜ₀ via transmission chains and parameter estimation.

The transmission of avian influenza between humans is extremely rare, and it mostly affects individuals who are in contact with infected family member. Although this scenario is uncommon, there have been multiple outbreaks that occur in small infection clusters in Asia with relatively lowtransmissibility, and thus are too weak to cause an epidemic. Still, subcritical transmission from stut-tering chain data is vital for determining whether avian influenza is close to the threshold of $\mathcal{R}_0$ > 1.In this article, we will explore two methods of estimating $\mathcal{R}_0$ using transmission chains and parameterestimation through data fitting. We found that $\mathcal{R}_0$ = 0.2205 when calculating the $\mathcal{R}_0$ using the maxi-mum likelihood method. When we computed the reproduction number for human to human transmis-sion through differential equations and fitted the model to data from the cumulative cases, cumulativedeaths, and cumulative secondary cases, we estimated $\mathcal{R}_0$ = 0.1768. To avoid violating the assumptionof the least square method, we fitted the model to incidence data to obtain $\mathcal{R}_0$ = 0.1520. We tested thestructural and practical identifiability of the model, and concluded that the model is identifiable undercertain assumptions. We further use two more methods to estimate $\mathcal{R}_0$ : by the $\mathcal{R}_0$ definition whichgives an overestimate of 0.28 and by Ferguson approach which yields $\mathcal{R}_0$ = 0.1586. We conclude that $\mathcal{R}_0$ for human to human transmission was about 0.2.
The sub-microbarom notch in acoustic wind-filter response

The measurement of the frequency response of infrasound elements with spatial-averaging wind filters is often done by comparison with a reference sensor and with ambient noise as the excitation. Frequently, a notch appears in the response just below the microbarom band—a notch that is not explained by the acoustics of the wind filter. In fact, this notch is diagnostic of the spatial averaging of wind-associated turbulence. The frequency region of the notch is bounded above and below by regions in which excellent determinations of response can be made (1) below the notch under moderate- to high-wind conditions where the scale of the turbulence exceeds the scale of the wind filter rendering the wind filter ineffective and (2) in the microbarom region where the acoustic component is strong and coherent across the entire wind-filter aperture. Furthermore, the phase of the response is not affected in the region of the notch. Consequently, the true acoustic response can be estimated in the notch region in several ways. It would, however, be a mistake to ignore the information about the effectiveness of the wind filter that, in effect, creates the notch.
Major Neurocognitive Disorder with Behavioral Disturbance (Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia—BPSD)

DSM-5 specifies major neurocognitive disorder (MNCD) as “with” or “without” behavioral disturbance. According to the Alzheimer’s Disease International: World Alzheimer Report 2014 (World Alzheimer Report 2014), 98% of people with MNCD will experience non-cognitive, or behavioral, symptoms at some point in their illness. These behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) can include depression, anxiety, apathy, agitation, wandering, aggressive behavior, repetitive complaints, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, delusions, hallucinations, and disordered sleep.
Fast Dynamic Strain Measurement in the Spallation Mercury Target Using Fiber-Optic Sensors

We report the measurement of fast dynamic strains produced by high energy proton pulses in the mercury target of the Spallation Neutron Source using single-mode fiber-optic interferometric sensors and a quadrature phase-shifted optical demodulation scheme.
Association of Neck Range of Motion and Skin Caliper Measures on Dysphagia Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer and Effects of Neck Stretches and Swallowing Exercises.

To date, there is a paucity of information in the literature regarding the association between cervical range of motion (CROM) and skin caliper measures (SCM) and swallowing outcomes in post-RT individuals with head and neck cancer. Also lacking in the literature are reports of the effect of swallowing exercises and neck stretches on changes in CROM and SCM and their associations with swallowing outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between CROM and SCM before initiation of a neck stretching and swallowing exercise program and to determine if 12 weeks of twice daily practice changes in CROM and SCM were associated with changes in swallowing outcomes in a cohort of 119 head and neck cancer survivors. Primary results revealed that at baseline, greater right and left CROM were associated with lower penetration aspiration scale (PAS) scores (r = − 0.321, p = < 0.001; r = − 0.203, p = 0.026, respectively). Improved skin pliability revealed lower PAS scores (r = − 0.210, p = 0.022). After 12 weeks, there were no significant correlations between changes in CROM and SCM and PAS scores. Changes in left CROM and CROM extension had positive associations with the Head and Neck Cancer Inventory eating score (r = 0.210, p = 0.026; r = 0.245, p = 0.009, respectively). Findings appear to indicate that any improvement was not associated with changes in swallowing outcomes. Head and neck cancer survivors may perceive improved diet and swallowing skills through exercise, with respect to improved CROM extension.
Confusion about Custom: Disentangling Informal Customs from Standard Contractual Provisions

What is the place of custom in the creation and enforcement of commercial obligations? Lisa Bernstein addresses that question with a frontal assault on the working r ules that the Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC") prescribes for interpreting commercial promises. Her opening salvo notes that the UCC is "based on the premise that unwritten customs and usages of trade exist and that in commercial disputes they can, and should, be discovered and applied by courts."' The relevant landscape is shaped by UCC ? 1-201(3), which defines an agreement to include "the bargain of the parties in fact as found in their language or by implication from other circumstances including course of dealing or usage of trade or course of peiformance."2 It is also found in comment 1 to UCC ? 1-205, which instructs courts to find "the meaning of the agreement of the parties ... by the language used by them and by their action, read and interpreted in light of the commercial practices and other surrounding circumstances."3 To most individuals, these provisions seem to support the underlying principle of freedom of contract. It therefore comes, perhaps, as something of a shock to learn that Bernstein has demonstrated in meticulous detail that the empirical predicate on which this premise rests is, not to put too fine a word on it, often false in fact. Bernstein studies the evolution of trade rules in a number of specific industries; in each case she finds a constant pressure to depart from the gradual modification of trade usage by informal processes, such as those idealized by F.A. Hayek in
Laser surface modification of porous yttria stabilized zirconia against CMAS degradation

Abstract Here, we present a new combined freeze-casting and laser processing method for the design of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) based thermal-barrier coatings. YSZ ceramics with unidirectionally-aligned pore channels were created using the freeze-casting method. After sintering, top view and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the structural features of the preform, which exhibits a 74 ± 2% volume fraction of porosity and an average pore channel size of 30 ± 3 μm. The measured thermal conductivity of this porous structure was 0.27 ± 0.02 W/(m K), which is eight times lower than that of reported values for dense YSZ. Though high porosity is beneficial both from a structural and thermal response perspective, the open porosity could potentially be an issue from an application stand-point when evaluating the resistance of materials to calcium–magnesium–aluminum–silicon oxide (CMAS) attack. CMAS attack, which can originate from deposits of molten sand, ash, and dust, is one of the major causes of thermal barrier coating failure. Therefore, the surface of the porous samples was modified using a laser process to create a barrier to CMAS infiltration. SEM micrographs aided in determining the optimum laser parameters required to fully seal the surface using a laser treatment. The performance of the original porous and surface-modified YSZ was compared by conducting CMAS infiltration studies. Laser modification was shown to be a viable technique to significantly reduce CMAS infiltration in porous thermal barrier coatings.
WATERMARCH: IP Protection Through Authenticated Obfuscation in FPGA Bitstreams

Field programmable gate array (FPGA) bitstreams contain information on the functionality of all hardware intellectual property (IP) cores used in a given design, so if an attacker gains access to the bitstream, they can mount attacks on the IP. Various mechanisms have been proposed to protect IP from reverse engineering and theft. However, there are no examples of IP obfuscation in FPGA bitstreams that also intrinsically enable tamper detection and authentication at no additional hardware cost. In this letter, we propose a mutable architecture-based watermarking scheme called WATERMARCH, a novel technique of authenticated obfuscation utilizing a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) to cryptographically mesh the obfuscation and watermark with the original design, with no additional overhead beyond the underlying obfuscation method. While collaboration between the IP owner and FPGA vendor is necessary to facilitate parsing of the bitstream, once the bitstream is parsable, the watermark can be extracted to prove authorship of the IP or confirm the presence of malicious IP modification, providing tremendous benefits to both IP owners and end users.
Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JANIS): Current Status, International Collaboration, and Future Directions for a Comprehensive Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System

The Japanese Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JANIS) is one of the largest national antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems in the world. In particular, the JANIS Clinical Laboratory (CL) division collects comprehensive specimen-based data from diagnostic microbiology laboratories of participating hospitals to monitor the isolation rate of 11 major bacteria and specific AMR bacteria, and creating antibiograms of approximately 20 bacterial species. Data in the JANIS web-database system are also annually tabulated and provided to the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS). To create a network of international AMR surveillance systems among Asian countries, Japan is developing an international web-database system named ASIan Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (ASIARS-Net) based on the JANIS system, but is open-source and available confidentially at almost no cost. JANIS further continues to evolve in multiple directions, some of which are selected and discussed in end of this review.
PhD. Subject: Strategies to Design Life-Long Learning Heuristic Based Algorithms

Nowadays combinatorial optimization problems arise in many circumstances, and we need to be able to solve these problems efficiently. Unfortunately, many of these problems are proven to be NP-hard, but problems can be related in some way. Analysing different combinatorial problems we can see some similarities between them. If we work with this similarities, we could improve the search process of an algorithm, because there exists some concurrent knowledge about solving a problem that could be exploited. For example, if an algorithm can solve an instance X for Sudoku puzzle ensuring uniqueness in blocks before rows and colums, this strategy can be useful for another instance Y when the algorithm is in a local optimum. In other words, some heuristics that can find interesting candidate solutions can be reused in future during the execution of an algorithm. To do this, an algorithm should learn over time to determine how, when and which heuristic apply. The idea of this investigation is to create strategies to design life-long learning heuristic based algorithms. There have been some investigations in this area applied to 1-D Bin Packing problem [6], for Traveling Sales Problem [3] and the most important thing, is that can be applied in different kinds of problem. Heuristic methods guarantees certain solution quality and the polynomial running time. Unfortunately, this nice theoretical property is usually achieved at the cost of relatively poor performance. In other words, a simple heuristic is often faster and yields better solutions than an approximation algorithm, though a simple heuristic does not guarantee any quality and in certain cases it yields very bad solutions. The importance of design a life-long learning heuristic system lies in the need of finding better quality solutions in less time. Create a system like this can be very expensive and if it doesn’t solve a considerable set of instances (or it doesn’t work like we wanted to), the system must be redesigned. So we are interested in designing a framework that gives the necessary tools to solve complex problems, using heuristic strategies. We understand that the immediacy of get a solution, in some cases, it’s more important than quality. This research aims to design new strategies to try to make algorithms more efficient too. At the beginning of this research, we decided to work with the Harmony Search algorithm. This algorithm was selected because I had a close relationship with the Musical Composition (apart from my interest in work with Metaheuristics). We improved Harmony Search for one binary problem, but using more time than the original algorithm. So the next step it’s trying to improve our algorithms, changing the design with the objective of making them more efficient. This kind Doctoral Consortium IJCAI School 2014
Mycobacterium bovis Bacille-Calmette-Guérin Infection Aggravates Atherosclerosis.

Tuberculosis has been associated with increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. To examine whether mycobacterial infection exacerbates atherosclerosis development in experimental conditions, we infected low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (Ldlr -/-) mice with Mycobacterium bovis Bacille-Calmette-Guerin (BCG), an attenuated strain of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Twelve-week old male Ldlr -/- mice were infected with BCG (0.3-3.0x106 colony-forming units) via the intranasal route. Mice were subsequently fed a western-type diet containing 21% fat and 0.2% cholesterol for up to 16 weeks. Age-matched uninfected Ldlr -/- mice fed with an identical diet served as controls. Atherosclerotic lesions in aorta were examined using Oil Red O staining. Changes induced by BCG infection on the immunophenotyping profile of circulating T lymphocytes and monocytes were assessed using flow cytometry. BCG infection increased atherosclerotic lesions in en face aorta after 8 weeks (plaque ratio; 0.021±0.01 vs. 0.013±0.01; p = 0.011) and 16 weeks (plaque ratio, 0.15±0.13 vs. 0.06±0.02; p = 0.003). No significant differences in plasma cholesterol or triglyceride levels were observed between infected and uninfected mice. Compared to uninfected mice, BCG infection increased systemic CD4/CD8 T cell ratio and the proportion of Ly6Clow non-classical monocytes at weeks 8 and 16. Aortic plaque ratios correlated with CD4/CD8 T cell ratios (Spearman's rho = 0.498; p = 0.001) and the proportion of Ly6Clow non-classical monocytes (Spearman's rho = 0.629; p < 0.001) at week 16. In conclusion, BCG infection expanded the proportion of CD4+ T cell and Ly6Clow monocytes, and aggravated atherosclerosis formation in the aortas of hyperlipidemic Ldlr -/- mice. Our results indicate that mycobacterial infection is capable of enhancing atherosclerosis development.
Classifying Metaheuristics: Towards a unified multi-level classification system

Metaheuristics provide the means to approximately solve complex optimisation problems when exact optimisers cannot be utilised. This led to an explosion in the number of novel metaheuristics, most of them metaphor-based, using nature as a source of inspiration. Thus, keeping track of their capabilities and innovative components is an increasingly difficult task. This can be resolved by an exhaustive classification system. Trying to classify metaheuristics is common in research, but no consensus on a classification system and the necessary criteria has been established so far. Furthermore, a proposed classification system can not be deemed complete if inherently different metaheuristics are assigned to the same class by the system. In this paper we provide the basis for a new comprehensive classification system for metaheuristics. We first summarise and discuss previous classification attempts and the utilised criteria. Then we present a multi-level architecture and suitable criteria for the task of classifying metaheuristics. A classification system of this kind can solve three main problems when applied to metaheuristics: organise the huge set of existing metaheuristics, clarify the innovation in novel metaheuristics and identify metaheuristics suitable to solve specific optimisation tasks.
An open-source application built with R programming language for clinical laboratories to innovate process of excellence and overcome the uncertain outlook during the global healthcare crisis

Clinical laboratories must thrive using supportive analytical tools to maintain the cost control and profitability during economic uncertainty, the shortages of laboratorians, and public healthcare emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. R Programming is a comprehensive open-source and platform-independent tool that can manage large datasets and display key performance indicators through real-time dashboards. This study seeks to innovate the performance excellence framework of small-sized clinical laboratories located in the United States, using R Programming's Shiny App dashboard. It will also encourage small-sized clinical laboratories to transition into a next-generation enterprise by digitizing their decision-making tools and improve performance using data analytics.
Novel NMP split liver model recapitulates human IRI and demonstrates ferroptosis modulators as a new therapeutic strategy

Background Almost 9%of deceased donor livers are discarded as marginal donor livers (MDL) due to concern of severe ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Emerging data supports ferroptosis (iron regulated hepatocellular death) as an IRI driver, however lack of robust preclinical model limits therapeutic testing. In this manuscript we describe the development of a novel rigorous internal control system utilizing normothermic perfusion of split livers to test ferroptosis regulators modulating IRI. Methods Upon institutional approval, split human MDLs were placed on our normothermic perfusion machine, Perfusion Regulated Organ Therapeutics with Enhanced Controlled Testing (PROTECT), pumping arterial and portal blood. Experiment 1 compared right (UR) and left (UL) lobes to validate PROTECT. Experiment 2 assessed ferroptosis regulator Deferoxamine in Deferoxamine Agent Treated (DMAT) vs. No Agent Internal Control (NAIC) lobes. Liver serology, histology, and ferroptosis genes were assessed. Results Successful MDL perfusion validated PROTECT with no ALT or AST difference between UR and UL (∆ALT UR: 235, ∆ALT UL: 212; ∆AST UR: 576, ∆AST UL: 389). Liver injury markers increased in NAIC vs. DMAT (∆ALT NAIC: 586, ∆ALT DMAT: -405; ∆AST NAIC: 617, ∆AST DMAT: -380). UR and UL had similar expression of ferroptosis regulators RPL8,HO-1 and HIFα. Significantly decreased intrahepatic iron (p = .038), HO-1 and HIFα in DMAT (HO-1 NAIC: 6.93, HO-1 DMAT: 2.74; HIFαNAIC: 8.67, HIFαDMAT: 2.60)and no hepatocellular necrosis or immunohistochemical staining (Ki67/Cytokeratin-7) differences were noted. Conclusion PROTECT demonstrates the therapeutic utility of a novel normothermic perfusion split liver system for drug discovery and rapid translatability of therapeutics, driving a paradigm change in organ recovery and transplant medicine. Our study using human livers, provides preliminary proof of concept for the novel role of ferroptosis regulators in driving IRI.
Efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with cocktail conditioning regimen for the treatment of pediatric patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus: A retrospective observational study.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) was considered as an only therapeutic strategy for chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection with few exceptions, while efficacy of various allo-HSCT conditioning regimens for CAEBV has not been fully investigated yet. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of cocktail conditioning regimen (CCR)-allo-HSCT with reduced-intensity conditioning regimen (RICR)-allo-HSCT for pediatric patients with CAEBV. Data of a total of 54 children with CAEBV from July 2015 to December 2020, were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 32 patients received VP16, total body irradiation (TBI), busulfan, fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) (CCR1 group), 10 patients received VP16, ara-C, TBI, busulfan, fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and ATG (CCR2 group), and the remaining 12 patients received VP16, busulfan or melphalan, fludarabine, and ATG with or without ara-C (RICR group). The overall survival (OS), hematopoietic engraftment, the incidence of severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and other parameters were analyzed. After adjusting for potential confounders, CCR1 (hazard ratio (HR): 0.023; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.001-0.448; P=0.013) and CCR2 (HR: 0.028; 95%CI: 0.002-0.457; P=0.012) were associated with a longer OS than RICR. The use of CCR could markedly improve the engraftment success rate and OS rate compared with RICR for pediatric patients with CAEBV.
The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the International Unification of Private Law

The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (the "Conference") celebrates its centennial in 1992. The Conference has much to celebrate. During the 100 years of its existence the Conference has promulgated over 200 uniform and model acts on topics ranging from adoption to water use, although it is perhaps best known for its cosponsorship of the Uniform Commercial Code. Tributes published to acknowledge the Conference's anniversary duly note these many achievements.1 Few of these anniversary tributes mention, however, the
Transmission Electron Microscopy of Defects in Solids

Microscopy is based on the ability to retrieve spatial information about an object, usually in magnified form, from diffraction of radiation by the object. It differs from indirect structural probes such as spectroscopy, scattering, magnetic resonance, electrical or thermal conductivity measurements in that information about internal structure or composition of the object is averaged over at most one dimension of the object, providing at least two-dimensional mapping of structural features of interest, such as atomic arrangements or structural defects. Microscopy is therefore a direct technique for observing structure and sometimes composition of individual defects.
A roller coaster of reliance: Government dependence on the NFP sector from the colonies to Clinton

Examines the “roller coaster of reliance” of the US government sector on the voluntary sector from colonial times to the present. Emphasizes the question of how this roller coaster has been affected by the emergence of the globalizing economy, the neoliberal state and more specifically by the new directions taken on by the Clinton administration. Offers some policy recommendations for stabilizing this important relationship in order to meet the heightened challenges that are developing in the USA and abroad.
Prosystemin from potato, black nightshade, and bell pepper: primary structure and biological activity of predicted systemin polypeptides.

Prosystemin is the precursor protein of the 18 amino acid wound signal systemin which activates systemic defense in tomato leaves against insect herbivores (McGurl B, Pearce G, Orozco-Cardenas M, Ryan CA, Science 255 (1992) 1570–1573). Here, we report the isolation of cDNA sequences encoding prosystemin from potato (Solanum tuberosum), black nightshade (S. nigrum), and bell pepper (Capsicum annuum), all members of the Solanaceae family, using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Pairwise comparisons of the predicted prosystemin proteins from the three species with tomato prosystemin and among each other indicated sequence identities ranging from 73% to 88%. The deduced systemin polypeptides were synthesized and tested for their capacities to induce the synthesis of the defensive proteinase inhibitors in tomato leaves. Potato and pepper systemins were approximately as active as tomato systemin, whereas nightshade systemin was ten-fold less active. The accumulation of proteinase inhibitor mRNA transcripts could be induced in each of these plants by treatment with the homologous systemin. As in the tomato, in potato, black nightshade, and bell pepper plants, prosystemin homologs appear to function as precursors of systemic wound signals.
Materials for Structural Models

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF COMMONLY USED MODEL MATERIALS ARE DISCUSSED. PLASTICS ARE USED FOR INDIRECT MODELS OR DIRECT MODELS IN THE ELASTIC RANGE. THEY FOLLOW HOOKE'S LAW FOR THE RANGE OF STRAINS USUALLY USED AND HAVE LOW MODULI OF ELASTICITY, SO MEASURABLE STRAINS AND DEFLECTIONS CAN BE OBTAINED WITH SMALL LOADS. THEY CAN BE EASILY FORMED, MACHINED, AND ASSEMBLED, BUT THEIR MECHANICAL PROPERTIES ARE SENSITIVE TO ENVIRONMENT AND METHODS OF TEST. FOR MODELING REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURES UP TO ULTIMATE LOAD, CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS WITH SIMILAR STRESS-STRAIN CURVES UP TO FAILURE AS THE PROTOTYPE MUST BE USED. THE PROPERTIES OF FREQUENTLY USED CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS, PARTICULARLY MICRO-CONCRETE, ARE DISCUSSED. MODEL REINFORCEMENT IS LIMITED TO STEEL OR PHOSPHOR BRONZE BECAUSE OF THE NEED OF FAIRLY WELL PRONOUNCED YIELD POINTS. THREADED ROD CAN BE USED TO ASSURE SUFFICIENT BOND FOR GYPSUM MORTAR. METALLIC MODELS CAN BE MADE OF STEEL, ALUMINUM AND COPPER ALLOYS. MISCELLANEOUS MATERIALS SUCH AS CEMENT ASBESTOS, CARDBOARD AND WOOD ARE DISCUSSED. /ASCE/
CORFU: a shared log design for flash clusters

CORFU organizes a cluster of flash devices as a single, shared log that can be accessed concurrently by multiple clients over the network. The CORFU shared log makes it easy to build distributed applications that require strong consistency at high speeds, such as databases, transactional key-value stores, replicated state machines, and metadata services. CORFU can be viewed as a distributed SSD, providing advantages over conventional SSDs such as distributed wear-leveling, network locality, fault tolerance, incremental scalability and geo-distribution. A single CORFU instance can support up to 200K appends/sec, while reads scale linearly with cluster size. Importantly, CORFU is designed to work directly over network-attached flash devices, slashing cost, power consumption and latency by eliminating storage servers.
Advanced Topics in BGP/MPLS mVPNs

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction BGP/MPLS mVPN – inter‐AS operations Support of PIM DM in BGP/MPLS mVPN Discovering the RP – auto‐RP and BSR support in BGP/MPLS mVPN Implementing extranets in BGP/MPLS mVPN Transition from draft‐rosen to BGP/MPLS mVPNs Scalability discussion Achieving multicast high availability with BGP/MPLS mVPN Internet multicast service using the BGP/MPLS mVPN technology Conclusion References Study questions
Recombinant human erythropoietin stimulates erythropoiesis and reduces erythrocyte transfusions in very low birth weight preterm infants.

Design and methods We hypothesized that treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) would stimulate erythropoiesis and would thereby reduce the need for erythrocyte transfusions in preterm infants. We treated 157 preterm infants born at 26.9 +/- 1.6 weeks of gestation who weighed 924 +/- 183 g at birth with either subcutaneous r-HuEPO (100 U/kg/d, 5 days per week) or placebo for 6 weeks in a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. All patients received oral iron and were managed according to uniform conservative transfusion guidelines. Results Treatment with r-HuEPO was associated with fewer erythrocyte transfusions (1.1 +/- 1.5 per infant in the r-HuEPO group versus 1.6 +/- 1.7 per infant in the placebo group; P = .046) and with a reduction in the volume of packed erythrocytes transfused (16.5 +/- 23.0 mL versus 23.9 +/- 25.7 mL per infant; P = .023). Overall, 43% of the infants in the r-HuEPO group and 31% of placebo-treated infants were transfusion-free during the study (P = .18). The volume of blood removed for laboratory tests and the need for respiratory support at the start of treatment had major effects on transfusion requirements independent of r-HuEPO. Reticulocyte counts were higher during treatment in the r-HuEPO group (P = .0001), and r-HuEPO-treated infants had higher hematocrit values at the end of the study (32% versus 27.3% in the placebo group; P = .0001). We found no differences in the incidence of major complications of prematurity between the treatment groups. Conclusion We conclude that treatment with r-HuEPO at a weekly dose of 500 U/kg stimulates erythropoiesis, moderates the course of anemia, is associated with a reduction in erythrocyte transfusions, and appears safe in very low birth weight preterm infants who are receiving iron supplements. Conservative transfusion criteria, minimization of phlebotomy losses, and treatment with r-HuEPO are complementary strategies to reduce erythrocyte transfusions in these infants.
The effect of pH on the reactions of oxygen and carbon monoxide with the hemoglobin of the carp, Cyprinus carpio.

Abstract Between pH 8 and pH 5.6 at 20° the oxygen affinity of carp hemoglobin decreases by a factor of more than 100; and at pH 5.6, where the lowest affinity is found, all heme-heme interaction is apparently lost. The kinetic constant which is most affected is the rate of oxygen dissociation, which increases by a factor of about 100, whereas the rate of combination of oxygen decreases by only 3-fold. It appears that the properties of all of the heme groups of the hemoglobin molecule are affected in a nearly identical way by the pH changes. It is suggested that perhaps at low pH the carp hemoglobin molecule fails to undergo the transition to the high affinity or oxygenated hemoglobin structure and remains in the deoxygenated or low affinity structure even when it reacts with oxygen.
Analysis of impulse-radiating antennas with centered and offset TEM feed structures

In this paper, two IRAs are numerically modeled. They are a center-fed IRA with a circular parabolic reflector and a conical coplanar feed and an offset IRA with an offset parabolic reflector and a conical feed with curved plates. The numerical model has been developed using the method of moments as implemented in the electromagnetic interactions generalized code.
Schools for Growth: Radical Alternatives to Current Educational Models

Schools for Growth: Radical Alternatives to Current Educational Models. Lois Holzman. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1997. xi + 152 pp.
Efficient phase conjugation using Raman dark resonances in an optically dense crystal

Summary form only given. In a three-level system, optical refractive indices can be changed due to the atom-field interactions. Especially in a short time scale (t/spl Lt/ /spl gamma/), a resonant strong electromagnetic field can change the absorption coefficient strongly so that another resonant electromagnetic field which has a different frequency can pass through without experiencing any absorption in an optically dense medium. This phenomenon is called electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). There have been many studies of EIT in atomic vapors and solids for potential applications to nonlinear optical processes such as enhanced four-wave mixing, lasers without inversion, frequency up-conversion lasers, and optical memory. We report efficient phase conjugation based on EIT in an in homogeneously broadened solid system of Pr/sup 3+/ doped yttrium silicate.