cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Separation and quantification of quantum dots and dissolved metal cations by size exclusion chromatography–ICP-MS

ABSTRACTThe prevalence of engineered metallic nanoparticles within electronic products has evoked a need to assess their occurrence and fate within environmental systems upon potential release of these nanoparticles. Quantum dots (QDs) are mixed-metal nanocrystals with the smallest of particle sizes (2–10 nm) that readily leach heavy metal cations in water, potentially creating a co-occurrence of nanoparticulate and dissolved metal pollutants. In this report, we develop a size exclusion chromatography–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry method (SEC-ICP-MS) for the rapid separation and quantification of ~5-nm-sized CdSe/ZnS QDs and dissolved Cd2+ and Zn2+ cations in water. The SEC-ICP-MS method provided a wide chromatographic separation of CdSe/ZnS QDs and dissolved Cd2+ and Zn2+ cations only when using the smallest SEC column pore size available and an eluent composition that prevented loss of metals to column polymer surfaces by using a surfactant to ensure elution of QDs (ammonium lauryl sulfat...
Sharia Reasoning, the Just War Tradition, and Religious War

Most contemporary advocates of the Just War Tradition (JWT) condemn religious war. If they are correct, waging war should be a secular affair, fully justifiable on non-religious grounds. As a matter of historical fact and contemporary commitment, many Muslims have rejected the secularized conception of the morality of war at home in contemporary conceptions of the JWT. I argue that, given appropriate distinctions between relevantly different kinds of religious war, advocates of the JWT have excellent reason to rethink their antipathy to religious war.
Immunologic and Metabolic Features of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Define Prognostic Subtypes of Disease

Purpose: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is associated with an immunosuppressive microenvironment that supports the growth of the malignancy as well as immune system evasion. Here we examine markers of immunosuppression in PDA within the context of the glycolytic tumor microenvironment, their interrelationship with tumor biology and association with overall survival. Experimental Design: We utilized tissue microarrays consisting of 223 PDA patients annotated for clinical stage, tumor size, lymph node involvement, and survival. Expression of CD163, FoxP3, PD-L1, and MCT4 was assessed by IHC and statistical associations were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Multimarker subtypes were defined by random forest analysis. Mechanistic interactions were evaluated using PDA cell lines and models for myeloid differentiation. Results: PDA exhibits discrete expression of CD163, FoxP3, and PD-L1 with modest individual significance. However, combined low expression of these markers was associated with improved prognosis (P = 0.02). PDA tumor cells altered macrophage phenotype and function, which supported enhanced invasiveness in cell-based models. Lactate efflux mediated by MCT4 was associated with, and required for, the selective conversion of myeloid cells. Correspondingly, MCT4 expression correlated with immune markers in PDA cases, and increased the significance of prognostic subtypes (P = 0.002). Conclusions: There exists a complex interplay between PDA tumor cells and the host immune system wherein immunosuppression is associated with negative outcome. MCT4 expression, representative of the glycolytic state of PDA, contributes to the phenotypic conversion of myeloid cells. Thus, metabolic status of PDA tumors is an important determinant of the immunosuppressive environment. Clin Cancer Res; 22(14); 3606–17. ©2016 AACR.
Governance Heterogeneity and Performance at US Stock Exchanges: Evidence from Regulation NMS

Regulation NMS, announced in June 2005 by the SEC, was intended to generate competition with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The NYSE had for many decades maintained a near monopoly on the trading of securities initially listed on the exchange. Reg. NMS allowed trades on electronic communications networks (ECNs) without considering prices on the NYSE trading floor. With Reg. NMS in place, the NYSE immediately began losing market share and average bid-ask spreads for NYSE-listed shares increased, sometimes getting significantly closer to the average spreads for shares listed on the traditionally more volatile Nasdaq. What explains this outcome? The conventional wisdom predicts that consumers (here, investors) would benefit as the profits of a monopoly producer (here, dealers executing trades) declined, but evidence of wider spreads suggests the opposite. The literature relies on a standard model of a member-governed non-profit in which broker-dealers own the exchange. But that standard model fails to capture the actual heterogeneity in governance structure: the Nasdaq fits this model, but the NYSE does not. Thus, we consider an alternative to the standard model in which underwriters are owners, for which there is anecdotal evidence. However, a statistical test is possible because of the starkly different objective function that underwriters would have as compared with dealers; for underwriters, efficient trading is an input to their production function where for dealers, trading is the primary source of profits. Using panel data of Corwin-Schultz bid-ask spreads, we measure differences in market quality between the NYSE and Nasdaq, which the new regulation allows because NYSE-listed shares trade on multiple new venues after Reg. NMS but Nasdaq-listed shares do not trade on the NYSE. A difference-in-differences test finds that spreads for NYSE-listed shares increased after Reg. NMS issue to resemble more closely spreads for Nasdaq-listed shares.
ECL-IAA and ECL-GADA Can Identify High-Risk Single Autoantibody-Positive Relatives in the TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study.

Abstract Background: Relatives with single positive islet autoantibodies have a much lower risk of progression to diabetes than those with multiple autoantibodies. Materials and Methods: TrialNet subjects positive for single autoantibody to insulin (mIAA) (n = 50) or single autoantibody to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GADA) (n = 50) were analyzed using new electrochemiluminescence (ECL) assays (ECL-IAA and ECL-GADA, respectively) at their initial visit and longitudinally over time. Affinity assays were performed on a subset of single autoantibody-positive subjects at initial and most recent visits. Results: After a mean follow-up of 5.3 years, 20 subjects developed type 1 diabetes. Among either single GADA or single mIAA subjects, those who were positive in the ECL assay showed higher affinity at the initial visit, and affinity results stayed consistent over time. No converting events from low to high or high to low affinity were seen over time. Conclusions: Confirmed positivity for ECL is associated with...
Chlorine, Acid, and Heat Treatments to Eliminate Salmonella on Broiler Carcasses

Abstract A high agitation prechill treatment with 50 p.p.m. chlorine and 1% succinic acid at 55° C. (131° F.), plus two stage simulated commercial chilling with 50 p.p.m. chlorine, eliminated Salmonella typhimurium which had been inoculated on broiler carcasses before treatment and chilling, but carcass appearance was damaged.
Reseach of Discrepancy Proteome in Gastric Carcinoma by Two-dimensional Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

Objective:our purpose was to sieve the discrepancy protein from proteome and lay a foundation for verifying the particular protein sites in gastric carcinoma. Methods: 2-DE( two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) was used to sever the general protein from tumor tissue and normal tissue, then analysed the results by computer-graph analysis software. Results: we verifed 1,147 protein spots in gastrica carcinoma tissue and 1 ,079 ones in normal specimens. Among them, there were 164 discrepancy protein spots. We found that 41 spots only emerged in gastric carcinoma and 27 ones in normal mucous. Meanwhile, 39 spots frenquently emerge and 57 ones were less expressed in tumor tissue. Conclusion: we got the discrepancy protein spots and laid hard basis for deeper research of discrepancy protein.
Weighted low rank approximations with provable guarantees

The classical low rank approximation problem is: given a matrix A, find a rank-k matrix B such that the Frobenius norm of A − B is minimized. It can be solved efficiently using, for instance, the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). If one allows randomization and approximation, it can be solved in time proportional to the number of non-zero entries of A with high probability. Inspired by practical applications, we consider a weighted version of low rank approximation: for a non-negative weight matrix W we seek to minimize ∑i, j (Wi, j · (Ai,j − Bi,j))2. The classical problem is a special case of this problem when all weights are 1. Weighted low rank approximation is known to be NP-hard, so we are interested in a meaningful parametrization that would allow efficient algorithms. In this paper we present several efficient algorithms for the case of small k and under the assumption that the weight matrix W is of low rank, or has a small number of distinct columns. An important feature of our algorithms is that they do not assume anything about the matrix A. We also obtain lower bounds that show that our algorithms are nearly optimal in these parameters. We give several applications in which these parameters are small. To the best of our knowledge, the present paper is the first to provide algorithms for the weighted low rank approximation problem with provable guarantees. Perhaps even more importantly, our algorithms proceed via a new technique, which we call “guess the sketch”. The technique turns out to be general enough to give solutions to several other fundamental problems: adversarial matrix completion, weighted non-negative matrix factorization and tensor completion.
Electronic control of exciton coherence in a charged quantum dot photonic waveguide

We demonstrate electronic control of the charged exciton optical coherence time in quantum dots embedded in a photonic ridge waveguide. Through electronic manipulation of the electron and hole wavefunctions, coherence is extended by ∼50%.
Long Term Follow-Up of Patients with Hairy Cell Leukemia (HCL).

Interferon-a (IFN-a) and, more recently, nucleoside analogs (NA) such as 2-CDA and pentostatin have been used with significant success to treat HCL. A single course of 2-CDA produces response rates over 75%, with responses maintained for 4 years in 75% of pts. Similar results have been observed with pentostatin. (Dearden et al, Br J Haematol1999;106:515). To learn more about long-term outcome, we reviewed 234 pts with untreated HCL seen at the MDACC over a 30-year period; their median follow-up was 122 months from diagnosis (up to 387 months). Their median age at diagnosis was 50 years (range 23–83 years). Survival was superior among the 173 pts given either 2-CDA (n = 161) or pentostatin (n = 12) compared to those never given either NA (p = 0.042). Relapse occurred in 32 of 176 pts who received 2-CDA as their first chemotherapy either at MDACC or before presenting to MDACC. Therapy for relapse after 2-CDA included rituximab (N=9), a second course of 2-CDA (n=9), a second course of 2-CDA followed by rituximab (n=8), and other (n=6). No statistically significant differences in survival were seen possibly due to small pt numbers. The estimated 10-year and 20-year survival (from diagnosis) for the 176 pts who received 2-CDA as first chemotherapy was 84%, and 65%, respectively. The majority of pts who died were not in remission at time of death and thus presumably died of HCL. Hence alternatives to NA are needed in at least some pts, and we are evaluating whether covariates exist that might distinguish pts who do and do not relapse and, among the former, pts whose remissions are short. Pending identification of the latter and keeping in mind the length of the average remission, alternatives to NA should have very little toxicity. We have begun to add rituximab to 2-CDA to lengthen remission duration and thus extend survival in pts with untreated HCL.
Student Outcomes from Participating in an International STEM Service-learning Course

The purpose of this study was to measure student affective, behavior, and content (ABC) and global awareness outcomes after participating in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STE...
The role and mechanism of NF-κB in viral encephalitis of children

The aim of this study was to analyze the concentration changes of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the related inflammatory factors of pre-treatment and post-treatment in children with viral encephalitis, to examine the mechanism of NF-κB in the pathogenesis of child viral encephalitis. Twenty-two children with severe viral encephalitis, 13 children with mild viral encephalitis and 12 normal children, who were treated in our hospital, were randomly selected. Before and after treatment, the concentrations of inflammation-related factors in serum including interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by ELISA and comparative analysis were performed. The expression of NF-κB in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) before and after treatment was detected by RT-PCR and western blotting, while the difference of NF-κB expressions between viral encephalitis children and normal children was analyzed. The concentrations of inflammation-related factors in serum of children with viral encephalitis, including IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly higher than those of normal children (P<0.01), and after treatment, the concentrations of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α were distinctly lower than those of pre-treatment (P<0.01). The concentrations of NF-κB in peripheral blood and CSF of children with viral encephalitis in the mild group and severe group were evidently increased compared to those of pre-treatment, while the degree of increase in the severe group was higher than that in mild group, which was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). After treatment, the concentrations of serum NF-κB of children in the severe and mild groups were distinctly lower than those of pre-treatment (P<0.01), with statistically significant difference. In conclusion, the NF-κB level in serum and CSF of children with viral encephalitis was positively related to the severity of the disease. The higher the concentration of pre-treatment was, the more serious the disease would be. Our results indicate that NF-κB plays an important role in the occurrence and development of viral encephalitis in children.
Standardization of accelerator irradiation procedures for simulation of neutron induced damage in reactor structural materials

Abstract Self-ion irradiation is widely used as a method to simulate neutron damage in reactor structural materials. Accelerator-based simulation of void swelling, however, introduces a number of neutron-atypical features which require careful data extraction and, in some cases, introduction of innovative irradiation techniques to alleviate these issues. We briefly summarize three such atypical features: defect imbalance effects, pulsed beam effects, and carbon contamination. The latter issue has just been recently recognized as being relevant to simulation of void swelling and is discussed here in greater detail. It is shown that carbon ions are entrained in the ion beam by Coulomb force drag and accelerated toward the target surface. Beam-contaminant interactions are modeled using molecular dynamics simulation. By applying a multiple beam deflection technique, carbon and other contaminants can be effectively filtered out, as demonstrated in an irradiation of HT-9 alloy by 3.5 MeV Fe ions.
Foxo1 nucleo-cytoplasmic distribution and unidirectional nuclear influx are the same in nuclei in a single skeletal muscle fiber but vary between fibers

Foxo transcription factors promote protein breakdown and atrophy of skeletal muscle fibers. Foxo transcriptional effectiveness is largely determined by phosphorylation-dependent nucleo-cytoplasmic ...
Conversion of lanthanide glutarate chlorides with interstitial THF into lanthanide glutarates with unprecedented topologies

Abstract Using slow diffusion methods at room temperature (RT), we obtained four isomorphous lanthanide glutarate chlorides, accommodating interstitial THF and water molecules, [Ln2(Glut)2Cl2(H2O)8]·2H2O·THF (1–4), with Ln = La (1), Ce (2), Pr (3), Nd (4). They assemble as 3-dimensional (3D) lanthanide (Ln) coordination polymers with LnO10 coordination polyhedra. Their topology was elucidated to be a 4-coordinated sql net. 1–4 slowly dissolve in water liberating the entrapped THF molecules and reassemble as regular Ln-glutarate hydrates when the solution is deprived of THF and water by slow evaporation. The new products crystallize as [Ln2(Glut)3(H2O)3]·5H2O (5–7), with Ln = La (5), Ce (6), Pr (7), and [Nd2(Glut)3(H2O)2]·3.5H2O (8). 5–7 are isomorphous and crystallize as 3D-networks with two crystallographically independent LnO10 and LnO9 coordination spheres that assemble into Ln2O18 and Ln2O16 polyhedra via edge sharing. Their topology has not previously been observed and was found to be a 3,4,4,5,6-coordinated 3,4,4,5,6T61 net. The known compound 8 crystallizes also as a 3D-network and is isomorphous to other previously described lanthanide glutarate hydrates. 8 has a 3,4,5-coordinated 3,4,5T202 net topology, which has not been determined before.
Improving Population Health Among Uninsured Patients with Diabetes.

Abstract Diabetes is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality; prevalence of diabetes is especially high in the southeastern United States among minority populations and those from lower socioeconomic sectors without access to health care services. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the clinical and financial outcomes of a nurse-led, interprofessional collaborative practice model that provides care coordination and transitional care for uninsured patients with diabetes. Data for this study were collected and evaluated from medical records of patients seen at the Providing Access to Health Care (PATH) Clinic between August 1, 2015, through May 30, 2017. Clinical outcomes were evaluated by comparing hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values before and after referral to the PATH Clinic. Cost savings to the academic medical center were evaluated by comparing costs associated with inpatient or emergency department encounters before and after referral to the PATH Clinic. A significant decrease in HbA1c (P < .000...
An electrochemically assisted AC/DC microgrid configuration with waste water treatment capability

Abstract This paper presents the design and implementation of an innovative standalone AC/DC microgrid configuration with focus on electricity water nexus. The proposed configuration includes photovoltaic (PV) generator, hybrid fuel cell system, storage system, and both DC and AC loads. One of the most important advantages of this microgrid is waste water treatment which enhances the microgrid resilience during natural/climate disasters or in remote areas. Purified water is produced by Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC) which also generate cheap and sustainable Hydrogen as a viable fuel for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM fuel cell) with considerable power density. A dynamic control strategy is also suggested to ensure optimal power management during microgrid stand-alone operation. To verify the proposed configuration and control strategy, the AC/DC microgrid is modeled and simulated in MATLAB/Simulink and the system power balance behavior during different scenarios is evaluated. A real-time Hardware-In-The-Loop (HIL) based experimental setup with physical power component and LabVIEW-based control system is designed and tested with the same scenarios to confirm the simulation results. By considering the natural/climate disasters in the last decades and the availability of the vast waste water supplies in Southeast Texas, which is the target area of this paper, the proposed AC/DC microgrid is a viable choice to increase the power system resilience.
Pierce’s Existential Graphs as the Basis for an Introduction to Logic: Semiosis in the Logic Classroom

In working with Peirce’s materials for the past fifteen years, I have had numerous encounters with the system of logic he named Existential Graphs (EG). Early in my studies, I had read comments by scholars who proposed that EG was merely an interesting historical curiosity (for example, Martin Gardner, Logic Machines and Diagrams McGraw-Hill: New York, 1958). But as I became more familiar with Peirce’s entire work, I saw that he didn’t share that judgment, for he used EG in many contexts after he had invented it in 1897, and he continued to speak highly of it throughout his career. Thus, I resolved to learn the system, and to try to see why Peirce valued it so highly that in a letter to James in 1909 (MS L224) he called it the “logic of the future.” My study is still continuing, and in this short space, I can only report in outline form on progress made. More, unfortunately, I will not have time to present fully even the first part of EG. But, if philosophy is a science, as Peirce urged that it is, perhaps my report of hypotheses proposed--confirmed or disconfirmed, or still under study--will be of some value to the wider community of philosophical scientists.
Eye Movements and Spoken Language Comprehension

Publisher Summary Eye movements have become a widely used response measure for studying spoken language processing in both adults and children, in situations where participants comprehend and generate utterances that are about a circumscribed “visual world.” Researchers are now using this method to address issues that run the gamut of current topics in language processing. Eye movements are a response measure of choice for studies addressing many classical questions in psycholinguistics, e.g., is the processing of stop consonants categorical; does context influence the earliest moments of temporary lexical and syntactic ambiguity resolution, what is the locus of frequency effects in spoken word recognition, what factors influence the time course with which anaphoric expressions, such as pronouns, are resolved and for bilingual speakers, does a word spoken in one language activate the lexical representations of similar sounding words in the other language. The visual world paradigm has opened up relatively uncharted territory in language comprehension, including real-time sentence processing in children. The visual world approach has also spawned a new family of studies investigating the interface between action and language and between vision and language.
Thermoelasticity in Polymeric and Crystalline Solids from the Atomistic Viewpoint

On the macroscopic level, the difference in the thermoelastic behavior between crystalline solids and amorphous polymeric solids such as rubber is striking. While crystalline solids expand with increase in temperature, stretched rubber contracts upon heating. On the atomic level this difference may be traced to the greater degree of disorder in amorphous polymeric solids and consequently to the central role played by entropy in their mechanical behavior.
Analysis of the dynamic behavior of neuron populations in the turtle cerebellum. I. General topological model.

Linear differential equations were used to describe the cerebellar neuron population dynamics corresponding to the conditions observed following electrical stimulations. Only known histological and electrophysiological constraints were imposed during the derivation of the model. The results indicated that a parallel excitatory and inhibitory feed forward system was responsible for the Purkinje cell output. The difference in the input transference to interneurones and Purkinje cells implied different input characteristics to both neuron populations. The predicted dead time for the feed forward inhibition was only 1.2 msec because of its gradual onset.
Arabidopsis as a genetic model for interorganelle lipid trafficking.

In eukaryotic cells the biosynthesis of membrane lipids often occurs in subcellular compartments different from their final destination. This raises a fundamental question: How are membrane lipids transported between organelles and across membranes? The intricate compartmentalization of plant lipid metabolism provides promising opportunities for the mechanistic analysis of interorganelle lipid trafficking. In plants the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the chloroplast envelopes participate in the biosynthesis of the lipids of photosynthetic membranes. As a consequence, trafficking of lipid precursors between these two membrane systems is substantial. As will be discussed below, Arabidopsis represents an excellent plant model to dissect this process genetically and may provide experimental access to a better mechanistic understanding of interorganelle lipid trafficking in general.
Clinical Considerations for Emerging Adults with Eating Disorders and Transition to Adult-Based Care

Eating disorders most commonly emerge during middle to late adolescence and can endure over the course of young adulthood. The length and involvement of empirically supported treatments and the use...
Clinical Case History, Observation, and Interview

The earliest and still most often used methods for assessing persons who may be regarded as having schizophrenia or, indeed, any disorder of the mind, are history taking, clinical observation, and the psychiatric interview, including a mental status examination. These methods are essentially part of medical tradition. Each method grew out of clinical medicine—descending primarily from neurology, in the case of psychiatry, with its emphasis on diseases of the nervous system. Whereas clinical observation and the interview are methods used in all of clinical medicine, mental status exams have been inherited specifically from neurology.
Transistor-like Ultra-pH-Sensitive Polymeric Nanoparticles

Electronic transistors have revolutionized the fields of microelectronics, computers, and mobile devices. Their ability to digitize electronic signals allows high fidelity data transfer as well as formation of logic gates. Inspired by electronic transistors, transistor-like organic materials have been under intensive investigation to amplify biological signals in a broad range of applications such as biosensing, diagnostic imaging, and therapeutic delivery. This Account highlights the inception and implementation of a "proton transistor" nanoparticle that can digitize acidotic pH signals in biological systems. Similar to electronic transistors, the ultra-pH-sensitive (UPS) nanoparticles derive their binary threshold response from phase separation phenomena. Hydrophobic micellization drives nanophase separation from unimers to aggregated polymeric micelles, which is responsible for the all-or-nothing proton distribution between the micelle and unimer states. Depending on the assembly status, conjugated fluorophores are quenched (micelle state) or freely fluoresce (solution unimer state) allowing robust detection of the phase transition behavior across a narrow pH range. Based on this mechanistic insight, we created a UPS nanoparticle library encompassing a broad physiological pH range from 4.0 to 7.4. For biological applications, we engineered a barcode-like nanosensor capable of digitizing multiple pH signals at a single organelle resolution in live cells. The barcode system allowed easy identification of mutant Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS), a common mutation involved in tumorigenesis, which leads to rapid cellular proliferation, as the protein driver for accelerated organelle acidification and lysosome catabolism in a broad set of isogenic as well as heterogeneous cancer cell lines. Adoption of the technology to an ON-OFF/Always-ON design allowed the quantification of proton flux across the membranes of endocytic organelles. For medical applications, we demonstrate the ability to achieve binary detection of solid cancers with clear tumor margin delineation by near-infrared fluorescence imaging. Image-guided resection of head/neck and breast tumors resulted in significantly improved long-term survival over white light or tumor debulking surgeries in tumor-bearing mice, catapulting the clinical evaluation of the UPS nanosensor in cancer patients. This Account serves as the first comprehensive summary of the molecular mechanism and biological applications of the digital pH threshold sensors. Building on the concept of cooperative phase transition behavior, we hope this Account will promote the rational design and development of additional transistor-like chemical sensors to digitize analog biological signals.
Attenuation of Ischemic Stroke-Caused Brain Injury by a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor Involves Improved Proteostasis and Reduced Neuroinflammation

Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress play a key role in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induced brain injury. We previously showed that ubiquilin-1 (Ubqln1), a ubiquitin-like protein, improves proteostasis and protects brains against oxidative stress and I/R induced brain injury. We demonstrate here that nialamide (NM), a non-selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, upregulated Ublqn1 and protected neurons from oxygen-glucose deprivation- and I/R-caused cell death in in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Post-ischemic administration of the NM in a stroke mouse model even at 3 h following I/R still reduced neuronal injury and improved functional recovery and survival. Treating stroke animals with NM also increased the association of Ubqln1 with mitochondria and decreased the total oxidized and polyubiquitinated protein levels. Intriguingly, NM-enhanced proteostasis was also associated with reduced I/R-caused neuroinflammation, as reflected by attenuated activation of microglia and astrocytes as well as reduced TNF-α level. Thus, our results suggest that MAO inhibition-induced neuroprotection following I/R involves improved proteostasis and reduced neuroinflammation.
Assessing the Impact of Neurogenic Claudication on Outcomes Following Decompression With Lumbar Interbody Fusions in Patients With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objectives:To conduct the first comprehensive national-level study examining specific risks, outcomes, and costs surrounding surgical treatment of lumar spin...
Influence of Tabula Rasa on Process- and Light-Induced Degradation of Solar Cells Fabricated From Czochralski Silicon

Monocrystalline Si solar cells are fabricated from Czochralski (Cz) Si, which contains 1017–1018 cm−3 oxygen atoms. Cz Si undergoes degradation during high-temperature thermal processing steps, such as dopant diffusion to form the p - n junction. This degradation in the bulk minority carrier lifetime can be related to the formation of oxygen precipitates. We found that a high-temperature annealing process known as tabula rasa (TR) not only mitigates process-induced degradation via oxygen precipitate nuclei dissolution, but also modifies subsequent light-induced degradation. We report on the bulk carrier lifetime of n - and p -type Cz Si after TR, which homogenizes the interstitial oxygen in the bulk Si to its monoatomic form in either an N2 or O2 environment. A control sample, which was not subjected to a TR processing step, experienced severe process-induced degradation during a boron emitter thermal budget as oxygen precipitates were formed in the Si bulk. These precipitates could be imaged using photoluminescence. Additionally, samples that underwent a TR processing step prior to the boron emitter thermal budget show efficient gettering of metallic impurities compared to the control sample, which showed a decline in the implied open-circuit voltage after the gettering step. Furthermore, modification of the interstitial oxygen bonding by TR had a strong effect on the light-induced degradation kinetics. Instead of a typically observed monotonic decrease, minority carrier lifetime increases first, followed by a nonmonotonic decrease over a ∼20 h period. We conclude that by modifying the interstitial oxygen bonding via TR pretreatment, p -type Cz Si wafers become substantially resistant to harsh solar cell processes and strongly modified light-induced degradation, which would open alternative ways to mitigate this degradation mechanism.
Interventions for preventing falls in people post-stroke: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Abstract Background Falls are a serious challenge facing individuals post-stroke. In the past decades, various fall prevention interventions have been developed. It remains unknown if any of these interventions are effective in reducing falls in this population. Such a knowledge gap could impede the effort of preventing falls in people post-stroke. Research questions 1) Are there effective interventions to prevent falls among people in the post-acute and chronic stages of stroke? and 2) How do fall prevention interventions change three key fall risk factors in this population: balance, mobility, and lower limb strength? Methods Eleven databases were searched for randomized controlled trials which included falls in people post-stroke as an outcome measure. Information on the participants, training protocol, and outcome measures were collected for each study. The primary outcome is the number of fallers and the explanatory variables included mean difference and standard deviation for fall risk factors. Studies were quality appraised using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and the funnel plot. Results Thirteen studies enrolling 1352 participants were identified. Effect size quantified by the odds ratio (OR) for falls and standardized mean difference (SMD) for fall risk factors were calculated. Overall no intervention appears to be significantly more effective in preventing falls than placebo training (OR = 0.88 with a range of [0.23 3.66]; 95 % confidence interval = [0.64 1.21], p = 0.44). All interventions showed little effect in improving the fall risk factors (SMD = −0.01 to 0.06 and p-value = 0.38–0.86), except one (the combined treadmill and overground walking) which significantly improved mobility. Significance Currently no program is effective in reducing falls in people post-stroke. Future studies should measure falls as a primary outcome based on a consistent definition of falls and reliable approaches to collect falls data.
Connection of architectural education with the technological world in Northern Cyprus

Due to the developing economic and technological opportunities, our structural environment and living spaces vary. In line with the increasing supply and demands of human beings, technological developments are increasing day by day, and they are trying to meet the expectations. The technological developments that started with the French Revolution show themselves in our living spaces, in every environment, where human beings exist and play the first-order factor in our lives. There is a process where living spaces and designs change and technological developments restructure the social environment of human beings. Technology, which developed rapidly, especially after 1990, is no longer a necessity but has become an indispensable part of our social life. Today, our relations with each other are now in a direct connection with technology. While our living spaces are being renewed and changed so rapidly, today’s adequacy of architectural education should be questioned. Has the education given in architectural education been able to meet the rapidly increasing demands of human beings? Have technological opportunities been a part of architectural education and can they use it effectively? The answer to these questions will be tried to be answered within the scope of architectural education, which is the focus of the research. In particular, the extent to which architectural design, which has a great place in the virtual reality environment, is supported during the university education process will be explored and the relationship between technological developments and design education will be revealed. In addition to the resource and data analyses to be carried out at all universities that provide architectural education accredited by YOK throughout Northern Cyprus, the research will also include observation methods and reports. Keywords: Architectural education, technology, living spaces, virtual reality, design, North Cyprus.
Comparison of Newly Optimized Moses Technology vs Standard Holmium:YAG for Endoscopic Laser Enucleation of the Prostate.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to describe our initial experience of using a newly optimized Moses technology that is part of the second-generation Moses platform specifically designed...
Where Does Interventional Radiology Fit in with Trauma Management Algorithm

Trauma is a major cause of death in the United States, particularly in the younger population. Many traumatic deaths, as well as major morbidity, occur secondary to uncontrolled hemorrhage and eventual exsanguination. Interventional radiology plays a major role in treating these patients, and interventional techniques have evolved to the point where they are an integral part of treatment in these critically ill patients. This article reviews the role of interventional radiology in the treatment algorithms for traumatic injury sponsored by major societies and associations.
The roles of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) in acetyl-CoA biosynthesis and root elongation in Arabidopsis

Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs, EC 1.2.1) oxidize aldehydes into carboxylic acids, and thus are important in regulating the level of toxic aldehydes. ALDHs from eukaryotes were classified into more than 20 families. In mammals Family 2 ALDHs detoxify acetaldehyde and a similar function has been suggested in plants. Specifically, it has been hypothesized that plant Family 2 ALDHs oxidize acetaldehyde generated via ethanolic fermentation and produce acetate for acetyl-CoA biosynthesis through acetylCoA synthetase (ACS) in plastids, similar to the yeast pathway termed the "pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) bypass". Arabidopsis. thaliana contains three Family 2 ALDHs, two of which are mitochondrial and the other cytosolic. To test for the presence of the PDH bypass in plants, plants homozygous for T-DNA insertion alleles of the three encoding genes were fed with 14C-ethanol along with wild type controls. The comparisons between the mutant and wild type in their incorporation rates of 14C-ethanol into fatty acids provided direct evidence for the presence of PDH bypass in plants, which may only involve one of the mitochondrial Family 2 ALDHs rather than the other two. Although none of the single, double or triple mutants exhibited novel phenotypes when grown on soil, seedlings of the double mitochondrial aldh mutants grew shorter roots than wild type on MS media, suggesting a role for mitochondrial Family 2 ALDHs during root elongation.
Using Visual Images to Achieve Environmental Justice: A Case Study of the Asarco Copper Smelter in El Paso, Texas

Abstract Little research has focused on the use of visual imagery in struggles for environmental justice (EJ). This article contributes to knowledge by gauging respondents' reactions to two images used in a recent conflict surrounding the proposed reopening of a copper smelter owned by the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) in El Paso, Texas. After viewing the images, respondents voiced concern about environmental injustices and expressed interest in job creation that would be safer and fairer for themselves, their children, and future generations. An analysis of respondents' reactions informed the creation of two alternative images designed to resonate with local values and advocate for environmental justice. When designing protest images, EJ groups should use text to make the point of the image clear, include pertinent information about the hazard, and use imagery that is meaningful to people who are likely to be affected.
> 100 Gbit/s time-domain processing techniques optical packet switching

We present an architecture for an ultrafast all-optical packet switch based on OTDM packet processing techniques which have been demonstrated for synchronization, header processing, and packet forwarding at >100 Gbit/s line rates.
The graying of organ transplantation.

35 years of age) people for the ﬁrst time (1).Hence, the medical needs of older people will dominatethe health care agenda for the foreseeable future.The aging of our society is having an increasingly large im-pact on organ transplantation. In particular, the number ofolder people receiving organ transplants, including renal,cardiac, liver and lung, is increasing. Speciﬁcally, recipients
Spectral Detection of the Reaction of Formaldehyde with the Histidine Residues of α-Chymotrypsin

Abstract The absorption spectra of both imidazole and acetylhistidine undergo bathochromic shifts in the presence of formaldehyde. When the spectra in formaldehyde are compared to those in water, the difference maximum is at 220 and 229 mµ for imidazole and acetylhistidine, respectively. In high concentrations of formaldehyde (about 7 m), the limiting value for the molar difference extinction coefficient of acetylhistidine is about 1600. In conjunction with other evidence discussed, the spectral data permit the conclusion that the difference peak generated by the imidazole group in formaldehyde is due to the formation of a hydroxymethyl derivative. When the spectrum of chymotrypsin in formaldehyde is compared to that in water, a difference peak is observed at 230 mµ. Although the major contribution to this low wave length peak is the result of solvent-induced red spectral shifts of the absorption envelopes of the aromatic chromophores (primarily tryptophyl groups), part of the total difference absorbance is due to the reaction between formaldehyde and the imidazole groups of the histidine residues. The contribution of the latter effect to the observed difference absorbance has been assessed from the results of spectral measurements of the enzyme and appropriate model mixtures in formaldehyde solution. The limiting molar difference extinction coefficient for the reaction between the histidine residues of chymotrypsin and formaldehyde, corrected for solvent effects, is equal to twice that observed for acetylhistidine. The change in the corrected molar difference extinction of chymotrypsin, as a function of formaldehyde concentration, agrees with the theory for the reaction of 1 mole of the enzyme with 2 moles of formaldehyde.
Assessing Strategies for Reducing Poverty

The project of global human development is now better defined and organized than ever in human history, not least because goals have become increasingly explicit and focused. An important early statement of goals, in Article 25 of the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was highly qualitative: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age, or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. Over time human development goals have become more quantitative (and more gender-neutral), but they frequently have been more oriented toward input or process than toward output and goal accomplishment. For instance, in 1974 the UN General Assembly declared support for a New International Economic Order (NIEO). The NIEO called for financial aid at 0.7% of donor GDP, debt relief, industrial strategies, and increased savings. Yet over time a set of accomplishment-oriented and specific, measurable goals has emerged for the reduction of hunger, of infant mortality, and much else. The global community took an especially large step in September 2000, when at the United Nations Millennium Summit 189 countries committed to the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the first integrated set of development goals with elaborated targets and quantifiable indicators. For instance, the first goal, targeting reduction of poverty, specifically called for halving by 2015 the proportion of people around the world who live on less than $1/day (relative to levels in 1990). The pursuit of such goals requires three sets of interacting activities (see Figure 1). First, measuring and assessing current conditions and the trajectory of change provides foundational knowledge concerning the specific targets …
Implementing the Meta-Theory of Deductive Systems

We exhibit a methodology for formulating and verifying metatheorems about deductive systems in the Elf language, an implementation of the LF Logical Framework with an operational semantics in the spirit of logic programming. It is based on the mechanical verification of properties of transformations between deductions, which relies on type reconstruction and schema-checking. The latter is justified by induction principles for closed LF objects, which can be constructed over a given signature. We illustrate our technique through several examples, the most extensive of which is an interpretation of classical logic in minimal logic through a continuation-passing-style transformation on proofs.
Metabolism in vitro of dehydroepiandrosterone-7α-3H by human midterm fetal tissue☆☆☆

Abstract Fetal tissues at midgestation were found to have Δ 5 ,3β-ol steroid dehydrogenase activity. The conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone-7α- 3 H to androstenedione occurred in all tissues except liver and was highest in the gastrointestinal tract and testes. Testosterone was found mainly in the free fraction of the fetal testes, but it was also present in the glucuronide and sulfate fractions. Dehydroepiandrosterone-7α- 3 H was extensively sulfoconjugated by all tissues except fetal testes and skin, which suggests that this steroid might be conjugated with glucuronic acid in the fetus at midpregnancy.