cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Technological Advances in Clinical Definition and Surveillance Methodology for Surgical Site Infection Incorporating Surgical Site Imaging and Patient-Generated Health Data.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) continues to be a common and costly complication after surgery. The current commonly used definitions of SSI were devised more than two decades ago and do not take in to account more modern technology that could be used to make diagnosis more consistent and precise. Patient-generated health data (PGHD), including digital imaging, may be able to fulfill this objective. Methods: The published literature was examined to determine the current state of development in terms of using digital imaging as an aide to diagnose SSI. This information was used to devise possible methodology that could be used to integrate digital images to more objectively define SSI, as well as using these data for both surveillance activities and clinical management. Results: Digital imaging is a highly promising means to help define and diagnose SSI, particularly in remote settings. Multiple groups continue to actively study these emerging technologies, however, present methods remain based generally on subjective rather than objective observations. Although current images may be useful on a case-by-case basis, similar to physical examination information, integrating imaging in the definition of SSI to allow more automated diagnosis in the future will require complex image analysis combined with other available quantified data. Conclusions: Digital imaging technology, once adequately evolved, should become a cornerstone of the criteria for both the clinical and surveillance definitions of SSI.
Biomechanical evaluation of peak reverse torque (PRT) in a dynamic compression plate-screw construct used in a goat tibia segmental defect model.

Peak reverse torque (PRT) is a valid method to evaluate implants’ secondary stability in the healing bone. The secondary stability is achieved by the implant over time and it has been positively correlated with the implants’ osseointegration level. In other words, peak reverse torque is the force required to break the bone-implant interface. The purpose of this study was to compare the peak reverse torque for the self-tapping and non-self-tapping screws used in a dynamic compression plate–screw–bone construct after 60 days of loading when used to stabilize 2.5-cm defects in the tibia of goats. The second objective was to compare the peak removal torque of the screws placed in the different positions to evaluate the impact of construct biomechanics on implants osseointegration. In total, 176 non-self-tapping screws and 66 self-tapping screws were used to fix the 8-holes dynamic compression plates to the bones. The screws were placed in the tibiae from proximal (position sites 1,2, 3) to distal (position sites 4,5,6) and were removed 60 days post-implantation. The animals remained weight-bearing throughout the study period. The screws placed in the proximal diaphysis had significantly less peak reverse torque than screws placed in the distal diaphysis in both groups (p < 0.05). The peak reverse torque resistance was also significantly less for the non-self-tapping screws as compared with the self-tapping screws (p < 0.05). The intracortical fractures in the trans-cortex occurred significantly more frequently during the placement of non-self-tapping screws (p < 0.05) as compared with self-tapping screws (p < 0.05). Based on these results, we concluded that self-tapping screws may be expected to maintain a more stable bone-implant interface during the first 60 days of loading as compared with non-self-tapping screws. This should be a consideration for orthopedic surgeons and scientists using bone plates to stabilize non-load sharing fractures when a stable plate-screw-bone interface is needed to ensure prolonged stability.
Language Rights and the Law in Denmark

This chapter examines Denmark’s language legislation, especially laws with provisions that protect the language rights of the Danish-speaking majority and hinder the language rights of immigrants. Growing negative feelings toward immigration in Denmark have become associated with the growing number of Muslim immigrants and their descendants, leading to the passing of a wide array of laws with provisions that have increasingly hampered the language rights of non-Western immigrants in the areas of naturalization and education, including laws that promote Danish mainstream culture and language in the educational system from kindergarten to high school, and disregard the languages and cultures of immigrant children. These laws greatly restrict or outright ban mother tongue education for immigrant children from non-Western countries but offer it to children from EU member states, the EEA area, and the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Other laws make excessive demands in Danish proficiency for non-Western (mostly Muslim) immigrants seeking to obtain residence or naturalization but establish no such language requirements for Western immigrants working at universities.
Developmental programming: prenatal testosterone-induced epigenetic modulation and its effect on gene expression in sheep ovary†.

Maternal perturbations or sub-optimal conditions during fetal development can predispose the offspring to diseases in adult life. Animal and human studies show that prenatal androgen excess may be an underlying cause of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) later in life. In women, PCOS is a common fertility disorder with comorbid metabolic dysfunction. Here, using a sheep model of PCOS phenotype, we elucidate the epigenetic changes induced by prenatal (30-90 day) testosterone (T) treatment and its effect on gene expression in fetal day 90 (D90) and adult year 2 (Y2) ovaries. RNA-seq study shows 65 and 99 differentially regulated genes in prenatal T-treated fetal and adult ovaries, respectively. Interestingly, there were no differences in gene inducing histone marks H3K27ac, H3K9ac, and H3K4me3 or in gene silencing marks, H3K27me3 and H3K9me3 in the fetal D90 ovaries of control and excess T-exposed fetuses. In contrast, except for H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, all the other histone marks were upregulated in the prenatal T-treated adult Y2 ovary. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies in adult Y2 ovaries established a direct relationship between the epigenetic modifications with the upregulated and downregulated genes obtained from RNA-seq. Results show increased gene inducing marks, H3K27ac and H3K9ac, on the promoter region of upregulated genes while gene silencing mark, H3K9me3, was also significantly increased on the downregulated genes. This study provides a mechanistic insight into prenatal T-induced developmental programming and its effect on ovarian gene expression that may contribute to reproductive dysfunction and development of PCOS in adult life.
Modeling the Vaccination Rate Required to Curb the Madagascar Measles Epidemic

Background: Measles has resurged globally. Compounded by widespread malnutrition and high levels of poverty, the country of Madagascar has experienced the largest number of cases worldwide of any country in 2019. According to the World Health Organization, the island nation has reported 81,836 cases between December 2018 and May 2019. Methods: Using HealthMap and Google Search Trends (i.e. nontraditional surveillance data) and World Health Organization (WHO) surveillance data (i.e. traditional surveillance data), the Incidence Decay and Exponential Adjustment (IDEA) model was employed to provide parameter estimates of transmission dynamics, along with the percentage of the susceptible population that needs to be adequately vaccinated to prevent sustained transmission. Results across data sources were compared. Findings: A threshold vaccination rate of 82.6% to 97.9% among the susceptible population is needed to prevent sustained transmission, assuming a two-dose vaccine regimen is used. However, only 80.4% to 95.8% of the susceptible population experiencing sustained transmission is currently vaccinated. A one-dose vaccine regimen resulted in very high or unattainable threshold rates, suggesting the importance of using the two-dose regimen. Parameter estimates from the IDEA model were comparable between nontraditional and traditional surveillance data. Interpretation: Given the lag time associated with availability of and access to traditional surveillance data in low-resource settings like Madagascar, these results suggest that nontraditional surveillance data may be used to assess transmission dynamics of epidemics in near-real-time. By conducting such analyses sooner, relief efforts can be readily initiated in order to more swiftly respond to outbreaks. Funding Statement: N/A. Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. Ethics Approval Statement: Not required.
Scripting climate futures: The geographical assumptions of climate planning

Abstract Since 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the global governing apparatus of climate planning, has privileged the sovereignty of territorial states. Contemporary political geographical scholarship has since called into question the coherency of the state as a unitary entity and as the sole legitimate arbiter of international politics. This article extends these contributions to planetary climate change adaptation. Through discourse analysis and the multi-scalar institutional and political history of climate planning, this article examines how normative discursive parameters enact prevailing political dynamics that script material futures. Drawing on recent climate planning reports of Palestine and Israel, this article investigates how state discourses operate within an asymmetric geopolitical context where issues of territoriality, sovereignty, and statecraft remain fractured and contested. Climate planning in Israel/Palestine exposes two key institutional constraints of climate governance. First, technical-managerial principles prescribe ahistorical adaptation measures that inadequately address inherently political constraints. Second, the elision of political-economic and historical-cultural contingencies in favor of a universalizing geophysical representation of climate change elides the systemic production of differentiated vulnerability. Consequential of an anachronistic politics of recognition within the UNFCCC, the conditions of climate governance may ultimately embolden the asymmetric status quo. I conclude by highlighting the spatial manifestations (both material and symbolic) of Israeli sovereign violence and the chronic indeterminacy of Palestinian territoriality produced by discursive climate futures.
Single and bulk identification of plastics in the recycling chain using Chipless RFID tags

We examine the use of chipless RFID tags for plastic identification in two applications in the recycling chain. First, on a conveyor belt system, where tagged plastics pass by a reader one at a time. We demonstrate that our approach can successfully differentiate between 2 plastic types with over 90% accuracy and is agnostic to tag orientation or contaminants such as oil and water. In doing so, we show that the technology works just as well or is superior to comparable studies using optical methods. Second, for contents estimation, where we estimate the relative fraction of two types of plastics in a bulk mixture. We show that we are able to detect pure or homogeneous bales of plastic with over 90% accuracy and estimate the content of non-homogeneous bales with 65-75% accuracy. This could help recycling plant managers prioritize sorting operations based on composition of incoming shipments with more information than they have currently. Future directions of research are also discussed.
Academic Radiology in the United States: Defining Gender Disparities in Faculty Leadership and Academic Rank

Rationale and Objectives Female physicians in academic medicine have faced barriers that potentially affect representation in different fields and delay promotion. Little is known about gender representation differences in United States academic radiology departments, particularly within the most pursued subspecialties. Purpose To determine whether gender differences exist in United States academic radiology departments across seven subspecialties with respect to academic ranks, departmental leadership positions, experience, and scholarly metrics. Materials and Methods In this cross-sectional study from November 2018 to June 2020, a database of United States academic radiologists at 129 academic departments in seven subspecialties was created. Each radiologist's academic rank, departmental leadership position (executive-level - Chair, Director, Chief, and Department or Division Head vs vice-level – vice, assistant, or associate positions of executive level), self-identified gender, years in practice, and measures of scholarly productivity (number of publications, citations, and h-index) were compiled from institutional websites, Doximity, LinkedIn, Scopus, and official NPI profiles. The primary outcome, gender composition differences in these cohorts, was analyzed using Chi2 while continuous data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. The adjusted gender difference for all factors was determined using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results Overall, 5086 academic radiologists (34.7% women) with a median 14 years of practice (YOP) were identified and indexed. There were 919 full professors (26.1% women, p Conclusion Women academic radiologists in the United States are underrepresented among senior faculty members despite having similar levels of experience as men. Gender disparities regarding the expected number of women senior faculty members relative to individual subspecialty gender composition were more pronounced in abdominal and nuclear radiology, and less pronounced in breast and neuroradiology. Overall, h-index and YOP were the strongest predictors for full-professorship and executive leadership among faculty. Key Results ● Though women comprise 34.7% of all academic radiologists, women are underrepresented among senior faculty members (26.1% of full professors and 30.6% of executive leadership) ● Women in junior faculty positions had higher median years of practice than their male counterparts (10 vs 8 for assistant professors, 21 vs 13 for vice leadership) ● Years of practice and h-index were the strongest predictors for full professorship and executive leadership
Investigating Migraine-Like Behavior using Light Aversion in Mice.

Migraine is a complex neurological disorder characterized by headache and sensory abnormalities, such as hypersensitivity to light, observed as photophobia. Whilst it is impossible to confirm that a mouse is experiencing migraine, light aversion can be used as a behavioral surrogate for the migraine symptom of photophobia. To test for light aversion, we utilize the light/dark assay to measure the time mice freely choose to spend in either a light or dark environment. The assay has been refined by introducing two critical modifications: pre-exposures to the chamber prior to running the test procedure and adjustable chamber lighting, permitting the use of a range of light intensities from 55 lux to 27,000 lux. Because the choice to spend more time in the dark is also indicative of anxiety, we also utilize a light-independent anxiety test, the open field assay, to distinguish anxiety from light-aversive behavior. Here, we describe a modified test paradigm for the light/dark and open field assays. The application of these assays is described for intraperitoneal injection of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in two mouse strains and for optogenetic brain stimulation studies.
A Study of Syngnathus scovelli in Fresh Waters of Louisiana and Salt Waters of Mississippi

A breeding population of Syngnathus scovelli was discovered in 1960 in Lake St. John near Ferriday, Louisiana, which is over 300 river miles from the Gulf of Mexico by the shortest possible route. Although S. scovelli has been known to be euryhaline, this constitutes the first record of a breeding population in fresh water. This study encompassed the period from July 1960 through February 1966. During this time S. scovelli were maintained for varying periods of time in fresh water aquaria. The longest period of time any one specimen lived in captivity was from 29 September 1960 until 16 November 1962, almost 27 months. The chief limiting factor to the maintenance of S. scovelli in fresh water aquaria appears to be a ready supply of live plankton for food. The breeding process of brackish water specimens was observed and is described. Gestation took 12 days in two males in August and both males bred the day after giving birth to a previous brood. Young S. scovelli measured 12 mm at birth. This is the first report of the length of newly born S. scovelli in the literature. A size range of 12-160 mm in length was noted for the species. A very rapid growth rate has been noted in the young from 12-80 mm, but growth slowed greatly at 80 mm. Three apparent year classes have been postulated among the specimens of S. scovelli collected in Lake St. John. These were: 0 (12-80 mm) , 1 (80-120 mm) , and 2 (120-160 mm) . Consecutive monthly data have not been consistent enough to prove this. Failure to collect these data may be due in great measure to the rotenone placed in Lake St. John by the Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries Commission on 12 October 1961. The fresh water population from Lake St. John showed less variation in meristic characters than did the fish from Mississippi Sound.
Dynamic internal drivers of a historically severe cyanobacteria bloom in Lake Champlain revealed through comprehensive monitoring

The shallow bays of Lake Champlain have experienced increasingly severe algal blooms over recent decades, but the drivers of inter- and intra-annual variability of bloom severity are poorly understood. Disentangling the relative importance of multiple processes driving cyanobacteria blooms is difficult, in part because traditional monitoring programs often lack adequate temporal resolution, and in part because many studies seek to identify a single dominant mechanism. In this study, a holistic approach was used to identify multiple drivers of a strong cyanobacterial bloom over time in a shallow, eutrophic bay of Lake Champlain utilizing high-temporal-resolution meteorological, water quality, and biogeochemical sensor data; an intensive field sampling program; and a long-term monitoring dataset. In contrast to studies in similar systems, spring runoff and nutrient loads could not explain the severity of the 2012 bloom. Instead, internal nutrient loading and hydrodynamic conditions mediated shifts in resource limitation. The cyanobacteria growth phase was associated with the depletion of available nitrogen and sediment phosphorus release. The peak bloom stage was characterized by multiple limiting resources and stable water column conditions. The decline phase of the bloom was associated with light limitation brought about by wind mixing, and was punctuated by a major storm event, which brought a major biogeochemical shift in the lake system. This study illustrates the complexity of cyanobacteria resource limitation in response to internal and external forcing over time, and also the power of comprehensive monitoring approaches in disentangling complex drivers of eutrophic ecosystem function that vary across temporal and spatial scales.
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em? How Sitting by Designation Affects Judicial Behavior

Judges, lawyers, and scholars have long decried the high reversal rate district judges face in patent cases. Many have suggested greater district court specialization as a solution, and Congress in 2011 enacted legislation to promote such specialization. In this paper, we investigate the impact of a novel measure of experience – whether a district court judge has sat by designation on a Federal Circuit panel in a patent claim construction appeal – on the likelihood a district judge’s subsequent claim constructions are reversed. Before sitting by designation, judges who later do so actually have a slightly higher claim construction reversal rate than judges who never do so. After sitting by designation, the reversal rate of district court judges on subsequent claim construction appeals decreases by 50 percent. This decrease is not fully explained by other measures of experience, including the number of prior patent cases or years on the bench. Nor is it fully explained by the timing of the appeal, the particular district court judge or various other characteristics of the patents, the parties and the litigation. Our results suggest a simple way to reduce the reversal rate in patent and perhaps other sorts of cases. However, our evidence suggests this increased agreement is due to increased Federal Circuit trust in the decisions of individual judges who have sat by designation and not increased district judge understanding of claim construction.
Maternal Employment After a Birth: Examining Variations by Family Structure

Employment rates for married and unmarried mothers in the United States crossed over in the early 1990s, leading to questions about how marital status and family structure affect contemporary maternal employment. A mother's family structure whether she is married, cohabiting or living without a partner may affect her employment through her family's income needs, the instrumental and social support she receives, and her perceived security to pursue her preferred level of employment. Additionally, if a woman has a husband or cohabiting partner, she may take his preference for her employment level into account. Alternatively, selection may explain the association between family structure and maternal employment. In this analysis, I describe how the employment of mothers varies by family structure in the five years after giving birth. Before taking demographic or human capital characteristics into account, married, cohabiting and lone mothers have similar levels of employment. Using covariate adjustments to account for di erences in selection, I find that married mothers work less on average than unmarried mothers, and that cohabiting and lone unmarried mothers have very similar employment levels. Family income, family wealth, partner characteristics, and sex role attitudes do not explain this marriage e ect. I argue that married mothers work less because they have greater perceived economic security, enabling them to pursue their preferred level of employment when their children are very young. Black married mothers are exceptional; on average, they work more than married white or Hispanic mothers and have similar employment levels as black unmarried mothers. This unique pattern may re ect lower economic security among black married women or a unique set of cultural values regarding the combination of childrearing and employment.
Stand alone surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Background Trials to maintain sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and refractory symptoms have been complicated by lack of success or intolerance of medications. Experience with minimally invasive AF surgery is relatively new, and early results have been promising. However, the study populations and techniques were heterogeneous, and the follow-up periods were short in many series. Methods We present a single center experience through a retrospective review of medical records of patients who had minimally invasive AF surgery. Results The surgical techniques addressed several possible mechanisms of AF and causes of recurrence, including pulmonary vein isolation, underlying substrates modification, ligament of Marshall interruption, ganglion plexus ablation, and left atrial appendage exclusion. Thirty-three cases were identified. The mean duration of follow-up was 23.2 months, and 58.6% were maintained in a sinus rhythm and were off antiarrhythmic drugs at the end of the follow-up period. Cases with persistent AF had a lower success rate. Conclusion Results with minimally invasive surgery are suboptimal at two years of follow-up, particularly for patients with persistent AF. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12092 (J Card Surg 2013;28:315–320)
Cellulolysis by Mucor pusillus

Culture filtrates of Mucor pusillus NRRL 2543 contained hydrolytic enzymes that attacked native cellulose, acid-swollen cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, and cellobiose. The distribution profiles of cellulolytic and β-glucosidase activities after gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 showed the presence of several active peaks. Glucose was the only product of hydrolysis when native cellulose was used as the substrate. Acid-swollen cellulose, when treated with cellulase free of β-glucosidase activity, gave rise to glucose, cellobiose, and at least two higher molecular weight components which were also hydrolyzed in turn to cellobiose and glucose. The presence of a multiple cellulolytic enzyme system was indicated, the components of which may have specific roles in the degradation of cellulose.
Genetics of Transcription Factor Mutations

Abstract Congenital heart disease (CHD) is an important form of cardiovascular disease in the young, which is characterized by malformations of the cardiovascular system discovered at or near the time of birth. Mutations in genes coding for transcription factors have been associated with CHD demonstrating that transcription factors play a critical role in many aspects of cardiac development. In the postgenomic era, a variety of approaches including family‐based linkage studies, cytogenetic studies, association studies, and mutation analysis of candidate genes are available for use in human genetic studies. Such approaches have been used to identify seven genes encoding transcription factors (FOG2, GATA4, NKX2.5, TBX1, TBX5, TFAP2B, and ZIC3) implicating mutations in transcription factors as a significant cause of CHD. Identification of transcription factor mutations has been useful to the clinician for diagnosis, disease classification, genetic counseling, and population screening. At the same time, human transcription factor mutations and their corresponding phenotypes have informed developmental biologists and biochemists of transcription factor function. In this chapter, we describe the genetic approaches used to identify the causative genes for CHD and assess the genotype–phenotype correlations of transcription factor mutations.
Security of open source and closed source software: An empirical comparison of published vulnerabilities

Reviewing literature on open source and closed source security reveals that the discussion is often determined by biased attitudes toward one of these development styles. The discussion specifically lacks appropriate metrics, methodology and hard data. This paper contributes to solving this problem by analyzing and comparing published vulnerabilities of eight open source software and nine closed source software packages, all of which are widely deployed. Thereby, it provides an extensive empirical analysis of vulnerabilities in terms of mean time between vulnerability disclosures, the development of disclosure over time, and the severity of vulnerabilities, and allows for validating models provided in the literature. The investigation reveals that (a) the mean time between vulnerability disclosures was lower for open source software in half of the cases, while the other cases show no differences, (b) in contrast to literature assumption, 14 out of 17 software packages showed a significant linear or piecewise linear correlation between time and the number of published vulnerabilities, and (c) regarding the severity of vulnerabilities, no significant differences were found between open source and closed source.
Boa constrictor or rattlesnake

During endocytosis, dynamin forms a spiral collar around the neck of budding vesicles, which are then pinched off. The dynamin ring is thought to change shape, and constrict, in response to GTP hydrolysis. But a study of dynamin mutants that cannot hydrolyse GTP shows that this is not the case, and means that we need to rethink the previous model.
The Protein Kinase PKR is Critical for LPS-induced iNOS Production, but Dispensable for Inflammasome Activation in Macrophages

Inflammasomes are multi-protein platforms that drive the activation of caspase-1 leading to the processing and secretion of biologically active IL-1β and IL-18. Different inflammasomes including NOD-like receptor (NLR) family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), NLR caspase-recruitment domain-containing 4 (NLRC4) and absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) are activated and assembled in response to distinct microbial or endogenous stimuli. However, the mechanisms by which upstream stimuli trigger inflammasome activation remain poorly understood. Double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR), a protein kinase activated by viral infection, has been recently shown to be required for the activation of the inflammasomes. Using macrophages from two different mouse strains deficient in PKR, we found that PKR is important for the induction of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). However, PKR was dispensable for caspase-1 activation, processing of pro-IL-1β/IL-18 and secretion of IL-1β induced by stimuli that trigger the activation of NLRP3, NLRC4 and AIM2. These results indicate that PKR is not required for inflammasome activation in macrophages.
Locus of Control and Adaptive Behavior in Visually Impaired Children.

Locus of control for academic achievement and correlating competencies in adaptive behavior were measured in a group of residential school children of normal intelligence and singularly impaired. T...
Modeling parallel applications performance on heterogeneous systems

The current technologies have made it possible to execute parallel applications across heterogeneous platforms. However, the performance models available do not provide adequate methods to calculate, compare and predict the applications performance on these platforms. In this paper, we discuss an enhanced performance evaluation model for parallel applications on heterogeneous systems. In our analysis, we include machines of different architectures, specifications and operating environments. We also discuss the enabling technologies that facilitate such heterogeneous applications. The model is then validated through experimental measurements using an agent-based parallel Java system, which facilitates simultaneous utilization of heterogeneous systems for parallel applications. The model provides good evaluation metrics that allow developers to assess and compare the parallel heterogeneous applications performances.
The Perfect Storm: Collision of the Business of Mental Health and the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices

Financing has been hypothesized to be an important driver of the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs), yet there has been little systematic investigation of financing as a factor in EBP implementation. This column presents findings from a qualitative study of the effects of financial factors on the implementation of EBPs in a large urban publicly funded mental health system. Interviews with 33 agency leaders and 16 policy makers identified financial distress in community mental health agencies, leading to concerns about complex and expensive implementation of EBPs. Stakeholders agreed that the cost of EBP implementation should be shared between the agencies and the system; however, the stakeholders did not agree on how EBPs should be financed.
Inhibition of Nuclear Translocation of Transcription Factor NF-κB by a Synthetic Peptide Containing a Cell Membrane-permeable Motif and Nuclear Localization Sequence

To control agonist-induced nuclear translocation of transcription factor κB (NF-κB) in intact cells, cell-permeable synthetic peptides were devised. Their import into intact cells was dependent on a hydrophobic region selected from the signal peptide sequences and was verified by their inaccessibility to extracellular proteases and by confocal laser scanning microscopy. When a cell-permeable peptide carried a functional cargo representing the nuclear localization sequence of NF-κB p50, it inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner nuclear translocation of NF-κB in cultured endothelial and monocytic cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide or tumor necrosis factor-α. Synthetic peptide analogues with deleted hydrophobic cell membrane-permeable motif or with a mutated nuclear localization sequence were inactive. Cell membrane-permeable peptides were not cytotoxic within the concentration range used in these experiments. These results suggest that cell-permeable synthetic peptides carrying a functional cargo can be applied to control signal transduction-dependent subcellular traffic of transcription factors mediating the cellular responses to different agonists. Moreover, this approach can be used to study other intracellular processes involving proteins with functionally distinct domains.
Effects of thyroid hormones on the induction of cleft palate by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in C57BL6N mice

Abstract The induction of cleft palate by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD) administered with thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (T 3 ) or thyroxine (T 4 ) was investigated in C57BL 6N mice. Timed-pregnant mice were treated with vehicle, TCDD, T 3 , T 4 , TCDD plus T 3 , or TCDD plus T 4 on Days 10 to 13 of gestation. No cleft palates were observed in any control fetuses in this study, nor have there been any cleft palates in 1193 fetuses or 154 control litters in the past 24 months. TCDD (3 μg/kg/day) caused about 8% cleft palates per litter, while T 3 (120, 240, 480 μg/kg/day) and T 4 (625, 1250, 2500 μg/kg/day) resulted in no more than 1.2% cleft palates per litter in any of the treatment groups and the incidence was not dose related. The combination of TCDD (3 μg/kg/day) plus T 3 at 120, 240, and 480 μg/kg/day resulted in 15.9, 20.6, and 31.4% cleft palates per litter, respectively. TCDD plus T 4 at 625, 1250 and 2500 μg/kg/day caused 15.1, 22.9, and 27.2% cleft palates per litter. No cleft palates were observed when large doses of T 3 were given in combination with T 4 . These data demonstrated that coadministration of T 3 or T 4 with TCDD increased the incidence of cleft palate to incidences greater than expected from the separate administration of the hormones plus TCDD.
Precision frequency measurements with interferometric weak values

We demonstrate an experiment which utilizes a Sagnac interferometer to measure a change in optical frequency of 129 $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}$ 7 $\text{kHz}/\sqrt{\text{Hz}}$ with only 2 mW of continuous-wave, single-mode input power. We describe the measurement of a weak value and show how even higher-frequency sensitivities may be obtained over a bandwidth of several nanometers. This technique has many possible applications, such as precision relative frequency measurements and laser locking without the use of atomic lines.
Sonic inlet noise attenuation and performance with a J-85 turbojet engine as a noise source

A static test program was conducted to investigate aerodynamic and acoustic performance of a sonic inlet used as a noise suppressor. A translating centerbody type inlet with radial vanes was tested ahead of a J85-GE-13 turbojet engine. The inlet when fully choked, maintained high recovery with low distortions while dramatically reducing noise emanating from the compressor. Recoveries of 98.1% at simulated takeoff and 95% at approach were attained with associated sound attenuation of 40 db and 38 db respectively. Inlet lip shape was found to have significant effects on noise attenuation at these static conditions.
Optimization of biodiesel production from palm oil under supercritical ethanol conditions using hexane as co-solvent: A response surface methodology approach

Abstract In the present work, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the biodiesel production from palm oil under supercritical ethanol conditions. Hexane was added as a co-solvent, which in turn accelerated the reaction rate and increased the biodiesel yield. This process enables simultaneous transesterification of triglycerides and ethyl esterification of fatty acids in a shorter reaction time and may reduce the energy consumption due to simplified separation and purification steps. Different process parameters including alcohol to oil molar ratio (25:1–50:1), reaction time (10–30 min), reaction temperature (260–300 °C) and co-solvent ratio (0.1–0.4% v/v) were optimized using response surface methodology. A mathematical model was developed for predicting the fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE) yield. Fatty acid ethyl esters produced from palm oil were measured and analyzed using FT-IR, GC–MS and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) methods. The fuel properties of the biodiesel produced were determined and compared to the American society for testing and materials (ASTMs) standards for biodiesel.
Vacuum Enhanced Heat Transfer Through Mammalian Radiator Structures

Most mammals, including humans, maintain relatively constant internal temperatures despite changes in ambient conditions and fluctuations in internal heat production. To achieve this end, an individual must be able to: 1) protect the internal milieu from external thermal challenges and 2) dissipate excess internally produced heat. Heat is produced as a byproduct of cellular metabolism and is lost to the environment across the body surface. The thermoregulatory challenge is to dissipate excess internally produced heat despite the insulation layers that protect the internal milieu from external thermal influences.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Efficiency for close geometries and extended sources of a p-type germanium detector with low-energy sensitivity

Typically, germanium detectors designed to have good sensitivity to low-energy photons and good efficiency at high energies are constructed from n-type crystals with a boron-implanted outer contact. These detectors usually exhibit inferior resolution and peak shape compared to ones made from p-type crystals. To overcome the resolution and peak-shape deficiencies, a new method of construction of a germanium detector element was developed. This has resulted in a gamma-ray detector with high sensitivity to photon energies from 14 keV to 2 MeV, while maintaining good resolution and peak shape over this energy range. Efficiency measurements, done according to the draft IEEE 325-2004 standard, show efficiencies typical of a GMX or n-type detector at low energies. The detectors are of large diameter suitable for counting extended samples such as filter papers. The Gaussian peak shape and good resolution typical of a GEM or p-type are maintained for the high count rates and peak separation needed for activation analysis.
Interpreting Heritability Estimates in the Orthodontic Literature

Analysis of family members is central to understanding the causation of biological variation, either genetic or environmental. Rarely, however, is the answer one or the other; variation in the craniofacial complexes, including occlusal variation ("malocclusion"), is almost always some complex combination of nature and nurture. Heritability is the proportion of a trait's variation that, under ideal, simplified conditions, is due to genetic variation. It, in fact, implies nothing about trait size or treatment limits based on some presumed genetic "predetermination." This article overviews the genetic and environmental sources of variation that generate a trait's phenotype to help clarify the interpretation and limitations of a trait's "heritability," which is a term often overinterpreted in the orthodontic literature. Applications of genetic studies to the causation of malocclusion also are reviewed, showing that skeletal variation has a substantial genetic component, but there is little or none for "tooth-based" variations such as tooth positions, rotations, and displacements.
Abstract 1336: Nicotine does not promote tumor growth in preclinical mouse models of lung cancer

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a popular and effective regimen for the cessation of smoking. Expanded use of NRT is controversial based on preclinical studies that show that nicotine activates signaling pathways that promote cellular survival and proliferation. To address the tumor promoting effects of nicotine in mouse models of lung cancer, nicotine was administered in the drinking water and tested in a tobacco carcinogen-driven model (NNK), a genetically engineered model (KRasLA2), and syngeneic mouse xenografts. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that mice had normal water consumption and achieved an average serum cotinine level of 135 ng/ml, a level comparable to that observed in NRT users. In the NNK model, nicotine was administered after 3 weekly intraperitoneal injections of NNK, and was continued for 12 wk. At the time of sacrifice, nicotine did not increase lung tumor multiplicity or size, and did not activate the Akt/mTOR pathway. In the KRasLA2 model, mice were placed on nicotine at the time of weaning. At 6 wk, there was no effect on tumor multiplicity, size, histology, or tumor biomarkers. Studies assessing the effects of nicotine on overall survival of K-RasLA2 mice are ongoing. Similar negative results were observed with nicotine administration in xenograft studies with isogenic NNK-transformed lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. To assess whether the response to nicotine might be dose-dependent, we assessed activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MEK/ERK, and JAK/STAT pathways in these cell lines using immunoblotting. Stimulation was only observed at concentrations higher than that observed with NRT. These results suggest nicotine at doses comparable to NRT does not promote lung tumorigenesis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1336. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1336
Quantitative X‐ray energy dispersive analysis with the transmission electron microscope

A Comprehensive study of the interfacing of an X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer to a transmission electron microscope is presented. Optimum detector location, sample tilt, collimation and accelerating voltage are discussed. Quantitative elemental analysis is obtained for thin film specimens using corrections for spectrometer response, absorption and background. Peak spectra are sorted using a method of profile fitting based on nonlinear simplex minimization. Using a simple analysis scheme, the peak data is reduced to elemental composition with an accuracy and precision on the order of 1%. Examples from Fe–Ni and Ho–Co alloys are given.
Abstract 207: Casitas B-lineage lymphoma-3 is an epigenetically regulated gene whose knockdown induces mesenchymal to epithelial transition and enhances erlotinib sensitivity in lung cancer cell lines

Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (Cbl) proteins are E3 ubiquitin ligases and multifunctional adaptor proteins that are implicated in the regulation of signal transduction in various cell types and in response to different stimuli. Cbl-3 is a distinct member of this family of 3 genes that is specifically expressed in the epithelial lining of organs, particularly the bronchial airways, whose function, especially in cancer cells, is relatively unknown. Here we report that Cbl-3 expression and promoter CpG island DNA methylation differed profoundly in epithelial compared to mesenchymal-like lung cancer cells. 5-azacytidine treatment, as well as DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1) KD (but not DNMT-3a or 3b) enhanced promoter demethylation and Cbl-3 gene expression. Knock down (KD) of Cbl-3 in mesenchymal-like lung cancer cell lines strongly enhanced EGFR expression and activated downstream pathways. As a result, cells that were normally resistant to erlotinib became greatly sensitized to drug treatment by Cbl-3 KD. Additionally, Cbl-3 KD inhibited cellular migration and increased cellular adhesion to the extra cellular matrix (ECM) as well as promoted cell-to-cell interaction through enhanced E-Cadherin and FAK expression. These alterations suggested a mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) conferred by Cbl-3 KD. Take together, this data provided new insights into Cbl-3 gene regulation and elucidated a potential role of Cbl-3 in EGFR signaling in the context of EMT in lung cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 207. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-207
The Conceptual Affinity between the Arts of Music and Rhetoric in the German Renaissance

This essay provides a synoptic exposition of the conceptual affinity between music and rhetoric during the German Renaissance, especially as encountered in the text of Joachim Burmeister's Musica P...
Coordination costs and project outcomes in multi-university collaborations

Abstract Multi-university collaborations draw on diverse resources and expertise, but they impose coordination costs for bridging institutional differences and geographic distance. We report a study of the coordination activities and project outcomes of 491 research collaborations funded by the US National Science Foundation. Coordination activities, especially division of responsibility for tasks and knowledge transfer among investigators, predicted project outcomes (e.g., producing new knowledge, creating new tools, and training students). However, more universities involved in a collaboration predicted fewer coordination activities and fewer project outcomes. A statistical mediation analysis showed that insufficient coordination explained the negative relationship between multi-university collaboration and project outcomes.
Statistics and Prime Numbers

EINSTEIN's statistical theory of Brownian motion has two aspects, one dealing with distribution in time, the other with distribution in space. It is known1 that, while the spatial distribution is described, as in the chronology of a Geiger counter, by Poisson's enumerating law of independent rare events, the temporal distribution turns out to be determined by the classical theory of independent frequent errors. Precisely in view of the latter theory, and in view of the ergodic hypothesis, the spatial distribution requires a more specific model than does the temporal distribution; the former dealing with accidental fluctuations, the latter only with the underlying average state.
Evaluation of employee rule violations: The impact of impression management effects in historical context

The study sought to determine whether impression management tactics by an employee could effectively lessen the recommended punishment for an ethical rule infraction by this individual. Subjects read a vignette in which an employee violated the confidentiality of personnel records. The employee was presented as either having had a history of previous infractions or no such historical information was provided. Additionally, the employee was described as using either no impression management tactics, an apology, or a justification for his behavior. Result show that in the case of a history of multiple offenses, the employee's use of justifications effectively mitigated others' judgments of the wrongfulness of the employee's action, while apologies did not. Similarly, the justification appeared to lessen respondent recommendations for punishment, prevention of promotion, and demotion/firing, but only when there is a history of multiple offenses. In most cases, apologies tended to exacerbate the problem when previous offenses had been committed. The data are discussed in terms of their implications for the study of employee use of impression management tactics.