cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the crystal structures of 4,4′-bis­[3-(4-methyl­piperidin-1-yl)prop-1-yn-1-yl]-1,1′-biphenyl and 4,4′-bis­[3-(2,2,6,6-tetra­methyl­piperidin-1-yl)prop-1-yn-1-yl]-1,1′-biphen­yl

As part of a comprehensive program to discover α9α10 nicotinic acetyl­choline receptor antagonists, the title compounds C30H36N2, (I), and C36H48N2, (II), were synthesized by coupling 4,4′-bis­(3-bromo­prop-1-yn-1-yl)-1,1′-biphenyl with 4-methyl­piperidine and 2,2,6,6-tetra­methyl­piperidine, respectively, in aceto­nitrile at room temperature. In compound (I), the biphenyl system has a twisted conformation with a dihedral angle of 26.57 (6)° between the two phenyl rings of the biphenyl moiety, while in compound (II), the biphenyl moiety sits on a crystallographic inversion centre so the two phenyl rings are exactly coplanar. The terminal piperidine rings in both compound (I) and compound (II) are in the chair conformation. In compound (I), the dihedral angles about the ethynyl groups between the planes of the phenyl rings and the piperidine ring N atoms are 37.16 (16) and 14.20 (17)°. In compound (II), the corresponding dihedral angles are both 61.48 (17)°. There are no noteworthy inter­molecular inter­actions in (I), but in (II) there is a small π-overlap between inversion-related mol­ecules (1 − x, 1 − y, 1 − z), with an inter­planar spacing of 3.553 (3) A and centroid-to-centroid separation of 3.859 (4) A.
The locus of the masked onset priming effect: Evidence from Korean

This study investigates the masked onset priming effect (MOPE) in Korean. The results revealed facilitated naming for nonwords written in the alphabetic syllabary hangul when primes and targets shared an initial consonant-vowel (CV) syllable as well as when they shared only an initial onset (C) phoneme. However, there was greater priming at the syllable level than at the phoneme level. Taken together with previous research on Korean (Kim & Davis, 2002), these findings indicate that the MOPE reflects facilitated grapheme-to-phoneme conversion processes when the pronunciation of the target is computed through the nonlexical route, and are interpreted to support the Forster and Davis (1991) model of this effect.
The Plight of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) was created by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to insure the vested benefits of defined benefit pension plans. Over the past 40 years its funding requirements and insurance premiums have been strengthened and increased many times, most recently by the Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of (December) 2014. Yet the PBGC remains in difficult straights. The plight of the PBGC is that, whatever it does to improve its short-run prospects will result in more plan failures and terminations in the long run.
Studies on hypothalamic regulation of FSH secretion in the androgen-sterilized female rat.

SummaryThe hypothalamic regulation of FSH secretion has been studied in the unilaterally ovariectomized androgen-sterilized female rat. Comparable degreees of ovarian hypertrophy were observed in sterile and normal cyclic rats. Destruction of the anterior hypothalamus of the sterile rat markedly curtailed the release of FSH from the adenohypophysis. These data suggest not only that discrete FSH and LH centers exist in the hypothalamus of the rat but also that the syndrome of persistent-estrus results more likely from an imbalance in LH rather than in FSH secretion.
The Complete Biosensor

Design and fabrication of nanostructured sensors based on optical, electrical, or mechanical principles has advanced tremendously in the last decade. This is due in part to progress in numerical design tools, computational power and nanofabrication capability. Across the globe, there is growing interest in advanced sensor technologies for diverse applications in homeland security, biomedicine, drug development, food safety and environmental monitoring. These sensor systems must be portable and cost-effective, while providing rapid response with high sensitivity, reliability and minimal false-reading counts. Most biosensor technologies currently available employ fluorescent or absorption labeling to register a specific biomolecular reaction. For reasons of expense and expediency, there is increasing demand for improved sensor techniques that do not require labeling. In this editorial, we briefly discuss advanced guided-mode resonance (GMR) biosensor technology meeting these demands. Since these sensors can be designed to resonate in multiple modes, complete information about a bioreaction can be extracted, including the biolayer thickness, biolayer refractive index, and the change in the background solution refractive index. Thus, justifiably, we refer to this sensor as the complete biosensor.
Suburban Politics and Policies: Retrospect and Prospect

This is an occasion where the temptation born of nostalgia outruns common sense. Years ago, I was perhaps a genuine urbanist (I never could swallow the term urbanologist). Now I am inescapably classified as an "educational administrator," and simple prudence would have had me decline the invitation to write again about suburbia. But after fifteen years of trying to understand the special ways Americans have chosen to allocate urban land into distinct and different political, economic, and social spaces, a substantial intellectual investment occurs. The tugs of curiosity are strong, and I cannot resist the opportunity to think again of where and how the suburban setting affects our national character, changes our politics, complicates some of our problems in everyday life.
Nutritional Enteric Failure: Neglected Tropical Diseases and Childhood Stunting

Chronic malnutrition, defined by linear growth failure, or stunting, affects over 165 million children globally [1]. In many areas of the world with a high prevalence of stunting, children experience frequent and recurrent exposure to pathogens, including neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). These infections appear to have detrimental effects on linear growth [2–6], but interventions to promote linear growth have demonstrated limited benefit. Difficulty in establishing effective growth-promoting interventions is not unique to NTDs; even the optimal delivery of all interventions known to improve nutritional status is estimated to be able to reverse less than a quarter of all stunting [7]. The failure to identify effective interventions to reverse stunting offers the opportunity to develop a new conceptual model of chronic malnutrition that furthers our understanding of the mechanism linking pathogen and environmental exposures to linear growth failure. Such a conceptual model may guide the identification of new targets for intervention to reduce the substantial morbidity and mortality associated with chronic malnutrition [1].
Measurement and Analysis of Three-dimensional Flows in the Volute of a Centrifugal Compressor with a Round Section

By utilizing a five-hole probe,measured in detail were three-dimensional flows in the volute of a large-sized low-speed centrifugal compressor with a round section.As a result,a flow velocity distribution and a distribution chart of flow speed,total and static pressure along the radial and circumferential direction in the radial measurement section of the spiral flow passage portion of the volute were given,and the flow rates thus obtained,compared with those obtained from the one-dimensional calculation.It has been found that the measured flow rates in various sections assume an identical variation tendency with those obtained from the one-dimensional calculation.In step with increasing angles,the difference between the calculation results and test ones gradually decreases.In addition,the flows in the volute under test pertain to complex three-dimensional flows,and the flow speed distribution along the radial direction in various radial sections of the volute features a comparatively conspicuous difference from the momentum conservation law.The change in total pressures along the circumferential direction is not manifest.
Bury, H. (2013). Eisenhower and the Cold War Arms Race: ‘Open Skies’ and the Military-Industrial Complex and Barnes, R. (2014). The US, the UN and the Korean War: Communism in the Far East and the American Struggle for Hegemony in the Cold War

Arms control specifically and multilateralism in general could be said to be undergoing something of a renaissance in US foreign relations in recent years following the conclusion of an agreement o...
Multimodal impairment-based physical therapy for the treatment of patients with post-concussion syndrome: A retrospective analysis on safety and feasibility

Objective Demonstrate implementation, safety and feasibility of multimodal, impairment-based physical therapy (PT) combining vestibular/oculomotor and cervical rehabilitation with sub-symptom threshold exercise for the treatment of patients with post-concussion syndrome (PCS). Setting University hospital outpatient sports medicine facility. Participants Twenty-five patients (12-20 years old) meeting World Health Organization criteria for PCS following sport-related concussion referred for supervised PT consisting of sub-symptom cardiovascular exercise, vestibular/oculomotor and cervical spine rehabilitation. Design Retrospective cohort. Main measures Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS) total score, maximum symptom-free heart rate (SFHR) during graded exercise testing (GXT), GXT duration, balance error scoring system (BESS) score, and number of adverse events. Results Patients demonstrated a statistically significant decreasing trend (p Conclusions Multimodal, impairment-based PT is safe and associated with diminishing PCS symptoms. This establishes feasibility for future clinical trials to determine viable treatment approaches to reduce symptoms and improve function while avoiding negative repercussions of physical inactivity and premature return to full activity.
Synergistic enhancement of glutamate-mediated responses by serotonin and forskolin in adult mouse spinal dorsal horn neurons

Glutamate is the major excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter in the CNS, including the neocortex, hippocampus, and spinal cord. Normal synaptic transmission is mainly mediated by glutamate AMPA and/or kainate receptors. Glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are normally inactive and only activated when a sufficient postsynaptic depolarization is induced by the activity. Here we show that in sensory synapses of adult mouse, some synaptic responses (26.3% of a total of 38 experiments) between primary afferent fibers and dorsal horn neurons are almost completely mediated by NMDA receptors. Dorsal root stimulation did not elicit any detectable AMPA/kainate receptor-mediated responses in these synapses. Unlike young spinal cord, serotonin alone did not produce any long-lasting synaptic enhancement in adult spinal dorsal horn neurons. However, co-application of the adenylyl cyclase activator forskolin and serotonin (5-HT) produced long-lasting enhancement, including the recruitment of functional AMPA receptor-mediated responses. Calcium-sensitive, calmodulin-regulated adenylyl cyclases (AC1, AC8) are required for the enhancement. Furthermore the thresholds for generating action potential responses were decreased, and, in many cases, co-application of forskolin and 5-HT led to the generation of action potentials by previously subthreshold stimulation of primary afferent fibers in the presence of the NMDA receptor blocker 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid. Our results suggest that pure NMDA synapses exist on sensory neurons in adult spinal cord and that they may contribute to functional sensory transmission. The synergistic recruitment of functional AMPA responses by 5-HT and forskolin provides a new cellular mechanism for glutamatergic synapses in mammalian spinal cord.
Organization Spotlight: Furthering Girls' Math Identity: The Key to Girls' Math Success

More than 50% of middle and high school students plan to drop math as soon as they can. The reason? They don't feel they need math to succeed outside of school. The reality, however, is that math i...
A Journey Through the Systems Landscape

Systems are everywhere and affect us daily in our private and professional lives. We all use the word "system" to describe something that is essential but often abstract, complex and even mysterious. However, learning to utilize system concepts as first class objects as well as methodologies for systems thinking and systems engineering provides a basis for removing the mystery and moving towards mastery even for complex systems. This journey through the Systems Landscape has been developed to promote learning to "think" and "act" in terms of systems. A unique aspect is the introduction of concrete system semantics provided as a "system survival kit" and based upon a limited number of concepts and principles as well as a mental model called the system-coupling diagram. This discipline independent presentation assists individuals and is essential for building a learning organization that can utilize a systems approach to achieving its enterprise goals. The eight chapters are presented as stops along a journey that successively build system knowledge. Each chapter terminates with a Knowledge Verification section that provides questions and exercises for individuals and groups. Case studies reflecting the utilization of the system related concepts, principles and methodologies are provided as chapter interludes.
Ben Franklin temperate reef and deep sea `Agassiz Coral Hills' in the Blake Plateau off North Carolina

This paper deals with two deep water coral ecosystems off the North Carolina coast, both under the depositional, erosional, and biological influence of the Gulf Stream and its eddies and episodic upwelling processes. The first coral community, Ben Franklin temperate reef, is located at 20 meters in Onslow Bay and is characterized by the ahermatypic coral Oculina arbuscula Verrill and unusually high abundance of the small predatory isopod Eurydice bowmani George and Longerbeam. The deep sea coral community, Agassiz Coral Hills, is located over the Blake Plateau at 650 meters, dominated by the fossilized, dead and living coral Bathypsammia tintinnabulum, with rare occurrence of the deep sea solitary coral Flabellum goodei. The deep sea coral sites were sampled with an otter trawl, outfitted with `Benthos' flotation spheres. The results suggest that the fish and shrimp fauna exhibits high species richness in the Agassiz Coral Hills off North Carolina in comparison with a control site over the Blake Plateau off Florida. Species richness may be linked to episodic upwelling events along the Gulf Stream meanders. The fish fauna in the Agassiz Coral Hills includes the following two commercially important deep sea fish species: the wreck fish Polyprion americanus and the eel Synaphobranchus koupi. The Ben Franklin reef and the Agassiz Coral Hills are recommended as Marine Protected Areas.
Fertility and testis cancer.

SUMMARY Patients with testicular cancer may demonstrate impaired spermatogenesis because of the disease process or as a direct consequence of treatment. For some patients, impaired spermatogenesis may resolve spontaneously, while in others, treatable etiologies may be identified and corrected.
Stability analysis of Modular Multilevel Converter using Nearest Level Modulation

Nearest Level Modulation (NLM) is a kind of staircase wave modulation suitable for MMC with massive submodules. There are several implementations of NLM for different application scenarios and operation conditions. In order to discuss the feasibility of different implementations and the inner stability of MMC, a state-space system is established firstly to represent MMC internal dynamics. Based on these results, Lyapunov theory is introduced for stability analysis. Optimized designs to improve stability are also discussed. The analysis of this paper shows that the inner stability of MMC depends on whether measured value or reference value of submodules voltage and dc-bus voltage are taken in NLM calculation. By designing common-mode voltage controller carefully, or low-pass filtering measured dc-bus voltage, inner stability of MMC can be effectively improved. Simulation results in PSCAD/EMTDC verify the validity of stability analysis of this paper.
Privacy and Social Capital in Online Social Networks

In online social networks (OSNs), individual users have a strong desire to expand their social networks through OSN activities and try to maximize the benefits from the social relationships, called social capital. However, with a large-scale social network, their privacy rights have been significantly intruded by adversarial users that perform social attacks including false / illegal private information dissemination or the use of fake identities. In this work, we study how individual users can expand their social networks by making trustworthy friends while not leaking their private information out to unauthorized parties or social attackers. We adopt the concepts of trust and reputation in order to preserve users' privacy while enhancing their social capital in OSNs. Given a social network topology from the Facebook, we model an individual user's interactions with other users based on feeding (e.g., posting information) and feedback behaviors (e.g., providing likes or comments). Our results show that there exists a tradeoff between social capital and privacy preservation. In addition, we show there exists a balance point of social capital and privacy thresholds that maximizes correct information diffusion while minimizing illegal private information leakout, given users' risk appetite for preserving privacy.
Vaporization and thermodynamics of forsterite-rich olivine and some implications for silicate atmospheres of hot rocky exoplanets

Abstract We describe an experimental and theoretical study of olivine [Mg2SiO4 (Fo)–Fe2SiO4 (Fa)] vaporization. The vaporization behavior and thermodynamic properties of a fosterite-rich olivine (Fo95Fa5) have been explored by high-temperature Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry (KEMS) from 1750 to 2250 K. The gases observed (in order of decreasing partial pressure) are Fe, SiO, Mg, O2 and O. We measured the solidus temperature (∼2050 K), partial pressures of individual gases, the total vapor pressure, and thermodynamic activities and partial molar enthalpies of MgO, ‘FeO’, and SiO2 for the Fo95Fa5 olivine. The results are compared to other measurements and models of the olivine system. Our experimental data show olivine vaporizes incongruently. We discuss this system both as a psuedo-binary of Fo-Fa and a psuedo-ternary of MgO–‘FeO’–SiO2. Iron/magnesium molar ratios in the sample before (∼0.05) and after (∼0.04) vaporization are consistent with the small positive deviations from ideality of fayalite (γ ∼ 1.17) in olivine of the composition studied (e.g., Nafziger and Muan, 1967). Our data for olivine + melt confirm prior theoretical models predicting fractional vaporization of Fe relative to Mg from molten silicates ( Fegley and Cameron, 1987 ; Schaefer and Fegley, 2009; Ito et al., 2015). If loss of silicate atmospheres occurs from hot rocky exoplanets with magma oceans the residual planet may be enriched in magnesium relative to iron.
Characterization of p57, a Stage-Specific Antigen of Pneumocystis murina

Pneumocystis has a large multicopy gene family encoding proteins related to the major surface glycoprotein (Msg), whose functions are largely unknown. We expressed one such protein of Pneumocystis murina, p57, which is encoded by 3 highly conserved genes, and demonstrated by immunoblot that immunocompetent mice that were immunized with crude Pneumocystis antigens or that had cleared Pneumocystis infection developed antibodies to p57. Using hyperimmune anti-p57 serum combined with immunolabeling, we found that p57 was expressed by small trophic forms and intracystic bodies, whereas it was not expressed on larger trophic forms or externally by cysts. Expression of p57 and Msg by trophic forms was largely mutually exclusive. Treatment of infected animals with caspofungin inhibited cyst formation and markedly decreased p57 expression. While p57 expression was seen in immunocompetent mice infected with Pneumocystis, immunization with recombinant p57 did not result in altered cytokine expression by lymphocytes or in diminished infection in such mice. Thus, p57 appears to be a stage-specific antigen of Pneumocystis that is expressed on intracystic bodies and young trophic forms and may represent a mechanism to conserve resources in organisms during periods of limited exposure to host immune responses.
Dynamic response of airborne infections to climate change: predictions for varicella

Characterizing how climate change will alter the burden of infectious diseases has clear public health implications. Despite our uniquely detailed understanding of the transmission process for directly transmitted immunizing infections, the impact of climate variables on these infections remains understudied. Here, we develop a novel approach that incorporates statistical analysis of climate effects with a mechanistic model of disease transmission, to investigate the dynamic response of directly transmitted, immunizing infections to climate change. We analyze the effect of climate on varicella, a common airborne childhood infection, by leveraging 30 years of reported cases across 32 states in Mexico. We use this to map the potential changes in the magnitude and variability of varicella incidence in Mexico as a result of predicted changes in future climate conditions. Our results indicate that the predicted decrease in relative humidity in Mexico towards the end of the century will increase incidence of varicella, all else equal. These changes in incidence will be non-uniform across the year such that cases will shift from winter to summer months. Climate-driven changes to the timing of future incidence, for these types of infections, may have substantial public health implications.
Approaching Cloud Computing Performance

Performance in a cloud computing environment is a complex topic. The way that IaaS and PaaS clouds operate is very different from traditional single-tenant on-premises platforms. Therefore, the way you evaluate and test IaaS and PaaS clouds is different as well
Reading Comprehension in Children With and Without ASD: The Role of Word Reading, Oral Language, and Working Memory.

Word reading and oral language predict reading comprehension, which is generally poor, in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, working memory (WM), despite documented weaknesses, has not been thoroughly investigated as a predictor of reading comprehension in ASD. This study examined the role of three parallel WM N-back tasks using abstract shapes, familiar objects, and written words in children (8–14 years) with ASD (n = 19) and their typically developing peers (n = 24). All three types of WM were significant predictors of reading comprehension when considered alone. However, these relationships were rendered non-significant with the addition of age, word reading, vocabulary, and group entered into the models. Oral vocabulary emerged as the strongest predictor of reading comprehension.
Nonlinear H∞ Control Theory: A Literature Survey

The central problem of H ∞ -control theory roughly is to optimize (by the choice of compensator in a standard feedback configuration) some worst case (i.e. infinity norm) measure of performance while maintaining stability. For the linear, time-invariant, finitedimensional case, rather complete state space solutions are now available, and work has begun on understanding less restrictive settings. A recent new development has been the establishment of a connection with differential games and the perception of the H ∞ -problem as formally the same as the earlier well established linear quadratic regulator problem, but with an indefinite performance objective. In this article we review the current state of the art for nonlinear systems. The main focus is on the approach through a global theory of nonlinear J-inner-outer factorization and nonlinear fractional transformations being developed by the authors. It turns out that the critical points arising naturally in this theory can also be interpreted as optimal strategies in a game-theoretic interpretation of the control problem.
The Clinical Course of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

The large number of people in our society with intractable angina pectoris has stimulated surgeons over the last several decades to develop surgical procedures for its relief. These surgical efforts culminated in the development of coronary artery bypass surgery, which is the first operative procedure that can substantially improve myocardial blood flow. Along with relief of anginal symptoms one would expect that improved myocardial blood flow after bypass grafting would prevent myocardial infarction and ventricular arrhythmias and thereby extend survival of patients with coronary artery disease. If so, then it must be recognized that only a minority of people with advanced coronary atherosclerosis are forewarned of this life-threatening disease by symptoms of angina pectoris. We must therefore consider the other clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease and identify the factors which are predictive of survival.
Improving Hierarchical Classification with Partial Labels

In this paperwe address the problem of semi-supervised hierarchical learning when some cases are fully labeled while other cases are only partially labeled, named Hierarchical Partial Labels. Given a label hierarchy, a fully labeled example provides a path from the root node to a leaf node while a partially labeled example only provides a path from the root node to an internal node. We introduce a discriminative learning approach, called Partial HSVM, that incorporates partially labeled information into the hierarchical maximum margin-based learning framework. The partially labeled hierarchical learning problem is formulated as a quadratic optimization that minimizes the empirical risk with L2-norm regularization. We also present an efficient algorithm for the hierarchical classification in the presence of partially labeled information. In our experiments with the WIPO-alpha patent collection, we compare our proposed algorithm with two other baseline approaches: Binary HSVM, a standard approach to hierarchical classification, which builds a binary classifier (SVM) at each node in the hierarchy, and PL-SVM, a flat multiclass classifier which can take advantages of the partial label information. Our empirical results show that Partial HSVM outperforms Binary HSVM and PL-SVM across different performance metrics. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm, Partial HSVM, combines the strength of both methods, the Binary HSVM and PL-SVM, since it utilizes both the hierarchical information and the partially labeled examples. In addition, we observe the positive correlation between the labeling effort in obtaining partially labeled data and the improvement in performance.
A Stochastic Multi-Agent Resource Planning Model: The Impact of Capacity Remuneration Mechanisms

This paper presents a stochastic multi-agent resource planning model, to investigate the impact of capacity remuneration mechanisms and high penetration levels of variable renewable energy resources on the system generation portfolio in a competitive market environment. In addition to the well-known missing money problem in electricity markets, increasing penetration levels of stochastic resources pose new challenges to system planners in achieving least-cost resource adequacy. As a result, various capacity remuneration mechanisms are considered to promote sufficient capacity investments. This work is envisioned to provide insights into how different capacity remuneration mechanisms and uncertainty associated with the stochastic resources can affect investment and retirement decisions of individual profit-maximizing generation companies as well as system-wide resource adequacy. The numerical analysis illustrates potential use and effectiveness of the presented modeling framework.
An Adaptive, Data-Driven Personalized Advisor for Increasing Physical Activity

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of fitness trackers and smartphone applications for promoting physical activity. Many of these applications use accelerometers to estimate the level of activity that users engage in and provide visual reports of a user's step counts. When provided, most recommendations are limited to popular general health advice. In our study, we develop an approach for providing data-driven and personalized recommendations for intraday activity planning. We generate an hour-by-hour activity plan that is based on the user's probability of adhering to the plan. The user's probability of adherence to the plan is personalized, based on his/her past activity patterns and current activity target. Using this approach, we can tailor notifications (e.g., reminders, encouragement) to each user. We can also dynamically update the user's activity plan at mid-day, if his/her actual activity deviates sufficiently from the original plan. In this paper, we describe an implementation of our approach and report our technical findings with respect to identifying typical activity patterns from historical data, predicting whether an activity target will be achieved, and adapting an activity plan based on a user's actual performance throughout the day.
Hypoxia, angiogenesis, and metabolism in the hereditary kidney cancers

The field of hereditary kidney cancer has begun to mature following the identification of several germline syndromes that define genetic and molecular features of this cancer. Molecular defects within these hereditary syndromes demonstrate consistent deficits in angiogenesis and metabolic signaling, largely driven by altered hypoxia signaling. The classical mutation, loss of function of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor, provides a human pathogenesis model for critical aspects of pseudohypoxia. These features are mimicked in a less common hereditary renal tumor syndrome, known as hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma. Here, we review renal tumor angiogenesis and metabolism from a HIF-centric perspective, considering alterations in the hypoxic landscape, and molecular deviations resulting from high levels of HIF family members. Mutations underlying HIF deregulation drive multifactorial aberrations in angiogenic signals and metabolism. The mechanisms by which these defects drive tumor growth are still emerging. However, the distinctive patterns of angiogenesis and glycolysis-/glutamine-dependent bioenergetics provide insight into the cellular environment of these cancers. The result is a scenario permissive for aggressive tumorigenesis especially within the proximal renal tubule. These features of tumorigenesis have been highly actionable in kidney cancer treatments, and will likely continue as central tenets of kidney cancer therapeutics.
A review of CCR5 antibodies against HIV: current and future aspects

HIV is one of the most devastating viral infections the world has ever encountered. Ever since HIV was first identified in the 1980s, it has claimed millions of lives worldwide. There has been tremendous research and development in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of HIV. Small molecules have been shown to reduce the virus to nondetectable level in human plasma, however, there are reservoirs of latent virus that reemerge if antiretroviral therapy is stopped. There is no vaccine to prevent or cure HIV. A significant amount of research has been reported in the literature regarding antibodies for CCR5, a HIV entry host receptor. This report describes the role of CCR5 antibody in HIV prevention/treatment and how antibody-conjugated nanoparticles could be a future strategy with the potential to effectively eradicate the virus from the human system.
Pair potential for a weak-coupling, single-crystal superconductor

In the standard treatment of weak-coupling superconductors, the pair potential enters as a nondiagonal but local potential. It is shown that for a pure, weak-coupling, bulk, single-crystal superconductor the quasiparticle wave functions are then Bloch functions and the self-consistent pair potential is periodic in space with the periodicity of the crystal structure. The relation between this periodic character of the pair potential and energy gap structure is discussed, and it is pointed out that energy gap structure of the general character expected appears to have been observed. The validity of a local pair potential is also briefly considered.
Mapping a Reliable Stroke Onset Time Course Using Signal Intensity on DWI Scans.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Identifying a last known well (LKW) time surrogate for acute stroke is vital to increase stroke treatment. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) signal intensity initially increases from onset of stroke but mapping a reliable time course to the signal intensity has not been demonstrated. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed stroke code patients between 1/2016 and 6/2017 from the prospective; Institutional review board (IRB) approved University of California San Diego Stroke Registry. Patients who had magnetic resonance imaging of brain from onset, with or without intervention, are included. All ischemic strokes were confirmed and timing from onset to imaging was calculated. Raw DWI intensity is measured using IMPAX software and compared to contralateral side for control for a relative DWI intensity (rDWI). LKW and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) time were collected by chart review. Correlation is assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient between DWI intensity, rDWI, and time to MRI imaging. 1.5T, 3T, and combined modalities were examined. RESULTS Seventy-eight patients were included in this analysis. Overall, there was statistically significant positive correlation (.53, P < .001) between DWI intensity and LKW time irrespective of scanner strength. Using 1.5T analyses, there was good correlation (.46, P < .001). 3T MRI analysis further showed comparatively stronger positive correlation (.66, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS There is good correlation between DWI intensity and minutes from onset to MRI. This suggests a time-dependent DWI intensity response and supports the potential use of DWI intensity measurements to extrapolate an LKW time. Further studies are being pursued to increase both experience and generalizability.
Comparison of reduced models for blood flow using RungeKutta discontinuous Galerkin methods

One-dimensional blood flow models take the general form of nonlinear hyperbolic systems but differ in their formulation. One class of models considers the physically conserved quantities of mass and momentum, while another class describes mass and velocity. Further, the averaging process employed in the model derivation requires the specification of the axial velocity profile; this choice differentiates models within each class. Discrepancies among differing models have yet to be investigated. In this paper, we comment on some theoretical differences among models and systematically compare them for physiologically relevant vessel parameters, network topology, and boundary data. In particular, the effect of the velocity profile is investigated in the cases of both smooth and discontinuous solutions, and a recommendation for a physiological model is provided. The models are discretized by a class of RungeKutta discontinuous Galerkin methods.
Sit and Listen

I know Walter as a musician, as an adventurous scholar and voracious reader, as an exuberant teacher of children. Above all, I know him as a thrillingly promiscuous mixer and cutter, whose “big ears” take him to all the corners of the echoscape our foremothers and fathers have defined for us as curriculum theory. Maybe that sense of history is why—when invited to respond to Sonic Curriculum’sfocus on the “everything else” of sensory experience, that overflows common-sense notions of curriculum—my first association was a description of overwhelm. Because Walter and I have both been teachers of social foundations of education. That slippery and elastic course (where it still survives in the teacher ed sequence, that is), tasked with giving future teachers the “everything else” of school. The history of bias and institutionalized racism; the way that the caste system of the “RWI” (“Ridiculously White Institution” —his term) continues to feel normal, to make us its unwitting instrument of perpetuation unless we make constant, daily choices to interrupt it.
Resistance training-induced gains in knee extensor strength are related to increased neural cell adhesion molecule expression in older adults with knee osteoarthritis

Resistance training (RT) can improve whole muscle strength without increasing muscle fiber size or contractility. Neural adaptations, which lead to greater neural activation of muscle, may mediate some of these improvements, particularly in older adults, where motor neuron denervation is common. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of neural adaptations, as reflected by neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) expression, to improvements in (1) whole muscle strength and (2) muscle fiber size following RT in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. We performed whole muscle strength measurements and immunohistochemical analysis of fiber size, type, and NCAM expression before and after a 14-week RT program. RT increased whole-muscle strength as measured by 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) leg press (P = 0.01), leg extension (P = 0.03), and knee extensor peak torque (P = 0.050), but did not alter NCAM expression. Greater NCAM expression in myosin heavy chain (MHC) II fibers was associated with greater whole muscle strength gains (knee extensor peak torque r = 0.93; P < 0.01) and greater MHC II fiber size (r = 0.79; P < 0.01). Our results suggest that training-induced NCAM expression, and neural adaptations more generally, may be important for RT-induced morphological and functional improvements in older adults. Trial registration NCT01190046
Diseases of the Pericardium

The pericardium is a thin fibroserous sac that surrounds the heart and the proximal portions of the great vessels. It is composed of an external layer of dense fibrous tissue (fibrous pericardium) and an inner serous layer (serous pericardium).
Endocrine regulation of regular echinoid reproduction

Abstract Environmental cues have long been correlated to reproductive events in echinoids. However, how those cues are transduced to chemical messengers within the echinoid gonads and gut to regulate gametogenesis and nutrient storage throughout the annual reproductive cycle remains unknown. In vertebrates, regulation of reproduction and gametogenesis involves complex pathways that include steroids, proteins, and peptides. Such chemical messengers may play roles in echinoid reproduction and gametogenesis. We have summarized the current knowledge of these putative chemical messengers in echinoids, and their potential roles in regulating reproduction. Since vertebrate endocrine pathways can be influenced by synthetic chemicals that interact antagonistically or agonistically with cell receptors, we have also described the morphologic and biochemical effects of some endocrine disruptors on echinoid reproduction and gametogenesis.
Simulating trees with millions of species.

MOTIVATION The birth-death (BD) model constitutes the theoretical backbone of most phylogenetic tools for reconstructing speciation/extinction dynamics over time. Performing simulations of reconstructed trees (linking extant taxa) under the BD model in backward time, conditioned on the number of species sampled at present day and, in some cases, a specific time interval since the most recent common ancestor (MRCA), is needed for assessing the performance of reconstruction tools, for parametric bootstrapping and for detecting data outliers. The few simulation tools that exist scale poorly to large modern phylogenies, which can comprise thousands or even millions of tips (and rising). RESULTS Here I present efficient software for simulating reconstructed phylogenies under time-dependent BD models in backward time, conditioned on the number of sampled species and (optionally) on the time since the MRCA. On large trees, my software is 1000-10 000 times faster than existing tools. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The presented software is incorporated into the R package 'castor', which is available on The Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Unconditional Stability in Convection Computations

A theoretical treatment of the numerical properties of a class of explicit schemes of the pure convection equation is presented. The von Neumann and Hirt analyses are used to show that unconditional stability and second-order accuracy are both possible within the framework of an explicit formulation. Three unconditionally stable and second-order accurate explicit schemes are presented. In two of them, the weighing factors vary in time and space as a function of the local Courant number.
Developing a Cell-Free Extract Reaction (CFER) System in Clostridium thermocellum to Identify Metabolic Limitations to Ethanol Production

The cellulolytic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum is a promising candidate for lignocellulosic biofuel production, however ethanol titer needs to be improved for commercialization. To understand the factors limiting ethanol titer in C. thermocellum, we developed a cell-free extract reaction (CFER) system. We demonstrated that 15 mM cellobiose could be converted, in vitro, to 25 mM ethanol, and that this reaction functions both at thermophilic (55C) and mesophilic (37C) temperatures. Although the yield was similar to that produced by whole cells, the rate was much slower (~0.5 vs 12 mM/h). In order to reliably quantify metabolites, rapid CFER quenching is necessary. Among the methods tested, filtration with a 3 kDa molecular weight cutoff filter proved to be the most effective. Metabolomic analysis revealed high levels of glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) and fructose-6-phosphate (F6P) in the CFER, identifying potential rate limiting enzymes downstream of F6P. NADH was also found to accumulate in the CFER, suggesting NADH recycling rate-limiting. We used two complementary strategies to identify enzymes that limit metabolic flux, including feeding different substrates and supplementing with exogenous enzymes. In the enzyme addition experiment, the largest improvement was observed with the addition of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), indicating a limitation at that reaction. The development of a CFER system for C. thermocellum, combined with detailed measurements of intermediate metabolites, allowed us to directly observe the metabolism of this organism, and suggested several potential metabolic engineering interventions for increasing ethanol titer. This demonstrates a technique that may be of general use for metabolic engineering in non-model organisms.
The Predictability of Profitability: Additional Evidence for the Time-Series Properties of Roa

The accounting literature contains evidence that profitability (i.e. ROA) follows mean reverting and random walk processes. This study provides evidence that the time series properties of profitability vary with competitive environments. A given level of ROA can have multiple combinations of profit margin and asset turnover that reflect different industry structures, capital intensities, etc. Hence, the time series properties of ROA should reflect these underlying attributes of the competitive environment. The study uses basic OLS regressions with annual Compustat data from 1981-2002, and identifies a mean reverting process for low profitability where profit margins are low and asset turnover rates are high. However, the study finds no such mean reversion for low profitability where profit margins are high and asset turnover rates are low. High profitability seems to follow a mean reverting process within both competitive environments used in the study. However, the fade rate is significantly slower for firms with low PM and high ATO. The results imply that investors, creditors and analysts/practitioners can improve their forecasts for profitability by recognizing that the time series properties of profitability are unique to competitive environments.
The just noticeable difference of early decay time (EDT)

The purpose of this study was to determine the just noticeable difference (JND) of early decay time (EDT) for broadband conditions and individual frequency bands. JNDs of room acoustic parameters are important for assessing if changes in geometry or materials in a room will have a discernible impact in the listener’s perception. The EDT JND has been reported to be 5% in the ISO 3382-1:2009 standard, which is the same value usually quoted for the JND of classical reverberation time (T30). No formal studies have been undertaken so far to validate if this JND value is appropriate for EDT, or to determine its dependency on frequency. Measured spatial room impulse responses (SRIRs) from three concert halls were used as base cases, which were then modified with a computer algorithm to attain specified values of EDT. All stimuli were reproduced in an anechoic chamber with an array of 30 loudspeakers using third-order ambisonics. The method of constant stimuli, in which a psychometric function is fitted to the measured data, was used to determine the JND. Thirty subjects with musical backgrounds participated in the study. The obtained broadband JND was 26%, while individual frequency band JNDs were higher.
Does CEO Pay Inequality Reflect Poor Corporate Governance? Evidence from the NYSE/NASDAQ Governance Reforms

We examine whether high CEO pay inequality, measured by the share of total managerial pay captured by the CEO (CEO pay slice or CPS), is an outcome of poor corporate governance, and its implications for shareholder wealth. We exploit the 2002 NYSE and NASDAQ governance reforms that mandated firms to have majority independent boards as a quasi-exogenous source of variation in the internal governance environment of firms. Results show that CPS decreases following the passage of these exchange listing regulations, for firms with entrenched CEOs affected by the exchange listing regulations. Firm value also increases for firms that likely suffer from agency conflicts in the pre-regulation period. Overall, our results suggest that poor governance environments are associated with high CPS and consequently lower firm valuations, supporting the view that high CEO pay inequality reflects managerial entrenchment.