cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutrient limitation and microbially mediated chemistry: studies using tuff inoculum obtained from the Exploratory Studies Facility, Yucca Mountain

Flow-through bioreactors are used to investigate the relationship between the supply (and limitation) of major nutrients required by microorganisms (C, N, P, S) and effluent chemistry to obtain data that can be useful to develop models of microbially mediated aqueous chemistry. The bioreactors were inoculated with crushed tuff from Yucca Mountain. Six of the 14 bioreactor experiments currently in operation have shown growth, which occurred in as few as 5 days and as much as a few months after initiation of the experiment. All of the bioreactors exhibiting growth contained glucose as a carbon source, but other nutritional components varied. Chemical signatures of each bioreactor were compared to each other and selected results were compared to computer simulations of the equivalent abiotic chemical reactions. At 21 C, the richest medium formulation produced a microbial community that lowered the effluent pH from 6.4 to as low as 3.9. The same medium formulation at 50 C produced no significant change in pH but caused a significant increase in Cl after a period of 200 days. Variations in concentrations of other elements, some of which appear to be periodic (Ca, Mg, etc.) also occur. Bioreactors fed with low C, N, P, S media showed growth, but had stabilized at lower cell densities. The room temperature bioreactor in this group exhibited a phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) signature of sulfur- or iron-reducing bacteria, which produced a significant chemical signature in the effluent from that bioreactor. Growth had not been observed yet in the alkaline bioreactors, even in those containing glucose. The value of combining detailed chemical and community (e.g., ester-linked PLFA) analyses, long-duration experiments, and abiotic chemical models to distinguish chemical patterns is evident. Although all of the bioreactors contain the same initial microorganisms and mineral constituents, PLFA analysis demonstrates that both input chemistry and temperature determine the character of the long-term population of microorganisms. Where microbial growth occurs, that community can impact the chemistry of water significantly. These principles are well known, but we note their relevance to modeling microbially mediated chemistry. We recognize, in addition to microbial growth, three categories of chemical effects, each of which will require a different approach and constitutive equation(s): (1) unidirectional bacterial modification of the chemistry (i.e., pH) that is directly related to the dominance of particular species, (2) secondary impact of direct microbial modifications (i.e., increased dissolution of solids as a result of reduced pH), and (3) cyclical effects that may be attributed to internal regulation (e.g., osmoregulation or internal pH regulation) or evolution of the microbial community
Scalable and versatile genome editing using linear DNAs with microhomology to Cas9 Sites in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Homology-directed repair (HDR) of double-strand DNA breaks is a promising method for genome editing, but is thought to be less efficient than error-prone nonhomologous end joining in most cell types. We have investigated HDR of double-strand breaks induced by CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) in Caenorhabditis elegans. We find that HDR is very robust in the C. elegans germline. Linear repair templates with short (∼30–60 bases) homology arms support the integration of base and gene-sized edits with high efficiency, bypassing the need for selection. Based on these findings, we developed a systematic method to mutate, tag, or delete any gene in the C. elegans genome without the use of co-integrated markers or long homology arms. We generated 23 unique edits at 11 genes, including premature stops, whole-gene deletions, and protein fusions to antigenic peptides and GFP. Whole-genome sequencing of five edited strains revealed the presence of passenger variants, but no mutations at predicted off-target sites. The method is scalable for multi-gene editing projects and could be applied to other animals with an accessible germline.
Energy-efficient transmission for linearly precoded MIMO systems

Energy-efficient transmission of battery-powered devices is becoming more important in the mobile industry to improve device communications times on a battery charge. In this paper, we present a method to maximize energy efficiency (EE) at the mobile station transmitter for a packet-based multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) system. The system leverages channel state information for energy-efficient transmission with linear precoding. Methods and simulation results show that the solution of maximizing transmit energy efficiency depends on various factors such as transmit power, modulations, packet length, linear prccoding schemes and channel realizations.
Disrupting the order of things: Public housing tenant organizing for material, political and epistemological justice

Abstract Since the advent of public housing in the U.S., tenants have played an integral role in both fostering environments where they can flourish, and, when needed, organizing to hold public housing authorities and government officials accountable for providing the material resources necessary to maintain and enhance residents' quality of life. In the current era of public housing demolition and redevelopment as mixed-income communities, these organizing efforts have not only centered on minimizing forced displacement, but also for the right to participate as meaningful stakeholders in governing the transformation of the places they call home. While these material and political dimensions of tenant organizing have been the focus of many studies, relatively little research has focused on the epistemological work that organizing performs in challenging and disrupting abstract representations commonly deployed in spatial policy discourse that marginalizes public housing residents as being both victims and causal agents of concentrated and intergenerational poverty. We examine these themes through an analysis of tenant organizing in Nashville, Tennessee's largest public housing development that is slated for demolition and redevelopment. Our study finds that the material and political achievements of tenant organizing were predicated on the epistemological work that residents engaged.
Insulators, Low-Voltage

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses various types of ceramics utilized as low-voltage insulators. Electrical porcelains are utilized by the electrical industry as low-frequency, low- and high-voltage power insulation. High-voltage porcelains are designed for use in high-power electrical distribution systems, particularly for use outdoors. Low-voltage electrical porcelains are designed for electrical distribution inside buildings or out of the weather. These porcelains are typically triaxial compositions made from controlled raw materials, including clays, quartz, feldspar, and, in some cases, small additions of an auxiliary flux such as talc or whiting. Forsterite has essentially the same properties and uses as steatite, with two added advantages, namely, lower electrical losses and a higher thermal expansion that matches certain metals for ceramic-to-metal seals. This latter property results in lower thermal shock resistance. The raw composition includes talc, an additional source of magnesia, magnesium hydroxide or magnesium carbonate, clay and a fluxing ingredient such as a barium compound. The composition must be calculated to result in the desired forsterite content, and the correct glass composition and content to mature at the desired temperature.
Derivation of Reynolds Equation in Cylindrical Coordinates Applicable to Pin-on-Disk and CMP

Traditional tribology references typically provide the cylindrical (or polar) Reynolds equation, which may not be applicable when entrainment velocities vary with radius and/or angle. However, entrainment velocities are known to vary with angle for some cases of pin-on-disk contact and chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). A form of Reynolds equation is derived in this manuscript from the Navier-Stokes equations without entrainment velocity assumptions. Two case studies, related to pin-on-disk and CMP, are presented and results from the derived form of Reynolds equation are compared with results from the traditionally used form. Pressure distributions obtained from the two forms of Reynolds equation varied greatly in magnitude and in pressure shape. Therefore, a new form of the cylindrical Reynolds equation derived in this manuscript is used when entrainment velocities are known to vary with radius or angle.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Precision measurement of the lifetime of the 7 S 1 3 state of atomic mercury

We report the first observation of the atomic cascade $9^{1}P_{1}\ensuremath{-}7^{3}S_{1}\ensuremath{-}6^{3}P_{1}$ in mercury. The exponential distribution of time delays between detection of the $9^{1}P_{1}\ensuremath{-}7^{3}S_{1}$ (5676-\AA{}) photon and the $7^{3}S_{1}\ensuremath{-}6^{3}P_{1}$ (4358-\AA{}) photon was measured, and a value of 8.2(0.2) nsec was obtained for the mean lifetime of the $7^{3}S_{1}$ level.
Towards the Design and Implementation of Surface Tethered Quantum Dot-Based Nanosensors

Considerable progress has been made towards creating quantum dot (QD) based nanosensors. The most promising developments have utilized QDs as energy donor in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) processes. Hybrid QD-protein-dye complexes have been assembled to study FRET, to prototype analyte sensing and even to control or modulate QD photoluminescence. In order to transition the benefits of this technology into the field, QD-based nanosensors will have to be integrated into microtiter wells, flow cells, portable arrays and other portable devices. This proceeding describes two examples of QD-protein-dye assemblies. The first investigates the concepts of FRET applied to QD energy donors and the second describes a prototype biosensor employing QDs. We also introduce the first steps towards implementing surface-tethered QD-bioconjugates, which could potentially serve in the design of solid-state QD-based sensing assemblies.
Linking and using social media data for enhancing public health analytics

There is a large amount of health information available for any patient to address his/her health concerns. The freely available health datasets include community health data at the national, state, and community level, readily accessible and downloadable. These datasets can help to assess and improve healthcare performance, as well as help to modify health-related policies. There are also patient-generated datasets, accessible through social media, on the conditions, treatments, or side effects that individual patients experience. Clinicians and healthcare providers may benefit from being aware of national health trends and individual healthcare experiences that are relevant to their current patients. The available open health datasets vary from structured to highly unstructured. Due to this variability, an information seeker has to spend time visiting many, possibly irrelevant, Websites, and has to select information from each and integrate it into a coherent mental model. In this paper, we discuss an approach to integrating these openly available health data sources and presenting them to be easily understandable by physicians, healthcare staff, and patients. Through linked data principles and Semantic Web technologies we construct a generic model that integrates diverse open health data sources. The integration model is then used as the basis for developing a set of analytics as part of a system called 'Social InfoButtons', providing awareness of both community and patient health issues as well as healthcare trends that may shed light on a specific patient care situation. The prototype system provides patients, public health officials, and healthcare specialists with a unified view of health-related information from both official scientific sources and social networks, and provides the capability of exploring the current data along multiple dimensions, such as time and geographical location.
Clinical Measurement of Temporal Auditory Summation

The psychophysical tracking method utilizing a conventional Bekesy audiometer was evaluated as a clinical procedure for measuring temporal auditory summation at the threshold of audibility. It was ...
The South American genera of Hemerocallidaceae (Eccremis and Pasithea): two introductions to the New World

Two unispecific genera, Eccremis and Pasithea, are the only representatives of Hemerocallidaceae (Asparagales) native to the Western Hemisphere. The affinities of the former genus have been recently questioned. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data (plastid atpB, ndhF, rbcL, trnL-F) spanning the Asparagales recover a monophyletic Hemerocallidaceae and strongly support the inclusion of Eccremis within that family. Eccremis is sister to Dianella and not closely associated with Pasithea, which indicates two introductions of Hemerocallidaceae to the New World. A taxonomic synopsis of Eccremis and Pasithea is presented and morphological character evolution and biogeography are discussed.
Scaling Laws in High-temperature Superconductors as Revealed through Infrared Spectroscopy

Superconductivity refers to a fascinating state of matter where the electrical resistivity is precisely zero. Originally discovered in elemental metals such as mercury and tin in the early part of the last century, the mechanism of superconductivity was elusive and nearly 50 years passed before a comprehensive theory for superconductivity in metals was proposed by Bardeen, Cooper and Schrieffer [1] (the “BCS” theory). In a normal metal, the resistivity is determined by the elastic scattering of carriers. However, when a metal becomes a superconductor, the charge carriers are no longer single electrons, but rather pairs of electrons (“Cooper pairs”), which are bound together by a phonon interaction (phonons are the vibrations of the atomic lattice), and flow without resistance.
Modern Intestinal Rehabilitation and Outcomes

One of the first reported massive bowel resection was in 1880 when Koeberle described the resection of more than 200 cm of small bowel in a patient that in the end survived (Koeberle E. Bull Acad Med 8:249–50, 1881). In the late 1960s, parenteral nutrition (PN) became available having a tremendous impact in the management and outcome of patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS). Once PN support was better developed in the 1970s, the field moved toward delivering PN at home. Soon, hospitals developed home PN programs to decrease expenses and allow patients to return home.
A Catalytic Partial Credit Guarantee for a Renewable Energy Project in India

This article estimates the fee for a credit guarantee that can enhance a renewable energy project bond to a targeted rating and discusses the risk exposure assessment of a participating financial institution, a development finance institution (DFI), and an institutional investor under the guarantee structure. A solar power developer in India is operating a solar power project through a special purpose vehicle (SPV). An institutional investor, operating within the Solvency II framework, wants to invest in the project bond to be issued by this SPV, but only if the bond is domestically rated at least AA. By improving the green bond’s risk–return profile, the partial credit guarantee will catalyze the participation of investors who otherwise would not have participated. The guarantee fee is estimated using two different approaches: 1) the equivalence premium principle using the simulated cash flows and 2) the expected cost methodology using the default rates and loss given default obtained from the credit ratings. The cost of a counter guarantee provided by the DFI is estimated using the loss costs by layer of guarantee coverage.
Backscatter reduction of long thin bodies by surface impedance modulation

We present a method for controlling the scattering of surface waves induced on long, thin, conductive bodies by grazing-angle illumination. We consider such bodies as travelling wave antennas and apply a modulated impedance coating to radiate the surface waves away from the illumination source, thus eliminating the large near nose-on monostatic scattering (backscatter). The effect on bistatic scattering is shown. We demonstrate the proposed concept with full-wave simulations.
An Iterative ICA Method for Separating fMRI Acoustic Noise Components

A new iterative algorithm for separating mixtures of multi-channel signals is proposed. This algorithm extends the instantaneous independent component analysis algorithm to multi-channel blind source separation algorithm. Separation is processed by decomposing convolutive mixtures to instantaneous mixtures. Simulation results for real fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) scanner noise show that the proposed algorithm is very effective in blind source separation.
Transaction Asset Shortages

Over the course of U.S. history there have been a small number of occasions in which aggregate nominal spending has declined, the most recent of which occurred during the recession that began in December 2007. Coincident with these observed declines in nominal spending are declines in the quantity of transaction assets and real output, where the former are defined as financial assets that also serve as a medium of exchange. We argue that the co-movement evident in the data is the result of transaction asset shortages. In particular, we develop a model in which transaction asset shortages result from shocks to the resalability, or liquidity, of privately produced assets. We estimate the model using Bayesian techniques. The estimated impulse response functions show evidence of the co-movement between nominal GDP, real GDP, and the supply of transaction assets that are known to occur during declines in aggregate nominal spending. We also show that the decline in nominal GDP that occurred in 2008 coincides with a large, sudden decline in the resalability of private assets.
Online reviews: The effect of cosmopolitanism, incidental similarity, and dispersion on consumer attitudes toward ethnic restaurants

Abstract The current study examines the joint effect of incidental similarity, dispersion, and individuals' cosmopolitanism on customers' attitude and purchase intention in the context of online reviews. A 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design is conducted with incidental similarity and dispersion being manipulated and cosmopolitanism being measured. The results indicate that customers high in cosmopolitanism tend to have a more positive attitude towards a restaurant after reading a set of positive reviews written by reviewers with different ethnic backgrounds (i.e., low similarity condition) compared to the reviews written by people with similar ethnic backgrounds. Customers low in cosmopolitanism show a similar attitude and purchase intention across conditions. Further, this pattern is only significant when dispersion is high (vs. low). The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Endogenous Ligands for Voltage-Sensitive Calcium Channels in Extracts of Rat and Bovine Brain

The role of calcium as a second messenger has been well established. A change in the intracellular concentration of calcium as a result of activation of receptors or ion channels can initiate many cellular responses, including secretion, release of neurotransmitters, and modulation of enzyme activities (Rubin et al., 1985). Changes in the concentration of intracellular free calcium can result from the agonist–stimulated release of calcium from intracellular stores (Berridge and Irvine 1984; Spat et al. 1986). Intracellular calcium levels may also be increased by an influx of calcium from the extracellular environment, and several types of channels that permit the entry of calcium into the cell have been described. In some cells, calcium may enter through “receptor–operated” channels that are opened in response to stimulation of a receptor by agonists (Bolton 1979). Another class of calcium channels, designated “voltagesensitive calcium channels” (VSCC), open to permit the influx of calcium in response to depolarization of the cell membrane (Tsien 1983). The VSCC have been further classified on the basis of conductance, activation and inactivation characteristics, and pharmacological profile. One type ofVSCC, the “L” channel, is sensitive to blockade by calcium–channel blockers of the 1,4–dihydropyridine class and is found in neurons (Nowycky et al. 1985) as well as other types of tissues (e.g., Nilius et al. 1985; McClesky et al. 1987). Two other types of VSCC, the T and N channels, have been described; they are insensitive to blockade by 1,4–dihydropyridines (McClesky et al. 1987; Nowycky et al. 1985).
New concepts in the etiology, diagnosis and surgical treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome

Four new concepts applied to Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) explain why certain patients are predisposed to develop symptoms, clarify the most appropriate tests for diagnosis, including the reasons positional variations of the radial pulse are of no value, and clearly explain the most effective surgical treatment for severe cases. The most valuable clinical tests for accurate diagnosis are presented in detail. The surgical treatment found to be most effective for relief is the transaxillary resection of the first rib and all anomalous muscle tissue encountered in the outlet. The anatomic advantages of this procedure, and a few technical points of special importance are discussed. Management of disease of the subclavian vein and artery, and important aspects of the postoperative care are included.
Family Assessment in Autism

Living in a family is not easy. Living in a family with a handicapped child, especially a child with a disability as serious as autism, is even tougher. It is not surprising that the stress of raising an autistic child manifests itself in the relationships among family members (Harris & Powers, 1984). Sometimes, however, we may be at risk of assuming that problems that arise in a family with a handicapped child are primarily a product of the child’s special needs; we fail to appreciate the extent to which other factors may influence on the family as well.
Estimation of Ventricular Volume, Fractional Ejected Volumes, Stroke Volume, and Quantitation of Regurgitant Flow

Imaging of the left ventricle by angiography has made it possible to develop methods for determining dimensions, volume, stroke volume, and wall thickness of the left ventricular (LV) chamber. The first measurements of LV chamber volumes in man were reported over 25 years ago [1] and this was followed by a number of studies in both experimental animals and man to further develop and validate methods [2–7], to establish normal values for LV volume [8, 9], and to determine volume changes that occur with various types of heart diseases [1, 7, 10–20]. The demonstration that the change of computed chamber volume from end-diastole to end-systole agreed closely with stroke volume in subjects without arrhythmias, shunts, or valvular regurgitation [21] provided the basis for a method to quantify mitral and/or aortic valvular regurgitant flow [22]. The various methods for determining volume have been tested and adapted to improved high speed filming techniques using cine angiography in differing projections [23–26].
Spanish Linguistic Validation of the Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Effects on Life Outcomes: VELO-Spanish.

Author(s): Skirko, Jonathan R; Santillana, Rosario M; Roth, Christina T; Dunbar, Chance; Tollefson, Travis T | Abstract: Background:Quality of life (QOL) assessments are useful tools that measure a patient's health status and monitor patient-reported outcome measures. This study highlights the process of linguistic validation of a QOL assessment to serve Spanish-speaking families and ultimately help decrease language barriers in the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). Methods:The standardized linguistic validation process included forward and backward translation, reconciliation, and cognitive interviews with patients and families. Preliminary instrument test-retest measurement was assessed. Eligibility for cognitive interviews included families with familiarity of velopharyngeal insufficiency. Exclusion criteria included illiteracy and parent and child respondents who do not speak Spanish. Reliability was tested by intraclass correlation (ICC) on VPI Effects on Life Outcomes (VELO)-Spanish instruments completion on 2 measurements from the medical record. Results:The instrument was optimized through a standardized forward and backward translation process. Further problematic language was identified during cognitive interviews with families and their children. In the second interview, only minimal changes were needed. Twenty-one patients (8 males and 13 females) were included. Mean (SD) age was 8.0 (5.3) years (range, 3-21 years). The mean (SD) Velo-Spanish score was 65 (22.1); range 32.7-100. The VELO-Spanish instrument demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability [ICC = 0.91; n = 21 and internal consistency (α = 0.96)]. Conclusions:The Spanish VELO has been developed and refined for use in Spanish-speaking populations as a VPI-specific QOL instrument. The linguistic validation process including cognitive interviews and initial reliability testing. The instrument may improve the understanding of patient-reported outcomes and potential disparities from linguistic and cultural barriers in VPI treatment.
Charting the course of metastatic cells

An implantable biomaterial recruits rare tumor cells and enables long-term observation of microenvironmental evolution.
Advanced Build-up Materials for High Speed Transmission Application

Abstract Build-up process is a highly effective method for miniaturization and high density integration of printed circuit boards. Along with increasing demands for high transmission speed of elect...
Characterization of 14YWT oxide dispersion strengthened structural materials under electrically-assisted tension

Abstract In this study, we investigated the use of an electrically-assisted (EA) forming process to reduce the forming force of ODS ferritic steels. The effects of a continuous electric current on 14YWT, which is a kind of ODS material, during plastic deformation were evaluated. First, EA uniaxial tension tests show that the electric current is able to reduce the flow stress of 14YWT. 14YWT exhibits a ductility minimum at a current density of 34.5 A/mm2 which is consistent with fractography results. Hardness measurements and TEM results indicate that oxide particles are stable during the EA process. Second, microstructure analysis was performed on the sample in its as-received state and after current treatment. The microstructures are stable when subjected to high current density. Third, a thermal model was developed to predict the Joule heating temperatures. The temperatures were compared with the experimental results. Finally, a temperature-dependent hardening model was used to explore the mechanisms acting during EA deformation. Since the model can accurately predict the yield strength of 14YWT under EA conditions without the incorporation of non-thermal effects, it can be concluded that the reduction in yield strength is due to the Joule heating generated under continuous current loading conditions. An oven-heated pure thermal tension test was conducted to confirm this conclusion. The findings generated from this study will result in the development of innovative manufacturing processes such as the electrically-assisted tube forming processes.
Process of selecting and educating HCV‐uninfected kidney waiting‐list candidates for HCV‐infected kidney transplantation

Long waiting times for kidney transplant (KT) and the high risk of mortality on dialysis have prompted investigation into strategies to utilize hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected organs to decrease discard rates of potentially viable kidneys. Due the opioid epidemic, the number of HCV-infected donors has increased significantly. With the development of direct-acting antiviral therapies for HCV infection, now more than 95% of patients who received treatment are cured. Experimental trials have used direct-acting antiviral therapy to treat HCV infection in HCV-uninfected transplant recipients of kidneys from HCV-viremic donors. To date, HCV has been eradicated in all cases. Though these strategies will potentially increase the donor pool of available kidneys, shorten waitlist times, and ultimately decrease mortality in patients waiting for KT, identifying the ideal candidates and educating them about a protocol to utilize direct-acting antiviral therapy to cure HCV after it is transmitted is essential. We present our approach to patient selection and education for a clinical trial in transplantation of HCV viremic kidneys into uninfected recipients.
Cellular antioxidant enzyme activity and biomarkers for oxidative stress are affected by heat stress

Heat stress (HS) causes oxidative stress and cellular changes in an attempt to detoxify the harmful effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, how ROS affect different organs in chickens under acute and chronic HS is relatively unknown. We investigated the cellular enzyme activity and biomarker changes in the liver and Pectoralis (P) major muscle in broiler chickens subjected to both acute and chronic HS. Forty-eight broiler chickens at 14 days old were randomly assigned to either 25 °C (control) or 35 °C (heat-stressed) for 12 days. Five birds per treatment at 1 and 12 days post-HS were euthanized, and the liver and P. major muscle were sampled. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione (GSH), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity as well as 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), advanced glycation end product (AGE), malondialdehyde (MDA), and protein carbonyl (PCO) were analyzed as biomarkers for DNA, carbohydrate, lipid, and protein oxidation, respectively. The SOD, CAT, and GSH-GPx activity levels in the liver and the P. major muscle changed under HS; however, some of the changes were tissue-specific or dependent on the duration of the HS. There were increased liver 8-OHdG during chronic HS and also increased liver AGE levels during both acute and chronic HS indicating significant carbohydrate and DNA oxidations. In the P. major muscle, we observed significant increases in lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation which may reflect that this tissue is less resilient to oxidative damage under heat stress. We show that heat stress caused tissue-specific changes to levels of oxidation biomarkers in chicken.
Microwave interferometer for phase and response time measurements

We report the development of a microwave interferometer using a quadrature intermediate frequency (IQ) mixer designed to measure the relative phase change and response time of microwave devices tested in the Ka and upper K bands (22–40 GHz). The interferometer is currently used to test liquid crystal based devices. The system allows for the application of an AC bias beyond the amplitude/frequency limitations imposed on vector network analyzer bias ports. Our IQ mixer based design uses bias signals ranging from 0 to 100 V peak-to-peak in a frequency range from DC to 100 kHz. This range of bias signals is necessary to properly test the response of microwave devices designed with liquid crystal materials. The setup enables us to measure changes in the output phase of the device as a function of both the voltage and frequency of the applied bias signal. The setup also measures the phase difference as a function of microwave frequency and response times for the device under test. Our system can be integrated into a stand-alone test setup without the need for a vector network analyzer.
2′-Fucosyllactose Supplementation Improves Gut-Brain Signaling and Diet-Induced Obese Phenotype and Changes the Gut Microbiota in High Fat-Fed Mice

Obesity is characterized by fat accumulation, chronic inflammation and impaired satiety signaling, which may be due in part to gut microbial dysbiosis. Manipulations of the gut microbiota and its metabolites are attractive targets for obesity treatment. The predominant oligosaccharide found in human milk, acts as a prebiotic with beneficial effects on the host. However, little is known about the beneficial effects of 2'-FL in obesity. The aim of this study was to determine the beneficial effects of 2'-FL supplementation on the microbiota-gut-brain axis and the diet-induced obese phenotype in high fat (HF)-fed mice. Male C57/BL6 mice (n = 6/group; six weeks old) were counter-balanced into six weight-matched groups and fed either a low-fat (LF; 10% kcal as fat), HF (45% kcal as fat) or HF diet with 2'-FL (HF_2'-FL) at 1, 2, 5 and 10% (w/v) in drinking water for six weeks. General phenotypes (body weight, energy intake, fat and lean mass), cecal microbiome and metabolites, gut-brain signaling, intestinal permeability and inflammatory and lipid profiles were assessed. Only 10% 2'-FL, but not 1, 2 or 5%, decreased HF diet-induced increases in energy intake, fat mass and body weight gain. A supplementation of 10% 2'-FL changed the composition of cecal microbiota and metabolites compared to LF- and HF-fed mice with an increase in Parabacteroides abundance and lactate and pyruvate, respectively, whose metabolic effects corresponded to our study findings. In particular, 10% 2'-FL significantly reversed the HF diet-induced impairment of cholecystokinin-induced inhibition of food intake. Gene expressions of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 in the cecum were significantly downregulated by 10% 2'-FL compared to the HF group. Furthermore, 10% 2'-FL suppressed HF diet-induced upregulation of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, a transcription factor for adipogenesis, at the gene level. In conclusion, 10% 2'-FL led to compositional changes in gut microbiota and metabolites associated with improvements in metabolic profiles and gut-brain signaling in HF-fed mice. These findings support the use of 2'-FL for modulating the hyperphagic response to HF diets and improving the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
Classification of Threat Level in Typing Activity Through Keystroke Dynamics

System intrusion is a major issue in today’s data-driven world. Discovering adversarial activities before or as they happen, through any modality, makes a system more secure. A straight forward approach to determine threat level from typing data would be to analyze the text directly. However, natural language processing is hard to implement on complex real life data, therefore we explore how far keystroke dynamics can go in terms of classifying threat levels correctly. We show that keystroke dynamics (KD) on a desktop can be used to classify the type of activity, either benign or adversarial, that a text sample originates from. We show the inefficiencies of popular temporal features for this task. With our proposed set of 14 features we achieve high accuracies (93% to 97%) and low Type 1 and Type 2 errors (3% to 8%) in classifying text samples of different sizes. We further reduce our feature set to eight using correlation analysis with marginal trade-offs in accuracy and error rates. We collected data from 102 users for benign activities and 103 users for adversarial activities recording over 1.9 million keystroke events in total. Our experiments show that a user’s typing behavior can reveal the nature of the typing activity, thereby providing vital cues of a system’s threat level.
Effects of the estrous cycle and pregnancy status on cardiovascular variables in healthy bitches.

Abstract Introduction The aim of the study was to characterize changes in maternal cardiovascular variables throughout the reproductive cycle in healthy bitches and determine whether magnitude of pregnancy-induced changes correlates to litter size. Animals Eleven client-owned breeding bitches were included in the study. Materials and methods Bitches were enrolled prospectively and followed up longitudinally throughout a single reproductive cycle. Physical examination, echocardiography, blood pressure analysis, and plasma volume estimation were performed during proestrus, diestrus (early and late pregnancy), and anestrus. Fetal echocardiography was performed during late pregnancy. Data were compared across visits using a linear mixed-effects model, and correlation between variables was assessed. Results Compared with proestrus, no significant changes were observed at any phase of the cycle in heart rate, blood pressure, echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular size or function, or echocardiographic calculations of stroke volume or cardiac output. Estimated plasma volume increased by 29.6% in early pregnancy (p Conclusions Hemodynamic alterations in pregnant bitches do not result in consistently detectable echocardiographic changes, suggesting that cardiac screening could be diagnostic at any time during a reproductive cycle. Physiologic heart murmurs were common in this study population and not obviously associated with the reproductive cycle.
Animals and their Ability to Sense Magnetic Fields

An additional sense may sound like the creative musings of a science fiction author, but a sixth sense in animals actually is well documented within the scientific literature. Magnetoreception, the...
Abstract 1611: MYB and the MYB-NFIB fusion induce adenoid cystic carcinoma

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is the second most common malignancy of the salivary glands, also found at lower frequency rates in other secretory glands such as the mammary and lacrimal glands. Salivary ACCs are slow-growing but aggressive neoplasms, with propensity to perineural invasion and high recurrence rates. MYB is the most frequently altered gene in ACCs, as approximately 40% of the ACCs contain MYB-NFIB gene fusions, and the full-length MYB is overexpressed in over 50% of the fusion-negative ACCs. However, it is still unclear whether MYB activities promote ACC development. To assess the oncogenic potential of MYB in vivo, we generated transgenic mice that overexpress MYB using the TetO system. In these mice, focal MYB overexpression was directed to salivary and mammary glands using the activator line MMTV-tTA. We found that 25% of these mice developed tumors with an average latency of 23 months. Remarkably, all the tumors that developed in these mice were ACCs, and the three main phenotypic variants of human ACCs (cribriform, tubular and solid) were represented in this cohort. Using the same transgenic system, we found that the MYB-NFIB fusion also induced ACCs, with similar incidence and lower latency. Immunohistochemical analysis of these mouse ACCs for several biomarkers of human ACC, including p63 and c-kit, provided additional evidence of the similarity of the mouse ACCs that developed in these models, and human ACCs. RNAseq global expression profiling uncovered the activation of several cancer-associated pathways in MYB-induced mouse ACCs. Most notably, activation NOTCH signaling was highly enriched in these tumors. Additional analysis for the presence of the NOTCH intracellular domain demonstrated that all of the MYB- and MYB-NFIB-induced ACCs contain NOTCH activation. These findings, and the recent identification of activating mutations in NOTCH1 and NOTCH2 in human ACCs, suggest that NOTCH activities may contribute to ACC development. To test this hypothesis, ongoing studies in the lab are directed to assess the role of NOTCH signaling in ACC development, by generating mouse models in which constitutive activation of NOTCH is induced in mice alone or in combination with MYB alterations. Overall, these studies demonstrate that MYB activities are the main oncogenic driver of ACC. Genomic rearrangements that result in MYB-NFIB fusions may enhance the oncogenic potential of MYB. Citation Format: Yuan Hu, Xiaoyuan Zhu, Han Luo, Adel El-Naggar, Carlos Caulin. MYB and the MYB-NFIB fusion induce adenoid cystic carcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1611.
Paradoxical Motion on Sniff Test Predicts Greater Improvement Following Diaphragm Plication

Background Diaphragm plication (DP) improves pulmonary function and quality of life for those with diaphragm paralysis or dysfunction. It is unknown whether differing degrees of diaphragm dysfunction as measured by sniff testing affect results after plication. Methods Patients who underwent minimally invasive DP from 2008 to 2019 were dichotomized based on sniff test results: paradoxical motion (PM) versus no paradoxical motion (NPM); the latter included normal, decreased, and no motion. Preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function testing (PFT) after DP was compared between groups. The impact of the diaphragm height index, a measure of diaphragm elevation, was also assessed. Results A total of 26 patients underwent preoperative sniff testing, DP, and postoperative PFT. Including all patients, DP resulted in a 17.8% ± 5.5% improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (P Conclusions Patients with PM on sniff test have dramatically greater objective improvements in pulmonary function after plication compared with those without PM. Most patients without PM do not demonstrate improvement in standard PFT. Improvements in dyspnea require additional study.
Kinky & Queer: Exploring the Experiences of LGBTQ + Individuals who Practice BDSM

The current qualitative research study utilizes interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the experiences of intersectional LGBTQ + individuals who practice kink/BDSM (n = 12). The ...
Case of Supracristal Ventricular Septal Defect and Aortic Regurgitation Detected by Cardiac Auscultation but Missed by Diagnostic Imaging

Imaging technology has diminished the reliance on cardiac auscultation as a definitive diagnostic tool. However, it retains relevance in its immediacy, minimal preparation, and power source independence. We present a case of clinically detected continuous murmur raising specific diagnostic possibilities not accounted for advanced imaging. Further testing revealed a large supracristal ventricular septal defect (VSD) and aortic regurgitation (AR), allowing the surgeon to anticipate combined septal and valvular surgery. This report highlights the value of cardiac auscultation as a guide and validation for imaging. The absence of lesions on imaging is not proof of lesion absence.
Contemporary trends in antiepileptic drug treatment among women of childbearing age with epilepsy in the United States: 2004-2015.

Abstract Objective Certain antiepileptic drugs are associated with an increased risk for major congenital malformations (MCM). However, little is known regarding recent patterns of antiepileptic drug (ASM) prescriptions to women of childbearing age with epilepsy (WCE) in the United States. Methods Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey was analyzed between the years 2004–2015 to determine trends in national antiepileptic drug prescriptions for WCE. Analysis of associations between demographic covariates and prescription of ASMs with MCM rate > 5% (topiramate, valproate, or phenobarbital) was performed with logistic regression. Results There was a weighted total of 395,292 WCE. 29.1% (23.2%–35.8%) of WCE were prescribed an AED with MCM rate > 5%. The odds of a LEV prescription significantly increased in the 2010–2012 (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.09–7.79) and 2013–2015 (OR 5.06, 95% CI 2.02–12.67) intervals compared to 2004–2006. Conversely, the odds of PB prescriptions significantly decreased in 2010–2012 (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02–0.83) and 2013–2015 (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.02–0.93) compared to 2004–2006. WCE between the ages of 25–34 (OR = 2.67, 95% CI = 1.32–5.41) and 35–44 years (OR = 2.59, 95% CI = 1.23–5.45), had lower odds of being prescribed ASMs with MCM rate > 5% compared to those between the ages of 15–24 years. Significance Between 2004 and 2015, the prescriptions of ASMs given to WCE has changed. Regardless, nearly one third were prescribed potentially teratogenic medications despite available and affordable safer alternatives. Identifying factors associated with the prescription of teratogenic drugs to WCE is critical so that it may be further limited in the future.
A New Backend for Standard ML of New Jersey

This paper describes the design and implementation of a new backend for the Standard ML of New Jersey (SML/NJ) system that is based on the LLVM compiler infrastructure. We first describe the history and design of the current backend, which is based on the MLRisc framework. While MLRisc has many similarities to LLVM, it provides a lower-level, policy-agnostic, approach to code generation that enables customization of the code generator for non-standard runtime models (i.e., register pinning, calling conventions, etc.). In particular, SML/NJ uses a stackless runtime model based on continuation-passing style with heap-allocated continuation closures. This feature, and others, pose challenges to building a backend using LLVM. We describe these challenges and how we address them in our backend.
Mosaic male honey bees produced by queens inseminated with frozen spermatozoa

Mosaic male honey bees were found as the progeny of queens that had been inseminated with spermatozoa stored in liquid nitrogen. The origins of these mosaics and the genotype of their gametes were determined by using mutant markers. The mosaics probably developed from an egg pronucleus and a sperm pronucleus that did not unite after the latter had entered the egg. Instead, both pronuclei produced haploid tissue independently. The three mosaics that were mated to queens all had mosaic testes. Therefore, these were situations in which a male honey bee produced two types of spermatozoa.
Chapter 17. Progress in Antimicrobial Peptides

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the antimicrobial peptides derived from natural sources and summarizes the recent approach consisting of the systematic screening of peptide libraries that represents a new source of antimicrobial peptides. Cecropins represent a class of antimicrobial peptides originally found in the humoral immune response of the North American silk moth Hyalophora cecropia. In a search to improve the biological activity of the natural cecropins, hybrids of cecropin and melittin have been synthesized. The mechanism of action of cecropins has been studied through the use of L- or D-amino acid-containing model peptides. Magainins consist of a family of basic antimicrobial peptides produced in the granular glands present in amphibian skin. They exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and protozoa. As determined by Raman spectroscopy and NMR, the secondary structure of magainin 2 changes from unfolded in aqueous solution to helical when bound to lipid vesicles. An endopeptidase that cleaves the magainins into half-peptides in vivo has been isolated and characterized. Defensins, a family of cationic peptides, were first identified in mammalian phagocytic cells. To understand the mechanism of defense in action, the crystal structure of HNP-3 has been determined. Gramicidins are hydrophobic peptides produced by Bacillus brevis, which exhibits antimicrobial activity primarily against gram-positive bacteria but are known to be toxic to humans. The development of new antimicrobial peptides through the isolation and characterization of active substances in insect, mammalian, human tissues, or through the design of well defined structures remains difficult and limited by the need to screen and synthesize large numbers of peptides. Natural or synthetic model peptides represent a fertile source of novel chemotherapeutic agents.