cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developmental biology: regulation by selective gene localization.

Recent studies have shown that, early during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis , the temporary exclusion of 70% of the chromosome from the forespore compartment is critical to the regulated activation of two major transcription factors, σ F and σ E .
Spinal manipulation and home exercise with advice for subacute and chronic back-related leg pain: A trial with adaptive allocation

Patients with back-related leg pain are often treated with prescription medications, injections, and surgical approaches, which has led to concern about their overuse, costs, and safety. This rando...
ACCEPTANCE AND EXPECTATION OF SEXUAL AGGRESSION IN COLLEGE STUDENTS

This study examines college students' acceptance and expectations of sexual aggression in common dating situations. Five hundred and forty-six college students completed a measure of rape acceptance beliefs to explore the “campus climate” regarding sexual assault. Results suggest that consensus on definitions of unacceptable behavior in dating situations is emerging: young college men and women overwhelmingly rejected the use of violent and coercive behavior. A surprisingly high number, however, expected this type of behavior in a variety of situations, for example, on dates involving the use of drugs or alcohol. Women's expectations of sexual aggression generally surpassed men's. Yet, in several situations, participants, regardless of their gender, expected the use of verbal threats of harm in order to obtain intercourse. Students expected the use of force to obtain sexual intercourse the least. Results are discussed in relation to the reporting behavior of sexual assault victims and the development of p...
Elastic Membrane That Undergoes Mechanical Deformation Enhances Osteoblast Cellular Attachment and Proliferation

The main objective of this paper was to investigate the effect of transmission of force on bone cells that were attached to a deformable membrane. We functionalized a silastic membrane that measured 0.005 inches thickness and coated it with an extra cellular matrix (ECM) protein, fibronectin (FN). MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells were cultured on the functionalized FN-coated membrane after which cell attachment and proliferation were evaluated. We observed an immediate attachment and proliferation of the bone cells on the functionalized membrane coated with FN, after 24 hours. Upon application of a mechanical force to cells cultured on the functionalized silicone membrane in the form of a dynamic equibiaxial strain, 2% magnitude; at 1-Hz frequency for 2 h, the osteoblast cells elicited slightly elevated phalloidin fluorescence, suggesting that there was reorganization of the cytoskeleton. We concluded from this preliminary data obtained that the engineered surface transduced applied mechanical forces directly to the adherent osteoblast cells via integrin binding tripeptide receptors, present in the FN molecules, resulting in the enhanced cellular attachment and proliferation.
The effect of gate leakage on the noise figure of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

The effect of gate leakage on the noise figure of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMTs) is explored. It is shown that these devices have a sizable amount of gate leakage that cannot be ignored when measuring their noise performance. Measurements across a single sample have more than 1 dB of variation in minimum noise figure. We will show this variation is because of gate leakage. A modified van der Ziel model is used to predict this large variation and allows easy noise figure prediction of HEMT and MESFET devices.
Child and Adolescent Health

This brief report reviews twenty years of progress on one front of the AIDS war: perinatal HIV transmission. The rate of infected infants born to HIV-positive women has fallen from 25-30% at the beginning of the epidemic to 2% today. AIDS cases in infected infants rose from about 200 in 1985 to 945 in 1992 and then declined to about 48 in 2004. Although more difficult to estimate the somewhat higher numbers for HIV infection have followed the same pattern. This dramatic improvement was almost entirely the result of an evolving series of interventions. One of these was the expansion of HIV testing for pregnant women marked by several milestones. Testing was offered at first only to women at high risk but in 1995 after a drug trial was found to reduce perinatal transmission voluntary testing of all pregnant women was recommended; that was followed after a few years by the call to screen these women routinely unless they specifically declined. Later the advent of a rapid HIV test in 2002 allowedfor testing during labor when the mothers HIV status was unknown. Recent data show that HIV status is now known before or at birth in 93% of mothers of infected infants. (excerpt)
Reconfigurable architecture for autonomous self-repair

Fault-tolerant systems typically require expensive additional resources (spare pins, columns, and chips) and external control for reconfiguration. We introduce an effective, low-cost repair solution in which originally unused blocks and routing resources replace faulty parts. In addition, the proposed reconfiguration hardware allows autonomous repair, that is, the system does not require external intervention for recovery.
Preventing Local Government Fiscal Crises: Emerging Best Practices

What type of oversight should states exercise over local units in order to prevent fiscal crises? This article discusses a sequence of three best practices that some states use to prevent fiscal emergencies. They first monitor local government finances to predict fiscal distress. After detecting signs of fiscal distress, states actively assist local units in ameliorating the problem. Finally, assistance notwithstanding, if a situation becomes grave, states require local units to take strong remedial measures, including increasing taxes and reducing expenditures.
Effects of road construction noise on the endangered golden-cheeked warbler†

Noise pollution can mask or distort bird songs, which can inhibit mating success, predator detection, and parental response to begging calls. Using an impact assessment design, we examined the potential influence of road construction and road noise on territory placement, reproductive success, and density of the federally endangered golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) at 3 sites: adjacent to road construction, adjacent to road-noise only, and a control with no noise or activity. Although not statistically significant, reproductive success was about 20% higher and stable at road-noise-only sites relative to other treatments. Warbler density was similar among sites (construction ¼ 0.305 birds/ha; road-noise ¼ 0.357 birds/ha; and control ¼ 0.328 birds/ha). Average distance from road was similar for territories with paired adults (road-noise ¼ 291 m (SE ¼ 26), construction ¼ 263 m (SE ¼ 19)) and those with successful pairs (road-noise ¼ 292 m (SE ¼ 27)), construction ¼ 243 m (SE ¼ 21)). Overall noise levels were low: ambi- ent noise was similar in the construction and road-noise-only sites (X ¼ 32 dB) and showed little auditory difference from the control (X ¼ 28 dB). Our results indicate that construction activities and road-noise did not appear to impact territory placement, reproductive success, or local densities of golden-cheeked warblers under the treatment regime we studied. 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Targeting Survivin Inhibits Renal Cell Carcinoma Progression and Enhances the Activity of Temsirolimus

Elevated expression of the antiapoptotic factor survivin has been implicated in cancer cell survival and disease progression. However, its specific contribution to renal cell carcinoma (RCC) pathogenesis is not well defined. We investigated the roles of survivin in RCC tumor progression, resistance to mTOR inhibitors, and evaluated the therapeutic activity of the survivin suppressant YM155 in RCC models. Here, we report that survivin expression levels were significantly higher in RCC cell lines compared with normal renal cells. Stable targeted knockdown of survivin completely abrogated the ability of 786-O RCC tumors to grow in mice, thus demonstrating its importance as a regulator of RCC tumorigenesis. We next explored multiple strategies to therapeutically inhibit survivin function in RCC. Treatment with the mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus partially diminished survivin levels and this effect was augmented by the addition of YM155. Further analyses revealed that, in accordance with their combined anti-survivin effects, YM155 significantly improved the anticancer activity of temsirolimus in a panel of RCC cell lines in vitro and in xenograft models in vivo. Similar to pharmacologic inhibition of survivin, shRNA-mediated silencing of survivin expression not only inhibited RCC tumor growth, but also significantly sensitized RCC cells to temsirolimus therapy. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that the effectiveness of this dual survivin/mTOR inhibition strategy was mediated by a potent decrease in survivin levels and corresponding induction of apoptosis. Our findings establish survivin inhibition as a novel approach to improve RCC therapy that warrants further investigation.
A hybrid geometric optical-radiative transfer approach for modeling albedo and directional reflectance of discontinuous canopies

A new model for the bidirectional reflectance of a vegetation cover combines principles of geometric optics and radiative transfer. It relies on gap probabilities and path length distributions to model the penetration of irradiance from a parallel source and the single and multiple scattering of that irradiance in the direction of an observer. The model applies to vegetation covers of discrete plant crowns that are randomly centered both on the plane and within a layer of variable thickness above it. Crowns assume a spheroidal shape with arbitrary height to width ratio. Geometric optics easily models the irradiance that penetrates the vegetation cover directly, is scattered by the soil, and exits without further scattering by the vegetation. Within a plant crown, the probability of scattering is a negative exponential function of path length. Within-crown scattering provides the source for singly-scattered radiation, which exits with probabilities proportional to further path-length distributions in the direction of exitance (including the hotspot effect). Single scattering provides the source for double scattering, and then higher order pairs of scattering are solved successively by a convolution function. Early validations using data from a conifer stand near Howland, Maine, show reasonable agreement between modeled and observed reflectance.
Chronic Lobular Hepatitis: A Clinicopathological and Prognostic Study

A series of 80 patients with chronic lobular hepatitis (CLH) was reviewed clinically and histologically to demonstrate etiology, clinical presentation, course, and prognosis of this disorder. Data from our study indicate that CLH in Taiwan is a disease of viral origin, mostly hepatitis B (67.5%) and some non-A, non-B. It occurs predominantly in young males (81.3%); frequently commences as acute viral hepatitis (57.5%); and has clinical and laboratory features similar to convalescent viral hepatitis or even indistinguishable from full-blown acute viral hepatitis. Clinical and histological follow-up study indicate that CLH may extend for several years with remissions and relapses. No evidence of progression to cirrhosis was observed at least in a 4 1/2-year period of follow-up. It is concluded that CLH is a persistent but nonprogressive disease although the number of non-A, non-B CLH is too small to ascertain its nonprogressive course. The prognosis is generally good, and no specific therapy is required.
Stable association of pp60src and pp59fyn with the focal adhesion-associated protein tyrosine kinase, pp125FAK.

Changes in cellular growth and dramatic alterations in cell morphology and adhesion are common features of cells transformed by oncogenic protein tyrosine kinases, such as pp60src and other members of the Src family. In this report, we present evidence for the stable association of two Src family kinases (pp60src and pp59fyn) with tyrosine-phosphorylated forms of a focal adhesion-associated protein tyrosine kinase, pp125FAK. In Src-transformed chicken embryo cells, most of the pp125FAK was stably complexed with activated pp60src (e.g., pp60(527F). The stable association of pp125FAK with pp60(527F) in vivo required the structural integrity of the Src SH2 domain. The association of pp60(527F) and pp125FAK could be reconstituted in vitro by incubation of normal cell extracts with glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins containing SH2 or SH3/SH2 domains of pp60src. Furthermore, the association of isolated SH2 or SH3/SH2 domains with in vitro 32P-labeled pp125FAK protected the major site of pp125FAK autophosphorylation from digestion with a tyrosine phosphatase, indicating that the autophosphorylation site of pp125FAK participates in binding with Src. Immunoprecipitation of Src family kinases from extracts of normal chicken embryo cells revealed stable complexes of pp59fyn and tyrosine-phosphorylated pp125FAK. These data provide evidence for a direct interaction between two cytoplasmic nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases and suggest that Src may contribute to changes in pp125FAK regulation in transformed cells. Furthermore, pp125FAK may directly participate in the targeting of pp59fyn or possibly other Src family kinases to focal adhesions in normal cells.
Attributable costs of surgical site infection and endometritis after low transverse cesarean delivery.

Background.Accurate data on costs attributable to hospital-acquired infections are needed to determine their economic impact and the cost-benefit of potential preventive strategies.Objective.To determine the attributable costs of surgical site infection (SSI) and endometritis (EMM) after cesarean section by means of 2 different methods.Design.Retrospective cohort.Setting.Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a 1,250-bed academic tertiary care hospital.Patients.There were 1,605 women who underwent low transverse cesarean section from July 1999 through June 2001.Methods.Attributable costs of SSI and EMM were determined by generalized least squares (GLS) and propensity score matched-pairs by means of administrative claims data to define underlying comorbidities and procedures. For the matched-pairs analyses, uninfected control patients were matched to patients with SSI or with EMM on the basis of their propensity to develop infection, and the median difference in costs was calculated.Results.The attributable total hospital cost of SSI calculated by GLS was 3,842. The majority of excess costs were associated with room and board and pharmacy costs.Conclusions.The costs of SSI and EMM were lower than SSI costs reported after more extensive operations. The attributable costs of EMM calculated by the 2 methods were very similar, whereas the costs of SSI calculated by propensity score matched-pairs were lower than the costs calculated by GLS. The difference in costs determined by the 2 methods needs to be considered by investigators who are performing cost analyses of hospital-acquired infections.
A litterbasket technique for measurement of nutrient dynamics in forest floors

Abstract We describe a litterbasket technique for quantifying litter decomposition and changes in litter and forest floor nutrient pools over time. Litterbaskets are constructed of wire hardware cloth, 10×10×10 cm. Intact cores, removed from forest floors, are separated into individual strata (litter layer, F-layer, soil) with plastic window screen. The core is reassembled in the litterbasket, which is replaced in the hole from which the core was removed. Pre-weighed aliquots of experimental substrates can be added to replace the litter layer. The advantages of the litterbasket method include: (1) reduced microclimatic effects relative to litter enclosed in litterbags; (2) allowance for input of exogenous radioactive or stable isotope tracers; (3) quantification of changes in nutrient contents in the various layers of the forest floor over time; (4) easy extraction of invertebrates and quantification of microbial populations from individual horizons; (5) the ability to quantify the movement of radioactive or stable tracers from litter through the forest floor profile over time. Preliminary results from experiments are summarized to illustrate the utility of this technique.
Influence of Externally Imposed and Internally Generated Electrical Fields on Grain Growth, Diffusional Creep, Sintering and Related Phenomena in Ceramics

Microwaves and spark plasma sintering (SPS) enhance sinterability. Simple electrical fields, applied by means of a pair of electrodes to bare specimens, have been shown to accelerate the rate of superplastic deformation, reduce the time and temperature for sintering, and to retard the rate of grain growth. By inference, the influence of electrical and electromagnetic fields on grain boundary energetics and kinetics is unmistakable. Often, in ceramics, grain boundaries are themselves endowed with space charge that can couple with externally applied fields. The frequency dependence of this coupling ranging from zero frequency to microwave frequencies is discussed. The classical approach for modeling grain growth, creep, and sintering, considers chemical diffusion (self-diffusion) under a thermodynamic driving force, underpinned by a physical mechanism that visualizes the flow of mass transport in a way that reproduces the phenomenological observations. In all instances, the final analytical result can be separated into a product of three functions: one of the grain size, the second related to the thermodynamic driving force, and the third to the kinetics of mass transport. The influence of an electrical field on each of these functions is addressed.The fundamental mechanisms of these electrical interactions are discussed in the following ways: (i) dielectric loss and Joule heating in the crystal and at the grain boundary, (ii) the coupling between mechanical stress and the electrochemical potential of charged species, (iii) the interaction between applied electrical fields and the intrinsic fields that exist within the space charge layers, (iv) and the possibility of nucleating defect avalanches under electrical fields. We limit ourselves to ceramics that have at least some degree of ionic character. In these experiments the electrical fields range from several volts to several hundred volts per centimeter, and the power dissipation from Joule heating is of the order of several watts per cubic centimeter of the specimen. Metals, where very high current densities are obtained at relatively low applied electric fields, leading to phenomenon such as electromigration, are not considered.
Incoherent combining of 100-W Yb-fiber laser beams by PTR Bragg grating

Volume diffractive gratings (Bragg gratings) in photo-thermo-refractive (PTR) inorganic glass are proposed for incoherent laser beam combining because they have narrow spectral selectivity and diffraction efficiency greater than 95% from visible to near IR regions. They showed no laser-induced damage, no thermal lens, and no Bragg angle shift under CW Yb-fiber laser (1096 nm) irradiation at 100 kW/cm 2 . It opens the way to rugged, low-cost, efficient optics for high-power laser systems. Based on theoretical modeling of PTR Bragg gratings, we have designed a high-efficient technology for incoherent combining of two or several laser beams with certain wavelength shift. Two 100 W beams of Yb-fiber lasers in the range of 1080-1100 nm with the wavelength separation of 11 nm were combined with efficiency exceeding 75% while material losses did not exceed 2-4%. No fading or parameter change of PTR Bragg grating working in two 100 W beams were found. It was found that the process limiting efficiency of incoherent beam combining is the spectral widening of radiation of Yb-doped fiber lasers. At high power, their spectral width exceeds spectral selectivity of Bragg grating and causes a decrease of diffraction efficiency.
Research-practice partnership in mental health: lessons from participants.

Despite pervasive calls for increased collaboration between researchers and practitioners, there has been limited research on research–practice partnership in mental health. This qualitative study describes one research–practice partnership that supports a study of community-based psychotherapy for children and families. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all 12 participants (six Researchers and six Practitioners) to elicit perceptions of the collaborative process, including (a) attitudes and experiences entering into the collaboration, (b) perceived challenges and benefits, and (c) suggestions for improvements in future efforts. The findings reinforce the central role of communication and trust-building in developing effective collaborations and exchanging knowledge.
Review of Juno

Juno began as a small indie film that quickly generated critical and commercial success. For example, at the Independent Film Spirit Awards it recently won best feature film, best new screenplay (D...
Considerations and Requirements for Providing Cryogenic Targets for Direct-Drive Inertial Fusion Implosions at the National Ignition Facility

Modifications to the National Ignition Facility (NIF) Cryogenic Target Positioner (Cryo-TarPos) are needed to provide polar-drive-ignition targets; ideally, these modifications will be completed an...
Das GCI-Brennverfahren von Volkswagen

Die Volkswagen AG hat kurzlich das erste im Strasenbetrieb fahrbare Fahrzeug mit ottomotorischem HCCI-Brennverfahren (GCI) der Offentlichkeit vorgestellt. Das GCI-Brennverfahren wird in einem Teilbereich des stochiometrischen Motorkennfeldes aktiviert. Es ergeben sich spurbare Vorteile im Kraftstoffverbrauch. Niedrige Rohemissionen erlauben die Verwendung der serienmasigen Drei-Wege-Katalysatoranlage. In diesem Beitrag werden die ermittelten Rohemissionen des GCI-Brennverfahrens diskutiert.
Emissivity Retrieval in LWIR Hyperspectral Desert Scenes

Atmospheric compensation algorithms for LWIR hyperspectral imagery typically require the presence of blackbody surfaces, resulting in failure with many desert scenes. The FLAASH-IR algorithm is successfully applied to challenging SEBASS and HyTES desert images.
IB-10A DUALITY OF ROLES FOR PERFORIN IN CD8+ T CELL- GLIOMA INTERACTIONS: CONTRIBUTIONS TO CYTOTOXICITY AND ALTERED VASCULAR PERMEABILITY

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive malignancy of the central nervous system that exhibits extensive vascularization and a high degree of invasiveness into the surrounding brain parenchyma. Recent evidence in both animal model systems and clinical trials have demonstrated the viability of immunotherapeutic strategies at selectively targeting tumor cells, with the generation of tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells strongly correlating to reductions in tumor burden. We have utilized the GL261 glioma model in immune-competent C57BL/6 mice to demonstrate the efficacy of a novel picornavirus vaccination approach. Treatment of established gliomas with a picornavirus engineered to express tumor-specific antigens delayed tumor progression and extended survival, outcomes which were accompanied by increased tumor-specific CD8+ T cell responses in the brain. Importantly, both intracranial and peripheral vaccination routes were effective at promoting anti-tumor CD8+ T cell responses. Perforin, an immune effector molecule, is well characterized for its role in CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Our data demonstrate that, in addition to this role in direct tumor cell lysis, perforin also contributes to alterations in tumor vascular permeability. Untreated perforin deficient mice bearing GL261 gliomas demonstrated no difference in tumor burden compared to C57BL/6 controls. However, the heterogeneity of tumor vascular permeability in mice lacking perforin was significantly reduced. As such, we propose that perforin serves dual functions in CD8+ T cell-glioma interactions, contributing to both direct killing of tumor cells and immune-mediated alterations to tumor vasculature.
Moyamoya disease in Down syndrome.

We describe a child with Down syndrome and complex congenital heart disease presenting with multiple nonembolic infarctions over a 7-year period, during which subtle internal carotid artery stenosis progressed to an advanced moyamoya angiographic pattern
Aortic atresia with interrupted aortic arch: reparative operation

Aortic atresia is a form of congenital cardiac disease always complicated by associated severe hypoplasia of the ascending aorta and various degrees of mitral valve and left ventricular hypoplasia. Rarely, there is an associated ventricular septal defect (VSD) and, consequently, a well-developed left ventricle. This complex malformation is universally lethal and survival after a reparative operation has not been previously reported. The following is an account of an infant with aortic atresia, VSD, and Type C aortic arch interruption who presented with a unique ductus-dependent physiology and is clinically well 11 months following a reparative operation.
Transmission of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) to Healthcare Worker Gowns and Gloves During Care of Nursing Home Residents.

Objective To estimate the frequency of MRSA transmission to gowns and gloves worn by healthcare personnel (HCP) interacting with nursing home residents in order to inform infection prevention policies in this setting
Health and social consequences of road traffic accidents

Abstract Road traffic accidents are a serious problem worldwide. Although the Czech Republic, and also the European Union and the World Health Organization outlay resources to reduce the number of road traffic accidents, in 2015 an average of 1.8 people died daily and 59 people had their life or health affected. The consequences of road traffic accidents primarily affect the direct participants of road traffic accidents and their families. The direct participants of road traffic accidents particularly suffer health consequences. Due to the fact that road traffic accidents lead to a large number of fatal incapacitating injuries, the consequences of these accidents are fundamentally reflected in the social sphere. This concerns job losses and the related financial hardships, loss of amenity and a fatal impact on the functioning of the whole family. We should not forget that the psychological impact of the consequences of road traffic accidents do not only to affect the direct participants, but also their families. The costs associated with road traffic accidents are shouldered by the whole society. Although the Czech Republic provides assistance to the victims of road traffic accidents–financial, medical, or social, other European Union countries give these victims greater possibilities mainly through allowances and social measures. The aim of this study is to analyze the health and social consequences of road traffic accidents. The selected method of data processing was textual analysis of documents.
Acoustic Context Alters Vowel Categorization in Perception of Noise-Vocoded Speech

Normal-hearing listeners’ speech perception is widely influenced by spectral contrast effects (SCEs), where perception of a given sound is biased away from stable spectral properties of preceding sounds. Despite this influence, it is not clear how these contrast effects affect speech perception for cochlear implant (CI) users whose spectral resolution is notoriously poor. This knowledge is important for understanding how CIs might better encode key spectral properties of the listening environment. Here, SCEs were measured in normal-hearing listeners using noise-vocoded speech to simulate poor spectral resolution. Listeners heard a noise-vocoded sentence where low-F1 (100–400 Hz) or high-F1 (550–850 Hz) frequency regions were amplified to encourage “eh” (/ɛ/) or “ih” (/ɪ/) responses to the following target vowel, respectively. This was done by filtering with +20 dB (experiment 1a) or +5 dB gain (experiment 1b) or filtering using 100 % of the difference between spectral envelopes of /ɛ/ and /ɪ/ endpoint vowels (experiment 2a) or only 25 % of this difference (experiment 2b). SCEs influenced identification of noise-vocoded vowels in each experiment at every level of spectral resolution. In every case but one, SCE magnitudes exceeded those reported for full-spectrum speech, particularly when spectral peaks in the preceding sentence were large (+20 dB gain, 100 % of the spectral envelope difference). Even when spectral resolution was insufficient for accurate vowel recognition, SCEs were still evident. Results are suggestive of SCEs influencing CI users’ speech perception as well, encouraging further investigation of CI users’ sensitivity to acoustic context.
Recovery of Multicomponent Shale Gas from Single Nanopores

The adsorption of multicomponent gas mixtures in shale formations and their recovery are of great interest to the shale gas industry. Here we report molecular dynamics simulations of the adsorption of methane/ethane mixtures in 2 and 4 nm-wide nanopores and their recovery from these nanopores. Surface adsorption contributes significantly to the storage of methane and ethane inside the pores, and ethane is enriched inside the nanopores in equilibrium with bulk methane–ethane mixtures. The enrichment of ethane is enhanced as the pore is narrowed but is weakened as the pressure increases due to entropic effects. These effects are captured by the ideal adsorbed solution (IAS) theory, but the theory overestimates the adsorption of both gases. Upon opening the mouth of the nanopores to gas baths with lower pressure, both gases enter the bath. The production rates of both gases show only weak deviation from the square root scaling law before the gas diffusion front reaches the dead end of the pores. The ratio of...
Methods for Xyloglucan Structure Analysis in Brachypodium distachyon

Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has become an important tool for the analysis of biomolecules, such as DNA, peptides, and oligosaccharides. This technique has been developed as a rapid, sensitive, and accurate means for analyzing cell wall polysaccharide structures. Here, we describe a method using mass spectrometry to provide xyloglucan composition and structure information of Brachypodium plants which will be useful for functional characterization of xyloglucan biosynthesis pathway in Brachypodium distachyon.
Urban Development, Food Shortages, and Mass Killing in Authoritarian Pakistan

In this chapter, we conduct a meticulous mixed-methods analysis of urbanization, food crises, and mass killing in authoritarian Pakistan. We begin by providing a detailed explanation as to why Pakistan is an empirically valid case for estimating the mechanisms we hypothesize in Chapter “ Food Crises, Urban Development, and Mass Killing in Nondemocratic States.” We then provide a brief historical discussion of the country and its economy and describe the key features of the Pakistani case. As shown in this chapter, Pakistan consistently suffers from repeated agricultural (i.e., food) production crises over both its nondemocratic spells. However, the level of urban development in the country is fairly low in the late 1970s and does not really increase to reach a sufficiently high level until after 1985. We use both historical evidence and statistical analysis of novel within-country city-year data on anti-regime riots and state-led mass killing in Pakistan to carefully analyze this case.
Sleeplessness in children with neurodevelopmental disorders : Epidemiology and management

Sleeplessness, excessive waking and other disruptions of sleep are frequently evident in children with neurodevelopment disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific genetic syndromes associated with mental retardation, autistic disorders and Tourette syndrome. The severity of sleep disruption may or may not parallel the severity of associated illness. Sleeplessness in this population is often additionally affected by concurrent medication use (such as central stimulants) and significant behavioural and environmental influences. When attempting to treat sleeplessness in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, the first step is to obtain an accurate sleep history documenting the child’s typical sleep schedule. The child should be screened for the presence of other extrinsic causes of sleep problems such as obstructive sleep apnoea and periodic limb movement, and use of medications known to disrupt sleep. These issues should be addressed if present. Nonpharmacological approaches to treatment include implementation of good sleep hygiene and the use of behavioural programmes. Pharmacotherapy has not been extensively studied in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, although limited data suggest that melatonin, clonidine, guanfacine and hypnosedatives can be moderately effective.
Mixed-Mechanism Problems

In Chapters 2 through 6 you learned how to draw polar basic, polar acidic, peri-cyclic, free-radical, and transition-metal-mediated and -catalyzed mechanisms. The reactions in the following problems may proceed by any of these mechanisms. Before you solve each problem, then, you need to identify its mechanistic class. See Chapter 1 if you have forgotten how to do so.
A BDD Approach to Dependability Analysis of Distributed Computer Systems with Imperfect Coverage

With the rapid development of computer networking, distributed computer systems (DCS) have become an attractive and efficient way to share system resources, achieve fault-tolerance and obtain high extensibility and dependability. A new algorithm based on Binary Decision Diagrams (BDD) for dependability analysis of distributed computer systems (DCS) with imperfect coverage is proposed in this paper. Minimum file spanning trees (MFST) are generated and stored via BDD manipulation. By using the multistate concept, our algorithm can generate BDDs that can deal with imperfect coverage and obtain reliability expressions from these BDDs. Computation of various importance measure and ordering strategies for variables are discussed in this paper as well. Due to the nature of the BDD, the sum of disjoint products (SDP) can be implicitly represented by the BDD, which avoids huge storage and high computation complexity for large systems. In order to show the efficiency of BDD-based algorithm, several examples are given in the paper.
Removal of surface states on Si(1 0 0) by valence-mending passivation

Abstract Surface states are a classic obstacle in semiconductor technologies dating back to the John Bardeen era. We propose a generic approach, i.e., valence-mending passivation, to remove surface states. This paper reviews valence-mending passivation of the Si(1 0 0) surface, which is accomplished by depositing a monolayer of chalcogen atoms on Si(1 0 0). Methods for preparing an atomically-clean surface and depositing a self-limited monolayer of chalcogen atoms on Si(1 0 0) are developed in molecular beam epitaxy, solution passivation, and chemical vapor deposition. The passivated surface exhibits unprecedented electrical and chemical properties that are atypical of three-dimensional bulk semiconductors. The Schottky barrier heights for various metals now obey the Mott-Schottky theory on valence-mended Si(1 0 0). Metals of very-low and very-high workfunctions produce record-high and record-low Schottky barriers on the passivated surface. The record-high barrier demonstrated is 1.14 eV for an Al/sulfur-passivated p-type Si(1 0 0) junction, which exceeds the bandgap of Si. The record-low barrier is lower than 0.08 eV for an Al/sulfur-passivated n-type Si(1 0 0) junction and that barrier is likely negative at –0.02 eV. These record Schottky barriers show good thermal stability up to 500 °C upon annealing. Potential applications of valence-mending passivation include: (1) new approaches to Ohmic contacts for both heavily- and lightly-doped semiconductors, (2) a new diode that is an intermediate between a Schottky junction and a p-n junction, (3) suppressed surface and grain boundary recombination in optoelectronics and photovoltaics, and (4) the ideal substrate for van der Waals epitaxy of two-dimensional materials. The limitations of the current methods in characterizing extremely-low and negative Schottky barriers are outlined.
Parent-Adolescent Acculturation Profiles and Adolescent Language Brokering Experiences in Mexican Immigrant Families.

Language brokering is a special form of interpersonal communication that is affected by the cultural and relational settings in which it occurs. The current study explores whether parent–adolescent acculturation status may influence Mexican American adolescent language brokers’ translation experiences, including brokering frequency and attitudes. Using data from a two-wave longitudinal study (Nwave1 = 604; Nwave2 = 483; Mwave1.age = 12.91; 54.3% female), latent profile analyses were conducted, resulting in four mother–adolescent acculturation profiles as well as three father–adolescent profiles. The adolescent integrated–parent (moderately) separated profiles emerged as the most effective for brokers, as adolescents in this profile generally experienced more positive and less negative brokering attitudes, regardless of their brokering frequency. Parent–adolescent acculturation profiles may be a useful construct in capturing the interplay of cultural and relational settings and their effects on multifaceted language brokering experiences.
Atrial Fibrillation in a Patient With an Accessory Pathway.

A 24-year-old man with history of unspecified arrhythmia presented with palpitations and chest pain. Initial electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed irregular tachycardia with varying QRS width: 150 to 20...
International or Interenvironmental Relations: Reassessing Nations and Niches in Global Ecosystems

This article pushes hard against the envelopes of ontic stability, epistemic certainty, and axiological normality that now fold over world politics. There are many inequalities in international relations. Some are old and well known. Some are old and only now being recognized. Some are new and just now being felt. All of them, however, can be tied back to unequal levels of access, power, status, and wealth, which have become so quantitatively unbalanced - both internationally and internationally - that they are qualitatively different. I want to assess the implications of this rising inequality by concentrating upon its environmental dimensions, but I also want to approach what is regarded as "the environment" quite differently by mobilizing ideas from science and technology studies. These alternative notions can help frame the outlines of this new inequality as both an object of knowledge and subject of struggle. Such moves must be made because most analytical tools in the disciplines of both international relations and environmental studies are not adequate for the tasks of interpreting what is now developing around the world in the realms of technoscience and the environment. In fact, our existing tools often occlude what needs to be analyzed, who needs to be criticized, and what must be done to oppose powerlessness and inequality. To anchor my claims, I take Fredric Jameson's point about the postmodern condition as a point of departure. That is, it is what remains "when the modernization process is complete and nature is gone for good." It is a more fully human world than the older
Complex Litigation: Troubling 'Twombly'

Commentary and analysis of the Supreme Court’s decision in Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly (U.S. May 21, 2007), reversing and repudiating longstanding pleading standards articulated by the Supreme Court in the landmark pleading case, Conley v. Gibson. The article discusses the Court’s new “plausibility” standard for pleading in federal Sherman Act antitrust actions, sufficient to withstand a motion to dismiss the plaintiff’s complaint on a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim for relief. The majority’s decision, written by Justice Souter and joined by six Justices, contains a lengthy analysis of federal pleading under Rule 8(a)(2) and the confusion engendered by Conley’s “no set of facts” language. The majority’s revised pleading approach sets forth a new standard that makes significant inroads on the “notice pleading” regime that prevailed in federal courts for more than fifty years. The article also surveys the lengthy dissenting opinion by Justices Steven and Ginsburg, rejecting the majority’s striking revision of the federal pleadings standard and suggesting that the Conley v. Gibson standard was deserving of a more decent burial by the Court.
Optimally convergent hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method for fifth-order Korteweg-de Vries type equations

We develop and analyze the first hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) method for solving fifth-order Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) type equations. We show that the semi-discrete scheme is stable with proper choices of the stabilization functions in the numerical traces. For the linearized fifth-order equations, we prove that the approximations to the exact solution and its four spatial derivatives as well as its time derivative all have optimal convergence rates. The numerical experiments, demonstrating optimal convergence rates for both the linear and nonlinear equations, validate our theoretical findings.
Exploring Organizational Strategies and Participant Experience in the Young Adult Diversion Court

ABSTRACTThe Young Adult Diversion Court (YADC) was created to empower young adults and break the cycle of recidivism by targeting the underlying issues of behavior. This study describes the develop...
Optimization of Head-related Transfer Function (HRTF) Models

This paper presents a deep-learning technique for modeling Head-related Transfer Function (HRTF) using a large data-set from IRCAM [7] of 49 subjects with 115 directions/subject. We use a log-spectral distortion metric that we have used to optimize the performance of the deep-learning model. The presented model first uses a sparse autoencoder (AE) for capturing the salient representation (peaks, and notches for elevation) from the user-captured HRTFs, in its latent representation, and then uses a generalized regression neural network (GRNN) to approximate the latent representation of the corresponding HRTFs at arbitrary angles. The sparse AE then decodes the GRNN output to reconstruct the HRTF. The proposed approach is shown to outperform, objectively using the log-spectral distortion, the state-of-the-art linear-least-squares optimum solution (viz., derived from Principal Component Analysis) to perform better generalization over the HRTFs in the IRCAM dataset. Towards this, Bayesian optimization has been performed to tune the hyper-parameters of the sparse AE and the GRNN.
Perpetrating and resisting fortress USA: documentary strategies of National Bird and Fahrenheit 11/9

This article analyzes two documentary films that figure the enmeshment of individuals and institutions in attitudes and practices of ‘fortress USA’ and studies the role of media in facilitating and...
Treatment of osteoarticular, cardiovascular, intravascular-catheter-related and other complicated infections with dalbavancin and oritavancin: A systematic review.

ABSTRACT Background: There is increasing interest in the use of oritavancin and dalbavancin for complicated Gram-positive infections as an alternative to in-hospital intravenous or outpatient antimicrobial therapy. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of long-acting lipoglycopeptides (laLGPs) in patients with osteoarticular, cardiovascular, intravascular-catheter-related and other complicated infections. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using ‘dalbavancin’ and ‘oritavancin’ as search terms. For inclusion in this review, studies had to include at least one human subject treated for an indication other than acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections. The primary outcome for this review was clinical success as defined by each individual study, and patients were stratified by type of infection. Results: In total, 38 studies (18 randomized controlled trials/case series and 20 case reports) met the inclusion criteria. The most common off-label indication for oritavancin and dalbavancin was osteoarticular infection, with a median success rate of 73% [interquartile range (IQR) 58–85%] among the 14 studies with more than one patient. The success rate for endocarditis and cardiac-device-related infections was 68% (IQR 56–86%) among nine studies, and the success rate for catheter-related bloodstream infection was 75% (IQR 59–90%) among seven studies. Among the 16 studies of almost 700 patients receiving laLGPs, there were 98 reports of adverse events, resulting in 13% of treated patients reporting an event. Conclusions: This review provides evidence that laLGPs are safe and efficacious for osteoarticular, cardiovascular, intravascular-catheter-related and other complicated infections. Further research is needed to confirm these results.
Smart Stadium as a Laboratory of Innovation: Technology, Sport, and Datafied Normalization of the Fans:

This article addresses the relationship between the contemporary development of the “smart” stadium and changing norms of innovation in sports. Given the evolving forms of smart technologies blurri...
Abstract 2391: Centromeric chromatin alteration is associated with increase in alphoid array replication fork speed in ovarian cancer cell lines

The centromere is well known as the center point of cell division, with aberrant centromeric function leading to mitotic dysfunction and chromosomal abnormalities. These abnormalities may in turn lead to diseases, including cancer and premature aging. Binding of CENPB to the CENPB box is orchestrated epigenetically, and has emerged as an important factor in the regulation of the centromeric-chromatin structural landscape. CENP-B depletion that resulted in euchromatization of the alphoid centromere array, also is associated with elevated centromeric DNA replication activity. Observation in two ovarian cancer cells from NCI-60 collection; OVCAR3 and SKOV3, identified as having low and high expression of CENPB RNA respectively, indicates the different level of centromeric DNA instability. Centromeric DNA damage fraction is more abundant and replication fork velocity is elevated in less CENPB expresser cells, indicates alphoid array alteration. We conclude that CENP-B is required for maintenance of centromeric chromatin structure and centromeric DNA integrity. Citation Format: Indri Erliandri, Christophe Redon, Jung-Hyun Kim, Haiqing Fu, Mirit Aladjem, William Reinhold, Vladimir Larionov. Centromeric chromatin alteration is associated with increase in alphoid array replication fork speed in ovarian cancer cell lines [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 2391.
Correlates of depression and anxiety among homeless adults with latent tuberculosis infection.

Homeless persons have disproportionate rates of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). LTBI treatment can prevent and reduce active tuberculosis spread. We examined associations between mental healt...
Risky Casual Sex and Posttraumatic Stress in College Females: An Examination of Assault History, Self-Esteem, and Social Support.

Casual sex, although common in college culture, can increase the risk of sexual victimization, which in turn can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study examined sexual victimizati...