cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of Oxidative Stress in Necrotizing Enterocolitis: Advances and Possibilities for Future Therapy

During normal fetal development, a balance between the production of oxidants and the antioxidant defense systems is critical for proper growth and development. Studies have shown that an imbalance between oxidant production and antioxidant defense mechanisms may lead to preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and related morbidities. Premature infants are highly susceptible to oxidant-induced damage due to immature antioxidant defense systems or deficiency of antioxidants. As a result there is an increased risk for the development of oxidant-induced diseases of the newborn, such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, retinopathy of prematurity, and periventricular leukomalacia.
Rewrite Rule Grammars with Multitape Automata

The majority of computational implementations of phonological and morphophonological alternations rely on composing together individual finite state transducers that represent sound changes. Standard composition algorithms do not maintain the intermediate representations between the ultimate input and output forms. These intermediate strings, however, can be very helpful for various tasks: enriching information (indispensable for models of historical linguistics), providing new avenues to debugging complex grammars, and offering explicit alignment information between morphemes, sound segments, and tags. This paper describes a multi-tape automaton approach to creating full models of sequences of sound alternation that implement phonological and morphological grammars. A model and a practical implementation of multitape automata is provided together with a multitape composition algorithm tailored to the representation used in this paper. Practical use cases of the approach are illustrated through two common examples; a phonological example of a complex rewrite rule grammar where multiple rules interact and a diachronic example of modeling sound change over time.
Rubrobacter spartanus sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic oligotrophic bacterium isolated from volcanic soil.

Bacterial strain HPK2-2T was isolated from soil adjacent to the caldera of Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. HPK2-2T is a chemoorganoheterotroph that shows optimal growth at 50 °C (range 45–55 °C) and pH 8.0 (range 5.0–10.0). Sequence analysis of the 16S subunit of the rRNA gene showed that HPK2-2T is most closely related to the type strain of Rubrobactertaiwanensis (ATCC BAA-406T), with which it shared 94.5 % sequence identity. The major fatty acids detected in HPK2-2T were C18 : 0 14-methyl and C16 : 0 12-methyl; internally branched fatty acids such as these are characteristic of the genus Rubrobacter . The only respiratory quinone detected was MK-8, which is the major respiratory quinone for all members of the family Rubrobacteraceae examined thus far. We propose that HPK2-2T represents a novel species of the genus Rubrobacter , for which we propose the name Rubrobacter spartanus (type strain HPK2-2T; DSM 102139T; LMG 29988T).
Trending Norms: A Lever for Encouraging Behaviors Performed by the Minority:

If many people currently engage in a behavior, others are likely to follow suit. The current article extends research on these descriptive norms to examine the unique effect of trending norms: norm...
A new animal model for Epstein-Barr virus pathogenesis.

Animal models have not been widely used for studying Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) pathogenesis. In large part this has been due to the lack of good animal model systems which reproduce the many different aspects of EBV infection in humans. Many aspects of EBV pathogenesis would benefit from an authentic animal model system, including studies about infectious mononucleosis, immune responses that control acute and persistent infection, mechanisms for immune evasion and persistent infection, natural reservoirs for infection in hematologic and epithelial cell compartments, transition to hematologic and epithelial cell malignancies, and vaccine development
Complex HuR function in pancreatic cancer cells

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers with dismal patient outcomes. The underlying core genetic drivers of disease have been identified in human tumor specimens and described in genetically engineered mouse models. These genetic drivers of PDAC include KRAS signaling, TP53 mutations, and genetic loss of the SMAD4 tumor suppressor protein. Beyond the known mutational landscape of PDAC genomes, alternative disrupted targets that extend beyond conventional genetic mutations have been elusive and understudied in the context of PDAC cell therapeutic resistance and survival. This last point is important because PDAC tumors have a unique and complex tumor microenvironment that includes hypoxic and nutrient-deprived niches that could select for cell populations that garner therapeutic resistance, explaining tumor heterogeneity in regards to response to different therapies. We and others have embarked in a line of investigation focused on the key molecular mechanism of posttranscriptional gene regulation that is altered in PDAC cells and supports this pro-survival phenotype intrinsic to PDAC cells. Specifically, the key regulator of this mechanism is a RNA-binding protein, HuR (ELAVL1), first described in cancer nearly two decades ago. Herein, we will provide a brief overview of the work demonstrating the importance of this RNA-binding protein in PDAC biology and then provide insight into ongoing work developing therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting this molecule in PDAC cells. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.
Condensation Studies of Saturated Nitrogen Vapors

Heat-transfer data involving cryogenic fluids have been determined by numerous investigators. In the area of boiling heat transfer, the literature contains an extensive list of experiments wherein the data were obtained and then compared with existing correlations [1]. Generally, the correlations provide only fair agreement with the experimental points and adjustments have been made In these correlations or new models have been devised. Unfortunately, in the area of condensing heat transfer to cryogenic fluids, there Is a dearth of experimental data. Haselden and Prosad [2], investigating the condensation of nitrogen and oxygen vapors, have shown agreement, within experimental error, between their data and that predicted by Nusselt’s theory. However, in another condensation of a pure fluid, Drayer et al. [3] found that the experimental condensing coefficients for hydrogen fell below those predicted by Nusselt and diverged with decreasing temperature difference across the condensate film. Since this Is contrary to expectations, this study was Initiated to design a new cryostat which would more fully meet the assumptions Nusselt used In deriving his now classical equation and to repeat the nitrogen-condensation studies of Haselden et al. and the hydrogen-condensation studies of Drayer et al. to determine whether better agreement between experimental and theoretical results could be obtained. This study presents the condensing coefficients for saturated nitrogen vapors that were obtained experimentally and compares them with the results of Haselden et al. and those predicted by the Nusselt correlation.
Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Infections

A variety of infections can involve the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary tract for which minimally invasive sampling via endoscopic and colonoscopic methods can be of considerable use. This chapter focuses on such infections and on their cytomorphology, differential diagnosis, and the ancillary studies used for confirming these infectious diseases.
Risks and rewards: good citizenship and technologically proficient faculty

INTRODUCTION One of the more often cited objectives found in university and college mission statements is the goal of promoting future good citizenship among students. Indeed, American higher education institutions have been improving society by educating its community leaders since the founding of Harvard in the early seventeenth century. Beyond the direct training of future leaders, college administrators also have recognized the societal need for volunteers to fill gaps that community resources cannot cover. Volunteers enable organizations to thrive beyond their means and their members to receive otherwise unavailable benefits. This case study describes the role of good citizenship that is performed by two technologically proficient faculty (techno-profs) who are approaching crucial career evaluations at Suburban State University (SSU), a public institution in the mid-eastern area of the United States. It explores the conundrum that faced the SSU Dean of the College of Arts and Letters as she speculated about the outcome of the evaluation of these two faculty members as a result of the existing promotion and tenure criteria. The case also considers the impact of the incorporation of technology into the contemporary role of faculty in a situation in which necessary resources are not provided by those who mandate changes in the existing reward structures in higher education. And, finally, this case study illustrates the existing and potential impact of these mandates on the careers of two techno-profs who act as good citizens for their organizations.
Hippocampal signatures of awake targeted memory reactivation

Dominant theories of episodic memory propose that a key mechanism of memory consolidation is replay-a process, whereby neural patterns of activation during learning are reinstated during offline post-learning periods. Here, we tested whether key signatures of replay defined by studies in rodents, such as recapitulation of specific memory traces, as well as sequences, are apparent in humans during post-encoding memory reactivation. Thirty participants underwent functional imaging that consisted of interleaved encoding and rest periods. During an offline period of wakeful rest, we biased reactivation towards some memories by presenting sound cues that had previously been associated with particular stimulus sequences. Results showed that targeted hippocampal reactivation was biased towards cued memory sequences and that reactivation signatures preserved the temporal order of particular sequences. Importantly, the biased reactivation was related to differences in subsequent memory, suggesting that preferential reactivation may be a mechanism by which specific memory traces can be strengthened for enhanced subsequent memory retrieval.
On the Economic Value of Vehicular Caching

The economic value of a new mobile caching method utilizing vehicles is studied. An optimization model is built using stochastic geometry tools. Two possible choices of utility functions are discussed together with some preliminary results.
Therapeutic massage to enhance family caregivers' well-being in a rehabilitation hospital.

Abstract Background and purpose A massage therapy program was implemented to address the psychological well-being of family caregivers to patients in a rehabilitation hospital. The impact of massage “dosage” on caregiver stress and psychological well-being was examined in this study. Participants’ perspectives on the program were also explored. Materials and methods Thirty-eight family caregivers were randomized to receive either one massage per week or three massages per week for two weeks. Caregivers reported psychological symptoms and stress pre- and post-program. Program acceptability was assessed via responses on an exit survey. Results Overall, 79% of massages were received (89% among program completers). Post-program symptom scores were lower than baseline scores for both groups (F (1, 31) = 8.74 - 24.50, P Conclusion Findings suggest that massage services would be welcomed, utilized, and beneficial for improving the psychological well-being of family caregivers in a rehabilitation hospital.
Feasts and Famine: Modern Misconceptions of the Ancient Roman Diet

Ancient sources, modern scholarship, and modern popular media have misled audiences about the truth of the typical diet of the Roman lower strata. Modern movies and books, as well as ancient satire, a popular cultural medium of its time, put forth a stereotype of the lifestyle of rich citizens of Imperial Rome as contrasted with the poor Romans’ humble fare. Modern media, influenced by ancient satire, plays into stereotypes of the Imperial Romans stuffing themselves on dormice and grapes while their servants go hungry. The misconception in modern media may be created by a misreading of ancient satire, which is critical in nature. When the critical aspect of satire is misinterpreted, the elaborate and excessive meals are taken at face value rather than read as symbolic. In ancient satires, the depictions of both simple meals and fantastic banquets are exaggerated and must be interpreted as symbolic of the character serving or eating the meal.Modern representations of the ancient Romans’ diet, inaccurately influenced by ancient literature such as the satires of Horace, Juvenal, and Petronius, differ from recent findings of archaeologists in Herculaneum and Pompeii. The modern misrepresentation seems to come from a mistake in equating the food symbolic of the Roman upper strata with high nutritional value as well as equating the food symbolic of the lower strata to low nutritional value. An analysis of the food depictions in ancient literature and recent archeological findings suggest that poor Romans ate a healthier and more varied diet than is commonly believed.
Consumption, Geography of

Scholarship on the geography of consumption is strongly focused on the consequences of consumption. These consequences can be mapped through three spatial registers: the body, consuming connections, and the globalization of consumption. This article reviews academic scholarship on the consequences of consumption through these three spatial registers and draws connections between them.
Applying Machine Learning to Anomaly-Based Intrusion Detection Systems

The enormous growth of Internet-based traffic exposes corporate networks with a wide variety of vulnerabilities. Intrusive traffics are affecting the normal functionality of network’s operation by consuming corporate resources and time. Efficient ways of identifying, protecting, and mitigating from intrusive incidents enhance productivity. As Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is hosted in the network and at the user machine level to oversee the malicious traffic in the network and at the individual computer, it is one of the critical components of a network and host security. Unsupervised anomaly traffic detection techniques are improving over time. This research aims to find an efficient classifier that detects anomaly traffic from NSL-KDD dataset with high accuracy level and minimal error rate by experimenting with five machine learning techniques. Five binary classifiers: Stochastic Gradient Decent, Random Forests, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, and Sequential Model are tested and validated to produce the result. The outcome demonstrates that Random Forest Classifier outperforms the other four classifiers with and without applying the normalization process to the dataset.
Determination of Thermal Conductivity of Lining Materials in Aluminium Reduction Cells

The lining Materials of aluminium reduction cells are very important.The properties of lining Materi-als are important to the heat losses of aluminium reduction cells.Their thermal conductivity is one of important dates calculated heat balance.There are many means to determine thermal conductivity.This experiment de-signs the measuring installation on the basic of YB/T059-91[1]and primary equipment in the lab.And the au-thor measures and analyses thermal conductivity of lining-fabricating in aluminium reduction cells.
The Impact of Sex on Outcomes After Revascularization for Multivessel Coronary Disease.

Background Coronary artery disease has historically been responsible for more deaths among women than men, and previous studies have suggested sex differences in revascularization approaches and outcomes. We sought to compare sex-specific adverse events in patients who underwent percutaneous or surgical revascularization for multivessel coronary artery disease. Methods All patients at a single institution undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft surgery for multivessel coronary artery disease between 2011 and 2018 were included. Propensity score matching was utilized to compare patients with similar baseline characteristics. Outcomes included death, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), repeat revascularization, and readmissions. Results Of the 6163 patients, 1679 (27.2%) were female. Male patients were more likely to have three-vessel disease (71.9% vs 68.6%, P = .002) and to undergo complete revascularization (69.9% vs 66.4%, P = .008). Female sex was associated with an increased hazard for death (hazard ratio 1.16, P = .03) and MACCE (hazard ratio 1.16, P = .02) but not repeat revascularization (hazard ratio 1.23, P = .16). In the matched cohorts, female sex was associated with lower survival at 1 year (90.63% vs 93.12%, P = .01) but not at 5 years (76.64% vs 77.33%, P = .20). Similarly, freedom from MACCE was lower for female patients at 1 year (87.79% vs 90.19%, P = .03) but was comparable at 5 years (73.22% vs 74.3%, P = .10). Conclusions In a matched analysis pooling percutaneous and surgical revascularization, female sex was associated with worse outcomes at 1 year although there were no sex differences at 5 years of follow-up. Increasing coronary artery bypass graft surgery utilization and the completeness of revascularization in female patients may be targets for improving 1-year survival and freedom from MACCE.
The seven principles of online learning: Feedback from faculty and alumni on its importance for teaching and learning

Effective online teaching and learning requires a carefully designed classroom that promotes student engagement with faculty, peers and course content. This research included an investigation of the importance of faculty–student communication and collaboration; student–student communication and collaboration; active learning techniques; prompt feedback; appropriate time for tasks; high performance expectations; and respect for diverse learning styles (preferences) (Chickering and Ehrmann 1996) to faculty in their online teaching and to alumni in their online learning. The participants were 14 college faculty and 111 alumni, from the same graduate program. A 45-item Likert survey and two open-ended questions were presented to the participants to explore the important factors contributing to their online teaching and learning. The results demonstrated that holding students to high standards of performance, academic honesty and professional conduct was the most important factor to both faculty in their online teaching and alumni in their online learning. Additionally, alumni valued engagement with their faculty more than engagement with other students or course content. Students need an online instructor who is organised and communicative in the online classroom, and faculty need a solidly designed online classroom, with engaged students who are timely in their work. An analysis of the findings with specific application to online teaching and learning is presented in this article.
Fabrication of Out-of-Plane High Channel Density Microelectrode Neural Array With 3D Recording and Stimulation Capabilities

The Utah Electrode Array (UEA) and its different variants have become a gold standard in penetrating high channel count neural electrode for bi-directional neuroprostheses (simultaneous recording and stimulation). However, despite its usage in numerous applications, it has one major drawback of having only one active site per shaft, which is at the tip of the shaft. In this work, we are demonstrating a next-generation device, the Utah Multisite Electrode Array (UMEA), which is capable of having multiple sites around the shaft and also retaining the site at the tip. The UMEA can have up to 9 sites per shaft (hence can accommodate 900 active sites) while retaining the form factor of the conventional UEA with 100 sites. However, in this work and to show the proof of concept, the UMEA was fabricated with one active site at the tip and two around the shaft at different heights; thus, three active sites per shaft. The UMEA device is fabricated using a 3D shadow mask patterning technology, which is suitable for a batch fabrication process for these out-of-plane structures. The UMEA was characterized by in-vitro tests to showcase the electrochemical properties of the shaft sites for bi-directional neuroprostheses in contrast to the traditional tip sites of the standard UEA. The UMEA not only improves the channel density of conventional UEAs and hence can access a larger population of neurons, but also enhances the recording and stimulation capabilities from different layers of the human cortex without further increasing the risk of neuronal damage. [2020-0239]
Efficient and accurate determination of genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana with enzymatic methyl sequencing.

5′ methylation of cytosines in DNA molecules is an important epigenetic mark in eukaryotes. Bisulfite sequencing is the gold standard of DNA methylation detection, and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) has been widely used to detect methylation at single-nucleotide resolution on a genome-wide scale. However, sodium bisulfite is known to severely degrade DNA, which, in combination with biases introduced during PCR amplification, leads to unbalanced base representation in the final sequencing libraries. Enzymatic conversion of unmethylated cytosines to uracils can achieve the same end product for sequencing as does bisulfite treatment and does not affect the integrity of the DNA; enzymatic methylation sequencing may, thus, provide advantages over bisulfite sequencing. Using an enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq) technique to selectively deaminate unmethylated cytosines to uracils, we generated and sequenced libraries based on different amounts of Arabidopsis input DNA and different numbers of PCR cycles, and compared these data to results from traditional whole-genome bisulfite sequencing. We found that EM-seq libraries were more consistent between replicates and had higher mapping and lower duplication rates, lower background noise, higher average coverage, and higher coverage of total cytosines. Differential methylation region (DMR) analysis showed that WGBS tended to over-estimate methylation levels especially in CHG and CHH contexts, whereas EM-seq detected higher CG methylation levels in certain highly methylated areas. These phenomena can be mostly explained by a correlation of WGBS methylation estimation with GC content and methylated cytosine density. We used EM-seq to compare methylation between leaves and flowers, and found that CHG methylation level is greatly elevated in flowers, especially in pericentromeric regions. We suggest that EM-seq is a more accurate and reliable approach than WGBS to detect methylation. Compared to WGBS, the results of EM-seq are less affected by differences in library preparation conditions or by the skewed base composition in the converted DNA. It may therefore be more desirable to use EM-seq in methylation studies.
Nucleon structure functions in a chiral soliton model

Abstract The computation of nucleon structure functions within the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio chiral soliton model is outlined. After some technical remarks on the issue of regularization numerical results for the both unpolarized and polarized structure functions are presented. The generalization to flavor SU(3) is sketched.
CD69+ resident memory T cells are associated with graft-versus-host disease in intestinal transplantation.

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a common, morbid complication after intestinal transplantation (ITx) with poorly-understood pathophysiology. Resident memory T cells (TRM ) are a recently described CD69+ memory T cell subset localizing to peripheral tissue. We observed that T effector memory cells (TEM ) in the blood increase during GvHD and hypothesized that they derive from donor graft CD69+TRM migrating into host blood and tissue. To probe this hypothesis, graft and blood lymphocytes from 10 ITx patients with overt GvHD and 34 without were longitudinally analyzed using flow cytometry. As hypothesized, CD4+ and CD8+CD69+TRM were significantly increased in blood and grafts of GvHD patients, alongside higher cytokine and activation marker expression. The majority of CD69+TRM were donor derived as determined by multiplex immunostaining. Notably, CD8/PD-1 was significantly elevated in blood prior to transplantation in patients who later had GvHD, and percentages of HLA-DR, CD57, PD-1, and naive T cells differed significantly between GvHD patients who died vs. those who survived. Overall, we demonstrate that (1) there were significant increases in TEM , at the time of GvHD, possibly of donor derivation; (2) donor TRM in the graft are a possible source; and (3) potential biomarkers for the development and prognosis of GvHD exist.
Linking optical spectra to free charges in donor/acceptor heterojunctions: cross-correlation of transient microwave and optical spectroscopy

The primary photoexcited species in excitonic semiconductors is a bound electron–hole pair, or exciton. An important strategy for producing separated electrons and holes in photoexcited excitonic semiconductors is the use of donor/acceptor heterojunctions, but the degree to which the carriers can escape their mutual Coulomb attraction is still debated for many systems. Here, we employ a combined pump–probe ultrafast transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy and time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) study on a suite of model excitonic heterojunctions consisting of mono-chiral semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube (s-SWCNT) electron donors and small-molecule electron acceptors. Comparison of the charge-separated state dynamics between TA and TRMC photoconductance reveals a quantitative match over the 0.5 microsecond time scale. Charge separation yields derived from TA allow extraction of s-SWCNT hole mobilities of ca. 1.5 cm2 V−1 s−1 (at 9 GHz) by TRMC. The correlation between the techniques conclusively demonstrates that photoinduced charge carriers separated across these heterojunctions do not form bound charge transfer states, but instead form free/mobile charge carriers.
Prior On-Off Relationship Instability and Distress in the Separation and Divorce Transition.

Divorce is considered distressing for many individuals (Sbarra et al., Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2015, 24, 109); however, individuals in poor-quality relationships may experience certain benefits of leaving an unstable union (Amato & Hohmann-Marriott, Journal of Marriage and Family, 2007, 69, 621). On-off relationship cycling, or the breakup and reconciliation of a relationship, is a salient indicator of poor relationship quality and a common form of relationship instability (Dailey et al., Personal Relationships, 2009, 16, 23) that is associated with distress (Monk et al., Family Relations, 2018, 67, 523). In line with divorce-stress-adjustment and relational turbulence theory perspectives, we hypothesized that those whose relationships were characterized by on-off instability would experience less distress during the separation and divorce process. Given gender inequality in marriage (e.g., Dempsey, Journal of Sociology, 2002, 38, 91; Monin & Clark, Sex Roles, 2011, 65, 320), we also hypothesized that this association would be more pronounced for women. Using data from 98 divorced or separating couples, we found that relationship cycling prior to the separation and divorce process was associated with fewer distress symptoms for women. Conversely, a history of relationship cycling was associated with more distress symptoms for men. Our study provides support and extends prior investigations illustrating that, for some, those in unions characterized by more turmoil, may experience relief following a termination.
Computational fluid dynamic modelling of maxillary sinus irrigation after maxillary antrostomy and modified endoscopic medial maxillectomy.

Objective For recalcitrant chronic maxillary sinusitis, modified endoscopic medial maxillectomy has been shown to be clinically beneficial after failed maxillary antrostomy as endoscopic medial maxillectomy may offer improved topical therapy delivery. This study compared irrigation patterns after maxillary antrostomy versus endoscopic medial maxillectomy, using computational fluid dynamic modelling. Case report A 54-year-old female with left chronic maxillary sinusitis underwent maxillary antrostomy, followed by endoscopic medial maxillectomy. Computational fluid dynamic models were created after each surgery and used to simulate irrigations. Results After maxillary antrostomy, irrigation penetrated the maxillary sinus at 0.5 seconds, initially contacting the posterior wall. The maxillary sinus was half-filled at 2 seconds, and completely filled at 4 seconds. After endoscopic medial maxillectomy, irrigation penetrated the maxillary sinus at 0.5 seconds and immediately contacted all maxillary sinus walls. The maxillary sinus was completely filled by 2 seconds. Conclusion Computational fluid dynamic modelling demonstrated that endoscopic medial maxillectomy allowed faster, more forceful irrigation to all maxillary sinus walls compared with maxillary antrostomy.
GSTM1 Gene, Diet, and Kidney Disease: Implication for Precision Medicine?: Recent Advances in Hypertension

In the United States, the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in adults is ≈14%. The mainstay of therapy for chronic kidney disease is angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, but many patients with chronic kidney disease still progress to end-stage kidney disease. Increased oxidative stress is a major molecular underpinning of chronic kidney disease progression. In humans, a common deletion variant of the glutathione-S-transferase μ-1 (GSTM1) gene, the GSTM1 null allele (GSTM1(0)), results in decreased GSTM1 enzymatic activity and is associated with higher levels of oxidative stress. GSTM1 belongs to the superfamily of GSTs that are phase II antioxidant enzymes and are regulated by Nrf2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2). Cruciferous vegetables in general, and broccoli in particular, are rich in glucoraphanin, a precursor of sulforaphane that has been shown to have protective effects against oxidative damage through the activation of Nrf2. This review will highlight recent human and animal studies implicating the role of GSTM1 deficiency in hypertension and kidney disease, and its impact on the effects of cruciferous vegetables on kidney injury and disease progression, illustrating the significance of gene and environment interaction and a potential for targeted precision medicine in the treatment of kidney disease.
Optimizations of the energy grid search algorithm in continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport codes

In this work we propose, implement, and test various optimizations of the typical energy grid-cross section pair lookup algorithm in Monte Carlo particle transport codes. The key feature common to all of the optimizations is a reduction in the length of the vector of energies that must be searched when locating the index of a particle’s current energy. Other factors held constant, a reduction in energy vector length yields a reduction in CPU time. The computational methods we present here are physics-informed. That is, they are designed to utilize the physical information embedded in a simulation in order to reduce the length of the vector to be searched. More specifically, the optimizations take advantage of information about scattering kinematics, neutron cross section structure and data representation, and also the expected characteristics of a system’s spatial flux distribution and energy spectrum. The methods that we present are implemented in the OpenMC Monte Carlo neutron transport code as part of this work. The gains in computational efficiency, as measured by overall code speedup, associated with each of the optimizations are demonstrated in both serial and multithreaded simulations of realistic systems. Depending on the system, simulation parameters, and optimization method employed, overall code speedup factors of 1.2–1.5, relative to the typical single-nuclide binary search algorithm, are routinely observed.
Would a neuroscience of violence aid in understanding legal culpability

Defense attorneys in criminal cases are beginning to argue that their clients were biologically predisposed to committing their crimes and therefore were less responsible for their behavior. Indeed, if our brains cause our behavior, and our brains are the way they are because of genetic composition, insults, disease, and life experiences, it becomes difficult to argue that any punishment as justified retribution for behavior is cogent. In this essay, I address the question of whether understanding the neuroscience behind human behavior should alter our legal notion of responsibility. We will examine this query in greater detail, using violence as a case study, asking whether understanding the neuroscience underlying violent behavior impacts our notion of personal or legal culpability. I shall argue that it does not. I proceed by first briefly sketching what we know about human violence and the biology behind it. Then I turn to a quick discussion of psychopaths, their connections to violence, and what we think we know about the biology of their brains. Finally, I come to the question of whether we should consider violent people with specific brain abnormalities as mad or bad, which will feed into the question of whether such people are responsible for their criminal behavior. I conclude with some very general and very brief speculations on what this discussion has to tell us about nature of being human.
QT interval prolongation in end-stage liver disease cannot be explained by nonhepatic factors.

Introduction QT interval prolongation in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) is common. However, electrolyte abnormalities, renal insufficiency, treatment with QT-prolonging drugs, and other factors known to prolong QT interval independently of liver disease occur frequently in ESLD. Moreover, elevated heart rate may be present in ESLD and result in spurious QTc prolongation if the Bazett formula is used for rate correction. It thus remains unclear whether QT prolongation in ESLD is directly caused by liver failure, or indirectly by these confounding factors. Methods Medical records of all patients (n = 437) who received orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) at our institution between 2008 and 2011 were reviewed. Data from 51 patients with available pre-OLTx dobutamine stress echo (DSE), post-OLTx ECG and without nonhepatic factors affecting QT interval duration were analyzed. For each patient, QT versus RR regression line was calculated from ECG tracings obtained during DSE. The QT interval on post-OLTx ECG was compared with the pre-OLTx QT predicted by the regression line for the same RR interval. Results QT interval shortened significantly post-OLTx (from 394 ± 47 to 364 ± 45 ms at RR interval 750 ± 144 ms; P < 0.002) when compared using the regression method. Corrected QT intervals calculated by Bazett and Fridericia formulas also shortened. Patients with prolonged QT pre-OLTx had significantly higher INR and lower serum albumin. Conclusion ESLD impairs ventricular repolarization even in the absence of other known factors affecting repolarization. QT prolongation in ESLD is associated with impaired synthetic liver function.
Still the Heart of Darkness: The Ebola Virus and the Meta-Narrative of Disease in The Hot Zone

“Still the Heart of Darkness” analyzes Richard Preston's best-selling account of an Ebola virus outbreak in Reston, Virginia in 1989. Through a textual examination of The Hot Zone, this essay demonstrates how Preston grounds his narrative about the threat of rare emerging viruses from the third world in terms of the colonialist discourse about Africa as “the white man's grave,” most notably Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. By foregrounding previous outbreaks in Africa, Preston simultaneously darkens its landscape and inscribes the Ebola filovirus as an external biological threat to Americans in a post-Cold War world with porous borders.
The Ironic Dialectic in Yeats

UCH has been said about Yeats's mind working in terms of some­ thing akin to the Hegelian dialectical triad in which a thesis and antithesis find resolution in a synthesis. Hegel, in whom Yeats was read­ ing widely by the middle of the 1920's, and toward whom the poet main­ tained a strong ambivalence throughout his life, would have it that it is in this dialectical triad "and in the comprehension of the unity of oppo­ sites, or of the positive in the negative, that speculative knowledge con­ sists."l But for Yeats the various sets of opposites he found in the world remained unresolved no matter how hard he fought toward resolution. In the running battle he had with them, he always failed to synthesize the diverse virtues in his many-sided debate with himself. The theses and antitheses with which he struggled never attained triadic unity. Instead, they survived as a series of clashing binaries: art/nature; youth/age; body/soul; passion/wisdom; beast/man; a Nietzschean Apollonian/ Dionysian; revelation /civilization; poetry /responsibility; time /eternity; being/becoming; the heroic/the non-heroic; and, finally, the ultimate dialectic between antitheses themselves and a Platonically ideal realm where antitheses in the end are annihilated. Yet little or no attention has been given to a particular and particular­ ly interesting subgenre of this dialectical system of knowledge, which I shall call the ironic dialectic, and which for me strikes to the heart of what Yeats is all about. By irony here I do not mean a simple figure of speech or a linguistic trope. Rather, I mean a figure of (not necessarily always conscious) thought, a mode of perception, a deep recognition of the incongruities between appearance and reality. Throughout a good nurnber of Yeats's poems, and more so in his later and more Modernist ones than in his earlier and more Romantic ones, there exists a series of dialectical relationships that are essentially ironic in the way I use the word. Here one set of meanings in a poem or complex of poems func­ tion, either consciously or unconsciously, to disarm or deconstruct another and opposite or near-opposite set of meanings in a poem or complex of poems, thereby charging the poem or complex with a ten1. This quote is from an excerpt from Hegel's The Science of Logic, trans. W. H. Johnston and L. G. Struthers, which appears in M. C. Beardsley's The European Philosophers from Descartes to Nietzsche (New York: Modern Library, 1960), p. 636.
Identification of a potential tumor differentiation factor receptor candidate in prostate cancer cells

Tumor differentiation factor (TDF) is a pituitary protein that is secreted into the bloodstream and has an endocrine function. TDF and TDF-P1, a 20-residue peptide selected from the ORF of TDF, induce differentiation in human breast and prostate cancer cells, but not in other cells. TDF has no known mechanism of action. In our recent study, we identified heat shock 70 kDa proteins (HSP70s) as TDF receptors (TDF-Rs) in breast cancer cells. Therefore, we sought to investigate whether TDF-R candidates from prostate cancer cells are the same as those identified in breast cancer cells. Here, we used TDF-P1 to purify the potential TDF-R candidates by affinity purification chromatography from DU145 and PC3 steroid-resistant prostate cancer cells, LNCaP steroid-responsive prostate cancer cells, and nonprostate NG108 neuroblastoma and BLK CL.4 fibroblast-like cells. We identified the purified proteins by MS, and validated them by western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoaffinity purification chromatography, and structural biology. We identified seven candidate proteins, of which three were from the HSP70 family. These three proteins were validated as potential TDF-R candidates in LNCaP steroid-responsive and in DU145 and PC3 steroid-resistant prostate cancer cells, but not in NG108 neuroblastoma and BLK CL.4 fibroblast-like cells. Our previous study and the current study suggest that GRP78, and perhaps HSP70s, are strong TDF-R candidates, and further suggest that TDF interacts with its receptors exclusively in breast and prostate cells, inducing cell differentiation through a novel, steroid-independent pathway. Structured digital abstract • TDF-P1 physicallyinteracts with GRP78and HSP70 by pulldown (Viewinteraction) • GRP78 binds to TDF-P1 by antibaitcoimmunoprecipitation (Viewinteraction) • TDF-P1 physicallyinteracts with GRP78, HSP8, HSP70, HSP90-beta, Sequestosome1 and valosin-containing-protein by pulldown (Viewinteraction)
Reasoning about uncertainty in prognosis: a confidence prediction neural network approach

Uncertainty representation and management is the Achilles heel of fault prognosis in condition based management systems. Long-term prediction of the time to failure of critical military and industrial systems entails large-grain uncertainty that must be represented effectively and managed efficiently, i.e. as more data becomes available, means must be devised to narrow or "shrink" the uncertainty bounds. Prediction accuracy and precision are typical performance metrics employed to access the performance of prognostic algorithms. That is, we would like the predicted time to failure to be as close as possible to the real one. Also, the bounds or limits of uncertainty must be as "narrow" as possible. This paper introduces a novel confidence prediction neural network construct with a confidence distribution node based on a Parzen estimate to represent uncertainty and a learning algorithm implemented as a lazy or Q-learning routine that improves online prognostics estimates. The approach is illustrated with test and simulation results obtained from a faulty helicopter planetary gear plate.
Evaluation of general intellectual function, attention, executive function, verbal abilities, and visuospatial and visuoconstructive abilities

This chapter describes the various tests that are used for computing the general intellectual function of verbal abilities, executive function, and viso-constructive abilities of older adults. For each test, the purpose and general procedures for administration and scoring are described, with references to documents providing additional details. For some instruments, suggestions for clinically useful extensions of the standard tests are also provided. The interpretation of test findings is discussed, including those distinguishing different neurobehavioral disorders and the neuro-anatomical basis for test performance. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) is used to obtain a comprehensive measure of general intellectual function. In addition to producing measures of Full-Scale, Verbal, and Performance IQ (FSIQ, VIQ, PIQ), the WAIS-III generates index scores identified as reflecting verbal comprehension, perceptual organization, working memory, and processing speed. Among the various tests, test scoring is straightforward, involving computation of the total number of correct responses. Impaired performance on this test suggests the presence of dysfunction in the right brain hemisphere. Clock drawing is a brief, easily administered test of visuo-spatial and visuo-constructive ability, which may also contribute to assessment of executive function and memory. There are several versions of clock drawing tests, which vary in the nature of instructions given to the patient.
Replication Process of the Parvovirus H-1 III. Factors Affecting H-1 RF DNA Synthesis

Abstract Replication of the single-stranded DNA parvovirus H-1 involves the synthesis of a double-stranded DNA replicative form (RF). In this study, the metabolism of RF DNA was examined in parasynchronous hamster embryo cells. The initiation of RF DNA replication was found to occur late in S phase, as was the synthesis of the DNA upon which subsequent viral hemagglutinin synthesis is dependent. Evidence is presented which indicates that initiation of RF replication requires proteins synthesized in late S phase, but that concomittant protein synthesis is not required for the continuation of RF replication. The data also suggest a requirement for viral protein(s) for progeny strand synthesis. Incorporation of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BUdR) into viral DNA resulted in an “all-or-none” inhibition of viral hemagglutinin and viral antigen synthesis. BUdR inactivation of viral protein function was used to explore the time of synthesis of viral DNA serving as template for viral RNA synthesis and the effect of viral protein on RF replication and progeny strand synthesis. Results of this study suggest that parental RF DNA is synthesized shortly after infection, and that viral mRNA is transcribed from only a few copies of the viral genome in each cell. They also support the conclusion that viral protein is inhibitory to RF DNA replication. Density labeling of RF DNA with BUdR, allowing separation of viral strand DNA (V) from viral complementary strand (C), provided additional data in support of the above findings.
A STUDY OF SEAM LEAKAGE IN COATED FABRICS

Abstract : Extensive investigations of sewn seams in coated fabrics have been conducted. The relative roll of thread, sewing machine components, stitch and seam types and properties of fabrics have been evaluated as parameters involved in seam leakage. Utilization of various experimental seam constructions, gasketing, application of heat during seam sewing and other techniques were attempted as potentially useful approaches in combating seam leakage.
The Method of Experimental Economics

There are many similarities between experimental economics and psychological research, both substantive and methodological, but there are important differences as well. This article discusses five methodological areas where experimental economists and experimental psychologists differ:incentives, context, subject pools, deception, experimental details and data analysis. Within each topic I present the economists' methodology and rationale and contrast it with current practice in psychology and management research. My hope is that this article will lead not only to a deeper understanding of each field's choice of methodology, but also to practical advice for researchers toward having their work read and accepted by their colleagues in related disciplines.
The method of contractor directions for partial differential equations

Abstract A further development of the concept of contractor directions is presented. An application of the method of specialized contractor directions to local existence theorems for general nonlinear equations and to solutions of some partial differential equations is discussed. An implicit function theorem of the type investigated by Nash, Schwartz and Moser follows.
An Image Processing Computer Which Learns By Example

The cytocomputer, an image processing computer employing logical neighborhood operations similar to cellular automata transition functions has been developed. Various sequences of cytocomputer operations transform a primitive image configuration (a single dot) into various geometric shapes. A system has been developed which, when presented with an image containing some shape, produces a sequence of cytocomputer operations which generates that shape. The system uses a genetic algorithm to find the correct sequence of operations. In the genetic algorithm, strings of cytocomputer commands play the role of chromosomes, and undergo reproduction, crossover, and mutation in a process that mimics the scheme evolution uses to find increasingly fit biological organisms. The commands for generating a shape, once known, can be transformed for use in a pattern matching process which detects the presence of the shape in an image.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.