cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Grade Carotid Stenosis: Implications of MR Imaging

Although treatment guidelines are well established for symptomatic patients with greater than 69% carotid stenosis on catheter angiography, optimal management of lower degrees of stenosis remain unclear. Vessel wall MR imaging of the carotid arteries has proved helpful in the evaluation of plaque burden and vulnerable plaque characteristics, and in stratifying risk in low-grade carotid stenosis. This article discusses the pathophysiology and imaging of atherosclerotic plaques resulting in low-grade carotid stenosis, and the corresponding stroke risk and association with plaque elsewhere in the cardiovascular system.
The Relationships Among Porter Five Forces, Generic Strategies, Ansoff Growth Strategies & Strategy Methods in an IT Industry – A Conceptual Paper

Non-consumer enterprise IT hardware e.g. server, storage and network is the industry focus for this research because in the past decades there are many instances of strategy methods being adopted e.g. organic growth / internal development, mergers & acquisitions, alliance, joint development and divestment. These include: HP internally developed Moonshot servers, Cisco acquired Tandberg, HP acquired Compaq, 3Com and 3PAR, IBM acquired DataPower and XIV, Juniper acquired Netscreen, Oracle acquired Sun, Cisco-EMC alliance, Dell-EMC alliance, IBM-Juniper alliance, HP-Intel joint development of Itanium server chips, IBM divested PC and Infoprint printer. Despite there are research on individual Porter 5 Forces, Generic Strategies, Ansoff Growth Strategies, Strategy Methods and their respective effects, there is still lack of empirical research on how individual components, within each forces or strategies are related together. The conceptual framework of this research underpinned on the above theoretical frameworks to evaluate how they can impact the three strategy methods i.e. internal development, acquisition and joint development.
Relational Teaching with Boys

BOOK REVIEW Michael Reichert and Richard Hawley. 2014. I Can Learn from You: Boys as Relational Learners . Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press. 216 pp. ISBN: 9781612506647
Type II glucocorticoid receptors in the CNS regulate metabolism in ob/ob mice independent of protein synthesis

A single intracerebroventricular injection of dexamethasone rapidly (within 30 min) decreases brown adipose tissue thermogenesis by 25% as assessed by GDP binding and increases plasma insulin twofold in adrenalectomized ob/ob mice. The present study investigated the type of corticoid receptor(s) that mediate these effects and determined whether protein synthesis was necessary for expression of these glucocorticoid actions in ob/ob mice. Intracerebroventricular injection of aldosterone (a type I-corticoid receptor agonist) was ineffective in altering peripheral metabolism in adrenalectomized ob/ob mice, whereas RU-486 (a type II-corticoid receptor antagonist) abolished the effects of dexamethasone. Thus type II-like corticoid receptors, not type I receptors, mediated the rapid effects of dexamethasone in adrenalectomized ob/ob mice. Anisomycin (0.5 mg) administered subcutaneously almost completely suppressed (-92%) cerebral protein synthesis, but anisomycin did not abolish the rapid effects of dexamethasone in adrenalectomized ob/ob mice. Thus protein synthesis is not a prerequisite for rapid effects of dexamethasone in adrenalectomized ob/ob mice.
3D reflection imaging of the deep basement in southeastern New Mexico from normally discarded portions of a vibrosesis oil exploration survey

Due to advances in recording capabilities, seismic data for land oil-industry surveys is now often recorded continuously. A large portion of these data is usually discarded since it is not directly used for conventional imaging purposes. However, there is a growing consensus that these "surplus" recordings contain a variety of useful information about the subsurface, especially for academic seismologists but also for oil explorers. This paper presents an example of extraction of 3D information about the deep crust from such recordings. In this case the deep information was retrieved from a post-harvest but precorrelation dataset by means of extended correlation. Although signal penetration in this particular area is limited by an extremely thick (>20,000 ft) overlying sedimentary cover, the exercise demonstrates the tremendous potential of systematically mining the rapidly expanding database of continuously recorded oil exploration data, and the clear need to preserve rather than discard the unconventional portions of those records.
Is the Puerto Rican Parrot Worth Saving? The Biopolitics of Endangerment and Grievability

“Is the Puerto Rican Worth Saving? The Biopolitics of Endangerment and Grievability” describes how threatened species lists elevate listed nonhuman species from the realm of biological life into that of a political life that is both worth saving and worth grieving. The chapter provides a novel perspective on the biopolitics of lists that highlights both their affirmative properties and their acute relevance for understanding the governance of entire nonhuman species.
Fabrication and Characterization of CoFe2O4-Polymer Nanocomposite Thin-Films

Magnetic cobalt ferrite nanoparticles provide a pathway towards nanocomposites, due to the ability to fabricate particle-matrix thin films in the submicron range. In this work flexible particulate 0-3 type thin-films, composed of magnetic CoFe2O4 particles (8-18 nm) and ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (P(VDF-HFP)) polymer, have been fabricated via multiple spin-coating. The thickness of the thin-films was controlled in the range of 500 nm to 1.2 μm, with magnetic particles dispersively embedded in the polymer matrix. Structural information was analyzed by TEM, XRD, HRTEM and SEM. The dielectric and magnetic properties of the cobalt ferrite/copolymer thin films are systematically investigated. The nanocomposite thin films exhibit composition-dependent effective permittivity and loss tangent, as well as temperature and composition-dependent specific saturation magnetization (Ms). The coercivity (Hc) was not affected by the composite’s composition. These films have great potential in smart magnetic devices and biomagnetic applications.
Correlation Between Kidney Muramidase Activity and Plasma Iron Removal in Rats with Walker-256 Garcinosarcoma.

SummaryMuramidase activity in kidney increases progressively for 16 days after implantation of Walker-256 carcinosarcoma into rats. A similar progressive increase in rate of iron removal from plasma was found in these rats. At 16 days both muramidase activity and iron removal were increased 4 times above control values. A relation between kidney muramidase and hemopoietic activity is suggested.
Problems and Countermeasures for Operation and Control of Weak Electromagnetic Loops

Electromagnetic loops are inevitable in the development of power systems.However,the system operates with great risks when there are weak electromagnetic loops in a power grid.Based on an examination of problems and countermeasures for operation and control of weak electromagnetic loops,three main characteristics of weak electromagnetic loops are summarized and four main problems are brought up.Then the four problems are studied respectively,and corresponding countermeasures are proposed.Several practical examples of weak electromagnetic loops are given.Simulation results show that the proposed countermeasures are effective and helpful to research on operation and control of weak electromagnetic loops.
KINETICS OF THE REDUCTION OF CYSTINE AND RELATED DITHIO (R-S-S-R) ACIDS BY REVERSIBLE OXIDATION-REDUCTION SYSTEMS

The reduction of cystine and related dithio acids (R-S-S-R) to thiol acids (R-S-H) presents an interesting phase in the study of the oxidation and reduction properties of the cysteine-cystine and other dithio-thiol acid systems. Reaction rates of the reduction of these compounds by the reversible chromous-chromic and vanadous-vanadic systems, have been determined under various conditions of concentrations of reactants, acidity, temperature, and oxidation-reduction potentials of the reducing system. Information of particular biochemical interest has been obtained regarding the possible mechanism of the reduction of R-S-S-R to R-S-H, the nature of the apparent reversibility of the system, and the effect of the constitution of the attached groups on the ease of reduction of R-S-S-R to R-S-H. Also of interest is the effect of the oxidation-reduction potential of the reagent on the rate of the reduction. The “reduction” potentials of cysteine and other thiol compounds and their reaction towards various oxidizing agents have been extensively investigated in recent years but the “oxidation” potential and oxidizing properties of cystine and dithio acids (R-S-S-R) have received but little attention apparently for the reason that cystine and the other dithio compounds appeared to be relatively unreactive under the conditions studied. Dixon and Quastel (7), Michaelis and Flexner (13), and Kendall
The Theory of Investment

Keynes characterized his contribution as “a theory of why output and employment are so liable to fluctuation” (QJE, p. 221). In the “pure” theory, where government and foreign demand are ignored, employment depends upon consumption and investment demand. Consumption demand is passive, as it “depends mainly on the level of income” (QJE, p. 219), that is, on the sum of consumption and investment demand.
LanCL proteins are not Involved in Lanthionine Synthesis in Mammals

LanC-like (LanCL) proteins are mammalian homologs of bacterial LanC enzymes, which catalyze the addition of the thiol of Cys to dehydrated Ser residues during the biosynthesis of lanthipeptides, a class of natural products formed by post-translational modification of precursor peptides. The functions of LanCL proteins are currently unclear. A recent proposal suggested that LanCL1 catalyzes the addition of the Cys of glutathione to protein- or peptide-bound dehydroalanine (Dha) to form lanthionine, analogous to the reaction catalyzed by LanC in bacteria. Lanthionine has been detected in human brain as the downstream metabolite lanthionine ketimine (LK), which has been shown to have neuroprotective effects. In this study, we tested the proposal that LanCL1 is involved in lanthionine biosynthesis by constructing LanCL1 knock-out mice and measuring LK concentrations in their brains using a mass spectrometric detection method developed for this purpose. To investigate whether other LanCL proteins (LanCL2/3) may confer a compensatory effect, triple knock-out (TKO) mice were also generated and tested. Very similar concentrations of LK (0.5–2.5 nmol/g tissue) were found in LanCL1 knock-out, TKO and wild type (WT) mouse brains, suggesting that LanCL proteins are not involved in lanthionine biosynthesis.
Leveraging exceptions and limitations for digital curation and online collections: the U.S. case

Librarians wanting to use digital affordances for their patron’s and public benefit have increasingly found themselves frustrated by copyright law designed for a pre-digital era. In the U.S., this frustration has driven the nation’s most prestigious library group, the Association of Research Libraries, to explore the utility of the major exception to copyright monopoly rights, fair use, in order to accomplish basic curation and collection goals in a digital era. The ARL’s efforts to clarify how libraries can employ fair use has resulted in sometimes-dramatic changes in how work is done, and has permitted innovation at some universities. Its approach demonstrates the power of consensus in a professional field to permit innovation within the law.
Improving mass assignments in quadrupole ion traps operated using ac scans: Theory and experimental validation

Abstract Two theoretically equivalent methods of improving mass assignments in quadrupole ion traps operated using ac frequency scans are described side-by-side. Both use the inverse Mathieu q scan under constant rf conditions. In a first method, the ac amplitude is varied quadratically as a function of the Mathieu q parameter so as to force mass shifts to be constant with respect to ion m/ z, thereby giving a precisely linear relationship between m / z and time. The average mass error improves by a factor of four when using the quadratic regression of ac amplitude vs. Mathieu q compared to constant ac amplitude conditions, assuming a linear mass calibration procedure. The quadratic relationship is also predicted by theory. In a second, simpler method, the ac signal amplitude is kept constant during the inverse Mathieu q scan and a quadratic relationship between m / z and time is used for mass calibration. Although the mass calibration is not linear in this case, the complicated amplitude optimization process is bypassed while retaining the same degree of mass accuracy. Importantly, in this case no parameter aside from the overall ac amplitude needs to be optimized, which is an advantage over the standard resonance ejection method in which the ac amplitude must be optimized for a given rf amplitude scan. Average mass error as low as 0.1 Da is shown to be possible in the two ac scan methods, which compares reasonably well with commercial resonance ejection data. This performance is adequate for ion traps used on planetary exploration missions and other in situ measurements, for which the ac frequency scanning method is particularly applicable.
Improved rectal dosimetry with the use of SpaceOAR during high-dose-rate brachytherapy.

Abstract Purpose Hydrogel spacers have been suggested to limit rectal radiation dose with improvements in clinical outcomes in patients undergoing external beam radiation treatment for prostate cancer. No studies to date have assessed the utility and dosimetric effect of SpaceOAR (Augmenix, Inc, Waltham, MA), the only Food and Drug Administration–approved hydrogel rectal spacer, for high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy. Methods Eighteen consecutive patients scheduled for HDR brachytherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer underwent transperineal ultrasound-guided placement of 10 cc of SpaceOAR hydrogel following catheter implantation. Treatment plans were generated using an inverse planning simulated annealing algorithm. Rectal dosimetry for these 18 patients was compared with the 36 preceding patients treated with HDR brachytherapy without SpaceOAR. Results Fifty-four plans were analyzed. There was no difference in age, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen, Gleason score, clinical stage, prostate volume, or contoured rectal volume between those who received SpaceOAR and those who did not. Patients who received SpaceOAR hydrogel had significantly lower dose to the rectum as measured by percent of contoured organ at risk (median, V80 Conclusions Transperineal insertion of SpaceOAR hydrogel at the time of HDR brachytherapy is feasible and decreases rectal radiation dose. Further investigation is needed to assess the clinical impact of this dosimetric improvement and potential toxicity reduction.
Tuberous Sclerosis and Other mTORopathies

Abstract Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is one of the most common causes of epilepsy due to a single-gene defect. Recent insights into the genetics and pathophysiology of TSC have identified the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway as a central mediator of epileptogenesis, implicating mTOR inhibitors as a potential novel treatment for epilepsy in TSC. Furthermore, mTOR has also been implicated in other genetic diseases associated with epilepsy, collectively labeled “mTORopathies.” A large number of animal models of TSC and related epilepsies due to mTORopathies have been generated, including heterozygous Tsc1 and Tsc2 mutants and a variety of conditional and inducible knockouts in different cell types in the brain. These animal models have revealed important information about cellular and molecular mechanisms of epileptogenesis in TSC and related mTORopathies and suggest potential novel therapeutic approaches for treating epilepsy in these disorders.
Discrete-Time Formulation for Optimal Impact Control in Interaction Tasks

Lightweight manipulators are increasingly involved in industrial scenarios due to their intrinsic safety features allowing to share working space and to cooperate with humans/robots. In particular, interaction tasks are one of their main application. In fact, by imposing a compliant behavior (at software or hardware level) a target interaction can be tracked while ensuring safety during the whole task. Despite the wide range of control strategies developed to face the interaction control problem, the limited control frequency and the measurements noise (especially considering the estimation of end-effector wrenchs from joint side measurements/estimation) are the main limitation in order to achieve improved interaction tracking performance. This paper presents a discrete time formulation for impedance controlled tasks granting a free-overshoot contact force throughout the whole contact phase between the robot and a partially unknown environment, involving finite sampling and force measurements filtering. Moreover, since many applications require the manipulator to approach the not well-known positioned target environment, the proposed algorithm is capable to avoid any force overshoot during the initial contact phase, taking into account non-zero approaching velocities. The main control structure is used in both the free-motion and contact phases, without switching from different control laws, by properly optimizing the control gains solving the defined LQR optimal control problem. A probing task has been carried out in order to validate the control performance with particular attention to the smoothness of the response. Results show the avoidance of force overshoots and instabilities. Moreover, the method has been compared to a continuous time control algorithm, showing improved performance.
A stability region criterion for flat-footed bipedal walking on deformable granular terrain

Achieving stable bipedal robotic walking on deformable terrain is an open and challenging problem at the intersection of robotics and physics. Ground deformation introduces underactuation; uncertainty in terrain dynamics further complicates dynamical modeling and control methods. This work provides a stability criterion for flat-footed bipedal locomotion and allows model-based control methods to function on homogeneous deformable granular terrain (e.g. sand and dirt). By characterizing static reaction forces from granular materials, in conjunction with granular resistive force theory (RFT), we model and validate a static stability region for the center of mass (CoM) projection of a biped on a granular surface. We show that this stability region approximates the admissible Zero Moment Point (ZMP) region for walking, rendering common Linear Inverted Pendulum Model (LIPM) methods valid with our foot placement strategy. By interpreting the stability region as the maximum reaction moment of the terrain, we formulate walking as a hybrid dynamical system and utilize the partial hybrid zero dynamics (PHZD) based methodology to generate walking gaits. Finally, we experimentally validate both the ZMP and PHZD walking gaits on a planar bipedal robot, showing that the stability region criterion permits stable dynamic walking on homogeneous granular terrain.
Comparative sensitivity and inhibitor tolerance of GlobalFiler® PCR Amplification and Investigator® 24plex QS kits for challenging samples.

In cases such as mass disasters or missing persons, human remains are challenging to identify as they may be fragmented, burnt, been buried, decomposed, and/or contain inhibitory substances. This study compares the performance of a relatively new STR kit in the US market (Investigator® 24plex QS kit; Qiagen) with the GlobalFiler® PCR Amplification kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific) when genotyping highly inhibited and low level DNA samples. In this study, DNA samples ranging from 1 ng to 7.8 pg were amplified to define the sensitivity of two systems. In addition, DNA (1 ng and 0.1 ng input amounts) was spiked with various concentrations of five inhibitors common to human remains (humic acid, melanin, hematin, collagen, calcium). Furthermore, bone (N = 5) and tissue samples from decomposed human remains (N = 6) were used as mock casework samples for comparative analysis with both STR kits. The data suggest that the GlobalFiler® kit may be slightly more sensitive than the Investigator® kit. On average STR profiles appeared to be more balanced and average peak heights were higher when using the GlobalFiler® kit. However, the data also show that the Investigator® kit may be more tolerant to common PCR inhibitors. While both STR kits showed a decrease in alleles as the inhibitor concentration increased, more complete profiles were obtained when the Investigator® kit was used. Of the 11 bone and decomposed tissue samples tested, 8 resulted in more complete and balanced STR profiles when amplified with the GlobalFiler® kit.
L’intuition délirante comme phénomène élémentaire de la psychose

Resume Objectifs Cet article vise a mieux cerner, a mieux delimiter le concept d’intuition delirante, sous l’angle de la psychiatrie et de la psychanalyse. Nous questionnerons le terme meme d’« intuition » pour nous demander s’il doit etre maintenu. Nous nous demanderons egalement si l’intuition delirante se revele propre a une forme de psychose en particulier. Methode Nous commencerons avec une revue de la litterature psychiatrique et psychanalytique. Cet apercu historique permet de se degager du phenomene de l’intuition delirante comme tel, et d’interroger plutot celui-ci comme un element de la structure psychotique faisant irruption dans le reel. Resultats L’apport de la psychanalyse a permis de considerer l’intuition delirante comme un phenomene elementaire, comme un moment de declenchement tres particulier de la psychose. En effet, ce declenchement soudain – qui ne produit pas les effets destabilisants classiques – semble immediatement satisfaire le sujet, lui apporter une reponse, une solution – dans la revelation ou l’illumination – qui ne demande pas d’autres explications, justifications ou interpretations delirantes. Discussion La discussion, avec l’appui des references psychanalytiques, questionne les rapports entre intuition delirante et type de psychose, entre l’intuition et l’interpretation, entre declenchement classique (qui, a grands traits, va de l’enigme, de la perplexite a la certitude) et ce declenchement particulier qui semble aller dans un mouvement inverse. Conclusion L’intuition delirante est un phenomene elementaire qui s’impose au sujet dans toute sa certitude, avec un caractere d’evidence, qui est decrit parfois comme moment d’illumination. C’est un phenomene qui se complete le plus souvent d’interpretations delirantes. Ce type de declenchement de la psychose est particulier au sens ou il n’a pas pour consequence une destabilisation de la structure. Sa fonction semble etre celle d’une prothese qui protegerait le sujet – d’emblee et sous la forme de la revelation, de la signification des choses et du monde en general – d’une possible desorganisation.
REVIEW: Activation of Muscarinic Receptor Signaling by Bile Acids: Physiological and Medical Implications

Besides their known physiological actions, bile acids are signaling molecules that alter cell function by interacting with muscarinic and nuclear receptors. Bile acid interaction with nuclear receptors modulates bile acid and cholesterol metabolism, whereas the potential consequences of muscarinic receptor activation are much broader. This review examines recent discoveries regarding bile acid interaction with muscarinic receptors. Selective and functional bile acid interaction has been reported with M3 receptors expressed in guinea pig gastric chief cells, human colon cancer cells, and transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. Interaction of bile acids with chief cells may contribute to mucosal damage and other pathophysiological consequences of bile reflux. Bile acid-induced stimulation of muscarinic receptors on colon cancer cells may contribute to cellular proliferation and neoplasia. Potential consequences of bile acid interaction with muscarinic receptors on gastrointestinal myocytes, biliary epithelium, vascular endothelium and dermal neurons are discussed. Elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying interaction of bile acids with muscarinic receptors may suggest new treatments for conditions that result from such interactions.
Anatomy, Embryology, and Pathophysiology

This chapter focuses on the anatomy, embryology, and pathophysiology associated with hypopharyngeal diverticula. It discusses in detail the anatomy, development, and histology of the disease process and examines current knowledge related to cricopharyngeal muscle manometry and disorders of this muscle.
Speeded Saccadic Eye Movement Predicts Symbol Digit Modalities Test Performance in Multiple Sclerosis (P4.330)

Objective: Speeded Saccadic Eye Movement Predicts Symbol Digit Modalities Test Performance in Multiple Sclerosis Background: Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune demyelinating disease with estimates of cognitive impairment above 30% in pediatric and 50% in adult patients. The SDMT, a widely-used screening tool that measures speeded information processing, has been used to track cognitive decline in MS. The K-D test is a brief measure of saccadic eye movement speed using a timed number naming test, commonly used for the detection of mild traumatic brain injury. Here, we tested the sensitivity of the K-D test in MS and its association with performance on the SDMT. Design/Methods: Adult and pediatric patients with clinically-definite MS were consecutively recruited through the NYU Langone MS Comprehensive Care Center. All participants completed the SDMT and K-D at a single visit. Results: A total of 30 participants completed the assessments ranging in age from 13 to 72 years (mean 38 ± 19 years), were 74% female, and with an EDSS range 0.0 to 6.5. Relative to age normative data, the K-D indicated greater impairment than the SDMT (74% vs. 48%, respectively). Controlling for age, both tests were significantly correlated (r=0.44, p =0.02), demonstrating a close contribution of oculomotor function to SDMT performance. Conclusions: The K-D test is sensitive to detecting impairment in MS across the lifespan. Performance on the SDMT is closely associated with oculomotor function in MS. Study Supported by: The Lourie Center for Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Disclosure: Dr. Baner has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schwarz has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shaw has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nolan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Krupp has received licensing and/or royalty fees from Johnson and Johnson, AbbVie, and Grifols. Dr. Balcer has personal compensation for activities with Biogen. Dr. Charvet has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen as a consultant. Dr. Charvet holds stock and/or stock options with Johnson & Johnson. Dr. Charvet has received research support from Novartis and Biogen.
The Effect of Exercise on Oxygen Content in Anemic Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background:Anemia is reported in one-third of the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Anemia, by decreasing oxygen content, can be a contributing factor for hypoxemia. We de...
On the Philosophy of Religion

But how can one discuss matters of religion without substantive commitments? How can one proceed neutrally committed here and avoid any doctrinal undertakings? The answer lies in yet another virtue that should characterize the philosophy of religion: doctrinal neutrality in regard to religious matters. Philosophy of religion, that is to say, should focus on the fundamentals of religious belief rather than its doctrinal specifics. Consideration does not require affirmation; understanding does not enjoin acceptance. And so here as elsewhere clarification sidelines unrealistic expectations.
A computational fluid dynamics investigation of subsonic wing designs for unmanned aerial vehicle application

The wing of an unmanned aerial vehicle, RQ-7 Shadow, is modified to study the changes in the aerodynamics of the wing. The main focus is to investigate the effects of changing the components of win...
YpeB dimerization may be required to stabilize SleB for effective germination of Bacillus anthracis spores

Bacillus cells faced with unfavorable environmental conditions undergo an asymmetric division process ultimately leading to the formation of the bacterial spore. In some instances the spore serves as an infectious agent; such is the case with the spore of Bacillus anthracis and the disease anthrax. Spores are resistant to a variety of environment conditions including traditional decontamination techniques due to the formation of specialized cellular structures. One such structure, the spore cortex, is a thick layer of modified peptidoglycan that contributes to spore dormancy through maintenance of the dehydrated state of the spore core. During spore germination, degradation of the cortex is required to facilitate complete hydration of the core and a return to vegetative growth. Degradation of the cortex is accomplished through the action of germination-specific lytic enzymes. One of these enzymes, SleB, has been previously shown to require the presence of the YpeB protein for its stable incorporation and subsequent function in spores of B. anthracis. The focus of the present study is to identify protein interactions of YpeB through in vivo chemical cross-linking and two-hybrid analysis. Conserved residues within YpeB PepSY domains were altered to facilitate implementation of a site-specific chemical cross-linker, 4-Azidophenacyl bromide. Analyses of crosslinked-spore extracts suggests that YpeB exists as a dimer or larger multimer within the spore, potentially mediated through interactions of the C-terminal domains. Spores expressing stable truncated forms of YpeB were crosslinked and corresponding truncated dimers were detected. Further characterization of individual YpeB domains using bacterial two-hybrid analysis indicated a possible role for both N-and C-terminal domains in YpeB oligomerization. The YpeB protein likely exists as dimer or higher-order multimer in the dormant spore. Both the N- and C-terminal YpeB domains contribute to multimerization. SleB likely also exists as an oligomer, and SleB and YpeB may be found together within a protein complex. Disassembly of this complex during spore germination likely allows SleB to become active in spore cortex degradation. Further study of this protein complex may contribute to the development of methods to inhibit or stimulate germination, allowing more effective spore decontamination.
Pathogenicity and Competitive Fitness of Salmonella enterica Serovar 4,[5],12:i:- Compared to Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Derby in Swine

Since 2014, Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- has emerged as the most common serovar of Salmonella enterica identified from swine samples submitted to veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States. To compare the pathogenicity of S. 4,[5],12:i:- in swine to the known pathogenic Salmonella Typhimurium and lesser pathogenic Salmonella Derby, 72 pigs (20 per Salmonella serovar treatment and 12 controls) were inoculated with either S. Typhimurium, S. 4,[5],12:i:-, S. Derby, or sham-inoculated and followed for up to 28 days thereafter via rectal temperature, fecal scoring, and fecal culture. Animals were euthanized on days 2, 4, or 28 to determine the gross and histopathologic signs of disease and tissue colonization. The results clearly demonstrate that for the isolates selected, serovar 4,[5],12:i:- possesses similar ability as serovar Typhimurium to cause clinical disease, colonize the tonsils and ileocecal lymph nodes, and be shed in the feces of infected swine past resolution of clinical disease. To compare the competitive fitness of S. 4,[5],12:i:- to S. Typhimurium in swine when co-infected, 12 pigs were co-inoculated with equal concentrations of both S. Typhimurium and S. 4,[5],12:i and followed for up to 10 days thereafter. When co-inoculated, serovar 4,[5],12:i:- was consistently detected in the feces of a higher percentage of pigs and at higher concentrations than serovar Typhimurium, suggesting an increased competitive fitness of 4,[5],12:i:- relative to serovar Typhimurium when inoculated simultaneously into naive pigs. Whole genome sequencing analysis of the isolates used in these studies revealed similar virulence factor presence in all S. 4,[5],12:i:- and S. Typhimurium isolates, but not S. Derby, providing additional evidence for similar pathogenicity potential between serovars 4,[5],12:i:- and Typhimurium. Altogether, this data strongly supports the hypothesis that S. 4,[5],12:i:- is a pathogen of swine and suggests a mechanism through increased competitive fitness for the increasing identification of Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- in swine diagnostic samples over the past several years.
Estrogen receptor alpha mutations in breast cancer cells cause gene expression changes through constant activity and through secondary effects

Abstract While breast cancer patients with tumors that express estrogen receptor α (ER) generally respond well to hormone therapies that block ER’s actions, a significant number relapse. Approximately 30% of these recurrences harbor activating mutations in ER’s ligand binding domain (LBD). ER mutations have been shown to confer ligand-independent function to ER; however, much is still unclear regarding the effect of mutant ER beyond its estrogen independence. To investigate mutant ER’s molecular effects, we developed multiple isogenic ER mutant cell lines for the most common ER LBD mutations, Y537S and D538G. We found that these mutations induce differential expression of thousands of genes, the majority of which are mutant allele-specific and are not observed upon estrogen treatment of wildtype cells. The mutant-specific genes show consistent differential expression across ER mutant lines developed in other laboratories. The observed gene expression changes cannot be explained by constitutive ER activity alone, as wildtype cells with long-term estrogen exposure only exhibit some of these transcriptional changes, suggesting that mutant ER causes novel regulatory effects that are not simply due to constant activity. While ER mutations have minor effects on ER genomic binding, with the exception of ligand independence, we observed substantial differences in chromatin accessibility due to ER mutations. Mutant ER is bound to approximately a quarter of mutant-enriched accessible regions that are enriched for other DNA binding factors including FOXA1, CTCF, and OCT1. Our findings indicate that mutant ER causes several consistent effects on gene expression both indirectly and through constant activity.
Smartphone experience, satisfaction, and referral: an ecosystem perspective

Following an ecosystem perspective and drawing on the stimulus-organism-response model, this research examines how experiential stimuli, including consumers’ experiences with their smartphones, pho...
Coronary Artery Anomalies Are Associated With Increased Mortality After Truncus Arteriosus Repair.

Background Truncus arteriosus is associated with coronary anomalies. We identified coronary artery lesions in patients undergoing repair of truncus arteriosus, defined the impact of lesions on mortality, and studied the effect of surgical intervention of coronary lesions. Methods A retrospective review identified 107 patients with truncus repair (1995-2019). Coronary lesions were categorized as ostial stenosis, intramural, juxtacommissural origin, and single coronary. Survival analysis characterized survival after truncus repair and studied the association of coronary lesions and mortality. Results Among 107 patients with truncus repair 34 patients had at least 1 coronary lesion. Median follow-up time was 7 years, with 85% 5-year survival. Coronary lesions including ostial stenosis, intramurality, and juxtacommissural origin were associated with increased mortality, whereas single coronaries did not impact survival. Eleven patients had 1 coronary lesion and 6 patients with 2 coronary lesions had similar (80% and 83%, respectively) 5-year survival. Eight patients with 3 coronary lesions had 24% 5-year survival (P = .0003). Among patients with 1 or 2 lesions, surgical intervention on the coronary lesions tended to be associated with longer 5-year survival (100% vs 62%, respectively; P = .06). All patients with 3 lesions underwent coronary artery intervention, with 24% 5-year survival. Conclusions Impact of coronary lesions on mortality after truncus repair increases with the number of lesions. Coronary artery intervention may be associated with improved time-related survival among patients with 1 or 2 lesions. Patients with the most complex anomalies (3 lesions) have poor survival and warrant ongoing study of repair techniques.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival: Emergence of a Clinically Distinct Hispanic Black Population.

OBJECTIVE To understand the impact of Black race on breast cancer (BC) presentation, treatment, and survival among Hispanics. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA It is well-documented that non-Hispanic Blacks (NHB) present with late-stage disease, are less likely to complete treatment, and have worse survival compared to their non-Hispanic White (NHW) counterparts. However, no data evaluates whether this disparity extends to Hispanic Blacks (HB) and Hispanic Whites (HW). Given our location in Miami, gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, we have the diversity to evaluate BC outcomes in HB and HW. METHODS Retrospective cohort study of stage I-IV BC patients treated at our institution from 2005-2017. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated and compared using the log-rank test. Multivariable survival models were computed using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS Race/ethnicity distribution of 5951 patients: 28% NHW, 51% HW, 3% HB, and 18% NHB. HB were more economically disadvantaged, had more aggressive disease, and less treatment compliant compared to HW. 5-year OS by race/ethnicity was: 85% NHW, 84.8% HW, 79.4% HB, and 72.7% NHB (P < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, NHB was an independent predictor of worse OS [hazard ratio:1.25 (95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.52), P < 0.041)]. CONCLUSIONS In this first comprehensive analysis of HB and HW, HB have worse OS compared to HW, suggesting that race/ethnicity is a complex variable acting as a proxy for tumor and host biology, as well as individual and neighborhood-level factors impacted by structural racism. This study identifies markers of vulnerability associated with Black race and markers of resiliency associated with Hispanic ethnicity to narrow a persistent BC survival gap.
Interfacial hydration determines orientational and functional dimorphism of sterol-derived Raman tags in lipid-coated nanoparticles

Lipid-coated noble metal nanoparticles (L-NPs) combine the biomimetic surface properties of a self-assembled lipid membrane with the plasmonic properties of a nanoparticle (NP) core. In this work, we investigate derivatives of cholesterol, which can be found in high concentrations in biological membranes, and other terpenoids, as tunable, synthetic platforms to functionalize L-NPs. Side chains of different length and polarity, with a terminal alkyne group as Raman label, are introduced into cholesterol and betulin frameworks. The synthesized tags are shown to coexist in two conformations in the lipid layer of the L-NPs, identified as "head-out" and "head-in" orientations, whose relative ratio is determined by their interactions with the lipid-water hydrogen-bonding network. The orientational dimorphism of the tags introduces orthogonal functionalities into the NP surface for selective targeting and plasmon-enhanced Raman sensing, which is utilized for the identification and Raman imaging of epidermal growth factor receptor-overexpressing cancer cells.
Expert Systems in Foundry Operations

Publisher Summary Metal casting is one of the most technically demanding manufacturing processes. To be competent as a metal caster, one must master the disciplines of heat flow, fluid flow, solidification, heat treatment, clay chemistry, and organic chemistry as well as production and industrial engineering. One of the keys to improving manufacturing productivity is the application of computer-based systems. As computer technology is applied to more complex problems, traditional approaches are being superseded by other methods—that is, knowledge-based systems. This is particularly important when complex manufacturing and processing technologies are to be analyzed. Expert systems may be defined as computer systems that can emulate a human problem-solver by applying knowledge and reasoning normally known and used by experts in that specific field. Unlike other computer information systems, the power of expert systems lies in the knowledge that they incorporate as opposed to specific calculations or search methods. As these systems progressively penetrate the manufacturing environment, they represent an increasingly practical tool for foundry men.
An Analysis of Iowa School Spending Patterns and Size Characteristics

Companion reports (Edelman and Knudsen^ Staff Paper 187; 188; 189) review: (1) the effects of declining enrollments and economies of size on per pupil expenditures;
Quantum computing in power system simulation

The concept of quantum computing has been conjectured as the next major breakthrough in computing. The basis of quantum computing, its strengths, weaknesses, and challenges are outlined. The specific application to electric power engineering is discussed.
Age-dependent decline of DNA repair activity for oxidative lesions in rat brain mitochondria.

Endogenous oxidative damage to brain mitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial dysfunction are contributing factors in aging and in the pathogenesis of a number of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we characterized the regulation of base-excision-repair (BER) activity, the predominant repair mechanism for oxidative DNA lesions, in brain mitochondria as the function of age. Mitochondrial protein extracts were prepared from rat cerebral cortices at the ages of embryonic day 17 (E17) or postnatal 1-, 2-, and 3-weeks, or 5- and 30-months. The total BER activity and the activity of essential BER enzymes were examined in mitochondria using in vitro DNA repair assay employing specific repair substrates. Mitochondrial BER activity showed marked age-dependent declines in the brain. The levels of overall BER activity were highest at E17, gradually decreased thereafter, and reached to the lowest at the age of 30-month (∼80% reduction). The decline of overall BER activity with age was attributed to the decreased expression of repair enzymes such as 8-OHdG glycosylase and DNA polymerase-γ and, consequently, the reduced activity at the steps of lesion-base incision, DNA repair synthesis and DNA ligation in the BER pathway. These results strongly suggest that the decline in BER activity may be an important mechanism contributing to the age-dependent accumulation of oxidative DNA lesions in brain mitochondria.
Theory of Exchange Resonance in Antiferromagnetic Cu Cl 2 ·2 H 2 O

The low crystal symmetry of antiferromagnetic Cu${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O allows an antisymmetric, anisotropic, superexchange interaction (Moriya interaction) of the form ${\mathrm{D}}_{12}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}[${\mathrm{S}}_{1}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${\mathrm{S}}_{2}$] between corner and base-center copper ions. The classical magnetic-resonance frequencies and spin-wave frequencies have been derived for a four-sublattice model from a spin Hamiltonian consisting of nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor isotropic superexchange interactions, the Moriya interaction, and orthorhombic anisotropy energy. A set of highfrequency exchange modes was obtained in addition to the usual antiferromagnetic resonance modes. The former are characterized by the beating in opposition of ferromagnetic sublattices which would be degenerate in the absence of the Moriya interaction. The exchange frequencies are proportional to the geometric average of the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange fields and are an order of magnitude larger than the antiferromagnetic frequencies. A resonance absorption experiment is proposed to detect the exchange modes; zero field magnetic resonance is expected at about 0.7 mm.
Atwater factors overestimate the calorie content of walnuts (371.1)

Walnuts are a good source of magnesium, a shortfall nutrient, and contain a significant source of alpha-linolenic acid. Their unique fatty acid profile likely contributes to their beneficial effect on cardiovascular health, with walnuts being the first whole food for which the US FDA permitted a qualified health claim. These health benefits make walnuts an important part of a healthful dietary pattern; however, their perceived high energy density may be a barrier to consumption. Recent research has shown that Atwater calculations overestimate the energy content of other tree nuts by 5-20%; however accuracy of the Atwater estimated energy content of walnuts has not been investigated. A RCT was conducted in which 18 subjects were fed 2 diets, a base diet (0 g/d walnuts) and the base diet with all foods reduced and 42 g/d of walnut pieces added. After adaptation to both diets, subjects collected all urine and feces voided for 7 to 10 d at the end of each 3-wk diet period. These samples and diets were freeze ...
Contamination control methods-a review of recent progress

The author reviews a selection of papers from the First International Symposium on Cleaning Technology in Semiconductor Device Manufacturing (held in October 1989) which is applicable to frequency control device processing. The topics of the 43 papers presented included wet cleaning technologies, dry cleaning technologies, particles and airborne contaminants, and the characterization of cleaning. A table of organic contaminants in clean rooms is given. The evolution of particle control requirements is discussed. >
Green's function for a ball

Let B = B(a,r) be the open ball with center a and radius r in Rd, d ≥ 3; ∂B its boundary sphere. For x ≠ a, its inversion with respect to B is defined to be $${{x}^{*}}=a+\frac{{{r}^{2}}}{|x-a{{|}^{2}}}(x-a)$$ (1) .
Nonparametric analysis of LANDSAT maps using neural nets and parallel computers

Nearest neighbor approaches and a new neural network, the Binary Diamond, are used for the classification of images of ground pixels obtained by LANDSAT satellite. The performances are evaluated by comparing classifications of a scene in the vicinity of Washington DC. The problem of optimal selection of categories is addressed as a step in the classification process.
CdTe single-crystal heterojunction photovoltaic cells

Most recent gains in CdTe photovoltaic (PV) device efficiency have been in short-circuit current density (J sc ) and fill factor (FF), rather than open-circuit voltage (V oc ). Because J sc is nearing its theoretical limit, further improvements in device efficiency will require increasing V oc beyond 860 mV and increasing FF. V oc and FF may be improved by increasing both the carrier concentration and minority-carrier lifetime of the CdTe. However, V oc may be limited for other reasons, including Fermi-level pinning and surface recombination. In this study, we used doped CdTe single crystals to test whether higher carrier concentration and lifetime can overcome traditional V oc barriers. In our work to date, we have fabricated heterojunction CdTe PV cells with V oc up to 929 mV, FF of ∼60%, and efficiencies of 10%.
Absorption edges in the magnetoacoustic attenuation

Abstract The theoretical analysis of the effect described in the previous letter is reported.