cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of industrial sweetpotatoes for ethanol production and anthocyanins extraction

Abstract A simultaneous saccharification fermentation (SSF) system was studied for ethanol production in flour industrial sweetpotato (ISP) feedstocks (lines: white DM02-180 and purple NC-413) as an integrated cost saving process, and to examine the feasibility of extracting anthocyanins from flour purple ISPs under a simultaneous extraction and fermentation (SEF) system. Furthermore, a separate hydrolysis fermentation (SHF) configuration was carried out to establish a baseline in sugar consumption and ethanol production from the ISP lines. The thermotolerant ethanol producing yeast strain Kluyveromyces marxianus NCYC 851 and the mesophilic Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ethanol Red were evaluated, using commercial alpha amylases for hydrolysis of available ISP starch to sugars. Fermentation by S. cerevisiae during SHF had an ethanol yield of 0.32 g/g dry ISP, a 1.1-fold increase above that produced by K. marxianus. Subsequent studies showed that ethanol yield could be increased in a SSF system with a maximum ethanol yield of 0.39 g/g dry ISP achieved, a 15% increase compared with using a SHF system when S. cerevisiae was used. Simultaneous extraction and fermentation of flour purple-fleshed NC-413 ISPs was studied to evaluate the effect of pH on extraction of total monomeric anthocyanins (TMA) and ethanol production. On average, maximum ethanol yield ranged from 0.31 to 0.34 g/g dry ISP and TMA concentration ranged from 45 to 64 mg cyanidin-3-glu/100 g dry powder (10–22 mg/100 g fresh weight) with the greatest ethanol production coming from non-adjusted pH fermentations. The highest anthocyanin recovery, 64 mg cyanidin-3-glu/100 g dry powder was obtained at 35 °C and pH 4.5 using S. cerevisiae Ethanol Red. This study showed the feasibility of extracting anthocyanins and producing ethanol simultaneously in one unit operation without the need of purified solvents.
Effects of Compound 48/80 on Platelets: Structural Alterations and Inhibition of Aggregation

Compound 48/80 degranulates mast cells and release histamine and serotonin. Since platelet degranulation is an important aspect of platelet function, the effect of this compound on platelets and platelet aggregation were investigated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Low concentrations of 48/80 did not alter platelet ultrastructure but high concentrations suppressed platelet pseudopod formation and altered the surface connecting system. Low concentrations of 48/80 interfered with platelet aggregation by thrombin and collagen but not by ADP; platelets incubated with high concentrations of 48/80 did not aggregate when exposed to ADP or collagen but the addition of large quantities of thrombin overcame this inhibition and caused platelet aggregation as well as plasma clotting. The effect of thrombin on platelets exposed to 48/80 was not related to the presence of fibrin. The observations provide evidence that the platelet membrane plays an essential role in aggregation and that the mechanisms leading to platelet release and aggregation by various agents may be different.
Guide to the Manuscript Collections of the Presbyterian Church, U.S

Preface Introduction The Presbyterian Church in the United States The Department of History (Montreat) Research in PCUS Manuscript Collections Using the Guide The Guide Manuscript Collections of the Department of History (Montreat) Manuscript Collections in Other Respositories Bibliography of PCUS Reference Works Index
p16(INK4a) Peptide mimetics identified via virtual screening.

Abstract The transition from G1 to S phase in the cell cycle is highly regulated by Cdk4 and Cdk6, which in turn is inhibited by the tumor suppressor p16INK4a. Replacement of lost p16INK4a activity in cancer cells via gene therapy has worked in vivo to decrease tumor progression; however, practical issues limit gene therapy applications at this time. Here, we report the discovery of compounds that inhibit Cdk4 and Cdk6 activity. The NMR structure of a peptide that exhibits p16INK4a activity was solved and combined with known functional data to generate a pharmacophore that was used to mine the NCI chemical database. The hits were filtered utilizing the program Qikprop. Four compounds were subsequently shown to inhibit Cdk4 and/or Cdk6 with IC50 in the μM range. These compounds form lead compounds upon which further cell cycle inhibitors can be developed.
Decatenation of DNA by the S. Cerevisiae Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 and RPA Complex: A Mechanism for Disentangling Chromosomes

Genetic evidence indicates that Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sgs1, Top3, and Rmi1 resolve topologically linked intermediates arising from DNA replication and recombination. Using purified proteins, we show that Sgs1, Top3, Rmi1, and replication protein A (RPA) coordinate catenation and decatenation of dsDNA through sequential passage of single strands of DNA, establishing a unique pathway for dsDNA decatenation in eukaryotic cells. Sgs1 is required for dsDNA unwinding and, unexpectedly, also has a structural role in DNA strand passage. RPA promotes DNA unwinding by Sgs1 by trapping ssDNA, and it stimulates DNA strand passage by Top3. Paradoxically, Rmi1 has a unique regulatory capacity that slows DNA relaxation by Top3 but stimulates DNA decatenation. We establish that Rmi1 stabilizes the "open" Top3-DNA covalent complex formed as a transient intermediate of strand passage. This concerted activity of the Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1-RPA represents an important mechanism for disentangling structures resulting from the topological features of duplex DNA.
Ampicillin, tetracycline and urea as protozoicides for symbionts of Reticulitermes flavipes and R. virginicus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

The development of palatable baits for the suppresion of pest termites relies on combining phagostimulants with slow-acting toxicants that termite foragers carry back to the colony and distribute to nest-mates. In the present study the palatability and toxic effects of three compounds, ampicillin, tetracycline and urea to the subterranean termites Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and R. virginicus (Banks) were investigated. 1.0% solutions (w/v) of ampicillin and tetracycline applied to filter paper were unpalatable to termites in choice tests, and these concentrations depressed termite feeding, survivorship, individual biomass, and numbers of gut protozoa in no-choice tests. In contrast, urea solutions of 0.1%, 1.0% and 5.0% (w/v) were palatable to termites in choice tests, but 5.0% urea solutions depressed termite survivorship and protozoan numbers in no-choice tests. Addition of urea to tetra- cycline solutions resulted in increased palatability and decreased termite survivorship over tetracycline administered alone. The toxic effects in combination with its palatability to Reticulitermes spp. indicate that urea may be a promising candidate for termite control programmes.
Resisting cultural imperialism, or welcoming cultural globalization? China's extensive debate on Hollywood cinema from 1994 to 2007

This article provides a historical and critical review of the extensive debate in China over the government's policy of importing Hollywood blockbusters from 1994 to 2007. The debate suggests a fundamental divide in China along the different ideological lines. I argue that China's debate over Hollywood cinema actually serves as a site for the Chinese people to make sense of their own modernization process and national identity. The debate, in a large sense, has little to do with the connotation of Hollywood cinemas in the US context, but has much to do with their implications for China. The whole debate is in fact China's quest for a new, modern national identity, and how the Chinese could draw on the American experience to build a modern China. Therefore, China's case foregrounds the fundamental issue of globalization theories regarding cultural homogenization versus heterogenization, or modernity versus alternative modernities. The debate not only speaks to the complexity of the global–local dialectic, ...
Interference between Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium trifolii nodulation genes: genetic basis of R. meliloti dominance.

Transfer of an IncP plasmid carrying the Rhizobium meliloti nodFE, nodG, and nodH genes to Rhizobium trifolii enabled R. trifolii to nodulate alfalfa (Medicago sativa), the normal host of R. meliloti. Using transposon Tn5-linked mutations and in vitro-constructed deletions of the R. meliloti nodFE, nodG, and nodH genes, we showed that R. meliloti nodH was required for R. trifolii to elicit both root hair curling and nodule initiation on alfalfa and that nodH, nodFE, and nodG were required for R. trifolii to elicit infection threads in alfalfa root hairs. Interestingly, the transfer of the R. meliloti nodFE, nodG, and nodH genes to R. trifolii prevented R. trifolii from infecting and nodulating its normal host, white clover (Trifolium repens). Experiments with the mutated R. meliloti nodH, nodF, nodE, and nodG genes demonstrated that nodH, nodF, nodE, and possibly nodG have an additive effect in blocking infection and nodulation of clover. Images
Operant Conditioning and the Modulation of Cardiovascular Function

Operant learning appears to be one of the primary mechanisms underlying what cardiovascular and pulmonary physiologists have called adaptation, habituation, and central command. In general, studies that have attempted to use operant conditioning alone to create experimental models of behaviorally induced disease have been unsuccessful because the cardiovascular responses adapted or habituated over time. Thus, these studies have provided implicit demonstrations of the roles played by CNS and conditioning processes in achieving and preserving homeostasis. During the past few years those interested in behavioral contributions to cardiovascular pathology have therefore begun to look at interactions between behavior and other variables that might predispose organisms towards pathology (e.g. genetic background; excessive sodium intake). Perhaps even more promising has been the growth in the number of technically competent, well-controlled studies designed to investigate: (a) broad scientific questions of how behaviorally important processes such as learning and reinforcement interact with physiologically important variables such as blood flow redistribution and cardio-pulmonary integration; and (b) the role of behavioral variables in CNS control of the circulation. Based upon our survey of the recent literature, we believe that the time is ripe for those interested in cardiovascular neurobiology increasingly to include behavioral variables in their studies, because the raison d'etre of the CNS is to optimize the organism's ability to interact with its environment. Only when these organismic-environmental interactions are studied both behaviorally and physiologically, in a broad biological context, will it be possible to develop rational models of neuro-circulatory regulation.
Effect of channel thickness on linearity of double pulse doped AlInAs/GaInAs/InP HEMTs

The effect of channel thickness on device characteristics was explored using double pulse doped AlInAs/GaInAs/InP HEMTs. On-wafer RF characterisation results revealed that the transconductance variation with gate voltage can be significantly minimised by increasing the channel thickness. However, a tradeoff between linearity and peak unity current gain cutoff frequency exists as a result of increased average separation between the gate and the 2D electron gas.
Design and Evaluation of a Repetitive Group Sampling Plan

This paper introduces a new acceptance sampling plan which has a simple design and operation procedure, and which is intermediate in sample size efficiency between the single-sample plan and the sequential probability ratio sampling plan.
Nondegenerate mirrorless oscillation in silicon waveguide

We propose nondegenerate four-wave mixing mirrorless oscillation in a multimode silicon nonlinear waveguide. Thanks to the large modal dispersion between two spatial modes caused by the high-index-contrast waveguide structure, two counterpropagating pumps of one spatial mode can generate two new optical waves of the other spatial mode at different frequencies. The phase-matching condition can be satisfied with the higher-order modes involved; therefore, frequencies of the newly generated light can be tuned by simply changing the pump frequency. The threshold power and conversion efficiency of the proposed mirrorless oscillation are investigated under different waveguide parameters.
Keratoplasty for treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Purpose To evaluate and compare the outcomes of therapeutic keratoplasty (TKP) and optical keratoplasty (OKP) in the management of medically unresponsive Acanthamoeba keratitis and post-keratitis scarring, respectively. Design Retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative, interventional case series. Participants Thirty patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis treated at a single center. Methods Retrospective review of all cases of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) or lamellar keratoplasty (LKP) performed for Acanthamoeba keratitis at a single center between January 1, 1980, and December 31, 2007. Inclusion criteria included histopathologic confirmation of Acanthamoeba organisms in the surgical specimen and at least 6 months of postoperative follow-up. Main Outcome Measures Postoperative complications, microbiological cure, graft survival, and visual acuity. Results Thirty-one eyes of 30 patients met the inclusion criteria. This included 22 eyes (22 patients) that were initially treated with TKP (20 PKP/2 LKP) and 9 eyes (8 patients) treated with OKP (8 OKP/1 LKP). Of the 22 eyes treated with TKP, multiple keratoplasties (range, 2–6) were performed in 12 eyes (55%), whereas repeat keratoplasty was performed in only 1 eye (11%) treated with OKP ( P = 0.004). Recurrent Acanthamoeba keratitis, glaucoma, early and late persistent epithelial defects, and endophthalmitis were more likely to occur after TKP than after OKP. A microbiological cure was achieved in all surgical cases. Among eyes treated with TKP, this required 1 keratoplasty in 14 eyes, 2 keratoplasties in 6 eyes, and 3 keratoplasties in 2 eyes. After the initial keratoplasty, Kaplan–Meier survivals after TKP were 45.5%, 45.5%, and 37.5% at 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years, respectively, compared with 100%, 100%, and 66.7%, respectively, after OKP ( P = 0.004). The median visual acuity was 20/40 after TKP and 20/25 after OKP. Eyes treated with TKP were less likely to obtain visual acuity of 20/40 or better and more likely to have vision of 20/200 or worse. Conclusions Therapeutic keratoplasty can successfully treat medically unresponsive cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, although multiple grafts may be required and the visual prognosis is guarded. Optical keratoplasty performed after resolution of active keratitis is associated with an excellent prognosis for both graft survival and visual outcome. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Molecular Pathways: Niches in Metastatic Dormancy

Despite the best available treatments for primary tumors, cancer can return, even after a long disease-free interval. During this period, cancer cells are believed to lie dormant in either primary, metastatic sites, or independent sites like bone marrow, effectively escaping adjuvant cytotoxic treatments. To date, little is known about how these cells transition to dormancy, or how they are reactivated if cancer recurs. Recent studies have revealed the effects of tumor microenvironment, or niche, on the regulation of tumor dormancy via the signaling pathways of growth arrest-specific 6 (GAS6), bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7), and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), and that the balance between activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) MAPK plays a pivotal role in tumor dormancy. In this review, we will discuss tumor dormancy from the perspective of the niche, and consider potential therapeutic targets. Greater understanding of the mechanisms involved will help guide innovation in the care of advanced cancer patients.
Sequential equivalence checking based on k-th invariants and circuit SAT solving

In this paper, we first present the concept of the k-th invariant. In contrast to the traditional invariants that hold for all cycles, k-th invariants guarantee to hold only after the k-th cycle from the initial state. We then present a bounded model checker BMChecker and an invariant prover IProver, both of which are based on circuit SAT techniques. Jointly, BMChecker and IProver are used to compute the k-th invariants, and are further integrated with a sequential SAT solver for checking sequential equivalence. Experimental results demonstrate that the sequential equivalence checking framework can efficiently verify large industrial designs.
Origins of the solvent chain-length dependence of Gibbs free energies of transfer

Experimentally measured partition coefficients show that the solubilities of small solutes in normal alkanes depend on the solvent chain length (n{sub C}). The causes for this n{sub C} dependence have not yet been unambiguously determined, and there is considerable controversy as to whether different interactions with methyl and methylene groups or entropic Flory-Huggins-like effects might play the major role. The authors have performed Gibbs-ensemble Monte Carlo simulations to study the vapor-liquid partitioning of methane in normal alkanes (with 6--12 carbon atoms) and related model solvents. The simulations show that the increase in solvent density with increasing n{sub C} is the main origin of the n{sub C} dependence for normal alkanes; that is, the solute molecule feels a different environment depending on the alkane chain length.
Aldicarb: Toxicity, Exposure and Risks to Humans

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the current use and hazard and exposure profiles for aldicarb and outlines their integration into a quantitative risk assessment. Aldicarb chemistry, biological characteristics, mammalian toxicity data, pharmacokinetics, and the determination of the point of departure (POD) for risk assessment are described. Aldicarb is a carbamate insecticide with activity on a broad range of pests (insects, mites, nematodes). Technical aldicarb belongs to the N-methyl carbamate chemical family. The pure (technical) material is a white crystalline solid with a water solubility of approximately 6000 ppm at 25 °C and is stable at room temperature. It is a soil-incorporated, systemic insecticide that is absorbed by the root system with subsequent translocation throughout the plant for control of chewing and sucking pests. It has a very robust toxicity database including acute, chronic, developmental, reproductive, and neurotoxicity studies. Aldicarb has high acute toxicity, causing cholinergic symptoms due to the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). These symptoms are dose-dependent, are rapidly reversible, and do not occur at expected human exposure levels. Aldicarb is neither genotoxic nor carcinogenic. It does not cause developmental or reproductive effects in the absence of maternal toxicity. Dose levels of 0.1 and 0.26 mg/kg are considered to be high doses, and clinical signs, typical of anticholinesterase agents, were observed at these doses within 1 h of aldicarb administration. ChEI at these very high dose levels was observed in all volunteers within 1–2 h after treatment. Recovery was evident within the first 6 h after treatment. No evidence of toxicity was observed at 0.05 mg/kg. Urine analysis showed that approximately 10% of the administered dose was excreted as carbamates within the first 8-h interval. This chapter also discusses advances in the methodology for incorporating the rapid reversibility kinetics of cholinesterase inhibition (ChEI) by aldicarb into a quantitative dietary risk assessment.
Evaluation of a method for measuring vehicular PM with a composite filter and a real-time BC instrument

Abstract As part of the California Air Resources Board's effort to confirm the ability of the vehicular particulate matter (PM) reference method (RM) to measure PM emissions at sub-one milligram per mile (mg/mi), and to explore alternative methods, we evaluated a combination method (CM) that utilizes both gravimetric and real-time particle quantification. PM, collected on a single composite filter is apportioned to the three Federal Test Procedure (FTP) cycle phases using real-time equivalent black carbon (EBC) measurements, reducing the need to carry out separate gravimetric filter measurements for each of the test phases. Four light-duty gasoline vehicles, emitting PM at or below one mg/mi, were dynamometer tested repeatedly on the FTP cycle. PM was quantified by the RM and by two variants of the CM. One variant used photoacoustic spectroscopy to measure EBC (CM-MSS), and the other used an Aethalometer (CM-AE51). The CM was evaluated on repeatability, bias, and correlation with the RM. For the tested vehicles, the observed repeatability of the CM was superior to the RM regardless of the mode of EBC measurement or the test vehicle considered (σCM−MSS = 0.08 mg/mi, σCM−AE51 = 0.07 mg/mi, σRM ≈ 0.11 mg/mi). However, the CM was negatively biased by −0.08 mg/mi, versus the RM, in one of the test vehicles. We attribute the bias in this vehicle's data to organic carbon emissions that were not equivalently collected on the composite filter of the CM. When all data were combined, the correlation between the methods was good (R = 0.90 for CM-MSS vs. RM and R = 0.91 for CM-AE51 vs. RM).
Automatic Image Analysis Pipeline for Studying Growth in Arabidopsis

The need for high-throughput quantification of cell growth and cell division in a multilayer, multicellular tissue necessitates the development of an automated image analysis pipeline that is capable of processing high volumes of live imaging microscopy data. In this work, we present such an image processing and analysis pipeline that combines cell image registration, segmentation, tracking, and cell resolution 3D reconstruction for confocal microscopy-based time-lapse volumetric image stacks. The first component of the pipeline is an automated landmark-based registration method that uses a local graph-based approach to select a number of landmark points from the images and establishes correspondence between them. Once the registration is acquired, the cell segmentation and tracking problem is jointly solved using an adaptive segmentation and tracking module of the pipeline, where the tracking output acts as an indicator of the quality of segmentation and in turn the segmentation can be improved to obtain better tracking results. In the last module of our pipeline, an adaptive geometric tessellation-based 3D reconstruction algorithm is described, where complete 3D structures of individual cells in the tissue are estimated from sparse sets of 2D cell slices, as obtained from the previous components of the pipeline. Through experiments on Arabidopsis shoot apical meristems, we show that each component in the proposed pipeline provides highly accurate results and is robust to ‘Z-sparsity’ in imaging and low SNR at parts of the collected image stacks.
Metaphor and Place: The U.S.-Mexico Border as Center and Periphery in the Interpretation of Religion

L'A. etudie le phenomene des regions limitrophes des Etats-Unis et du Mexique. Ces regions donnent l'impulsion a la pratique religieuse chez les mexicains americains. Cette frontiere cree un espace culturel distinctif qui, de maniere paradoxale, relie les peuples separes par cette frontiere. Les pays limitrophes ne representent pas seulement un lieu physique mais un moyen rhetorique qui sert a decrire la formation individuelle, sociale et culturelle. L'A. etudie la traversee de la frontiere au sein du catholicisme avant d'envisager une discussion sur la traversee surmontant la division entre catholicisme et protestantisme. Il s'interesse ensuite a la transgression de la frontiere dans les traditions de guerison mexicaines-americaines. Pour cela il evoque les biographies de deux guerisseurs, Teresa Urrea (1873-1906) et Fidencio Constantinol (1898-1938). Il conclut en rendant compte du rituel de l'eternel retour qui caracterise beaucoup de religions et de cultures chez les mexicains-americains.
Optimal, Low-Thrust, Path-Constrained Transfers between Libration Point Orbits using Invariant Manifolds

Low-thrust transfers between libration point orbits can be applied in many potential mission scenarios, such as extended science missions or cargo transport. This investigation considers the inclusion of a variable speci c impulse engine into a primer vector-based, fuel optimizing transfer strategy. A multiple shooting procedure with analytical gradients yields rapid solutions and o ers an investigation into the trade space between ight time and consumption of fuel mass. Path and performance constraints can be included at node points along the thrust arc. Integration of invariant manifolds into the design strategy, for greater fuel savings, may also yield improved performance.
Form and Formality in Romeo and Juliet

Romeo has just violated convention, dramatic and otherwise, by overhearing what Juliet intended to be a soliloquy. Her cousin, Tybalt, had already committed a similar breach of social and theatrical decorum in the scene at the Capulets' feast, where he had also recognized Romeo's voice to be that of a Montague. There, when the lovers first met, the dialogue of their meeting had been formalized into a sonnet, acting out the conceit of his lips as pilgrims, her hand as a shrine, and his kiss as a culminating piece of stage-business, with an encore after an additional quatrain: "You kiss by th' book" (I. V. ii2). Neither had known the identity of the other; and each, upon finding it out, responded with an ominous exclamation coupling love and death (120, I40). The formality of their encounter was framed by the ceremonious character of the scene, with its dancers, its masquers, and-except for Tybalt's stifled outburstits air of old-fashioned hospitality. "We'll measure them a measure", Benvolio had proposed; but Romeo, unwilling to join the dance, had resolved to be an onlooker and carry a torch (I. iv. io). That torch may have burned symbolically, but not for Juliet; indeed, as we are inclined to forget with Romeo, he attended the feast in order to see the dazzling but soon eclipsed Rosaline. Rosaline's prior effect upon him is all that we ever learn about her; yet it has been enough to make Romeo, when he was presented to us, a virtual stereotype of the romantic lover. As such, he has protested a good deal too much in his preliminary speeches, utilizing the conventional phrases and standardized images of Elizabethan eroticism, bandying generalizations, paradoxes, and sestets with Benvolio, and taking a quasi-religious vow which his introduction to Juliet would ironically break (I. ii. 92-97). Afterward this role has been reduced to absurdity by the humorous man, Mercutio, in a mock-conjuration evoking Venus and Cupid and the inevitable jingle of "love" and "dove" (II. i. io). The scene that follows is actually a continuation, marked in neither the Folios nor the Quartos, and linked with what has gone before by a somewhat eroded rhyme.
Fault trap analysis of the Permian Rotliegend gas play, Lauwerszee Trough, NE Netherlands

The Lauwerszee Trough is a northwest-trending sub-basin within the Southern Permian Basin and lies in the onshore area of northeastern Netherlands. Referred to as the ‘Golden Lane’ Trend, it is the classical Lower Permian Rotliegend gas play of the Netherlands, consisting of the prolific, high net-to-gross sandstone reservoirs of the Slochteren Formation. Traps are tilted extensional fault blocks that entrap gas sourced from the Carboniferous Coal Measures. The overlying Rotliegend Ten Boer Claystone and Upper Permian Zechstein evaporitic rocks provide the top and lateral seals for the fault traps. In this study 30 fault traps were analysed in which 22 were found to have gas accumulations. Trap fill is controlled primarily by Slochteren sand-on-sand juxtaposition leakage across a fault; however, some gas accumulations as mapped appear to be filled deeper than this leakpoint and require sand-on-sand fault seal. Retained fault-seal gas columns are relatively small and mostly less than 60 m with one exception of 95 m. Seven potential Slochteren sand-on-sand fault-zone seals were identified in this study. The analysis of these fault traps revealed three possible criteria that may promote the development of such fault seals: (1) juxtaposition against a tight, shale-rich interval; (2) small isolated sand-on-sand juxtaposition area ( 2 ) typically associated with fault lengths less than 1 km; or (3) occurrence of a complex narrow fault zone. However, some sealing fault segments are associated with structural interpretation/mapping uncertainty. Minor map changes may eliminate perceived sand-on-sand fault-zone seals and explain trap fill by conventional fault juxtaposition.
Renaissance City and Revenant Story: The Gothic Tale as Literary Technique in Fiona Cheong's Fictions of Singapore

Fiona Cheong's two novels about Singapore, The Scent of the Gods and Shadow Theatre, should be read as gothic tales of self-writing in which the protagonist emerges as an objective rather than a subjective self. This essay draws on Martin Heidegger and Michel Foucault's discussion of technology and poetics, together with Jacques Ranciere's conceptualization of aesthetics, to argue that Cheong's novels are a narrative renovation of an older literary genre (the gothic) for contemporary purposes. Scent's invocation of the gothic spaces complicate the allegorical yoking of family history and nation formation, while Shadow Theatre's polyphonic and gynocentric structure creates an alternative social and narrative space within heroic, patriarchal nationalism. Both novels deploy gothic tropes immanently to critique the postcolonial Singaporean state's neoliberalizing technologies that shape individuals and the entire population as entrepreneurial subjects.
The pharmacologic treatment of child and adolescent depression.

Robust evidence is continuing to accumulate to suggest strong similarities between child and adult forms of depressive disorders, and many subjects show continuity from childhood disorders into adult disorders. Definitive evidence on the pharmacologic treatment of child and adolescent major depression, however, has lagged. To date, only a small number of controlled studies testing cyclic antidepressants in children or adolescents with major depression have been done, sample sizes have been small, and results have been mixed. Thus, no clear answer is yet available on the use of these agents. Safe use of these medications requires consideration of the difference in pharmacokinetics seen in the immature organism. Only a few open studies have reviewed other pharmacologic agents, including lithium augmentation and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, in this population although these are promising avenues for future studies.
Congenital Posterior Urethral Perineal Fistula: A Case Report

A case of congenital posterior urethral perineal fistula is reported. The English literature is reviewed and anatomical findings, embryology, presenting signs and symptoms, and treatment are discussed.
Guest Editorial: Breast Cancer Epigenetics in the Era of Precision Medicine

The Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) was officially unveiled on January 20, 2015 by President Obama during his State of the Union address. This initiative will transform healthcare by providing health professionals with new and improved strategies to identify individuals at risk for diseases like breast cancer and to determine which treatments and therapies are best suited for the patient. The term “precision medicine” which most researchers often refer to as “personalized or individualized medicine” considers the approach that one-size-does-not-fit-all [1]. The phrase “onesize-does-not-fit-all” refers to a treatment or drug that may work well for some individuals but not for others. A nice example is the anti-estrogen breast cancer drug tamoxifen (TAM) which is used to prevent breast cancer in high-risk populations and to treat postmenopausal estrogen receptor (ER) – positive breast cancers [2,3]. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer death among women [4]. Close to one-third of postmenopausal breast cancer patients experience a relapse after adjuvant treatment with TAM [5,6]. It is unclear as to why some patients experience a more favorable response to certain drugs, such as TAM, while other patients with the same diagnosis experience multiple adverse side effects from taking TAM. Recent advances in the field of breast cancer pharmacogenomics provide strong evidence that acquired or inherited genetic differences in drug metabolic pathways can affect an individual’s response to TAM and other chemotherapeutic drugs [7-10]. In support of these observations, our pharmacogenetic study showed that a single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter of the TAM metabolizing gene UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A4 (UGT1A4) significantly decreases how TAM and its derivatives are metabolized in the human liver [11]. These studies, along with countless other pharmacogenomic studies, demonstrate the influence of pharmacogenomics on policy implementation and efforts that guide the development of more effective medical treatments tailored to an individual’s genetic makeup. Currently, more than 100 pharmacogenomic biomarkers have been added to drug labels that may help clinicians take appropriate actions to manage their patient’s health based on their biomarker information [12]. Because the PMI has directed most of its efforts toward research that seeks to provide new knowledge about how an individual’s genetic makeup, environment, and behavior can impact disease risk and response to treatment, I expect that this initiative will require continuous and effective collaborations between clinicians, scientists, health professionals and policy makers.
Stamps, Insects and

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the insect philately (stamp collecting). In a recent survey, butterflies and other insects on stamps ranked as the sixth most popular topic. As of 1991, over 5000 stamps were issued by over 300 countries depicting over 1300 insect species. Therefore specialization in types of insect being collected might be desirable, as it is with insect collecting itself. Subsets that could be selected as a specialty include butterflies and/or moths, apiculture, sericulture, malaria and other aspects of medical entomology, applied entomology, and noninsect arthropods. A “taxonomic” collection, in which the insect is the only real design, might be restricted to identifiable and named insects. Some, however, prefer to collect stamps with fanciful depictions, such as butterfly carnival costumes, a butterfly in the movie Bambi (on Bambi's nose), or a “fly speck” insect in the beak of a bird. Still other philatelists specialize in mint (unused) stamps or canceled (used) ones, including “CTOs,” or stamps “canceled to order.” The CTOs are stamps with neat cancellations applied before the stamps are released, and the cancels are normally in one corner to avoid obscuring much of the stamp design. Many philatelists frown on CTOs because they are obviously prepared for philatelists and are not used in carrying the mail.
Performance of DSSAT-Nwheat across a wide range of current and future growing conditions

Abstract Crop models are widely used in agricultural impact studies. However, many studies have reported large uncertainties from single-model-based simulation analyses, suggesting the need for multi-model simulation capabilities. In this study, the APSIM-Nwheat model was integrated into the Decision Support System for Agro-technology (DSSAT), which already includes two wheat models, to create multi-model simulation capabilities for wheat cropping systems analysis. The new model in DSSAT (DSSAT-Nwheat) was evaluated using more than 1000 observations from field experiments of 65 treatments, which included a wide range of nitrogen fertilizer applications, water supply (irrigation and rainout shelter), planting dates, elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations, temperature variations, cultivars, and soil types in diverse climatic regions that represented the main wheat growing areas of the world. DSSAT-Nwheat reproduced the observed grain yields well with an overall root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 0.89 t/ha (13%). Nitrogen applications, water supply, and planting dates had large effects on observed biomass and grain yields, and the model reproduced these crop responses well. Crop total biomass and nitrogen uptake were reproduced well despite relatively poor simulations of observed leaf area measurements during the growing season. The low sensitivity of biomass simulations to poor simulations of leaf area index (LAI) were due to little changes in intercepted solar radiation at LAI >3 and water and nitrogen stress often limiting photosynthesis and growth rather than light interception at low LAI. The responses of DSSAT-Nwheat to temperature variations and elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations were close to observed responses. When compared with the two other DSSAT-wheat models (CERES and CROPSIM), these responses were similar, except for the responses to hot environments, due to different approaches in modeling heat stress effects. The comprehensive evaluation of the DSSAT-Nwheat model with field measurements, including a comparison with two other DSSAT-wheat models, created a multi-model simulation platform that allows the quantification of model uncertainties in wheat impact assessments.
Understanding the roles of intrinsic disorder in subunits of hemoglobin and the disease process of sickle cell anemia

One of the common genetic disorders is sickle cell anemia, in which 2 recessive alleles must meet to allow for destruction and alteration in the morphology of red blood cells. This usually leads to loss of proper binding of oxygen to hemoglobin and curved, sickle-shaped erythrocytes. The mutation causing this disease occurs in the 6th codon of the HBB gene encoding the hemoglobin subunit β (β-globin), a protein, serving as an integral part of the adult hemoglobin A (HbA), which is a heterotetramer of 2 α chains and 2 β chains that is responsible for binding to the oxygen in the blood. This mutation changes a charged glutamic acid to a hydrophobic valine residue and disrupts the tertiary structure and stability of the hemoglobin molecule. Since in the field of protein intrinsic disorder, charged and polar residues are typically considered as disorder promoting, in opposite to the order-promoting non-polar hydrophobic residues, in this study we attempted to answer a question if intrinsic disorder might have a role in the pathogenesis of sickle cell anemia. To this end, several disorder predictors were utilized to evaluate the presence of intrinsically disordered regions in all subunits of human hemoglobin: α, β, δ, e, ζ, γ1, and γ2. Then, structural analysis was completed by using the SWISS-MODEL Repository to visualize the outputs of the disorder predictors. Finally, Uniprot STRING and D2P2 were used to determine biochemical interactome and protein partners for each hemoglobin subunit along with analyzing their posttranslational modifications. All these properties were used to determine any differences between the 6 different types of subunits of hemoglobin and to correlate the mutation leading to sickle cell anemia with intrinsic disorder propensity.
Audio Analysis as a Control Knob for Social Sensing

While humans can act as effective sensors, human input is subject to a high degree of error and highly dependent on the context. Furthermore, extracting the signal from the noise for social sensing is a difficult challenge. One approach to improving the accuracy of social sensing is to use physical sensors as a control knob for social sensing algorithms. In this paper, we present an architecture for using audio sensors as a way to control an algorithm used for social sensing of interesting events. We present various use cases where the architecture is applicable, and go into the details of one specific use case, namely using crowd behavior in a golf-course to identify and control social media feeds related to the course.
Effects of Social Support Network Size on Mortality Risk: Considerations by Diabetes Status.

Objective. Previous work demonstrates that social support is inversely associated with mortality risk. Less research, however, has examined the effects of the size of the social support network on mortality risk among those with and without diabetes, which was the purpose of this study. Methods. Data from the 1999–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used, with participants followed through 2011. This study included 1,412 older adults (≥60 years of age) with diabetes and 5,872 older adults without diabetes. The size of the social support network was assessed via self-report and reported as the number of participants’ close friends. Results. Among those without diabetes, various levels of social support network size were inversely associated with mortality risk. However, among those with diabetes, only those with a high social support network size (i.e., at least six close friends) had a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. That is, compared to those with zero close friends, those with diabetes who had six or more close friends had a 49% reduced risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 0.51, 95% CI 0.27–0.94). Conclusion. To mitigate mortality risk, a greater social support network size may be needed for those with diabetes.
Surgery for Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma

The treatment of patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma has undergone a radical transformation since 2011. Previously, the only realistic curative-intent option for these patients was complete metastasectomy. This approach was only applicable to a highly select subgroup of patients with oligometastatic disease that was deemed resectable. This chapter briefly examines the newly approved targeted and immune-modulating therapies and discusses their role in the context of metastasectomy. Specifically, we discuss data supporting complete metastasectomy in patients with M1a, M1b, and M1c disease. Finally, we examine the role of combination therapy employing the newly approved, efficacious, agents, in a neoadjuvant fashion prior to complete metastasectomy, or as adjuvant therapy following metastasectomy.
Sternal Wound Reconstruction Using Internal Mammary Artery Perforator Flaps

Traditionally, muscle flaps such as the pectoralis, latissimus, or omentum have been the mainstay of sternal wound reconstruction. Recently, internal mammary artery perforator (IMAP)-based fasciocutaneous flaps have gained popularity in reconstruction of these wounds. These flaps have the advantage of reliability and flexibility, with minimal donor site morbidity in an often medically complex patient population. The authors review the technique and summarize the current literature regarding this technique as a reliable tool for the reconstructive surgeon.
Staging, Restaging and Response Evaluation of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Imaging is important in the clinical staging of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is typically performed with computed tomography (CT). Positron emission tomography (PET) using [18F]fluro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) compliments conventional radiologic assessment when evaluating patients with NSCLC and is being routinely used to improve the detection of nodal and extrathoracic metastases. FDG-PET is also being evaluated for assessing prognosis and therapeutic response. This chapter discusses staging, restaging and assessing treatment response with an emphasis on the appropriate clinical use of FDG-PET in managing patients with NSCLC.
Orders of Magnitude: The 0, o, ~ Notation

In many practical applications of Mathematics it is necessary to consider the behavior of some function f(x) of x as x tends to some limit (finite or infinite). However, many times the function f(x) is extremely complicated in nature, or incompletely known, and it is preferable (in fact, perhaps only possible) to describe the asymptotic behavior of f(x) relative to (or compared with) some other function g(x) of x as x tends to the same limit. In practice, the comparison function g is often chosen as a “simpler” function, such as a power or exponential function.
Evidence for and against the 'double penalty' thesis in the science and engineering fields

This study examines how race and gender affect the economic status of scientists and engineers. Using data from the 1989 Survey of Natural and Social Scientists and Engineers, the wage rates of minority females are compared with those of white males, white females, and minority males for the native-born population and immigrants. The results reveal Asian women's parity with white men in some contexts. Economic discrimination holds up for black and white women only. There is also evidence that institutional contexts affect men and women with similar characteristics in different ways. The findings challenge the claim for universalism but offer some support for the discipline-dependence hypothesis.
Applying Human-Centered Design and Human-Machine Integration Techniques to Solve Key Healthcare Problems

While healthcare has been behind in applying human-centered design (HCD) principles to enhance service, the use of human-machine systems integration techniques in concert with HCD principles is even rarer. This paper describes the value any organization or team can derive at the confluence of these two techniques, especially in an era of Artificial and Augmented Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), and outlines the unique model used by Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health’s DICE (Digital Innovation & Consumer Experience) Group, that applies HCD thinking and human-machine integration to solve critical healthcare problems that need solving for the industry to evolve into one that is more focused on the patient and the patient experience and one that also leverages modern digital technologies such as AI, ML and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Carbon Nanotubes and CoFe 2 O 4 Nanoparticles Composite for Nanomagnetic Sensors

Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and Cobalt Ferrite (CFO) magnetic nanoparticles (Npts) nanocomposite was synthesized in a one-step process by mixing and sonicating samples in presence of a surfactant. Structure and morphology of the composite was verified using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Magnetic properties were verified performing magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The saturation magnetization $(\mathrm{M}_{\mathrm{s}})$ for CNTs showed a significant improvement, 207.7 emu $\mathrm{g}^{-1}$ as compared to pristine cobalt ferrite's (CFO's) $\mathrm{M}_{\mathrm{s}}$ value of 63 emu $\mathrm{g}^{-1}$ .
Learning routines

Routine interactions in the world of an autonomous agent are a major source of learning for the agent. In my approach an agent interacts in the world in several different ways, from cognitive to automatic. I show that an agent can learn and also improve its routine interactions in its different modes of interaction in the world. I present a formalism and use for a goal structure known as goal sketch [11]. Rewards and punishments generated from a goal sketch which indicate progress in goal satisfaction are used to improve automatic interactions and enhance agent's strategies and concepts about action. I will discuss my experiments with a physical robot that uses a goal sketch in order to generate rewards and punishments which are then used in improving robot skills and discovering new actions.