cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Verbenone for Protecting Ponderosa Pine Stands from Western Pine Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Attack in California

ABSTRACT The western pine beetle, Dendroctonus brevicomis LeConte (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is a major cause of ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws., mortality in much of western North America. Currently, techniques for managing D. brevicomis infestations are limited. Verbenone (4,6,6-trimethylbicyclo [3.1.1] hept-3-en-2-one) is an antiaggregation pheromone of several Dendroctonus spp., including D. brevicomis, and it has been registered as a biopesticide for control of mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, and southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann. We evaluated the efficacy of a 5-g verbenone pouch [82%-(-); 50 mg/d] applied at 125 U/ha for protecting P. ponderosa stands (2 ha) from D. brevicomis attack over a 3-yr period. No significant differences in levels of D. brevicomis-caused tree mortality or the percentage of unsuccessfully attacked trees were found between verbenone-treated and untreated plots during each year or cumulatively over the...
Endoscopic Endonasal Repair of CSF Leak

Cerebrospinal (CSF) rhinorrhea commonly occurs as result of trauma and iatrogenic disruption of the skull base and secondary to inflammatory, neoplastic, and pseudotumor syndromes. Endoscopic reconstruction of skull base defects aims to reestablish tissue planes and completely separate the cranial from the sinonasal cavity, employing a multilayered reconstruction. Small bony defects can be closed with a single layer of inlay autologous fat or fascia, followed by tissue sealant. Sellar lesions involving a bony defect without intraoperative CSF leak can be closed by packing the cavity with Gelfoam and reconstructing the bony sella with vomer or artificial graft. In the presence of intraoperative CSF leak, the tumor cavity is packed with autologous abdominal fat followed by reconstruction of the bony sella and tissue sealant. Larger skull base defects with a high-volume intraoperative CSF leak require multilayered closure. This can be achieved with an autologous fat graft in the tumor cavity followed by fascia lata, bony buttress, and tissue sealant. These larger skull base defects can be supplemented with a gasket seal closure. This consists of fascia lata centered over the defect with the edges of the graft exceeding the bony defect circumferentially, covered by a piece of rigid material such as vomer or similar artificial material, countersunk into the bony defect. The use of a pedicled nasal septal vascular flap based on the nasoseptal artery is increasingly employed. The flap is harvested at the beginning of the operation, before posterior septectomy. During reconstruction, the nasal septal flap is incorporated as a final layer of closure in addition to the previously placed gasket seal or bony buttress and inlay graft and secured in position with fibrin glue ensuring that it is not twisted along its pedicle and the mucosal surface is facing the nasal cavity.
Robust fault estimation for time-varying and high-order faults in vehicle electric steering systems

Steering motors are involved in the vehicle active-steering or motor-aided steering systems such as active front wheel steering, steering-by-wire, and power steering systems, and steering motor faults always impose a great threat to vehicle stability and safety, demanding dedicated fault estimation systems. There are several challenges existing in the fault estimation for steering systems: time-varying vehicle longitudinal speed, inevitable modeling errors, and time-varying or high-order faults. In order to cope with all these challenges, a robust fault estimation approach is proposed by a means of gain-scheduling H∞ strategy. First, the vehicle model is established and incorporated with the steering system fault model. Then by taking into consideration of parameter-varying and modeling errors, a robust estimator is presented that ensures H∞ performance from modeling error to fault estimation. Experimental validations are shown to verify the effectiveness of the proposed estimator.
A Double Shot of Information Literacy Instruction at a Community College

ABSTRACTThis study analyzes the effectiveness of implementing four information literacy sessions within two different English classes in a community college setting. The study found significant improvement in the comfort level of students starting, researching, and writing papers. Additionally, students showed an increased understanding in areas of pre-searching, researching, Website analysis, and Google advanced search. The results provide insight into the effectiveness of expanding from one shot information literacy instruction to multiple interactive instructional sessions at a community college.
Violence by Proxy: State-Sponsored Rebels and Criminals in Chechnya

States often incorporate agents without formal ties to state institutions into their coercive apparatus. Blurring the already tenuous boundary between state and nonstate violence allows states to carry out illicit and covert actions. Accordingly, the existing literature identifies plausible deniability as a leading explanation for why states use armed proxies. However, states sometimes deliberately make public their relationship with violent nonstate actors. This chapter tackles why states outsource violence overtly by addressing an empirical puzzle: Russia’s partnership with rebels and criminals during the Second Chechen War (1999–2002), but not during the first (1994–1996). It shows that the variation in the two wars stems from the disparity in public support and the military competence of the regular forces. When public opinion strongly supported the military campaign and the regular forces were militarily capable, the Russian state outsourced violence overtly. The public confidence in the war’s rightfulness and the military’s aptitude muted the stigma associated with the state’s reliance on “unsavory” characters. However, when public opinion was against the war and the regular forces were incompetent, overt reliance on proxies would have made the state appear even weaker and more desperate, thereby undermining its legitimacy in the eyes of the Russian public.
Evaluating Health Impacts from a Bus Rapid Transit System Implementation in India: Case Study of Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Sustainable transportation interventions affect public health in three ways: through (a) reduced pollution emissions, (b) increased physical activity, and (c) reduced road accidents. The public health benefits that can be achieved through investment in sustainable transport thus are substantial. This study sought to estimate benefits from sustainable transport intervention in the city of Indore in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh through the construction of a bus rapid transit (BRT) system along a main traffic corridor. The benefits were estimated with a health impact assessment methodology developed on the basis of modal shift and vehicle kilometers traveled. With the introduction of a BRT system, the study found that about 14 lives could be saved per year as a result of an increase in walking or cycling, a decrease in private vehicle use, and a reduction in air pollution exposure. Also, more than 96 deaths could be prevented from 2013 to 2017 along the BRT corridor when compared with current trends in...
Bypass induced cerebral aneurysm

The development of aneurysm after EC-IC bypass was studied in 6 cases by angiography. Increase in blood flow and alteration of slow pattern are contributing factors. It is suggested that the difference in structure between cortical arteries and scalp arteries enhances their sensitivity to transcranial pressure difference. High TCP gradients may induce post-operative aneurysm, and careful management of blood flow through the bypass is recommended.
Biogeochemical Stratification and Carbonate Dissolution-Precipitation in Hypersaline Microbial Mats (Salt Pond, San Salvador, The Bahamas)

Microbial mat communities host complex biogeochemical processes and play a role in the formation of most carbonate rocks by influencing both carbonate precipitation and dissolution. In this study, the biogeochemistry of microbial mats from the hypersaline Salt Pond, San Salvador, Bahamas are described using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, microelectrode profiling, fatty acid methyl esters, and carbon and nitrogen analyses. These microbial mats are distinctly layered both chemically and with regard to composition of microbial community, where significant (ρ < 0.05) differences are noted between layers and cores. Furthermore, an oxic upper zone and an H2S-rich lower zone dominate the Salt Pond microbial mats, where H2S concentrations were measured approaching 8 mM. The high H2S concentrations along with the lacking evidence of mineral precipitation in SEM images point to the prevalence of carbonate dissolution. Moreover, the high concentrations of organics (3–9%) reveal that the mats are self-sourcing and can provide ample fuel to sustain the highly active heterotrophic (both aerobic and anaerobic) metabolism. Seasonal differences in sulfide and oxygen concentrations in Salt Pond mats indicate that the carbonate dissolution and precipitation reactions are dynamic in this hypersaline lake.
Primary Neoplasms of the Ureter

AbstractThe role of tobacco as a carcinogenic agent should be considered in ureteral carcinoma. In our study 77 per cent of the patients had a history of smoking, with an average of 50 packs a year consumption. Various studies have shown that the prognosis for ureteral carcinoma is related primarily to the grade and stage of the disease at the time of treatment. Therefore, it is imperative that the clinician maintain a high index of suspicion. This index of suspicion should be heightened in any patient with lower tract urothelial tumors. In addition to endoscopic followup excretory urography should be done on an annual basis, with retrograde studies when necessary. Ureteral brush biopsies or tissue obtained with the Dormia basket may be diagnostic. A Dormia stone basket was used in 3 patients in our study and sufficient tissue for diagnosis was obtained in each case. No complications were encountered. The results obtained in treating a primary leiomyosarcoma of the ureter are noteworthy in that complete r...
The Anatomy of Pelvic Support

Clinicians involved in the care of women should possess a clear conceptual understanding of the anatomy and pathophysiology of pelvic support in order to effectively evaluate and treat disorders of pelvic floor relaxation. This chapter provides a basic review of the anatomy and musculofascial support of major pelvic structures and discusses their importance in clinically significant disorders of pelvic prolapse.
Design of a lifestyle intervention to slow menopause-related progression of intra-abdominal adipose tissue in women: The Women in the Southside Health and Fitness (WISHFIT) study.

Abstract Background Changes in reproductive hormones during menopause are associated with accumulation of intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT), a subclinical indicator of cardiometabolic disease risk. Independent of reproductive hormones, unhealthy lifestyle contributes to IAAT gain. The Women in the Southside Health and Fitness (WISHFIT) Study aims to develop a lifestyle approach to slowing IAAT accumulation as women begin the menopausal transition. Methods The primary aim is to develop and conduct a proof-of-concept test of a multi-component, multi-level behavioral intervention targeting jointly physical activity, diet, and psychological well-being. Participants attend group sessions over 2 years to experiment with healthy living through both experiential and didactic learning, cultivate a health network, and draw on community resources to sustain change. The primary endpoint is 2-year IAAT progression, assessed using computerized tomography. Behavioral targets of treatment and secondary endpoints will be evaluated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Change in social networks and community support will be assessed at 2 years. Results WISHFIT recruited 71 pre- and peri-menopausal Caucasian and African American women (mean ± SD age = 47.6 ± 3.4 yrs; BMI = 33.6 ± 7.3 kg/m2; 52% African American). Baseline IAAT was 2104.1 ± 1201.3 cm3. IAAT, physical activity, BMI, and self-reported family income and resilience differed by ethnicity at baseline. Conclusions WISHFIT is a multi-component, multi-level intervention aimed at producing a sustained improvement in physical activity, diet, and psychological well-being early in the menopausal transition to slow menopause-related accumulation of IAAT. It provides a model for the process of developing a behavioral treatment to manage a chronic disease.
Socialization Turning Points: An Examination of Change in Organizational Identification.

This report identifies a gap between theory and research which plagues two areas of organizational inquiry, describes a method through which these concerns may be addressed, and describes a study which employed this method. Specifically, recent conceptualizations of organizational socialization and organizational identification view individuals as active participants in their relationships with organizations. Yet, research in both areas has over‐emphasized the organization's perspective and under‐emphasized the individual's. Turning point analysis is a method through which researchers may nisten” to participants’ points of view. It was used in a study reported here in order to help round out the relevant bodies of research. Retrospective interviewing was used to reconstruct the history and process of individuals’ socialization experiences over an eight‐month period. Fifteen types of turning points were identified. The results derived from turning point analysis are compared with conceptualizations of soci...
Effects of Response Requirements and Reinforcement Probability on the Latency to Depress a Foot Treadle

Some previous studies have shown response latency to be a relatively sensitive measure of the effects of many experimental manipulations. However, when key pecking is the required response topography, the effects on latency of the independent variable may be confounded by respondent influences. The present study attempts to separate operant from respondent influences on response latency by requiring pigeons to depress a foot treadle, a topography unlikely to have respondent components. Three pigeons responded under a multiple fixed-ratio fixed-ratio schedule of food delivery with a 5-s intertriai interval. For two subjects, the independent variable was the number of responses required in each component. For another subject, the probability of reinforcement associated with each component constituted the independent variable. In general, response latencies were found to be shorter to the stimulus associated with the smaller response requirement or greater probability of reinforcement. However, unlike previous findings, these results were obtained only after quite large differences between response requirements or reinforcement probability were arranged. Further, birds reliably pecked the stimulus key even when this response was not required for reinforcement.
Rationalizing Sampling of Pipe Material Properties for Probabilistic Pipe Fracture Analyses

One element of probabilistic pipe fracture analyses is an assessment of the stability of cracks under applied load. If the load at some time step is greater than the cracked section can sustain, the state of the pipe is reported as ruptured. Another element of probabilistic pipe fracture analyses is the calculation of the crack opening displacement (COD) value which is used as an input to a leak rate calculation. Both of these analyses typically require pipe material properties that are sampled from a probabilistic distribution characterized by a mean value and some variance about the mean. Such properties include yield strength, ultimate strength, Ramberg-Osgood stress-strain curve coefficients, and fracture toughness curve parameters such as initiation toughness and tearing parameters.From a procedural perspective, it is tempting to sample all of the relevant parameters independently. However, in some instances, the assumption of independence leads to nonsensical conditions such as yield being greater than ultimate; yield and ultimate being completely disconnected from the underlying Ramberg-Osgood description of the stress-strain curve; J-R toughness curves that are convex instead of concave; or initiation J values as low as zero.This paper provides a suggested approach to sampling material properties for probabilistic pipe fracture analyses. The approach maintains consistency between yield, ultimate and the underlying Ramberg-Osgood stress-strain curve, and sets reasonable cutoff limits on the properties that are sampled. Equations for ensuring consistency among the related parameters are given along with justifications for the sampling limits, and an example of application of the proposed methodology.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Verkehrspflichten bei Großveranstaltungen

Grosveranstaltungen aller Art locken jahrlich Millionen Menschen an, z. B. Sportevents, Konzerte, Jahrmarkte, Festivals, etc. Dabei bedarf es umfassender Vorbereitungen zur Sicherstellung eines reibungslosen Ablaufs. Das fordert Trager der offentlichen Hand, private Akteure und nicht zuletzt die Bevolkerung selbst.
Emotion Decoding and Incidental Processing Fluency as Antecedents of Attitude Certainty.

Previous research demonstrates that attitude certainty influences the degree to which an attitude changes in response to persuasive appeals. In the current research, decoding emotions from facial e...
Spectra and Green’s Functions for Differential Operators

The focus of this chapter is on spectral properties of differential operators, exploiting the fact that such an operator typically has a compact inverse. Two cases are presented in detail, first the Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problem, and then the case of the spectrum of the Laplacian in a bounded domain with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. Along the way, the existence and construction of Green’s functions for associated boundary value problems is discussed. In connection with the case of the Dirichlet Laplacian, the Poincare inequality is proved.
A dynamic three-state memory cell for high-density associative processors

A dynamic associative processor cell is described which stores three states (0, 1, and X) and performs read, match, and masked-write functions. Five MOS transistors are used, including two dual-gate structures available in MIT's CCD/CMOS technology. The dual-gate CCD (charge coupled device) transistors are used to reduce the spooning current, which can discharge the storage node through the write transistors. Experimental results show the functionality of the cell and an acceptable degradation with continuous spooning
Linguistic Integration and Immigrant Health: The Longitudinal Effects of Interethnic Social Capital

The literature on immigrant health has by and large focused on the relationship between acculturation (often measured by a shift in language use) and health outcomes, paying less attention to network processes and the implications of interethnic integration for long-term health. This study frames English-language use among immigrants in the United States as a reflection of bridging social capital that is indicative of social network diversity. Using longitudinal data on self-rated health and the incidence of chronic conditions from the New Immigrant Survey (2003, 2007), I examine the contemporaneous and longitudinal associations between interethnic social capital and health. The results show evidence for a positive long-term effect of linguistic integration on health status, but no cross-sectional associations were observed. Overall, these results highlight the possible role of network processes in linking English-language use with immigrant health and the time-dependent nature of the relationship between...
Understanding Treatment Effect Estimates When Treatment Effects Are Heterogeneous for More Than One Outcome

Patient-centred care requires evidence of treatment effects across many outcomes. Outcomes can be beneficial (e.g. increased survival or cure rates) or detrimental (e.g. adverse events, pain associated with treatment, treatment costs, time required for treatment). Treatment effects may also be heterogeneous across outcomes and across patients. Randomized controlled trials are usually insufficient to supply evidence across outcomes. Observational data analysis is an alternative, with the caveat that the treatments observed are choices. Real-world treatment choice often involves complex assessment of expected effects across the array of outcomes. Failure to account for this complexity when interpreting treatment effect estimates could lead to clinical and policy mistakes. Our objective was to assess the properties of treatment effect estimates based on choice when treatments have heterogeneous effects on both beneficial and detrimental outcomes across patients. Simulation methods were used to highlight the sensitivity of treatment effect estimates to the distributions of treatment effects across patients across outcomes. Scenarios with alternative correlations between benefit and detriment treatment effects across patients were used. Regression and instrumental variable estimators were applied to the simulated data for both outcomes. True treatment effect parameters are sensitive to the relationships of treatment effectiveness across outcomes in each study population. In each simulation scenario, treatment effect estimate interpretations for each outcome are aligned with results shown previously in single outcome models, but these estimates vary across simulated populations with the correlations of treatment effects across patients across outcomes. If estimator assumptions are valid, estimates across outcomes can be used to assess the optimality of treatment rates in a study population. However, because true treatment effect parameters are sensitive to correlations of treatment effects across outcomes, decision makers should be cautious about generalizing estimates to other populations.
La interfaz portugués-castellano en Misiones, Argentina: zona de prueba para la alternancia de lenguas

espanolEste trabajo presenta los resultados de tres experimentos interactivos realizados entre hablantes bilingues (castellano-portugues) en la provincia argentina de Misiones, con la finalidad de investigar si algunas de las restricciones sintacticas postuladas para los cambios de codigo intra-oracionales son validas para lenguas tan similares. Los contextos claves para el cambio de idioma son: despues de pronombres de sujeto, negativos e interrogativos, y entre verbo auxiliar e infinitivo. Los resultados sugieren una correlacion entre la permeabilidad parcial de restricciones sintacticas y distancia genealogica. EnglishThis article presents the results of three interactive experiments carried out among bilingual speakers (Castillian-Portuguese) in the Argentinian province of Misiones, in order to investigate if some of the syntactic restrictions postulated for the intra-sentence code switching are also valid for so similar languages. The key contexts for language switching are: after subject pronouns, negative and interrogative, and between auxiliary verb and infinitive. The results suggest a correlation between partial permeability of syntactic restrictions and genealogical distance.
Global Out of the Gate (1): Dartfish

This is the first of a two-case series (507-035-1 and 507-075-1). Dartfish SA was a privately held software company based in Switzerland. A worldwide leader in sports video training, the firm developed, produced, and marketed two video processing technologies used to highlight movement. Dartfish promoted these technologies mainly for athletic applications such as sports training and exclusive televised broadcasts. Dartfish packaged and sold its software in the US and Europe. In late 2005, Dartfish was expanding rapidly. Management was considering whether to rebuild the software platform and whether to prepare for an initial public offering. In 2005, sales totaled approximately US$6 million. This case is suitable for courses in marketing strategy and global marketing.
266. Demographic characteristics and angiogenic profile in relation to fetal sex

Introduction Fetal sex has been shown to alter maternal milieu, with patients carrying a male fetus having an altered inflammatory response in pregnancy. Angiogenic biomarkers sFlt1 and PlGF are associated with preeclampsia, however the difference in angiogenic profile with respect to the fetal sex is not previously analyzed. Methods In this retrospective cohort analysis, women with preeclampsia and normal pregnancy were enrolled upon admission to labor and delivery. Blood samples were collected and were assessed for angiogenic factors using an automated platform. Clinical and demographic information was abstracted from medical records and presented as median (interquartile range) or n (%). Results A total of 299 normotensive and 130 women with preeclampsia were enrolled. Equal number of patients had male fetuses among preeclampsia and normotensive parturients (55.9% and 50.2% respectively). Among both normotensive and women with preeclampsia, no difference was observed in demographic characteristics between male and female fetuses, including age (normotensive), body mass index, smoking or racial status, blood pressure, gestation age at delivery or birthweight (all p > 0.10). Normotensive mothers carrying a male fetus had significantly high sFlt1 (3168 [IQR: 2160–4945] vs 2678 [IQR: 1752–4271]; p = 0.01), lower PlGF (175 [IQR: 97–367] vs 215 [IQR: 124–426]; p = 0.09), and higher sFlt/PlGF ratios (18 [IQR: 7–44] vs 12 [IQR: 5–30]; p = 0.01). This difference between fetal sexes was not observed in the angiogenic profile of patients with preeclampsia; however, we did observe a higher maternal age (27 vs 24 years, p = 0.03) and rates of cesarean section, among patients with male fetuses in this cohort (54.7%vs 37.3%; p = 0.04). Conclusion Our study demonstrates that normotensive women carrying a male fetus have significantly worse angiogenic profile as compared to those carrying a female fetus. No such relationship exists for preeclamptic pregnancies. Further studies are needed to elucidate this mechanism.
The Gender Politics of Music and the Ineffable: On the Feminine in Jankelevitch and Levinas

ABSTRACTTranslated into English in 2004, Vladimir Jankelevitch’s book Music and the Ineffable has made a significant impact in anglophone musicology. I argue that the figure of the feminine is cent...
Suicide Screening and Behavioral Health Assessment in the Emergency Department

ABSTRACT Suicide is a leading cause of death among our young patients. Healthcare providers in acute care settings like the emergency department have an opportunity to identify and intervene with those at risk in order to prevent death from suicide, future psychiatric emergencies, and the considerable morbidity that patients with unmet behavioral health needs experience. This article describes the current state of depression and suicide among young people and the strategies for implementing and improving screening in the emergency department. Finally, the article will articulate how to prepare for the challenges that emergency care providers face, as we work to reduce barriers for all patients to access behavioral health resources and receive needed care.
Mechanistic studies on bovine brain hexokinase

The variation of kinetic parameters with pH was examined for bovine brain hexokinase with glucose and MgATP as substrates. The -log(V^) and -log(V /Km) profiles for both substrates were examined and seen to decrease below pH 6.5. All profiles asymptotically approached slopes of -1, indicating that the loss of activity in each instance was due to the protonation of a single group on the enzyme. Analysis of the data indicated that two ionizable groups were involved in the reaction. One functions in the binding of ATP and in catalysis, while the other partic­ ipates in the binding of glucose. The -log(V^) profiles both showed a "hump" attributed to a loss of activity in the pH region of 7.5 to 5.5. Addition of aluminum ions to the reaction mixture increased the magnitude of the hump, but the inhibition was abolished by the addition of citrate. Kinetic studies carried out at pH 7 indicated that aluminum was a com­ petitive inhibitor with respect to ATP, and noncompetitive with respect to glucose. However, secondary plots of the kinetic data were nonlinear, concave downward, indicating that the inhibition is not of a simple type. Possible explanations for this phenomenon are presented.
Characterization of CD44 intracellular domain interaction with RUNX2 in PC3 human prostate cancer cells

Expression of CD44 receptor is associated with the onset of several tumors. The intracellular domain of CD44 (CD44-ICD) has been implicated as a co-transcription factor for RUNX2 in the regulation of expression of MMP-9 in breast carcinoma cells. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated the role of CD44 in migration and invasion of PC3 prostate cells through activation of MMP-9. CD44 signaling regulates the phosphorylation and hence the localization of RUNX2 in the nucleus. The role of CD44-ICD has not been studied in prostate cancer cells. This study aimed to explore the role of CD44-ICD and RUNX2 in the regulation of expression of metastasis-related genes. PC3 and PC3 cells overexpressing RUNX2 protein were analyzed for RUNX2/CD44-ICD interaction by immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, and Immunofluorescence analyses. Wound healing and tumorsphere formation analyses were also done in these cells. The real-time PCR analysis was used to detect the expression levels of different genes. Expression of CD44 and RUNX2 was observed only in PC3 cells (androgen receptor positive) and not in LNCaP or PCa2b cells (androgen receptor negative). Therefore, CD44-ICD fragment (~ 15-16 kDa) was observed in PC3 cells. Moreover, localization of CD44-ICD was more in the nucleus than in the cytoplasm of PC3 cells. Inhibition of cleavage of CD44 with a γ-secretase inhibitor, DAPT reduced the formation of CD44-ICD; however, accumulation of CD44–external truncation fragments (~ 20 and ~ 25 kDa) was detected. RUNX2 and CD44-ICD interact in the nucleus of PC3 cells, and this interaction was more in PC3 cells transfected with RUNX2 cDNA. Overexpression of RUNX2 augments the expression of metastasis-related genes (e.g., MMP-9 and osteopontin) which resulted in increased migration and tumorsphere formation. We have shown here a strong functional relationship between CD44-ICD and RUNX2 in PC3 cells. RUNX2 forms a complex with CD44-ICD as a co-transcriptional factor, and this complex formation not only activates the expression of metastasis-related genes but also contributes to migration and tumorsphere formation. Therefore, RUNX2 and CD44-ICD are potential targets for anti-cancer therapy, and attenuation of their interaction may validate the regulatory effects of these proteins on cancer migration and progression.
Whole-Exome Sequencing (WES) for Illumina Short Read Sequencers Using Solution-Based Capture.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is transforming clinical research and diagnostics, vastly enhancing our ability to identify novel disease-causing genetic mutations and perform comprehensive diagnostic testing in the clinic. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) is a commonly used method which captures the majority of coding regions of the genome for sequencing, as these regions contain the majority of disease-causing mutations. The clinical applications of WES are not limited to diagnosis; the technique can be employed to help determine an optimal therapeutic strategy for a patient considering their mutation profile. WES may also be used to predict a patient's risk of developing a disease, e.g., type 2 diabetes (T2D), and can therefore be used to tailor advice for the patient about lifestyle choices that could mitigate those risks. Thus, genome sequencing strategies, such as WES, underpin the emerging field of personalized medicine. Initiatives also exist for sharing WES data in public repositories, e.g., the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC) database. In time, by mining these valuable data resources, we will acquire a better understanding of the roles of both single rare mutations and specific combinations of common mutations (mutation signatures) in the pathology of complex diseases such as diabetes.Herein, we describe a protocol for performing WES on genomic DNA extracted from blood or saliva. Starting with gDNA extraction, we document preparation of a library for sequencing on Illumina instruments and the enrichment of the protein-coding regions from the library using the Roche NimbleGen SeqCap EZ Exome v3 kit; a solution-based capture method. We include details of how to efficiently purify the products of each step using the AMPure XP System and describe how to use qPCR to test the efficiency of capture, and thus determine finished library quality.
Distributed Dynamic State Estimation Considering Packet Losses in Interconnected Smart Grid Subsystems: Linear Matrix Inequality Approach

This paper proposes a distributed dynamic state estimation algorithm considering packet losses in interconnected smart grid subsystems. Particularly, the distributed filter structure is developed in an interconnected way where the packet dropouts occur in communication links between them. The system error dynamic between true and estimate state is written in a compact form after combining all estimation errors. It can be transformed into the linear matrix inequality framework after introducing semidefinite programming variables. Finally, the local and neighboring gains for the distributed estimator are computed after solving the convex optimization problem. The explore method is applied to the IEEE 14-bus system. In doing this, the state-space model of IEEE 14-bus is obtained using the Holt-Winters method. Simulation results are demonstrated considering packet losses and cyber attacks.
Combustion performance of low-NOx and conventional storage water heaters operated on hydrogen enriched natural gas

Abstract Adding renewable hydrogen into natural gas pipeline would bring down the net gas C/H ratio and hence the CO2 emissions. Also, it can help stabilize electric grids and maximize the renewable output of intermittent energy sources (solar, wind, etc.) via power-to-gas pathway. However, hydrogen differs in its chemical and physical characteristics (flammability range, flame speed, density, adiabatic flame temperature, energy content, etc.) than natural gas. Before transitioning to hydrogen admixing into pipelines, a general agreement on maximum hydrogen tolerance pertaining to end use (residential appliances) operation needs to be established. Focusing on the combustion performance of two representative models of storage water heaters (conventional and low-NOx) in California, this research addresses how much H2 content in natural gas can be tolerated without loss of critical performance parameters with reliable operation. Characteristics like flashback, ignition delay, flame structure, and emissions (NOx, NO, CO, CO2, UHC, and NH3) at different concentrations of H2 admixed with natural gas is investigated. The present study shows
Strategies to Promote Central Nervous System Remyelination In Vivo

One important goal of multiple sclerosis research is to develop strategies to promote remyelination in the central nervous system (CNS). We previously reported that immunoglobulins directed against spinal cord homogenate promote CNS remyelination when injected into Theiler’s virusinfected mice. To elucidate the mechanism of immunoglobulin-mediated CNS remyelination, we generated a monoclonal antibody (designated SCH94.03) against spinal cord homogenate, which increases remyelination four-fold when injected into SJL/J mice with Theiler’s virus-induced demyelination. In live cell staining, SCH94.03 recognizes a surface antigen on well-differentiated oligodendrocytes. Double labeling experiments with other oligodendrocytespecific antibodies indicate that this surface antigen may be a novel antigen on oligodendrocytes. In contrast with the surface labeling, SCH94.03 recognizes intracellular antigen(s) resembling cytoskeleton protein in all cells. Immunoglobulin cDNA sequence analysis reveals that SCH94.03 is encoded by immunoglobulin germline genes without somatic mutations, consistent with the conclusion that SCH94.03 is a natural autoantibody. SCH94.03 is also polyreactive toward multiple protein antigens and chemical haptens by ELISA. We propose and discuss three possible mechanisms of immunoglobulin-mediated CNS remyelination based on the results obtained from the Theiler’s virus model of multiple sclerosis.
Divide-the-Quarter: Testing Distributive Politics Theories in the States Using Federal Opportunity Zones

In this short paper we use case in which all 50 governors simultaneously faced similar decisions about allocating a constrained set of valuable resources---tax advantaged status for economic development--- to test political alignment theories of resource allocation alongside two less explored alternatives: spreading the wealth by geography, and policy need. We find that governors prioritized county lines such that sites in counties with fewer opportunities to distribute were disproportionately selected. We also find they were responsive to policy need. However, we do not find evidence of particularism based on the politics of an area's voters or its local elected officials. This work thus provides reason for caution when generalizing from the presidential particularism literature to different institutional contexts and different types of resources. It underscores the primacy of geographic boundaries in political decision making, relative to population and other factors, even when they are not units of vote aggregation.
Homomorphic Password Manager Using Multiple-Hash with PUF

In the proposed homomorphic methods, the server authenticates clients without ever knowing their passwords. During enrollment, the users subject their passwords to multiple hashing cycles, typically 1000 times, and communicate the resulting message digests to the server. Rather than storing these message digests, the server uses them to find addresses in the physical unclonable functions, which generate data streams that are stored for future authentication. The authentication cycles use the following steps: i) The users hash their passwords multiple times, at levels lower than the one used during enrollment; ii) The server generates data streams from the physical elements at the address extracted from the message digest and compares it to the data streams stored during enrollment, and iii) The server reiterates the previous step by incrementally hashing the resulting message digest to find a match, or it rejects the password. During subsequent authentication cycles, the users again hash their passwords multiple times, but at levels lower than the ones used during the previous cycles. Thereby it becomes pointless for third parties to intercept previously hashed passwords; they are never used twice. Hacking a database containing the data streams extracted from the physical unclonable functions during enrollment is also pointless without also having access to the devices. In this entire homomorphic protocol, the users are the only ones who know their passwords. This paper presents a prototype demonstrating the functionality of an example of a homomorphic password manager protocol with SHA-3–512 hashing algorithm exploiting the physical randomness of static random-access memories.
LECTURES ON CONTACT GEOMETRY IN LOW-DIMENSIONAL TOPOLOGY

This article sketches various ideas in contact geometry that have become useful in low-dimensional topology. Specifically we (1) outline the proof of Eliashberg and Thurston's results concerning perturbations of folia- toins into contact structures, (2) discuss Eliashberg and Weinstein's symplec- tic handle attachments, and (3) briefly discuss Giroux's insights into open book decompositions and contact geometry. Bringing these pieces together we discuss the construction of "symplectic caps" which are a key tool in the application of contact/symplectic geometry to low-dimensional topology.
Isolation and expression of a gene which encodes a wall-associated proteinase of Coccidioides immitis.

Abstract A chymotrypsinlike serine proteinase of Coccidioides immitis with an estimated molecular size of 34 kDa has been shown by immunoelectron microscopy to be associated with the walls of the parasitic cells of this human respiratory pathogen. The proteinase has been suggested to play a role in spherule development. We report the isolation of a 1.2-kb cDNA from an expression library of C. immitis constructed in the lambda ZAP II phage vector. The cDNA is suggested to encode the 34-kDa protein. We demonstrate identity between segments of the deduced amino acid sequence of the open reading frame of the 1.2-kb cDNA and three distinct sequences obtained from cyanogen bromide cleavage peptides of the purified proteinase. The occurrence of N-glycosyl linkage sites in the deduced sequence of 309 amino acids of the open reading frame (ORF) correlates with our identification of such linkage sites in the native glycosylated proteinase. A protein encoded by an 800-bp fragment of the 1.2-kb cDNA, which was produced by transformed Escherichia coli XL1-Blue, was recognized by the anti-34-kDa protein antibody in a Western blot (immunoblot). Northern (RNA) hybridization of total poly(A)-containing RNA of C. immitis with the labeled 1.2-kb cDNA clone revealed a single band of approximately 1.75 kb. Partial homology was demonstrated between the deduced amino acid sequence of the ORF (927 bp) and reported sequences of alpha-chymotrypsin and chymotrypsinogens. Expression of the proteinase gene was examined by Northern dot blot analysis of total RNA from different stages of parasitic cell development in C. immitis. Maximum levels of specific mRNA were detected during early endospore wall differentiation. The 34-kDa proteinase appears to be concentrated in walls of the parasitic cells at stages of active growth. We suggest that the enzyme may participate in wall plasticization and/or intussusception or in cell wall turnover.
Inactivation of Primate Prefrontal Cortex Impairs Auditory and Audiovisual Working Memory.

The prefrontal cortex is associated with cognitive functions that include planning, reasoning, decision-making, working memory, and communication. Neurophysiology and neuropsychology studies have established that dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is essential in spatial working memory while the ventral frontal lobe processes language and communication signals. Single-unit recordings in nonhuman primates has shown that ventral prefrontal (VLPFC) neurons integrate face and vocal information and are active during audiovisual working memory. However, whether VLPFC is essential in remembering face and voice information is unknown. We therefore trained nonhuman primates in an audiovisual working memory paradigm using naturalistic face-vocalization movies as memoranda. We inactivated VLPFC, with reversible cortical cooling, and examined performance when faces, vocalizations or both faces and vocalization had to be remembered. We found that VLPFC inactivation impaired subjects9 performance in audiovisual and auditory-alone versions of the task. In contrast, VLPFC inactivation did not disrupt visual working memory. Our studies demonstrate the importance of VLPFC in auditory and audiovisual working memory for social stimuli but suggest a different role for VLPFC in unimodal visual processing. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ventral frontal lobe, or inferior frontal gyrus, plays an important role in audiovisual communication in the human brain. Studies with nonhuman primates have found that neurons within ventral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) encode both faces and vocalizations and that VLPFC is active when animals need to remember these social stimuli. In the present study, we temporarily inactivated VLPFC by cooling the cortex while nonhuman primates performed a working memory task. This impaired the ability of subjects to remember a face and vocalization pair or just the vocalization alone. Our work highlights the importance of the primate VLPFC in the processing of faces and vocalizations in a manner that is similar to the inferior frontal gyrus in the human brain.
Treatment Sequencing in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Clinical Commentary

The clinician’s armamentarium for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) has never been as full as at present. Years of basic scientific and clinical research effort have culminated, in the past 5 or so years, in the approvals of 5 active agents that prolong overall survival, with the promise of more to come. However, as a practicing clinician, I and others 1 have observed that up to two-thirds of patients do not receive the full benefits of these new treatments, particularly chemotherapy, to which they are entitled. A case can be made, on the basis of both experimental and informal observations, that on the one hand the novel oral hormonal agents, abiraterone, and enzalutamide are somewhat overutilized, while on the other hand chemotherapy with docetaxel and cabazitaxel is somewhat underutilized. The reasons for this are numerous, but may in essence boil down to the relative ease of treatment with the oral hormonal agents compared with the relative toxicity of chemotherapy. While there are certainly differences in toxicity between the 2 classes of drugs, I contend that the underutilization of chemotherapy, while continuing a patient whose disease is progressing on oral hormonal agents, is not in the interest of that patient. Several preclinical and clinical observations support this contention. For example, one of the more interesting observations made in
Phenological responses of prairie plants vary among species and year in a three-year experimental warming study

As temperature is a common regulator of temperate plant phenology, future increases in global temperatures are likely to cause shifts in the timing of plant phenophases such as flowering and senescence, with potential feedbacks on species interactions and carbon cycling. We used a 3-year field warming study in a temperate grassland to investigate the effects of two levels of warming (+ ~1.5°C and + ~3°C) on the phenology of budding, flowering onset, and peak flowering of ten perennial plant species at both individual and population scales. We also examined the effect of warming on green-up and senescence by measuring normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for one year. Populations and individuals of Amorpha canescens, Dalea purpurea (Petalostemum purpureum), and Andropogon gerardii flowered five to eight days earlier under high warming. For seven species, interannual variability in flowering time equaled or exceeded experimental warming treatment effects in any given year. Responses to warming were not consistent among years for several species, especially Liatris aspera. Warming led to higher NDVI values in the spring, indicating that warming accelerated spring biomass growth but did not significantly affect senescence. These results suggest that the community flowering profile may be altered under warming, potentially affecting pollinator, trophic and competitive interactions, and indicate that the timing to peak biomass may be accelerated, possibly affecting ecosystem carbon cycling.