cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inverting the Point Process Model for Fast Phonetic Keyword Search.

Normally, we represent speech as a long sequence of frames and model the keyword with a relatively small set of parameters, commonly with a hidden Markov model (HMM). However, since the input speech is much longer than the keyword, suppose instead that we represent the speech as a relatively sparse set of impulses (roughly one per phoneme) and model the keyword as a filter-bank where each filter’s impulse response relates to the likelihood of a phone at a given position within a word. Evaluating keyword detections can then be seen as a convolution of an impulse train with an array of filters. This view enables huge speedups; runtime no longer depends on the frame rate and is instead linear in the number of events (impulses). We apply this intuition to redesign the runtime engine behind the point process model for keyword spotting. We demonstrate impressive real-time speedups (500,000x faster than real-time) with minimal loss in search accuracy.
Novel mutational and pathway signatures in relapsed/refractory colorectal cancer patients.

591 Background: In the management of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), all RAS (KRAS, NRAS) and BRAF V600E mutation status guides therapeutic options and identify a unique cohort of patients (pts) with a more aggressive clinical course. We hypothesized that relapsed/refractory CRC pts develop unique mutational signatures that guide standard and targeted therapy but also predict for therapeutic response, identify novel driver mutations and highlight key signaling pathways for clinical decision making. Methods: Relapsed/refractory mCRC pts (N=31) were molecularly profiled by NGS Caris Molecular Intelligence (IHC, FISH/CISH, NGS) and/or Foundation One (NGS, copy number). Samples were annotated by histology, primary and/or metastatic site, biopsy location, gene mutation, domain, topology, and mutation count. Web-based bioinformatics tools (Enrichr/IntAct) were utilized to analyze mutational profiles, identifying pathway-networks. Results: Pts included progressed on fluoropyrimidines, oxaliplatin, irinoteca...
Temporal Shift of Circadian-Mediated Gene Expression and Carbon Fixation Contributes to Biomass Heterosis in Maize Hybrids

Heterosis has been widely used in agriculture, but the molecular mechanism for this remains largely elusive. In Arabidopsis hybrids and allopolyploids, increased photosynthetic and metabolic activities are linked to altered expression of circadian clock regulators, including CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED1 (CCA1). It is unknown whether a similar mechanism mediates heterosis in maize hybrids. Here we report that higher levels of carbon fixation and starch accumulation in the maize hybrids are associated with altered temporal gene expression. Two maize CCA1 homologs, ZmCCA1a and ZmCCA1b, are diurnally up-regulated in the hybrids. Expressing ZmCCA1 complements the cca1 mutant phenotype in Arabidopsis, and overexpressing ZmCCA1b disrupts circadian rhythms and biomass heterosis. Furthermore, overexpressing ZmCCA1b in maize reduced chlorophyll content and plant height. Reduced height stems from reduced node elongation but not total node number in both greenhouse and field conditions. Phenotypes are less severe in the field than in the greenhouse, suggesting that enhanced light and/or metabolic activities in the field can compensate for altered circadian regulation in growth vigor. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) analysis reveals a temporal shift of ZmCCA1-binding targets to the early morning in the hybrids, suggesting that activation of morning-phased genes in the hybrids promotes photosynthesis and growth vigor. This temporal shift of ZmCCA1-binding targets correlated with nonadditive and additive gene expression in early and late stages of seedling development. These results could guide breeding better hybrid crops to meet the growing demand in food and bioenergy.
I Want You to Like Me: Extraversion, Need for Approval, and Time on Facebook as Predictors of Anxiety

Although social networking sites such as Facebook have been touted as creating a global village, there may be a downside to such computer-mediated interactions on user's well-being. One such consequence is that stimuli via computer-mediated interactions may be anxiety-provoking for some users. As such, recent studies have tried to ascertain personality factors and individual differences that are associated with higher anxiety in connection with extensive Facebook use. The current study evaluated the relationships among extraversion, time on Facebook, need for approval, and anxiety among college students (N=280). Results revealed that need for approval significantly moderated the association between extraversion and anxiety. Specifically, individuals higher in extraversion tended to be less anxious, although this was less true for those extraverts who were higher in need for approval. Further, this moderating effect was stronger among extraverts who were high in need for approval and spent more time on Facebook relative to those who spent less time on Facebook. The present research contributes to the emerging literature by providing evidence regarding how personality factors interact with Facebook usage.
How to Describe New Species of Prokaryotes

Abstract This chapter outlines the steps in the process of characterizing a bacterial or archaeal isolate or group of strains and presenting that information in the form of a taxonomic description. Prokaryotes are currently characterized using a polyphasic approach that brings together a variety of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic data that comprise the formal description of a novel taxon. The first step in any characterization process is to determine the phylogenetic relationship to the type strains of previously described species, generally based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons. The choices of methods applied to the characterization of a new isolate and the types of data collected are determined by the phylogenetic placement of the strain. Methods for the determination of comparative data should be strictly standardized. The description of a novel species typically includes morphology, size, distinctive features and staining properties of the cells; colony morphology, size and color; metabolic type and end products of metabolism; physiological characteristics such as temperature, pH and NaCl optima and ranges for growth; chemotaxonomic properties such as cell wall type, fatty acid and polar lipid profile; substrates utilized and enzyme activities produced; resistance or sensitivities to antimicrobials; mol% G+C content of the DNA; accession numbers of any DNA sequences deposited in GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ databases; habitat or source of the strains of the species; designation of the type strain and reference strains and the accession numbers of the culture collections at which the strains are deposited.
Appropriateness of antibiotic management of uncomplicated skin and soft tissue infections in hospitalized adult patients

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are a leading cause for hospitalizations in the United States. Few studies have addressed the appropriateness of antibiotic therapy in the management of SSTIs without complicating factors. We aimed to determine the appropriateness of antibiotic treatment duration for hospitalized adult patients with uncomplicated SSTIs. This was a retrospective analysis performed at two academic medical centers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on patients aged 18 years and older with primary ICD-9 code for SSTIs admitted August 1st, 2014–March 31st, 2015. The primary outcome was the appropriateness of antibiotic treatment duration for uncomplicated SSTIs. Secondary objectives included the appropriateness of antibiotic agent spectrum, duration of inpatient length of stay (LOS), utilization of blood cultures and advanced imaging modalities, and re-hospitalization for SSTI within 30 days of discharge from the index admission. A total of 163 episodes were included in the cohort. The mean duration of total antibiotic therapy was 12.6 days. Appropriate duration was defined as receipt of total antibiotic duration of less than 10 days and occurred in 20.2% of patients. Twenty eight percent of patients received antibiotics for greater than 14 days. Seventy three (44.8%) patients received greater than 24 h of inappropriate extended spectrum gram-negative coverage; 65 (39.9%) received anaerobic coverage. In the majority of patients, treatment duration was excessive. Inappropriate broad spectrum antibiotic selection was utilized with regularity for SSTIs without complicating factors. The management of uncomplicated SSTIs represents a significant opportunity for antimicrobial stewardship.
Early involvement of lysosome dysfunction in the degeneration of cerebral cortical neurons caused by the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal.

Free radical–mediated oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA occurs in neurons during acute brain injuries and in neurodegenerative disorders. Membrane lipid peroxidation contributes to neuronal dysfunction and death, in part by disrupting neuronal ion homeostasis and cellular bioenergetics. Emerging findings suggest that 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), an aldehyde produced during lipid peroxidation, impairs the function of various proteins involved in neuronal homeostasis. Here we tested the hypothesis that HNE impairs the cellular system that removes damaged proteins and organelles, the autophagy – lysosome pathway in rat primary cortical neurons. We found that HNE, at a concentration that causes apoptosis over a 48 – 72 hour period, increases protein levels of LC3 II and p62 and within 1 and 4 hours of exposure, respectively; LC3 II and p62 immunoreactive puncta were observed in the cytoplasm of HNE-treated neurons at 6 hours. The extent of upregulation of p62 and LC3 II in response to HNE was not affected by co-treatment with the lysosome inhibitor bafilomycin A1, suggesting that effects of HNE on autophagy were secondary to lysosome inhibition. Indeed, we found that neurons exposed to HNE exhibit elevated pH levels, and decreased protein substrate hydrolysis and cathepsin B activity. Neurons exposed to HNE also exhibited the accumulation of K63-linked polyubiquitinated proteins, which are substrates targeted for lysosomal degradation. Moreover, we found that levels of LAMP2a and Hsc70, and numbers of LAMP2a-positive lysosomes, are decreased in neurons exposed to HNE. Our findings demonstrate that the lipid peroxidation product HNE causes early impairment of lysosomes which may contribute to the accumulation of damaged and dysfunctional proteins and organelles and consequent neuronal death. Because impaired lysosome function is increasingly recognized as an early event in the neuronal death that occurs in neurodegenerative disorders, our findings suggest a role for HNE in such lysosomal dysfunction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A kirigami-based Parylene C stretch sensor

We present the first slotted Parylene C kirigami device for transducing stretch-induced displacement under multiple modes of operation. Devices consist of thin-film gold traces wound among multiple rows of offset slits etched through a free-film Parylene substrate. Slits were etched via a switched-chemistry DRIE in oxygen plasma, resulting in densely packed slit designs. Multiple slit designs were evaluated and devices with more tightly packed slits were found endure greater stretch distance before failure, with devices containing more tightly packed slits able to stretch up to 9 mm (180%) without plastic deformation or compromise of electrical integrity. Multiple modes of stretch transduction were evaluated, including DC resistance changes due to strain at trace inflection points and high-frequency changes in self-impedance and inter-trace capacitance. DC resistance was found to increase linearly with stretch distance with sensitivities between 0.04 and 0.1 Ω/mm which are comparable to previously reported polyimide sensors but with a wider dynamic measurement range. Capacitance was also found to increase linearly with stretch distance after 2 mm, and high-frequency impedance increased nonlinearly, with different trace routing designs resulting in different patterns of impedance change with stretch.
Some Rational Inequalities Inspired by Rahman’s Research

This paper describes three instances of our research activity in rational inequalities inspired by Professor Rahman’s research. The results include Bernstein-type inequalities for rational functions with prescribed poles, comparison inequalities for rational functions, and integral inequalities with prescribed poles and prescribed zeros.
Devout Muslim masculinities: the moral geographies and everyday practices of being men in Turkey

AbstractWhile the academic focus on Muslim women’s dress and comportment has enriched our understanding of the multifaceted formation of pious femininities, there has been much less consideration of the embodied practices of Muslim men. What work does exist on Middle Eastern men’s piety, sexuality, and everyday conduct too often falls back on established categories, such as traditional, Western, or Islamic identities. Yet it is crucial not only to critically examine how we conceptualize masculinity in the Middle East, but also to recognize the political and cultural importance of how masculinities are enacted through everyday practices. In this article, we argue that questions of dress and bodily practice are relevant to an understanding of how young devout Muslim men navigate the complex spatiality of piety, morality, and masculinity in contemporary urban Turkey. Drawing on fieldwork with young devout men in Konya and Istanbul, we illustrate how multiple, competing devout Muslim masculinities participate...
A Description of Contrasting Discourse Patterns Used in Differentiated Reading Instruction

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to provide a description of contrasting discourse patterns during small-group reading instruction. The authors report on case studies conducted in two 1st-gra...
Abstract TP412: Stroke Survivors’ Perceptions About Risk Factor Management: Challenges and Opportunities

Background: Adherence to medications and recommended lifestyle changes are effective strategies to reduce recurrent stroke, yet implementation remains sub-optimal. We lack information from the stro...
Building Environmentally Attuned Communities: The Politics of Alvin Curran’s Maritime Rites

Alvin Curran (1938-) has always spent time near bodies of water and this fact has arguably left a mark on his compositions from his important work Songs and Views of the Magnetic Garden (1975) for live performance and sounds of gentle water waves, which Curran recorded on tape, to his ongoing series Maritime Rites (ca. 1975-) for musicians in boats on bodies of water. This essay examines Curran's use of water as a compositional resource while also considering ideas such as music outside of the concert hall and building environmentally attuned communities.
Can Physical Examination Create a Stener Lesion

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine whether a Stener lesion can be created while testing stability of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the thumb. Testing was performed in a ...
Chapter 2 – Photorelease Techniques for Raising or Lowering Intracellular Ca2 +

The quantitative manipulation of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) is a valuable instrument in the modern cell biologists' toolbox for unraveling the many cell processes controlled by calcium. I summarize here the major classes of photosensitive calcium chelators used to elevate or reduce [Ca2+]i, with an emphasis on their physicochemical properties and methods of calculating magnitudes and kinetics of effects on [Ca2+]i of flashes and steady light, in order to encourage the choice of the best substance for particular applications. The selection and calibration of appropriate light sources, and procedures for introducing the chelators into cells, spatially restricting [Ca2+]i changes, and measuring the profiles of [Ca2+]i changes imposed by photolysis, are also described. The final section describes a selection of biological applications.
Computational Creativity Exercises for Improving Student Learning and Performance: (Abstract Only)

In this workshop, we will introduce you to a suite of Computational Creativity Exercises (CCEs) that have been shown to significantly improve student learning and achievement in introductory and advanced CS courses. CCEs address core aspects of computational thinking while exposing students to creative thinking skills, and can be adapted for use in your own courses. Activities such as writing a story in separate chapters and then merging the chapters to form a coherent whole, creating quilt-like patterns with written descriptions, or designing testing strategies for an alien health machine require students to apply computational thinking to unorthodox contexts and situations promoting creative application of CS knowledge and skills. CCEs are group-based, promote active learning, and are designed to foster collaborative problem solving necessary in today's workplace. They require no programming experience making them accessible to students including those with limited CS background and those with interests in non-CS disciplines, which can encourage more diverse participation in computing. Engage in a hands-on demo of a CCE and learn how to adapt CCEs for use in your classes, including technical support from the IC2Think Project team. Learn about the rigorous research studies behind the development, design and administration of these CCEs, including the instruments we used to evaluate the CCEs. Workshop session will include "how-to" presentations, panel-based Q&A, breakout group discussions, and hands-on activities. Let's compute, create, and collaborate!
Recombinant MDA-7/IL24 Suppresses Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis through Downregulation of the Akt/Mcl-1 Pathway

Prostate cancer (PC) is a principal cause of cancer-associated morbidity in men. Although 5-year survival of patients with localized PC approaches 100 percent, survival decreases precipitously after metastasis. Bone is the preferred site for disseminated PC cell colonization, altering the equilibrium of bone homeostasis resulting in weak and fragile bones. Currently, no curative options are available for PC bone metastasis. MDA-7/IL-24 is a well-studied cytokine established as a therapeutic in a wide-array of cancers upon delivery as a gene therapy. In this study, we explored the potential anti-cancer properties of MDA-7/IL-24 delivered as a recombinant protein. Using bone metastasis experimental models, animals treated with recombinant MDA-7/IL-24 had significantly less metastatic lesions in their femurs as compared to controls. The inhibitory effects of MDA-7/IL-24 on bone metastasis resulted from PC-selective killing and inhibition of osteoclast differentiation, which is necessary for bone resorption. Gain- and loss-of-function genetic approaches document that pro-survival Akt and Mcl-1 pathways are critically important in the anti-bone metastatic activity of MDA-7/IL-24. Our previous findings showed that MDA-7/IL-24 gene therapy plus Mcl-1 inhibitors cooperate synergistically. Similarly, an Mcl-1 small molecule inhibitor synergized with MDA-7/IL-24 and induced robust anti-bone metastatic activity. These results expand the potential applications of MDA-7/IL-24 as an anti-cancer molecule and demonstrate that purified recombinant protein is non-toxic in pre-clinical animal models and has profound inhibitory effects on bone metastasis, which can be enhanced further when combined with an Mcl-1 inhibitory small molecule.
The Time Course of Listening Bands

It has been known for decades that frequency analysis in the auditory system reveals the existence of bandpass filter-like channels—the Critical Bands—a finite number of which cover the whole range of audible frequencies, with the consequence that nearby frequencies are not resolved individually. Because critical bands are formed already in the cochlea, they appear with no delay: their contours are formed the moment an acoustic wave reaches the inner ear and disappear when the wave goes silent. Psychophysical measurement of the width of critical bands has been pursued by a many investigators (for a summary, see Chapter 3 in Moore 2003) and this behavioral indicator of frequency selectivity has been often compared to biophysical and physiological measures of frequency selectivity, both excitatory and inhibitory, at various stages along the auditory pathway (see e.g., Evans 2001). Yet, when moving away from the psychophysics of what the listener is capable of doing with the aim of investigating what he/she actually does, one comes upon phenomena that critical band analysis alone cannot explain. One such phenomenon was studied by the early proponents of signal detection theory in audition (Swets 1963), long before the concept of attention surreptitiously escaped the watchful eyes of orthodox behaviorism and gradually settled in experimental psychology. These investigators were wondering whether detection of signals of uncertain frequency occurs by the system switching between different bands or shifting a unique band from one frequency to another. They were careful not to refer to these bands as critical bands—to avoid confusion they named them “listening bands.” Among the many properties of listening bands reported, an important one was their capability to keep the listener’s attention tuned to a particular frequency even after a pure-tone signal was turned off, and to maintain it for a rather long duration in the absence of any signal or in the presence of broad-band random noise (Greenberg and Larkin 1968). Other investigators demonstrated that the listening band sluggishly remained centered at the frequency of the last signal heard until an audible tone of a different frequency was presented (Pastore and Sorkin 1971). Still others showed that it is possible to simultaneously tune several listening bands
Performative and Lexical Knowledge Sharing in Agile Requirements

We present the results of our field study that describe how requirements knowledge was shared at an industrial software company using agile software practices. As is common in agile processes, the team did not capture requirements knowledge in a comprehensive specification document. Instead, requirements knowledge was captured in user stories, automated acceptance tests, personal notes, and conversations. We identified two modes of knowledge sharing: performative and lexical. Performative knowledge, which occurs through actions such as question-asking, gestures, and informal speeches, was observed in conversations and at the Scrum board. Lexical knowledge sharing, which occurs through inscribed texts, was observed in testing wiki and the software release documents. We found that the software team relied mainly on performative knowledge sharing. Although team members shared few written documents, they were able to effectively develop software that satisfied customer requirements. Results from our field study have implications for both agile practitioners and knowledge management. The former could encourage question-asking to provide opportunities for performative knowledge sharing. The latter could pay attention to personal management so that users can more effectively engage in performative knowledge sharing.
Sex and gender differences in lung cancer.

Each year more than 400,000 Americans die from diseases directly related to smoking, and lung cancer is now the leading cause of death from neoplasia in U.S. men and women. Cancer of the lung and bronchus was responsible for one-quarter of all cancer deaths among U.S. women last year, killing approximately 67,000 women. This is related both to the demographics of smoking among women and the poor survival rate for persons with lung cancer. Epidemiologic evidence from a number of studies suggests that women are more susceptible to tobacco-induced carcinogenesis than men, taking into account baseline exposure, body weight, body height, and body mass index. More recently, there has been increasing biochemical and genetic data to support this male-female difference in susceptibility. Patients with lung cancer currently have few therapeutic options. Understanding these new genetic developments may pave the road for innovative therapeutic approaches for women and new screening methods to determine those at greatest risk for developing lung cancer. Clearly, smoking-related disease among women is a major public health issue that will require effective programs for smoking prevention and cessation among females. Both sex and gender differences in smoking-related disease will be discussed in this review.
Effective Special Education: A United States Dilemma

This article offers an overview of special education legislation and a description of how special education services are typically provided in the U.S. Research regarding special education efficacy...
Dynamic interactions of the Homologous Pairing 2 (Hop2)- Meiotic Nuclear Divisions 1 (Mnd1) protein complex with meiotic presynaptic filaments in budding yeast

Homologous recombination (HR) is a universally conserved DNA repair pathway that can result in the exchange of genetic material. In eukaryotes, HR has evolved into an essential step in meiosis. During meiosis many eukaryotes utilize a two-recombinase pathway. This system consists of Rad51 and the meiosis-specific recombinase Dmc1. Both recombinases have distinct activities during meiotic HR, despite being highly similar in sequence and having closely related biochemical activities, raising the question of how these two proteins can perform separate functions. A likely explanation for their differential regulation involves the meiosis-specific recombination proteins Hop2 and Mnd1, which are part of a highly conserved eukaryotic protein complex that participates in HR, albeit through poorly understood mechanisms. To better understand how Hop2-Mnd1 functions during HR, here we used DNA curtains in conjunction with single-molecule imaging to measure and quantify the binding of the Hop2-Mnd1 complex from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to recombination intermediates comprising Rad51- and Dmc1-ssDNA in real time. We found that yeast Hop2-Mnd1 bound rapidly to Dmc1-ssDNA filaments with high affinity and remained bound for ∼1.3 min before dissociating. We also observed that this binding interaction was highly specific for Dmc1 and found no evidence for an association of Hop2-Mnd1 with Rad51-ssDNA or RPA-ssDNA. Our findings provide new quantitative insights into the binding dynamics of Hop2-Mnd1 with the meiotic presynaptic complex. On the basis of these findings, we propose a model in which recombinase specificities for meiotic accessory proteins enhance separation of the recombinases' functions during meiotic HR.
IMPROVING CAREGIVER WELL-BEING THROUGH COGNITIVE STIMULATION THERAPY GROUPS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEMENTIA

AbstractIntroductionAlthough medication has traditionally been the primary approach to treatment symptoms of dementia, caregivers lack other services to help their loved ones with the disease. What is also lacking are ways to improve caregivers’ well-being while attending to the individual with dementia. This study explored whether an evidenced based treatment for memory improvement for individuals with dementia helps improve caregiver well-being over time.MethodsData was taken from Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) groups that were conducted at a university-based clinic. The Rapid Caregiver Well-Being (RCWB) Scale was administered both at baseline and session 14 of the study for three groups. Participants were recruited from primary care clinics, geriatric clinics, the Alzheimer’s Association and a student-led community health clinic.ResultsResults revealed that 14 of the 28 participants (50% fidelity) had completed the 14 sessions across the study, with the same activities and protocol across each study. A one-way ANOVA revealed that RCWB scores increased by an average of two points from baseline to session 14 for this sample (<.05). There were no statistically significant differences found between each CST group on the RCWB.DiscussionCST could be a sustainable option for older adults with memory problems that need meaningful activities during the early years of the diagnosis. Additionally, caregiver receive respite care during these groups, where their overall well-being can show improvements over time. Medical centers should recognize the utility of CST and how more group interventions are needed following a diagnosis by a physician or geriatrician.
Physician Care Coordination and the Use of Psychotropic Polypharmacy in the Management of Pediatric Mental Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Psychotropic polypharmacy is a concern in the management of pediatric mental disorders due to the lack of pediatric data to support the practice. Although seeing multiple providers has ...
Nucleophilic trifluoromethylation of conjugate acceptors via phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone

A mild procedure for the conjugate addition of the trifluoromethyl anion to activated Michael acceptors such as arylidenemalononitriles (15 examples) and arylidene Meldrum’s acids (9 examples) using phenyl trifluoromethyl sulfone through a reductive magnesium metal mediated procedure is described. The new methodology is used to prepare befloxatone, a reversible and selective monoamine oxidase A inhibitor.
An Internet-of-things Enabled Smart Manufacturing Testbed

Abstract The emergence of the industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and ever advancing computing and communication technologies have fueled a new industrial revolution which is happening worldwide to make current manufacturing systems smarter, safer, and more efficient. Although many general frameworks have been proposed for IoT enabled systems for industrial application, there is limited literature on demonstrations or testbeds of such systems. In addition, there is a lack of systematic study on the characteristics of IoT sensors and data analytics challenges associated with IoT sensor data. This study is an attempt to help fill this gap by exploring the characteristics of IoT vibration sensors and show how IoT sensors and big data analytics can be used to develop real time monitoring frameworks.
The role of dopamine in eye growth responses to color and luminance flicker in chicks.

Abstract Stroboscopic luminance flicker has been found to prevent the increase in eye growth normally associated with form deprivation through the release of retinal dopamine. In this study, we sought to investigate whether dopamine plays a role in the decreased growth observed with 2 Hz sine-wave luminance flicker and increased growth with color flicker. Starting 5–7 days after hatching, chicks were exposed to 2 Hz sinusoidally modulated illumination (Mean: 680 lux) for 4 days and were otherwise in the dark. Chicks were exposed to color-modulated red and green (RG) light, to luminance modulated RGB components (LUM), or to a no-flicker (NF) control. Chicks received daily 10 μL intravitreal injections of apomorphine, spiperone, or saline. Fellow eyes received no injection. Spiperone injections prevented the decrease in eye growth typically seen with LUM flicker, with a relative increase in eye length, but no other significant effects compared with saline controls. Apomorphine injections prevented the increase in eye growth typically seen with RG flicker, with a relative decrease in eye length compared to saline controls. These results indicate a role for the activation of D2-receptor types in the inhibition of eye growth in response to luminance flicker, and a lack of dopamine receptor activation associated with the increase in eye growth with color flicker.
Widespread chytrid infection across frogs in the Peruvian Amazon suggests critical role for low elevation in pathogen spread and persistence.

Outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases are becoming more frequent as climate changes wildlife communities at unprecedented rates, driving population declines and raising concerns for species conservation. One critical disease is the global pandemic of chytridiomycosis in frogs, which can be caused by the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Although there is clear evidence for Bd-induced mortality across high-elevation frog communities, little attention is given to the role of lowlands in Bd’s persistence and spread because low elevations are assumed to be too warm to harbor significant levels of Bd. Here, we report widespread Bd infection across 80 frog species from three sites in the lowland Peruvian Amazon, an area with no documented Bd-related amphibian declines. Despite observing no clinical signs of infection in the field, we found that 24–46% of individuals were infected per site (up to ≈105,000 zoospore equivalents per frog) by three Bd strains from the global pandemic lineage (Bd-GPL). We also found collection site and seasonal effects to be only weak predictors of Bd prevalence and load, with lower elevation and drier habitats marginally decreasing both prevalence and load. We found no further effect of host phylogeny, ecotype, or body size. Our results showing high and widespread prevalence across a lowland tropical ecosystem contradict the expectations based on the global pattern of pathogenicity of Bd that is largely restricted to higher elevations and colder temperatures. These findings imply that the lowlands may play a critical role in the spread and persistence of Bd over time and space.
Planning for a warmer world

In Building a Resilient Tomorrow, Alice Hill and Leonardo Martinez-Diaz have put together a superb primer on responding to the impacts of climate change. The writing is simple and tight and should appeal to anyone interested in how to prepare for the future of our physical world.
Pediatric empyemas – Has the pendulum swung too far?

Abstract Background The management of childhood empyemas has transformed over the past decade, with current trends favoring chest tube placement and intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy. Although this strategy often avoids the need for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), hospital length of stay can be long. Methods To characterize national trends and outcomes associated with empyema management, the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database was queried to identify children (2 months–18 years) treated for an empyema between January 2010 and December 2017. The cohort was divided into those treated with primary VATS and those treated with chest tube and intrapleural fibrinolysis. Number of chest radiographic studies obtained, frequency of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission, mechanical ventilation requirements, and length of hospitalization were compared between groups. Results A total of 3,365 otherwise healthy children met inclusion criteria. Among them, 523 (16%) were managed with primary VATS and 2,842 (84%) were managed with chest tube and fibrinolytic therapy. Of those who were treated with chest tube and fibrinolysis, 193 (6.8%) subsequently underwent VATS. The percentage of children treated with chest tube and fibrinolysis increased from 65% in 2010 to 95% in 2017 (p Discussion Although national trends favor chest tube and fibrinolysis, primary VATS are associated with a shorter hospital and PICU length of stay and a lower requirement for mechanical ventilation. Future studies should aim to risk stratify children who may suffer from a protracted course with the goal to offer primary VATS to this subset of children and return them to normal life more expeditiously. Level of Evidence III
Integrating Ethical Issues with Managerial Decision Making in the Classroom: Product Support Program Decisions

Literature on the teaching of ethics points to the need for realistic business problems in which students deal with ethical dilemmas. This paper presents the results of an experiment in which students take on the role of a Brand Manager who must decide on the level of support to allocate to four distinct business problems. The problems were presented as business problems including realistic profit and cost considerations, rather than being posed as "ethics cases". Students were able to select from a range of product support levels for each problem. The experiment isolated the factor effects which included level of realism, degree of competition, company situation in terms of fault and profit level, and problem type relative to damage and visibility. Company fault was the most important factor in determining the level of product support allocations. Allocations generally increased when there was an increase in profit level from low to medium. However, there was no additional increase in allocations above the medium profit level. The paper concludes with suggestions on how the results can be used as a springboard for discussion of the integration of ethical considerations in managerial decision making.
Wnt/β-Catenin in Acute Kidney Injury and Progression to Chronic Kidney Disease

Acute kidney injury (AKI) portends a poor clinical prognosis and increases the risk for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Currently, there are no therapies to treat AKI or prevent its progression to CKD. Wnt/β-catenin is a critical regulator of kidney development that is up-regulated after injury. Most of the literature support a beneficial role for Wnt/β-catenin in AKI, but suggest that this pathway promotes the progression of tubulointerstitial fibrosis, the hallmark of CKD progression. We review the role of Wnt/β-catenin in renal injury with a focus on its potential as a therapeutic target in AKI and in AKI to CKD transition.
Initial experimentation on the nonvented fill of a 0.14 cu m (5 cu ft) dewar with nitrogen and hydrogen

A series of nonvented fills were performed on a 0.14 cu m (5 cu ft) stainless steel dewar. Fills were conducted with a 120 deg cone angle spray nozzle over a range of inflow and initial wall temperatures with both liquid nitrogen and liquid hydrogen. Fill levels in excess of 85 percent liquid were achieved for four out of four nitrogen and two out of five hydrogen tests. Previously developed analytical models were compared to the test results and shown to have general trend agreement.
Précis of Practical Shape

In Practical Shape, I give an account of practical reasoning whose main purpose is simply to convince people that there is, or at least can be, such a thing. Practical reasoning is reasoning whose ...
Inhibition of ACK1 delays and overcomes acquired resistance of EGFR mutant NSCLC cells to the third generation EGFR inhibitor, osimertinib

Abstract Objectives The emergence of acquired resistance to the third generation EGFR inhibitor, osimertinib (AZD9291 or TAGRISSO™), is an unavoidable huge clinical challenge. The involvement of ACK1, a non-receptor tyrosine kinase with an oncogenic function, in regulating cell response to osimertinib has not been investigated and thus is the focus of this study. Material and Methods Drug effects on cell growth were evaluated by measuring cell numbers and colony formation. Apoptosis was monitored with flow cytometry for annexin V-positive cells and Western blotting for protein cleavage. Intracellular protein and mRNA alterations were detected with Western blotting and qRT-PCR, respectively. Drug effects on delaying osimertinib acquired resistance were determined using colony formation in vitro and xenografts in nude mice in vivo, respectively. Cell senescence was assayed by β-galactosidase staining. Results Inhibition of ACK1 with the novel ACK1 inhibitor, (R)-9b synergized with osimertinib in inhibiting the growth of EGFR mutant NSCLC cell lines. Similar results were also generated with ACK1 gene knockdown. The combination of osimertinib and (R)-9b enhanced induction of apoptosis. In both in vitro and in vivo long-term resistance delay assays, the combination of (R)-9b and osimertinib clearly delayed the emergence of osimertinib-resistance. Further, the (R)-9b and osimertinib combination was also effective in inhibiting the growth of EGFR mutant NSCLC cell lines with acquired resistance to osimertinib, which possess elevated levels of ACK1, and the growth of osimertinib-resistant tumors in vivo. In some resistant cell lines, the combinations induced senescence in addition to induction of apoptosis. Conclusions These novel findings suggest that ACK1 inhibition might be a potential and innovative strategy for delaying and overcoming osimertinb acquired resistance.
Transformative planning: Radical alternatives to neoliberal urbanism, edited by Tom Angotti: Montreal, London, Chicago, Black Rose Books, 2020

Transformative Planning compiles uneven but persuasive essays from two decades of the Planners Network journal Progressive Planning and the succeeding online journal Progressive City.net. Tom Angot...
Remembering World War I in America: by Kimberly J. Lamay Licursi, Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 2018, 262 pp., $55.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-8032-9085-3

In War and Remembrance in the Twentieth Century (Cambridge University Press, 1999), Jay Winter and Emmanuel Sivan suggest that collective memories of conflict have a ‘shelf-life’ (p. 16), a point a...
The Longitudinal Effects of Age of Alcohol Initiation on School Outcomes

Previous research has demonstrated initiation of alcohol during adolescence has a negative effect on both school attendance and missed instruction due to behavior. Utilizing longitudinal data compr...
Ramsey Theory on the Integers

Preliminaries Van der Waerden's theorem Supersets of $AP$ Subsets of $AP$ Other generalizations of $w(k r)$ Arithmetic progressions (mod $m$) Other variations on van der Waerden's theorem Schur's theorem Rado's theorem Other topics Notation Biobliography Index.
Altered Interactions between the Gut Microbiome and Colonic Mucosa Precede Polyposis in APCMin/+ Mice

Mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC gene), an early event in the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, is present in 70-80% of sporadic human colorectal adenomas and carcinomas. To test the hypothesis that mutation of the APC gene alters microbial interactions with host intestinal mucosa prior to the development of polyposis, culture-independent methods (targeted qPCR assays and Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V1V2 hypervariable region) were used to compare the intestinal microbial composition of 30 six-week old C57BL/6 APCMin/+ and 30 congenic wild type (WT) mice. The results demonstrate that similar to 12-14 week old APCMin/+ mice with intestinal neoplasia, 6 week old APCMin/+ mice with no detectable neoplasia, exhibit an increased relative abundance of Bacteroidetes spp in the colon. Parallel mouse RNA sequence analysis, conducted on a subset of proximal colonic RNA samples (6 APCMin/+, 6 WT) revealed 130 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, fold change ≥ 2, FDR <0.05). Hierarchical clustering of the DEGs was carried out by using 1-r dissimilarity measurement, where r stands for the Pearson correlation, and Ward minimum variance linkage, in order to reduce the number of input variables. When the cluster centroids (medians) were included along with APC genotype as input variables in a negative binomial (NB) regression model, four of seven mouse gene clusters, in addition to APC genotype, were significantly associated with the increased relative abundance of Bacteroidetes spp. Three of the four clusters include several downregulated genes encoding immunoglobulin variable regions and non-protein coding RNAs. These results support the concept that mutation of the APC gene alters colonic-microbial interactions prior to polyposis. It remains to be determined whether interventions directed at ameliorating dysbiosis in APCMin/+mice, such as through probiotics, prebiotics or antibiotics, could reduce tumor formation.
Questions Addressed with Single-Discipline Simulation Models

Often, landscape management decisions are associated with competing multiple objectives. Managers do not have the luxury of focusing on a single objective; the best science from a particular academic tradition cannot therefore be tapped for an optimal solution. Consider a situation where flooding concerns must be balanced against ecological goals. Hydrologic models might result in the recommendation that a small dam will help decrease downstream floods, increase irrigation (and therefore economic) opportunities, and provide desired recreational opportunities. Environmental models might indicate that instead of putting a small dam on the stream, a remeandering of the stream and demolition of buildings in the natural floodplain will reap ecological and other economic benefits. It is possible that recommendations from each model will be different if they are linked to more completely represent the full watershed system in a single model. This chapter, like the previous one, poses a small set of example issues intended to resonate with watershed managers. Again, this set is not exhaustive or meant to cover all of the important ground. The reader is encouraged to reflect on the role that simulation modeling might play in their current watershed management challenges.
Low-temperature stopped-flow rapid-scanning spectroscopy : performance tests and use of aqueous salt cryosolvents

Abstract An ultimate goal of enzymology is to determine the structure of intermediates in catalysis in solution. Metalloenzymes provide a unique opportunity in this regard because the metal atom is critical to catalysis. In the case of zinc enzymes. replacement of the zinc by the chromophoric cobalt atom can result in the identification of intermediates in catalysis. This is most easily accomplished by examining the enzyme-catalyzed reaction under rapid-mixing and rapid-scanning subzero conditions. Aqueous salt solutions are particularly useful as cryosolvents whenever hydrophobic forces are important for substrate binding. Rapid-freeze or chemical quenching of these metallointermediates can allow further structural characterization by such approaches as EPR spectroscopy and X-ray absorption fine structure. Such a combination of approaches can bridge the information gained by examining only the structure of the enzyme in the crystalline state by X-ray diffraction and that obtained by examining only steady-state enzymatic activities.
Enzymatic Analysis of the Requirement for Sodium in Aerobic Growth of Salmonella typhimurium on Citrate

Na+ was required for the aerobic growth of Salmonella typhimurium on citrate, but not on l-malate, glucose, or glycerol. The maximal growth rate and the maximal total growth occurred with 6 to 7 mm Na+. Na+ could not be replaced by K+, NH4+, Li+, Rb+, or Cs+. Sonically treated extracts of citrate-grown cells contained the enzymes of the citrate fermentation pathway (citritase and oxalacetate decarboxylase) and all of the enzymes of the citric acid cycle. Thus, two separate routes of citrate catabolism appeared to be operational in the cells. Two discrete oxalacetate (OAA) decarboxylases were also demonstrated. One was of the “classic” type, being activated by Mn++ and inhibited by ethylenediaminetetracetate (EDTA). It was present in the cell sap. The second decarboxylase closely resembled the Na+-activated OAA decarboxylase of citrate-grown Aerobacter aerogenes, whose growth also requires, or is increased, by Na+. This decarboxylase was EDTA-insensitive, specifically activated by Na+ and inhibited by avidin, and it had a high affinity for OAA. It was induced by growth on citrate, but not l-malate or glycerol. It is suggested that the Na+ requirement for growth reflects the need to activate this OAA decarboxylase as a component of the citrate fermentation pathway and that citrate catabolism via the citric acid cycle, which should be independent of Na+, is somehow dependent upon the activity of the Na+-activated enzyme.