cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy: A Tool to Study Protein Oligomerization and Aggregation In Vitro and In Vivo

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is a highly sensitive analytical technique used to measure dynamic molecular parameters, such as diffusion time (from which particle size can be calculated), conformation, and concentration of fluorescent molecules. It has been particularly powerful in characterizing size distributions in molecular associations (e.g., dimer/multimer formation) both in well-behaved thermodynamically equilibrated systems in vitro as well as in more complex environments in vivo. Protein aggregation reactions like amyloid formation, in contrast, are complex, often involving a series of uniquely structured aggregation intermediates appearing at different time scales. Nonetheless, FCS can be used in appropriate cases to characterize the early stages of some aggregation reactions. Here are described step-by-step protocols and experimental procedures for the study of molecular complex formation in aggregation systems as observed in simple buffer systems, cell extracts, and living cells. The methods described are illustrated with examples from studies of the self-assembly of huntingtin fragments, but in principle can be adapted for any aggregating system.
Elbow Arthroplasty Using Inter-Positional JK Membrane in the Era of Biologics: A Report of Two Cases

Objective: Total elbow joint arthroplasty has limited longevity and is therefore not appropriate for younger rheumatoid arthritis patients. Arthroplasty using an inter-positional membrane may be another surgical option for this population. However, clinical results for joint arthroplasty using the inter-positional membrane have not traditionally been favorable because rheumatoid activity could not be controlled. Today, rheumatoid activity can be controlled with biologics; therefore, the utility of the inter-positional membrane procedure was re-evaluated. Methods: An 8×6 cm sheet of fascia was detached from the patient9s tensor fascia lata muscle to produce a JK membrane. The fascia was stretched on a frame and kept in a 2% chromic acid potassium solution for 24 hours. Then, the fascia was exposed to direct sunlight in order to reduce the dichromic acid. The fascia was washed out in running water for 24 hours and was then stored in phenol with the addition of 70% alcohol. Elbow arthroplasties were performed on three elbow joints in two young female patients. The first case had a significantly damaged right elbow joint with severe joint dysfunction. A JK membrane arthroplasty was done for the first case in 2003, when this patient was 34 years old. Biologics were administered with methotrexate after the surgery. The second case demonstrated bilateral ankylosed elbows due to idiopathic juvenile arthritis. Bilateral JK membrane arthroplasties were performed in 2010, when this patient was 32 years old. Several operative and manual manipulations were necessary in order to increase the range of motion following surgery. Biologics were administered with cyclosporine. Results: Joint function was significantly improved in all three joints without pain after the JK membrane elbow arthroplasties. In case one, the JOA (Japan Orthopaedic Association) elbow score improved from 21 points before surgery to 85 points after surgery and active elbow flexion improved to 110 degrees following surgery. In case two, the JOA elbow score was 55 and 82 points in the right elbow and 52 and 83 points in left elbow before and after surgery, respectively. In case two, active flexion improved to 120 degrees for the right elbow and 110 degrees for the left elbow following surgery. RA was well controlled in both patients. Conclusion: Elbow arthroplasty using an inter-positional membrane appears to be useful in young patients when RA activity is controlled with biologics.
Checking out digital cameras: Providing tools for Web publishing and interactive multimedia

Controle des appareils de photo numerique, dans une bibliotheque universitaire (appareils destines a etre pretes aux etudiants en vue de d'une edition sur le web ou a des tâches multimedia interactive)
Patterns of Revision in The Secret Agent

Careful examination of the holograph manuscript and the kinds of revisions, additions, and deletions that took place as Conrad took the serial form and radically revised it for novel publication reveal dramatic attempts to heighten the political implications of Conrad’s novel. The kinds of revisions that took place in the serialization, and then in the novelization are examined for their implications about the emerging final text. The changes are examined for the nuanced slight detail, the shifts in character depiction, and the sweeping structural changes that took place in Conrad’s reimagining of the text.
Symptoms of Pseudomonas Syringae Pv. Tagetis Infection in Sunflower

Apical chlorosis of sunflower in North Dakota and Minnesota, first thought to be caused by a virus, was shown to be caused by a bacterium (1). Since then, the disease has also been observed in at least two other states of the USA, and in Australia, Mexico, and South Africa. The causal bacterium is Pseudomonas syringae pv. tagetis Hellmer. The disease has also been found naturally on a variety of plants, including Jerusalem artichoke, ragweed and marigold. The bacterium is transmitted via seed or other planting material (1, 2, 5).
Critical point symmetries in nuclei

Structural changes in nuclei, as a function of nucleon number, have long been considered a more or less continuous evolutionary process. However, recently, evidence supporting the concepts of phase transitions, phase coexistence, and even critical points, has been actively discussed. Moreover, a new class of symmetries, called critical point symmetries, has been proposed. Two examples of these symmetries have been developed, called E(5) and X(5)-for vibrator to axially asymmetric rotor and vibrator to axial rotor phase transitions, respectively. Considerable experimental evidence for each [and especially for X(5)] has been presented. These critical point symmetries and their empirical manifestations are discussed.
The effect of age on microsurgical free flap outcomes: An analysis of 5,951 cases.

Background The growing elderly population necessitates a greater number of aging patients requiring complex reconstructive surgery involving free tissue transfer. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety, efficacy, and outcomes of microsurgical free tissue transfer in elderly patients using a national multi-institutional database. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database to identify patients undergoing free tissue transfer. We stratified cohorts based on ages 18–49, 50–59, 60–69, 70–79, and 80+ years and analyzed primary outcomes of surgical complications, medical complications, mortality, and flap failure. Results A total of 5,951 patients were identified for inclusion in the analysis. Univariate analysis demonstrated progressively increasing surgical (P = .001) and medical (P < .001) complication rates with increasing age. After controlling for confounding variables, age was not significantly associated with rates of surgical (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.99–1.01, P = .737) or medical (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.99–1.03, P = .209) complications, flap failure (OR 1.00, 95% CI 1.00–1.02, P = .689), or reoperation (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00–1.03, P = 0.165). Factors associated with surgical complications included BMI (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.05, P = .031), prolonged operative time (OR 1.001, 95% CI 1.000–1.002, P = .002), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification of 3 or greater (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.17–2.23, P = .003), and prolonged hospitalization (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.04, P < .001). ASA classification of 3 or greater (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.48-4.45, P = .001), renal history (OR 10.13, 95% CI 1.57–65.55, P = .015), and prolonged hospitalization (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.04-1.08, P < .001) were associated with medical complications. Age was associated with increased mortality (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.00–1.13, P = .048). Conclusion Age alone should not be used as an absolute or even relative contraindication in patient assessment. Rather, preoperative assessment should focus on comorbidities and assessment of physiologic age instead of chronologic age. Optimization of these comorbidities is key to sustaining favorable outcomes in microsurgical free flap reconstruction in the elderly population.
CHAPTER 75 – Toxicology of Triazolopyrimidine Herbicides

This chapter reviews mammalian toxicity of triazolopyrimidine herbicides such as cloransulam-methyl, disclosulam, fluemtsulam, and florasulam. The triazolopyrimidine are herbicides used for the pre-emergent and post-emergent control of broadleaf weeds in a variety of crops. The general structure of this class is a substituted triazolopyrimidine connected to a substituted phenyl ring through a sulfonamide bridge. Cloransulam-methyl produced no indications of dermal irritation in rabbits or sensitization in the guinea pig. It caused only slight transient eye irritation in the rabbit following acute exposure. Diclosulam produced no indications of dermal irritation in rabbits or sensitization in the guinea pig, and only very slight transient eye irritation in the rabbit following acute exposure. Florasulam was essentially non-hazardous by the oral, dermal, and inhalation routes, non-irritating to skin and eyes, and did not induce delayed contact hypersensitivity. Flumetsulam has been examined in a complete battery of toxicologic studies to evaluate potential mammalian toxicity. Flumetsulam was relatively nontoxic following acute exposure.
Real-time control using Bayesian optimization: A case study in airborne wind energy systems

Abstract This paper presents a framework by which a data-driven optimization technique known as Bayesian Optimization can be used for real-time optimal control. In particular, Bayesian Optimization is applied to the real-time altitude optimization of an Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) system, for the purpose of maximizing net energy production. Determining the optimal operating altitude of an AWE system is challenging, as the wind speed constantly varies with both time and altitude. Furthermore, without expensive auxiliary equipment, the wind speed is only measurable at the AWE system’s operating altitude. In this work, Gaussian Process modeling and Bayesian Optimization are used in real-time to optimize the AWE system’s operating altitude efficiently, without the use of auxiliary wind profiling equipment. Specifically, the underlying objective function is modeled by a Gaussian Process (GP); then, Bayesian Optimization utilizes the predictive uncertainty information from the GP to determine the best subsequent operating altitude. In the AWE application, context-dependent Bayesian Optimization is used to handle the time-varying nature of the wind shear profile (wind speed vs. altitude). Using real wind data, our method is validated against three baseline approaches. Our simulation results show that the Bayesian Optimization method is successful in significantly increasing power production over these baselines.
Differences of energy expenditure while sitting versus standing: A systematic review and meta-analysis:

BackgroundReplacing sitting with standing is one of several recommendations to decrease sedentary time and increase the daily energy expenditure, but the difference in energy expenditure between st...
Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Category B ACIP Recommendations Among Primary Care Providers for Children.

Abstract Objective In 2015, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) made a category B recommendation for use of serogroup B meningococcal (MenB) vaccines, meaning individual clinical decision-making should guide recommendations. This was the first use of a category B recommendation pertaining to a large population and the first such recommendation for adolescents. As part of a survey regarding MenB vaccine, our objectives were to assess among pediatricians (Peds) and family physicians (FPs) nationally: 1) knowledge of the meaning of category A versus B recommendations and insurance coverage implications, and 2) attitudes about category A and B recommendations. Methods We surveyed a nationally representative sample of Peds and FPs via e-mail and mail from October to December 2016. Results The response rate was 72% (660 of 916). Although >80% correctly identified the definition of a category A recommendation, only 24% were correct about the definition for category B. Fifty-five percent did not know that private insurance would pay for vaccines recommended as category B, and 51% did not know that category B-recommended vaccines would be covered by the Vaccines for Children program. Fifty-nine percent found it difficult to explain category B recommendations to patients; 22% thought ACIP should not make category B recommendations; and 39% were in favor of category B recommendations because they provide leeway in decision-making. Conclusions For category B recommendations to be useful in guiding practice, primary care clinicians will need to have a better understanding of their meaning, their implications for insurance payment, and guidance on how to discuss them with parents and patients.
The Impact of Technology Upon Family Co-play Roles

As changes in home technology transform family roles and communication structures, the impact of relationship commitment, communication, and recreational choices upon family organization must be explored (Hertlein Fam Relat 61:374–387, 2012). Family role expectations and communicative practices will need to be redefined in order to clarify and maintain relationships. This paper will examine family communication and relationships, the role of play, the impact of technology upon the family, and intergenerational co-play with technology.
Membrane Methylation and other Early Biochemical Reactions in the Mitogen Activation of Lymphocytes

ABSTRACT The binding of mitogenic lectins to lymphocyte surface acceptors induces a series of biochemical events leading to the activation of the cell. Within five minutes of lectin binding and acceptor crosslinkage, the activation signal has passed through the cell membrane. This transmembrane signaling includes the activation of two membrane associated enzymes responsible for increased phospholipid methylation, followed by an increase of calcium ion flux through the membrane, and results in the activation of phospholipase A2 to release arachidonic acid and lysolecithin. The specific inhibition of any of these steps also inhibited activation. Similar or identical pathways were followed by the activation of B cells with anti-immunoglobulin or LPS. The calcium ionophore, A23187, had no effect upon phospholipid methylation, but activated phospholipase A2. Proceeding further, two major pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism are known. One, the cyclooxygenase pathway leading to the synthesis of prostaglandins and other compounds, can be specifically blocked with no influence on cell activation. The second, or lipoxygenase pathway, leads to the hydroxy and hydroperoxy ecosatetraenoic acids. No specific inhibitor was available for this pathway, but the use of an inhibitor which blocked both pathways also blocked lymphocyte activation in a dose dependent manner. These results suggest the existance of a common biochemical pathway for the activation of both T and B lymphocytes.
Electrostatics of Cell Membranes

The electrostatic potential due to a charge in or near the plasma membrane of a eukaryotic cell is computed and applied to the transduction of cell-penetrating peptides and to the exocytosis of neurotransmitters.
Cortical Dysplasia and Heterotopias

The use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has revolutionised our ability to detect small areas of dysplastic grey matter in the cerebral cortex, hemispheric white matter and subependymal regions. Although large areas of dysplastic cortex and grey matter heterotopia were recognised by computed tomography (CT) and, for that matter, pneumoencephalography, the results of subtle derangements of normal neuronal migration have only recently been detected (Barkovich et al, 1987, 1989; Barth, 1987; Smith et al., 1988; Byrd et al., 1989; Kuzniecky et al, 1989; Palmini et al., 1991a,b,c,d; Barkovich and Kjos, 1992a,b,c). In fact, distinctions between the various categories of neuronal migration anomalies are losing their meaning as a result of the knowledge that we have gained through analysis of MR images. For example, band heterotopias (double cortex) seem to be part of a continuum between grey matter heterotopias and type I lissencephaly (Palmini et al., 1991a). Large subcortical heterotopias may, in fact, be deep involuted areas of cortical dysplasia (Barkovich and Kjos, 1992a).
The Use of Complexity Metrics Throughout the Software Lifecycle

Software metrics attempt to uncover difficult or complex components of a software system. The hypothesis is that complex components are more difficult to understand, hence they are hard to maintain and more prone to error. Discovery of these complex components can aid the software developer in selecting which components to redesign, direct the testing effort, and indicate the maintenance effort required. Previous studies have demonstrated two main concepts: (1) there exists a high correlation between design complexity and source code complexity, and (2) metrics applied to source code have a high correlation to the maintenance activity needed. This previous research motivates us to develop a methodology which uses complexity metrics throughout the software life cycle. Programmer productivity may be increased and software development cost may be reduced if error prone software is discovered early in the life cycle.
Regulation of SERCA Via Oxidative Modifications: Implications for the Pathophysiology of Diastolic Dysfunction in the Aging Heart

Aging is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. The characteristic cellular changes in aging myocardium include myocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and impaired myocyte relaxation. An extensive body of work suggests that calcium dysregulation contributes to impaired myocyte function in aging. Sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) calcium ATPase (SERCA) plays a particularly important role in maintaining intracellular calcium homeostasis. In cardiac myocytes in vitro, we have shown that oxidants (e.g., nitroxyl or peroxynitrite) in low, “physiologic” levels cause reversible S-glutathiolation of SERCA at cysteine 674 (C674) leading to activation. In contrast, higher levels of oxidants (e.g., H2O2 or peroxynitrite that may be associated with pathologic conditions lead to irreversible oxidation of SERCA at one or more sites, including sulfonation at C674. Irreversible oxidation of C674 may inhibit basal enzyme activity and further prevent activation via S-glutathiolation. Studies in aging myocardium have further demonstrated irreversible oxidation of SERCA cysteines and nitration of tyrosines. We have observed that myocardial levels of 3-nitrotyrosine and 4-HNE indicative of oxidative stress and sulfonation of SERCA at C674 are markedly increased in aging hearts and that these increases are prevented in transgenic mice with catalase overexpression. Furthermore, catalase overexpression prevents decreased SERCA activity and impaired diastolic function in myocytes from aging hearts. These studies suggest that reactive oxygen species such as H2O2 contribute to impaired diastolic function in cardiac aging, at least in part via oxidative modification of SERCA, and in particular, via sulfonation at C674. Strategies to target oxidant sources, decrease oxidant levels, and/or protect target proteins such as SERCA from irreversible oxidation may be of value in the amelioration of diastolic function in cardiac aging and perhaps other conditions associated with diastolic dysfunction.
Aortic ulceration in a tocilizumab-treated patient with Takayasu arteritis

In the first randomised, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in patients with Takayasu arteritis, Nakaoka et al ’s1 findings favour tocilizumab over placebo regarding time to relapse, as measured by clinical, laboratory and imaging metrics; infection served as the most common adverse event. In contrast, we report a patient with Takayasu arteritis disease progression that culminated in aortic ulceration while on tocilizumab therapy. A 16-year-old girl presented with constitutional symptoms, anaemia of chronic inflammation, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C reactive protein levels, and imaging evidence of large vessel vasculitis in the chest and abdomen. CT and MR angiography showed vessel wall thickening, oedema and enhancement of the main pulmonary arteries, abdominal aorta and its branches, as well as luminal narrowing of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Initial treatment with high-dose steroids, methotrexate and infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), resulted in rapid improvement of …
Changes in acceptance of dating violence and physical dating violence victimization in a longitudinal study with teens

Abstract Teen dating violence is a pervasive issue in adolescence and has been linked to maladjustment (Temple, Shorey, Fite et al., 2013). Physical dating violence is a particularly significant problem with one in five adolescents reporting experiencing physical teen dating violence (TDV; Wincentak et al., 2017). Acceptance of violence has been suggested to increase the risk of TDV; however, most studies to date have been cross-sectional. The purpose of the current study is to examine patterns of acceptance of dating violence and TDV victimization across time. Participants were ethnically diverse teenagers (N = 1042; ages 13–18) who were followed over a four-year period. Multivariate latent growth curve modeling techniques were used to determine trajectories of physical TDV victimization and attitudes accepting of dating violence. Results showed two trajectories for physical TDV victimization, linear and quadratic, and two trajectories for acceptance of dating violence, non-linear and quadratic. Parallel models investigating the interplay between TDV victimization and acceptance demonstrated two possible trends; however, we did not find any evidence for a longitudinal relationship between the two variables, suggesting that change in acceptance was not related to change in physical TDV victimization. Instead, our results suggest a significant amount of heterogeneity in these trajectories. These findings suggest studies are still needed to further explore longitudinal patterns of TDV to better understand how to reduce the risk of teen dating violence.
Solving the School Bus Routing Problem at Scale via a Compressed Shareability Network

We consider the classic School Bus Routing Problem (SBRP), where a fleet of school buses is used to transport students from their residences and to a common destination (school) subject to certain constraints. The constraints that are typically imposed include a maximum fleet size, a maximum walking distance to a pickup point and a maximum commute time for each student. The SBRP is a special case of the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) with a common destination. We propose a new approach for solving the SBRP based on the existing notion of a shareability network, which has been used recently in the context of dynamic ridepooling problems. To adapt this method to large-scale SBRP instances, we propose i) a node compression of the shareability network method with optimality guarantees, and ii) a heuristic-based edge compression technique that works well in practice. We show that the compressed problem leads to an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) of reduced dimensionality that can be solved very efficiently using off-the-shelf ILP solvers. Numerical experiments on small-scale, large-scale and benchmark networks are used to evaluate the performance of our approach and compare it to an existing large-scale SBRP solver based on a metaheuristic approach.
A freely yawing axisymmetric bluff body controlled by near-wake flow coupling

Flow-induced oscillations of a wire-mounted, freely yawing axisymmetric round bluff body and the induced loads are regulated in wind tunnel experiments (Reynolds number ) by altering the reciprocal coupling between the body and its near wake. This coupling is controlled by exploiting the receptivity of the azimuthal separating shear layer at the body’s aft end to controlled pulsed perturbations effected by two diametrically opposed and independently controlled aft-facing rectangular synthetic jets. The model is supported by a thin vertical wire upstream of its centre of pressure, and prescribed modification of the time-dependent flow-induced loads enables active control of its yaw attitude. The dynamics of the interactions and coupling between the actuation and the cross-flow are investigated using simultaneous, time-resolved measurements of the body’s position and phase-locked particle image velocimetry measurements in the yawing plane. It is shown that the interactions between trains of small-scale actuation vortices and the local segment of the aft-separating azimuthal shear layer lead to partial attachment, and the ensuing asymmetric modifications of the near-wake vorticity field occur within 15 actuation cycles (approximately three convective time scales), which is in agreement with measurements of the flow loads in an earlier study. Open- and closed-loop actuation can be coupled to the natural, unstable motion of the body and thereby affect desired attitude control within 100 convective time scales, as is demonstrated by suppression or enhancement of the lateral motion.
Seeking an Audience in the Underworld and the Question of the Han Juridical Soul

By considering the Kongjiapo gaodishu (“notice to the underworld”) document of 142 B.C.E. in conjunction with the rishu (“daybook”) manuscript from the same tomb and other examples of gaodishu , this article highlights the function gaodishu served to aid the deceased with meeting important figures in a bureaucratized conception of the underworld. Questions are raised about Han burial practices and contemporaneous social institutions such as chattel slavery.通過比較孔家坡漢墓（公元前142年）出土的《告地書》與《日書》，以及其他漢墓出土的《告地書》文獻，指出《告地書》具有為逝者提供向地下官吏“請謁”的功能，同時討論了喪葬制度、人俑與西漢奴隸制度的關係。
Novel ERCC2 mutation in two siblings with trichothiodystrophy.

Trichothiodystrophy describes a group of recessively inherited multisystem neuroectodermal disorders that takes its name from the characteristic feature of brittle, sulfur-deficient hair. We describe two siblings with trichothiodystrophy due to a novel genotype. The maternal mutation (p.Arg722Trp) is a previously described pathogenic mutation in ERCC2 that has been shown to result in a severe phenotype, while the paternal mutation (c.1480-1G > C) has not been previously reported. Our cases confirm the severe phenotype associated with the p.Arg722Trp mutation and expand the known genetic mutations associated with trichothiodystrophy by demonstrating a novel pathogenic mutation in ERCC2.
Voltage-Dependent Profile Structures of a Kv-Channel via Time-Resolved Neutron Interferometry.

Abstract Available experimental techniques cannot determine high-resolution three-dimensional structures of membrane proteins under a transmembrane voltage. Hence, the mechanism by which voltage-gated cation channels couple conformational changes within the four voltage sensor domains, in response to either depolarizing or polarizing transmembrane voltages, to opening or closing of the pore domain's ion channel remains unresolved. Single-membrane specimens, composed of a phospholipid bilayer containing a vectorially oriented voltage-gated K+ channel protein at high in-plane density tethered to the surface of an inorganic multilayer substrate, were developed to allow the application of transmembrane voltages in an electrochemical cell. Time-resolved neutron reflectivity experiments, enhanced by interferometry enabled by the multilayer substrate, were employed to provide directly the low-resolution profile structures of the membrane containing the vectorially oriented voltage-gated K+ channel for the activated, open and deactivated, closed states of the channel under depolarizing and hyperpolarizing transmembrane voltages applied cyclically. The profile structures of these single membranes were dominated by the voltage-gated K+ channel protein because of the high in-plane density. Importantly, the use of neutrons allowed the determination of the voltage-dependent changes in both the profile structure of the membrane and the distribution of water within the profile structure. These two key experimental results were then compared to those predicted by three computational modeling approaches for the activated, open and deactivated, closed states of three different voltage-gated K+ channels in hydrated phospholipid bilayer membrane environments. Of the three modeling approaches investigated, only one state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulation that directly predicted the response of a voltage-gated K+ channel within a phospholipid bilayer membrane to applied transmembrane voltages by utilizing very long trajectories was found to be in agreement with the two key experimental results provided by the time-resolved neutron interferometry experiments.
Experimental analysis of pulsatile flow characteristics in prosthetic aortic valve models with stenosis

Bioprosthetic valves are widely used for aortic valve replacements for patients with severe aortic diseases. However, tissue-engineered leaflets normally deteriorate over time due to calcification, leading to life-threatening conditions that would require re-operation. The hemodynamics induced by a prosthetic stenosis is complicated and not fully understood. This in vitro experimental study focuses on the fluid dynamics of two aortic valve models with different prosthetic stenosis conditions. An in vitro cardiovascular flow simulator was utilized to provide the pulsatile physiological flow conditions. Phase-locked particle image velocimetry (PIV) and high-frequency pressure sensors were employed to measure the flow fields and pressure waveforms. Pressure data were evaluated for the two models representing moderate and severe stenosis conditions, respectively. The severe prosthetic stenosis induced a prolonged ejection period and increased acceleration time ratio. PIV results suggest the severe prosthetic stenosis resulted in a two-fold increase in peak jet velocity and a three-fold increase in peak turbulence kinetic energy compared to the moderate stenosis case. The severe stenosis also caused rapid expansion of the jet downstream of the valve orifice and increased eccentricity of the jet flow. The maximum Reynolds shear stress in the severe stenosis case was found similar to the bileaflet mechanical valve reported by previous literature, which was below the risk threshold of blood cell damage but could potentially increase the risks of platelet activation and aggregation.
Probe the relationship between BTBD9 and MEIS1 in C. elegans and mouse.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by an urge to move and uncomfortable sensations. Genetic studies have identified polymorphisms in up to 19 risk loci, including MEIS1 and BTBD9. Rodents deficient in either homolog show RLS-like phenotypes. However, whether MEIS1 and BTBD9 interact in vivo is unclear. Here, with C. elegans, we observed that the hyperactive egg-laying behavior caused by loss of BTBD9 homolog was counteracted by knockdown of MEIS1 homolog. This was further investigated in mutant mice with Btbd9, Meis1, or both knocked out. The double knockout mice showed an earlier onset of the motor deficit in a wheel running test but did not have increased sensitivity to heat stimuli as observed in single knock outs. Meis1 protein level was not influenced by Btbd9 deficiency, and Btbd9 transcription was not affected by Meis1 haploinsufficiency. Our results demonstrate that MEIS1 and BTBD9 do not regulate each other.
Present Sense Impression and Excited Utterance Hearsay Exceptions: Interesting Application Questions

Rules 803(1) and 803(2) of the Federal Rules of Evidence provide as follows:The following are not excluded by the rule against hearsay, regardless of whether the declarant is available as a witness:(1) Present Sense Impression. A statement describing or explaining an event or condition, made while or immediately after the declarant perceived it.(2) Excited Utterance. A statement relating to a startling event or condition, made while the declarant was under the stress of excitement that it caused.The article explores with respect to the present sense impression and excited utterance hearsay exceptions by means of a hypothetical set of questions how, if at all, the admissibility of hearsay statements preferred pursuant to said exceptions is affected by contentions relating to unidentified bystander, absence of corroboration, res gestae, stress of excitement, and bad faith.
Plural Pasts, Presents, and Futures of Postqualitative Inquiry: Two Questions for the Field:

What is the Work of History in Postqualitative Research? and Who is Seated at the Table? This brief invited commentary focuses on these two questions generated from the articles in David Carlson’s ...
The Sparse Synchronous Model

We present the Sparse Synchronous model (SSM) of computation, which allows a programmer to specify software timing more precisely than the traditional “heartbeat” of mainstream operating systems or the synchronous languages. SSM is a mix of semantics inspired by discrete event simulators and the synchronous languages designed to operate in resource-constrained environments such as microcontrollers. SSM provides precise timing prescriptions, concurrency, and determinism. We present SSM, its motivations, and details of a lightweight runtime system upon which a future language will be built.
Characterization of elemental distribution across human dentin-enamel junction by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

The human dentin-enamel junction (DEJ) is a natural junction that unites two dissimilar mineralized tissues in the human tooth: enamel and dentin. DEJ plays a critical role in maintaining structural and functional integrity of the tooth. However, its structure, chemical composition and function remain unclear and controversial. Systematic investigation of elemental distribution across human DEJ is still lacking in the literature. This study aimed to investigate the elemental distributions of Ca, P, O, C, N, Na, and Mg across the DEJ of human teeth using scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy of X-ray. The results revealed abrupt changes in the distributions of six elements (C, N, Ca, P, Na, and Mg) across the DEJ. Specifically, the four mineral elements showed similar level of change in distribution, with Ca, P, Na decreasing while Mg increasing by 21%-25% from enamel to dentin side of the DEJ. The two organic elements C and N showed much larger changes in distribution, with C increasing by ~150% and N increasing by ~270% from enamel to dentin side of the DEJ. The slope of the distribution curves across the DEJ was estimated to be ~2 μm in width and coincided with the phase intermixing of the micro-scallop structure of the DEJ.
Hybrid Identities: Mexico and the Middle East in Memoria de Líbano by Carlos Martínez Assad and Casa Damasco by Maruan Soto Antaki

This chapter participates in the ongoing debate in Latin American Studies regarding literary texts that avoid Eurocentric notions about the Middle East and contends that, in some cases, literary texts promote hybrid identities that challenge the “coloniality of power” that subdues non-whites as “Others” while subtly also interrogating national hegemonic notions of identity that alienate difference. A literary analysis of the texts Memoria de Libano (2003) and Casa Damasco (2013) by Mexican authors Carlos Martinez Assad and Maruan Soto Antaki, respectively, showcases hybrid identities grounded in a personal and global context as a result of the transgenerational trauma of “human displacement.” Martinez Assad elaborates a Mexican-Lebanese identity based on his childhood memories and trips to Lebanon, while Soto Antaki constructs a Mexican-Syrian identity marked by transgenerational trauma. Through their careful portrayal of hybrid identities in specific historical contexts, both texts eschew a negative representation of the Arab world and explore how the Western colonial project in the Middle East may also affect Mexican hybrid identities.
Evaluating the Competitive Harm of Mandatory Disclosure of Proprietary Information: Evidence from the Adoption of SFAS No. 131

Using the adoption of SFAS 131 as a shock to segment reporting and a sample of firms that lobbied against the new standard on the grounds of proprietary costs, I test for changes in profitability around SFAS 131 to examine whether reporting mandates affect disclosing firms’ competitive position. I find that operating performance declined for firms that had lobbied against the rule but were forced to increase disaggregated segment information upon adopting SFAS 131. The effect is more pronounced for firms that were forced to increase the number of reportable segments to a greater extent. Moreover, the declined operating performance arises from lower sales growth and reduced profit margin. In contrast, I do not find significant changes in operating performance for firms that had lobbied against the rule but were able to resist the change in segment reporting. These findings lend support to concerns about competitive harm of reporting mandates.
The Effect of Firm Expansion in Sustainable Business on Incumbent Product Evaluation

Despite a rising number of firms expanding into market categories with sustainable benefits, we know little about how it affects incumbent market audience. In this study, I explore the extent to wh...
The Resurgence of Ponzi Schemes: Lessons for Inadvertent Participants

Madoff’s scheme was the largest, but by no means the only Ponzi scheme with staggering losses in recent months. Since the recession started, one fraudulent investment scheme after another was unmasked, in numbers unseen in many years. The popular media has aired reports about the swindlers’ lavish lifestyles, as well as about the plight of their victims, many of whom were left destitute. The lessons of the recent Ponzi schemes mandate that financial and professional organizations take steps to avoid becoming unaware promoters of unlawful “investment opportunities.” Broker-dealer firms are particularly vulnerable to the risk of helping perpetrate fraudulent investment schemes. Such risk may carry significant financial exposure, far beyond the sales commissions realized by the brokerage firm or their agents.
From Inexactness to Certainty: The Change in Hume's Conception of Geometry

Although Hume's analysis of geometry continues to serve as a reference point for many contemporary discussions in the philosophy of science, the fact that the first Enquiry presents a radical revision of Hume's conception of geometry in the Treatise has never been explained. The present essay closely examines Hume's early and late discussions of geometry and proposes a reconstruction of the reasons behind the change in his views on the subject. Hume's early conception of geometry as an inexact non-demonstrative science is argued to be a consequence of his attempt to discredit geometrical proofs of infinite divisibility of extension by anchoring the meaning of geometrical concepts in inherently inexact qualitative measurement procedures. This measurement-based attack on the exactness and certainty of geometry is analyzed and shown to be both self-refuting and inconsistent with the general epistemological framework of the Treatise. The revised conception of geometry as a demonstrative science in the first Enquiry is then interpreted as Hume's response to the failure of his earlier attempt to discredit geometrical proofs of infinite divisibility of extension.
Plant elicitor peptides in induced defense against insects

Over 20 years ago the peptide systemin was discovered to be an integral regulator of anti-herbivore defense responses in Solanaceous plants. However, other peptides of similar function have remained elusive. Plant Elicitor Peptides (Peps) were initially discovered in Arabidopsis as mediators of basal immune responses protective against invading pathogens. Recently a Pep from maize, ZmPep3, was demonstrated to be a potent regulator of anti-herbivore defenses. ZmPep3 was as active as the Lepidopteran elicitor N-linolenoyl-l-glutamine (Gln-18:3) in stimulating volatile emission and accumulation of defense transcripts and metabolites, resulting in both attraction of the parasitoid Cotesia marginiventris and suppressed growth of Spodoptera exigua larvae. Orthologues of Peps in Solanaceous and Fabaceous plants also trigger emission of herbivore-associated volatiles, indicating that Peps have a conserved role as regulators of plant defense against herbivores in diverse species. This conservation of a peptide signal and cognate receptor for activation of plant defense responses reveals a widespread regulatory motif and provides opportunities for manipulation of plant resistance.
Assessing the Relative Contribution of Biogenic and Fossil Processes to Visibility-Scattering Aerosols Found in Remote Areas: Near-Term Organic Research Program

Abstract Organic carbon has been found to be a significant component of aerosols that impair visibility in remote areas across the country. Organic aerosols are particularly important in western areas of the United States and contribute roughly equally with sulfate aerosols and dust in the total extinction budget. Potential visibility enhancement resulting from various future energy management options that reduce volatile organic carbon and particulate material emissions from fossil-energy-related processes hinges on the relative contribution of the fossil-fuel-derived organic component to the extinction budget. Thus, additional studies are needed to quantify the partitioning of organic carbon between biogenic and fossil sources. Relative humidity (RH) also plays an important role in visibility impairment. It is well known that water soluble aerosol species, such as sulfate and nitrate, can increase light-scattering efficiencies of fine particles by more than an order of magnitude as RH is increased from ...
THE UNITED STATES TODAY : Racial Discrimination Is Alive and Well

Most white people think there is racial equality in the United States or soon will be. This belief troubles two experts in the field. The evidence of ongoing and significant discrimination on the job, in housing, and in education is unambiguous. And there is no indication that America is going to do anything significant about it.
In vivo and in vitro assessment of dopamine uptake and release.

Publisher Summary Dopamine synapses in the striatum are much smaller than at the neuromuscular junction, and unless efficient mechanisms exist for its retention, diffusional efflux from the synapse is likely. To test this hypothesis in vivo , efflux evoked by a four-pulse, 100-Hz train applied to dopamine fibers in the medial forebrain bundle was compared with that evoked by a single pulse. The duration of a 100-Hz train is too rapid for appreciable uptake to occur. The observed release was 4 times the amplitude of a single pulse, providing strong evidence that dopamine normally exits the synapse during impulse flow. It has been concluded from experiments that dopamine normally escapes the synaptic cleft, diffuses into the extrasynaptic fluid, and then acts with remote receptors. Its extracellular diffusion is restricted to a few micrometers because of interaction with the dopamine transporter. The estimated amount of dopamine released per terminal per impulse from the single-pulse experiments was 1000 molecules, a value similar to that measured during release from a cultured neuron. The nonlinear relationship between dopamine release, stimulation current, and the external [Ca 2+ ] is exactly the relation anticipated for a quantized release probability associated with vesicles. Thus, according to the model used in the experiment, the quantized levels represent the population of terminals near the electrode shifting from 0 to 1 to 2 vesicles released per terminal as the amount of Ca 2+ entry increases.
Coming or Going: How Background Affects Duration in 5 Presidential Systems

This paper is part of a book project about cabinet ministers in presidential cabinets. We use an original dataset about cabinet minister’s education, occupation, political experience (government and party posts held, connections to the president), and interest group connections to study the relationship between experience and duration in the cabinet as related to different reasons for leaving a post. We examine duration by gender, country, and type of cabinet post in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, and the United States. We consistently find that being connected to ministry clients increases the chances that ministers survive in the cabinet, decreasing the chances of all kinds of exit. Ministers of Finance are at an increased risk of exiting in disgrace and at increased risk of deciding to retire. Political insiders are at a lower risk of switching posts than surviving in the cabinet, but not of exiting in other ways. Presidential friends are both more likely to exit in disgrace than endure than are non-friends, but friends are less likely than non-friends to retire rather than remain in post. However, members of political families are more likely to retire than to remain in office. Gender, however, does not affect minister's duration in relation to any reason for exiting.
MUHAMMAD AND THE JEWS ACCORDING TO IBN ISHAQ

This paper examines the phenomenon of anti-Semitism in the Muslim world, shedding light on one component of the Islamic tradition, namely, the earliest extant biography of the Prophet Muhammad, the Sirat Rasul Allah, or The Life of the Prophet of God by Ibn Ishaq (d.767 CE.)
Reply, to the Discussion

We thank Bartana et al. for their interest in our paper and for suggesting an interesting topic for discussion.
The use of internet tools to supplement communication in the classroom

This paper describes the author's experiences using online communication tools to supplement classroom-based instruction. In particular, I examined the use of online bulletin boards, online chat, instant messaging, e-mail, and online surveys with CS courses from 1996 to 2001. All of these tools are now readily available and have the potential to foster new avenues for student interaction that are not possible without an online environment. However, unlike the film Field of Dreams, the mantra "If you build it, they will come" does not necessarily apply to online tools. In case studies, student participation was generally low unless the students were either motivated or were given an explicit assignment using the tool. Each tool also has their own strengths and weaknesses. Bulletin boards are good for extended discussions and wide information dissemination but requires motivation or structure. Participants enjoyed online chat but it was difficult to organize students together simultaneously. Instant messaging was favored over online chat rooms due to its asynchronous nature and notification features. Surveys indicated that students regarded the availability of online tools favorably and remarked that they would like more student involvement. I also found the surveys to be a useful mechanism to gauge student perceptions. My experiences to date indicate that the most utility is garnered from these tools when they are actively integrated with the course curriculum.