cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increasing cellulose accessibility is more important than removing lignin: A comparison of cellulose solvent‐based lignocellulose fractionation and soaking in aqueous ammonia

While many pretreatments attempt to improve the enzymatic digestibility of biomass by removing lignin, this study shows that improving the surface area accessible to cellulase is a more important factor for achieving a high sugar yield. Here we compared the pretreatment of switchgrass by two methods, cellulose solvent- and organic solvent-based lignocellulose fractionation (COSLIF) and soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA). Following pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis was conducted at two cellulase loadings, 15 filter paper units (FPU)/g glucan and 3 FPU/g glucan, with and without BSA blocking of lignin absorption sites. The hydrolysis results showed that the lignin remaining after SAA had a significant negative effect on cellulase performance, despite the high level of delignification achieved with this pretreatment. No negative effect due to lignin was detected for COSLIF-treated substrate. SEM micrographs, XRD crystallinity measurements, and cellulose accessibility to cellulase (CAC) determinations confirmed that COSLIF fully disrupted the cell wall structure, resulting in a 16-fold increase in CAC, while SAA caused a 1.4-fold CAC increase. A surface plot relating the lignin removal, CAC, and digestibility of numerous samples (both pure cellulosic substrates and lignocellulosic materials pretreated by several methods) was also developed to better understand the relative impacts of delignification and CAC on glucan digestibility.
Species diversity: from global decreases to local increases

Current patterns of global change can strongly affect biodiversity at global, regional and local scales. At global scales, habitat destruction and the introduction of exotic species are contributing to declines in species diversity. At regional and local scales, evidence for declines in diversity is mixed, and recent work suggests that diversity might commonly be increasing. In spite of these trends, considerable research continues to consider explicitly the effects of declines in diversity on processes that operate at regional and local scales (such as ecosystem functioning), without explicitly considering the converse set of questions, namely the effects of increases in diversity. Here, we examine evidence that indicates how species diversity is changing across spatial scales and argue that global decreases in diversity are commonly contrasted by increases in diversity at regional and local scales.
From the vineyard – Reflections and perspectives☆☆☆★★★♢

Abstract A farmer, being at death's door, and desiring to impart to his sons a secret of much moment, called them round him and said, "My sons, I am shortly about to die. I would have you know, therefore, that in my vineyard there lies a hidden treasure. Dig, and you will find it." As soon as their father was dead, the sons took spade and fork and turned up the soil of the vineyard over and over again, in their search for the treasure which they supposed to lie buried there. They found none, however; but the vines, after so thorough a digging, produced a crop such as had never before been seen. -Aesop 1
A Novel Algorithm for Predicting Phycocyanin Concentrations in Cyanobacteria: A Proximal Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Approach

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the performance of existing spectral band ratio algorithms and develop a novel algorithm to quantify phycocyanin (PC) in cyanobacteria using hyperspectral remotely-sensed data. We performed four spectroscopic experiments on two different laboratory cultured cyanobacterial species and found that the existing band ratio algorithms are highly sensitive to chlorophylls, making them inaccurate in predicting cyanobacterial abundance in the presence of other chlorophyll-containing organisms. We present a novel spectral band ratio algorithm using 700 and 600 nm that is much less sensitive to the presence of chlorophyll.
Crossing the machine interface

The concepts and theory behind a specific type of hardware accelerator, oar “assist”, are presented. Such accelerators are specific extensions to an existing, generalized data processor architecture. Both the software system and the hardware implementation are changed by the extensions. For the accelerators discussed here, the hardware implementation is accomplished solely in microcode.The generalized architecture can be compatible across a line of data processors. The accelerators are defacto extensions to the basic architecture and are normally only defined on a subset of the processor line. These architectural extensions consist of functions migrated from “above” the generalized architecture (i.e. software functions) into the processor architecture and processor implementation.The accelerators provide a method of improving system performance that is complementary to improving performance through modification of the generalized processor architecture itself or the underlying circuitry implementation.
Numerical solutions to the weakly collisional plasma and sheath in the fluid approach and the reduction of the ion current to the wall

The plasma-sheath problem is solved numerically for the transition regime from collisionless to strongly collisional in both planar and cylindrical geometry. An improved frequency for ion-neutral momentum transfer collisions is introduced as a combination of the constant collision frequency and constant mean free path models. The model is correct in the limiting cases of collisionless and strongly collisional plasmas. The current density at the wall is calculated for a wide range of parameters and an analytic form J=J0/(1+kappaL/lambda) 1/2 is found to describe the reduction of the flux, where J 0 is the ion flux for the collisionless case, L is the dimension of the plasma, lambda is the ion-neutral mean free path, and kappa is a fitting parameter
Intravital Video Microscopy Measurements of Retinal Blood Flow in Mice

Alterations in retinal blood flow can contribute to, or be a consequence of, ocular disease and visual dysfunction. Therefore, quantitation of altered perfusion can aid research into the mechanisms of retinal pathologies. Intravital video microscopy of fluorescent tracers can be used to measure vascular diameters and bloodstream velocities of the retinal vasculature, specifically the arterioles branching from the central retinal artery and of the venules leading into the central retinal vein. Blood flow rates can be calculated from the diameters and velocities, with the summation of arteriolar flow, and separately venular flow, providing values of total retinal blood flow. This paper and associated video describe the methods for applying this technique to mice, which includes 1) the preparation of the eye for intravital microscopy of the anesthetized animal, 2) the intravenous infusion of fluorescent microspheres to measure bloodstream velocity, 3) the intravenous infusion of a high molecular weight fluorescent dextran, to aid the microscopic visualization of the retinal microvasculature, 4) the use of a digital microscope camera to obtain videos of the perfused retina, and 5) the use of image processing software to analyze the video. The same techniques can be used for measuring retinal blood flow rates in rats.
Degenerated uterine leiomyoma mimicking acute appendicitis: Sonographic diagnosis

The present study reviews four cases in which degenerated uterine leiomyomas mimicked appendicitis clinically. The correct diagnosis was made prospectively by sonography in each case. Appendicitis was excluded by graded compression sonography and an exophytic uterine leiomyoma was identified at the point of maximal symptoms. The leiomyomas demonstrated central hypoechoic foci, but no detectable Doppler flow indicating necrosis. Although the phenomenon of a degenerated uterine leiomyoma mimicking appendicitis clinically is known, sonographic diagnosis has not been reported previously. The importance of making this diagnosis sonographically is that management of a degenerated leiomyoma is conservative and unnecessary surgery could be avoided. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Monitoring the impact of vaccines postlicensure: new challenges, new opportunities

Although vaccines are studied intensively before licensure, insight into important aspects of vaccine performance and the effectiveness of immunization programs and policies can only be detected af...
Propagating beam theory of optical fiber cross coupling

Evanescent field coupling between parallel optical waveguides is treated by the propagating beam method. This method utilizes Fourier analysis to generate the modal properties of optical waveguides from numerical solutions to the paraxial-wave equation. Previous applications have been for single waveguides. Detailed results are presented here for a variety of coupled waveguide pairs: identical slab waveguides, identical and nonidentical single-mode optical fibers, and identical few-mode optical fibers. Results include propagation constants and eigenfunctions for the normal modes of the coupled systems. The difference between the propagation constants of the corresponding normal modes determines the coupling length for the mode pair, whereas the eigenfunctions determine the extent of power transfer. The results obtained establish the applicability of the propagating beam method to the study of coupling in a general class of practical waveguides.
Streaming potential nature in bone

Electrokinetic behavior of intact wet bone tissue at room temperature was studied through streaming potentials. Chemical treatments examined the contribution of the organic and inorganic constituents of bone to streaming potentials. Results indicate that the organic matrix phase (collagen) dominates the streaming potential developed in intact bone. Streaming potential behavior during high pressures deviates from the linear relationship established at low pressure. >
A Coordinated Production Planning Model with Capacity Expansion and Inventory Management

Motivated by a problem faced by a large manufacturer of a consumer product, we explore the interaction between production planning and capacity acquisition decisions in environments with demand growth. We study a firm producing multiple items in a multiperiod environment where demand for items is known but varies over time with a long-term growth and possible short-term fluctuations. The production equipment is characterized by significant changeover time between the production of different items. While demand growth is gradual, capacity additions are discrete. Therefore, periods immediately following a machine purchase are characterized by excess machine capacity. We develop a mathematical programming model and an effective solution approach to determine the optimal capacity acquisition, production and inventory decisions over time. Through a computational study, we show the effectiveness of the solution approach in terms of solution quality and investigate the impact of product variety, cost of capital, and other important parameters on the capacity and inventory decisions. The computational results bring out some key insights--increasing product variety may not result in excessive inventory and even a substantial increase in set-up times or holding costs may not increase the total cost over the horizon in a significant manner due to the ability to acquire additional capacity. We also provide solutions and insights to the real problem that motivated this work.
Anti-3-[18F]FACBC Positron Emission Tomography-Computerized Tomography and 111In-Capromab Pendetide Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography-Computerized Tomography for Recurrent Prostate Carcinoma: Results of a Prospective Clinical Trial

Purpose: We prospectively evaluated the amino acid analogue positron emission tomography radiotracer anti-3-[18F]FACBC compared to ProstaScint® (111In-capromab pendetide) single photon emission computerized tomography-computerized tomography to detect recurrent prostate carcinoma.Materials and Methods: A total of 93 patients met study inclusion criteria who underwent anti-3-[18F]FACBC positron emission tomography-computerized tomography plus 111In-capromab pendetide single photon emission computerized tomography-computerized tomography for suspected recurrent prostate carcinoma within 90 days. Reference standards were applied by a multidisciplinary board. We calculated diagnostic performance for detecting disease.Results: In the 91 of 93 patients with sufficient data for a consensus on the presence or absence of prostate/bed disease anti-3-[18F]FACBC had 90.2% sensitivity, 40.0% specificity, 73.6% accuracy, 75.3% positive predictive value and 66.7% negative predictive value compared to 111In-capromab pend...
Ratiocinative screen of eukaryotic integral membrane protein expression and solubilization for structure determination

Persistent hurdles impede the successful determination of high-resolution crystal structures of eukaryotic integral membrane proteins (IMP). We designed a high-throughput structural genomics oriented pipeline that seeks to minimize effort in uncovering high-quality, responsive non-redundant targets for crystallization. This “discovery-oriented” pipeline sidesteps two significant bottlenecks in the IMP structure determination pipeline: expression and membrane extraction with detergent. In addition, proteins that enter the pipeline are then rapidly vetted by their presence in the included volume on a size-exclusion column – a hallmark of well-behaved IMP targets. A screen of 384 rationally selected eukaryotic IMPs in baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is outlined to demonstrate the results expected when applying this discovery-oriented pipeline to whole-organism membrane proteomes.
CD8+ T lymphocyte responses target functionally important regions of Protease and Integrase in HIV-1 infected subjects

CD8+ T cell responses are known to be important to the control of HIV-1 infection. While responses to reverse transcriptase and most structural and accessory proteins have been extensively studied, CD8 T cell responses specifically directed to the HIV-1 enzymes Protease and Integrase have not been well characterized, and few epitopes have been described in detail. We assessed comprehensively the CD8 T cell responses to synthetic peptides spanning Protease and Integrase in 56 HIV-1 infected subjects with acute, chronic, or controlled infection using IFN-γ-Elispot assays and intracellular cytokine staining. Fine-characterization of novel CTL epitopes was performed on peptide-specific CTL lines in Elispot and 51Chromium-release assays. Thirteen (23%) and 38 (68%) of the 56 subjects had detectable responses to Protease and Integrase, respectively, and together these targeted most regions within both proteins. Sequence variability analysis confirmed that responses cluster largely around conserved regions of Integrase, but responses against a large, highly conserved region of the N-terminal DNA-binding domain of Integrase were not readily detected. CD8 T cell responses targeted regions of Protease that contain known Protease inhibitor mutation residues, but strong Protease-specific CD8 T cell responses were rare. Fine-mapping of targeted epitopes allowed the identification of three novel, HLA class I-restricted, frequently-targeted optimal epitopes. There were no significant correlations between CD8 T cell responses to Protease and Integrase and clinical disease category in the study subjects, nor was there a correlation with viral load. These findings confirm that CD8 T cell responses directed against HIV-1 include potentially important functional regions of Protease and Integrase, and that pharmacologic targeting of these enzymes will place them under both drug and immune selection pressure.
Treatment of migraine headache by hypnosis and behavior therapy: a case study.

Abstract This study describes the use of deep muscle relaxation, cue controlled relaxation, hypnosis with handwarming, cognitive behavior therapy, and an extension of thought stopping in the treatment of severe migraine headache. The importance of antecedent precipitating stress was emphasized.
Development of the Ethmoid in Caluromys philander (Didelphidae, Marsupialia) With a Discussion on the Homology of the Turbinal Elements in Marsupials

Homology of turbinals, or scroll bones, of the mammalian ethmoid bone is poorly known and complicated by a varied terminology. Positionally, there are two main types of ossified adult turbinals known as endoturbinals and ectoturbinals, and their cartilaginous precursors are called ethmoturbinals and frontoturbinals, respectively. Endoturbinals are considered to be serially homologous due to similarity in their developmental patterns. Consequently, endoturbinals from mammals with differing numbers of elements cannot be individually homogenized. In this study, the development of the ethmoid of Caluromys philander, the bare-tailed woolly opossum, is described based on serial sections of six pouchlings ranging in age from 20 to 84 days postnatal (PND-84), and computed tomography images of an adult skull. I found that four ethmoturbinals initially develop as seen in PND-20 and PND-30 individuals but by PND-64 an interturbinal (corresponding to endoturbinal III in adults) is present between ethmoturbinals II and III. This developmental pattern is identical to that of Monodelphis domestica, the gray short-tailed opossum, and is probably also present in the marsupials Didelphis marsupialis, and Thylacinus cynocephalus based on work of previous authors. These data suggest that endoturbinal III has a developmental pattern that differs from other endoturbinals, and the name interturbinal should be retained for the adult structure in recognition of this difference. These results may prove useful for homologizing this individual turbinal element across marsupials, the majority of which have five endoturbinals as adults. This might also explain the presumed placental ancestral condition of four endoturbinals if the marsupial interturbinal is lost. Anat Rec, 297:2007–2017, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development of a sensitive ELISA to quantify apolipoprotein CIII in nonhuman primate serum.

Apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII), a major constituent of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein, has been proposed as a key contributor to hypertriglyceridemia on the basis of its inhibitory effects on lipoprotein lipase. Many immunochemical methods have been developed for human apoCIII quantification, including ELISA. However, a sensitive and quantitative assay for nonhuman primates is not commercially available. We developed a sensitive, quantitative, and highly specific sandwich ELISA to measure apoCIII in both nonhuman primate and human serum. Our assay generates a linear calibration curve from 0.01 μg/ml to 10 μg/ml using an apoCIII standard that was purified from cynomolgus monkey serum. It is highly reproducible (intra- and interplate CV
An upper limit for aggregate I/O interconnect bandwidth of GSI chips constrained by power dissipation

For the first time, the average energy dissipation per input/output bits is estimated, which is very useful in determining an upper bound for chip aggregate I/O bandwidth for a given dynamic power budget. Some empirical parameters such as Rent's parameters and activity factor are used to capture the impact of chip architecture. For a projected multiprocessor implemented at the 45 nm technology node it is shown that 30 Tb/s is the maximum aggregate I/O bandwidth for 100W dynamic power dissipation.
The impact of vertical shear on the sensitivity of tropical cyclogenesis to environmental rotation and thermodynamic state

Here, the impact of vertical wind shear on the sensitivity of tropical cyclogenesis to environmental rotation and thermodynamic state is investigated through idealized cloud-resolving simulations of the intensification of an incipient vortex. With vertical shear, tropical cyclones intensify faster with a higher Coriolis parameter, f, irrespective of the environmental thermodynamic state. The vertical shear develops a vertically tilted vortex, which undergoes a precession process with the midlevel vortices rotating cyclonically around the surface center. With a higher f, the midlevel vortices are able to rotate continuously against the vertical shear, leading to the realignment of the tilted vortex and rapid intensification. With a lower f, the rotation is too slow such that the midlevel vortices are advected away from the surface center and the intensification is suppressed. The parameter, Χb, measuring the effect from the low-entropy downdraft air on the boundary layer entropy, is found to be a good indicator of the environmental thermodynamic favorability for tropical cyclogenesis in vertical shear. Without vertical shear, tropical cyclones are found to intensify faster with a lower f by previous studies. We show this dependency on f is sensitive to the environmental thermodynamic state. The thermodynamical favorability for convection can be measured bymore » Χm, which estimates the time it takes for surface fluxes to moisten the midtroposphere. A smaller Χm not only leads to a faster intensification due to a shorter period for moist preconditioning of the inner region but also neutralizes the faster intensification with a lower f due to enhanced peripheral convection.« less
The Multiple Scattering of Waves. I. General Theory of Isotropic Scattering by Randomly Distributed Scatterers

While the problem of the multiple scattering of particles by a random distribution of scatterers has been treated classically through the use of the Boltzmann integro-differential equation, the corresponding problem of the multiple scattering of waves seems to have received scant attention. All previous treatments have considered the problem in the "geometrical optics" limit, where the rays are regarded as trajectories of particles and the treatment for particles is then applied, so that the interference phenomena in wave scattering are neglected. In this paper the problem of the multiple scattering of scalar waves by a random distribution of isotropic scatterers is considered in detail on the basis of a consistent wave treatment. The introduction of the concept of "randomness" requires averages to be taken over a statistical ensemble of scatterer configurations. Equations are derived for the average value of the wave function, the average value of the square of its absolute value, and the average flux carried by the wave. The second of these quantities satisfies an integral equation which has some similarities to the corresponding equation for particle scattering. The physical interpretation of the results is discussed in some detail and possible generalizations of the theory are outlined.
Comparison of Noninvasive and Direct Measurements of Intracranial Pressure

After creating "fontanelles" in infant rhesus monkeys, we measured intracranial pressure of these monkeys directly with an indwelling cannula and indirectly with a Ladd 1700 sensor. Values obtained with the Ladd sensor placed over the shaven fontanelle closely approximate directly measured pressure in acute experiments in these animals and in human cadavers. Application of the device is simple and application pressure need not always be the same for multiple determinations. The response time is 1.6 cm H20/sec, which is adequate to record changes in intracranial pressure caused by changes in the partial pressure of CO2 in arterial blood.
Fate of Pathogens in Stormwater Plumes

Modern tools for management of recreational waters include field monitoring, laboratory analyses and computer modeling. A case study of a brackish receiving wa…
Is JFK-Style Leadership the Catalyst?

When President Barack Obama proposed the cancellation of the Constellation program in February 2010, the proposal was met with considerable resistance in Congress and the space community. The imminent direction of human spaceflight in the United States was in question amid a proposed sea change. In his assessment of the president’s proposal, John Logsdon writes that the administration did not clearly communicate a purpose nor a convincing argument for the change of direction. Logsdon calls for John F. Kennedy-style leadership to serve as a catalyzing mechanism capable of ushering in a new era of U.S. human spaceflight. Is such a catalyst possible today and could it reenergize the U.S. space program to levels unseen since the Apollo era? A review of U.S. space policy over the past five decades illustrates an anomalous spike in federal spending followed by a gradual decline as a percentage of the federal budget, the decline of the “imperial presidency,” and a gradual shift of space issues from primary to ancillary policy. JFK-style leadership may be possible today although the effect of such leadership may be insufficient to galvanize broad national support. Apollo was the result of synchronous geopolitical conditions, energized by a catalyst. Kennedy’s clear communication of purpose and vision to Congress and the American people was the catalyst, yet the ensuing reaction arguably had more to do with favorable existing conditions. Kennedy’s sweeping rhetoric and breadth of vision fit the moment. Despite its audacity and scale, conditions were ripe for a crash program to the Moon—conditions, unique to the time and unrepeated since. This is evidenced by instances of JFK-style leadership during successive presidencies that led to distinctly different results.
Mechanisms of Polarized Organelle Distribution in Neurons

Neurons are highly polarized cells exhibiting axonal and somatodendritic domains with distinct complements of cytoplasmic organelles. Although some organelles are widely distributed throughout the neuronal cytoplasm, others are segregated to either the axonal or somatodendritic domains. Recent findings show that organelle segregation is largely established at a pre-axonal exclusion zone (PAEZ) within the axon hillock. Polarized sorting of cytoplasmic organelles at the PAEZ is proposed to depend mainly on their selective association with different microtubule motors and, in turn, with distinct microtubule arrays. Somatodendritic organelles that escape sorting at the PAEZ can be subsequently retrieved at the axon initial segment (AIS) by a microtubule- and/or actin-based mechanism. Dynamic sorting along the PAEZ-AIS continuum can thus explain the polarized distribution of cytoplasmic organelles between the axonal and somatodendritic domains.
Manual Validation of Peptide Sequence and Sites of Tyrosine Phosphorylation from MS/MS Spectra

Mass spectrometry-based analysis of protein phosphorylation has become increasingly powerful over the past decade and has been applied to many different biological systems. One of the most significant concerns facing the phosphoproteomics community and the proteomics field as a whole is the quality and accuracy of the data generated in these large scale efforts. For protein identification in a given sample, the solution has been to require multiple peptides per protein, eliminating "one-hit-wonders" (proteins identified on the basis of a single peptide assignment) which may increase false positives in the data set. Unfortunately, most of the phosphoproteomics data fall into the latter category, as each phosphorylation site will most likely be represented by a single tryptic peptide. Here we provide a detailed protocol describing our manual validation efforts to assure accurate peptide and phosphorylation site assignment for individual MS/MS spectra. In this procedure we use a combination of tools to assign b-, y-, neutral loss, and internal fragment ions, with the goal of assigning all significant ions in the MS/MS spectrum. Confident peptide and phosphorylation site assignment requires good coverage of the peptide with minimal unassigned fragment ions. Using this approach it is possible to maximize the quality of the phospho-proteomics data while minimizing database contamination associated with false positive identifications.
Harmonizing risk and quantifying preparedness

As our nation aims at strengthening the security and resilience of our communities, decision makers must compare and prioritize risks across natural hazards and man-made threats, then evaluate and coordinate preparedness activities to ensure they are managing their highest risks with their limited funding. In this paper, we describe how our Adaptive Risk Readiness Model is used by a region to harmonize risks and quantify preparedness so that decision makers can identify and communicate gaps and investment tradeoffs in their preparedness activities. Our approach focuses on three interconnected domains: risk assessment, preparedness assessment and information visualization. Relationships between existing risk and preparedness assessments are created in the context of critical infrastructure capacities and impact on populations across the region. By establishing and visualizing these interrelationships, decision makers can share a common understanding and act collaboratively to improve preparedness across the region.
Common cytotoxic chemotherapeutics induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) downstream of ER stress.

// Parag P. Shah 1 , Tess V. Dupre 2 , Leah J. Siskind 2 , Levi J. Beverly 1, 2, 3 1 James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA 2 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA 3 Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY 40202, USA Correspondence to: Levi J. Beverly, email: Levi.Beverly@Louisville.edu Keywords: ER stress, chemotherapeutics, EMT, migration, invasion Received: October 24, 2016 Accepted: January 24, 2017 Published: February 07, 2017 ABSTRACT Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in eukaryotes is a main organelle involved in a wide variety of functions including calcium storage, lipid biosynthesis, protein folding and protein transport. Disruption of ER homeostasis leads to ER stress and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). We and others have previously found that ER stress induces EMT in different cellular systems. Induction of ER stress with chemical modulators of ER homeostasis was sufficient to activate an EMT-like state in all cellular systems tested. Here, we provide evidence for the first time demonstrating that ER stress induces EMT that is neither cancer cell specific nor cell-type specific. In addition, we observed that chemotherapeutic drugs commonly used to treat patients also activate ER stress that is concomitant with activation of an EMT-like state. Interestingly, we find that following removal of ER stress, partial EMT characteristics still persist indicating that ER stress induced EMT is a long-term effect. Induction of mesenchymal characteristics, following chemotherapeutics treatment may be involved in providing cancer stemness and invasiveness in the cellular system. Interestingly, we find that mice treated with cisplatin have elevated level of ER stress and EMT markers in multiple tissues including lung, liver and kidneys. Furthermore, increased ER stress, as demonstrated by increased Bip, Chop, PDI, Ero1α and IRE1, and EMT, as demonstrated by increased Vimentin and Snail, is a hallmark of primary lung adenocarcinoma samples from patients. These observations have potential clinical relevance because overexpression of ER stress and EMT markers might contribute to chemoresistance and poor survival of lung adenocarcinoma patients.
Dexmedetomidine: The Science and Clinical Aspects in Adults and Children

The unique sedative properties of dexmedetomidine (DEX) have created new interest in the use of alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists and have led to its evaluation in a variety of pediatric and adult procedures. DEX has been shown to offer a beneficial pharmacological profile, with sedation which parallels natural sleep, sympatholysis, and anesthetic-sparing effect without relevant respiratory depression. In addition, there is increasing evidence supporting its organ protective effects against ischemic and hypoxic injury. The side effects of DEX including biphasic, dose-dependent blood pressure response, and bradycardia are predictable from the pharmacological profile of alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists. A comprehensive understanding of the pharmacologic, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic effects of DEX is critical to maximize its safe application in adults and children.
Identifying fraudulently promoted online videos

Fraudulent product promotion online, including online videos, is on the rise. In order to understand and defend against this ill, we engage in the fraudulent video economy for a popular video sharing website, YouTube, and collect a sample of over 3,300 fraudulently promoted videos and 500 bot profiles that promote them. We then characterize fraudulent videos and profiles and train supervised machine learning classifiers that can successfully differentiate fraudulent videos and profiles from legitimate ones.
Luxury Suite Sales in Professional Sport: Obtaining and Retaining Clients

Selling luxury suite inventory is a priority for professional sport organizations, yet little is known about the motivations of those who purchase suites. There are 12,400 luxury suites in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL (Association of Luxury Suite Directors, 2009) accounting for over $600 million in gross revenues (Lee & Chun, 2002). In the current recession, selling suites is a challenge as many corporate suite clients are leery of the public perception of owning a suite and are being held more accountable for spending than ever before. This study sought to gain a better understanding of how luxury suite sales professionals perceive their corporate client motivations for purchasing and renewal as well as to explore similarities and differences between the “big four” leagues. Results indicated that there are few differences between leagues and that relationships between the team and the suite client are critical to selling suites and retaining corporate clients.
Helicobacter pylori and duodenal ulcer: a review

Source Citation Rabeneck L, Ransohoff DF. Is Helicobacter pylori a cause of duodenal ulcer? A methodologic critique of current evidence. Am J Med. 1991 Dec;91:566-72.
Edited course of biomedical research: leaping forward with CRISPR.

Abstract Within the short few years since the report of its application in precise genome editing, CRISPR technology has become the method of choice to modify and modulate gene expression in biomedical research and therapeutic development. Subsequently, a variety of research, diagnostic, and therapeutic tools have been developed based upon CRISPR’s mechanism of action. Such tools have helped to deepen the understanding of fundamental biology and broaden the horizon in the search for treatments for diseases that have been considered hard or impossible to cure. As CRISPR technology advances closer to clinical applications, its short comings are becoming more apparent, thus creating opportunities to improve the technology’s efficacy, specificity, and safety profile in this setting. We will summarize the current status of CRISPR technology and discuss its future impact in this review.
Improvement of Seedling Emergence of Lupinus texensis Hook. Following Seed Scarification Treatments

Abstract Seeds from four commercial seedlots of Lupinus texensis Hook. (Texas bluebonnet) were placed in concentrated sulfuric acid for 0 to 120 minutes and then sown. Emergence was promoted by acid scarification in three of the four seedlots. For the lots that responded to acid scarification, the optimal scarification time was 30–60 minutes which resulted in 85–95% emergence one month after planting. In addition to increasing the total number of seedlings that emerged, acid scarification hastened emergence. The same aliquot of sulfuric acid was used for five 60-minute scarification periods before its efficacy was reduced. Acid scarification did not reduce seed coat thickness or strength but created several small pores in the seed coat which likely facilitated imbibition. Cutting, filing, or piercing the seed coat promoted emergence to a similar extent. Placement of seeds in 85%C (185%F) water and then cooling for 24 hrs promoted emergence relative to the non-treated controls, but was not as effective as ...
Gender Differences in the Impact of North Carolina’s Early Care and Education Initiatives on Student Outcomes in Elementary School:

Based on growing evidence of the long-term benefits of enriched early childhood experiences, we evaluate the potential for addressing gender disparities in elementary school through early care and ...
Black Theater: A Sapling Transformed into Huge Tree

From the times of servitude till date African Americans aspire to pave way through the road of repression and suppression. As they were uprooted this transplant never took place. As a result of which their grief and sorrows ,despair and agonies had to be given vent to in a very extraordinary way to stand in a hostile culture. As compared with other genres of literature, drama is the most powerful and lively audio-visual recreation of life itself which in witness of audience becomes collective effort to set common thread. And audience become one with characters, their grief, joy becomes common experience of all. Black Theater is nothing but the strong reaction against White dominant culture but with theatrical technicalities.
In vivo identification of therapeutic constructs from pooled candidates in HD model mice

Rapidly identifying targets for Huntington's Disease (HD) therapeutics in relevant mouse models could hasten the development of patient interventions. We have recently described a method for rapidly and quantitatively measuring the progression of HD-like symptoms in mouse models. Because this method uses flow cytometry to measure GFP levels in affected neurons, it is amenable to pooled approaches. Here we describe a continuation of this work, using pools of shRNA-delivering AAV vectors and high throughput sequencing to determine which hairpins in a mixed population are most effective at preventing the transcriptional dysregulation phenotype of R6/2 mice.
The Neuroscience of Aging and Cognition

Throughout the life span, environmental factors, genetic factors, the individual's actions and experiences, and inevitable changes in the functioning of neurobiological mechanisms interact to produce a range of effects on the cognitive abilities of individuals as they grow older. Some individuals show only minor deficits in particular forms of cognition as they grow older, while other individuals show substantial declines in various aspects of memory and learning. Healthy older adults usually show deficits in particular situations such as those that require the management and coordination of multiple tasks or that involve detailed recollection of events or experiences. Age-related deficits are most prominent in cognitive tasks that are particularly dependent on hippocampal and prefrontal brain circuitry. This article discusses normal age-related changes in learning and memory from a cognitive neuroscience perspective.
Subversion in Austria and Germany

In the early 1820s when a young man named Heinrich Bornstein left his home in Lemberg in Galicia, Austrian territory since the partition of Poland, in order to make his way in the world, his father warned him, Keep out of any conversation on politics and the organization of the state; even among close friends keep completely silent on these matters. Believe that each state is just as important for the temporal affairs of humanity as religion is for eternal salvation. Only simpletons and frauds pretend with their limitations to know everything better than anyone else, to be able to do everything better, and even to intend better. Don’t even joke about matters of government. If something seems questionable or even wrong, then trust that your lack of insight has given you a mistaken point of view.1
Nurse Practitioner Practice Environments in Primary Care and Quality of Care for Chronic Diseases.

Background The chronic disease burden in the United States represents a significant challenge for the primary care system. The nurse practitioner (NP) workforce can help meet the demand for care; however, organizational barriers such as poor practice environments prevent NPs from delivering high quality care. Objectives We investigated the relationship between NP practice environments and quality of care for chronic diseases. Research design We fit regression models to assess cross-sectional associations between claims-based quality measure performance and survey data on NP practice environments in Massachusetts. Subjects We used survey data from 221 primary care NPs from 118 practices. We obtained quality of care data for patients with asthma, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Measures The Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Organizational Climate Questionnaire was used to measure practice environments with its following 4 subscales: NP-Physician Relations, Independent Practice and Support, Professional Visibility, and NP-Administration Relations. Three Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures were used to evaluate the quality of care. Results A 1-SD increase in the organizational-level NP-Administration Relations subscale score was associated with a near doubling of the odds of receiving medication management for asthma. A 1-SD increase in the organizational-level Independent Practice and Support subscale score was associated with a 60% increase in the odds of receiving recommended screening for cardiovascular disease. There was no impact on diabetes care measure. Conclusions NP practice environment affected the quality of care for 2 chronic conditions. Efforts should be implemented to improve NP practice environment to potentially improve care quality.
Cellular Abnormalities and Emerging Biomarkers in Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

Alcohol-associated liver disease (AALD) is the third most common preventable cause for disease burden and mortality in the US. AALD, including alcoholic hepatitis (AH), contributes to half of admissions from decompensated liver disease and 20% of all liver transplants in the US. Peripheral blood cells contribute to systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and fibrosis in AALD and AH. Alcohol dysregulates function of lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and tissue macrophages of the innate immune system. These alterations in turn can modulate adaptive immune responses. In this review, we describe these disruptive effects of alcohol on cells of the innate and adaptive immune system and focus on cellular-based emerging biomarkers on diagnosis and prognosis of patients with AALD and AH.
A Descriptive Study on Communication Skills of First Year Undergraduate Respiratory Therapy Students

Background: The age old adage of communication is key holds true for healthcare professionals to effectively treat patients and work with healthcare team members. Specifically in respiratory therapy (RT) education, interpersonal communication skills and how these skills translate to successful health outcomes are emphasized. However, formal training in communication skills may be lacking, which can result in challenges for RTs integrating in a new work environment. It is unknown if communication skills training is needed in RT education. The purpose of this study is to describe the impact of evaluation and feedback on face-to-face communication skills in undergraduate RT students. Methods: This study was approved by the IRB. First-year RT students self-evaluated their communication skill performance using a standardized interpersonal communication skills inventory. Communication skills were also evaluated during laboratory check-offs and clinical rotations using a standardized rubric and analyzing comments from the evaluators. Multiple evaluators were used, including faculty, second-year RT students and dedicated clinical preceptors. Multiple assessments were completed from program entry until the end of the first major clinical experience. Results: There were 18 participants in this study. Overall, self-assessment means increased from their baseline self-assessment to their final self-assessment. However, the only statistically significant changes from baseline to final were in sending clear messages (P=0.020) and giving and getting feedback (P=0.011). Minimal change in communication skills was noted during laboratory check-offs. Communication skills assessed by clinical preceptors improved significantly in all but one category. Faculty comments indicated a trend in improved verbal communication skills, but revealed a need to focus on nonverbal, patient education, building rapport, empathy, and understanding. Clinical preceptor comments indicated an improvement in verbal and nonverbal communication skills as well as building rapport with patient. Conclusions: Prior training and on the job experience in customer service may lead to higher proficiency in communication. In order to develop appropriate communication skills, it may be necessary to implement interpersonal communication training early in RT education. Additionally, communication skills could improve with more clinical hours. Disclosures: None
Development of a three-dimensional body shape model of young children for child restraint design.

The design of child restraints is guided in part by anthropometric data describing the distributions of body dimensions of children. However, three-dimensional body shape data have not been availab...
Data Dissemination in IoT Using a Cognitive UAV

In this paper, we consider a cognitive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to disseminate data to a group of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The cognitive UAV shares the wireless spectrums of primary users (PUs) where it accesses the spectrums opportunistically when the corresponding channels are available. The UAV predicts the OFF periods of the PU, then it decides the number of consecutive transmission slots to be used for data transmission. To protect the PUs from harmful interference, the number of slots used for transmission should not exceed a certain threshold, i.e., maximum allowable interfering slots. We formulate our problem mathematically, where the objective is to maximize the minimum bits received by the IoT devices. The formulated problem is in a form of mixed integer non-linear program (MINLP). Therefore, we propose a successive convex approximation-based algorithm to solve this problem after approximating it to a convex problem. We show that the algorithm converges to a Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) point. In the simulation, we examine how the OFF period model of the PUs, maximum number of transmission slots, maximum allowable interference threshold affect the maximum minimum bits received by the IoT devices.