cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In-situ ambient quantification of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and related oxygenated compounds during BEARPEX 2007: implications for gas- and particle-phase chemistry

Abstract. We quantified ambient mixing ratios of 9 monoterpenes, 6 sesquiterpenes, methyl chavicol, the oxygenated terpene linalool, and nopinone using an in-situ gas chromatograph with a quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-MS). These measurements were a part of the 2007 Biosphere Effects on AeRosols and Photochemistry EXperiment (BEARPEX) at Blodgett Forest, a ponderosa pine forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. To our knowledge, these observations represent the first direct in-situ ambient quantification of the sesquiterpenes α-bergamotene, longifolene, α-farnesene, and β-farnesene. From average diurnal mixing ratio profiles, we show that α-farnesene emissions are dependent mainly on temperature whereas α-bergamotene and β-farnesene emissions are temperature- and light-dependent. The amount of sesquiterpene mass quantified above the canopy was small (averaging a total of 3.3 ppt during the day), but nevertheless these compounds contributed 7.6% to the overall ozone-olefin loss rate above the canopy. Assuming that the monoterpene-to-sesquiterpene emission rate in the canopy is similar to that observed in branch enclosure studies at the site during comparable weather conditions, and the average yield of aerosol mass from these sesquiterpenes is 10–50%, the amount of sesquiterpene mass reacted within the Blodgett Forest canopy alone accounts for 6–32% of the total organic aerosol mass measured during BEARPEX. The oxygenated monoterpene linalool was also quantified for the first time at Blodgett Forest. The linalool mass contribution was small (9.9 ppt and 0.74 ppt within and above the canopy, respectively), but it contributed 1.1% to the total ozone-olefin loss rate above the canopy. Reactive and semi-volatile compounds, especially sesquiterpenes, significantly impact the gas- and particle-phase chemistry of the atmosphere at Blodgett Forest and should be included in both biogenic volatile organic carbon emission and atmospheric chemistry models.
Self‐efficacy in the Workplace: Linking personality to domain‐specific efficacy beliefs

Based on a social cognitive approach to personality, the role of domain-specific efficacy beliefs were examined in two studies. Study 1 developed a measure of expectations about success in 10 different domains of common work activities with domain-specific expectancy ratings obtained for 157 individuals along with self- and peer ratings of personality. Results showed that predictable relationships emerged, with the traits of the five-factor model being important determinants of construct-relevant efficacy beliefs. Study 2 focused on expectations about activities related to conscientiousness as a link between personality and performance across jobs. Results (N = 97) confirmed the proposed relationships and found that efficacy beliefs about trait-relevant tasks functioned as a mediator linking conscientious and supervisor ratings of performance.
Selective Modification of Variable Loops Alters Tropism and Enhances Immunogenicity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope

Although the B clade of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelopes (Env) includes five highly variable regions, each of these domains contains a subset of sequences that remain conserved. The V3 loop has been much studied for its ability to elicit neutralizing antibodies, which are often restricted to a limited number of closely related strains, likely because a large number of antigenic structures are generated from the diverse amino acid sequences in this region. Despite these strain-specific determinants, subregions of V3 are highly conserved, and the effects of different portions of the V3 loop on Env tropism and immunogenicity have not been well delineated. For this report, selective deletions in V3 were introduced by shortening of the stem of the V3 loop. These mutations were explored in combination with deletions of selected V regions. Progressive shortening of the stem of V3 abolished the immunogenicity as well as the functional activity of HIV Env; however, two small deletions on both arms of the V3 stem altered the tropism of the dualtropic 89.6P viral strain so that it infected only CXCR4 + cells. When this smaller deletion was combined with removal of the V1 and V2 loops and used as an immunogen in guinea pigs, the antisera were able to neutralize multiple independent clade B isolates with a higher potency. These findings suggest that highly conserved subregions within V3 may be relevant targets for eliciting neutralizing antibody responses, affecting HIV tropism, and increasing the immunogenicity of AIDS vaccines.
Time-Scale Dependencies for Image Compression

The definition of an atomic representation of the wavelet transform of a signal allows us to write the evolution law through scales for modulus maxima of the transform. Although this result is very general and useful for various fields of image processing, we focus on its application to signal and image compression. We propose a simple trick for taking advantage from the law without directly solving its corresponding partial differential equation. Preliminary experimental results show that the proposed approach outperforms available compression techniques.
Assessing short-term responses of prokaryotic communities in bulk and rhizosphere soils to tall fescue endophyte infection

In contrast to endophyte-free (E−) tall fescue, endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue pastures appear to enhance soil carbon sequestration. A hypothetical mechanism that may account for the enhanced carbon sequestration is that the E+ tall fescue affects the soil microbial community or components of it that are involved in organic carbon turnover. A 60-week mesocosm study with a factorial arrangement of soil type, loamy sand (LS) and clay loam (CL), and E+ and E− tall fescue was conducted to determine if the soil microbial communities were affected by the presence of the endophyte. Bulk and rhizosphere soil samples were fixed in paraformaldehyde, and prepared for total direct microbial counts, and with a combination of one of a domain or subdivision fluorescent oligonucleotide probe for enumerating metabolically active Eubacteria, bacterial subdivisions, and Archaea. E+ tall fescue suppressed the archaeal and high G+C gram-positive bacterial communities of the bulk CL, the delta-proteobacterial community in the rhizosphere CL, and the Planctomycetes community of the rhizosphere LS. In the long-term, suppression of these microbial communities may be a factor in enhanced soil carbon sequestration associated with E+ tall fescue.
PARENTAL PROVISIONING PATTERNS OF WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATERS AND THEIR RELATION TO CHICK BODY CONDITION

Abstract I studied the provisioning patterns of a subtropical, northern-hemisphere procellariiform, the Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) and measured the responses of parents to chick body condition. Foraging trip length, meal size, delivery rate, and chick body condition were measured during nesting periods in 1996 and 1997. Wedge-tailed Shearwaters adopted a unimodal foraging strategy with foraging trips that averaged 1.5 to 2 days duration and averaged about 40–50 g of food per trip. The rate of food delivery (g of food per day spent foraging) decreased with increasing trip duration, such that one-day trips resulted in the greatest rate of food delivery to the nest in both 1996 and 1997. Chicks left in poorer body condition were more likely to receive visits from one or both adults the following evening (1996 and 1997) and received larger meals (1996) than those left in better condition. Although foraging strategies may differ from subpolar and temperate shearwater species, rates of food de...
Somaclonal Variation in Progeny of Plants from Corn Tissue Cultures

Spontaneous variation in plants recovered from tissue culture has been documented for many species (1). This variation, recently termed “somaclonal variation” (1), has been seen in many types of culture systems, including ones involving protoplasts, long-term callus cultures, and fresh explants. The occurrence of somaclonal variation has both positive and negative aspects. For those concerned with in vitro propagation, it is undesirable; progeny not true-to-type are usually of little value. Spontaneous changes may also be a problem in attempts to transform plant cells; a high frequency of change not related to the experimental manipulations can complicate interpretation of results and can yield material with alterations other than the desired specific gene transfer. Although variability among cultured plant cells may reduce or obviate the need for mutagenesis prior to in vitro selection, it can again result in variants other than those being specifically selected.
Liberals and Conservatives are (Geographically) Dividing

This is a short chapter summarizing research on how liberals and conservatives in the United States have gravitated into segregated political silos.
An Overview of Laboratory and Waste Management Guidelines for Toxic Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Dibenzofurans

Numerous analytical and toxicological laboratories are currently conducting or proposing to conduct experiments with toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs). It is important that these laboratories have adequate safety and waste management procedures. For example, the facility should be appropriately designed for handling hazardous materials in a variety of sample matrices. Protocols should be written and evaluated for the safe handling of analytical standards and contaminated samples. The laboratory should have a written and instituted medical surveillance program for all laboratory personnel. Special care should be given to the handling, storing, shipping, and disposal of laboratory wastes.
Antigenic Differences Among Strains of Newcastle Disease Virus.

SummarySeventeen heterologous combinations of Newcastle disease virus and antiserum have been used in serum neutralization tests. Of these combinations 13 exhibited a difference of greater than 1.0 log between the neutralization of the homologous and the heterologous virus by prepared antiserum. A difference of 5.0 logs was observed between 2 strains.
Structure-based Design Targeted at LOX-1, a Receptor for Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein

Atherosclerosis related cardiovascular diseases continue to be the primary cause of mortality in developed countries. The elevated level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) is generally considered to be the driver of atherosclerosis, but recent years have seen a shift in this perception in that the vascular plaque buildup is mainly caused by oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) rather than native-LDL. The scavenger receptor LOX-1 found in endothelial cells binds and internalizes ox-LDL which leads to the initiation of plaque formation in arteries. Using virtual screening techniques, we identified a few potential small molecule inhibitors of LOX-1 and tested their inhibitory potential using differential scanning fluorimetry and various cellular assays. Two of these molecules significantly reduced the uptake of ox-LDL by human endothelial cells, LOX-1 transcription and the activation of ERK1/2 and p38 MAPKs in human endothelial cells. In addition, these molecules suppressed ox-LDL-induced VCAM-1 expression and monocyte adhesion onto human endothelial cells demonstrating their therapeutic potential.
Adenocarcinoma in a Müllerian Duct Cyst

AbstractA case of adenocarcinoma involving a mullerian duct cyst is presented. The presentation, treatment, and pathological and radiological appearance are discussed. The embryology and history of this entity are reviewed.
Peptoids and Peptide–Peptoid Hybrid Biopolymers as Peptidomimetics

Peptoids (oligomers of N-substituted glycine residues) and peptide-peptoid hybrid polymers (peptomers) are interesting classes of compounds mimicking structure and function of biologically active peptides. The oligomeric peptidomimetics such as peptoids are particularly important compounds since they provide access to an enormous molecular diversity, by variation of the building blocks. The modular structure of peptoids, ease of synthesis, and high compatibility with existing peptide chemistry synthetic protocols, make peptoids and peptoid-containing peptidomimetics ideal tools for structure-activity and drug discovery related studies.
Tricyclic and Monoamine-Oxidase-Inhibitor Antidepressants: Clinical Use

Depression, despite the availability of a wide range of biological, pharmacological and psychological therapies, remains a major health problem. The social and economic cost, together with the immense personal and family suffering caused by this recurrent illness have stimulated a number of comparative studies to identify effective treatments. Although progress has undoubtedly been made and hundreds of reports on controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials, and review articles and chapters have been written on this subject (Cole, 1964; Cole and Davis, 1975), information regarding efficacy and choice of antidepressant drug management is surprisingly scant.
Fractionated sera from Schistosoma mansoni infected patients confers passive protection in mice

Sera from humans with chronic Schistosoma mansoni infections (CHS) were chromatographed with CNBr-activated Sepharose 4 B conjugated with NP-40 extracts obtained from live 3 hr schistosomula. Both unbound (CHSUB) and bound (CHSB) fractions which contained IgG and IgM isotypes were characterized by ELISA, immunofluorescence, and complement-mediated in vitro killing assays. ELISA data showed that the CHSB fraction recognized schistosomula NP-40 extracts, whereas the CHSUB fraction did not. However, both CHSUB and CHSB fractions recognized 8 M urea adult worm extracts and 8 M urea egg extracts. By indirect immunofluorescence assay, the CHSB fraction recognized epitopes on the surface of live schistosomula 3 hr-29 days of age, whereas the CHSUB fraction showed surface fluorescence only on 24- and 29-day-old worms. The CHSB fraction mediated 95% killing of schistosomula in a complement dependent in vitro assay, the CHSUB fraction and the unfractionated CHS did not exhibit killing ability. The CHSUB fraction was able to titrate out the killing ability of the CHSB fraction in in vitro cytotoxic assays when mixed with the CHSB fraction at increasing concentrations. In passive immunization experiments, the CHSB fraction provided approximately 30% passive protection in mice when injected 1 day or 6 days after challenge and 20% protection when injected at 15 days, but failed to provide protection when administered greater than or equal to 24 days after challenge. Unfractionated CHS failed to mediate passive protection.
BN46/51, a new nucleolar protein, binds to the basal body region in Naegleria gruberi flagellates

Indirect immunofluorescence with the monoclonal antibody, BN5.1, labels the nucleolus of amebae of the amebo-flagellate Naegleria gruberi . When amebae differentiate into flagellates, BN5.1 binds to nucleoli and to the basal body region. The BN5.1 antigen is not present in basal bodies when basal bodies form at about 60 min after initiation of the differentiation or when flagella form at about 70 min. The BN5.1 antigen is first detectable in the basal body region at 85 min after initiation, a time when the basal body region acts as a microtubule organizing center for the formation of the microtubule cytoskeleton (MTCS) of flagellates. When flagellates revert spontaneously to amebae, the BN5.1 antigen is lost from the basal body region coincident with the loss of the MTCS. The BN5.1 antigen, composed of approximately equal amounts of two subunits of 46 kDa and 51 kDa, both of which carry the BN5.1 epitope, has been named BN46/51. BN46/51 in the basal body region comigrates with the nucleolar antigen by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Approximately 75% of the nucleolar BN46/51 is solubilized by extracton with 0.4 M NaCl. However, the antigen associated with the basal body region is resistant to extraction, even with 2 M NaCl. Solubilized BN46/51 exists as a heterogeneous multimer that elutes on gel filtration with a peak at 400 to 500 kDa and sediments on sucrose gradients at 5.5 S. The multimers consist of only the 46 kDa and the 51 kDa subunits in equal amounts as judged by glutaraldehyde cross-linking and by chromatography on BN5.1 affinity columns. Nucleolar BN46/51 is associated with the dense fibrillar and granular components of the nucleolus. However, it does not resemble any previously described nucleolar protein. Neither BN5.1, nor three other mAbs that recognize additional epitopes on both the 46 kDa and 51 kDa subunits of BN46/51, binds to nucleoli from Saccharomyces cerevisiae or mammalian cells. BN5.1 does not bind to the nucleoli of Dictyostelium discoideum or Euglena gracilis . Thus BN46/51 is an unusual and erhaps unique nucleolar component whose presence in the basal body region presents a challenge to our understanding of the cytoskeleton.
Uniform Convergence and Approximations

Many different kinds of convergence require discussion in mathematics. The original kind is the following:
Chemometric Modeling of Microalgal Nutrient Sequestration as a Function of Their Chemical Environment

ABSTRACTMarine microalgae sequester large quantities of inorganic compounds by way of photosynthesis. Therefore, phytoplankton has a considerable environmental impact as it contributes to counter-balancing anthropogenic releases of CO2. However, open questions remain regarding interactions between microalgae and their environment in particular the inorganic compounds which cells consume as nutrients. On the other hand, Michaelis–Menten (MM) kinetics links environmental chemistry and microbiology as it concurrently explains the cells’ uptake of nutrients and utilization for cell production. Thereby, cells modify the chemical composition of their growing environment, which in turn is hypothesized to impact the cells’ sequestration capabilities. However, the system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) that represents MM cannot be solved without further considerations, as it contains unknown physiological parameters. These parameters though are of central interest, as they describe the cells’ compound up...
Enantioselective Protonation of Silyl Enol Ether Using Excited State Proton Transfer Dyes

Enantiopure excited state proton transfer (ESPT) dyes were used for the asymmetric protonation of silyl enol ether. Under 365 nm irradiation, with 3,3′-dibromo-VANOL as the ESPT dye, up to 49% enantioselectivity with a 68% yield of product was observed at room temperature. The reaction is effective with a range of silyl enol ethers and can also be achieved with visible light upon the addition of triplet sensitizer. The relatively low ee of the protonated product is due to the racemization/decomposition of the ESPT dye in the excited state as indicated by circular dichroism, HPLC, and UV–vis spectroscopy.
Velocity saturation effect in heterostructure field effect transistors

Heterostructure FETs fabricated on a doped InGaAs channel heterostructure yielded device performance superior to that of devices on a conventional superlattice MODFET structure A comparison is made for 0.4-10- mu m-gate-length FETs fabricated with a self-aligned gate process. Transconductance as high as 534 mS/mm was achieved with 0.4- mu m doped channel devices. This device structure achieved better performance through electron velocity saturation during normal device operation. The MODFET structure, in contrast, is limited by charge transfer into the charge control layer and by gate leakage. Ring oscillators fabricated using 0.3*10 mu m/sup 2/ gates on the doped channel structure yielded a minimum gate delay of 8.3 ps at 2.3 mW/gate. >
Comorbidity of Migraine, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Depression and anxiety are highly comorbid psychiatric conditions and both are common in adult patients with migraine. This study aims to examine the unique associations between major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in a well-characterized group of older adolescents and college-age individuals with migraine. Participants (N = 227), between 15 and 20 years old, who were unmedicated or within 1 month of beginning antidepressant treatment underwent a comprehensive psychiatric assessment to establish the presence of MDD and GAD, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, and to rate their symptom severity using the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation for Adolescents (A-LIFE). They then completed the ID-Migraine. The Student’s t test and chi-square test were used to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively, across participants with vs. without migraine. Logistic regression analysis examined the association between the presence of migraine and psychopathology. A diagnosis of MDD was associated with significantly increased risk of having migraine. Moreover, more severe and persistent ratings of depression were associated with an even higher likelihood of having migraine. A diagnosis of GAD was also significantly associated with the presence of migraine. The prevalence of comorbid MDD and GAD was significantly higher in participants with migraine than those without migraine (55 vs. 22%, p < 0.0001). When examined concurrently, GAD remained significantly associated with migraine, with a statistical trend for MDD to be associated with it. The comorbidity of migraine, MDD, and GAD has important clinical and research implications. Patients who suffer from any of these problems should be screened for all three in order to receive comprehensive care. Shared psychological and biological vulnerabilities may be involved in the three conditions. Greater understanding of the shared vulnerabilities can lead to unified treatments.
Preclinical Evaluation of Sequential Combination of Oncolytic Adenovirus Delta-24-RGD and Phosphatidylserine-Targeting Antibody in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Delta-24-RGD (DNX-2401) is a conditional replication-competent oncolytic virus engineered to preferentially replicate in and lyse tumor cells with abnormality of p16/RB/E2F pathway. In a phase I clinical trial, Delta-24-RGD has shown favorable safety profile and promising clinical efficacy in brain tumor, which prompted us to evaluate its anticancer activity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which also has high frequency of homozygous deletion and promoter methylation of CDKN2A encoding the p16 protein. Our results demonstrate that Delta-24-RGD can induce dramatic cytotoxicity in a subset of PDAC cell lines with high cyclin D1 expression. Induction of autophagy and apoptosis by Delta-24-RGD in sensitive PDAC cells was confirmed with LC3B-GFP autophagy reporter and acridine orange staining as well as Western blotting analysis of LC3B-II expression. Notably, we found that Delta-24-RGD induced phosphatidylserine exposure in infected cells independent of cells' sensitivity to Delta-24-RGD, which renders a rationale for combination of Delta-24-RGD viral therapy and phosphatidylserine targeting antibody for PDAC. In a mouse PDAC model derived from a liver metastatic pancreatic cancer cell line, Delta-24-RGD significantly inhibited tumor growth compared with control (P < 0.001), and combination of phosphatidylserine targeting antibody 1N11 further enhanced its anticancer activity (P < 0.01) possibly through inducing synergistic anticancer immune responses. Given that these 2 agents are currently in clinical evaluation, our study warrants further clinical evaluation of this novel combination strategy in pancreatic cancer therapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(4); 662-70. ©2016 AACR.
Antibody Diversification in the Rabbit: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

Scientists have largely solved the century-old problem (Kindt and Capra 1984) of how the extraordinary range and specificity of the antibody response is generated. Multiple germline gene segments contribute to antibody diversity through combinatorial rearrangement, joining imprecision, and random insertion (N-diversity). Further diversity occurs through somatic hypermutation and/or somatic gene conversion of V(D)J genes, and by the pairing of immunoglobulin heavy and light chains. The comparative study of vertebrate immune systems shows that the number of germline V genes used in V(D)J gene rearrangement, as well as the mechanisms used in somatic diversification of V(D)J genes, varies among vertebrates. The rabbit has played an important role both in resolving the century-old problem of antibody diversity and in broadening the view of antibody diversification gained through mouse and human studies. In this chapter, we describe our current understanding of antibody diversification in the rabbit in the context of the historical contributions that rabbit studies have made to this field.
Pronouns in Ak??se

The pronouns of Ak??se, both simple and complex, are described. The subject markers with which they co-occur have also been presented. Venn diagrams have been used to show the relationships of the different grammatical persons expressed by the complex pronoun set. These complex pronouns combine references to the speaker (first person), addressee (second person) and the spoken about (third persons) in a way not always apparent from their surface forms.
Physics of Heterostructures and Heterostructure Devices

This topic belongs to the broader one of scale-dependent properties of inhomogeneous semiconductors. Most semiconductor devices depend on characteristic lengths, such as screening constant, carrier recombination length, inverse of pair creation rate, and their functioning is based on spatial inhomogeneities. The bipolar junction transistor is made by inhomogeneous doping of a semiconductor; and the field-effect transistor has a conducting channel controlled by the “gate” field at the interface of the semiconductor with an insulator, commonly a silicon/(silicon oxide) interface. In these — as in the semiconductor laser — a controlled inhomogeneity supports semiconductor phenomena that depend on this spatial structure.
Children as risky investment

ABSTRACTThis article provides a theoretical model to explain endogenous fertility and use the panel data of 169 countries to analyze the extent to which fertility behaviors are influenced by financial development and social security tax. A negative effect of financial development on fertility supports the evidence that people in countries with lower levels of financial development tend to have more children. Those people in countries, where there is limited access to other risky investments, tend to have more children. In addition, those who are poor are more likely to have more children, which will lower their overall welfare, and further reduce their investment in capital markets. Social security tax also has a negative impact on fertility behaviors.
Ion Specificity and Nonmonotonic Protein Solubility from Salt Entropy.

Abstract The addition of salt to protein solutions can either increase or decrease the protein solubility, and the magnitude of this effect depends on the salt used. We show that these effects can be captured using a theory that includes attractive and repulsive electrostatic interactions, nonelectrostatic protein-ion interactions, and ion-solvent interactions via an effective solvated ion radius. We find that the ion radius has significant effects on the translational entropy of the salt, which leads to salt specificity in the protein solubility. At low salt, the dominant effect comes from the entropic cost of confining ions within the aggregate, whereas at high concentrations, the salt drives a depletion attraction that favors aggregation. Our theory explains the reversal in the Hofmeister series observed in lysozyme cloud point measurements and semi-quantitatively describes the solubility of lysozyme and chymosin crystals. We present a comparison of the contributions to the free energy and give guidelines for when salting in or salting out should be expected.
Teacher support as a protective factor against sadness and hopelessness for adolescents experiencing parental incarceration: Findings from the 2015 Texas Alternative School Survey

Abstract Estimates indicate that nearly 2 million children in the U.S. experience parental incarceration each year. Parental incarceration can negatively influence youth development and mental health, which highlights the need to identify protective mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to quantify the prevalence of parental incarceration in a sample of alternative school students, explore the relationship between teacher support (a component of school connectedness) and sadness/hopelessness for students reporting parental incarceration, and test whether this relationship might vary by gender or by race/ethnicity. The results indicate that students attending alternative high schools suffer disproportionately from both parental incarceration and sadness. Of the 515 students who took the survey, 48.7% reported experiencing parental incarceration. Of those, 43.2% reported feeling so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in the past year that they stopped doing usual activities. The results indicate gender differences between teacher support and sadness/hopelessness. We suggest areas for future research and provide examples of school-based interventions and policy solutions.
Ezh2 spares KitL from the cutter.

In this issue of Blood , Neo et al identify a cell-extrinsic role for the epigenetic regulator enhancer of zeste 2 (Ezh2) in maintaining fetal liver erythropoiesis. 1 Using conditional Ezh2 deletion approaches, these investigators demonstrate that Ezh2 maintains appropriate levels of membrane-bound Kit ligand (mKitL) by repressing endothelial expression of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (Mmp9). These data provide a striking demonstration of how epigenetic factors not only act as cell-intrinsic regulators of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fate but can also impact cell-extrinsic signals provided by the hematopoietic niche.
What We Do Not Know about Fungal Cell Adhesion Molecules

There has been extensive research on structure and function of fungal cell adhesion molecules, but the most of the work has been about adhesins in Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These yeasts are members of a single ascomycete order, and adhesion molecules from the six other fungal phyla are only sparsely described in the literature. In these other phyla, most of the research is at the cellular level, rather than at the molecular level, so there has been little characterization of the adhesion molecules themselves. A catalog of known adhesins shows some common features: high Ser/Thr content, tandem repeats, N- and O-glycosylations, GPI anchors, dibasic sequence motifs, and potential amyloid-forming sequences. However, none of these features is universal. Known ligands include proteins and glycans on homologous cells and host cells. Existing and novel tools can exploit the availability of genome sequences to identify and characterize new fungal adhesins. These include bioinformatics tools and well-established yeast surface display models, which could be coupled with an adhesion substrate array. Thus, new knowledge could be exploited to answer key questions in fungal ecology, animal and plant pathogenesis, and roles of biofilms in infection and biomass turnover.
Co-evolution of HIV Envelope and Apex-Targeting Neutralizing Antibody Lineage Provides Benchmarks for Vaccine Design

Summary Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targeting the HIV envelope glycoprotein (Env) typically take years to develop. Longitudinal analyses of both neutralizing antibody lineages and viruses at serial time points during infection provide a basis for understanding the co-evolutionary contest between HIV and the humoral immune system. Here, we describe the structural characterization of an apex-targeting antibody lineage and autologous clade A viral Env from a donor in the Protocol C cohort. Comparison of Ab-Env complexes at early and late time points reveals that, within the antibody lineage, the CDRH3 loop rigidifies, the bnAb angle of approach steepens, and surface charges are mutated to accommodate glycan changes. Additionally, we observed differences in site-specific glycosylation between soluble and full-length Env constructs, which may be important for tuning optimal immunogenicity in soluble Env trimers. These studies therefore provide important guideposts for design of immunogens that prime and mature nAb responses to the Env V2-apex.
Scale Development to Measure Usability of Text-Based CAPTCHA

Completely Automated Public Turing Tests to Tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) is one of the important security mechanisms to avoid spamming and hacking on websites. This study focuses on identifying the usability dimensions of text-based CAPTCHA based on multi-method approach. Research methods of Think-Aloud protocol, factor analysis and equation modeling are applied. Analytical work shows that usability of CAPTCHA is formed of (i) content; (ii) format; (iii) distortion and (iv) services. The scale is used to evaluate the usability of ReCAPTCHA, JCAPTCHA and GIMBY. The main contribution of the study is constructing a scale, systematically, to quantitatively evaluate the usability of text-based CAPTCHA.
CRP, Uric Acid, and Other Novel Factors in the Pathogenesis of Hypertension

Hypertension is one of the most common diseases in the world. In Western countries, it affects between 20 and 75% of the adult population, depending on age, and is not only the most important risk factor for cardiovascular and renal disease but is also the most amenable to modification with current medical therapy (1). In adult populations, the vast majority of hypertension is essential hypertension, so that standard recommended practice is not to do extensive evaluation for the secondary etiologies of hypertension at the time of diagnosis (1). While this practice saves money, it compromises the ability of epidemiologists to identify mechanistic risk factors, as all hypertensive populations considered as essential hypertension are contaminated with patients with secondary hypertension of various etiologies, including monogenic conditions, renal parenchymal disease, hyperaldosteronism, renovascular disease, and others.
Measures that are translation invariant in one coordinate

Let (E,e) be a measurable space. We shall say that a measure µ on (E,e) is Σ-finite provided µ is a countable sum of finite measures. (This notation is due to Dynkin.) Obviously any σ-finite measure is Σ-finite. It is well known that the Fubini theorem is valid for Σ-finite measures, although most text books state it only for σ-finite measures. See, for example, Theorem 7.8a in [2] for the precise statement of what we shall mean by the Fubini theorem in this note. The statement of this theorem remains valid if σ-finite is replaced by Σ-finite. It is also well known that a translation invariant Σ -finite measure µ on R is a multiple of Lebesgue measure ρ; that is µ = cρ where 0 ≤ c ≤ ∞ For example, the proof of Theorem 60.A in [1] depends only on the Fubini theorem and so is valid for Σ-finite measures. (In [1] the much more general situation of Haar measure on a group is considered.)
Securely and Automatically Deploying Micro-services in an Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure

Modern cloud-based services help deliver distributed software and aim to deliver a cost-effective solution while ensuring that application requirements are met. Deploying a Cloud-based implementation demands the resolution of a resource allocation problem to determine where and how software modules are deployed. For instance, one must decide, for each module, whether to deploy on a commercial elastic cloud provider or an in-house data-center as well as how to secure the communication channels that exist between services hosted with different providers. Each application is a collection of communicating micro-services that provides load-balancing and fault-tolerance to ensure quality of service requirements. There exists many choices as to what to deploy, where and which communication technologies to use. The purpose of this paper is to simultaneously solve the deployment of software services, the selection of suitable technologies for communication channels to meet the functional, performance and security requirements while minimizing economic costs.
Low activation high entropy alloys for next generation nuclear applications

Abstract An integrated experimental and molecular dynamics approach was used for developing low-activation high entropy alloys, potentially attractive for next generation nuclear reactor applications. These alloys were based on the concept of high entropy phase formation from a palette of elements with intrinsic low activity, namely Ta–Ti–V–Zr–X (X = Hf or W), with constituents in equimolar proportions. Molecular dynamics predicted homogenous alloy formation for Ta–Ti–V–Zr–Hf. In contrast, a tendency for Ta–W atomic-pair clustering was seen for Ta–Ti–V–Zr–W, in agreement with microstructure after melt-casting and homogenization. Both alloys showed stable microstructure with high hardness, which was retained up to 300 °C.
Looking for Renaissance People: Examining Domain Specificity-Generality of Creativity Using Item Response Theory Models.

Creativity is increasingly identified as a key educational outcome at the local, regional, and national levels in several countries. Yet one key issue about the nature of creativity remains controv...
Determination of Effective Crossover Location and Dimensions for Branched Detonation in a Pulsed Detonation Engine

Abstract : A study is presented of the optimal crossover duct location and width to obtain consistent branched detonation transition from one detonation tube to another. On a Pulsed Detonation Engine (PDE) with detonation branching, the duct location at which the detonation crosses from one (primary) tube to a branched (secondary) tube impacts the number of successful detonations. In this paper, a comparison is made of the effects of the location and width of the crossover duct for hydrogen, ethylene and an n-alkane. The crossover location is varied from the aft end of the detonation tube to the middle of the detonation tube while the crossover width is varied from 2.5 in to 0.5 in. Detonation wave speeds are measured and compared to Chapman-Jouguet velocities in order to determine successful detonations. Regardless of crossover location, all three fuels are demonstrated 100% of the time to transition between 2 in detonation tubes with a crossover width of 2 in. With a mid-location crossover duct, all three fuels are demonstrated 100% of the time to transition detonations between 2 in detonation tubes with a crossover width between 1.75 in and 2.5 in.
Evidence that hindbrain astrocytes in the rat detect low glucose with a glucose transporter 2-phospholipase C-calcium release mechanism.

Astrocytes generate robust cytoplasmic calcium signals in response to reductions in extracellular glucose. This calcium signal, in turn, drives purinergic gliotransmission, which controls the activ...
High Salt Intake Augments Blood Pressure Responses During Submaximal Aerobic Exercise.

Background High sodium (Na+) intake is a widespread cardiovascular disease risk factor. High Na+ intake impairs endothelial function and exaggerates sympathetic reflexes, which may augment exercisi...
Betrayal Trauma and Resilience in Former Foster Youth

Resilience is often operationalized as the presence of positive behaviors and the absence of negative behaviors without considering external factors (e.g., racial discrimination), potentially limit...
Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone (SIADH) Induced by Long-Term Use of Citalopram and Short-Term Use of Naproxen

BACKGROUND Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has been reported to be associated with the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH), although it is uncommon. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as a sole agent, are an even rarer cause of SIADH. Despite being documented in the literature, the understanding of the mechanism of both agents is limited. Here, we report a case of a patient taking both of these medications, a dangerous combination that led to the development of SIADH. CASE REPORT An 88-year-old woman with a history of asymptomatic chronic hyponatremia presented to our facility with symptomatic acute-on-chronic hyponatremia after she started using naproxen in addition to her daily citalopram. Her hyponatremia symptoms resolved after discontinuing these 2 offending agents, along with administration of fluid restriction and oral sodium supplements. CONCLUSIONS Naproxen is commonly prescribed and is often taken by elderly patients to control long-term or short-term pain. SSRIs, on the other hand, are a first-line treatment for depression and are usually prescribe by a psychiatrist. Hyponatremia is a rare medication adverse effect that should be kept in mind when treating these patients with either of these medications, and should especially be considered when combining them. Medication reconciliation should be done carefully by the provider to avoid adverse effects and drug interactions. When hyponatremia is encountered, options for future medication prescriptions include rechallenging with the same medication, switching to a different medication with the same mechanism of action, or using a medication from another class altogether. Monitoring of serum sodium level is warranted when titrating the offending agent.
Marine organic carbon burial increased forest fire frequency during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2

Volcanic-driven nutrient flux to the oceans stimulated marine productivity and organic matter burial during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2; ~94 million years ago). While the preferential burial of 13C-depleted organic matter led to a general 13C enrichment of sediments during the event, a 2‰ 13C depletion punctuated the first half of the event (known as the Plenus), raising questions about carbon cycle feedbacks during OAE2. Here we present organic geochemical evidence (for example, pyrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) from the Western Interior Seaway that indicates increased forest fire frequency in the western United States during the Plenus. Carbon mass balance equations, which account for the amount and carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CO2 and forest biomass during OAE2, potentiate fires in the western United States as part of a widespread increase in forest fires that could have alone caused the global 2‰ 13C depletion during the Plenus. Plant biomarkers suggest that local precipitation and plant type did not change significantly, indicating that elevated atmospheric oxygen levels from widespread organic carbon burial increased the frequency of fires in wet forest ecosystems that were extensive during OAE2. Plant biomarkers also indicate that forest fires amplified the flux of terrestrial organic matter and nutrients to the oceans, which may have enhanced marine productivity, organic carbon burial and the return to 13C-enriched sediments at the end of the Plenus. The extent that this feedback impacted global biogeochemistry during the Plenus and the rest of OAE2, as well as other events in Earth history, warrants further investigation. A global carbon cycle perturbation during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 was probably due to elevated oxygen levels leading to a transient increase in wildfire activity, according to a record of plant biomarkers tracking fire frequency in western North America.
Comparing Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy (TLH) Versus Total Vaginal Hysterectomy (TVH) in Large Uteri

Study Objective To compare surgical outcomes between total laparoscopic (TLH) and total vaginal (TVH) hysterectomy with uterine weight (UW) ≥250 grams Design Retrospective cohort study using 1:2 propensity score (PS) matching. PS was calculated using preoperative characteristics and UW. Pairwise analysis was performed using Wilcoxon rank-sum and Fisher's exact tests as appropriate. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify the independent impact of TVH on surgical outcomes. Setting American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Project Hysterectomy Specific Database. Patients or Participants Women undergoing benign hysterectomy for UW ≥250g. Interventions TLH or TVH. Measurements and Main Results There were 1,870 TVH that met all criteria for inclusion and matched to 3,740 TLH. There were no differences in preoperative demographics and comorbidities. UW was similar for both groups 376 g (IQR: 293-501) for TVH and 384 g (IQR 302-515) for TLH, p=0.07. TVH was completed in less time than TLH, 77 (IQR: 56-111) versus 122 (IQR: 91-164) minutes, p Conclusion In patients with similar preoperative characteristics and uterine weight TVH is not associated with an increased risk of major surgical morbidity or other adverse surgical outcomes.
Fourth Amendment Consent Searches and the Duty of Further Inquiry

Consent searches, presently justified on arguably weak grounds, account for nearly ninety percent of all warrantless searches. Though scholars debate whether the Fourth Amendment bars consent searches, the Supreme Court of the United States has continued to reaffirm the constitutionality of such searches. Under current doctrine, third parties, often without actual authority, are able to consent to a search of another’s premises. Yet, if doubt endures over whether an individual possesses adequate authority to offer consent, officers may have to engage in further inquiry to resolve whether sufficient authority exists. With little guidance offered as to what this further inquiry entails, there is currently a split among the circuits as to the dimensions of this directive. On one end of the split, some circuits require that if ambiguity exists over authority, a duty of further inquiry is triggered. The other circuits, by contrast, have either expressly rejected the application of the duty, or have yet to take a position on the issue. This Article’s first contribution is to adopt the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit’s view of the duty of further inquiry. Thus, when officers are faced with other equally plausible possibilities for a consenting party’s authority, officers have a duty of further inquiry. This Article’s second contribution is to clarify and augment the Seventh Circuit’s approach. This Article modifies and defines the ambiguity threshold triggering the duty of further inquiry and delineates the substance of that inquiry.
The role of the amygdala in processing social and affective touch

The amygdala plays a central role in emotion and social behavior, yet its role in processing social and affective touch is not well established. Longitudinal studies reveal that touch-deprived infants show later in life exaggerated emotional reactivity related to structural and functional changes in the amygdala and other brain structures. The internal organization and connectivity of the amygdala is well-suited to process the sensory features of tactile stimuli and also the socio-cognitive dimensions of the received touch. The convergent processing of bottom-up and top-down pathways that carry information about touch results in the elaboration of context appropriate autonomic responses. Indeed, the positive value of affective touch in humans and social grooming in non-human primates is correlated with vagal tone and the release of oxytocin and endogenous opioids. Grooming, the non-human primate equivalent of affective touch in humans, reduces vigilance, that depends on the amygdala. During touch-induced vagal tone and low vigilance, neural activity in the amygdala is substantially different from activity corresponding to the attentive processing of tactile stimuli. Under these circumstances neurons no longer respond phasically to each touch stimulus, rather they signal a sustained functional state in which the amygdala appears decoupled from monitoring the external environment.