cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Conditions for Studies of Protein Unfolding by Hydrogen Exchange/Mass Spectrometry:

Understanding the forces driving protein folding and aggregation is an essential step in developing means for controlling these important processes. Amide hydrogen exchange, coupled with mass spectrometry, has become an important method for studying protein unfolding and refolding. To extend procedures developed to study unfolding of relatively soluble proteins to less soluble, aggregation-prone proteins requires special considerations. This publication describes a general strategy developed using yeast transaldolase, which aggregates easily under conditions required to study its unfolding. Results presented here show that reducing the protein concentration to the nanomolar range is essential for managing aggregation of transaldolase. In addition, the present results point to use of relatively high concentrations of denaturants and short incubation times to minimize aggregation. These results also show how amide hydrogen exchange, coupled with mass spectrometry, can be used to study soluble aggregates.
Role of chromatin in water stress responses in plants

As sessile organisms, plants are exposed to environmental stresses throughout their life. They have developed survival strategies such as developmental and morphological adaptations, as well as physiological responses, to protect themselves from adverse environments. In addition, stress sensing triggers large-scale transcriptional reprogramming directed at minimizing the deleterious effect of water stress on plant cells. Here, we review recent findings that reveal a role of chromatin in water stress responses. In addition, we discuss data in support of the idea that chromatin remodelling and modifying enzymes may be direct targets of stress signalling pathways. Modulation of chromatin regulator activity by these signaling pathways may be critical in minimizing potential trade-offs between growth and stress responses. Alterations in the chromatin organization and/or in the activity of chromatin remodelling and modifying enzymes may furthermore contribute to stress memory. Mechanistic insight into these phenomena derived from studies in model plant systems should allow future engineering of broadly drought-tolerant crop plants that do not incur unnecessary losses in yield or growth.
Using Design-Based Change Orders as a Lessons Learned Metric in University Dormitory Construction

The enrollment at The University of Alabama has increased substantially in recent years and the University is expanding to meet the growing demands. The expansion includes four dormitory complexes built within the past 5 years. Change orders considerably influenced the final cost of the first and second dormitory projects and the University initiated the current study to follow-up on a global change order study that previously examined new construction on campus. The current study analyzed the reasons for the change and what Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Division the change represented. While it was determined that the largest source of change orders on dormitory projects were owner initiated, these changes have not been targeted for reduction since they are at the discretion of the University and can be beneficial to the project. To gauge the performance of the change management program currently in place at the University, the direct impact on the total project cost due to changes resultin...
A modified discrete time model reference adaptive control scheme for transient performance improvement

We propose a modified model reference adaptive control scheme aimed at improving the transient performance of discrete time adaptive systems while maintaining ideal asymptotic properties possessed by a standard discrete time model reference adaptive control. In the new scheme the estimation error is used directly to modify the underlying controller structure. We show that the modified scheme has essentially the same stability of a standard discrete time model reference adaptive control system but with the transient performance substantially improved. Simulation result has also been presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Nucleolar Organizer Regions: A Potential Prognostic Factor in Adenocarcinoma of the Endometrium

Nucleolar organizer regions, which are evaluated using a silver stain for paraffin-embedded sections (AgNOR), can be used as a measurement of cellular proliferative activity. In the endometrium significant differences have been seen between benign and malignant lesions. To determine if AgNOR counts are of prognostic value in endometrial cancer, we examined 28 patients who developed recurrent disease after surgical stage Ib and Ic endometrial cancer and compared this group with a matched control group of patients who did not develop recurrence. The mean AgNOR number per cell was significantly higher in patients with recurrent disease (P = 0.001). Only five of these patients had values less than 4, whereas only three of the control group had values higher than 4. There was also a significant difference in the percentage of cells with more than 5 and more than 8 AgNORs (P = 0.001). After radiation therapy, the number of AgNORs per cell decreased. Recurrent tumors had higher AgNOR counts than the respective primary tumors. In conclusion, patients at increased risk for recurrent endometrial cancer can be identified by high AgNOR counts. Further evaluation of this parameter and comparison to other prognostic factors seems warranted.
200 MeV proton damage effects on multi-quantum well laser diodes

200 MeV proton damage effects on multi-quantum well GaAs/GaAlAs laser diodes are studied. The threshold current damage factor can vary from 1.73 to 4.60/spl times/10/sup -15/ cm/sup 2//p for different bias conditions and from 1.52 to 3.58/spl times/10/sup -15/ cm/sup 2//p for different incident directions. A simple model, based on threshold current damage factor, is presented to quantify the degradation of optical power. Preliminary annealing effects are also presented. The annealing effects are greater for devices shorted during irradiation than for those biased at I/sub bias/=35 mA.
Threshold net synthesis using simulated annealing

The author describes the development of a novel threshold net synthesis algorithm that is based on decomposition by geometrical characteristics of threshold functions. A concept of center of gravity and its related theorems are discussed. A simulated annealing algorithm is adapted for the optimal decomposition of functions with many variables. The significance of the proposed method is not in the exact decomposition of the given function, but in finding the best decomposition with a limited number of threshold elements, from which interesting engineering applications are available. Applications of threshold nets based on the proposed decomposition method are discussed. >
Mechanisms of Ytterbium Monosilicate/Mullite/Silicon Coating Failure During Thermal Cycling in Water Vapor

An air plasma spray process has been used to apply a model tri-layer Yb2SiO5/Al6Si2O13/Si environmental barrier coating system on SiC test coupons. Significant differences in the thermal expansion of the component layers resulted in periodically spaced mud cracks in the Yb2SiO5 and Al6Si2O13 layers. Upon thermal cycling between 1316°C and 110°C in a 90% H2O/10% O2 environment flowing at 4.4 cm/s, it was found that partial delamination occurred with the fracture plane located within a thermally grown oxide (TGO) at the Al6Si2O13–Si interface. Delamination initiated at test coupon edges where the gaseous environment preferentially oxidized the exposed Si bond coat to form β-cristobalite. Simultaneous ingress of the gaseous environment through mud cracks initiated local formation of β-cristobalite (SiO2), the thickness of which was greatest directly below mud cracks. Upon cooling, cristobalite transformed from the β to α phase with a large, constrained volume contraction that resulted in severe microfracture of the TGO. Continued thermal cycling eventually propagated delamination cracks and caused partial spallation of the coatings. Formation of the cristobalite TGO appears to be the delamination life-determining factor in protective coating systems utilizing a Si bond coat.
Stimulation of(14C)serotonin synthesis from (14C)tryptophan by mescaline in rat pineal organ cultures.

Abstract Addition of mescaline to the nutrient medium of rat pineal glands in organ culture produces a marked increase in pineal synthesis of serotonin from [ 14 C] tryptophan. By contrast, addition of psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has no effect on [ 14 C] serotonin synthesis by these cultures. Mescaline has no effect on pineal [ 14 C] serotonin synthesis when [ 14 C] 5-hydroxytryptophan is substituted for [ 14 C] trytophan as the labelled substrate. Mescaline does not inhibit the deamination of [ 14 C] serotonin to 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and has no significant effect on the intracellular content of [ 14 C] tryptophan or its conversion to [ 14 C] protein. It is concluded that mescaline stimulates pineal [ 14 C] serotonin synthesis via a primary stimulatory action on the enzymatic conversion of [ 14 C] tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan, rather than by effects on other steps in the indole pathway or on cellular uptake of [ 14 C] tryptophan.
X Box-Like Sequences in the MHC Class II Region Maintain Regulatory Function

Sequences homologous to the canonical MHC class II (MHC-II) gene X box regulatory elements were identified within the HLA-DR subregion of the human MHC and termed X box-like (XL) sequences. Several XL box sequences were found to bind the MHC class II-specific transcription factors regulatory factor X and CIITA and were transcriptionally active. The histone code associated with the XL boxes and that of the HLA-DRA X box was determined. Using CIITA-positive and -negative B cell lines, CIITA-specific histone modifications were identified and found to be consistent among the active XL boxes. Although a remarkable similarity was observed for most modifications, differences in magnitude between the HLA-DRA promoter for modifications associated with the assembly of the general transcription factors, such as histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation and H3 lysine 4 trimethylation, distinguished the very active HLA-DRA promoter from the XL box regions. In response to IFN-gamma, XL box-containing histones displayed increased acetylation, coincident with CIITA expression and that observed in B cells, suggesting that the end point mechanisms of chromatin remodeling for cell type-specific MHC-II expression were similar. Lastly, an interaction between one XL box and the HLA-DRA promoter was observed in a chromatin-looping assay. Therefore, these data provide evidence that certain XL box sequences contribute to a global increase in chromatin accessibility of the HLA-DR region in B lymphocytes and in response to IFN-gamma and supports the involvement of these XL sequences in the regulation of MHC-II genes.
Supporting tool suite for production proteomics

Summary: The large amount of data produced by proteomics experiments requires effective bioinformatics tools for the integration of data management and data analysis. Here we introduce a suite of tools developed at Vanderbilt University to support production proteomics. We present the Backup Utility Service tool for automated instrument file backup and the ScanSifter tool for data conversion. We also describe a queuing system to coordinate identification pipelines and the File Collector tool for batch copying analytical results. These tools are individually useful but collectively reinforce each other. They are particularly valuable for proteomics core facilities or research institutions that need to manage multiple mass spectrometers. With minor changes, they could support other types of biomolecular resource facilities. Availability and Implementation: Source code and executable versions are available under Apache 2.0 License at http://www.vicc.org/jimayersinstitute/data/ Contact: daniel.liebler@vanderbilt.edu
Stabilized Feedback Amplifiers

This paper describes and explains the theory of the feedback principle and then demonstrates how stability of amplification and reduction of modulation products, as well as certain other advantages, follow when stabilized feedback is applied to an amplifier. The underlying principle of design by means of which singing ia avoided is next set forth. The paper concludes with some examples of results obtained on amplifiers which have been built employing this new principle. The carrier-in-cable system dealt with in a companion paper1 involves many amplifiers in tandem with many telephone channels passing through each amplifier and constitutes, therefore, an ideal field for application of this feedback principle. A field trial of this system was made at Morristown, New Jersey, in which seventy of these amplifiers were operated in tandem. The results of this trial were highly satisfactory and demonstrated conclusively the correctness of the theory and the practicability of its commercial application.
Cdk3: Cyclin-dependent kinase-3 (vertebrates)

Publisher Summary Cyclin-dependent kinase-3 (Cdk3) that is encoded by cDNA, has been cloned via homology to the Cdc2/Cdc28 family. The CDK3 gene can complement its mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cdc28, suggesting that Cdk3 could be a cell-cycle regulator in vertebrate cells. Dominant negative mutants of cdk3 arrest mammalian cells in G1. Like other Cdks, Cdk3 consists essentially of a catalytic domain only. Cyclins are presumed to act as regulatory subunits, but this has not been demonstrated under physiological conditions. Physiological substrates have not been identified, but transfected Cdk3 can phosphorylate histone H1. The enzyme can be assayed by transfer of radioactivity from [γ32P]ATP to histone HI. CDK3 mRNA and Cdk3 protein are expressed in a broad variety of cell types at very low levels.
Application of Advanced Materials in a Composite Rocket Nozzle

Rocket nozzles which utilize an internal protective layer have been studied using both 1-D and 2-D thermostructural analyses. Parametric results have been generated for a wide range of material properties and engine operating conditions. A 2-D stress analysis has been completed for a nozzle exposed to oxygen/hydrogen combustion products using a 2.54 mm protective layer made of silicon carbide (SiC). While the SiC material appears to be capable of handling the stresses in this application, some alternate cooling of the gases would be required to insure thermal integrity of the protective layer.
Effects of fetal brain extract on the growth and differentiation of rat pituitary anlage cells.

SummaryUsing dissociated Rathke's pouch epithelial cells from 11- to 13-day-old fetal rats as starting material, we have successfully established 11 NRR (normal rat Rathke) cell lines. It was necessary to supplement the growth medium with a rat fetal brain extract in order to induce cell growth and differentiation. These NRR cell lines produced no detectable anterior pituitary hormones unless adult rat median eminence (MEE) extract was added to the culture medium. Following the addition of MEE to the culture medium the NRR cell lines continued to produce from one to six anterior pituitary hormones. The NRR cell lines all show a normal diploid karyotype and have exhibited good growth characteristics through 18 cell passages. From one of the NRR cell lines (NRR-5) 65 clones of normal diploid anterior pituitary cells have been established. Fifty-six of these clones have been examined for hormone production, and each clone examined has been shown to produce one, two, or three hormones.
Nonlinear Site Response: Where We're At (A report from a SCEC/PEER seminar and workshop)

Although the fact that sediments can amplify earthquake ground motion was recognized at least 100 years ago (Milne, 1898), there has been a lingering uncertainty as to whether the degree of amplification varies with the level of input motion. This issue remains as one of the most important questions with respect to understanding and predicting earthquake ground motion. In accordance with the conservation of energy, seismicwave amplitudes generally increase in sediments due to lower densities and and/or lower seismic velocities. In addition, resonance effects can occur where abrupt impedance contrasts exist. If sediments were perfectly elastic, their response would be independent of incident-wave amplitudes. As with any real material, however, sediments begin to yield at some level of strain, and this violation of Hooke's law will give rise to a nonlinear response. The engineering community has long believed that sediment nonlinearity is significant. This perspective was based almost entirely on...
Cavernous Sinus Cavernous Hemangiomas

Cavernous sinus cavernous hemangiomas (CSCHs) are distinct from cavernous malformations (angiomas). CSCHs are benign vascular tumors, not true vascular malformations; they frequently present with headaches and cranial nerve paresis. Cavernous angiomas, on the other hand, are true vascular malformations that may be located anywhere in the brain. (See Chap. 61.) CSCHs comprise 2–3 % of cavernous sinus tumors. The mean age of patients with CSCHs is 43 years; there is female predilection. CSCHs occasionally may extend medially into the sella turcica and mimic pituitary adenomas. CSCHs represent 0.07 % of lesions treated in major transsphenoidal series. In rare cases, cavernous hemangiomas may arise in the sphenoid sinus, potentially resulting in visual deficits and headaches.
Glycogen and glycogen phosphorylase associated with sarcoplasmic reticulum: effects of fatiguing activity.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of fatiguing muscular activity on glycogen, glycogen phosphorylase (GP), and Ca2+uptake associated with the sarcoplasmic reticulum (S...
Response of 127I to solar neutrinos.

We use a configuration-mixing quasiparticle Tamm-Dancoff approximation to calculate the expected event rate for an 127I solar neutrino detector. Our cross section for 8B solar neutrinos is 2.2×10-42 cm2 [corresponding to about 13 solar neutrino units (SNU) in the standard solar model], a factor of more than 3 below an estimate by Haxton. This value may increase by about 30% when quadrupole correlations are included. The cross section for ‘‘Be neutrinos is 2.0×10-45 cm2 (9.4 SNU), in agreement with a calculation by Dellagiacoma and Iachello. The total event rate per nucleus from all solar neutrinos is about 3 times that in 37Cl.
The Effect of High School Socioeconomic, Racial, and Linguistic Segregation on Academic Performance and School Behaviors

Background/ContextThe 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision on Brown v. Board of Education concluded that segregated schools were inherently unequal and therefore unlawful. That decision was not based s...
Respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartomas: An increasingly common diagnosis in the setting of nasal polyps.

BackgroundRespiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartomas (REAH) are benign nose neoplasms found in the nasal cavity and sinuses. Symptoms include anosmia, nasal obstruction, facial pressure, and rhi...
Atomic density effect on the spatial multi-mode structure of atom-generated squeezed light

We study experimentally and theoretically the role of internally-generated higher-order Laguerre-Gauss modes in measurements of squeezed vacuum produced via polarization self-rotation interaction of an ensemble of Rb atoms and a strong linearly polarized laser field.
Politische Partizipation als Element der Demokratietheorie in Politikwissenschaft und Politikdidaktik

Der Beitrag setzt sich mit der grosen Spanne im Repertoire der politischen Partizipationsmoglichkeiten in demokratischen Systemen auseinander. Hierzu werden unterschiedliche Demokratiemodelle und Politikbegriffe hinsichtlich der politischen Partizipation allgemein nach ihrem instrumentellen und normativen Verstandnis unterschieden. Schlieslich soll ein Blick auf die in der politischen Bildung verwendeten Burgerleitbilder weiterhelfen, um das Verstandnis der Burger/-innen gegenuber der Verwaltung sowie ihrem Wunsch nach groserer politischer Partizipationsfahigkeit zu erklaren. Diese Leitbilder konnen in den aktuellen demokratietheoretischen Debatten ein „Hilfsgerust“ dafur sein, wie sich die demokratischen Erwartungshaltungen der Bevolkerung in den letzten Jahrzehnten ausdifferenziert haben. Fur die politische Bildung ist bedeutsam, dass individuelle Betroffenheiten stets mit affektiven bzw. emotionalen Lernprozessen verbunden werden. Somit sind sie insbesondere fachlich anschlussfahig an die Voraussetzungen und Wirkungen von politischen Partizipationsprozessen, die mit individuellen Freiheits- und Informationsrechten der Burger/-innen einhergehen.
Motor and verbal perspective taking in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Changes in social interaction with people and tools.

Abstract Background Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty communicating with others nonverbally, via mechanisms such as hand gestures, eye contact and facial expression. Individuals with ASD also have marked deficits in planning future actions (Hughes, 1996), which might contribute to impairments in non-verbal communication. Perspective taking is typically assessed using verbal scenarios whereby the participant imagines how an actor would interact in a social situation (e.g., Sally Anne task; Baron-Cohen, Leslie, & Frith, 1985 ). Method The current project evaluated motor perspective taking in five children with ASD (8–11 years old) as they participated in a narrative intervention program over the course of about 16 weeks. The goal of the motor perspective-taking task was to facilitate the action of an experimenter either hammering with a tool or putting it away. Results Initially, children with ASD facilitated the experimenter’s action less than neurotypical control children. As the narrative intervention progressed, children with ASD exhibited increased motor facilitation that paralleled their increased use of mental state and causal language, indicating a link between verbal and motor perspective taking. Conclusions Motoric perspective taking provides an additional way to assess understanding and communication in children with ASD and may be a valuable tool for both early assessment and diagnosis of children with ASD.
Forecast of Forecast: An Analytic Approach to Stressed Impairment Forecasting

The new impairment reporting standards require banks to move from incurred loss models to sophisticated macroeconomic based expected credit loss models for current impairment estimation. While the impairments estimation is mainly focused on business as usual macroeconomic projections there is a demand and expectation from regulators that the new impairment models should also be a foundation for the next generation stress tests. The use of impairment models in stressed situations of course have profound implications on banks model, calibration and validation approach. In this paper we propose a relatively simple forecast of forecast approach to stressed impairments estimation. We capture consistently the initial stressed market development (which can for example be a regulatory mandated stress scenario), the bank specific assumptions about new business generated in the initial stress development, and, an estimation of the forward impairment forecast. After an initial motivating example of the forecast of forecast approach using a delinquency state transition model we show how a forecast of forecast approach can be simply implemented using only minor changes to the current impairment models calculation. Especially for state transition models with no or limited state path history tracking which covers the majority of models used by banks in practice.
Transition Icons for Time-Series Visualization and Exploratory Analysis

The modern healthcare landscape has seen the rapid emergence of techniques and devices that temporally monitor and record physiological signals. The prevalence of time-series data within the healthcare field necessitates the development of methods that can analyze the data in order to draw meaningful conclusions. Time-series behavior is notoriously difficult to intuitively understand due to its intrinsic high-dimensionality, which is compounded in the case of analyzing groups of time series collected from different patients. Our framework, which we call transition icons, renders common patterns in a visual format useful for understanding the shared behavior within groups of time series. Transition icons are adept at detecting and displaying subtle differences and similarities, e.g., between measurements taken from patients receiving different treatment strategies or stratified by demographics. We introduce various methods that collectively allow for exploratory analysis of groups of time series, while being free of distribution assumptions and including simple heuristics for parameter determination. Our technique extracts discrete transition patterns from symbolic aggregate approXimation representations, and compiles transition frequencies into a bag of patterns constructed for each group. These transition frequencies are normalized and aligned in icon form to intuitively display the underlying patterns. We demonstrate the transition icon technique for two time-series datasets—postoperative pain scores, and hip-worn accelerometer activity counts. We believe transition icons can be an important tool for researchers approaching time-series data, as they give rich and intuitive information about collective time-series behaviors.
Stacked Sentence-Document Classifier Approach for Improving Native Language Identification

In this paper, we describe the approach of the ItaliaNLP Lab team to native language identification and discuss the results we submitted as participants to the essay track of NLI Shared Task 2017. We introduce for the first time a 2-stacked sentence-document architecture for native language identification that is able to exploit both local sentence information and a wide set of general-purpose features qualifying the lexical and grammatical structure of the whole document. When evaluated on the official test set, our sentence-document stacked architecture obtained the best result among all the participants of the essay track with an F1 score of 0.8818.
Modeling the Excitation of Seismic Waves by the Joplin Tornado

Tornadoes generate seismic signals when they contact the ground. Here we examine the signals excited by the Joplin tornado, which passed within 2 km of a station in the Earthscope Transportable Array. We model the tornado-generated vertical seismic signal at low frequencies (0.01–0.03 Hz) and solve for the strength of the seismic source. The resulting source amplitude is largest when the tornado was reported to be strongest (EF 4–5), and the amplitude is smallest when the tornado was weak (EF 0–2). A further understanding of the relationship between source amplitude and tornado intensity could open up new ways to study tornadoes from the ground.
Provider Discussions of Genetic Tests With U.S. Women at Risk for a BRCA Mutation.

Introduction The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that primary care providers screen unaffected women with a family history of BRCA mutation-associated cancers, but without a personal history of BRCA -related cancer, for referral to genetic counseling and potential genetic testing. Methods The 2015 National Health Interview Survey was analyzed in January 2017 to determine the rates at which unaffected adult women with a positive family history of BRCA -related cancers, assessed using the Family History Screen–7, reported discussing genetic testing with a provider, using genetic counseling services, and having genetic testing for increased cancer risk. Clinical correlates associated with these outcomes were assessed using multivariable logistic regression (AOR with 95% CI). Results Among unaffected Family History Screen–7 screen–positive women, 9.5% reported discussing genetic testing with a provider, 5.1% reported genetic counseling, and 2.7% reported uptake of genetic testing. Younger women (aged 18–39 and 40–49 years) were more likely to discuss genetic testing than women aged ≥60 years (AOR=1.50, 95% CI=1.09, 2.06 and AOR=1.64, 95% CI=1.15, 2.33, respectively). Women of black race (AOR=1.50, 95% CI=1.09, 2.07) and women with greater than a high school education (AOR=1.85, 95% CI=1.41, 2.43) were more likely to discuss genetic testing than women of white race and women with a high school education or less, respectively. Among a higher risk subgroup with an even stronger family history of BRCA -associated cancers, 18.5% of women reported discussions. Conclusions Despite a decade-old U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation, few unaffected women at risk for BRCA -associated cancer report discussing genetic testing with a provider.
A novel recombinant adjuvant replacing the CD4+ T helper cell functions in inducing IgG isotype antibodies and protection by T cell dependent influenza split vaccines (VAC8P.1052)

The action mechanisms of adjuvants have not been well understood yet. We hypothesized that an effective adjuvant would overcome a defect in CD4 + T cell help for the induction of immune responses and protection by T cell dependent vaccines. We found that current influenza split vaccine was not able to induce antibodies and protection in a CD4 + T cell deficient condition. In an attempt to develop an effective adjuvant, we developed a recombinant virus-like particle expressing flagellin (FliC-VLP) and investigated its adjuvant effects and mechanisms by comparing alum adjuvant. CD4 knockout (CD4KO) mice that were immunized with influenza split vaccine plus FliC-VLP (or MF59, AS04 human adjuvant) induced IgG isotype-switched antibodies, germinal center formation, and virus-specific memory cells, all of which were not induced in CD4KO mice with split vaccine alone. Levels of antibodies and protective efficacy in CD4KO mice with split vaccine plus FliC-VLP were significantly higher than those in C57BL/6 wild type mice without adjuvant and CD4KO mice adjuvanted by alum. The adjuvanticity of FliC-VLP was partially dependent on TLR5 when tested in TLR5KO mice. Taken together, the results provide evidence that FliC-VLP adjuvant can stimulate the induction of antigen-specific immune responses and improve protection against lethal infection in CD4KO mice immunized with T cell dependent split vaccines, indicating CD4 + T cell independent action mechanisms of adjuvant.
Screening with Pulse Oximetry for Early Detection of Neonatal Hypoxemia

Neonatal hypoxemia is sometimes difficult to detect. Therefore, it is sometimes challenging to diagnose critical congenital heart defects and other hypoxemic conditions before the infant becomes seriously ill. Screening with pulse oximetry is a noninvasive and inexpensive valuable method for early detection of these conditions. Establishing a protocol for all newborns saves lives and decreases morbidity without increasing costs.
Modal Comparison of Stock and Performance Brake Rotors

Although generally similar in appearance, automobile brake rotors vary widely in terms of cost, material, and quality. Modal analysis was conducted on a variety of stock and performance used and new brake rotors to determine whether vibration analysis could be an effective method for evaluating quality, performance, and/or remaining life of a given brake rotor. Regular and slotted performance brake rotors were tested using an impact hammer and tri-axial accelerometer, and natural frequencies were evaluated up to 12,000 Hz. Testing methodology was varied to determine what parameters were most effective to highlight differences between rotors. The overall finding was that the most significant difference between rotors was due to the reduced mass of a used rotor; i.e., different types of rotors for the same vehicle showed greater similarity in dynamic response than a new rotor and a used rotor of the same type. Additionally, comparison of new and used rotors can show a correlation between remaining rotor life and dynamic response. While simple mass measurement of the rotor could provide similar information, vibration data can be taken with the brake rotor in place on the vehicle, and could provide information about the amount of brake rotor used in high performance driving events during the event, as well as the condition of the rotor. Testing is ongoing, and may also include identification of dynamic response for cracked rotors. Further testing is required to verify the differences in rotor wear for rotors installed on the vehicle.
γ-Secretase And Alzheimer’S Disease

Deposition of the amyloid β-protein is a defining pathological characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease, and this small protein is proteolytically produced from the amyloid β-protein precursor. ,-Secretase is responsible for the second cut, which forms the C-terminus of amyloid-β and determines how much of the transmembrane domain is included in this aggregation-prone protein. This intramembrane aspartyl protease is a complex of four different integral membrane proteins: presenilin, nicastrin, Aph-1 and Pen-2. During assembly and maturation of the protease complex, presenilin is endoproteolyzed into two subunits, each of which contributes one aspartate to the active site. A model of successive proteolysis may explain how Alzheimer-causing mutations in presenilin can both decrease enzyme activity and increase the proportion of longer, more aggregation-prone forms of amyloid-β. Substrate apparently interacts with an initial docking site before passing in whole or in part between the two presenilin subunits to the internal water-containing active site. The ectodomain of nicastrin also interacts with the N-terminus of the substrate as an essential step in substrate recognition and processing. Inhibitors and allosteric modulators of γ-secretase activity are under investigation as potential Alzheimer therapeutics. Elucidation of detailed structural features of γ-secretase is the next logical step toward understanding how this enzyme carries out intramembrane proteolysis and will set the stage for structure-based drug design
Use of Monoclonal Antibodies to Identify Antigens of Human Endocrine Thymic Epithelium

The thymus plays a central role in the differentiation of T lymphocytes (Cantor and Weissman, 1976). Lymphocytes in various stages of maturation are found throughout the thymic cortex and medulla; however, only a minority of thymic lymphocytes mature completely and migrate to peripheral lymphoid organs (Matsuyama et al., 1966; McPhee et al., 1979). Thymic epithelial cells are in intimate contact with thymic lymphocytes, are thought to promote normal intrathymic maturation, and contain thymic hormones such as thymopoietin and thymosin α1 (Bach and Goldstein, 1980).
DETERMINATION OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN IN PHOTOSYNTHETIC SYSTEMS AND PROTECTIVE STRATEGIES AGAINST ITS TOXIC EFFECTS IN CYANOBACTERIA

In the study of the inhibitory effects of oxygen, photosynthetic organisms occupy a unique position. Unlike other biological systems, in which the cells are ordinarily exposed only to ambient O2 levels and often far below, the oxygenic photosynthetic cell produces its own oxygen from within. The O2 concentrations to which photosynthetic organisms are exposed, are often above those in the ambient air. Moreover, the energy utilized by the photosynthetizing cell is that of light. This energy, mainly at the ultraviolet and visible regions, can be harmful by itself, even without the risks involved with activation of molecular oxygen.
Magneto-Optical Recording Media Properties and Their Relationship to Composition, Deposition Techniques, and Substrate Properties

A comparison of glass and polymer substrates for rare earth-transition metal magneto-optical recording media has been made. Both rigid (glass and polycarbonate) and flexible (polyester) substrates were investigated. The magnetic, optical and adhesion properties of the deposited films were measured and compared. Film magneto-optical properties and film adhesion were investigated. Films on rigid polycarbonate substrates have been found to have higher coercivities and coercivities more sensitive to the deposition conditions than films deposited on glass substrates under identical conditions. Coercivity variations are thought to be due mainly to substrate surface effects. In flexible tape substrates, film compensation temperature and compositions are more dependent on the substrate. Magneto-optic films on all substrates had similar Kerr rotation. The film adhesion on glass substrates was found to improve with substrate etching prior to deposition while the adhesion on polycarbonate substrates suffered under substrate etching. The adhesion of films on tape substrates was found to be well above a proposed standard for magnetic tape adhesion.
Physical and sexual violence among North Carolina women: associations with physical health, mental health, and functional impairment.

Objective This study examines links between women’s experiences of violence during adulthood (including physical and sexual violence) and women’s physical health, mental health, and functional status. Methods Data were analyzed from a representative sample of 9,830 North Carolina women surveyed by the North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Results One-quarter of the women experienced violence as adults, with current or ex-partners being the most common perpetrators. Logistic regression analyses that controlled for the sociodemographic characteristics of the women found that women who experienced violence were significantly more likely than other women to have poor physical health, poor mental health, and functional limitations. Moreover, these negative health outcomes were most prevalent among the women who experienced a combination of both physical and sexual violence. Conclusions These findings underscore the need for trauma-informed women’s health services and policies.
Overview of VoIP Systems

In their simplest form, Voice over IP protocols simply enable two (or more) devices to transmit and receive real-time audio traffic that allows their respective users to communicate. In general, VoIP architectures are partitioned in two main components: signaling and media transfer. Signaling covers both abstract notions, such as endpoint naming and addressing, and concrete protocol functions such as parameter negotiation, access control, billing, proxying, and NAT traversal. Depending on the architecture, quality of service (QoS) and device configuration/management may also be part of the signaling protocol (or protocol family). The media transfer aspect of VoIP systems generally includes a comparatively simpler protocol for encapsulating data, with support for multiple codecs and (often, but not always) content security. A commonly used media transfer protocol is RTP [219]. There exits an RTP profile (named Secure RTP, or SRTP [131]) that supports encryption and integrity protection, but it is not yet widely used. The RTP protocol family also includes RTCP, which is used to control certain RTP parameters between communicating endpoints.
Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with Ocular–Cicatricial pemphigoid: A long-term follow-up

Abstract Objective To report the clinical outcome and long-term follow-up of 10 patients with progressive ocular–cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP), nonresponsive to conventional therapy and treated with IV immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy, reported earlier as a preliminary study. Design Noncomparative, prospective, interventional case series according to a defined protocol for IVIg therapy. Participants Ten patients, with a diagnosis of OCP present bilaterally confirmed by both biopsy and immunofluorescence studies and who had failed conventional therapy and had objectively demonstrated a positive response to IVIg therapy in a preliminary study, published in 1999. Main outcome measures Comparison of objective clinical outcome parameters before and after IVIg therapy, including visual acuity (VA) and prevention of progression of subepithelial conjunctival fibrosis and blindness. Results All 10 patients initially demonstrated signs of clinical improvement with IVIg therapy. The total number of IVIg cycles ranged from 20 to 42 (mean, 32), and the total duration of IVIg therapy ranged from 25 to 43 months (mean, 35). Eight patients who completed the protocol had an improvement in their VA and did not have further progression of subepithelial conjunctival fibrosis. These 8 patients have been maintained in a sustained remission for a total follow-up period ranging from 24 to 48 months (mean, 35) after the discontinuation of IVIg therapy. Two patients did not complete the protocol. Both had initially demonstrated a positive clinical response. One patient had worsening of the OCP and, after IVIg therapy, was abruptly and involuntarily withdrawn. In the second patient, deterioration occurred after ocular surgery. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy was not provided postoperatively. These 2 patients who did not complete the protocol lost vision. Conclusions Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy is an effective treatment in OCP in patients nonresponsive to conventional therapy. In 8 patients who completed the protocol, progression of the disease was not observed. A gradual withdrawal of IVIg therapy, as described in the protocol, may be beneficial in maintaining a sustained clinical remission. Abrupt cessation or discontinuation can result in a severe recurrence that may possibly progress to blindness.
Young Women’s Intimate Partner Violence Victimization Patterns Across Multiple Relationships:

We explored patterns of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization at the relationship level within a socioeconomically diverse sample of young women who had experienced IPV. We recruited from a...
From entanglement to thermodynamics and to gravity

Here we develop the connection between thermodynamics, entanglement, and gravity. By attributing thermodynamics to time slices of a causal diamond, we show that the Clausius relation TΔSrev=Q, where ΔSrev is the reversible entropy change, gives rise to the nonlinear gravitational equations of motion for a wide class of diffeomorphism invariant theories. We then compare the Clausius relation to the first law of causal diamond mechanics (FLCD), a geometric identity and necessary ingredient in deriving Jacobson’s entanglement equilibrium proposal—the entanglement entropy of a spherical region with a fixed volume is maximal in vacuum. Specifically we show that the condition of fixed volume can be understood as subtracting the irreversible contribution to the thermodynamic entropy. This provides a “reversible thermodynamic process” interpretation of the FLCD and that the condition of entanglement equilibrium may be regarded as equilibrium thermodynamics for which the Clausius relation holds. Finally, we extend the entanglement equilibrium proposal to the timelike stretched horizons of future light cones, providing an entanglement interpretation of stretched light cone thermodynamics.
Sexual experience confers resilience to restraint stress in female rats.

Abstract During paced mating, sexually experienced female rats spend more time with the male, return to the male more quickly after intromission, and exhibit shorter interintromission intervals as compared to sexually naive rats. Factors that trigger the shift in paced mating behavior are unknown. The present study used the elevated plus maze to test whether anxiety-like behavior differs as a function of sexual experience. Ovariectomized, Long-Evans female rats were primed with estradiol benzoate plus progesterone (EB + P) and then either received four, twice weekly, paced mating treatments to gain sexual experience (Experienced) or remained sexually naive (Naive) but were exposed to an empty mating apparatus. In Experiment 1, anxiety-like behavior was compared between Experienced or Naive female rats that were primed with either EB + P or oil. Significantly more time was spent in open arms under EB + P vs. oil, independent of sexual history. To test whether exposure to an acute stressor before elevated plus maze testing affected anxiety-like behavior, EB + P treated, Experienced or Naive rats received paced mating (Experiment 2) or restraint (Experiment 3) immediately prior to the elevated plus maze task. Restraint, but not mating, led to less anxiety-like behaviors for Experienced rats compared to Naive rats. Collectively, our data shows that one component of the shift in paced mating behavior that occurs with sexual experience appears to be altered stress responsiveness. We propose that mating is a beneficial stressor that, when repeated, increases the ability to cope with anxiety-producing events such as aversive components of mating or non-voluntary stressors.
Challenges and Opportunities in Directing a Small College Dance Program

Faculty who coordinate and administer small dance programs in colleges and universities share many challenges, successes, and frustrations. This article brings together information gleaned from ene...
Wax Arts: Projects of Transformation in Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi and Donne’s Sappho to Philaenis

This chapter examines the intersection of magic, wax, and other forms of art in relation to John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi and John Donne’s Sappho to Philaenis. Both of these texts imagine that wax art might have a particular power to impact a subject. In The Duchess of Malfi, Ferdinand uses wax tableaux of corpses to torture his sister and she, in turn, understands the impact of that display through both magic and art. While in Sappho to Philaenis, Sappho attempts to draw Philaenis’s back to her through enchanting power of verse, which also might be understood as kind of wax art.
Phase II trial of oral piritrexim in advanced, previously treated transitional cell cancer of bladder.

Oral piritrexim (PTX), a second generation antimetabolite, has been shown to be an active agent against methotrexate refractory transitional cell cancer (TCC) of the bladder in phase I trials. We conducted a phase II trial of this drug in patients with TCC of the bladder who failed a first line chemotherapy regimen.
MI (my) Wheelhouse: A Movement Integration Progression Framework for Elementary Classroom Teachers

Movement integration (MI), which involves providing movement opportunities for students during regularly scheduled classroom time, is a widely recommended approach to supporting the goals of a comp...
Putting teacher evaluation systems on the map: An overview of states' teacher evaluation systems post–Every Student Succeeds Act

The Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) loosened the federal policy grip over states’ teacher accountability systems. We present information, collected via surveys sent to state department of education personnel, about all states’ teacher evaluation systems post–ESSA, while also highlighting differences before and after ESSA. We found that states have decreased their use of growth or value-added models (VAMs) within their teacher evaluation systems. In addition, many states are offering more alternatives for measuring the relationships between student achievement and teacher effectiveness besides using test score growth. State teacher evaluation plans also contain more language supporting formative teacher feedback. States are also allowing districts to develop and implement more unique teacher evaluation systems, while acknowledging challenges with states’ being able to support varied systems, as well as incomparable data across schools and districts in effect.