cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear protein binding to octamer motifs in the immunoglobulin gamma 1 switch region

Initiation of the immunoglobulin heavy chain switch DNA rearrangement event is thought to involve conversion of the target switch region DNA to an accessible state. Accessibility is likely to be mediated by the binding of regulatory proteins to sequences in or near switch regions. A DNase hypersensitivity assay was used to recognize possible regions of protein binding in the gamma 1 switch region of the B cell hybridoma 470.25. A strong DNase hypersensitive site was identified 5' of the tandemly repeated S gamma 1 sequences. Data from other laboratories suggest that this hypersensitive site is associated with switch recombination to gamma 1. However, the 470.25 cell does hypersensitive sites within the repetitive portion of the gamma 1 switch region was also identified. A gel retardation assay for protein--DNA interaction revealed a sequence present in several copies in the gamma 1 switch region that specifically binds nuclear proteins. This binding sequence, SG1BS, contains the octanucleotide sequence ATGCAAAA, a 7/8 match to the transcriptional enhancer octamer motif found in immunoglobulin promoters and the heavy chain enhancer. Binding competition studies of SG1BS demonstrate that both the octamer and flanking sequences are critical for binding. By size- and tissue-distribution, the factors that bind SG1BS are not distinguishable from the previously identified octamer-binding factors OTF-1 and OTF-2. The ability of proteins to bind the S gamma 1 octamer motif is increased 2.3-fold upon IL-4 induction of lipopolysaccharide-stimulated B cells.
John Michell, Radical Traditionalism and the Emerging Politics of the Pagan New Right

Although the legacy and work of John Michell is frequently associated with a culturally liberal neo-tribalism, certain aspects of Michell’s thought can be, and have been, interpreted as an esoteric extension of more explicitly right-wing political positions, ones which are currently convergent with the political subcultures surrounding the European New Right both in Europe and also among newly emerging right-wing groups in the US. This essay examines the ways in which the work of John Michell is resonant with many of the philosophies of the European New Right, and how in his final years and after his death new markets for his work are emerging in the various subcultures associated with right-wing Paganism.
Experimentation on analogue models

Analogue models are actual physical setups used to model something else. They are especially useful when what we wish to investigate is difficult to observe or experiment upon due to size or distance in space or time; for example, if the thing we wish to investigate is too large, too far away, takes place on a time scale that is too long, does not yet exist or has ceased to exist. The range and variety of analogue models is too extensive to attempt a survey. In this chapter, I describe and discuss several different analogue model experiments, the results of those model experiments, and the basis for constructing them and interpreting their results. Examples of analogue models for surface waves in lakes, for earthquakes and volcanoes in geophysics, and for black holes in general relativity, are described, with a focus on examining the bases for claims that these analogues are appropriate analogues of what they are used to investigate. A table showing three different kinds of bases for reasoning using analogue models is provided. Finally, it is shown how the examples in this chapter counter three common misconceptions about the use of analogue models in physics.
Studies of Dual Promoters of Mouse κ-Opioid Receptor Gene

Dual promoters were identified in the mouse κ-opioid receptor (KOR) gene. The distal promoter was located in the 5′-upstream region of exon 1 and the proximal promoter was located in the first intron of this gene. The transcription initiation site of the proximal promoter was mapped to the −93rd nucleotide position from the ATG codon in a primer extension experiment. The expression of KOR mRNAs transcribed from these two promoters in mouse central nervous system and an embryonal carcinoma cell line P19 was confirmed in a ribonuclease protection assay. In non-neuronal tissues, only the transcripts initiated from the distal promoter were detected. The biological activities of these two promoters were determined in transient transfection of P19 cells with a series of reporters, each truncated at various 5′-upstream regions. It was concluded that the distal promoter was located between nucleotide positions −990 and −570, and the proximal promoter was located between nucleotide positions −330 and −93, relative to the translation initiation codon. The presence of dual promoters in the KOR gene suggested potential regulation of KOR expression by using different promoters.
Report of the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights: Access to Justice

In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights analyses the obstacles to access to justice for persons living in poverty. Access to justice is a fundamental right in itself and essential for the protection and promotion of all other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. Without effective and affordable access to justice, persons living in poverty are denied the opportunity to claim their rights or challenge crimes, abuses or human rights violations committed against them. The Special Rapporteur emphasizes that improving access to justice for persons living in poverty requires tackling a range of legal and extralegal obstacles present both within and outside of the formal justice system, including social, economic and structural obstacles.
Self-report of depressive symptoms in African American and white women in primary care.

Objectives Depressive symptoms are frequently seen among female patients in primary care. The majority of screening instruments are cumbersome for a busy clinic. Method The effectiveness of a 2-item depression screening questionnaire was compared to the mental health section of the 36-ltem Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). A total of 127 consecutive patients who presented for primary care service agreed to participate and completed the questionnaire. Results Of the final sample, 65.4% were African American and 44.9% of all women reported having depressive symptoms, with no significant difference in the prevalence of reported depressive symptoms between African American and white women (x 2 = 1.97, p = .16). The women reporting depressive symptoms were more likely to be in the lower-income group (x 2 = 9.02, p = .01); however, in stratified analysis this was only significant for the African American women (x 2 = 8.69, p = .01). Analysis of variance demonstrated that the women with depressive symptoms were more likely to score low on the mental health subscales of the SF-36 when adjusted for income (F = 58.32, P Conclusion A simple 2-item questionnaire can be used to identify depressive symptoms in white and African American women in a primary care clinic.
Procurement Reform in the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 - A Creature of Compromise, Pointing the Way to Future Debates

The defense authorization act for fiscal year 2007, the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, H.R. 5122, has been signed into law. This essay reviews some of the key provisions in the act regarding procurement reform, including: (1) a renewed focus on lead systems integrators; (2) new technical data obligations for commercial contractors; (3) waiver procedures for specialty metals under the Berry Amendment; and (4) new integrity initiatives, including a GAO study of revolving door hires at major contractors. The essay notes that the act's many reform measures are likely stepping-stones to broader reforms. With recent scandals and the coming 2006 and 2008 elections, the pace of reform is, if anything, likely to accelerate.
Is America a Systematic Violator of Human Rights in the Administration of Criminal Justice

This article focuses on vast American violations of human rights in the administration of criminal justice. It traces the development of these rights in the context of the two most pernicious human rights violations plaguing the United States: the death penalty and racism in the enforcement of criminal laws. The author calls attention to the politicization of the American justice system and its devastatingly negative impact on America’s preservation of human rights.
Physiological Elongation of Ligamentous Complex Surrounding the Hindfoot Joints: In Vitro Biomechanical Study:

Ligaments surrounding the hindfoot joints play an important role in hindfoot stability. This in vitro study investigated anatomical and biomechanical characteristics of nine major ligamentous structures, including length and orientation at neutral position and physiological elongation with the foot in five different positions relative to the neutral position. The results showed that ligament elongation depended on the ligament length, orientation in neutral position, and movement of bones to which they were attached.
Normal Incidence Acoustic Transmission Loss of Perforated Plates Subject to Bias Flow

A study has been conducted on the transmission of sound at normal incidence through perforated plates with bias flow. A theoretical model is proposed which characterizes the acoustic response of the plate through the insertion loss. The proposed model is based on inviscid, one-dimensional wave propagation and mean flow through a single contraction/expansion chamber and includes hole interaction effects. Entropy fluctuations are used to model losses in acoustic energy that occur in the mixing region downstream of the perforations. Experimental measurements of insertion loss are conducted in a specially designed facility and are used to assess the validity of the model over a range of plate thickness, porosity, and hole size. Further, the model is compared to past theoretical treatments. The experimental results indicate an increase in insertion loss with increasing frequency, followed by saturation and decline as resonant conditions are established in the perforations. There is an increase in insertion loss as the Mach number through the perforation increases from 0 to about 0.25, and the resonance frequency decreases with increasing Mach number. The proposed model captures these trends and its predictions are superior to those of past models. Experimental measurements of insertion loss at higher hole Mach numbers are challenging as the turbulent fluctuations in the mixing region can overwhelm the acoustic signal transmitted through the perforation.
Egg-Weight Variance in Honey Bees

Mean weight of eggs, as influenced by rate of production and other factors, both genetic and environmental, was examined in 8 hybrid lines of honey bees, Apis mellifera L., by an experimental design in which bees were divided into 4 Latin square groups. Eggs laid by each queen within a group for a 6-hr period were collected once each week during an 8-week period. Eggs were weighed and their numbers recorded. These data confirmed our earlier conclusion that egg weight is heritable and that the rate of production is also in part genetically determined. In addition, the data showed that environmental factors also contributed significantly to weight variance.
Effects of alpha-estradiol benzoate and methyl testosterone upon the platyfish, Xiphophorus maculatus skeleton.

SummaryAlpha-estradiol benzoate induced the dissolution of one or two anterior hemal spines in a significant number of immature and maturing male platyfish but elicited no response in adult males. Methyl testosterone, administered to adult female platyfish, induced the fusion of 2 series of small, basal bony elements, the mesonosts and baseosts. The mesonosts ordinarily discrete, became fused to the ventral surfaces of the interhemal spines. The baseosts, normally bipartite, became unipartite.
Evaluation of Patient Tolerance and Small-Bowel Distention With a New Small-Bowel Distending Agent for Enterography.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to compare a flavored beverage containing a thickening agent for enterography with a low-Hounsfield-value barium suspension for side effects, taste, subjects' willingness to repeat the drinking protocol, and small-bowel distention. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. The following five drinking protocols were administered to 10 volunteers: 1000 mL of flavored beverage followed by 350 mL of water, 1500 mL of flavored beverage, 900 mL of low-Hounsfield-value barium suspension followed by 450 mL of water, 1350 mL of low-Hounsfield-value barium suspension followed by 150 mL of water, and 1500 mL of water. MR images were obtained 50 and 60 minutes after initiation of drinking. Subjects completed a questionnaire evaluating the side effects, the taste of the drink, and their willingness to repeat the drinking protocol. Reviewers assigned scores evaluating small-bowel distention and ranked the examinations in order of preference. RESULTS. There was no significant difference in nausea o...
Effect of vasopressin on creatine excretion in the rat.

SummaryIntramuscular injection of 5 U of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin (Pitressin tannate) in oil evoked a significant creatinuria for 72 hours in fed rats and a significant creatinuria from 24-72 hours in fasted rats, without affecting excretion of creatinine. Aqueous solutions of the hormone (20 U) did not produce significant creatinuria.
Democratic Revolutions and Those That Might Have Been: Comparing the Outcomes of Protest Waves under Authoritarian Rule

There are momentous occasions in which citizens are able to force dramatic democratic change through popular protests. These are sometimes called democratic revolutions and acknowledged cases have gained a great deal of scholarly and popular attention. However, to fully understand their causes and consequences, we need to compare them to protest waves that did not have such dramatic outcomes. It is also important to consider a wider range of outcomes, and I propose here a simple typology of protest wave outcomes, including democratic revolutions, democratic reform movements, stolen revolutions, and protest waves that achieve no democratic concessions. In addition, this project, using a new dataset on protest, develops an operationalization of protest waves in authoritarian and hybrid regimes. This scheme identifies 302 protest waves that occurred in 133 countries between 1979 and 2011. This list encompasses most of the cases that are usually considered to be democratic revolutions. A majority of these protest waves saw no improvement in the level of democracy, but 27 to 29% did coincide with an improvement in democracy, which could indicate a democratic revolution or democratic reform movement. Many of these cases have not received much scholarly attention. The identification of these cases will form the basis for more in-depth analysis in the future, and the paper offers directions for future research.
Feasibility studies on Tween 80 used as sample solvent in Ames test

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of Tween 80 used as a sample solvent in Ames test.Methods: Dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) and 25% Tween 80 aqueous solution were used to solve propolis,fish oil and coenzyme Q10 to make solubility tests and Ames tests.Results: The solubilities of propolis,fish oil and coenzyme Q10 in DMSO were only 23.30%,37.26% and 26.73% of those in 25% Tween 80 aqueous solution.Both solvents were nontoxic for TA97,TA98,TA100 and TA102 Salmonella bacteria strains.In all 5 dosage groups,the Ames test results for every sample solved in 25% Tween 80 aqueous solution were the same as those solved in DMSO.The Ames test results of 3 samples were all negative.Conclusion: Tween 80 is an ideal sample solvent in Ames test.
EMC design of clock circuit on PCB

In order to solve the electromagnetic compatibility(EMC) problem caused by the clock in PCB integrated circuit boards,the method of simulation numerical calculation is adopted to analyze the main influence factors in the EMC design of the clock circuit,confirme the clock selection principles in PCB integrated circuit board design,and ensure the concrete object and content in EMC design of the clock circuit.The PCB EMC design was improved by the optimization of the layout and wiring in clock design.Finally,several measures which can effectively cut the propagating way of clock interference on PCB are brought forward.It provides an idea of solving the relevant problems for engineering and technical personnel.
Statistical Analysis of Serum Lipid Level of 4263 Cases in Guangzhou City

Objective To explore the characteristics of serum lipid levels of 4263 cases in Guangzhou populations.Method Fasting blood serum of 4263 cases of age above 40 years old in Guangzhou was collected to determine total cholesterol(TC),triglyceride(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C).Result In this group,25.4%(1082/4263) has high cholesterol(TC) level,33.7%(1437/4263) ahs high triglyceride(TG) level,22.5%(961/4263) has a low high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) level,29.5%(1259/4263) has a high low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) level.The rates of having abnormal TC,HDL-C and LDL-C levels show significant difference between male and female.Conclusion In this population,abnormal serum lipid level was correlated with age and gender.People should change their eating habit and living style.
Electromagnetic Migration Imaging

This chapter presents an approach to electromagnetic imaging based on the migration transformation of an electromagnetic field. Electromagnetic migration has important features in common with seismic migration, but differs in that for geoelectrical problems, electromagnetic migration is done on the basis of Maxwell’s equations, while in the seismic case it is based on the wave equation. Electromagnetic migration, similar to geopotential field migration, is based on a special form of downward continuation of the observed field or one of its components. This downward continuation is obtained as the solution of the boundary value problem in the lower half-space for the adjoint Maxwell’s equations, in which the boundary values of the migration field on the earth’s surface are determined by the observed electromagnetic field. The methods of electromagnetic migration in frequency and time domains are discussed in details. We demonstrate in this chapter that electromagnetic migration can be treated as an approximate solution of the corresponding electromagnetic inverse problem.
“The World’s Fight”: Development, Public Health, and Humanitarian Work

Today, a common sentiment expressed by overwhelmed applicants is that one cannot win a Marshall Scholarship without having started a school for underprivileged children in a rural corner of the world. Andy Cunningham (’10) has done little to discredit this concern. Along with professors and classmates, Cunningham fund-raised $2.4 million to co-found the Women’s Institute for Secondary Education and Research (WISER), an all-girls school in Muhuru Bay, Kenya, which has since enrolled the highest number of girls on full scholarship ever in the history of the region. Since WISER, Cunningham has also worked full-time for UNICEF Kenya, consulted for IGOs and NGOs, and directly helped to integrate mobile phone technology in Kenyan education management information systems.
To thine own context be true, but be careful: A Review of H. L. Goodall, Jr.'s Writing Qualitative Inquiry: Self, Stories, and Academic Life

In his latest book, Writing Qualitative Inquiry: Self, Stories, and Academic Life, H. L Goodall effectively uses his unique narrative style to introduce readers to the life of writing qualitative inquiry with all of its joys and perils. He asks his readers to carefully attend to the contexts--both social and discursive--they select or in which they find themselves and to consider the consequences of these interesting juxtapositions. Goodall fills his tome with colourful, provocative stories; clear, concise guidance; and useful, methodological know-how; and entices us to enter this scholarly narrative writing world.
Pitch Matching between Electrical Stimulation of a Cochlear Implant and Acoustic Stimuli Presented to a Contralateral Ear with Residual Hearing.

Background Cochlear implants (CIs) successfully restore hearing in postlingually deaf adults, but in doing so impose a frequency-position function in the cochlea that may differ from the physiological one. Purpose The CI-imposed frequency-position function is determined by the frequency allocation table programmed into the listener's speech processor and by the location of the electrode array along the cochlea. To what extent can postlingually deaf CI users successfully adapt to the difference between physiological and CI-imposed frequency-position functions? Research design We attempt to answer the question by combining behavioral measures of electroacoustic pitch matching (PM) and measures of electrode location within the cochlea. Study sample The participants in this study were 16 adult CI users with residual hearing who could match the pitch of acoustic pure tones presented to their unimplanted ears to the pitch resulting from stimulation of different CI electrodes. Data collection and analysis We obtained data for four to eight apical electrodes from 16 participants with CIs (most of whom were long-term users), and estimated electrode insertion angle for 12 of these participants. PM functions in this group were compared with the two frequency-position functions discussed above. Results Taken together, the findings were consistent with the possibility that adaptation to the frequency-position function imposed by CIs does happen, but it is not always complete. Conclusions Some electrodes continue to be perceived as higher pitched than the acoustic frequencies with which they are associated despite years of listening experience after cochlear implantation.
Spatiotemporal exposome dynamics of soil lead and children's blood lead pre- and ten years post-Hurricane Katrina: Lead and other metals on public and private properties in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A.

Abstract Background Anthropogenic re-distribution of lead (Pb) principally through its use in gasoline additives and lead-based paints have transformed the urban exposome. This unique study tracks urban-scale soil Pb (SPb) and blood Pb (BPb) responses of children living in public and private communities in New Orleans before and ten years after Hurricane Katrina (29 August 2005). Objectives To compare and evaluate associations of pre- and ten years post-Katrina SPb and children's BPb on public and private residential census tracts in the core and outer areas of New Orleans, and to examine correlations between SPb and nine other soil metals. Methods The Louisiana Healthy Housing and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program BPb (µg/dL) data from pre- (2000–2005) and post-Katrina (2010–2015) for ≤6-year-old children. Data from public and adjacent private residential census tracts within core and outer areas are stratified from a database that includes 916 and 922 SPb and 13,379 and 4830 BPb results, respectively, from pre- and post-Katrina New Orleans. Statistical analyses utilize Multi-Response Permutation Procedure and Spearman's Rho Correlation. Results Pre- to Post-Katrina median SPb decreases in public and private core census tracts were from 285 to 55 mg/kg and 710–291 mg/kg, respectively. In public and private outer census tracts the median SPb decreased from 109 to 56 mg/kg and 88–55 mg/kg. Children's BPb percent ≥5 µg/dL on public and private core areas pre-Katrina was 63.2% and 67.5%, and declined post-Katrina to 7.6% and 20.2%, respectively. BPb decreases also occurred in outer areas. Soil Pb is strongly correlated with other metals. Conclusions Post-Katrina re-building of public housing plus landscaping amends the exposome and reduces children's BPb. Most importantly, Hurricane Katrina revealed that decreasing the toxicants in the soil exposome is an effective intervention for decreasing children's BPb.
Some historical musings on tooth/root resorption

Contemporarily, the ravages of tooth resorption are seen daily around the world. While some teeth can be retained many are lost to this process. Although many types of resorptive processes have been identified, the etiological factors involved in this malady are not often clear and both speculation as to it source and clinical management have received a great deal of empirical explanations and directives, respectively. However, this was not always the case, as the nature of tooth resorption, as is known today, was not really addressed in a significant manner until the mid-1970s. In fact, when first identified as a problem in the early 1800s, the term resorption did not even exist and the process was poorly understood. This historical review of tooth resorption will trace the evolution of some of our ideas about this malady, identifying both the concepts and personalities involved in this evolution.
Teaching Electric Circuit Concepts Using Microcomputer-Based Current/Voltage Probes

A number of researchers have reported on the difficulties students have with simple electric circuit concepts. This paper reports on the use of microcomputer-based Current/Voltage probes in conjunction with a highly interactive Electric Circuit curriculum to teach these concepts in the introductory college physics laboratory. An Electric Circuit Conceptual Evaluation has been developed and has been used to assess student understanding of circuit concepts. The results of pre- and post-testing show dramatic gains in student understanding of current and voltage in simple series and parallel direct current circuits1.
Nursing and men's health. Some critical considerations

This article addresses issues concerning the relationships among nursing, a nascent "men's health" movement, and the established "women's health" movement. Suggestions are made in regard to the potential positive contributions of a men's health movement that recognizes masculinity as a social reality while aiding men with health problems from a holistic nursing perspective.
Merchants and Miners: Economy and Culture in 17th Century Massachusetts and Potosí

A partir de la comparacion de las actitudes economicas en el siglo XVII de Potosi y Boston se deduce la necesidad de revaluar nuestros conceptos sobre la cultura y el desarrollo de la America hispana. Los comerciantes de nueva Inglaterra y los mineros peruanos desarrollaron similares estrategias como respuesta a las condiciones del nuevo mundo y organizaron economias diversas e integradas. Asimismo, hay que destacar la necesidad de volver a examinar el papel jugado por el estado y la politica en la America hispana colonial, aspecto que ofrece uno de los contrastes mas significativos entre el mundo hispano y la America anglosajona
Doubt as a Source of Innovation in Developing Effective Services to Families

The author suggests that the experience of doubt regarding the efficacy of services offers practitioners an opportunity for reconsidering traditional services to families. Changes in society and in...
Above All to Thine Own Self Be True

“And it must follow, as night the a day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” When we separate from that wisdom, we suffer. This chapter is largely about the brain, the mind, mental-izing, and the diversity of these characteristics in people and its importance in human betterment. We each vitally depend on the knowledge of others, from whom we benefit through social and economic institutions.
An Examination of Group Facilitator Challenges and Problem-Solving Techniques During IEP Team Meetings:

Special education professionals serve as facilitators of Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team meetings. As special educators serve on many IEP teams during the course of an academic year, and a...
Ebola Virus Replication Stands Out.

A recent study by Deflube et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2019;116:8535–8543) reported that Ebola virus genomes have variable 3′ terminal nucleotides. This finding is a departure from other nonsegmented, negative-strand RNA viruses (NNSVs) that have been studied to date and has broad implications for filoviral replication and innate immune evasion.
Intrathecal Device Considerations

Intrathecal drug delivery with implantable, programmable, and continuous drug delivery systems has provided an effective means to treat refractory pain of malignant and nonmalignant origin. Understanding of the delivery devices, as well as the skills to effectively use the technology, is paramount for successful patient care.
Embedding a longitudinal diagnostic reasoning curriculum in a residency program using a bolus/booster approach

Background Diagnostic reasoning skills are essential to the practice of medicine, yet longitudinal curricula to teach residents and evaluate performance in this area is lacking. We describe a longitudinal diagnostic reasoning curriculum implemented in a university-based internal medicine residency program and self-evaluation assessment of the curriculum's effectiveness. Methods A longitudinal diagnostic reasoning curriculum (bolus/booster) was developed and implemented in the fall of 2015 at the University of Iowa. R1, R2, and R3 cohorts were taught the "bolus" curriculum at the beginning of each academic year followed by a "booster" component to maintain and build upon diagnostic reasoning skills taught during the "bolus" phase. Self-administered diagnostic thinking inventory (DTI) scores were collected in the spring of pre-curriculum (baseline, 2014-2015) and post-curriculum (2016-2017). Results The overall DTI scores improved in the R1 cohort, although statistically significant differences were not seen with R2s and R3s. In the original DTI categories, R1s improved in both flexibility of thinking and structure of thinking, the R2s improved in structure of thinking and the R3s did not improve in either category. R1s showed improvement in three of the four subcategories - data acquisition, problem representation, and hypothesis generation. The R2s improved in the subcategory of problem representation. R3s showed no improvement in any of the subcategories. The R3 cohort had higher mean scores in all categories but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Our program created and successfully implemented a longitudinal diagnostic reasoning curriculum. DTI scores improved after implementation of a new diagnostic reasoning curriculum, particularly in R1 cohort.
Cost-Sensitive Feature-Value Acquisition Using Feature Relevance.

In many real-world machine learning problems, feature values are not readily available. To make predictions, some of the missing features have to be acquired, which can incur a cost in money, computational time, or human time, depending on the problem domain. This leads us to the problem of choosing which features to use at the prediction time. The chosen features should increase the prediction accuracy for a low cost, but determining which features will do that is challenging. The choice should take into account the previously acquired feature values as well as the feature costs. This paper proposes a novel approach to address this problem. The proposed approach chooses the most useful features adaptively based on how relevant they are for the prediction task as well as what the corresponding feature costs are. Our approach uses a generic neural network architecture, which is suitable for a wide range of problems. We evaluate our approach on three cost-sensitive datasets, including Yahoo! Learning to Rank Competition dataset as well as two health datasets. We show that our approach achieves high accuracy with a lower cost than the current state-of-the-art approaches.
Genetic and structural studies of RABL3 reveal an essential role in lymphoid development and function.

The small GTPase RABL3 is an oncogene of unknown physiological function. Homozygous knockout alleles of mouse Rabl3 were embryonic lethal, but a viable hypomorphic allele (xiamen [xm]) causing in-frame deletion of four amino acids from the interswitch region resulted in profound defects in lymphopoiesis. Impaired lymphoid progenitor development led to deficiencies of B cells, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells in Rabl3xm/xm mice. T cells and NK cells exhibited impaired cytolytic activity, and mice infected with mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) displayed elevated titers in the spleen. Myeloid cells were normal in number and function. Biophysical and crystallographic studies demonstrated that RABL3 formed a homodimer in solution via interactions between the effector binding surfaces on each subunit; monomers adopted a typical small G protein fold. RABL3xm displayed a large compensatory alteration in switch I, which adopted a β-strand configuration normally provided by the deleted interswitch residues, thereby permitting homodimer formation. Dysregulated effector binding due to conformational changes in the switch I–interswitch–switch II module likely underlies the xm phenotype. One such effector may be GPR89, putatively an ion channel or G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). RABL3, but not RABL3xm, strongly associated with and stabilized GPR89, and an N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced mutation (explorer) in Gpr89 phenocopied Rabl3xm.
Economic ‘normalisation’ of disaster losses 1998–2020: a literature review and assessment

Nowadays, following every weather disaster quickly follow estimates of economic loss. Quick blame for those losses, or some part, often is placed on claims of more frequent or intense weather event...
Dietary and Microbial Determinants in Food Allergy

Summary The steep rise in food allergy (FA) has evoked environmental factors involved in disease pathogenesis, including the gut microbiota, diet, and their metabolites. Early introduction of solid foods synchronizes with the “weaning reaction,” a time during which the microbiota imprints durable oral tolerance. Recent work has shown that children with FA manifest an early onset dysbiosis with the loss of Clostridiales species, which promotes the differentiation of ROR-γt+ regulatory T cells to suppress FA. This process can be reversed in pre-clinical mouse models by targeted bacteriotherapy. Here, we review the dominant tolerance mechanisms enforced by the microbiota to suppress FA and discuss therapeutic intervention strategies that act to recapitulate the early life window of opportunity in stemming the FA epidemic.
Aerosol and spatter mitigation in dentistry: Analysis of the effectiveness of 13 setups.

Objectives The current study aims to investigate the aerosol and spatter mitigation quality of 13 dry-field isolation methods in a simulated setup that replicates real-life work scenarios encountered in dental practices. Methods A crown preparation on a manikin was performed on tooth number 30 and repeated five times for each setup to simulate a patient under care. Aerosol, environmental, and operator face shield spatter, and sound intensity was measured. Generalized linear mixed models were used, and posthoc pairwise comparisons were performed to compare least-squares means when appropriate using a Tukey adjustment. Results All tested setups showed some environmental spatter formation; however, these were able to control most (and in some cases all) spatter on the operator face shield. All methods resulted in excellent aerosol mitigation when a second line of high-volume evacuation (HVE) was added to the device setup. However, in most setups, total sound levels exceeded 85 dB, posing a concern for prolonged noise exposure. Conclusions The Prototype device and four other tested setups with secondary HVE addition completely eliminated aerosol creation as tested. Spatter of the Face Shield was best eliminated using the Prototype device. Clinical significance Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that the dental community has at its disposal equipment that can effectively mitigate aerosol and spatter.
Characterization of Ultrahigh-Performance Concrete Materials for Application in Modular Construction

AbstractIn this paper, a new class of self-consolidating ultrahigh-performance concrete (UHPC) was investigated. The UHPC featured a compressive strength higher than 150 MPa with self-consolidating...
The influence of antiretroviral therapy on HIV-related oral manifestations.

Abstract Purpose This review aims to provide primary medical and dental healthcare professionals with the current state of information on the oral manifestations of HIV infection in the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART) advancements. Results Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with an increased risk of infectious, neoplastic, and immune-mediated oral complications that are regarded as a major constituent of this global epidemic. HIV-related oral manifestations have been subject to changes in their prevalence with the employment of ART, particularly in this period of enhanced patient accessibility to ART. Available antiretroviral medications (ARVs), the clinical presentation of common HIV-related oral manifestations, and patients and healthcare providers’ perceptions are also discussed. Conclusions Screening, diagnosing, and treating patients with HIV/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has improved drastically since the isolation and characterization of HIV. Oral manifestations have been acknowledged to correlate with treatment responses and disease progression. Healthcare providers should be familiar with HIV-related oral manifestations and comfortable in managing and referring patients with HIV/AIDS, they are also key stakeholders in facilitating the elimination of the stigma associated with the infection.
Science Bootcamp Goes Virtual: a Compressed, Interdisciplinary Online CURE Promotes Psychosocial Gains in STEM Transfer Students

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are well-documented as high-impact practices that can broaden participation and success in STEM Drawing primarily from a community of practice theoretical framework, we previously developed an interdisciplinary CURE course (Science Bootcamp) for STEM majors focused entirely on the scientific process Among first-year students, Science Bootcamp leads to psychosocial gains and increased retention In the current study, we test whether an online Science Bootcamp also improved outcomes for STEM transfer students-a group that faces "transfer shock," which can negatively impact GPA, psychosocial outcomes, and retention To this end, we redesigned Science Bootcamp to a 2-week course for STEM transfer students to complete prior to beginning the fall semester at our 4-year institution Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the course was conducted in an entirely virtual format, using primarily synchronous instruction Despite the course being virtual, the diverse group of STEM majors worked in small groups to conduct rigorous, novel empirical research projects from start to finish, even presenting their results in a poster symposium Assessment data confirmed the compressed, online Science Bootcamp contained key CURE components-opportunities for collaboration, discovery and relevance, and iteration-and that students were highly satisfied with the course Moreover, in line with our hypothesis, STEM transfer students who participated in the online Science Bootcamp experienced a range of psychosocial gains (e g , belonging to STEM) In sum, these findings suggest our online Science Bootcamp promotes positive STEM outcomes, representing a highly flexible and affordable CURE that can be scaled for use at institutions of any size
Increased Blood Pressure Variability and the Risk of Probable Dementia or Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Post Hoc Analysis of the SPRINT MIND Trial.

Background Increased systolic blood pressure variability (BPV) is associated with stroke, cardiovascular disease, and dementia and mild cognitive impairment. However, prior studies assessing the re...
Tunnel Junction Structures

We have observed Raman scattering from molecular layers absorbed on the oxide layer in Al-Al2O3-metal tunnel junctions1-6. The observation of these signals was remarkable, since the molecular layers were present only in monolayer coverages, and were separated from the incident laser beam by a typically 20 nm thick metal film. In fact, the Raman scattering could be measured because the observed signal levels were up to ~ 5x104 times more intense per molecule than expected from similar measurements on bulk specimens. Therefore, surface enhanced Raman scattering, analogous to that observed in electrochemical cells and in vacuum (and discussed in other Chapters in this volume), can be present in tunnel junction structures as well. Our experiments conclusively demonstrated the role of electromagnetic resonances in surface enhanced Raman scattering: 1) Junctions with Ag second metal electrodes had the most intense spectra, with Cu and Au ~ 100 times weaker, and no signals were observed for Pb, Sn, In, or Al second metal electrodes. This is consistent with the fact that low imaginary parts of the dielectric response of the metals were required for strong electromagnetic resonances. 2) We found that the observed spectra were most intense for tunnel junctions evaporated on highly roughened substrates. Surface roughness was required to couple the surface electromagnetic resonances to external radiation.
Chemotherapy‐induced immunogenic modulation of tumor cells enhances killing by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and is distinct from immunogenic cell death

Certain chemotherapeutic regimens trigger cancer cell death while inducing dendritic cell maturation and subsequent immune responses. However, chemotherapy-induced immunogenic cell death (ICD) has thus far been restricted to select agents. In contrast, several chemotherapeutic drugs modulate antitumor immune responses, despite not inducing classic ICD. In addition, in many cases tumor cells do not die after treatment. Here, using docetaxel, one of the most widely used cancer chemotherapeutic agents, as a model, we examined phenotypic and functional consequences of tumor cells that do not die from ICD. Docetaxel treatment of tumor cells did not induce ATP or high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) secretion, or cell death. However, calreticulin (CRT) exposure was observed in all cell lines examined after chemotherapy treatment. Killing by carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), MUC-1, or PSA-specific CD8(+) CTLs was significantly enhanced after docetaxel treatment. This killing was associated with increases in components of antigen-processing machinery, and mediated largely by CRT membrane translocation, as determined by functional knockdown of CRT, PERK, or CRT-blocking peptide. A docetaxel-resistant cell line was selected (MDR-1(+), CD133(+)) by continuous exposure to docetaxel. These cells, while resistant to direct cytostatic effects of docetaxel, were not resistant to the chemomodulatory effects that resulted in enhancement of CTL killing. Here, we provide an operational definition of "immunogenic modulation," where exposure of tumor cells to nonlethal/sublethal doses of chemotherapy alters tumor phenotype to render the tumor more sensitive to CTL killing. These observations are distinct and complementary to ICD and highlight a mechanism whereby chemotherapy can be used in combination with immunotherapy.
Synthesis and evaluation of 2-ethynyl-adenosine-5'-triphosphate as a chemical reporter for protein AMPylation.

Protein AMPylation is a posttranslational modification (PTM) defined as the transfer of an adenosine monophosphate (AMP) from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to a hydroxyl side-chain of a protein substrate. One recently reported AMPylator enzyme, Vibrio outer protein S (VopS), plays a role in pathogenesis by AMPylation of Rho GTPases, which disrupts crucial signaling pathways, leading to eventual cell death. Given the resurgent interest in this modification, there is a critical need for chemical tools that better facilitate the study of AMPylation and the enzymes responsible for this modification. Herein we report the synthesis of 2-ethynyl-adenosine-5′-triphosphate (2eATP) and its utilization as a non-radioactive chemical reporter for protein AMPylation.
Enhancing impact velocity with shock interactions in a restricting die

Shock compression and impact studies could benefit from the ability to increase impact velocities that can be achieved with gun systems. Single-stage guns have modest performance (0.2-2 km/s) that limits their utility for high-pressure and high-velocity studies, while more capable systems are expensive and complex. We are developing a technique that uses a low-strength sabot with a tapered die to increase the impact velocity without modifying the gun itself. Impact of the projectile with the die generates a converging shock wave in the sabot that acts to accelerate the front of the projectile, while decelerating the rear portion. Preliminary experiments using this technique have observed a velocity enhancement of up to a factor of two.
The spread of modern humans in Europe

The earliest credible evidence of Homo sapiens in Europe is an archaeological proxy in the form of several artifact assemblages (Bohunician) found in South-Central and possibly Eastern Europe, dating to ≤48,000 calibrated radiocarbon years before present (cal BP). They are similar to assemblages probably made by modern humans in the Levant (Emiran) at an earlier date and apparently represent a population movement into the Balkans during a warm climate interval [Greenland Interstadial 12 (GI 12)]. A second population movement may be represented by a diverse set of artifact assemblages (sometimes termed Proto-Aurignacian) found in the Balkans, parts of Southwest Europe, and probably in Eastern Europe, and dating to several brief interstadials (GI 11–GI 9) that preceded the beginning of cold Heinrich Event 4 (HE4) (≈40,000 cal BP). They are similar to contemporaneous assemblages made by modern humans in the Levant (Ahmarian). The earliest known human skeletal remains in Europe that may be unequivocally assigned to H. sapiens (Pecstera cu Oase, Romania) date to this time period (≈42,000 cal BP) but are not associated with artifacts. After the Campanian Ignimbrite volcanic eruption (40,000 cal BP) and the beginning of HE4, artifact assemblages assigned to the classic Aurignacian, an industry associated with modern human skeletal remains that seems to have developed in Europe, spread throughout the continent.
Prediction of TRISO coated particle performances for a one-pass deep burn

In the present studies, TRISO coated particle performances have been investigated for incinerating plutonium and minor actinides by the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor, whose fresh fuel is fabricated after the uranium extraction (UREX) process applied to Light Water Reactors irradiated fuel. The analyses divide into two parts: in the first part, the latest design of the reactor core proposed by General Atomics, which takes advantage of four fuel rings, has been modeled in deep details by the Monte Carlo MCNP code and a burnup process has been simulated by the MCB code. In the second part, the TRISO coated particle performances have been investigated by the PANAMA code with the goal of verifying the design constraints proposed by General Atomics. During burnup, the refueling and shuffling schedule followed the one-pass deep burn concept, where the fuel is utilized, since fabrication for the Gas Turbine-Modular Helium Reactor, without any reprocessing until the final disposal into the geological repository. During the reactor operation, the fast fluence on all TRISO particles layers has been evaluated and the production of the key fission products monitored. During an hypothetical reactor accident scenario, the TRISO particle failure fraction has been estimated.