cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subunit determination of the conductance of hair-cell mechanotransducer channels

Cochlear hair cells convert sound stimuli into electrical signals by gating of mechanically sensitive ion channels in their stereociliary (hair) bundle. The molecular identity of this ion channel is still unclear, but its properties are modulated by accessory proteins. Two such proteins are transmembrane channel-like protein isoform 1 (TMC1) and tetraspan membrane protein of hair cell stereocilia (TMHS, also known as lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 5, LHFPL5), both thought to be integral components of the mechanotransduction machinery. Here we show that, in mice harboring an Lhfpl5 null mutation, the unitary conductance of outer hair cell mechanotransducer (MT) channels was reduced relative to wild type, and the tonotopic gradient in conductance, where channels from the cochlear base are nearly twice as conducting as those at the apex, was almost absent. The macroscopic MT current in these mutants was attenuated and the tonotopic gradient in amplitude was also lost, although the current was not completely extinguished. The consequences of Lhfpl5 mutation mirror those due to Tmc1 mutation, suggesting a part of the MT-channel conferring a large and tonotopically variable conductance is similarly disrupted in the absence of Lhfpl5 or Tmc1. Immunolabelling demonstrated TMC1 throughout the stereociliary bundles in wild type but not in Lhfpl5 mutants, implying the channel effect of Lhfpl5 mutations stems from down-regulation of TMC1. Both LHFPL5 and TMC1 were shown to interact with protocadherin-15, a component of the tip link, which applies force to the MT channel. We propose that titration of the TMC1 content of the MT channel sets the gradient in unitary conductance along the cochlea.
Options for biodiversity conservation in managed forest landscapes of multiple ownerships in Oregon and Washington, USA

We examine existing and developing approaches to balance biodiversity conservation and timber production with the changing conservation roles of federal and nonfederal forest land ownerships in the US Pacific Northwest. At landscape scales, implementation of the reserve-matrix approach of the federal Northwest Forest Plan in 1994 was followed by proposals of alternative designs to better integrate disturbance regimes or to conserve biodiversity in landscapes of predominantly young forests through active management without reserves. At stand scales, landowners can improve habitat heterogeneity through a host of conventional and alternative silvicultural techniques. There are no state rules that explicitly require biodiversity conservation on nonfederal lands in the region. However, state forest practices rules require retention of structural legacies to enhance habitat complexity and establishment of riparian management areas to conserve aquatic ecosystems. Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) under the US Endangered Species Act provide regulatory incentives for nonfederal landowners to protect threatened and endangered species. A state-wide programmatic HCP has recently emerged as a multi-species conservation approach on nonfederal lands. Among voluntary incentives, the Forest Stewardship Council certification comprehensively addresses fundamental elements of biodiversity conservation; however, its tough conservation requirements may limit its coverage to relatively small land areas. Future changes in landscape management strategies on federal lands may occur without coordination with nonfederal landowners because of the differences in regulatory and voluntary incentives between ownerships. This raises concerns when potentially reduced protections on federal lands are proposed, and the capacity of the remaining landscape to compensate has been degraded.
Localization and phenotype-specific expression of ryanodine calcium release channels in C57BL6 and DBA/2J mouse strains.

Abstract The DBA/2J (D2) and C57BL6 (B6) mouse strains are widely used in research as models for anxiety, addiction and chronic glaucoma. D2, but not B6, animals develop elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) that leads to progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons and perikarya. Here we compare the expression and localization of intracellular ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ store mechanisms in retinas from D2 and B6 animals. A subset of experiments included retinas from D2-Gpnmb+ mice as strain-specific controls for D2s. RT-PCR analysis showed 6–8 -fold upregulation RyR1, but not RyR2 or RyR3 transcripts, in D2 retinas. The upregulation was more pronounced in D2 retinas categorized as exhibiting moderate or severe glaucoma eyes compared to eyes with no/little glaucoma. In B6 retinas, RyR1 was expressed in neuronal perikarya/processes across all three retinal layers whereas little labeling was observed in astrocyte, microglial or Muller cell processes. In contrast, RyR1 antibodies strongly labeled radial processes of in D2 Muller glia, in which the staining colocalized with the activated glial stress marker GFAP. RyR1 staining in 1 month-old D2-Gpnmb+ strain resembled expression in B6 retinas whereas moderate RyR1, but not GFAP, localization to Muller glia was observed in 10–12 months – old D2-Gpnmb+ eyes. Both RyR1-ir and GFAP-ir were augmented in the microbead injection model of acute experimental glaucoma. We conclude that RyR1 exhibits differential expression and localization in two ubiquitously used mouse lines. While RyR1 signals can be regulated in a strain-specific manner, our data also suggest that RyR1 transcription is induced by early glial activation and/or elevation in intraocular pressure.
Development of a Chicken Z-Chromosome-Specific DNA Library

We have developed a chicken (Gallus domesticus) Z-chromosome-specific DNA library in a phage vector by means of chromosome microisolation and microcloning. The chromosomal origin, specificity, and purity was evaluated by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on chicken metaphases. Heterologous chromosome painting using this Z-chromosome-specific probe on turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) metaphases identified its homologous Z-chromosome, under the same stringent conditions as that used in the chicken, indicating a high degree of Z-chromosome sequence homology among these two species. This chicken Z-chromosome library will facilitate the development of Z-chromosome-specific DNA markers that will be useful for genetic mapping in the domestic chicken and related avian species. The Z-chromosome-specific DNA probe will also be useful for studies pertaining to the sex chromosome evolution in avian species.
Stress and the hair follicle: exploring the connections.

All living organisms are constantly challenged by a diversity of exogenous (environmental, psychological, social) and endogenous stimuli or stressors, which induce general or local biological responses to protect or adapt the organism to the stressor(s). 1 The systemic biological response of the organism to exogenous stressors (or classical stress response) includes activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and release of hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) that activates pituitary CRH receptors (CRH-R) followed by the production and release of proopiomelanocortin-derived peptides and adrenal hormones. 2,3 Systemic stress response also includes the modulation of the autonomic nervous and immune systems: neuroendocrine hormones and neurotransmitters influence the function of the immune system that reciprocally regulate CNS functions through cytokine release. 4
Numerical models of mantle convection

An overview of numerical methods describing the structure and dynamics of the mantle is presented with attention given to novel 3D modeling techniques. The paper reviews 3D spherical and Cartesian models for constant viscosity emphasizing the assumptions regarding style of convection, time dependence, and implications for the mantle. Similarly treated are 3D Cartesian models with temperature-dependent viscosities, and briefly examined are models that are based on compressibility, nonlinear viscosity, or plates. Extensive illustrations are presented detailing: (1) temperature variations from models of 3D thermal convection in spherical shells; (2) thermal anomalies in equatorial cross sections; and (3) temperature variations in a spherical shell heated from within. The discussion relates the numerical results of the models with real mantle-convection events, and the simulations are shown to yield increasingly realistic representations of material behavior.
The Problem of the Past in the Modern University: Catholics and Classicists, 1860-1900

Between 1860 and 1900 Americans witnessed a revolution that ushered in a new type of university and a new academic order. During those years, the increasingly nonsectarian, scientific, and utilitarian university supplanted the denominationally affiliated liberal arts college as America's preeminent institution of higher learning. Many of the architects of this new university, whose ranks included university presidents, faculty, and civic leaders, christened it a “modern” institution of higher education, wrapping their academic innovations in the rhetoric of progress. Conversely, they often depicted their opponents and those associated with older collegiate traditions as academic relics wedded to retrograde practices and enamored of past ages. The popularity of the idea of progress in the late nineteenth century and its formative role in the rise of the modern university are well known. Less clear is the fate of representatives and elements of the older academic order during this period. If indeed the universities of the late nineteenth century were “modern” and “progressive,” what was to be the fate of the past—and educators and scholars committed to the wisdom of the past—within those institutions and higher education more generally?
Cardiopulmonary effects of a new inspiratory impedance threshold device in acute hemorrhagic shock in dogs.

Objective – To compare cardiovascular and respiratory effects of an inspiratory impedance threshold device (ITD) in dogs before and after induction of acute hemorrhagic shock. Study Design – Prospective experimental randomized study. Animals – Eight healthy adult dogs. Methods – Dogs were anesthetized and maintained on spontaneous ventilation. Tidal volume (VT), systolic, mean and diastolic arterial blood pressure (SAP, MAP, DAP), central venous pressure (CVP), gastric PCO2 (GBF) as an indicator of gastric perfusion, cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), oxygen delivery (DO2), and plasma lactate were monitored. To monitor respiratory compliance (RC) and respiratory resistance (ResR), animals were briefly placed on mechanical ventilation. Dogs were studied under 4 different conditions: (1) baseline (euvolemic state) (MAP > 60 mm Hg) with and without the ITD and (2) acute hemorrhagic shock (hypovolemicstate)(targetMAPof40mmHg)withandwithoutITD.These4conditionswereperformedduring one anesthetic period, allowing time for stabilization of parameters for each condition. Data were analyzed by ANOVA for repeated measure mixed models. Results – No cardiovascular changes were detected between groups with and without use of ITD during euvolemic states. During acute hemorrhagic hypovolemic state, CI and DO2 were higher with the ITD (2.9± 0.6 L/min/m 2 ) and (326.5 ± 86.8 mL/min) compared with no ITD (1.8 ± 0.6 L/min/m 2 ) and (191.3 ± 58.1 mL/min), respectively. The use of ITD during hypovolemia also increased SAP and MAP. There was an increase in ResR and decreased RC with the ITD in both euvolemic and hypovolemic states. Conclusion and clinical relevance – The use of an ITD in dogs during acute hemorrhagic hypovolemic shock improved cardiovascular parameters but had negative effects on RC and ResR. (J Vet Emerg Crit Care 2011; 21(6): 618–624) doi: 10.1111/j.1476-4431.2011.00692.x
Fatal occupational injury rates in southern and non-southern States, by race and Hispanic ethnicity.

Objectives. We investigated fatal occupational injury rates in the United States by race and Hispanic ethnicity during the period 1990–1996. Methods. Fatalities were identified by means of the national traumatic occupational fatalities surveillance system. Fatal occupational injury rates were calculated by race/ethnicity and region using US-census–based workforce estimates. Results. Non-Hispanic Black men in the South had the highest fatal occupational injury rate (8.5 per 100000 worker-years), followed by Hispanic men in the South (7.9 per 100000 worker-years). Fatal injury rates for Hispanic men increased over the study period, exceeding rates for non-Hispanic Black men in the latter years of observation. Conclusions. These data suggest a change in the demographics of fatal occupational injuries in the United States. Hispanic men in the South appear to be emerging as the group with the nation’s highest unintentional fatal occupational injury rate.
RMMAC: a novel robust adaptive control scheme. Part II. Performance evaluation

We present and discuss numerous stochastic simulation results that demonstrate and validate the superior performance of the robust multiple model adaptive control (RMMAC) methodology introduced in part I (Fekri et al., 2004). The system used is akin to the two-cart benchmark problem and it has a single uncertain mass. We show that the RMMAC significantly improves disturbance-rejection, as compared with the "best" nonadaptive controller designed by mixed-/spl mu/ synthesis; moreover, the RMMAC requires lower amplitude control signals. In the example considered, in addition to the uncertain mass, there are unmodeled dynamics as well as (unmeasured) stochastic disturbance inputs and noisy sensor measurements.
Complex Litigation: 5th Circuit Rejects Trial Plan for Asbestos Class

Commentary and analysis of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision in Cimino v. Raymark Industries, 5th Cir. Aug. 17, 1998), rejecting the use of statistical sampling to prove up damages in a mass tort class action. After a decade of litigation, the Fifth Circuit rejected a novel trial plan that used sampling to calculate damages in aggregate asbestos litigation that had been approved by district court Judge Robert Parker. As a result of the court’s decision in Cimino, innovative trial plans intended to streamline the disposition of mass tort claims through the use of damage sampling may now be derailed. The Cimino decision questions whether sampling techniques may be used to determine damages by extrapolation for groups of claimants. Judge Reynaldo Garza’s concurrence, however, suggests that a proper trial plan could use sampling methodology. The Fifth Circuit’s decision will cause lawyers and judges to rethink whether it is possible in diversity-based mass tort class actions to fashion a trial plan that does not violate either the Erie doctrine or the Seventh Amendment right to trial by jury, two reasons the Fifth Circuit gave for rejecting the district court’s plan. Along with the Supreme Court’s decision in Amchem Prods. Inc. v. Windsor (1997), the Fifth Circuit’s Cimino decision calls into question the judiciary’s ability to fashion procedural means to resolve tort claims collectively. This article discusses the factual and procedural background in the underlying Cimino litigation and the multiphase trail plan approved by Judge Parker and its subsequent implementation in the Cimino trial. It concludes with a discussion of the implications of the Cimino decision for mass tort litigation, and other class actions generally.
CRT-500.08 Stent Thrombosis With Bioabsorbable Vascular Scaffolds: A Meta-analysis

Recent randomized trials have raised concerns about the possibility of higher stent thrombosis (ST) with Bioabsorbable Vascular Scaffolds (BVS). We conducted this meta-analysis to further explore various types of ST rates with BVS in comparison to drug eluting stents (DES). PubMed, Web of Science
An epithelial-like cell line in continuous culture from normal adult human gingiva.

SummaryAn epithelial-like cell line has been established from an area of clinically normal adult human attached gingiva, It has a generative time of approximately 24 hours in logarithmic phase and a plating efficiency of about 80-90%.
Amorphous Solid Water: Pulsed Heating of Buried N2O4

Molecular transport and morphological change were examined in films of amorphous solid water (ASW). A buried N2O4 layer absorbs pulsed 266 nm radiation, creating heated fluid. Temperature and press...
EDGE GRINDING LAYER MODEL AND PARAMETERS IN QUICK-POINT GRINDING

For studying and analyzing the mechanism and process of quick-point grinding deeply,the models and the pa- rameters of the edge contact layer in the process are established based on the technical and geometrical characteristics of quick-point grinding.The equivalent speeds and diameters of the wheel and workpiece as well as the grinding parameters are analyzed in theory.On the basis of the works above,a formula considering the point grinding angles and the depth of cut is theoretically deduced to calculate the contact width in wheel edge,and numerical simulations are performed for the edge contact width of an ultra-thin grinding wheel and ground sur- face roughness in quick-point grinding.It is shown that the edge contact width is not always equal to the thickness of the wheel like conventional cylindrical grinding process,the point grinding angles and the depth of cut influence the edge contact width and surface roughness evidently in quick-point grinding process.
Investigation on an outbreak of type A mumps in a school

Objective To analyze an outbreak of mumps in a school of Yangzhou Hanjiang District,so as to provide evidences for control and prevention of the disease. Methods The dada were analyzed by comprehensive analysis and epidemiological investigation. Results 34 cases were confirmed as mumps,and the attack rate was 2. 25%( 34 /1 512). The first patient was attacked on April 30 of 2009,and the peak time lasted for 6days. All of the cases distributed in 10 classes,aged from 8 to 12 years old,the most cases concentrated in class one grade three,which accounted for 32%( 11 /34). Conclusions In order to control the epidemic,the prevention and control awareness and measures in school should be improved.
Application of information machine in construction of rural information service system

The information machine is more suitable information terminal product in informatization construction of rural area at present,and has the characteristics such as low price,information interaction,using simplicity,and convenience maintenance.The information machine has obviously superiority in the rural information service and is suitable extremely for using in the correlation agriculture department and peasant household.In application,we should pay attention to realize the importance of the information machine utilization,never neglect the construction of the systems and the resources.We should strive for the investment of government,simultaneously strengthen multi-departments coordinate of the China Telecom,China Mobile and China Unicom and promote together the development of rural informatization.
Dynamic Control as a Game

The BOXES algorithm can be configured to play dynamic control as a game in a manner similar to those described in Chap. 2. Adopting the notion of dynamic control as a game to be won, the essential components of any BOXES implementation are: defining the game board; identifying the game pieces; establishing the legal values for moves of those pieces; creating an end game detection mechanism; and finally, enforcing strategies for optimality and eventual winning. In this latter section lies the heart of the BOXES paradigm and later in Chap. 13 are discussions of how the layout of the game board itself may be restructured to better fit the application without completely revamping prior strategies or ignoring historical data.
An evaluation of forums for discussions on inclusion in a college of nursing

Abstract Background The lack of diversity in the nursing profession could be an outcome of unconscious biases. Forums allowing the personal reflection and discourse of these unconscious biases are needed in order for a diverse and inclusive learning environment to exist. Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of students, staff, faculty members, and guests participating in a forum on diversity and inclusion. Methods An exploratory design was used to understand the experiences of college of nursing students, staff, faculty members, and guests who participated in a diversity and inclusion intervention sponsored by the college of nursing's Diversity Advisory Council. Attendees to 12 diversity book club, movie night, and speaker series' sessions completed a program evaluation tool. Responses to open-ended items were analyzed using a constant comparative analysis method.Responses from 197 participants were analyzed. Eight book club, seven movie night, and six speaker series' themes were derived from the data including Humanness is Universal, Personal Connection, The Problem, Awareness of Disparity, Make a Difference, and No Change. Discussion Participants at each session critically dialogued about their conscious and unconscious biases. The study findings show that participants also were able to document changes to their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in relation to the historically oppressed populations focused on during the intervention activities. Conclusion Education entertainment as used in this study was a valuable mechanism for hosting conversations about diversity and inclusion.
Equitable decompositions of graphs with symmetries

Abstract We investigate connections between the symmetries (automorphisms) of a graph and its spectral properties. Whenever a graph has a symmetry, i.e. a nontrivial automorphism ϕ, it is possible to use ϕ to decompose any matrix M ∈ C n × n appropriately associated with the graph. The result of this decomposition is a number of strictly smaller matrices whose collective eigenvalues are the same as the eigenvalues of the original matrix M. Some of the matrices that can be decomposed are the graph's adjacency matrix, Laplacian matrix, etc. Because this decomposition has connections to the theory of equitable partitions it is referred to as an equitable decomposition. Since the graph structure of many real-world networks is quite large and has a high degree of symmetry, we discuss how equitable decompositions can be used to effectively bound both the network's spectral radius and spectral gap, which are associated with dynamic processes on the network. Moreover, we show that the techniques used to equitably decompose a graph can be used to bound the number of simple eigenvalues of undirected graphs, where we obtain sharp results of Petersdorf–Sachs type.
Qualitative Research Methods in Special Education: Ethnography, Microethnography, and Ethology:

Although recent publications and conference presentations provide evidence that special educators are interested in new ways of doing research, alternatives to traditional quantitative research pra...
A Vertical Axis Wave Turbine With Hydrofoil Blades

This work discusses a new wave energy converter (WEC) design that, when deployed in waves, performs unidirectional rotation about a vertical shaft. The uniqueness of this new WEC design is on utilizing omnidirectional water flow generated by waves to drive a rotor to perform unidirectional rotation about a vertical axis. This unique feature circumvents the frequency-dependent issue of common WECs, and eliminate realignment needs to cope with dynamically changing wave propagation directions. The key component of the WEC is a rotor, which has a vertical shaft with a number of blades mounted to it. Each blade has a hydrofoil-shaped cross section and is in a bent shape along its span. The spanwise bending of the blades makes the rotor capable of gaining a unidirectional driving torque about the vertical shaft no matter in which spatial direction the local water is passing by. For validating the WEC design and gaining preliminary understanding, a very first rotor model without any parametric optimization was built. Two types of experiments were then carried out by employing this model. In the first type, the model was translated (with the shaft vertically aligned all the time) in still water along a horizontal direction (back and forth), a vertical direction (up and down), and a circular orbit in a vertical plane. In the second type, the model was exposed in waves generated in a wave flume. In all the experiments, well-established unidirectional rotation of the rotor about its vertical shaft has been observed. The hydrodynamic performance of the rotor in waves was further characterized through systematic experiments under various conditions.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
CONDENSED PHOSPHATES FROM ABIOTIC SYSTEMS IN NATURE

The formation of P – O – P linkages in the biosphere is reasonably well understood and many of the reactions have been studied in detail. The formation of condensed phosphates under controlled laboratory conditions is also well known. Conversely, very little is known of the formation of condensed phosphates in the abiotic, uncontrolled systems in nature. There are a number of possible reactions which could yield a small but constantly replenished source of condensed phosphates of nonbiological origin. Although there is little, if any, tangible evidence that these reactions occurred on the Precambrian Earth, it is likely that one or more nonenzymatic routes to condensed phosphates has contributed P – 0 – P linkages throughout geological time.
Verantwortung, Gerechtigkeit und Solidarität

Dieser Beitrag untersucht erstens den Stellenwert des Konzepts personlicher Verantwortung in verschiedenen Theorien der Verteilungsgerechtigkeit und zweitens die Beziehung zwischen dem Gedanken der personlichen Verantwortung und dem der Solidaritat im Rahmen einer Gerechtigkeitskonzeption. Dabei wird der Glucksegalitarismus als stellvertretender Versuch erortert, die Theorie der Verteilungsgerechtigkeit als Funktion einer eigenstandigen Konzeption personlicher Verantwortung zu fassen. Im Anschluss an eine Klarung der Struktur des glucksegalitaristischen Ansatzes wird die Moglichkeit einer Konzeption personlicher Folgenverantwortung, die nicht ihrerseits schon eine Theorie der Gerechtigkeit voraussetzt, in Frage gestellt. Dem folgt eine Gegenuberstellung der strukturellen Rollen von personlicher Verantwortung im Glucksegalitarismus und in Rawls’ Theorie der Gerechtigkeit. Abschliesend wird gezeigt, wie diese verschiedenen strukturellen Rollen wiederum sehr unterschiedliche Auffassungen des Verhaltnisses der Ideale von personlicher Verantwortung und Solidaritat begrunden.
Socialism Means Slavery

Neoliberal economic theory has become ascendant in America in recent decades, and this body of theoretical work has been used to shape public policy in profound ways across the globe. Neoliberal ideas have routinely been put to use in fields not traditionally associated with economics, including higher education, where neoliberal theory has found a central place in public policy. A careful examination of F.A. Hayek’s book, The Road To Serfdom, perhaps the most essential of all neoliberal documents, reveals a set of ideas that many individuals familiar with the modern political version of neoliberalism might not recognize. Hayek suggests here that governments should provide “security against severe physical privation” (147) and aid in “the reduction of the avoidable causes of misdirected effort and consequent disappointment” (156).
Swarm-based Incast Congestion Control in Datacenters Serving Web Applications

In Web applications served by datacenter nowadays, the incast congestion at the front-end server seriously degrades the data request latency performance due to the vast data transmissions from a large number data servers for a data request in a short time. Previous incast congestion control methods usually consider the direct data transmissions from data servers to the front-end server, which makes it difficult to control the sending speed or adjust workloads due to the transient transmission of only a few data objects from each data server. In this paper, we propose a Swarm-based Incast Congestion Control (SICC) system. SICC forms all target data servers of one request in the same rack into a swarm. In each swarm, a data server (called hub) is selected to forward all data objects to the front-end server, so that the number of data servers concurrently connected to the front-end server is reduced, which avoids the incast congestion. Also, the continuous data transmission from hubs to the front-end server facilitates the development of other strategies to further control the incast congestion. To fully utilize the bandwidth, SICC uses a two-level data transmission speed control method to adjust the data transmission speeds of hubs. A query redirection method further reduces the request latency by balancing the transmission remaining times between hubs. Our experiments in simulation and on a real cluster demonstrate that SICC outperforms other incast control methods in improving throughput and reducing the data request latency.
Estimating Optical Flow for Large Interframe Displacements

We present a new algorithm for estimating optical flow in the presense of large interframe displacements. This algorithm relies on the clustering of velocities of spatioternporally neighboring object points in velocity-time. Our algorithm is able to a large extent to overcome the aperture problem [5] and the problem of occlusion [5], Our algorithm has advantages over prior algorithms in situations where a) the cinematic sequences being dealt with have been sparsely sampled spatially and/or temporally b) there are large interframe displacements — of the order of several pixels, c) the intensity distribution in the images is non-linear, and d) the optical flow field exhibits discontinuities which need to be accurately detected. We present the results of some experiments conducted to test the performance of our algorithm on real cinematic data, and we compare this performance to that of two other algorithms on the same data.
Trispyrazolylborate Complexes: An Advanced Synthesis Experiment Using Paramagnetic NMR, Variable-Temperature NMR, and EPR Spectroscopies

A structured inquiry experiment for inorganic synthesis has been developed to introduce undergraduate students to advanced spectroscopic techniques including paramagnetic nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance. Students synthesize multiple complexes with unknown first row transition metals and identify the unknown metals by correlating spectroscopic data to electronic structure. Students are assessed through an oral presentation of their spectral analyses and conclusions. Data are included in Supporting Information for institutions without access to an EPR.
Biotransport kinetics and intratumoral biodistribution of malonodiserinolamide-derivatized [60]fullerene in a murine model of breast adenocarcinoma

[60]Fullerene is a highly versatile nanoparticle (NP) platform for drug delivery to sites of pathology owing to its small size and both ease and versatility of chemical functionalization, facilitating multisite drug conjugation, drug targeting, and modulation of its physicochemical properties. The prominent and well-characterized role of the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect in facilitating NP delivery to tumors motivated us to explore vascular transport kinetics of a water-soluble [60]fullerene derivatives using intravital microscopy in an immune competent murine model of breast adenocarcinoma. Herein, we present a novel local and global image analysis of vascular transport kinetics at the level of individual tumor blood vessels on the micron scale and across whole images, respectively. Similar to larger nanomaterials, [60]fullerenes displayed rapid extravasation from tumor vasculature, distinct from that in normal microvasculature. Temporal heterogeneity in fullerene delivery to tumors was observed, demonstrating the issue of nonuniform delivery beyond spatial dimensions. Trends in local region analysis of fullerene biokinetics by fluorescence quantification were in agreement with global image analysis. Further analysis of intratumoral vascular clearance rates suggested a possible enhanced penetration and retention effect of the fullerene compared to a 70 kDa vascular tracer. Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of tracking and quantifying the delivery kinetics and intratumoral biodistribution of fullerene-based drug delivery platforms, consistent with the EPR effect on short timescales and passive transport to tumors.
Complexation-assisted reduction: complexes of glutaroimide-dioxime with tetravalent actinides (Np(IV) and Th(IV))

Glutaroimide-dioxime forms strong complexes with tetravalent Th(iv) and Np(iv) in aqueous solution. In conjunction with literature data on the complexation of glutaroimide-dioxime with other metal ions, it was found that the complexes become weaker as the effective charge density on the metal ions decreases: V5+ > Th4+ ≈ Fe3+ > UO22+ > Eu3+/Nd3+ > Cu2+ > Pb2+ > NpO2+ > Ca2+/Mg2+. In the glutaroimide-dioxime complexes with Th(iv) and Np(iv), deprotonation of the imide group and relocation of the two hydrogen atoms from oxygen to nitrogen of the oxime groups result in a large conjugated system (-O-N-C-N-C-N-O-) that coordinates strongly to the metal center in a tridentate mode via the central imide nitrogen atom and the two oxime oxygen atoms. Because the stability of glutaroimide-dioxime complexes with Np(iv) is much higher than those with Np(v), the redox potential of the Np(v)/Np(iv) couple is expected to be shifted significantly. As a result, crystals of glutaroimide-dioxime complexes with Np(iv) were readily obtained from initial solutions containing Np(v). A mechanism of complexation-assisted reduction integrating the thermodynamic and structural data from this work is discussed.
Inelastic Excitations and Absorption Effect in Electron Diffraction

As illustrated in Part I, Bragg reflections are the only beams expected to be observed in electron diffraction patterns of crystals. In practice, diffuse scattering, distributed at non-Bragg reflection angles, is seen, and some dark and bright line pairs and bands, so called Kikuchi lines and bands, also appear in the pattern. These features are observed experimentally, as shown by a diffraction pattern of α-Al2O3 [1120] in Fig. 6.1. The formation of a Kikuchi pattern is attributed to the inelastic-scattering effect in electron diffraction.
Tiazofurin induction of mouse erythroleukemia cell hemoglobin production in the absence of commitment or changes in protooncogene expression.

Tiazofurin (2-beta-D-ribofuranosylthiazole-4-carboxamide, NSC 286193), is a synthetic nucleoside inhibitor of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase and blocks guanine nucleotide biosynthesis. In the present study, we examined the effects of tiazofurin on mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cell differentiation and protooncogene expression. Tiazofurin induced hemoglobin production in MEL cells in a concentration-dependent manner, as measured by an increase in benzidine staining. Northern blot analysis of MEL cells treated with 7 mumol/L tiazofurin demonstrated accumulation of both alpha- and beta-globin RNA transcripts. This induction of differentiation was blocked by the presence of exogenous guanosine (100 mumol/L). In contrast to the down- regulation of c-myc and c-myb RNA in MEL cells induced by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA), there was no detectable change in levels of these transcripts after tiazofurin treatment. Furthermore, MEL cells induced by tiazofurin did not commit to terminal differentiation. These results suggest a role for guanine nucleotides, at least in part, in the regulation of MEL cell differentiation.
Subfactorizations and Asymptotic Numbers of One-Factorizations

Consider a graph G with a one-factorization F = {F l, F 2, ...}. Suppose H is a subgraph of G. Normally H ⋂ F i will consist of some edges and some vertices. It may be, however, that for every i, H ⋂ F i consists either only of edges or only of vertices; in other words each H ⋂ F i either is a one-factor of H or has edge-set ∅. If this occurs, order the F i so that H ⋂ F 1, H ⋂ F 2, ..., H ⋂ F t are one-factors in H, while H ⋂ F j has no edges for j > t. Then the first t factors H ⋂ F j form a one-factorization of H, and this is called a subfactorization of.F (or a subfactorization of H in G).
Impact of different standard red blood cell storage temperatures on human and canine RBC hemolysis and chromium survival.

Background Storage temperature is a critical factor for maintaining red-blood cell (RBC) viability, especially during prolonged cold storage. The target range of 1 to 6°C was established decades ago and may no longer be optimal for current blood-banking practices. Study design and methods Human and canine RBCs were collected under standard conditions and stored in precision-controlled refrigerators at 2°C, 4°C, or 6°C. Results During 42-day storage, human and canine RBCs showed progressive increases in supernatant non-transferrin-bound iron, cell-free hemoglobin, base deficit, and lactate levels that were overall greater at 6°C and 4°C than at 2°C. Animals transfused with 7-day-old RBCs had similar plasma cell-free hemoglobin and non-transferrin-bound iron levels at 1 to 72 hours for all three temperature conditions by chromium-51 recovery analysis. However, animals transfused with 35-day-old RBCs stored at higher temperatures developed plasma elevations in non-transferrin-bound iron and cell-free hemoglobin at 24 and 72 hours. Despite apparent impaired 35-day storage at 4°C and 6°C compared to 2°C, posttransfusion chromium-51 recovery at 24 hours was superior at higher temperatures. This finding was confounded by a preparation artifact related to an interaction between temperature and storage duration that leads to removal of fragile cells with repeated washing of the radiolabeled RBC test sample and renders the test sample unrepresentative of the stored unit. Conclusions RBCs stored at the lower bounds of the temperature range are less metabolically active and produce less anaerobic acidosis and hemolysis, leading to a more suitable transfusion product. The higher refrigeration temperatures are not optimal during extended RBC storage and may confound chromium viability studies.
A3-A3 Bypass Surgery for Aneurysm: Technical Nuances.

Background Cerebral bypass remains important for the treatment of complex cerebral aneurysms including dissecting, giant, and fusiform aneurysms not amenable to endovascular treatment or simple clip ligation. For such aneurysms involving the anterior communicating artery complex or its branches, distal anterior cerebral artery (ACA) A3-A3 side-to-side bypass represents a valuable treatment option. Distal ACA in situ anastomosis is recognized to be technically demanding mainly due to the relative depth and narrowness of the interhemispheric surgical corridor and type of anastomosis. Objective To demonstrate technical nuances of A3-A3 side-to-side in situ bypass surgery through case illustrations and operative videos. Methods Elements of the procedure relating to positioning, approach, and anastomosis which have evolved in the operative technique of the senior author were collated based on review of clinical case material, imaging and video recordings of ACA aneurysms treated with side-to-side in situ A3-A3 bypass procedure. Technical elements were contrasted with relevant literature. Results Nuances relative to patient positioning, selection of craniotomy variants, adjunctive intraoperative tools and microsurgical nuances of the side-to-side bypass procedure are reviewed. Three illustrative operative video cases, along with illustrations, are provided to complement the description of the nuances. Conclusion In the light of the inherent technical difficulty, as well as the rather limited case volumes, the technical tips provided may contribute to bringing additional refinement and simplicity to the A3-A3 bypass procedure.
Topic detection of online book reviews: preliminary results

This study is part of a larger research project which aims to investigate whether online reviews on children's books would represent significant factors which are useful for selecting appropriate books for children. This paper presents the preliminary results on topic detection of online book reviews. Topic modeling using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) generated several topic terms from online reviews, and we categorized those topic terms into eleven categories. Sentiment analysis was applied to examine the emotional aspects of the reviews. We examined that sentiment words which have a powerful effect on polarity values to determine whether those sentiment words appear as topic words extracted by the LDA topic modeling. The results of our study have a significant implication on understanding user behavior in online book reviews.
Effects of cultural institutes on bilateral trade and FDI flows: Cultural diplomacy or economic altruism?

The number of cultural institutes from major developed and developing countries increased significantly in the last twenty years. In this paper, using cross‐sectional and panel data analysis on bilateral trade in goods and services, and FDI inflows and outflows, we examine the economic effects of 1,266 cultural institutes from China, France, Germany, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Turkey and UK for the period of 1990–2015. The empirical results suggest that cultural institutes have significantly positive trade and FDI enhancing effects, which are persistent over time. However, these effects are most robust only with goods exports and FDI outflows. Furthermore, the economic effects of cultural institutes are not homogenous across destinations and are the strongest for developed rather than developing host countries. There is also significant heterogeneity among cultural institutes with significant differences in their economic effects on different types of bilateral trade and FDI flows.
Student Evaluations Gone Wild: Rants and the Mixed Bags of Nuts

This chapter presents some of the scathing comments written about college professors on RateMyProfessors.com. The chapter delineates problem areas in college instruction/instructors, as perceived by college students. The chapter also considers mixed and neutral commentaries. Finally, the chapter notes that students monitor their peers online, evident when students come to the defense of professors whom they felt were unjustly rebuked.
Deep Kernel Coherence Encoder

Here we propose a non-linear generalization of Kernel Canonical Correlation Analysis (KCCA) using deep neural networks, which we call a Deep Kernel Coherence Encoder (DKCE). While classic KCCA only provides a few parameters that can be trained using data, DKCE works by optimizing over many parameters encoded in a combination of a radial basis function kernel and a deep neural network. This novel structure simultaneously provides a large number of parameters, through the deep neural network, and an infinite dimensional feature space, by way of the radial basis function kernel and Mercer’s theorem. Moreover, we provide an efficient computational back-propagation method based on entry-wise coherence maximization that can be used in high-dimensional settings and implemented using standard software libraries. Lastly, we provide preliminary, but suggestive, results of our proposed method on the MNIST and Fashion MNIST data sets, and provide directions for future research.
Longitudinal Evidence on Grandparenting and Cognitive Function in Older Adults in China

The current study aimed to investigate the association between grandparenting intensity and cognitive function over time in older grandparents in China. We also assessed whether the association was...
Effect of comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders on children and adolescents undergoing surgery for moderate and severe congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND Children and adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at an increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs). The purpose of this study is to determine how a comorbid NPD affects hospital outcomes and costs for CHD patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS Retrospective review of the 2000-2012 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Databases for admissions 10 to 21 years old with an ICD-9 code for moderate or severe CHD and a procedure code for cardiopulmonary bypass as a marker for cardiac surgery; admissions with syndromes that could be associated with NPD were excluded. Demographics, hospital outcomes, and charges were compared between admissions with and without NPD ICD-9 codes using analysis of variance, independent samples Kruskal-Wallis, and χ2 , as appropriate. RESULTS There were 4768 admissions with CHD and cardiac surgery: 4285 (90%) with no NPD, 93 (2%) with cognitive deficits, 390 (8%) with mood/behavior deficits. Patients with NPD had a longer length of stay and higher mean charges (P < .001 for both). Patients with mood/behavior deficits were older and patients with cognitive deficits were more likely female (P < .001 for both). CONCLUSIONS Children and adolescents with moderate or severe CHD and NPD who undergo cardiac surgery incur longer hospital stays and higher charges. Recognizing and addressing the underlying NPDs may be important to improve postoperative progression for children and adolescents with CHD hospitalized for cardiac surgery.
Hand fine motor control in classic galactosemia.

Classic galactosemia (CG) is a rare inborn error of metabolism that results from profound deficiency of galactose-1-P uridylyltransferase (GALT). Despite early detection and rapid and lifelong dietary restriction of galactose, which is the current standard of care, most patients grow to experience a broad range of complications that can include motor difficulties. The goal of this study was to characterize hand fine motor control deficit among children and adults with classic galactosemia (CG). Specifically, we used Neuroglyphics software to collect digital Archimedes spiral drawings on a touch screen from 57 volunteers with CG (cases) and 80 controls. Hand fine motor control was scored as root mean square (RMS) of spirals drawn relative to an idealized template. Presence of tremor was defined as a peak in periodicity of changes in drawing speed or direction in the 4-8 Hz range. We observed a highly significant difference (P < .001) in RMS scores between cases and controls, with almost 51% of cases showing at least 1 of 4 spirals scoring outside the 95th percentile for controls. The corresponding prevalence for controls was 10%. Similarly, more than 35% of cases, and almost 14% of controls, showed at least 1 of 4 spirals with a tremor amplitude above the 95th % cutoff for controls. Our results both confirm and extend what is known about hand fine motor control deficit among children and adults with CG and establish digital assessment as a useful approach to quantify this outcome.
Low-resolution infrared temperature analysis for disease situation awareness via machine learning on a mobile platform

In times of health crises disease situation awareness is critical in the prevention and containment of the disease. One indicator for the development of many contagious diseases is the presence of fever and the proposed system, IRFIS, extends prior research into fever detection via infrared imaging in two key ways. Firstly, the system utilizes a modern, machine learning based object detection model for detecting heads, supplanting the traditional methods that relied upon shape matching. Secondly, IRFIS is capable of running from the Android mobile platform using a small, commercial-grade infrared camera. IRFIS’s head detection model when evaluated on a dataset of unseen images, achieved an AP of 96.7% with an IoU of 0.50 and an AR of 75.7% averaged over IoU values between 0.50 and 0.95. IRFIS calculates the target’s maximum temperature in the detected head sub-image and real results are presented as well as avenues of future work are explored.