cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated Isolation of Translational Efficiency Bias That Resists the Confounding Effect of GC(AT)-Content

Genomic sequencing projects are an abundant source of information for biological studies ranging from the molecular to the ecological in scale; however, much of the information present may yet be hidden from casual analysis. One such information domain, trends in codon usage, can provide a wealth of information about an organism's genes and their expression. Degeneracy in the genetic code allows more than one triplet codon to code for the same amino acid, and usage of these codons is often biased such that one or more of these synonymous codons are preferred. Detection of this bias is an important tool in the analysis of genomic data, particularly as a predictor of gene expressivity. Methods for identifying codon usage bias in genomic data that rely solely on genomic sequence data are susceptible to being confounded by the presence of several factors simultaneously influencing codon selection. Presented here is a new technique for removing the effects of one of the more common confounding factors, GC(AT)-content, and of visualizing the search-space for codon usage bias through the use of a solution landscape. This technique successfully isolates expressivity-related codon usage trends, using only genomic sequence information, where other techniques fail due to the presence of GC(AT)-content confounding influences.
The African Swine Fever Virus Thymidine Kinase Gene Is Required for Efficient Replication in Swine Macrophages and for Virulence in Swine

African swine fever virus (ASFV) replicates in the cytoplasm of infected cells and contains genes encoding a number of enzymes needed for DNA synthesis, including a thymidine kinase (TK) gene. Recombinant TK gene deletion viruses were produced by using two highly pathogenic isolates of ASFV through homologous recombination with an ASFV p72 promoter-beta-glucuronidase indicator cassette (p72GUS) flanked by ASFV sequences targeting the TK region. Attempts to isolate double-crossover TK gene deletion mutants on swine macrophages failed, suggesting a growth deficiency of TK- ASFV on macrophages. Two pathogenic ASFV isolates, ASFV Malawi and ASFV Haiti, partially adapted to Vero cells, were used successfully to construct TK deletion viruses on Vero cells. The selected viruses grew well on Vero cells, but both mutants exhibited a growth defect on swine macrophages at low multiplicities of infection (MOI), yielding 0.1 to 1.0% of wild-type levels. At high MOI, the macrophage growth defect was not apparent. The Malawi TK deletion mutant showed reduced virulence for swine, producing transient fevers, lower viremia titers, and reduced mortality. In contrast, 100% mortality was observed for swine inoculated with the TK+ revertant virus. Swine surviving TK- ASFV infection remained free of clinical signs of African swine fever following subsequent challenge with the parental pathogenic ASFV. The data indicate that the TK gene of ASFV is important for growth in swine macrophages in vitro and is a virus virulence factor in swine.
Olfactory Marker Protein (OMP) Exhibits a β-Clam Fold in Solution: Implications for Target Peptide Interaction and Olfactory Signal Transduction

Olfactory marker protein (OMP) is a ubiquitous, cytoplasmic protein found in mature olfactory receptor neurons of all vertebrates. Electrophysiological and behavioral studies demonstrate that it is a modulator of the olfactory signal transduction pathway. Here, we demonstrate that the solution structure of OMP, as determined by NMR studies, is a single globular domain protein comprised of eight beta-strands forming two beta-sheets oriented orthogonally to one another, thus exhibiting a "beta-clam" or "beta-sandwich" fold: beta-sheet 1 is comprised of beta3-beta8-beta1-beta2 and beta-sheet 2 contains beta6-beta5-beta4-beta7. Insertions include two, long alpha-helices located on opposite sides of the beta-clam and three flexible loops. The juxtaposition of beta-strands beta6-beta5-beta4-beta7-beta2-beta1-beta8-beta3 forms a continuously curved surface and encloses one side of the beta-clam. The "cleft" formed by the two beta-sheets is opposite to the closed end of the beta-clam. Using a peptide titration series, we have identified this cleft as the binding surface for a peptide derived from the Bex1 protein. The highly conserved Omega-loop structure adjacent to the Bex1 peptide-binding surface found in OMP may be the site of additional OMP-protein interactions related to its role in modulating olfactory signal transduction. Thus, the interaction between the OMP and Bex1 proteins could facilitate the interaction between OMP and other components of the olfactory signaling pathway.
Tameshi-Giri (and Suemono-Giri) as a Sub-Cultural Custom and Social Structure in Feudal Era Japan: A Socio-Cultural Analysis of Transformation of Its Symbolic Meanings and Functions

“Tameshi-giri” (or “suemono-giri”), in which corpses were used as mediums to test the quality of swords or the skill of swordsmen, was an unusual cultural practice of the samurai (i.e., warrior) class in feudal era Japan. Although tameshi-giri as a modern martial art jargon referring to “a method of training in the use of a sword by cutting conventional mediums” has already been imported to the Western world, the original socio-cultural meanings it symbolized as a sub-cultural custom and its societal functions as a social structure of pre-modern Japan are rarely discussed in the context of social science. Given this, the purpose of this paper is to offer a social-historical analysis of the old tameshi-giri custom as a social structure by focusing on the transformation of its manifest and latent functions. In doing so, it also aims to clarify some of the misconceptions and confusions associated with it.
10 MW GTO converter for battery peaking service

A bidirectional 18-pulse voltage-source converter utilizing gate-turnoff thyristors (GTOs) is described. The converter, which is rated 10 MVA, was placed in service in early 1988 to connect an energy storage battery to a utility grid. The converter is rated and controlled to operate in all four quadrants (discharge, charge, leading VAr, or lagging VAr) at the full 10 MVA rating. It is capable of independent rapid control of real and reactive power with a transient response of 16 ms to changes in commanded value of real or reactive power. Thus it is usable as a reactive power controller (static VAr control), voltage control, frequency control, power system stabilizer, or real power peaking station. For use as a reactive power controller only, no battery would be needed. The design, construction, control, and application of the converter are described, and performance data taken at factory power test and at the installation are given. >
Modulation of [Ca2+]i signaling dynamics and metabolism by perinuclear mitochondria in mouse parotid acinar cells

Parotid acinar cells exhibit rapid cytosolic calcium signals ([Ca2+]i) that initiate in the apical region but rapidly become global in nature. These characteristic [Ca2+]i signals are important for effective fluid secretion, which critically depends on a synchronized activation of spatially separated ion fluxes. Apically restricted [Ca2+]i signals were never observed in parotid acinar cells. This is in marked contrast to the related pancreatic acinar cells, where the distribution of mitochondria has been suggested to contribute to restricting [Ca2+]i signals to the apical region. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the mitochondrial distribution and the role of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake in shaping the spatial and temporal properties of [Ca2+]i signaling in parotid acinar cells. Confocal imaging of cells stained with MitoTracker dyes (MitoTracker Green FM or MitoTracker CMXRos) and SYTO dyes (SYTO-16 and SYTO-61) revealed that a majority of mitochondria is localized around the nucleus. Carbachol (CCh) and caged inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-evoked [Ca2+]i signals were delayed as they propagated through the nucleus. This delay in the CCh-evoked nuclear [Ca2+]i signal was abolished by inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake with ruthenium red and Ru360. Likewise, simultaneous measurement of [Ca2+]i with mitochondrial [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]m), using fura-2 and rhod-FF, respectively, revealed that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake was also inhibited by ruthenium red and Ru360. Finally, at concentrations of agonist that evoke [Ca2+]i oscillations, mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, and a nuclear [Ca2+] delay, CCh also evoked a substantial increase in NADH autofluorescence. This autofluorescence exhibited a predominant perinuclear localization that was also sensitive to mitochondrial inhibitors. These data provide evidence that perinuclear mitochondria and mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake may differentially shape nuclear [Ca2+] signals but more importantly drive mitochondrial metabolism to generate ATP close to the nucleus. These effects may profoundly affect a variety of nuclear processes in parotid acinar cells while facilitating efficient fluid secretion.
Video Editing: A Service-learning Assignment in Adapted Physical Education

For most physical education teacher education (PETE) programs, the constraints surrounding the undergraduate curriculum (e.g., number of credit hours, dual content certificates such as health and physical education, content knowledge) limit PETE programs to offering only one course in adapted physical education (APE) with the expectation that this training is sufficient to prepare highly qualified teachers to teach students with disabilities in general and adapted physical education. The inclusion of service learning (SL) methods in the APE curriculum is one approach to facilitating the successful preparation of preservice teachers to teach students with disabilities by increasing their opportunity to connect information learned in their program to the “real world.” Assessment strategies used in the APE course must tap into this naturalistic setting of the SL experience and ensure preservice students are prepared to assume the duties of a future professional. This article discusses how an APE course used ...
Piedmont Airlines: Discount Seat Allocation (B)

In the B case, the initial results from a Monte Carlo simulation seem to conflict with the critical-fractile result obtained earlier. The manager must figure out why and then make a decision. See also the A case (UVA-QA-0339).
Evidence for common ancestry among viruses isolated from wild birds in Beringia and highly pathogenic intercontinental reassortant H5N1 and H5N2 influenza A viruses

Highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4 H5N8, H5N2, and H5N1 influenza A viruses were first detected in wild, captive, and domestic birds in North America in November-December 2014. In this study, we used wild waterbird samples collected in Alaska prior to the initial detection of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 influenza A viruses in North America to assess the evidence for: (1) dispersal of highly pathogenic influenza A viruses from East Asia to North America by migratory birds via Alaska and (2) ancestral origins of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 reassortant viruses in Beringia. Although we did not detect highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in our sample collection from western Alaska, we did identify viruses that contained gene segments sharing recent common ancestry with intercontinental reassortant H5N2 and H5N1 viruses. Results of phylogenetic analyses and estimates for times of most recent common ancestry support migratory birds sampled in Beringia as maintaining viral diversity closely related to novel highly pathogenic influenza A virus genotypes detected in North America. Although our results do not elucidate the route by which highly pathogenic influenza A viruses were introduced into North America, genetic evidence is consistent with the hypothesized trans-Beringian route of introduction via migratory birds.
Asian American Public Relations Practitioners' Perspectives on Diversity

ABSTRACTShifting demographics in the United States imply growing diversity in the marketplace and create unprecedented demand for professionals capable of communicating strategically with diverse publics. In spite of diversity efforts in mass communication, public relations faces difficulties in attracting ethnic minorities. This study explores this lack of diversity through the lens of Asian American public relations practitioners in the United States, a population that is underrepresented in the field of public relations despite being the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. In-depth interviews with Asian American practitioners reveal a perceived lack of diversity in public relations, attributed to lack of interest in public relations within Asian American communities, limited knowledge about the industry and opportunities for ethnic minorities, family influence to pursue other professions, and cultural expectations for Asian American professionals to attain leadership roles, which are sca...
Analysis of enterotoxin of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from food and food poisoning samples

Objective To compare the distribution and difference of the enterotoxin type of Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus)isolated from food and food poisoning samples in Haidian district.Methods Bacteria strains of S.aureus were isolated from food and food poisoning samples in Haidian district of Beijing from 2007 to 2012.The type of Enterotoxin was determined based on GB 4789.10-2010,A-E staphylococcal enterotoxinproducting assay by ELISA(SEA-SEE).Results Enterotoxin was found in 108out of 127strains of S.aureus with the overall positive rate of 85%,including 76strains from 93S.aureus isolated from food samples(81.7%)and 32strains from 34S.aureus isolated from food poisoning samples(94.1%).There were 47strains(43.5%)in which only one type of enterotoxin was identified,while 37strains(34.3%)were found to be able to produce 3types of enterotoxins.Enterotoxin SEA and SED were mainly found in strains isolated from food poisoning samples(65.6%and 65.6%).98strains were found to produce SEE,accounting for 90.7%of total enterotoxin-positive strains,which was the most common type identified in the study,followed by A,D,C and B.Conclusions Food-borne S.aureus has higher ability to produce enterotoxin and the types of enterotoxin produced by S.aureus isolated from food samples are different from those isolated from food poisoning samples.
Pre-service teacher education in Nauru: Where, who, and why

Rural education thrives on building teaching capacity and mentoring from within communities. Whilst isolated and remote areas have the potential to participate in online teacher education, strategic and effective delivery requires a targeted analysis of the characteristics of the learners, the motivations that drive them, and day-to-day environmental and community factors influencing the students’ studies. This paper reports on an innovative model of teacher education recently implemented in the Republic of Nauru. In this model, the Nauruan Government has partnered with an Australian regional university to develop quality Pacific-focused teacher education programs that are delivered through a hybrid of online and classroom instruction. The Nauru Teacher Education Project (NTEP), conceptualised and administered by the University of New England, provides culturally responsive online and on-island teacher development for the community of Nauru. It is here that the lecturers come to ‘know the students’.
Reflection and Case Study of Creative Learning Environment

The bisociative framework of the Teaching research method supports a creative learning environment (CLE) in the classrooms. The essential goal of our teaching research team was to design research in our respective classes, which promotes creating learning environment. In the different chapters of the Unit 2, Vrunda Prabu gave several examples of CLE in her classes that she had provided to improve learning.
Kelsen, Justice, and Constructivism

Recent debate in moral and political philosophy has been concerned with constructivism. Constructivism is the thesis that objective values are constructions of reason and that their validity is determined by rational criteria. Constructivism poses a challenge to Kelsen’s position that justice is a subjective value. Kelsen’s critique of practical reason and deontic logic in General Theory of Norms is best understood as a response to constructivism. Kelsen’s arguments can be a contribution to contemporary debates about constructivism, particularly the constructivism of Rawls.
Optimal dual adaptive agile mobile wireless power control

Mobile wireless channels change persistently and rapidly, so power control needs to adapt similarly in order to save battery power and mitigate interference. Training signals in every data packet are used to achieve this in current systems, albeit in a suboptimal fashion from a power consumption perspective. This problem is used as the basis for posing and solving in detail an optimal dual adaptive control problem and then deriving heuristic controllers from this optimal solution. Dual refers to the joint requirements of the control signal to probe the system for parameter estimation and to regulate the total energy use; these are conflicting requirements which reveal the complexity of optimal stochastic control in general. The information state is defined, computed and explicitly incorporated into the optimization. Performance and computational load comparisons are made between: the optimal control, the certainty equivalence control, and a simplified heuristic approach. The contribution of the paper is the explicit solution of a classically hard optimal stochastic control problem to expose the role of the information state.
The Simple View, Instructional Level, and the Plight of Struggling Fifth-/Sixth-Grade Readers

ABSTRACTThis study explored print-processing and vocabulary differences among a group of 5th- and 6th-grade students who had scored below the 50th percentile on a standardized reading test. Guided by the simple view of reading, we applied cut scores (low/high) to the students’ performance on print-processing and vocabulary tasks. The design allowed for the placement of students in 1 of 4 reader profiles: (a) high print processing/low vocabulary (25%), (b) high print processing/high vocabulary (14%), (c) low print processing/high vocabulary (14%), or (d) low print processing/low vocabulary (48%). An important finding was that 62% of the students could not read grade-level text with adequate accuracy and rate. In fact, many could not read comfortably a full level below their grade placement. We consider instructional implications.
Simply more than swiping left: A critical analysis of toxic masculine performances on Tinder Nightmares:

Launching in September 2012, Tinder has become a popular phenomenon in the world of online dating and hookup culture. Simultaneously, it carries notorious reputation for being home to hypersexual a...
Sugammadex to reverse neuromuscular blockade in a child with a past history of cardiac transplantation

Sugammadex is a novel agent for the reversal of neuromuscular blockade. The speed and efficacy of reversal with sugammadex are significantly faster than acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, such as neostigmine. Sugammadex also has a limited adverse profile when compared with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, specifically in regard to the incidence of bradycardia. This adverse effect may be particularly relevant in the setting of a heart transplant recipient with a denervated heart. The authors present a case of an 8-year-old child, status postcardiac transplantation, who required anesthetic care for laparoscopy and lysis of intra-abdominal adhesions. Sugammadex was used to reverse neuromuscular blockade and avoid the potential adverse effects of neostigmine. The unique mechanism of action of sugammadex is discussed, previous reports of its use in this unique patient population are reviewed, and its potential benefits compared to traditional acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are presented.
Impact Biomechanics of the Lower Extremities

This chapter deals with the biomechanics of impact injuries sustained by the upper and lower legs, or, in anatomical terms, the thigh and the leg. Injuries to the foot will be discussed in Chap. 15. In both frontal and lateral impacts, the lower extremities are at risk of being injured when they come into contact with the dash or the car door. The mechanisms of injury are explored and the types of injuries are discussed.
Abstract 2033: Testing the combined effects of low dose olaparib plus ibrutinib on MCL cytotoxicity

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) presents a therapeutic challenge, with frequent relapses after therapy due to high levels of DNA damage and disease evolution. One currently approved MCL therapeutic, ibrutinib, is a tissue-specific agent with relatively few adverse effects. However, ibrutinib is administered at high dose for MCL and provides only a short progression-free survival time. To potentially improve ibrutinib therapy for MCL, we tested the effects of combining ibrutinib with the DNA damage response inhibitor, olaparib, on MCL cells in vitro. We confirmed that ibrutinib monotherapy is cytotoxic to MCL cell lines only at high doses (> 25 μM). In contrast, single-agent olaparib treatment is cytotoxic at lower concentrations (10 μM). Importantly, the addition of low dose olaparib to ibrutinib has an additive cytotoxic effect. Notably, the effects of ibrutinib alone and in combination are dependent on cell medium composition. Our findings support clinical testing of ibrutinib plus olaparib therapy to reduce MCL cell burden initially and to potentially slow MCL cell evolution in the longer term. Our data also suggest the possibility for more effective ibrutinib-based therapy via manipulation of the MCL cell niche. Citation Format: Adam D. Curtis, Todd A. Hoffert, Sheila S. Rajan, Jens Rueter, Lindsay S. Shopland. Testing the combined effects of low dose olaparib plus ibrutinib on MCL cytotoxicity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2033. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2033
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Multiple Deletions: mtDNA Analysis by Massively Parallel Sequencing (P07.020)

OBJECTIVE: To search for mtDNA defects in 18 unrelated patients with suspected mitochondrial disorder on the basis of clinical phenotype and/or histological evidence for mitochondrial myopathy. BACKGROUND: The molecular diagnosis of many patients with mitochondrial disorder remains elusive. Defects in the mtDNA can be easily detected by the recently developed one-step comprehensive massively parallel sequencing (LR-PCR/MPS) based analysis for simultaneous detection of mtDNA point mutations and large mtDNA deletions with heteroplasmy quantification. DESIGN/METHODS: We tested muscle of 2 groups of patients, age 21-72 years, by LR-PCR/MPS. Group #1 included 11 patients with myopathy alone or associated with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and/or peripheral neuropathy, 10 of whom had histological evidence for mitochondrial myopathy. Group #2 included 7 patients with central and peripheral nervous system involvement, 4 with mitochondrial myopathy on biopsy and 3 with normal muscle biopsy. Two patients from group #1 and 4 patients from group #2 had negative mtDNA common point mutations and deletion screening by traditional PCR/ASO and Southern blot, respectively. RESULTS: Group #1: All 11 patients showed multiple mtDNA deletions; in addition, 3 patients carried a primary pathogenic mtDNA mutation. Group #2: 3 patients had multiple mtDNA deletions and 2 of them, age 38, carried also pathogenic mtDNA missense mutations; 2 patients harbored pathogenic mtDNA missense mutations associated with a large scale deletion in one; 2 subjects (age 32 and 55 years, respectively) showed normal mtDNA. CONCLUSIONS: Histological signs of mitochondrial myopathy are likely to be accompanied by mtDNA deletions or point mutations. While the etiology of multiple deletions is indeterminate and requires nuclear genes analysis, mtDNA deletions accompanying pathogenic point mutations, independently from patient9s age, may contribute to the phenotypic severity. The increased sensitivity of LR-PCR/MPS might decrease specificity of the mtDNA deletions as finding suggestive of defects in nuclear genes affecting mtDNA maintenance. Supported by: The Mayo Clinic CTSA through grant number UL1 RR024150 from NIH/NCRR. Disclosure: Dr. Milone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Li has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tian has nothing to disclose. Dr. Folger has nothing to disclose. Dr. Weinshenker has received personal compensation for activities with Novartis, Biogen Idec, Elan Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline Inc., Asahi Kasei Kuraray Medical Company as a consultant and/or participant on a data safety monitoring board. Dr. Weinshenker has received (royalty or license fee or contractual rights) payments from Mayo Medical Ventures. Dr. Li has nothing to disclose.
Exploring the Effectiveness of Twitter at Polling the United States 2016 Presidential Election

Tweets are frequently used to express opinions, specifically when the topic of choice is polarizing, as it is in politics. With many variables effecting the choice of vote, the most effective method of determining election outcome is through public opinion polling. We seek to determine whether Twitter can be an effective polling method for the 2016 United States general election. To this aim, we create a dataset consisting of approximately 3 million tweets ranging from September 22nd to November 8th related to either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. We incorporate two approaches in polling voter opinion for election outcomes: tweet volume and sentiment. Our data is labeled via a convolutional neural network trained on the sentiment140 dataset. To determine whether Twitter is an indicator of election outcome, we compare our results to three polls conducted by various reputable sources during the 13 days before the election. Our results show that when using tweet sentiment, we obtain similar margins to polls conducted during the election period and come close to the actual popular vote outcome.
Urinary protein biomarkers of kidney injury in patients receiving cisplatin chemotherapy

Despite recent progress in the development of novel approaches to treat cancer, traditional antineoplastic drugs, such as cisplatin, remain a mainstay of regimens targeting solid tumors. Use of cisplatin is limited by acute kidney injury, which occurs in approximately 30% of patients. Current clinical measures, such as serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate, are inadequate in their ability to detect acute kidney injury, particularly when there is only a moderate degree of injury. Thus, there is an urgent need for improved diagnostic biomarkers to predict nephrotoxicity. There is also interest by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to validate and implement new biomarkers to identify clinical and subclinical acute kidney injury in patients during the drug approval process. This minireview provides an overview of the current literature regarding the utility of urinary proteins (albumin, beta-2-microglobulin, N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase, kidney injury molecule-1, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and cystatin C) as biomarkers for cisplatin-induced AKI. Many of the well-studied urinary proteins (KIM-1, NGAL, B2M, albumin) as well as emerging biomarkers (calbindin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and trefoil factor 3) display distinct patterns of time-dependent excretion after cisplatin administration. Implementation of these biomarker proteins in the oncology clinic has been hampered by a lack of validation studies. To address these issues, large head-to-head studies are needed to fully characterize time-dependent responses and establish accurate cutoff values and ranges, particularly in cancer patients. Impact statement There is growing interest in using urinary protein biomarkers to detect acute kidney injury in oncology patients prescribed the nephrotoxic anticancer drug cisplatin. We aim to synthesize and organize the existing literature on biomarkers examined clinically in patients receiving cisplatin-containing chemotherapy regimens. This minireview highlights several proteins (kidney injury molecule-1, beta-2-microglobulin, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, calbindin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, trefoil factor 3) with the greatest promise for detecting cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury in humans. A comprehensive review of the existing literature may aid in the design of larger studies needed to implement the clinical use of these urinary proteins as biomarkers of kidney injury.
Handheld dual-modality wide-field fluorescent imaging guided dual-axis confocal microscope for fluorescence molecular guidance of precise tumor resection in head and neck surgery (Conference Presentation)

Wide-field fluorescent imaging for fluorescence molecular guidance has become a promising technique for use in imaging guided surgical navigation, but quick and intuitive microscopic inspection of fluorescent hot spots is still needed to confirm local disease states of tissues. To address this unmet need, we have developed a clinically translatable dual-modality handheld surgical microscope that incorporates both, wide-field (mesoscopic) fluorescence imaging and high-resolution (microscopic) horizontal optical-sectioning. This is accomplished by integrating a commercially available wide-field fiberscope, modified for two-color (660nm and 785nm) fluorescent detection, into a compact package (5.5 mm dia.) which also contains a dual-axis confocal (DAC) microscope. DAC microscopy is a high-sensitivity, high-resolution fluorescent imaging technology that benefits from the specificity of molecular probes, and enables interrogation of deeper regions of tissue by performing optical-sectioning of tissue. The DAC microscope has been designed with custom catadioptric micro-lenses to provide broadband multispectral capability for fluorescence imaging of multiple fluorophores over a broad spectral range (VIS to NIR), and also uses a novel MEMS-based scanning system for horizontal sectioning, and thus enables access to deeper regions of tissue at resolutions comparable to histological analysis. Large field-of-view (mm scale) is further provided by image mosaicing. The instrument thus provides simultaneous mesoscopic and microscopic fluorescence imaging over a broad spectral range for intuitively performing fast in-vivo search and microscopic confirmation of optical molecular markers in tissue, which is a capability that will become increasingly important for precise tumor resection in oncology as more optical molecular markers become approved for human use.
Improved RF measurements of SRF cavity quality factors

Abstract SRF cavity quality factors can be accurately measured using RF-power based techniques only when the cavity is very close to critically coupled. This limitation is from systematic errors driven by non-ideal RF components. When the cavity is not close to critically coupled, these systematic effects limit the accuracy of the measurements. The combination of the complex base-band envelopes of the cavity RF signals in combination with a trombone in the circuit allow the relative calibration of the RF signals to be extracted from the data and systematic effects to be characterized and suppressed. The improved calibration allows accurate measurements to be made over a much wider range of couplings. Demonstration of these techniques during testing of a single-spoke resonator with a coupling factor of near 7 will be presented, along with recommendations for application of these techniques.
Experimental Models for Studying Food Allergy

Immunoglobulin E–mediated food allergy is rapidly developing into a global health problem. Publicly available therapeutic intervention strategies are currently restricted to allergen avoidance and emergency treatments. To gain a better understanding of the disease pathophysiology so that new therapies can be developed, major research efforts have been put into studying food allergy in mice. Animal models should reflect the human pathology as closely as possible to allow for a rapid translation of basic science observations to the bedside. In this regard, experimental models of food allergy provide significant challenges for research because of discrepancies between the presentation of disease in humans and mice. The goal of this review is to give a summary of commonly used murine disease models and to discuss how they relate to the human condition. We will focus on epicutaneous sensitization models, on mouse strains that sensitize spontaneously to food as seen in humans, and on models in humanized animals. In summary, expanding the research toolbox of experimental food allergy provides an important step toward closing gaps in our understanding of the derailing immune mechanism that underlies the human disease. The availability of additional experimental models will provide exciting opportunities to discover new intervention points for the treatment of food allergies. (Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018;x:x)
Reduced-Order Microstructure-Sensitive Models for Damage Initiation in Two-Phase Composites

Local features of the internal structure or the microstructure dominate the overall performance of materials. An open problem in materials design with enhanced properties is to accurately identify and quantify salient features of the microstructure and understand its correlation with the material’s performance. This task is exacerbated when dealing with failure related properties that show strong correlations to higher-order details of the material microstructure. This paper presents a novel data-driven framework for quantitatively determining the highly complex correlations that exist between the higher-order details of the material microstructure and its failure-related properties, specifically its damage initiation properties. The enclosed work will address this challenge by significantly extending the Materials Knowledge Systems (MKS) framework and by leveraging concepts in extreme value distributions and machine learning. The developed framework was capable of successfully sorting nine different classes of synthetically generated two-phase microstructures for their sensitivity to damage initiation. The framework and approaches presented here open new research avenues for studying the microstructure-sensitive damage initiation properties associated with heterogeneous materials, and pave the way forward for practical multiscale materials design.
Using the "Consumer Choice" Approach to Antitrust Law

The current paradigms of antitrust law - price and efficiency - do not work well enough. They were an immense improvement over their predecessors, and they have served the field competently for a generation, producing reasonably accurate results in most circumstances. Accu mulated experience has also revealed their shortcomings, however. They are hard to fully understand and are not particularly transparent in their application. Moreover, in a disturbingly large number of circumstances they are unable to handle the important issue of non-price competition.In this article we suggest replacing the older paradigms with the somewhat broader approach of "consumer choice." The choice framework has several advantages. It takes full account of all the things that are actually important to consumers- price, of course, but also variety, innovation, quality, and other forms of non-price competition. It is also far more transparent, which is an important administrative virtue even where, as in the great majority of cases, it will reach the same result. And in some important real-world situations it will lead to better substantive outcomes. There are a number of variety-valuing industries and circumstances that can be assessed cor rectly only by including an effective analysis of nonprice factors. We identify several of those in the article.
Overview of the Pathobiology of Aging

The nature of biological senescence is reviewed with regards to definitions, phenotypes, genetic controls, potential mechanisms and certain experiments relevant to somatic mutational theories. Of special relevance to the theme of this conference is the evidence for a widespread loss of proliferative homeostasis and the evidence for chromosomal instability, both of which may contribute to the pathogenesis of neoplasia and might be related to aspects of differentiation.
Cell biology of the prion protein.

Prions are the infectious particles responsible for a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases known as spongiform encephalopathies (reviewed in PRUSINER and DE ARMOND 1994). This group includes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, kuru, Gerstmann-Straussler syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia in human beings, and scrapie and bovine spongiform encephalopathy in animals. The principal component of prions is the glycoprotein PrPSc, which is a posttranslationally modified isoform of a normal cell-surface protein of the host called PrPc (OESCH et al. 1985). PrPC and PrPSc differ from each other in secondary structure and display markedly different biochemical properties (CAUGHEY et al. 1991; Pan et al. 1993; SAFAR et al. 1993). Prion replication is hypothesized to occur when PrPSc jn infecting inoculum interacts specifically with host PrPc, catalyzing its conversion to PrPc (PRUSINER etal. 1990). It is postulated that this conversion takes place spontaneously in PrPSc molecules carrying mutations that have been linked to familial forms of prion disease.
Beyond values clarification: Addressing client values in clinical behavior analysis

Ethical principles of psychology, as exemplified in the American Psychological Association (APA) Code of Ethics (2002), provide impractical advice for addressing client values during psychotherapy. These principles seem to argue that each client's values should be respected and protected at all times, except in cases in which this would result in harm to the client or the general public. Although the code is appropriately designed as a defense against potential and actual abuses of professional power, this general proscription against directly targeting client values for change is based on an understanding of values that grants them special ontological status and has resulted in limited clinical interventions focusing solely on "values clarification." With its strong foundation in a unified philosophical system, clinical behavior analysis offers a sophisticated alternative approach to values that both defines what they are and identifies when they can be ethically targeted to improve the lives of clients.
An average-case analysis of branch-and-bound with applications: summary of results

Motivated by an anomaly in branch-and-bound (BnB) search, we analyze its average-case complexity. We first delineate exponential vs polynomial average-case complexities of BnB. When best-first BnB is of linear complexity, we show that depth-first BnB has polynomial complexity. For problems on which best-first BnB has exponential complexity, we obtain an expression for the heuristic branching factor. Next, we apply our analysis to explain an anomaly in lookahead search on sliding-tile puzzles, and to predict the existence of an average-case complexity transition of BnB on the Asymmetric Traveling Salesman Problem. Finally, by formulating IDA* as costbounded BnB, we show its average-case optimality, which also implies that RBFS is optimal on average.
Combat Readiness, Harm Aversion, and Promotion Eligibility: A Qualitative Study of U.S. Servicemembers Views on Tobacco Use and Control in the Military.

INTRODUCTION More than half a century after the first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Tobacco Use, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease for the U.S. military. Military tobacco use impairs troop readiness, decreases productivity, reduces servicemember physical performance, and leads to chronic illness in veterans. The Department of Defense (DoD) spends considerable effort to maintain a combat ready force, and tobacco use is contradictory to these efforts. U.S. servicemember tobacco use is estimated to cost the federal government more than $6.5 billion annually. The uniqueness of military culture allows for innovative means of tobacco regulation and prevention. Our study examines the U.S. Navy cultural and servicemember perceptions to inform future tobacco control research and policies. MATERIALS AND METHODS We developed a behavioral model of tobacco use from existing literature. Using this model as a theoretical framework, our study qualitatively examined tobacco use in the active duty Navy population stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Thirty one-on-one interviews were conducted with active duty servicemembers. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed in MAXQDA12. RESULTS Multiple military-specific themes were identified. Themes: (1) tobacco use is a "right," (2) the military may limit active duty servicemembers' rights, (3) tobacco restrictions are justified if they prevent harm to others, (4) tobacco restrictions are not widely enforced, (5) smoke breaks are viewed as a legitimate reason to rest at work, and (6) the benefit of tobacco is as a stimulant. Novel tobacco cessation techniques suggested by our study include: (1) expand the buddy system to create an artificial support network for tobacco cessation and (2) tie promotion eligibility to tobacco use. CONCLUSIONS This qualitative study identifies military-specific themes from the tobacco user perspective that help to guide research and policy in reducing tobacco use among military servicemembers. Possible interventions suggested by our findings may include replacing tobacco breaks with fitness breaks to relieve workplace stress and support the culture of fitness, expanding the use of pharmacologic stimulants to replace tobacco when used to maintain alertness, and gathering social support for tobacco cessation from non-healthcare unit members. Further study is needed to elucidate the effectiveness of proposed interventions suggested by our findings, with the ultimate aim of policy changes within the military to optimize health and military readiness, while decreasing long-term health effects and costs of tobacco use.
Empirical Word-Level Analysis of Arithmetic Module Architectures for Hardware Trojan Susceptibility

As the design complexity increases, the attack space for malicious modifications in the design also increases. Attackers in untrusted phases during IC design cycle may embed a Hardware Trojan (HT). Identification of such HT is complex, due to rare triggering nature of the nodes involved in the HT. For analyzing HT susceptibility, it is essential to have knowledge about the high-level signal statistics (mean, variance etc.) of the inputs of a design as this information can identify nets having rarely changing signal values. A random vector based simulation approach fails to accurately model the toggling behavior of the nets in the design and hence cannot be used to study the compromising behavior of a subverted arithmetic module instance in a design. In this paper, we propose an empirical framework for HT susceptibility analysis based on spatially correlated input streams applied to arithmetic module (adder and multiplier) architectures in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) hardware. Empirical analysis for varying input statistics of several adder architectures show that the ripple-carry and carry-lookahead adder have the lowest toggle nets depending on an attacker selectable triggering threshold, hence higher resistance to HT. On the other hand, dadda multiplier outperforms other multiplier architectures. The results indicate that for an IP integrator, HT susceptibility analysis can help choose between alternative architectures for building HT-free designs based on both circuit parameters (e.g. power, performance, and area (PPA)) and toggle behavior.
New OTC Drugs and Devices 2003: A Selective Review

ABSTRACT Objectives To present current information about trends development and marketing of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and dietary supplement products and describe new products, delivery systems, home monitoring devices, and home accessories in these markets that are likely generating questions from or posing potential problems for patients. Data Sources Recently published clinical and pharmaceutical industry literature. Study Selection By the authors. Data Extraction By the authors. Data Synthesis Last year witnessed the first effort of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove a dietary supplement from the U.S. market. Ephedra, because of its imminent danger when used for weight reduction and athletic enhancement, was the target of FDA action. FDA has issued a final rule implementing this ban, which prohibits the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids (e.g., ephedra). Two newer diet-aid products are being actively promoted with little or no safety and effectiveness data. Thus, pharmacist's vigilance is important along with sensible advice on how to lose weight safely and effectively. Further, two independent organizations have created certification programs for dietary supplements that ensure product purity, active ingredient strength, and compliance with good manufacturing practices. In addition, through recent changes in federal legislation, consumers are now able to obtain reimbursement for their nonprescription purchases through flexible spending accounts. Information is presented in this article about selected products in these OTC, home care, and dietary supplement categories: heartburn (proton pump inhibitors), allergy (second-generation antihistamines), constipation (laxatives), diabetes mellitus (blood glucose monitoring systems), home testing (fertility monitoring), nicotine addiction (smoking cessation products), otic disorders (ear syringes), contraceptives and sexual aids (condoms and lubricants), and dermatology (wart removal). Conclusion : Patients continue to increase their reliance on self-care. To assist them, pharmacists must remain up-to-date on trends and have an understanding of the nuances of consumers' behavior and thinking in relation to OTC products and their use.
A consideration of within-host human cytomegalovirus genetic variation.

In Cudini et al. (1), the authors suggest that earlier work has argued high levels of intrahost variation in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) to be the result of exceptionally fast mutation rates (on par with RNA viruses), citing our recent review (2) as evidence. In reality, ref. 2 noted that levels of variation can be comparable to those observed in certain RNA viruses (as Cudini et al. reconfirm), and that this required explanation “in light of the low mutation rates of herpesviruses relative to those of RNA viruses.” In the summarized primary literature, ref. 3 argued that fast mutation rates could explain … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: jeffrey.d.jensen{at}asu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Parliamentary Procedure: Preparing Minutes of a Meeting

An official copy of the minutes of a meeting should be kept in a manner that is accessible to the membership, yet preserves their integrity as a historical record of the organization. This 4-page fact sheet was written by James E. Dyer and published by the UF Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, January 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc136
My Working Paper: beyond the Mule’s Path

In a handful of paragraphs and three unpublished sermons, Howard Thurman details the characteristics of the working paper—a living document that is guided by an audacious goal, governs daily practice, and is rooted in a deep commitment to God. This brief article chronicles the author’s personal and professional journey to develop his own working paper and provides a working version of his living document.
Access to Vocational Rehabilitation: The Impact of Race and Ethnicity.

This study, of racial and ethnic minorities’ access (application and entry) to the state-federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) system, found that access percentages were higher for African America...