cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of the αvβ6 integrin leads to limited alteration of TGF-α-induced pulmonary fibrosis

A number of growth factors and signaling pathways regulate matrix deposition and fibroblast proliferation in the lung. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family of receptors and the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family are active in diverse biological processes and are central mediators in the initiation and maintenance of fibrosis in many diseases. Transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) is a ligand for the EGFR, and doxycycline (Dox)-inducible transgenic mice conditionally expressing TGF-α specifically in the lung epithelium develop progressive fibrosis accompanied with cachexia, changes in lung mechanics, and marked pleural thickening. Although recent studies demonstrate that EGFR activation modulates the fibroproliferative effects involved in the pathogenesis of TGF-β induced pulmonary fibrosis, in converse, the direct role of EGFR induction of the TGF-β pathway in the lung is unknown. The αvβ6 integrin is an important in vivo activator of TGF-β activation in the lung. Immunohistochemical analysis of αvβ6 protein expression and bronchoalveolar analysis of TGF-β pathway signaling indicates activation of the αvβ6/TGF-β pathway only at later time points after lung fibrosis was already established in the TGF-α model. To determine the contribution of the αvβ6/TGF-β pathway on the progression of established fibrotic disease, TGF-α transgenic mice were administered Dox for 4 wk, which leads to extensive fibrosis; these mice were then treated with a function-blocking anti-αvβ6 antibody with continued administration of Dox for an additional 4 wk. Compared with TGF-α transgenic mice treated with control antibody, αvβ6 inhibition significantly attenuated pleural thickening and altered the decline in lung mechanics. To test the effects of genetic loss of the β6 integrin, TGF-α transgenic mice were mated with β6-null mice and the degree of fibrosis was compared in adult mice following 8 wk of Dox administration. Genetic ablation of the β6 integrin attenuated histological and physiological changes in the lungs of TGF-α transgenic mice although a significant degree of fibrosis still developed. In summary, inhibition of the β6 integrin led to a modest, albeit significant, effect on pleural thickening and lung function decline observed with TGF-α-induced pulmonary fibrosis. These data support activation of the αvβ6/TGF-β pathway as a secondary effect contributing to TGF-α-induced pleural fibrosis and suggest a complex contribution of multiple mediators to the maintenance of progressive fibrosis in the lung.
When Art, Science, and Culture Commingle

The history of modern science is punctuated by moments when the fruits of science captivate the public imagination. Traces of these impressions can be found in works of art; for instance, one sees the influence of 17th century astronomy on poetry in Paradise Lost, as when Satan stops by the sun to ask for directions to the earth, Milton alludes to Galileo's discovery of sunspots: “There lands the Fiend, a spot like which perhaps/Astronomer in the Sun's lucent Orbe/Through his glaz'd Optic Tube yet never saw” and in the sudden emergence of the ellipse in baroque architecture [1]. More recently, scholars have argued for the influence of relativity theory on the development of cubist painting [2] and of both relativity and quantum mechanics on the poetry of T.S. Eliot [3]. (“What might have been is an abstraction/Remaining a perpetual possibility/Only in a world of speculation.”)
Internationally decreasing costs and world trade

Abstract This paper seeks to reformulate the existing theory of international trade and increasing returns by arguing that such returns depend upon the size of the world market rather than national output. The result is the disappearance of the tendency towards interindustry specialization and multiple equilibrium and the emergence of a theory of trade in intermediate goods. A new analytical tool — the allocation curve — is developed for this context.
Isolated Spider Web Stabillmentum Attracts Insects

The insect-attraction function of silk stabilimenta spun by Argiope spiders was directly tested by examining if isolated stabilimenta will increase insect interception in artificial webs. Artificial webs were made from basswood frames and fine monofilaments coated with a sticky substance and were divided into two groups, experimental and control. In the experimental group, silk stabilimenta isolated from stabilimentum-decorated webs spun by Argiope aurantia were introduced. In the control group, corresponding areas collected from the undecorated webs of A. trifasciata were introduced. A general linear model was used to examine the effect of stabilimenta, web location, and date of data collection on insect interception in artificial webs. When the effects of location and date were simultaneously considered, artificial webs containing isolated stabilimenta intercepted significantly more flying insects (41.6% more) than those in the control group. However, there was no difference in orthopteran interception rates between experimental and control groups. These results indicate that silk stabilimenta of Argiope spiders do attract insects, although not all insects exhibit a strong orientation response to them.
Serpin-ligand interactions

One of the more common features of serpins is the ability to bind various ligands. Ligand binding can occur so that the inhibitory properties of the serpin are regulated, so that the serpin can be localized, or to produce or modulate some other biological function of the serpin. Ligands known to affect serpin biologic activity include glycosaminoglycans such as heparin, heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate, DNA, extracellular matrix proteins such as vitronectin and collagen, and small organic molecule hormones. Many different biochemical and biophysical techniques in conjunction with molecular biology and cell biology approaches have been used to study the binding of various ligands to serpins and to assess the influence of this binding on activity and structure. We summarize here the different approaches that have been used to identify serpin ligands and the many methods that have been used to characterize the interactions of these ligands with their cognate serpins.
Photophysics of phenyleneethynylene metal-organic oligomers. Probing the lowest excited state by time-resolved IR spectroscopy

The long-lived excited state in a series of metal–organic phenyleneethynylene oligomers is probed by UV-visible and infrared transient absorption spectroscopy.
Predictors of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Completion Among Female and Male Vaccine Initiators in Family Planning Centers

Objectives. We estimated human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series completion and examined predictors of completion among adolescents and young adults in a large family planning network.Methods. Our retrospective cohort study of vaccine completion within 12 months and time to completion used electronic health record data from 119 Planned Parenthood health centers in 11 US states for 9648 patients who initiated HPV vaccination between January 2011 and January 2013.Results. Among vaccine initiators, 29% completed the series within 12 months. Patients who were male, younger than 22 years, or non-Hispanic Black or who had public insurance were less likely to complete within 12 months and completed more slowly than their counterparts. Gender appeared to modify the effect of public versus private insurance on completion (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.76 for women and 0.95 for men; relative excess risk due to interaction = 0.41; 95% confidence interval = 0.09, 0.73).Conclusions. Completion was low yet similar to pre...
Estimation of the LCt50 of phosgene in sheep.

ABSTRACTIn all species previously studied, inhalation of toxic doses of phosgene results in varying degrees of pulmonary edema, often after a symptom-free period. The sheep is an anatomically unique animal in which to study the development of pulmonary edema by monitoring the effluent from a catheterized caudal mediastinal lymph node. In addition, the size of the sheep is sufficient to permit placement of vascular monitoring devices and withdrawal of multiple biologic samples for analyses. In spite of this, there appear to be no published reports of sheep having ever been exposed to phosgene. This study was undertaken as a dose-ranging study, in order to permit subsequent studies of phosgene inhalation toxicity in a sheep lung lymph preparation. Accordingly, the LCt50 (24 hours) was estimated to be 13,300 mg-min/m3 (3325 ppm) by “up and down” subsequent dosage selection and moving average interpolation methods.
Insights in the physics of the dynamic detuning in SRF cavities and its active compensation

Elliptical SRF cavities operated in pulsed mode experience dynamic Lorentz detuning because of the time varying radiation pressure. Due to the narrow electromagnetic bandwidth of these resonators, the induced detuning can severely affect their matching conditions to the RF feeding system. The active compensation scheme using piezoelectric tuners has proven to be a viable and attractive method to minimize the effects of the Lorentz detuning. To optimize this compensation, mechanical parameters are extracted for the action of the Lorentz forces and the piezoelectric tuner from both measurement and simulation. This process gives insights into the physics of the dynamic detuning, such as the nature of the coupling differences of both detuning sources, the possible settings for the measurement of the dynamic detuning with the methods to deduce mechanical parameters from them, and the origin of possible parasitic effects in the measurements. These issues are reported and discussed along with some ideas for the optimization of the detuning compensation.
Tectonic history of the Shikoku marginal basin

Studies of marine magnetic anomaly data from the Shikoku basin reveal magnetic lineations which strike northwest almost parallel to the trend of the Palau-Kyushu ridge. The lineation pattern is best developed in the western part of the basin and we can confidently identify a sequence of anomalies 7 through 5E between the base of the Palau-Kyushu ridge and the center of the basin. In the eastern part of the basin the basement morphology is rough and complex and magnetic anomalies can not be identified unequivocally. We infer that the Palau-Kyushu ridge and the Izu-Bonin island arc began separating about 27 m.y.B.P. An interval of rapid separation (4.2 cm/yr) occurred between 26 and 22.5 m.y.B.P, which approximately coincides with a period of intense volcanic activity in Japan. The observed magnetic lineation pattern and basement morphology can be best explained if the Shikoku basin formed at a two-limb spreading system during the Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene. Subsequently the eastern half of the basin was disrupted by fractures as the Iwo-Jima ridge collided with the Japanese islands. The accretionary process which formed the crust of the Shikoku marginal basin appears similar to that operating at mid-ocean ridges of the world.
Estuarine acidification and minimum buffer zone—A conceptual study

[1] This study uses a simulation method to explore how estuarine pH is affected by mixing between river water, anthropogenic CO2 enriched seawater, and by respiration. Three rivers with different levels of weathering products (Amazon, Mississippi, and St. Johns) are selected for this simulation. The results indicate that estuaries that receive low to moderate levels of weathering products (Amazon and St. Johns) exhibit a maximum pH decrease in the midsalinity region as a result of anthropogenic CO2 intrusion. This maximum pH decrease coincides with a previously unrecognized mid-salinity minimum buffer zone (MBZ). In addition, water column oxygen consumption can further depress pH for all simulated estuaries. We suggest that recognition of the estuarine MBZs may be important for studying estuarine calcifying organisms and pH-sensitive biogeochemical processes.
Stress, Inflammation and Pain: A Potential Role for Monocytes in Fibromyalgia-related Symptom Severity.

The possibility that immunological changes might contribute to symptom severity in fibromyalgia (FM) prompted this proof-of-concept study to determine whether differences in monocyte subpopulations might be present in persons with FM compared with healthy controls. Relationships were assessed by comparing specific symptoms in those with FM (n = 20) and patterns of monocyte subpopulations with healthy age-matched and gender-matched controls (n = 20). Within the same time frame, all participants provided a blood sample and completed measures related to pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, perceived stress, positive and negative affect and depressed mood (and the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire for those with FM). Monocyte subpopulations were assessed using flow cytometry. No differences were observed in total percentages of circulating monocytes between the groups; however, pain was inversely correlated with percentages of circulating classical (r = -0.568, p = 0.011) and intermediate (r = -0.511, p = 0.025) monocytes in the FM group. Stress and pain were highly correlated (r = 0.608, p = 0.004) in the FM group. The emerging pattern of changes in the percentages of circulating monocyte subpopulations concomitant with higher ratings of perceived pain and the correlation between stress and pain found in the FM group warrant further investigation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nitrogen deposition alters plant-fungal relationships: linking belowground dynamics to aboveground vegetation change.

Nitrogen (N) deposition rates are increasing globally due to anthropogenic activities. Plant community responses to N are often attributed to altered competitive interactions between plants, but may also be a result of microbial responses to N, particularly root-associated fungi (RAF), which are known to affect plant fitness. In response to N, Deschampsia cespitosa, a codominant plant in the alpine tundra at Niwot Ridge (CO), increases in abundance, while Geum rossii, its principal competitor, declines. Importantly, G. rossii declines with N even in the absence of its competitor. We examined whether contrasting host responses to N are associated with altered plant–fungal symbioses, and whether the effects of N are distinct from effects of altered plant competition on RAF, using 454 pyrosequencing. Host RAF communities were distinct (only 9.4% of OTUs overlapped). N increased RAF diversity in G. rossii, but decreased it in D. cespitosa. D. cespitosa RAF communities were more responsive to N than G. rossii RAF communities, perhaps indicating a flexible microbial community aids host adaptation to nutrient enrichment. Effects of removing D. cespitosa were distinct from effects of N on G. rossii RAF, and D. cespitosa presence reversed RAF diversity response to N. The most dominant G. rossii RAF order, Helotiales, was the most affected by N, declining from 83% to 60% of sequences, perhaps indicating a loss of mutualists under N enrichment. These results highlight the potential importance of belowground microbial dynamics in plant responses to N deposition.
Nonlocal Damage Gradient Model for Fracture Characterization of Aluminum Alloy

This article presents the development of a generalized nonlocal damage-coupled material model. The model introduces the concept of cumulative damage gradient through a set of damage evolution equations within the irreversible thermodynamics framework. The conventional damage-coupled plasticity models require either self-developed finite element codes or the mandatory use of regular elements. The proposed material model is implemented in a commercial finite ele- ment code ABAQUS (Version 6.5) via its UMAT subroutine. The implementation of this model on ABAQUS is described with a focus on the nonlocal treatment together with the derivation of the consistent tangent modulus (Jacobian). As a numerical example, the nonlocal damage model is applied to center-cracked specimen made of aluminum alloy 2024-T3. Comparison is made between the computed results and experimental ones. The validity of the proposed model is examined, and its effec- tiveness for engineering application is elucidated.
Some properties of a class of rank order smoothers

A class of rank order smoothers, which operate by minimizing a piecewise linear objective function, is considered. Nonrecursive versions have many properties similar to repeated median smoothing, and most of these properties are relevant, with qualifications, to recursive versions of the class. Smoothed values are medians in their neighborhoods. A root signal is obtained, but advantageously in only one application of the algorithm. Pulses can be passed or rejected, and monotone sequences passed, in ways similar to median smoothers. Bit serial algorithms are applicable to both, in similar senses.
Chilling-sensitive, post-transcriptional regulation of a plant fatty acid desaturase expressed in yeast

Plants respond to chilling exposure by increasing the relative proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their lipids. However, unlike the response in many other organisms, plant fatty acid desaturase genes are typically not upregulated during this process. We expressed the Brassica napus FAD3 gene, which encodes an enzyme for synthesis of linolenic acid, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and observed a temperature-dependent increase in linolenic acid production at cooler growth temperatures. Untransformed yeast cells, however, responded to cooler temperatures primarily by shortening fatty acid chains, even when polyunsaturated fatty acids were supplied in the growth media. Measurement of the steady-state levels of Fad3 protein in transformed yeast revealed an 8.5-fold increase in steady-state amount of desaturase enzyme when cells were cultivated at cooler temperatures. The increase was not due to changes in transcriptional activity, since Northern hybridization revealed no appreciable changes in abundance of FAD3 transcripts at cooler temperatures. Taken together, the results suggest that the increase in linolenic acid content in cells containing Fad3 was not due to enhanced physiological demand for polyunsaturated fatty acids by yeast, but rather a cold-inducible, post-transcriptional increase in steady-state amount of plant desaturase enzyme. Implications for plant adaptation to chilling are discussed.
EFFECTS OF DOWNSIZING PRACTICES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF HOSPITALS

Research has found that downsizing is not generally followed by improved organizational performance. Using a sample of hospitals that recently downsized, we evaluate the effects on performance of the human resource management (HRM) practices used in layoffs. Strategic HRM theory suggests that practices can have an impact on performance outcomes. We find that showing consideration for employees' morale and welfare during downsizing is positively related both to perceived success of downsizing and to financial performance following layoffs. Advance notice of layoffs is positively related to subsequent financial performance, but the provision of extended insurance to laid-off employees is negatively related to financial performance. Planned redesign of work structures is positively related to perceived success, but has neutral to negative effects on financial performance. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Quality of Primary Care Experienced by Health Center Patients

Background: We investigated the quality of the primary care experienced by health center (HC) patients and investigated whether race/ethnicity and insurance coverage were significantly associated with patients9 experiences. Methods: Cross-sectional data came from the 2009 Health Center Patient Survey. Outcomes included 10 measures of patients9 experiences with primary care domains, including: (1) accessibility, (2) communication, (3) comprehensiveness, and (4) coordination of care. Results: Patients who received care at HCs reported high-quality primary care, particularly regarding accessibility and communication. For example, more than 94% of patients reported that their HC location was convenient, and more than 94% reported that their provider adequately explained what they wanted to know. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, few significant racial/ethnic and insurance-related disparities were observed. In the domains of comprehensiveness and coordination, insured patients generally had better experiences than uninsured patients. For instance, Medicaid-insured patients had higher odds of reporting that HC staff helped them arrange medical appointments at other health care settings than uninsured patients (odds ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.35–3.09). Conclusions: As safety-net providers for vulnerable populations, HCs provide high-quality primary care and do not exhibit the extent of disparities that exist in other US health care settings. Continued efforts are necessary to address insurance-related disparities, particularly among uninsured patients.
The thermal structure of collisional orogens as a response to accretion, erosion, and radiogenic heating

Thermal models of collisional orogens generally predict temperature structures that are much cooler than those recovered by thermobarometric studies. Here we demonstrate that high-temperature, low-pressure metamorphism and the development of inverted geotherms within collisional belts may be the result of accretion and erosion acting on crust enriched with heat-producing elements. A new two-dimensional finite difference model, described here, incorporates the subduction of lithosphere with heat-producing material in the upper crust, accretion of crustal material from the subducting plate to the upper plate, and surface erosion of the upper plate. These processes result in the development of a wedge of heat-producing material within the upper plate. The rate of heat production within the wedge and maximum depth of the wedge are the most important parameters controlling the magnitude of upper plate temperatures. Our model yields inverted upper plate geotherms when heat production rates exceed 0.75 μW/m3 and the heat-producing wedge extends to a depth greater than 35 km. Temperatures in excess of 500°C at depths of 20–30 km are computed when heat production rates are greater than ∼1.75 μW/m3 and the wedge extends to a depth >50 km. Other processes, such as shear heating, fluid flow, or mantle delamination, need not be invoked to explain geologic evidence of high temperatures or inverted thermal gradients in collisional systems.
Structure of the Reaction Center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides R-26 and 2.4.1

Detailed theories of electron transfer in reaction centers (RCs) require knowledge of their three dimensional structure. We have determined the structure of RCs from Rb. sphaeroides by x-ray diffraction of single crystals. Diffraction data of RCs from both the carotenoidless mutant, R-26, and the wild type strain, 2.4.1 were analyzed at resolutions of 2.8 A and 3.5 A respectively. These structures have been refined to current R-factors of 25% (for the R26 data) and 22% (for the 2.4.1. data). Details concerning data collection and analysis, with descriptions of the structure of the RC from the R-26 strain have been presented elsewhere (1–4). In this report we shall focus on the general features of the structure and compare them with those reported for the RC from R. viridis (5). The structures from these two species have been shown by the molecular replacement method to be homologous (6,7). We shall emphasize the importance of the structural features to the function of electron transfer.
Characterization of the Oxygen Binding Motif in a Ruthenium Water Oxidation Catalyst by Vibrational Spectroscopy

For homogeneous mononuclear ruthenium water oxidation catalysts, the Ru–O2 complex plays a crucial role in the rate determining step of the catalytic cycle, but the exact nature of this complex is unclear. Herein, the infrared spectra of the [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(O2)]2+ complex (tpy=2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine; bpy=2,2′-bipyridine) are presented. The complex [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(O2)]2+, formed by gas-phase reaction of [Ru(tpy)(bpy)]2+ with molecular O2, was isolated by using mass spectrometry and was directly probed by cryogenic ion IR predissociation spectroscopy. Well-resolved spectral features enable a clear identification of the O−O stretch using 18O2 substitution. The band frequency and intensity indicate that the O2 moiety binds to the Ru center in a side-on, bidentate manner. Comparisons with DFT calculations highlight the shortcomings of the B3LYP functional in properly depicting the Ru–O2 interaction.
Application of Automated Image Analysis to the Study of Cement Paste Microstructure

Digital acquisition and analysis of backscattered electron images provide powerful tools for the study of cement-based materials. The techniques can provide useful information on hydration phases, size distributions of unhydrated particles and voids, effects of changes in the watercementitious material ratio and the use of mineral admixtures, and the distribution of microcracks. The results of automated analyses of cement pastes with different water-cement ratios and pastes containing silica fume are presented. The analyses demonstrate that microstructural data vary significantly from image to image, requiring multiple images to limit the effects of scatter. The analyses also indicate that, although the pastes exhibit different degrees of hydration, the size distributions of the unhydrated cement particles are nearly identical. In contrast, the size distribution of larger voids differs significantly as a function of water-cementitious material ratio and with the use of silica fume as a partial replacement for cement. The calcium hydroxide content obtained based on image analysis exceeds but generally parallels that obtained with thermogravimetric analysis. The majority of microcracks in both nonloaded and loaded specimens occur through or adjacent to the lowest density hydration phase.
On the Evolution of Three-Dimensionalities in Laminar Bluff-Body Wakes

Wind tunnel experiments of the wake of a circular cylinder in the Reynolds number range of 140–160 are conducted to study the effect of near-wake vortex shedding geometry, namely the parallel and oblique shedding, on the downstream evolution of the wake and on its three-dimensional transition to turbulence. At Reynolds numbers below transition, the initial Karman vortex street has completely decayed by x/d=150 and the wake reorganizes itself into new vortical structures in the far-wake. These structures are found to be parallel in the case of a parallel near-wake, whereas oblique near-wakes lead to secondary structures which are strongly three-dimensional. This three-dimensionality originates from the flow conditions in the near-wake and is responsible for a premature transition to turbulence.
Helicons in Unbounded Plasmas.

The plasma waves known as helicons can be created and measured in the laboratory even without confining walls.
Current status of treatment of poisonous snake-bite. Review of recent literature and report of 11 cases.

Proper treatment of poisonous snakebite can reduce the mortality rate to less than 5 per cent. Eleven cases of snakebite treated over the past few years are reported. Methods of treatment are reviewed, emphasizing the use of polyvalent antivenin and supportive therapy. It is felt that early, adequate use of antivenin and immobilization of the patient will suffice in most cases. Other mechanical measures, however, should not be neglected if they appear to offer a better chance of survival. Continued supportive care is stressed.
Improving the dependability of computer networks

Current network protocols deal with network failures. Reliable transport protocols such as TCP can handle transient packet losses. Routing protocols such as OSPF can detect persistent failures and adapt to a new network topology. However, the time these mechanisms need to recover from failures is unpredictable, making them inadequate for real-time communications that require QoS (Quality-of-Service) guarantees. A persistent failure can result in a long service disruption. To provide timely and successful recovery in case of persistent failures, we need to reserve spare resources a priori. This thesis investigates several ways to use spare resources to improve the dependability of real-time communications. First, we developed an algorithm for choosing backup routes. Spare resources, such as bandwidth, are limited and, thus, multiple channels can contend over these limited resources. To prevent contention among backup channels, we need to carefully select backup routes. We preselect backup routes to achieve fast recovery, and steer the real-time traffic disrupted by a link failure through the backup routes. Second, we address the problem of managing spare resources. By reserving spare resources for each real-time channel, routers incur high overhead because they need to maintain routing information for each backup channel. As the number of backup channels increases, the cost of maintaining information may become unacceptably high. To cope with this problem, we reserve a pool of spare resources for all backup channels, and defer allocation of resources to a specific channel until they are needed. In addition to failures of links or routers, the disruption of Domain Name System (DNS) affects the dependability of computer networks. The current DNS replicates name servers to improve its availability. Although the replication can overcome sporadic failures such as OS crashes and power outages, it is not effective for malicious attacks, which may cause all local servers to fail. We developed a distributed approach for DNS: each client machine maintains a small DNS cache and shares the cache contents with other client machines. Our approach provides a continuous DNS service even when all local name servers fail.
Solid-State Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Test Matrix Using a Pulsed-Plasma Deposited PTFE Film

This paper presents an oxygen concentration sensor consisting of a microfabricated thin-film electrode matrix overlaid with a solid-state proton conductive matrix (PCM) and encapsulated in a bio-inert polytetrafluoroethelene (PTFE) film. Through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and voltage step (VS) measurements, the device was shown to have a linear response with respect to dissolved oxygen concentration over a range of 0 – 300 mmHg. The diffusion constant of the PCM was measured to be D1=1.3×10−10 m2/s (±2.2×10−11 m2/s, n=40), which translates to a response time constant of τ = 0.51 s (±0.087 s). These results were consistent with those predicted by basic electrochemistry.
A Critical Look at MOOCs

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are offered online to anyone who registers. There are no requirements to register and for those not wishing to receive course credit or a certificate indicating successful completion, there are no charges to enroll. As a result, enrollments can reach into the thousands. MOOCs are a recent twenty-first century phenomenon that emerged from the open educational resources movement and a course entitled “Connectivism and Connective Knowledge” offered in 2008 by George Siemens and Stephen Downes. There were a small number of students at the University of Manitoba who paid tuition and several thousand others who simply participated in the online course environment at no cost. Given the subject (connectivism) of that early MOOC and the fact that those not paying were there as part of an extended community gathered around the subject of the course, it is reasonable to conclude that the ‘C’ in MOOC stood for ‘course’ for registered participants and ‘community’ for those not registered. Since 2008, MOOCs have appeared in many places and have taken many forms. This chapter examines the growth of MOOCs and the roles that they can play in the context of learning and instruction. The argument herein is that it is a mistake to consider current MOOCs to be a new form of a distance learning course. Rather, current MOOCs should be viewed and evaluated not as courses but as communities of subject-specific participants.
Topology survey for GaN-based high voltage step-down single-input multi-output DC-DC converter systems

In this work, several dc-dc converter topologies are examined for GaN-based, single-input, multi-output, large step-down applications; namely 200V∼400V dc distribution systems in modern defense, aeronautical, and datacenter industries. Many critical loads in these larger systems are supplied by 48V, 24V, 12V, or lower voltage sources, requiring a significant step-down of the main dc bus voltage. Due to these large conversion ratios, multi-stage schemes will be considered along with single-stage, multi-output converters. A discussion following analysis of each converter and an update on their current state-of-the-art will shed light on those converters that stand to benefit the most from GaN technology, along with a recommendation for a modular, GaN-based, power electronic building block for such DC-DC conversion applications with preference given to those topologies that lend themselves to modularity, high efficiency, and reduced size.
Deeper pockets, deeper pleasure?

If you are looking to impress with your next purchase of Scotch, Jamie Warner, Olga Dobromyrova, Dana Shay, and Qing Wang suggest you find a bottle with moderate floral notes – but be prepared to spend a little extra cash
Lost in Space: Consciousness and Experiment in the Work of Irwin and Turrell

On several occasions during the years 1968–1971 artists Robert Irwin and James Turrell, an experimental psychologist named Ed Wortz, and a number of UCLA student volunteers spent hours depriving themselves of light, sound and human contact. They were engaged in a series of experiments involving an anechoic chamber used for psycho-physical experimentation by the Garrett Corporation, a contractor to the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA). The interior of the chamber was soundproofed, suspended to minimize the effects of the earth’s rotation and utterly darkened. Self-projected sounds like speech were deadened. Sitting in these reduced surroundings was exhausting; rather than depriving the subject of the senses of sight and hearing, the lack of focal markers proved to heighten them, causing the subject to strain his eyes and ears, searching for something upon which to focus his attention. Most startling were the effects upon leaving the chamber when the body re-adjusted to the overwhelming array of stimuli in daily life and the world became intensely bright, loud and noticeable.
Crack Growth Rate and Fracture Toughness of CF3 Cast Stainless Steels at ~3 DPA

Cast austenitic stainless steels (CASS) used in reactor core internals are subject to high-temperature coolant and energetic neutron irradiation during power operations. Due to both thermal aging and irradiation embrittlement, the long-term performance of CASS materials is of concern. To assess the cracking behavior of irradiated CASS alloys, crack growth rate (CGR) and fracture toughness J-R curve tests were performed on two CF3 alloys. Miniature compact tension specimens were irradiated to ~3 dpa, and were tested at ~315 °C in simulated LWR coolant environments with low corrosion potentials. No elevated cracking susceptibility was observed at this dose in the test environments. The power exponents of the 3 dpa J-R curves were much lower than that of unirradiated or irradiated specimens at lower doses, indicating a significant decline in fracture resistance. A preliminary microstructural study revealed irradiation-induced microstructural changes in both austenite and ferrite, suggesting an embrittlement mechanism involving both phases at this dose level.
Recipient T Cell Exhaustion and Successful Adoptive Transfer of Haploidentical Natural Killer Cells.

Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells mediate surveillance for malignancy. In some chemotherapy refractory myeloid leukemia patients, adoptive transfer of NK cells from haploidentical donors can induce remission. We have previously shown that remission induction is linked to NK cell persistence at day +14, but the factors influencing NK cell persistence are unknown. To address this question, patient samples from a phase I trial of National Cancer Institute (NCI) IL-15 in whom either did or did not show NK cell expansion were compared with healthy donor control subjects. Before lymphodepleting chemotherapy, high absolute CD3+ count was predictive of patients who failed to expand their haploidentical NK cell graft. Interestingly, both groups had elevated expression of inhibitory receptors and decreased cytokine production compared with control subjects, suggestive of T cell exhaustion among all patients before haploidentical NK cell infusion. At day +14, however, haploidentical NK cell expanders had persistence of recipient CD8+ T cells with the most exhausted inhibitory phenotype (either PD-1high or dual PD-1+Tim-3+) and elevated expression of T-bet and Eomes compared with NK cell nonexpanders and control subjects. This suggested that maintenance of an exhausted T cell state at day +14 permits haploidentical NK cell expansion and supports further efforts to selectively deplete recipient T cells or modulate their dysfunction.
Event management research over the past 12 years: What are the current trends in research methods, data collection, data analysis procedures, and event types?

The meetings, expositions, events, and conventions sector has gained recognition as an academic field by growth in higher education programs including courses, programs, and textbooks, as well as r...
Keeping Up With Changing Times in Education: Fostering Lifelong Learning of Millennial Learners.

Not only must the 21st-century psychiatrist adapt to a rapidly advancing science and changing health care climate, he or she must also consider how to most effectively educate the psychiatrists of ...
The Action Reaction Principle in Quantum Mechanics

The action reaction principle is not automatically fulfilled in the standard formulation of Quantum Mechanics. An extended phase space can be considered where the formulation is consistent and projects onto the standard one. In an extended spin phase space, there is a new quantum state, isotropic. Using this new state, the composite singlet becomes separable instead of entangled. The perfect anticorrelation between both particles of the singlet appears in the subquantum states.
Characterization of Strain and Epitaxial Quality in Si/Ge Heterostructures

Raman scattering and x-ray diffraction techniques have proved to be most useful for characterizing epitaxial semiconductor material. X-ray methods such as double crystal diffractometry can be used to determine the strain partition, layer thickness, alloy composition and epitaxial quality in Si/Ge heterostruc-tures, and some of this information can also be obtained from Raman measurements of the acoustic and optic phonons. The relative merits of the two techniques are evaluated from the application of both methods in determining the strain relaxation in Si0.8Ge0.2 epilayers and Si/Si1-xGex superlattices on Si and the epitaxial quality of (SimGen)p atomic layer superlattices on (100) Si and Ge substrates and on Si0.5Ge0.5 buffer epilayers. From the observed linear relationship between the Raman frequency of the Si-Si vibration line and the x-ray relative Bragg angle in the alloy epilayers, we deduce a Raman shift with stress of 0.5 cm_1/kbar, which is about 20% higher than the pure Si value. Because the optic mode frequencies vary linearly with strain, Raman measurements may be used, for example, to estimate the activation energy of nucleation/propagation of strain relieving misfit dislocations. This activation energy for the alloy epilayer is deduced to be 1.2 eV.
Protein: Quality and Sources

Protein quality is an index of how well a protein meets the requirements of essential amino acids, as well as the physiological needs, of the organism. It is based on an amino acid scoring method that compares the essential amino acid content of the protein with the requirement pattern. Foods of animal origin, such as milk, eggs, and meats have excellent amino acid scores. However, these scores must also be adjusted for protein digestibility. Food storage and processing in adverse circumstances can reduce protein quality by making some amino acids unavailable. Adding specific amino acids, or combining foods in proportions that result in a better amino acid pattern, can improve the protein quality of a food.
Core-shell p-i-n GaN nanowire LEDs by N-polar selective area growth.

GaN nanowire LEDs with radial p-i-n junctions were grown by molecular beam epitaxy using N-polar selective area growth on Si(111) substrates. The N-polar selective area growth process facilitated the growth of isolated and high-aspect-ratio n-type NW cores that were not subject to self-shadowing effects during the subsequent growth of a conformal low-temperature Mg:GaN shell. LED devices were fabricated from single-NW and multiple-NW arrays in their as-grown configuration by contacting the n-type core through an underlying conductive GaN layer and the p-type NW shell via a metallization layer. The NW LEDs exhibited rectifying I-V characteristics with a sharp turn-on voltage near the GaN bandgap and low reverse bias leakage current. Under forward bias, the NW LEDs produced electroluminescence with a peak emission wavelength near 380 nm and exhibited a small spectral blueshift with increasing current injection, both of which are consistent with electron recombination in the p-type shell layer through donor-acceptor-pair recombination. These core-shell NW devices demonstrate N-polar selective area growth as an effective technique for producing on-chip nanoscale light sources.
Changes in the Utilization of the BI-RADS Category 3 Assessment in Recalled Patients Before and After the Implementation of Screening Digital Breast Tomosynthesis.

Rationale and Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the utilization of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 3 assessment in patients recalled from screening before and after the implementation of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). Materials and Methods This was a retrospective review of 11,478 digital mammography (DM) screening exams and 9350 DM+DBT screening exams. Lesions assigned a BI-RADS category 3 at diagnostic exam were classified as architectural distortions, asymmetries, calcifications, masses, and “other” and followed for a minimum of 2 years. Results The addition of DBT to screening DM resulted in a 30.4% relative reduction (10.3 women per 1000) in the utilization of BI-RADS category 3 compared to screening DM alone (3.4% for DM versus 2.4% for DM+DBT; p Conclusion Implementation of DBT in the screening population decreased the overall number of patients assigned to short-term follow-up by 10.3 per 1000 women while maintaining comparable rates of delayed cancer detection.
Lysine-specific demethylase 2A enhances binding of various nuclear factors to CpG-rich genomic DNAs by action of its CXXC-PHD domain

The lysine-specific demethylase 2A gene (KDM2A) is ubiquitously expressed and its transcripts consist of several alternatively spliced forms, including KDM2A and the shorter form N782 that lacks the 3' end encoding F-box and LRR. KDM2A binds to numerous CpG-rich genomic loci and regulates various cellular activities; however, the mechanism of the pleiotropic function is unknown. Here, we identify the mechanism of KDM2A played by its CXXC-PHD domain. KDM2A is necessary for a rapid proliferation of post-natal keratinocytes while its 3' end eclipses the stimulatory effect. EGFP-N782 binds to chromatin together with the XRCC5/6 complex, and the CXXC-PHD domain regulates the CpG-rich IGFBPL1 promoter. In vitro, CXXC-PHD enhances binding of nuclear extract ORC3 to the CpG-rich promoter, but not to the AT-rich DIP2B promoter to which ORC3 binds constitutively. Furthermore, CXXC-PHD recruits 94 nuclear factors involved in replication, ribosome synthesis, and mitosis, including POLR1A to the IGFBPL1 promoter. This recruitment is unprecedented; however, the result suggests that these nuclear factors bind to their cognate loci, as substantiated by the result that CXXC-PHD recruits POLR1A to the rDNA promoter. We propose that CXXC-PHD promotes permissiveness for nuclear factors to interact, but involvement of the XRCC5/6 complex in the recruitment is undetermined.
Genome Sequence of a California Isolate of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici Race 3, a Fungus Causing Wilt Disease on Tomato.

ABSTRACT Fusarium wilt of tomato, caused by the soilborne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, is an increasingly important disease of tomato. This paper reports the high-quality draft genome assembly of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici isolate D11 (race 3), which consists of 39 scaffolds with 57,281,978 bp (GC content, 47.5%), an N50 of 4,408,267 bp, a mean read coverage of 99.8×, and 17,682 predicted genes.
Changes in Shear Modulus of the Lumbar Multifidus Muscle during Different Body Positions.

Multifidus function is important for active stabilization of the spine, but it can be compromised in patients with chronic low back pain and other spine pathologies. Force production and strength of back muscles are often evaluated using isometric or isokinetic tests, which lack the ability to quantify multifidi contribution independent of the erector spinae and adjacent hip musculature. The objective of this study is to evaluate localized force production capability in multifidus muscle using ultrasound Shear Wave Elastography (SWE) in healthy individuals. Three different body positions were considered: lying prone, sitting up, and sitting up with the right arm lifted. This positions were chosen to progressively increase multifidus contraction and to minimize body motion during measurements. Shear modulus was measured at the superficial and deeper layers of the multifidus. Repeatability and possible sources of error of the shear modulus measurements were analyzed. Multifidus shear modulus (median (IQR)) increased from prone, i.e. 16.15 (6.69) kPa, to sitting up, i.e. 27.28 (15.72) kPa, to sitting up with the right arm lifted position, i.e. 45.02 (25.27) kPa. Multifidi shear modulus in the deeper layer of the multifidi were lower than the superficial layer, suggesting lower muscle contraction. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for evaluation of shear modulus by muscle layer were found to be excellent (ICCs=0.76-0.80). Results suggest the proposed protocol could quantify local changes in spinal muscle function in healthy adults; further research in patients with spine pathology is warranted.