cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Comprehensive Approach to Mapping the Interacting Surfaces of Murine Amphotropic and Feline Subgroup B Leukemia Viruses with Their Cell Surface Receptors

Because mutations in envelope glycoproteins of retroviruses or in their cell surface receptors can eliminate function by multiple mechanisms, it has been difficult to unambiguously identify sites for their interactions by site-directed mutagenesis. Recently, we developed a gain-of-function approach to overcome this problem. Our strategy relies on the fact that feline leukemia virus subgroup B (FeLV-B) and amphotropic murine leukemia virus (A-MLV) have closely related gp70 surface envelope glycoproteins and use related Na(+)-dependent phosphate symporters, Pit1 and Pit2, respectively, as their receptors. We previously observed that FeLV-B/A-MLV envelope glycoprotein chimeras spliced between the variable regions VRA and VRB were unable to use Pit1 or Pit2 as a receptor but could efficiently use specific Pit1/Pit2 chimeras. The latter study suggested that the VRA of A-MLV and FeLV-B functionally interact with the presumptive extracellular loops 4 and 5 (ECL4 and -5) of their respective receptors, whereas VRB interacts with ECL2. We also found that FeLV-B gp70 residues F60 and P61 and A-MLV residues Y60 and V61 in the first disulfide-bonded loop of VRA were important for functional interaction with the receptor's ECL4 or -5. We have now extended this approach to identify additional VRA and VRB residues that are involved in receptor recognition. Our studies imply that FeLV-B VRA residues F60 and P61 interact with the Pit1 ECL5 region, whereas VRA residues 66 to 78 interact with Pit1 ECL4. Correspondingly, A-MLV VRA residues Y60 and V61 interact with the Pit2 ECL5 region, whereas residues 66 to 78 interact with Pit2 ECL4. Similar studies that focused on the gp70 VRB implicated residues 129 to 139 as contributing to specific interactions with the receptor ECL2. These results identify three regions of gp70 that interact in a specific manner with distinct portions of their receptors, thereby providing a map of the functionally interacting surfaces.
Polar-based OFDM and SC-FDE links toward energy-efficient Gbps transmission under IM-DD optical system constraints [Invited]

Recent studies have investigated the use of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and single carrier frequency-domain equalization (SC-FDE) for gigabyte per second (Gpbs) short-range optical wired and wireless access networks based on direct intensitymodulation with direct detection (IM-DD). OFDM systems have an inherent high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). SC-FDE systems have lower PAPR and thus outperform comparable OFDM systems in terms of bit-error performance under various practical considerations, mainly the limited dynamic range of operation at the transmitter. In RF-based OFDM and SC-FDE systems, the output signal is bipolar, complex, and cannot be transmitted in IM-DD systems. Therefore, several power efficient schemes, however spectrally inefficient, have been proposed to make positive OFDM and SC-FDE signals, e.g., asymmetrically clipped optical OFDM (ACO-OFDM) and repetition and clipping optical SCFDE (RCO-SCFDE). To increase the data rate, novel OFDM and SC-FDE signal formats, called polar OFDM (P-OFDM) and polar SC-FDE (P-SC-FDE), based on a polar representation of complex symbols, are proposed. The proposed format offers twice as much spectral efficiency as state-of-the art unipolar OFDM and SC-FDE formats. Moreover, using a power allocation approach on the time-domain positive samples, the PAPR is further reduced, and the numerical evaluation of the bit-error performance under optical source power and dynamic range constraints demonstrates superior results toward Gpbs transmission.
Planktivory and planktivore biomass effects on zooplankton, phytoplankton, and the trophic cascade1

Five outdoor tank experiments were conducted to evaluate how season, fish biomass, and accidental mortality of introduced fish contributed to enhancement ofphytoplankton .growth by the zooplanktivorous atherinid fish, Menidia beryllina. Menidia enhanced phytoplankton in all seasons. Three experiments examined effects of fish density. A4enidia gained weight when stocked in the experimental tanks at low densities ( 1.5 g dry wt m-3). Under these conditions, Menidia suppressed crustacean zooplankton and reduced water transparency, and enhanced rotifers, algal chlorophyll fluorescence, and seston particles. Two additional experiments of factorial design used live A4enidia and dead Menidia as separate, cross-classified treatment factors, Live fish effects were limited to the suppression of crustacean zooplankton and enhancement of blue-green filaments, while dead fish reduced water transparency or enhanced other phytoplankton. The importance of lost fish biomass (either weight loss or mortality of introduced fish) to the enhancement of phytoplankton by planktivorous fish in these experiments suggests that zooplankton control of phytoplankton by grazing is not as important as implied by the trophic cascade hypothesis.
Considerations for creating and annotating the budding yeast Genome Map at SGD: a progress report

The Saccharomyces Genome Database (SGD) is compiling and annotating a comprehensive catalogue of functional sequence elements identified in the budding yeast genome. Recent advances in deep sequencing technologies have enabled for example, global analyses of transcription profiling and assembly of maps of transcription factor occupancy and higher order chromatin organization, at nucleotide level resolution. With this growing influx of published genome-scale data, come new challenges for their storage, display, analysis and integration. Here, we describe SGD's progress in the creation of a consolidated resource for genome sequence elements in the budding yeast, the considerations taken in its design and the lessons learned thus far. The data within this collection can be accessed at http://browse.yeastgenome.org and downloaded from http://downloads.yeastgenome.org. Database URL: http://www.yeastgenome.org
Middle High German [rs] > [r ] as height dissimilation

The contrast between Middle High German (MHG) [s] and [Open image in new window] was consistently neutralized to the latter sound after [r] in many modern German dialects, e.g., MHG kirse > New High German Kirsche ‘cherry’. It will be argued that this sound change was a dissimilation of the distinctive feature [high] and that this dissimilation was triggered by an independently motivated OCP constraint banning adjacent consonants with the same value of [high]. Alternative analyses in which the shift from [rs] to [rOpen image in new window] is analyzed as a dissimilation of some other feature or as the assimilation of some property will be refuted. The present study also addressed the actuation problem: Why did [rs] shift to [rOpen image in new window] in this particular language at this particular time? It will be argued that the structural questions that arise in explaining the [rs] > [rOpen image in new window] shift (e.g., Why did [s] shift after [r] but not after other sounds?) as well as specific questions pertaining to the actuation problem derive straightforward answers by considering the phonological system of Middle High German. In particular, one needs to consider the features of Middle High German that were distinctive and which of those distinctive features were active phonologically.
Growth mechanism of vapor-deposited diamond

An elementary-reaction mechanism of diamond growth by a vapor deposition process is proposed. The central postulate is that the main monomer growth species is acetylene. The mechanism basically consists of two alternating steps: surface activation by H abstraction of a hydrogen atom from a surface carbon and the addition of one or two acetylene molecules. During the addition reaction cycle a number of solid C–C bonds is formed and hydrogen atoms migrate from a lower to an upper surface layer. The mechanism is in general agreement with the macroscopic views of the Russian researchers and is consistent with the numerous experimental observations reported in the literature.
Effects of stretch and shortening on gene expression in intact myocardium

Multiple cues have been suggested as the mechanical stimulus for the heart's hypertrophic response. Our work has previously suggested that the amount of cyclic shortening in cardiomyocytes controls...
Novel biosynthetic functions of lipopolysaccharide rfaJ homologs from Helicobacter pylori

Activity screening and insertional inactivation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthetic genes in Helicobacter pylori have led to the successful characterization of two key enzymes encoded by HP0159 (JHP0147) and HP1105 (JHP1032) open reading frames (ORFs) which are members of the large and diverse carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZY) GT-8 (rfaJ) family of glycosyltransferases. Activity screening of a genomic library led to the identification of the enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the type 2 N-acetyl-lactosamine O-chain backbone, the beta-1,3-N-acetyl-glucosaminyl transferase. In addition, the activity screening approach led to the identification and characterization of a key core biosynthetic enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of the alpha-1,6-glucan polymer. This alpha-1,6-glucosyltransferase protein is encoded by the HP0159 ORF. Both enzymes play an integral part in the biosynthesis of LPS, and insertional inactivation leads to the production of a truncated LPS molecule on the bacterial cell surface. The LPS structures were determined by mass spectrometry and chemical analyses. The linkage specificity of each glycosyltransferase was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of model compounds synthesized in vitro. A cryogenic probe was used to structurally characterize nanomole amounts of the product of the HP1105 (JHP1032) enzyme. In contrast to the HP0159 enzyme, which displays the GT-8-predicted retaining stereochemistry for the reaction product, HP1105 (JHP1032) is the first member of this GT-8 family to have been shown to have an inverting stereochemistry in its reaction products.
Circular generalized cylinder fitting for 3D reconstruction in endoscopic imaging based on MRF

Endoscopy has become an established procedure for the diagnosis and therapy of various gastrointestinal (GI) ailments, and has also emerged as a commonly-used technique for minimally-invasive surgery. Most existing endoscopes are monocular, with stereo-endoscopy facing practical difficulties, preventing the physicians/surgeons from having a desired, realistic 3D view. Traditional monocular 3D reconstruction approaches (e.g., structure from motion) face extraordinary challenges for this application due to issues including noisy data, lack of textures supporting robust feature matching, nonrigidity of the objects, and glare artifacts from the imaging process, etc. In this paper, we propose a method to automatically reconstruct 3D structure from a monocular endoscopic video. Our approach attempts to address the above challenges by incorporating a circular generalized cylinder (CGC) model in 3D reconstruction. The CGC model is decomposed as a series of 3D circles. To reconstruct this model, we formulate the problem as one of maximum a posteriori estimation within a Markov random field framework, so as to ensure the smoothness constraints of the CGC model and to support robust search for the optimal solution, which is achieved by a two-stage heuristic search scheme. Both simulated and real data experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Sampling Error Estimation in High-Speed Sampling Systems Introduced by the Presence of Phase Noise in the Sampling Clock

The presence of phase noise in the sampling clock of fast analog-to-digital converters introduces time jitter into the sampling instants of the analog-to-digital converter. In this paper, an analysis has been performed to quantify the impact of phase perturbation in the sampling clock on the signal-to-noise ratio of the digitized waveform. Close form formulae have been obtained for the signal-to-jitter noise (S/Njit) ratio when the phase perturbation is random as well as when it is dominated by a periodic and deterministic component. The result obtained is then used to predict the jitter noise generated by a sampling clock with typical phase noise performance. The results obtained will help identify the impact of the various sampling and phase noise parameters on the resulting S/Njit ratio.
Design of a thermal sensitive MEMS resonator and readout circuit for infrared sensing

This paper presents a novel thermal sensitive MEMS resonator (TSMR) and the readout circuit (ROIC) for uncooled infrared (IR) detection. The structure of the TSMR uses an optical resonance cavity co-constructed with a metal-oxide-metal (MIM) resonator to improve the IR sensing capability. The filling fraction and absorption coefficient of the micro-mechanical resonator can be up to 80%. In the ROIC design, the Maxwell-Wien bridge is adopted to detect the TSMR's impedance variation due to the IR radiation heating the resonator. A self-mixing mixer is also used to generate the corresponding dc output voltage for the following integrator and sample-and-hold circuit (SH) to do charge accumulation and hold the sampled-signal level. The simulated results show that the output voltage of the SH circuit is from 0.1 V to 2.3 V and the noise voltage is lower than 300 µVrms. The signal-to-noise ratio of the ROIC is higher than 77 dB.
Living Donor Nephrectomy: Factors Influencing Morbidity

AbstractRecent interest in transperitoneal live donor nephrectomy prompted us to review our experience with 104 live donor nephrectomies performed through a standard flank extraperitoneal approach. There were no deaths and 14. 4 per cent of the patients had minor complications that were managed easily. Factors influencing morbidity in the voluntary donor are analyzed.
Gather-scatter DRAM: in-DRAM address translation to improve the spatial locality of non-unit strided accesses

Many data structures (e.g., matrices) are typically accessed with multiple access patterns. Depending on the layout of the data structure in physical address space, some access patterns result in non-unit strides. In existing systems, which are optimized to store and access cache lines, non-unit strided accesses exhibit low spatial locality. Therefore, they incur high latency, and waste memory bandwidth and cache space. We propose the Gather-Scatter DRAM (GS-DRAM) to address this problem. We observe that a commodity DRAM module contains many chips. Each chip stores a part of every cache line mapped to the module. Our idea is to enable the memory controller to access multiple values that belong to a strided pattern from different chips using a single read/write command. To realize this idea, GS-DRAM first maps the data of each cache line to different chips such that multiple values of a strided access pattern are mapped to different chips. Second, instead of sending a separate address to each chip, GS-DRAM maps each strided pattern to a small pattern ID that is communicated to the module. Based on the pattern ID, each chip independently computes the address of the value to be accessed. The cache line returned by the module contains different values of the strided pattern gathered from different chips. We show that this approach enables GS-DRAM to achieve near-ideal memory bandwidth and cache utilization for many common access patterns. We design an end-to-end system to exploit GS-DRAM. Our evaluations show that 1) for in-memory databases, GS-DRAM obtains the best of the row store and the column store layouts, in terms of both performance and energy, and 2) for matrix-matrix multiplication, GS-DRAM seamlessly enables SIMD optimizations and outperforms the best tiled layout. Our framework is general, and can benefit many modern data-intensive applications.
Thermal Spin Injection and Interface Insensitivity in Permalloy/Aluminum Metallic Nonlocal Spin Valves

In a wide range of experiments where electrical currents are used to inject angular momentum, or spin currents, from a metallic ferromagnet into a nonmagnetic metal, the interface plays a critical role. Whether in the giant magnetoresistance effect or in nonlocal spin valves, a loss of spin polarization of an electrical current crossing the interface is seen to reduce the spin current and lead to smaller overall response in sensors. The authors here compare electrical spin injection to the more recently discovered thermal spin injection in a nonlocal spin valve. They show that, despite a strong reduction of electrical spin injection that they tie to the loss of interfacial spin polarization, thermal spin injection remains a large effect. This highlights that thermal spin injection (also called the spin-dependent Seebeck effect) can proceed by new physical mechanisms not possible in the electrically driven case, potentially involving incoherent spin pumping and collective behavior of magnetization in the oxidized interface layer. Better understanding of these interface effects could lead to new ways to increase sensitivity of next-generation magnetic sensors and efficiency of sources of spin current in metallic systems.
Abstract 118: Epigenetic Regulation of Ventricular Development

Perturbations of the epigenetic machinery can lead to the deregulation of cardiac gene expression, resulting in defective cardiac development and cardiac hypertrophy. Due to a groundbreaking discovery of histone demethylases such as Jumonji (Jmj) family factors, histone methylation is now considered as a reversible epigenetic mark. Jarid2/Jumonji is the founding member of the JMJ family. Jarid2 is enzymatically inactive, but functions as a transcriptional regulator. Jarid2 critically regulates cardiovascular development as well as ES cell differentiation and generation of iPS cells. Jarid2 knockout (KO) mice exhibit cardiac defects including hyper-trabeculation with noncompaction of the ventricular wall. Although Jarid2 interacts with Polycomb Repressor Complex in ES cells, the precise function of Jarid2 in cardiac development remains to be determined. Therefore, we set out to determine molecular mechanisms of Jarid2 critical for cardiac development. To identify cardiac-specific roles of Jarid2, we generated deletion of Jarid2 in early cardiac progenitors using Nkx2.5-Cre Knock-in mice (Jarid2Nkx-KI). Jarid2Nkx-KI mice recapitulate partial phenotypic defects observed in Jarid2 KO including hyper-trabeculation, thin myocardium and ventricular septal defects. By overlapping ChIP-chip and microarray analyses, we have identified potential transcriptional targets of Jarid2, which are occupied by Jarid2, SETDB1, H3K9me3 or H3K27me3, and upregulated in Jarid2 mutant hearts. 174 genes including Isl1 were identified as dysregulated genes that showed accumulation of Jarid2 and H3K27me3. 172 genes including Bmp10 were identified as dysregulated genes and were occupied by Jarid2, SETDB1 and H3K9me3. Isl1, Bmp10/p-Smad1/5/8, and Ifgbp2 were upregulated in Jarid2Nkx-KI hearts by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Islet1 plays crucial roles in early cardiac development and a marker for cardiac progenitors. Jarid2 occupancy was observed at the Isl1 promoter region by ChIP assays in WT hearts, which was reduced in Jarid2Nkx-KI. All together, our data indicate that Jarid2 regulates target gene expression by interacting with different histone modifiers depending on the cell/promoter context, which is critical for ventricular wall maturation.
The earliest known ants: an analysis of the Cretaceous species and an inference concerning their social organization

The known Cretaceous formicoids are better interpreted from morphological evidence as forming a single subfamily, the Sphecomyrminae, and even a single genus, Sphecomyrma, rather than multiple families and genera. The females appear to have been differentiated as queen and worker castes belonging to the same colonial species instead of winged and wingless solitary females belonging to different species. The former conclusion is supported by the fact that the abdomens of workers of modern ant species and extinct Miocene ant species are smaller relative to the rest of the body than is the case for modern wingless solitary wasps. The wingless Cretaceous formicoids conform to the proportions of ant workers rather than to those of wasps (Figs. 1–2) and hence are reasonably interpreted to have lived in colonies. The Cretaceous formicoids are nevertheless anatomically primitive with reference to modern ants and share some key traits with nonsocial aculeate wasps. They were distributed widely over Laurasia and appear to have been much less abundant than modern ants.
Ion Damage Production in GaAs/Al0.6Ga0.4As Heterostructures

The non-uniform distribution of damage with depth and the onset of amorphization produced in Al0.6Ga0.4As/GaAs heterostructures by 1.5 MeV Kr+ ion implantation at 77K have been investigated by using a combination of RBS channeling and cross-sectional high-resolution TEM techniques. The extent of damage increases with increasing depth in the Al0.6Ga0.4As layer. This depth dependence of the damage can be correlated with an increase in the number of recoil events with an energy between 30 and 50 keV. We propose that the amorphization of Al0.6Ga0.4As requires the superposition of cascade-type damage on a background population of point defects which is created by implantation with high energy ions.
Finding work

The second and concluding section of an authoritative dissertation dealing in a practical way with the important problem of finding work, and keeping it after it is found, is presented herewith. This article, the first section of which was published in Electrical Engineering for December 1934, pages 1670–4, was written by Samuel S. Board, placement specialist of New York, N. Y., for The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Blunt aortic trauma in a patient with the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI.

A 24-year-old male with the Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) type VI (ocular scoliotic) who was kicked in the abdomen presented to the emergency room (ER) with abdominal pain. He was found to have a blunt traumatic aortic injury. The patient was treated nonoperatively. He was stable and discharged home on the eighth day. The patient returned to the ER several days later hypotensive and tachycardic. The patient was taken immediately to the operating room, but vascular repair was not possible. The patient expired. We discuss the challenges of taking care of a patient with EDS and offer suggestions that might improve future patient's outcome.
Thrombocytopenia and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adults with acute respiratory failure: a cohort study

The association between extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use and the development of thrombocytopenia is widely presumed yet weakly demonstrated. We hypothesized that longer duration of ECMO support would be independently associated with worsened thrombocytopenia. We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of 100 adults who received ECMO for acute respiratory failure. We used generalized estimating equations to test the association between days on ECMO and daily percentage of platelets compared to the first post-cannulation platelet count. We constructed a multivariable logistic regression model with backwards stepwise elimination to identify clinical predictors of severe thrombocytopenia (≤50,000/μL) while on ECMO. Days on ECMO was not associated with a decrease in platelet count in the unadjusted analysis (β −0.85, 95 % CI −2.05 to 0.36), nor after considering and controlling for days hospitalized prior to ECMO, APACHE II score, platelet transfusions, and potential thrombocytopenia-inducing medications (β −0.83, 95 % CI −1.9 to 0.25). Twenty-two subjects (22 %) developed severe thrombocytopenia. The APACHE II score and platelet count at the time of cannulation predicted the development of severe thrombocytopenia. The odds of developing severe thrombocytopenia increased 35 % for every 5-point increase in APACHE II score (OR 1.35, 95 % CI 0.94–1.94) and increased 35 % for every 25,000/μL platelets below a mean at cannulation of 188,000/μL (OR 1.35, 95 % CI 1.10–1.64). Duration of ECMO is not associated with the development of thrombocytopenia. The severity of critical illness and platelet count at the time of cannulation predict the development of severe thrombocytopenia while receiving ECMO for respiratory failure. Future studies should validate these findings, especially in cohorts with more venoarterial ECMO patients, and should characterize the association between thrombocytopenia and bleeding events while on ECMO.
Graphene Interfaced with Biological Cells: Opportunities and Challenges.

By interfacing the quantum mechanical properties of nanomaterials with the complex processes in biology, several bio/nano systems have evolved with applications in biosensors, cellular devices, drug delivery, and biophotoluminescence. One recent breakthrough has been the application of graphene, a two-dimensional (2-D) sheet of sp2 hybridized carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice, as a sensitive platform for interfacing with biological cells to detect intra- and extracellular phenomena, including cellular excretion and cell membrane’s potential modulation. In this Perspective, we discuss the recent results on graphene/cell interfacial devices and the principles defining the modulation of charge-carrier properties in graphene and its derivatives via interaction with cellular membranes. Graphene’s high sensitivity in these applications evolves from the π-carrier cloud confined within an atom-thick layer, quantum-capacitance-induced doping enhancement, closely spaced electronic bands, and a large surf...
Influence of vitamin D on fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in naturally colonized cattle.

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of vitamin D on fecal shedding of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in cattle. In the first experiment, two groups of cattle (beef and dairy) were assigned to a control treatment or to receive 0.5 × 106 IU vitamin D per day via oral bolus for 10 days. Fecal samples were collected before and throughout the dosing period for culture of E. coli O157:H7. No differences were observed for fecal shedding of E. coli O157:H7 among treatments for either beef or dairy animals. Serum concentrations of vitamin D were markedly higher (P < 0.0001) in treated beef cattle but only tended to be higher (P = 0.09) in the dairy cattle. In the second experiment, three successive vitamin D dosages (2,400, 4,800, and 9,600 IU/day; 14 days each) were administered to 14 dairy steers (7 steers served as controls), fecal samples were collected daily, and serum samples were collected weekly throughout the 42-day experimental period. No significant differences in fecal prevalence or se...
Effect of Maternal Myasthenia on Delivery and the Newborn

The effect of pre-existing myasthenia gravis (MG) on delivery and the newborn was investigated in a retrospective study of 127 births by mothers with MG compared to 1.9 million births by mothers without MG at the University of Bergen, Norway.
Free-Standing Silicon Nanogratings for Extreme UV Rejection

The integration of compact, sturdy, and lightweight sensors into satellites for measurement of low-density plasmas has been hindered by their inherent sensitivity to extreme UV photons. Silicon nanograting structures that reject extreme UV light while allowing particles to pass through have improved on previous gold gratings in terms of stability and ease of fabrication, but comparable UV rejection was not attained since Si acts as a plasmonic material in the extreme UV. In order to alter the plasmonic properties of the structure, atomic layer deposition technology was utilized during fabrication, and extreme UV transmission comparable to previous results was achieved. This work reports the fabrication and measurement of coated, free-standing Si nanogratings created over a large area using nanoimprint lithography. With reduction in defect density, these structures could outperform current gold gratings as UV filters in space-based mass spectrometry systems.
Gentamicin and kanamycin in the treatment of gram-negative sepsis: a comparative study.

This study was initiated to compare the efficacy of gentamicin and kanamycin, the latter given either alone or with polymyxin, as the primary therapy in patients with suspected gram-negative sepsis. Seventy of 89 patients entered in the study were considered satisfactory for evaluation; 37 were treated with gentamicin and 33 were given kanamycin (plus polymyxin in 14 instances). There were two significant differences in the therapeutic groups. Twenty patients (54%) of the group treated with gentamicin had imminently fatal underlying disease, while nine (27%) of the group treated with kanamycin were so afflicted. Likewise, decreased renal function was significantly more frequent in patients in the group treated with gentamicin. There was no significant difference in the response to treatment in the two groups, with more than 50% of the patients responding to either antibiotic regimen. As a result of patient selection, most pseudomonas infections were included in the group treated with gentamicin.
Convergence in leaf size versus twig leaf area scaling: do plants optimize leaf area partitioning?

Background and aims Corner's rule states that thicker twigs bear larger leaves. The exact nature of this relationship and why it should occur has been the subject of numerous studies. It is obvious that thicker twigs should support greater total leaf area ([Formula: see text]) for hydraulical and mechanical reasons. But it is not obvious why mean leaf size ([Formula: see text]) should scale positively with [Formula: see text] We asked what this scaling relationship is within species and how variable it is across species. We then developed a model to explain why these relationships exist. Methods To minimize potential sources of variability, we compared twig properties from six co-occurring and functionally similar species: Acer grandidentatum, Amelanchier alnifolia, Betula occidentalis, Cornus sericea, Populus fremontii and Symphoricarpos oreophilus We modelled the economics of leaf display, weighing the benefit from light absorption against the cost of leaf tissue, to predict the optimal [Formula: see text] combinations under different canopy openings. Key results We observed a common [Formula: see text] by [Formula: see text] exponent of 0.6, meaning that [Formula: see text]and leaf number on twigs increased in a specific coordination. Common scaling exponents were not supported for relationships between any other measured twig properties. The model consistently predicted positive [Formula: see text] by [Formula: see text] scaling when twigs optimally filled canopy openings. The observed 0·6 exponent was predicted when self-shading decreased with larger canopy opening. Conclusions Our results suggest Corner's rule may be better understood when recast as positive [Formula: see text] by [Formula: see text] scaling. Our model provides a tentative explanation of observed [Formula: see text] by [Formula: see text] scaling and suggests different scaling may exist in different environments.
Semantic Concept Detection Using Weighted Discretization Multiple Correspondence Analysis for Disaster Information Management

Multimedia semantic concept detection is an emerging research area in recent years. One of the prominent challenges in multimedia concept detection is data imbalance. In this study, a multimedia data mining framework for interesting concept detection in videos is presented. First, the Minimum Description Length (MDL) discretization algorithm is extended to handle the imbalanced data. Thereafter, a novel Weighted Discretization Multiple Correspondence Analysis (WD-MCA) algorithm based on the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) approach is proposed to maximize the correlation between the feature value pairs and concept classes by incorporating the discretization information captured from the MDL module. The proposed framework achieves promising performance to videos containing disaster events. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the WD-MCA algorithm, specifically for imbalanced datasets, compared to several existing methods.
Closure of Transverse Loop Colostomy

Closure of a transverse loop colostomy is performed when the ostomy/fecal diversion is no longer required. This chapter lists indications, essential steps, common technical variations, and complications of this procedure. A detailed template operative dictation is provided.
Improved data-driven likelihood factorizations for transcript abundance estimation.

Motivation Many methods for transcript-level abundance estimation reduce the computational burden associated with the iterative algorithms they use by adopting an approximate factorization of the likelihood function they optimize. This leads to considerably faster convergence of the optimization procedure, since each round of e.g. the EM algorithm, can execute much more quickly. However, these approximate factorizations of the likelihood function simplify calculations at the expense of discarding certain information that can be useful for accurate transcript abundance estimation. Results We demonstrate that model simplifications (i.e. factorizations of the likelihood function) adopted by certain abundance estimation methods can lead to a diminished ability to accurately estimate the abundances of highly related transcripts. In particular, considering factorizations based on transcript-fragment compatibility alone can result in a loss of accuracy compared to the per-fragment, unsimplified model. However, we show that such shortcomings are not an inherent limitation of approximately factorizing the underlying likelihood function. By considering the appropriate conditional fragment probabilities, and adopting improved, data-driven factorizations of this likelihood, we demonstrate that such approaches can achieve accuracy nearly indistinguishable from methods that consider the complete (i.e. per-fragment) likelihood, while retaining the computational efficiently of the compatibility-based factorizations. Availability and implementation Our data-driven factorizations are incorporated into a branch of the Salmon transcript quantification tool: https://github.com/COMBINE-lab/salmon/tree/factorizations . Contact rob.patro@cs.stonybrook.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Diagnostic Value of the Near-Nerve Needle Sensory Nerve Conduction in Sensory Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy

Introduction: We report here the diagnostic value of the near-nerve needle sensory nerve conduction study (NNN-SNCS) in sensory inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (IDP) in which the routine nerve conduction study was normal or nondiagnostic. Methods: The NNN-SNCS was performed to identify demyelination in the plantar nerves in 14 patients and in the median or ulnar nerve in two patients with sensory IDP . Results: In 16 patients with sensory IDP, routine NCSs were either normal or non-diagnostic for demyelination. Demyelination was identified by NNN-SNCS by dispersion and/or slow nerve conduction velocity (NCV) below the demyelination marker. Immunotherapy was initiated in 11 patients, 10 of whom improved or remained stable. Discussion: NNN-SNCS played an essential role in identifying demyelinaton in 16 patients with sensory IDP, leading to proper treatment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Longitudinal impact of weight misperception and intent to change weight on body mass index of adolescents and young adults with overweight or obesity

Abstract Objective Accurate perception of one's weight status is believed to be necessary to motivate weight loss intention and subsequent weight loss among those with overweight/obesity. This proposed pathway, however, is understudied in longitudinal research. This study examined the indirect effect of weight change intention on the relationship between weight status perception and BMI change among adolescents with overweight/obesity. Methods Participants included 2664 adolescents with overweight/obesity (52% female) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Longitudinal associations between Wave II weight status perception (accurate versus misperception) and intent to change weight (i.e., gain, lose, stay the same) on BMI change (Wave II–Wave IV) were examined using multiple linear regression. Indirect effects of weight change intention were investigated using the Monte Carlo method. Analyses were stratified by gender. Results Accurate perceivers (81.0% female; 60.1% male) were more likely than misperceivers (i.e., perception of “about the right weight”) to report weight loss intention (p Conclusions Although weight status misperception was protective against weight gain, weight change intention did not provide an explanation for this relationship.
Development and Pilot Testing of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

ObjectiveOur aim was (1) to develop an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and (2) to test the reliability and evaluate the feasibility of this OSCE w...
Exploring cognitive support use and preference by college students with TBI: A mixed-methods study.

PURPOSE Many college students with TBI rely on external strategies and supports to compensate for persistent memory, organization, and planning deficits that interfere with recalling and executing daily tasks. Practitioners know little, however, about the supports students with TBI choose for this purpose, the reasoning behind their choice, or preferred features of selected supports. The purpose of this study was to explore these issues. METHOD We collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data from eight college students with TBI for completion of a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design. Data analysis included evaluation and triangulation of participant demographic information, survey responses about persistent post-injury symptoms, transcripts from semi-structured interviews about cognitive support devices and strategies, and ranking results about specific compensatory tools. RESULTS Results suggest that college students with TBI prefer high-tech external supports-sometimes with the addition of low-tech, paper supports-to assist them in managing daily tasks. This preference related to features of portability, accessibility, and automatic reminders. An electronic calendar was the most-preferred high-tech support, and a paper checklist was the most-preferred low-tech support. CONCLUSIONS Rehabilitation professionals should consider implementing high-tech supports with preferred characteristics during treatment given the preferences of students with TBI and the consequent likelihood of their continued long-term use following reintegration to community settings.
The Photographic View: Observational Record and Symbolic Excess

Photographs are commonly used in the popular communication of genetics. Chapter 2 categorizes them into informative and symbolic photographs. The former focuses on demonstrating scientific evidence; examples include the portrayals of observed mutations and results of DNA fingerprinting (i.e., electrophoresis). The value of these photographs as scientific evidence was limited when the focus of genetic research changed from physical observation to DNA analysis and when communicators attempted to “simplify” otherwise complex findings. As for symbolic photographs, they are designed to foster viewer emotions; examples include Photoshopped pictures of genetically modified organisms or pictures of human participants in research. These photographs highlight the social/ethical ramifications of genetic research but may also discourage productive conversation and belie gender and racial biases.
A buck converter with optimized dynamic response using lag-lead active voltage positioning

This paper proposes a lag-lead Active Voltage Positioning (AVP) technique that can be used in buck converters to minimize their output voltage transients during dynamic events, such as load pulses. The proposed technique is based on optimizing the output impedance of the converter across a wide range of frequencies, and therefore, output voltage transients in response to both narrow and wide load pulses can be minimized without increasing the converter's main control loop bandwidth or the output capacitance. The proposed technique is verified with a 5-MHz buck converter design in 0.18-μm CMOS, where compared to conventional lag-only AVP designs, over 70% and 60% reduction in output voltage transients are achieved for wide and narrow load pulses respectively.
Disturbance propagation in power system based on an epidemic model

Study the dynamic behavior of disturbance propagation is of great importance for the safety and stability of power system. The dynamic analysis of the disturbance of the power system attempts to use an mature epidemic model of biology and open a new path to the dynamics of disturbance propagation. In this paper, based on the analogy epidemic model and the propagation of the grid disturbance, the concept of disturbance propagation intensity was put forward. Furthermore, the complex network theory was used to analyze the complex network topology of the power system, and the random matrix theory was used to analyze the relationship between the spatial and temporal data in power system. At last, the dynamic model of disturbance propagation in power system based on data-driven was established. The simulation shows that the proposed model can effectively supplement the traditional power system disturbance propagation analysis, and can analyze the dynamic behavior of power system.
Gaseous-tracer technology and applications

Current interest in the use of gaseous tracers for probing the atmospheric boundary layer has resulted largely from increasing concern for the quality of the air. In the past, tracers were used primarily to quantify atmospheric characteristics such as transport and diffusion, but in recent years their use has been extended to study emissions from complex pollutant sources and chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
Building Networks for Sustainability: The Role of International Organizations

Governance for sustainability has made a striking turn to “transnational” institutions, in which non-state actors – including business firms, civil society groups and sub-national governments – play major roles along with or instead of national governments. Their numbers have expanded rapidly, especially in areas such as climate change. In their internal structures, many transnational organizations resemble networks: they bring together multiple stakeholders that coordinate their contributions to the organization as well as organizational decision-making. In addition, many transnational actors and organizations are linked in broader networks, formed autonomously or sponsored by other institutions. International organizations (IOs) have played important roles in these developments. Yet numerous transnational sustainability organizations operate almost wholly independently; and many networks, such as the “action networks” of Rio 20, remain weak. There remains, therefore, a significant role for IOs in facilitating, promoting and coordinating sustainable development organizations and networks, to maximize their contributions to knowledge creation, sharing and capacity-building, policy- and rule-making, financing and practical initiatives. IOs can also steer transnational organizations and networks to focus on democratically established goals and priorities, such as the sustainable development goals (SDGs) now being negotiated. The governance strategy of “orchestration” enables IOs to catalyze the formation of networks; provide guidance and support to them; and steer their conduct, albeit in modest ways. It allows IOs to enhance their own impact by working through networks, while strengthening and guiding those networks in line with public goals.
Olecranon Fractures in Pediatric Patients With Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

Background Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary disorder characterized by an abnormality of the quality or quantity of type I collagen, leading to bone fragility. Fractures in children with OI may result from minor trauma and have atypical patterns. Previous studies have found a strong relationship between olecranon fractures and OI in pediatric populations, but the characteristics of olecranon fractures within the OI patient population have not been fully described. Methods We reviewed the records of 358 children with a diagnosis of OI. Of those, 29 had at least 1 olecranon fracture. We collected general information relating to the patient's diagnosis of OI including OI type, fracture history, mobility, and bisphosphonate treatment. Information regarding the fracture, treatment, and the occurrence of bilateral fractures were recorded, as well as weight, height, and axial bone mineral density z-score from the time of the fracture. Results Within our OI population of 358 patients, we found an incidence of olecranon fracture of 8.1% (29 patients). The olecranon fractures occurred predominantly in the type I population (27 of 29). Within the population of patients specifically with OI type I (200 patients) the incidence is 13.5%, with 6% of OI type I patients sustaining bilateral olecranon fractures. The percentage of children with one olecranon fracture subsequently sustaining another on the contralateral side was 41.4%. The mean time to the second fracture was 5 months. The mean age at the time of the first olecranon fracture was 11.9 years old. The average axial bone mineral density z-score was -2.5 for primary fractures. All 12 patients who suffered a contralateral olecranon fracture had OI type I. Conclusions Olecranon fractures in the OI population occur most commonly in patients with type I OI and during early adolescence, a period of rapid growth. There is a high rate of bilateral olecranon fractures, with the contralateral fracture occurring quickly after the primary fracture. Further studies may elucidate risk factors to determine which patients are most likely to fracture the contralateral side and therefore drive treatment and potentially prevention. Level of evidence Level IV-retrospective cohort study.
Iterative Nonlinear Cable Shape and Force Finding Technique of Suspension Bridges Using Elastic Catenary Configuration

AbstractIt is important from the safety and economical perspectives that a suspension bridge should have minimal deformation under the self-weight of the bridge while the tension forces of the main...
Investigation of Surface Treatment Methods for 3D Printed Optical Components

The following proposes a method for preparing 3D printed surfaces as commercial quality optical components. Utilizing Formlabs' dipping method and pulse-reverse electroplating, a surface finish of $\lambda/10$ can be achieved. Optical profilometry (OP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) suggest a surface quality that is comparable to the industry standard of 80 / 50. Optimization and integration of this surface treatment process as a post-printing step would enable additive manufacturing to be a feasible approach for developing optical components. © 2019 The Author(s)