cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coherent control improves biomedical imaging with ultrashort shaped pulses

Although ultrashort pulses are advantageous for multiphoton excitation microscopy, they can be difficult to manipulate and may cause increased sample damage when applied to biological tissue. Here we present a method based on coherent control that corrects phase distortions introduced by high numerical aperture (NA) microscope objectives, thereby achieving the full potential of ultrashort pulses. A number of useful phase functions are recommended to gain selectivity that is similar to that which can be achieved by tuning a longer laser pulse; however this one involves no moving parts and maintains perfect optimization. This capability is used to demonstrate functional imaging by selective two-photon excitation of a pH-sensitive chromophore. Finally, we show that phase functions can also be introduced to minimize multiphoton excitation damage, while maintaining a high efficiency of two-photon excitation.
Biology and action of colony--stimulating factor-1.

Three growth factors are known to have direct effects on the survival, proliferation and differentiation of mononuclear phagocytes. These are interleukin-3 (IL-3), which regulates the proliferation and differentiation of multipotent hemopoietic cells; granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which regulates the proliferation and differentiation of neutrophilic granulocytes and mononuclear phagocytes with effects on early progenitors of the erythroid series; and colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), also known as macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) or macrophage growth factor (MGF), which selectively regulates the proliferation and differentiation of mononuclear phagocytes (reviewed in Refs. 1-3). CSF-1 is the most effective regulator of the proliferation and differentiation of mononuclear phagocytic cells, GM-CSF is less effective and IL-3 is a relatively weak mononuclear phagocyte growth factor.
Design and analysis of concrete reactor vessels: New developments, problems and trends

Abstract This lecture reviews new developments in analysis and design of prestressed concrete reactor vessels (PCRV). After a brief assessment of the current status and experience, the advantages, disadvantages, and especially the safety features of PCRV, are discussed. Attention is then focused on the design of penetrations and openings, and on the design for high-temperature resistance — areas in which further developments are needed. Various possible designs for high-temperature exposure of concrete in a hypothetical accident are analyzed. Considered are not only PCRVs for gas-cooled reactors (GCR), but also guard vessels for liquid metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBR), for which designs mitigating the adverse effects of molten sodium, molten steel, and core melt are surveyed. Realistic analysis of these problems requires further development in the knowledge of material behavior and its mathematical modeling. Recent advances in the modeling of high-temperature response of concrete, including pore water transfer, pore pressure, creep and shrinkage are outlined. This is followed by a discussion of new developments in the analysis of cracking of concrete, where the need of switching from stress criteria to energy criteria for fracture is emphasized. The lecture concludes with a brief discussion of long-time behavior, the effect of aging, and probabilistic analysis of creep.
Using the human melanocortin-2 receptor as a model for analyzing hormone/receptor interactions between a mammalian MC2 receptor and ACTH(1-24)

When considering the interactions between the melanocortin peptides (i.e., ACTH, α-MSH, β-MSH, γ-MSH) and the melanocortin receptors (i.e., MC1R, MC2R, MC3R, MC4R, MC5R), it appears that the structure/function relationship between ACTH and MC2R is the most complicated. Human ACTH(1-24) and the human melanocortin-2 receptor provide a useful model system for understanding how ACTH emerged as the sole ligand for the melanocortin-2 receptor of bony vertebrates. This review will discuss how studies utilizing analogs of hACTH(1-24) have revealed two critical amino acid motifs in this ligand (HFRW and KKRRP) which are required for activation of the melanocortin-2 receptor. In addition, observations on the unique activation features of the melanocortin-2 receptor, as revealed from studies on Familial Glucocorticoid Deficiency, will be considered. Finally, the evolutionary implications of the relationship between MC2R and MRAP1 will be discussed.
Multiple gates on working memory

The contexts for action may be only transiently visible, accessible, and relevant. The cortico-basal ganglia (BG) circuit addresses these demands by allowing the right motor plans to drive action at the right times, via a BG-mediated gate on motor representations. A long-standing hypothesis posits these same circuits are replicated in more rostral brain regions to support gating of cognitive representations. Key evidence now supports the prediction that BG can act as a gate on the input to working memory, as a gate on its output, and as a means of reallocating working memory representations rendered irrelevant by recent events. These discoveries validate key tenets of many computational models, circumscribe motor and cognitive models of recurrent cortical dynamics alone, and identify novel directions for research on the mechanisms of higher-level cognition.
It’s a question of breeding: Visualizing queer masculinity in bareback pornography

Gay bareback pornographic films featuring men engaging in condomless anal intercourse draw criticism from scholars, public health advocates, and even other pornographic filmmakers because of concerns that the rates of unprotected sex and STI—namely HIV—transmission will increase if gay men watch them. This article examines how bareback pornographic films by Treasure Island Media (TIM) present visual narratives of gendered pleasure and desire by reframing the cum shot and focusing on ejaculate rather than ejaculation. TIM films show masculinity as athletic, risky, and sacred. Though these are recognizable, normative frames of masculinity, TIM films visibly articulate queer erotics and bodies in queer(ed) activity.
Membrane alternatives in worlds without oxygen: Creation of an azotosome

The lipid bilayer membrane, which is the foundation of life on Earth, is not viable outside of biology based on liquid water. This fact has caused astronomers who seek conditions suitable for life to search for exoplanets within the “habitable zone,” the narrow band in which liquid water can exist. However, can cell membranes be created and function at temperatures far below those at which water is a liquid? We take a step toward answering this question by proposing a new type of membrane, composed of small organic nitrogen compounds, that is capable of forming and functioning in liquid methane at cryogenic temperatures. Using molecular simulations, we demonstrate that these membranes in cryogenic solvent have an elasticity equal to that of lipid bilayers in water at room temperature. As a proof of concept, we also demonstrate that stable cryogenic membranes could arise from compounds observed in the atmosphere of Saturn’s moon, Titan, known for the existence of seas of liquid methane on its surface.
Energy efficiency of large-scale wireless networks: proactive versus reactive networking

An analytical approach to the characterization of energy consumption of large-scale wireless networks is presented. The radio model includes energy consumption of nodes at various operating states. We analyze the total energy consumption of the proactive and the reactive networking strategies, taking into account transmitting, listening, and sleeping energy. Scaling laws with respect to the increase of node density and geographical size are derived. Energy efficiency and overhead at the physical and the network layers are evaluated against message duty cycle, channel fading rate, and node mobility. The crossover point in message duty cycle below which reactive network has assured advantages is obtained. The analysis is then applied to large-scale sensor networks for applications involving data-centric and location-centric queries. The ad hoc sensor network architecture is compared with sensor networks with mobile access points.
Perioperative management of the patient undergoing automatic internal cardioverter-defibrillator implantation.

I T HAS BEEN ESTIMATED that 400,000 people die annually from sudden cardiac arrest in the United States.’ Various treatment modalities have been tried in patients at high risk for sudden death from ventricular fibrillation, but delivery of an electrical countershock of sufficient energy remains the only reliable treatment.* The automatic internal cardioverterdefibrillator (AICD) has dramatically changed the treatment of patients at high risk for sudden death. The first clinical trial was by Mirowski et al3 in 1980. The implantation of AICDs has greatly increased since the Food and Drug Administration approved the device in 1985. There have been more than 3,000 AICDs inserted since 1982, at greater than 200 centerse4 The results of conventional treatment are not optimal. The l-year sudden-cardiac-death rate for survivors of an episode of cardiac arrest receiving empiric drug therapy is 20% to 50%.5-9 The l-year sudden-cardiac-death rate for patients with electrophysiologic or Holter-monitorguided therapy is 2% to 1 5%.5,6Y9 The results from a number of series of patients with AICDs, however, have been very encouraging. The lyear sudden-cardiac-death rate of AICD patients has been reported to be about 2%.‘@14
The Community of Inquiry Framework Ten Years Later: Introduction to the Special Issue

Abstract This article introduces the special issue on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework which is being published ten years after the model was first introduced. Since that time the CoI framework has been used to guide and inform both research and practice worldwide. We are very honored to have articles by the original three authors of the CoI model in this special issue. The special issue also contains articles by leading CoI researchers as well as some scholars who are just beginning to use the framework.
Structural and Functional Features of Mesophytic Forests in the East‐Central United States

Abstract Structural characteristics and functional properties of trees are used to investigate regional-scale variation in forest structure in mesophytic forests of the southeastern United States. Compositional data for 112 sites from Braun (1950) are recast into numerical expressions of structural features (e.g., leaf form, bark thickness, and seed weight) and functional traits (e.g., shade tolerance, dispersal agency, and windfirmness) of forests. These data are analyzed by principal components analysis to arrange sites on the basis of structural similarity and to interpret links between forest structure and environmental gradients of available moisture, soil fertility, and disturbance regime. Principal components analysis generates a triangular array of stands, with hemlock/spruce sites, hardwood coves, and dry upland forests at the vertices. Hardwood coves on mesic, fertile substrates are associated with small, simple leaves, gravity seed dispersal, and a high degree of windfirmness. Hemlock/spruce si...
Library Consortia in China

This paper traces the history and development of library consortia in China from 1980 to the present. It also gives examples and descriptions of various types of library consortia in China, including academic, public, special, multi-type library consortia at the regional and national level.
Increased 12/15-Lipoxygenase Enhances Cell Growth, Fibronectin Deposition, and Neointimal Formation in Response to Carotid Injury

Objective—To determine whether increased 12/15-lipoxygenase (12/15LO) expression in vivo enhances neointimal formation in response to injury. Methods and Results—12/15LO expression in the vessel wall is increased in animal models of metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus. Increased expression of 12/15LO enhances cultured vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation, an effect mediated by the helix-loop-helix factor inhibitor of differentiation 3 (Id3). Carotid endothelial denudation was performed on apolipoprotein (Apo) E−/−, ApoE−/−/12/15LO−/−, C57BL/6, and 12/15LO-overexpressing transgenic mice. ApoE−/−/12/15LO−/− mice had attenuated and 12/15LO-overexpressing transgenic mice had enhanced neointimal formation compared with control mice. 12/15LO-overexpressing transgenic mice had greater postinjury carotid Id3 and Ki-67 expression, cell number, and fibronectin deposition compared with C57BL/6 mice. Loss of 12/15LO attenuated proliferation of cultured ApoE−/− VSMCs, whereas 12/15LO overexpression in...
The Presence of the Asiatic Clam, Corbicula sp., from Lake Superior

ABSTRACT We report the occurrence of the Asiatic clam, Corbicula sp. in Lake Superior. Although Corbicula sp. has been recorded earlier from the Great Lakes, this is the first report of the clam from Lake Superior. Individuals were distributed in the thermal effluent at the Upper Peninsula Power Company, with the greatest density at 22°C. Density averaged 96·m2. Shell length ranged from 3 mm to 24 mm with 85% of clams being < 1 year old.
Joint Localization and Parameter Estimation for Localized Calcium Release Events in Video Microscopy

This paper addresses modeling and inference for localized calcium release events observed in cardiac muscle tissue known as sparks, a recently discovered and little-understood phenomenon thought to be central to cardiac pathophysiology and hence of much scientific interest. In contrast to earlier algorithms proposed for studying sparks observed via confocal line-scan data, we consider here a model for the spatiotemporal spark process in unpaced cardiac myocytes observed in vitro via fluorescence video microscopy. In particular, we focus on parametric modeling of the spark process, leading naturally to a framework for joint localization and estimation of spark events and their parameters in space and time, along with the ability to quantify the uncertainty of our resulting inference. We show that for simulated sparks derived from real micropatterned cardiac myocyte data, and for which ground truth is known, our method significantly outperforms a video-adapted version of the most popular spark localization method currently in use in the cardiac biophysics community. Importantly, the framework we propose extends naturally to other other applications of video microscopy, and also allows for subsequent refinement of both the models and fitting procedures described here.
Functional Outcomes of Acetabular Fractures

Background: The Musculoskeletal Function Assessment is a validated, well-designed, self-administered questionnaire that is useful for determining health status. The modified Merle d'Aubigne clinical hip score is the most generally accepted clinical grading system for evaluating the results of acetabular fracture treatment. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment and modified Merle d'Aubigne scores in evaluating the results of acetabular fracture treatment. Methods: One hundred and fifty patients with an acetabular fracture met the criteria for inclusion in the present study, which included a minimum of two years of postoperative follow-up, a complete physical examination with use of the Merle d'Aubigne score, and successful completion of the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment questionnaire. Patients were stratified according to a number of factors, including the type of fracture and whether the fracture was an isolated injury or was part of a multiple-injury complex. The mean duration of follow-up was five years (range, two to seventeen years). Results: The mean modified Merle d'Aubigne score was 16.8 (range, 9 to 18), and the mean Musculoskeletal Function Assessment score was 24.9 (range, 0 to 79). The Spearman correlation coefficient between the Merle d'Aubigne score and the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment score was −0.61 (p < 0.0001). Stratification of the patients did not alter these overall results. However, the presence or absence of associated injuries was a significant factor for the Merle d'Aubigne score (p = 0.03). In addition, the Merle d'Aubigne score data were asymmetric, demonstrating a ceiling effect. Conclusions: The Musculoskeletal Function Assessment scores for these patients were relatively high compared with those for the normal population, indicating that complete return to a preinjury functional level is uncommon despite a good-to-excellent Merle d'Aubigne clinical score. Furthermore, the ceiling effect demonstrated by the Merle d'Aubigne score (despite its high correlation with the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment score) limits its usefulness as a method for evaluating the outcome of treatment of acetabular fractures. There have been few published clinical studies in which the Musculoskeletal Function Assessment score has been used as an outcome measure, and reference values are lacking. The present study provides initial guideline reference values for use in the evaluation of patients following an acetabular fracture.
Hannah Arendt on the Crisis of Authority

In the 1950s, Hannah Arendt wrote that the modern world faced a crisis of authority because authority had 'vanished from the modern world' (Hannah Arendt. 'What Is Authority?' Between Past and Future. Penguin: New York,1968. P. 91). Most scholars take Arendt to be lamenting the loss of a republican and conservative notion of authority. In this essay, I agree that Arendt's invocation of the Roman concept of foundation is a conservative move, but I argue that it is a conservative move that makes a radical kind of politics possible. In particular, this essay reflects on Arendt's notion of authority (and its connections to tradition and religion) in order to re-imagine a Roman notion of the authority of political foundings that is fluid and (re-)invigorated by the ongoing political practices of citizens. The crisis of authority that is evident with the loss of authority is not, as some would argue, merely that the world needs more authority, but rather, that without a particular kind of authority to ground politics, humans also lose the capacity for freedom.
The Basic Brain: Neurons and Neurochemistry

As with Chapter 2, readers sophisticated in neuroscience my find it useful to skip or skim parts of this chapter.
654 How do mothers engage with news coverage of paediatric injury research? An exploratory, mixed-methods study

Objective To examine understanding of and engagement with news messages about paediatric injury research findings in mothers of young children. Methods We conducted six focus groups with 49 mothers of young children ( Results Almost all mothers who participated (94–98%) recalled key information about the injury event depicted, but recall of statistical information was not as robust (51–82%). Prevention guidelines were ‘most interesting’ to a few mothers (16–18%); however, the majority was most interested in the narrative/story or the number of injuries presented. Mothers’ discussion of story content revealed clear engagement with the dangers posed and the stories presented. Specific elements of the narrative presented in the story shaped engagement as did mothers’ understanding of the statistics presented and the way that the research process was understood. Conclusion Researchers and communication professionals who design news stories intended to convey important injury information should consider whether the story elements (type of family portrayed, use of statistics) will be compelling to the intended audience. Our study suggests that including guidelines and recommendations on how to mitigate the injury hazard are important to mothers of young children, while statistical information needs to be contextualised if presented, as it is not necessarily compelling or easily comprehensible.
Exciton Dissociation and Charge Transport Properties at a Modified Donor/Acceptor Interface: Poly(3-hexylthiophene)/Thiol-ZnO Bulk Heterojunction Interfaces

Engineering the electron donor/acceptor interface provides not only flexibility in designing optoelectronic devices but also new opportunities to optimize device performance. However, significant challenges arise from the difficulty of examining the interface, which is buried in a composite film. In this paper, we probed exciton dissociation at a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/ZnO bulk heterojunction interface treated with thiol molecules and charge-transport properties in P3HT of the composite film using field effect transistor (FET) devices. The role of thiol modification of ZnO in charge transfer and charge transport within the bulk heterojunction interface was addressed through comparison of the threshold voltage and the FET mobility between P3HT/thiol-ZnO and P3HT/ZnO FETs. Attachment of thiol molecules onto the ZnO surface induced a larger photoinduced threshold voltage shift than that for an FET with pristine ZnO, indicating that more excitons were dissociated within the P3HT/ZnO composite film. The...
The End of Empire: Dworkin and Jurisprudence in the 21st Century

This essay (based on a keynote address to the inaugural conference of the new Rutgers Institute for Law and Philosophy) reviews five major developments in the field of law and philosophy over the past 30 years, examining, in particular, the place of the well-known work of Ronald Dworkin, work which has loomed larger outside the field than within. In particular, it argues that the seven most distinctive Dworkinian theses about the nature of law and adjudication have now been extensively and decisively criticized over the past three decades, so much so that Dworkin himself has abandoned several of them. While Dworkin's work was indisputably important for the development of legal positivism in the final quarter of the twentieth-century, the essay shows why it is unlikely to play much role in jurisprudence of the 21st century.
Complex Personhood of Hip Hop & the Sensibilities of the Culture that Fosters Knowledge of Self & Self-Determination

ABSTRACTHip hop music and culture have a complex identity in that hip hop is based in self-determination, resistance, and the long enduring fight for Black freedom, but was also created alongside the seductiveness of the material and psychological conditions of capitalism, sexism, and patriarchy. Hip hop pedagogy (HHP) as a pedagogical framework is birthed out of that intricate balance in hip hop. Given those basic contradictions, I explore the complex personhood of hip hop and its relationship to HHP, which generates humanizing, critical, and creative pedagogical (re)interventions and sensibilities that foster self-determination, self-knowledge, and acts of resistance with young people. I do this by examining hip hop educational spaces that nurture the ways of doing and knowing youth who are deeply informed by hip hop.
Fibromyalgia Syndrome:: Clinical Features and Spectrum

Objectives: To review the clinical features and the spectrum of associated conditions in fibromyalgia syndrome [FMS]. Results: FMS is characterized by widespread pain, multiple tender points, fatig...
Effects of Beliefs and Values on Subjective QOL

This chapter describes the effects of generalized beliefs and personal values on subjective well-being.
Heresy and Heterodoxy in Medieval Scandinavia

Although medieval Scandinavia was home to no large-scale heretical movements, it did experience heresies, heretics and stridently heterodox views. How many? The answer, as it turns out, is less certain, yet more interesting than the figure established in previous scholarship. Specifically, this essay challenges Jarl Gallen’s position (as articulated in his entry on ‘heresy’ in the authoritative Kultur-historisk lexikon for nordisk medeltid) that cases of heresy in medieval Scandinavia were (1) rare and (2) occurred exclusively in Sweden. The five cases Gallen cites are set against nearly a dozen other episodes, cases that often involved the same criteria (i.e., the language of the charges, the authorities disposing of the cases and/or the theological bases for the charges), which ought, I argue, to be part of any discussion of heresy and heterodoxy in the medieval North. The essay concludes that such instances were neither limited to Sweden nor rare, but rather appear fairly regularly as regards both the spatial and temporal frames reflected in the historical record.
Language Multiplicity and Dynamism: Emergent Bilinguals Taking Ownership of Language Use in a Hybrid Curricular Space

ABSTRACTThis study explores the impact of hybrid instructional spaces on the purposeful and expansive use of translanguaging practices. Utilizing technology, the study explores the role of multimodality in bilinguals’ language multiplicity and dynamism. The research addresses: (a) how do emergent bilinguals in dual language programs deploy their full linguistic resources (i.e., idiolects) in writing when encouraged to use translanguaging?, and (b) how do home-school hybrid spaces impact emergent bilinguals’ use of translanguaging in writing? The study involved 89 children enrolled in Spanish-English dual language programs, with 53 of them participating in storytelling, writing, and other multimodal projects (i.e., photographs depicting their homes, families, and communities), and 36 in a nonparticipatory control group. The data collected include writing samples, audio taping of the children’s stories and class sessions, and multimodal projects. The findings are organized around children’s ability to negot...
cDNA—A Permanent Biochemical Record of the Cell

RNA is an easily accessible molecule within the cell and therefore a commonly assayed parameter of gene expression. The classical methods of molecular biology all measure RNA abundance directly through the use of DNA and RNA probes, though there is an upper limit to the sensitivity that each of these methods can offer. This ceiling is due to the labile nature of RNA and the fact that, while variable in abundance, individual RNA molecules cannot be amplified directly in order to boost the signal. Fortunately, there is a straightforward solution to these sensitivity impediments. First, RNA can be converted enzymatically into complementary DNA (cDNA) with minimal fanfare. Second, the technology now exists to greatly amplify cDNA (and genomic DNA) with amazing speed and robustness. The synthesis of cDNA is a central component of research involving molecular biology techniques. cDNA is a product of enzymatic in vitro synthesis, one strand at a time, using RNA as template material. The type of enzyme required for the synthesis of first-strand cDNA is known as an “RNA-dependent DNA polymerase”; it is far more commonly known as reverse transcriptase (RT). That cDNA is much more stable than the corresponding RNA template material from which it is synthesized facilitates extensive analysis in both the short- and long-term by any of a number of techniques. The golden rule of cDNA synthesis is that when you make cDNA, what you are really doing is making a permanent biochemical record of the cell. One makes a biochemical “snapshot” since the only cDNA that can be synthesized comes from the RNA of transcriptionally active loci. Unlike intrinsically labile RNA, cDNA can be archived for years in the freezer and when constructed with appropriately characterized ends, the cDNA can be propagated indefinitely. Transcriptionally silent loci are not represented in a cDNA pool. This chapter addresses the subtleties of making cDNA, while the next chapter addresses the subtleties of amplifying it.
Nurses and nursing assistants decision-making regarding use of safe patient handling and mobility technology: A qualitative study.

Abstract Aim This study explored decision-making regarding use of safe patient handling and mobility (SPHM) technology among registered nurses (RN) and nursing assistants (NA). Background Lifting injuries are common among healthcare workers. Despite development of standards for SPHM, the introduction of regulation for monitoring access to SPHM technology, and implementation of education programs and process improvements, threat of injury remains a concern. Although access to SPHM equipment is associated with decreased workplace injuries, access alone does not guarantee use. Questions remain concerning how healthcare workers make decisions to use SPHM equipment, and how they weigh decisions against personal safety. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was conducted. Data collection consisted of four 60 min focus groups. Two focus groups consisted of all RNs (n = 14) and two consisted of all NAs (n = 11). Each focus group was audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded, repeating concepts identified, and codes collapsed into themes and subthemes. Results Qualitative analysis revealed three major themes: barriers to use, perceived risk, and coordination of care. Barriers to use include subthemes of physical barriers, knowledge and skill, and unit culture. Perceived risk includes patient risk and perceived risk to self. Coordination of care includes patient factors and characteristics, assessment of patient needs and abilities, and interprofessional collaboration. Conclusions These findings provide new knowledge about the complexity of decision making among care providers in the use of SPHM technology. Interprofessional team approaches to patient assessment and care are important components of confident decision making in use of SPHM technology.
Easy fabrication and characterization of gelatin nanocarriers and in vitro investigation of swelling controlled release dynamics of paclitaxel

The purpose of the present investigation was to prepare gelatin nanoparticles, capable of releasing the paclitaxel drug in a controllable fashion by regulating the extent of swelling of the nanoparticles. Gelatin nanoparticles were prepared by a single water in oil (W/O) emulsion crosslinking technique. The nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, SEM, TEM, XRD, particle size analysis, and surface potential measurements. The influence of experimental conditions such as chemical composition of gelatin nanoparticles, pH, temperature, and presence of simulated biological fluids as the release media were investigated on the release profiles of paclitaxel. The drug release processes were analyzed kinetically using Ficks power law, zero-order, first-order, and Korsmeyer–Peppas models, and a correlation was drawn between the quantity of released drug and swelling of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were judged for in vitro cytotoxicity and the chemical stability of the drug was also accessed.
Tetraspanin-enriched microdomains regulate digitation junctions

Tetraspanins co-emerged with multi-cellular organisms during evolution are typically localized at the cell–cell interface, and form tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs) by associating with each other and other membrane molecules. Tetraspanins affect various biological functions, but how tetraspanins engage in multi-faceted functions at the cellular level is largely unknown. When cells interact, the membrane microextrusions at the cell–cell interfaces form dynamic, digit-like structures between cells, which we term digitation junctions (DJs). We found that (1) tetraspanins CD9, CD81, and CD82 and (2) TEM-associated molecules integrin α3β1, CD44, EWI2/PGRL, and PI-4P are present in DJs of epithelial, endothelial, and cancer cells. Tetraspanins and their associated molecules also regulate the formation and development of DJs. Moreover, (1) actin cytoskeleton, RhoA, and actomyosin activities and (2) growth factor receptor-Src-MAP kinase signaling, but not PI-3 kinase, regulate DJs. Finally, we showed that DJs consist of various forms in different cells. Thus, DJs are common, interactive structures between cells, and likely affect cell adhesion, migration, and communication. TEMs probably modulate various cell functions through DJs. Our findings highlight that DJ morphogenesis reflects the transition between cell–matrix adhesion and cell–cell adhesion and involves both cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesion molecules.
Economic Implications, Cost and Manpower

Among members of the assessment group there was general agreement that the economic evaluation of conceptual alternatives in defense is a highly complex issue. Developmental alternatives have different time spans and horizons and risks. There is the difficulty, if not impossibility, of measuring all resources on a monetary scale particularly impacts on tactics and doctrine. In addition, there are a number of important resource dimensions that are difficult to quantify such as technological growth and opportunities for cooperative international ventures. Finally, structural alternatives cannot replace existing force mixes in a turn-key fashion. Rather, they tend to come about in an evolutionary manner through a gradual integration of individual new elements into current force structures which, in NATO’s case, are of a multi-national nature. Thus, a comprehensive assessment needs to consider planning across many disciplines, transition of national budgets and the offsets required by the introduction of new systems. None of these issues has been addressed to any significant degree during the workshop.
Single-molecule Thermometry by Carbon Nanotube Excitons Coupled to Plasmonic Nanocavities

In a unique interplay of excitons, phonons, and plasmons, we demonstrate plasmonic thermometry at the single-molecule level by detecting the plasmonically induced heat from SWCNT excitons coupled to plasmonic nanocavity arrays.
Semiconductor physics and devices

Neamen's Semiconductor Physics and Devices, Third Edition. deals with the electrical properties and characteristics of semiconductor materials and devices. The goal of this book is to bring together quantum mechanics, the quantum theory of solids, semiconductor material physics, and semiconductor device physics in a clear and understandable way. Table of contents Prologue Semiconductor and the Integrated Circuit 1 The Crystal Structure of Solids 2 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics 3 Introduction to the Quantum Theory of Solids 4 The Semiconductor in Equilibrium 5 Carrier Transport Phenomena 6 Nonequilibrium Excess Carriers in Semiconductors 7 The pn Junction 8 The pn Junction Diode 9 Metal-Semiconductor and Semiconductor Heterojunctions 10 The Bipolar Transistor 11 Fundamentals of the Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor 12 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor: Additional Concepts 13 The Junction Field-Effect Transistor 14 Optical Devices 15 Semiconductor Power Devices Appendix A Selected List of Symbols Appendix B System of Units, Conversion Factors, and General Constants Appendix C The Periodic TableAppendix D The Error FunctionAppendix E "Derivation" of Schrodinger's Wave EquationAppendix F Unit of Energy- The Electron-VoltAppendix G Answers to Selected Problems
Extrahepatic Biliary System

Although rare in even the busiest trauma centers, lacerations, transections, or avulsions of the extrahepatic biliary ducts occur in patients who have experienced either blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma. The diagnosis is difficult in the patient undergoing observation only after blunt abdominal trauma and may not be made for several weeks. Also, ductal injuries have been missed at operation in patients with associated injuries to the hilum of the liver or pancreatoduodenal complex. Scanning with HIDA, endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, and intraoperative cholangiography have been useful in detecting occult ductal injuries. The technique of repair in stable patients depends primarily on the location and extent of the ductal injury and has ranged from lateral choledochorrhaphy with absorbable sutures to biliary enteric bypass. T-tubes or stents continue to be used because of the small size of the ductal system, although no agreement exists on how long they should remain in place after operation. Results of biliary enteric bypass operations for complex injuries are excellent as long as the tenuous blood supply of the bile duct is preserved and the anastomosis is tension free.
Phenotypic analysis of mouse hematopoietic stem cells shows a Thy-1-negative subset.

Mouse hematopoietic stem cells can be identified and enriched from populations of normal bone marrow cells by immunofluorescent labeling of cell surface molecules followed by flow cytometric separation. We show here that the majority of hematopoietic stem cell activity, as defined by long-term competitive repopulation of irradiated animals and by a secondary transplant assay for spleen colony-forming units (CFU- S), could be localized in Ly-6b haplotype mice to a fraction of bone marrow cells that expresses the Ly-6A/E (Sca-1) molecule. Further, an analysis of hematopoietic stem cell activity in bone marrow of mouse strains expressing the Thy-1.1 allele indicated that the vast majority of activity was included in the Thy-1low population. In contrast, hematopoietic stem cell activity found in the bone marrow of Thy-1.2 genotype mouse strains was recovered in both the Thy-1neg and the Thy- 1low populations. However, similar to Thy-1.1 strains, most activity was localized to the Ly-6A/E+ population of cells. The difference in Thy-1 phenotype of hematopoietic stem cell activity apparent between Thy-1.1- and Thy-1.2-expressing mouse strains was not caused by differences in the staining intensity of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) specific for the Thy-1 alleles. Furthermore, an antiframework MoAb that stains both alleles of Thy-1 separated hematopoietic stem cell activity from mice expressing the two alleles in the same manner as did allele- specific MoAb. The results of this study show that Thy-1 expression is not an invariant characteristic of mouse hematopoietic stem cells, and that mice expressing the Thy-1.1 allele are unique in that hematopoietic stem cell activity is found exclusively in the Thy-1low population.
Comparative testcross and per se performance of heterogeneous maize lines with their homozygous derivatives

52 INTRODUCTION 54 MATERIALS AND METHODS 56 Genetic Materials 56 Experimental Procedures 57 Data Collection and Analysis 59 RESULTS 60 Individual Line Comparisons 65 DISCUSSION 67 LITERATURE CITED 70 SUMMARY 72 ADDITIONAL LITERATURE CITED 74 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 77 APPENDIX A. ANALYSES OF VARIANCE; EXPERIMENT I 78 APPENDIX B. ANALYSES OF VARIANCE: EXPERIMENT II 83
Multiple complex soliton solutions for integrable negative-order KdV and integrable negative-order modified KdV equations

Abstract In this work we show that the integrable negative-order Korteweg–de Vries (nKdV) and the integrable negative-order modified Korteweg–de Vries (nMKdV) equation admit multiple complex soliton solutions. To achieve this goal, we introduce two complex forms of the simplified Hirota’s method, the first works effectively for the nKdV equation, and the other form is nicely applicable for the nMKdV equation. We believe that the newly proposed complex forms and the obtained findings will shed light on complex solitons of other integrable equations.
Driven Pile Design for Offshore Wind Jacket Structures

Offshore wind is becoming an established and affordable technology to mitigate climate change. The foundations, which can represent around 25% of the overall cost of the wind turbine and include some of the biggest installation risks, remain an area of particular interest for cost reduction. Most foundations installed to date have been monopiles in relatively shallow waters; however, to tackle the challenges of increasing water depths and turbine sizes, alternative solutions are required.
Associations of sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number and deletion rate with fertilization and embryo development in a clinical setting.

STUDY QUESTION Are sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and deletion rate (mtDNAdel) associated with odds of fertilization and high embryo quality at Days 3 and 5? SUMMARY ANSWER Higher sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel were associated with lower odds of high quality Day 3 embryos and transfer quality Day 5 embryos, both of which were primarily driven by lowered odds of fertilization. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel have been previously associated with poor semen parameters and clinical male infertility. One prior study has shown that mtDNAdel is associated with lower fertilization rates. However, it is unknown whether these characteristics are linked with ART outcomes. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This prospective observational study included 119 sperm samples collected from men undergoing ART in Western Massachusetts. ART outcomes were observed through to Day 5 post-insemination. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTINGS, METHODS As part of the Sperm Environmental Epigenetics and Development Study (SEEDS), 119 sperm samples were collected from men undergoing ART in Western Massachusetts. Sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel were measured via triplex probe-based qPCR. Fertilization, Day 3 embryo quality and Day 5 embryo quality measures were fitted with mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel using generalized estimating equations. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE After adjusting for male age and measurement batches, higher sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel were associated with lower odds of fertilization (P = 0.01 and P < 0.01), high quality Day 3 embryos (P = 0.02 for both) and transfer quality Day 5 embryos (P = 0.01 and P = 0.09). However, the associations of mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel with Day 3 high quality status and Day 5 transfer quality status were attenuated in models restricted to fertilized oocytes. Sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel remained statistically significant in models adjusted for both male age and semen parameters, although models including both mtDNA markers generally favoured mtDNAdel. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our sample only included oocytes and embryos from 119 couples and thus large diverse cohorts are necessary to confirm the association of sperm mtDNA biomarkers with embryo development. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS To our knowledge, our study is the first to assess the associations of sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel with fertilization and embryo quality. The biological mechanism(s) underlying these associations are unknown. Multivariable models suggest that sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel provide discrimination independent of age and semen parameters; therefore, future investigation of the utility of sperm mtDNA as a biomarker for ART outcomes is warranted. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work was supported by Grant (K22-ES023085) from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
Fertility Issues in Transgender Care

Treatment for gender dysphoria and the desire to live in the opposite gender requires hormonal, anatomic, and psychosocial changes. Concurrent with increased acceptance of fertility preservation is an increase in the acceptance and encouragement of transgender individuals. Undergoing gender affirming treatment no longer means the loss of reproductive potential. The medical community has a responsibility to meet the reproductive needs of transgender patients through education, empowerment, and advocacy. Whether transitioning from male to female, female to male, presenting individually or as a couple with a cis- or transgender partner, there are options available. Advancements in technologies including sperm banking, oocyte retrieval, cryopreservation, and in vitro fertilization techniques have expanded the options for transgender individuals. In addition, third-party reproduction allows for family building options and plays a role in the management and counseling of transgender patients. Working closely with a reproductive specialist maximizes fertility preservation and reproductive options.
Comparing Apples and Oranges: Taxonomy and Design of Pairwise Comparisons within Tabular Data

Asking pairwise comparison questions is common. Yet, we often find ourselves comparing apples and oranges --- the two entities of interest are not readily comparable. To understand how technologies can extend our capabilities to conduct pairwise comparisons during data analysis, we analyzed pairwise comparison questions collected from crowd workers and propose a taxonomy of pairwise comparisons. We demonstrate how the taxonomy can be adopted by incorporating pairwise comparison capabilities into Duo, a spreadsheet application that supports comparing two groups of records in a data table. Duo decomposes a pairwise comparison question into rules and showcases sloppy rules, a query technique for specifying pairwise comparisons. We conducted a user study comparing sloppy rules and natural language. The findings suggest that for easier pairwise comparison tasks, the two techniques are comparable in efficiency and preference and that for more difficult pairwise comparison tasks, sloppy rules allow faster specification and are more preferable.
Methodology and validation for identifying gait type using machine learning on IMU data.

With the rising popularity of activity tracking, there is a desire to not only count the number of steps a person takes, but also identify the type of step (e.g., walking or running) they are takin...
Application of mean residence-time concepts to pharmacokinetic systems with noninstantaneous input and nonlinear elimination.

Equations describing the mean residence time (MRT) of drugs in the body are derived for drugs that are administered by first-and zero-order rates into systems with Michaelis–Menten elimination. With computer simulations, the validity of these equations, the differences between them, and the conventional approach using the AUMC/AUC or the summation of mean times are demonstrated by examining calculations of the percentage of the administered dose eliminated at the MRT and AUMC/AUC. The effects of the absorption rate on the AUC and on the approximate and true MRT values in a nonlinear pharmacokinetic system are also illustrated with computer simulations. It was previously found that the true MRTiv = V ss · AUCiv/dose for an iv bolus. The total MRT (sum of input and disposition) of a drug after noninstantaneous administration was found to be a function of the MRTiv, two values of AUC (iv and non-iv), and exactly how the drug is administered expressed as the mean absorption time (MAT). In addition, a theoretical basis is proposed for calculation of the bioavailability of drugs in both linear and nonlinear pharmacokinetic systems.
The effect of BPA exposure on insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes - The impact of muscle contraction

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is considered one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In addition to physical inactivity and obesity, established risk factors for T2D, chemical contaminants consumed in industrialized food such as BPA might also be a contributor to the development of T2D. Epidemiological studies have shown that BPA concentrations are higher in human specimens of T2D when compared to healthy subjects, while experimental studies suggested that bisphenol A (BPA) impairs the pathway by which insulin stimulates glucose uptake. In skeletal muscle and adipocytes, insulin resistance is developed by the impairment of the insulin pathway to stimulate the translocation of glucose transporter, GLUT4, to the cell membrane. Recent results demonstrated that BPA impairs several components of insulin-induced glucose uptake pathway and affect the expression of GLUT4. Regular physical exercise delays or inhibits the development of T2D due to the physiologic processes taking place during muscle contraction, and the fact that skeletal muscle is the site for almost 80% of the glucose transported under insulin stimulation. In fact, the mechanism by which contraction induces glucose uptake in skeletal muscle is partially independent of the insulin pathway, therefore, the effect of BPA on this mechanism is unknown. We hypothesize that during the development of insulin resistance, BPA contributes to the impairment of the molecular pathway by which insulin induces glucose uptake while contraction-induced glucose uptake is not impaired. At the late stages of T2D, BPA may affect GLUT4 expression that will decrease the ability of muscle contraction to induce glucose uptake.