cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF CRYPTOSPORIOPSIS CURVISPORA AND C. PERENNANS. II. CYTOLOGY AND VEGETATIVE COMPATIBILITY

Cryptosporiopsis curvispora, cause of apple anthracnose, and C. perennans, cause of perennial canker, were indistinguishable in gross cytology; macroconidia, microconidia, phialides and hyphal cells of each species were mostly uninucleate. Complementation of nitrate-nonutilizing mutants occurred within and between isolates of each species but not between species. Such complementations were common within and between isolates of C. perennans but rare within and between isolates of C. curvispora. The two fungi are considered to be distinct species. The teleomorph of C. perennans is transferred to Pezicula as P. perennans comb. nov.
Study to Evaluate Express Toll Lanes on Florida’s Turnpike

This paper describes a study conducted by Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise to evaluate the potential for implementing congestion management strategies on the turnpike system. The study was partially funded by two grants from the FHWA through the Value Pricing Pilot Program. The Integrated Congestion Pricing Plan (ICPP) study focused on the large urban areas of the state that experience long periods of traffic congestion. These include turnpike facilities in southeast Florida, and in Tampa and Orlando. The turnpike’s ICPP is among the first in the nation to consider a large-scale program of express lanes on an existing system of toll roads. This approach allows the addition of express lanes alongside the existing toll lanes, providing drivers with a new and attractive choice for their travel needs. In this study, three turnpike widening projects, one in each of the major urban areas, were selected for express lanes. In addition, the Florida Department of Transportation established various policies for express...
Performance Characterstics Indentification and Optimization of Station Boiler Based on Statistical Analysis

Performance characteristics identification and optimization model is established for boiler thermodynamic system on foundation of statistical analysis, using static, effective sample data and quadratic function of multiple variables, system model is obtained, statistical analysis is used to check the model, in operation region of adjustable parameters, system performance is optimized resorting to optimization methods after the model is proved acceptable, and the optimal control data for adjustable parameters are achieved. Comparing with artificial neural network method, this model needs less sample data and reduced calculation, fulfilling on-line demands. Application on a utility boiler shows that it is an effective, practical method.Figs 3,tables 3 and refs 3.
The Offer They Couldn’t Refuse: Group Leadership Crises in The Godfather

(2010). The Offer They Couldn’t Refuse: Group Leadership Crises in The Godfather. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 447-452.
Heresy and the Fleeting “Triumph of the Counter-Reformation”

C atholic church legislation against jews often did not stand alone but coincided with the rise of heretical movements within the Church itself. This was true of the 1215 regulations of the IV Lateran Council promulgated in the midst of the Church's battle against various heresies in Europe, and of the 1555 papal bull Cum Nimis Absurdum , which established the Roman ghetto during the crisis of the Reformation. In Poland the Church reacted in similar ways. According to surviving sources, regulations of Jewish-Christian interaction – first promulgated at the Council of Breslau in 1267 and ordering a geographic segregation between Jews and Christians – did not reappear in Poland until the first half of the fifteenth century when, in the wake of the heresy of Jan Hus in Bohemia, Huss's followers moved north into the Polish territories, thereby posing a challenge to the Church in Poland. Reacting to the Hussite heresy, the 1420 provincial synod held at Kalisz and Wielun issued a number of decrees against heresy and recommended a number of “remedies” to combat it, requiring, among other things, that secular authorities cooperate with the Church in combating its spread. The “heresy” apparently affected mostly the literate elites. One paragraph of the 1420 synodal laws ordered confiscation of the books of those suspected of heresy when they were captured, but in pre-print culture, only a few could afford to own books.
The Limits of Textualism: Cooper v. IBM Personal Pension Plan

Few judges are as self-conscious of, or as open about, their view of statutory interpretation as Frank Easterbrook. He is a leading proponent of the view that judges should apply statutes in accordance with their terms, without giving in to the temptation to surreptitiously amend those statutes to better accord with their alleged “purpose.”1 Such “boosting the level of generality—switching from rules to results,” he contends, oversteps the bounds of the judicial role.2 This theory of statutory interpretation stems in part from Judge Easterbrook’s belief that it is impossible to discern the “intent” of a collective body such as a legislature,3 and in part from his conviction that most legislation results from compromises, and “compromises lack purposes.”4 Thus, he exalts the Supreme Court’s decision in Guidry v Sheet Metal Workers National Pension Fund,5 finding that the antialienation clause of Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 19746 (ERISA) protected the pension rights of a pension fund trustee against monetary claims made by victims of his embezzlement.7 And indeed, many of his opinions resound with the rhetoric of “textualism.” Yet, determined as Judge Easterbrook is to make his decisions seem so straightforward as to be beneath him, they sometimes depend more than he is willing to admit on nontextual “purposive” analysis. A case in point is his opinion in Cooper v IBM Personal Pension Plan,8
New Breed of Cement-based Composites

Recent advances in processing techniques and improved material performance have led to the emergence of a new breed of high-performance cement-based materials. Although small amount of fibers (< 1%) have been successfully used in bulk concrete construction to overcome brittleness of cement, new processing techniques have helped in the manufacture of thin-sheet products with as high as 15% vol of continuous and discontinuous fibers. Fibers in such large quantities fundamentally alter the nature of the cement-based matrix, and the inherent tensile strength and strain capacity of the matrix itself are greatly enhanced. New applications as replacement for energy intensive plastics and metals are now not only feasible but attractive.
A 12-channel VMEBUS-based Pulse-height Analysis Module

The author describes a 12-channel VMEbus-based pulse-height analysis board that was designed for use in a high-rate, multidetector, gamma-ray imaging system. This module was designed to minimize dead-time losses and to allow all key parameters to be software controlled. Gamma-ray detectors are connected directly to this module, eliminating the need for additional electronics.
Understanding the Use of Geospatial Technologies to Teach Science: TPACK as a Lens for Effective Teaching

Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, or TPACK (pronounced t-pack), is a theoretical framework to examine how a specific technology creates meaningful opportunities for teaching and learning. For 3 years we engaged three cohorts of teachers in a sustained professional development project entitled GIT Ahead. GIT Ahead helped teachers identify ways to teach science using geospatial technologies. This chapter presents a case study of one GIT Ahead teacher’s use of Google Earth and ArcView software to teach students about watershed concepts and issues. TPACK provides a framework for analysis of both the types of teacher knowledge required to successfully implement technology-based science learning and the pedagogical choices necessary to achieve intended learning outcomes. In the watershed case study, Google Earth enabled students to explore a 3D representation of their local watershed, change their view or perspective as needed, and access supplementary information that helped them to interpret the landscape. Using ArcView they measured various attributes of the watershed, which required them to understand individual scientific concepts and the interrelatedness of those concepts. Ultimately, TPACK provides researchers with a knowledge framework for research on the use of geospatial technology to teach science. A productive area of future research might examine how content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and technological knowledge vary among teachers using similar technologies or teaching similar concepts.
Preface to the Focus Section on the 3 September 2016 Pawnee, Oklahoma, Earthquake

The M w 5.8 Pawnee earthquake occurred at 12:02 UTC on 3 September 2016, local time at 6:02 a.m. on Saturday. It was widely felt throughout Oklahoma and neighboring states. The earthquake occurred near the junction of the two previously mapped faults: Watchorn fault and Labette fault. However, the actual source fault was the previously unmapped Sooner Lake fault (also known as the Pawnee fault). This is the largest earthquake since the 1950s in the instrumental history in Oklahoma. Many recent studies suggest that most earthquakes in Oklahoma since 2009 are induced by wastewater injection (e.g., Ellsworth, 2013; Keranen et al. , 2014; Walsh and Zoback, 2015), and the Pawnee earthquake is potentially the largest injection‐induced earthquake that has occurred so far (Yeck et al. , 2016). This focus section of Seismological Research Letters includes 10 original research papers that provide a complete view of the stress evolution leading to the mainshock inferred from foreshock activities and coupled poroelastic modeling; coseismic stress changes and deformations from both seismological and geodetic observations; dynamic hydrological responses at far‐field; and liquefaction observations from geoelectrical and surface mapping. Wang et al. (2017) and Kroll et al. (2017) investigated hydrological responses due to the M 5 earthquakes in Oklahoma. Among them, Wang et al. (2017) observed groundwater level changes over distances greater than 150 km from the epicenter. The model that is most consistent with observation is aquifer recharge due to enhanced crustal permeability produced by seismic waves. Their simulation suggests that the source of recharge was high‐pressure chambers near the responding wells, which became hydraulically connected to the well by enhanced permeability during the earthquake. Kroll et al. (2017) investigated how the poroelastic properties of the Arbuckle group change laterally and …
Linguistic Theory & Research: Implications for Second Language Teaching

Linguistic theory and research have always had some influence on second language teaching to varying degrees. This review first discusses how different types of linguistic theory — structural, generative, and functional linguistics — have influenced second language teaching, and then discusses some current second language acquisition research that has important implications for second language teaching.
Long-term effects of adolescent obesity: time to act

Obesity in adolescence will probably have major implications not only for the affected adolescents but also for society. Those who have obesity during adolescence usually have obesity into adulthood, which causes many medical and psychological issues that can result in premature death. Furthermore, obesity in adolescents is associated with a range of social problems, including difficulties securing an apprenticeship or a job or finding a partner. Adolescents with obesity are also at increased risk of having children with obesity later in life. All these consequences lead to high costs for the health-care system. Although efficient treatment options are available that have been proven in randomized controlled trials, such as lifestyle interventions for adolescents with obesity and bariatric surgery for adolescents with severe obesity, these interventions frequently fail in clinical practice as treatment adherence is low in adolescents and most adolescents with obesity do not seek medical care. Therefore, improving treatment adherence and identifying treatment barriers are necessary.
The Effect of Smoking on Spinal Fusion.

Background Spinal fusion surgery is performed about half a million times per year in the United States and millions more worldwide. It is an effective method for reducing pain, increasing stability, and correcting deformity in patients with various spinal conditions. In addition to being a well-established risk factor for a variety of medical conditions, smoking has deleterious effects on the bone healing of spinal fusions. This review aims to specifically analyze the ways in which smoking affects the outcomes of spinal fusion and to explore ways in which these negative consequences can be avoided. Purpose This article provides a complete understanding of the ways smoking affects spinal fusion from a biochemical and clinical perspective. Recommendations are also provided for ways in which surgeons can limit patient exposure to the most serious negative outcomes associated with cigarette smoking. Study Design/Setting This study was a retrospective literature review done using the NCBI database. The research was compiled at NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases and the NYU Center for Musculoskeletal Care. Methods A comprehensive literature review was done spanning research on a variety of subjects related to smoking and spinal fusion surgery. The biochemistry of smoking and fusion healing were examined in great detail. In addition, both in vivo animal studies and human clinical studies were evaluated to explore fusion success related to the effects of smoking and its biochemical factors on spinal fusion surgery. Results Smoking significantly increases the risk of pseudoarthrosis for patients undergoing both lumbar and cervical fusions. In addition to nonunion, smoking also increases the risk of other perioperative complications such as infection, adjacent-segment pathology, and dysphagia. Treatment options are available that can be explored to reduce the risk of smoking-related morbidity, such as nicotine replacement therapy and use of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Conclusions It has been clearly demonstrated from both a biochemical and clinical perspective that smoking increases the rate of perioperative complications for patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery, particularly pseudoarthosis. It has also been shown that there are certain approaches that can reduce the risk of morbidity. The most important recommendation is smoking cessation for four weeks after surgery. In addition, patients may be treated with certain surgical techniques, including the use of BMPs, to reduce the risk of pseudoarthrosis. Lastly, nicotine replacement therapy is an area of continued interest in relation to spinal fusion outcomes and more research needs to be done to determine its efficacy moving forward.
Dermatologic manifestations of solid organ transplantation-associated graft-versus-host disease: A systematic review.

Background Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) after solid organ transplantation (SOT) is extremely rare. Objective To investigate the dermatologic manifestations and clinical outcomes of SOT GVHD. Methods Systematic literature review of SOT GVHD. Results After full-text article review, we included 61 articles, representing 115 patients and 126 transplanted organs. The most commonly transplanted organ was the liver (n = 81). Among 115 patients, 101 (87.8%) developed skin involvement. The eruption appeared an average of 48.3 days (range, 3-243 days) posttransplant and was pruritic in 5 of 101 (4.9%) cases. The eruption was described as morbilliform in 2 patients (1.9%), confluent in 6 (5.9%), and desquamative in 4 (3.9%) cases. In many cases, specific dermatologic descriptions were lacking. The mortality rate was 72.2%. Relative time of death was reported in 23 patients who died during the follow-up period. These patients died an average of 99.2 days (range, 22-270 days) posttransplant, or 50.9 days after the appearance of dermatologic symptoms. Frequent causes of death were sepsis and multiorgan failure. Limitations Incomplete descriptions of skin findings and potential publication bias resulting in publication of only the most severe cases. Conclusions GVHD is a potentially fatal condition that can occur after SOT and often presents with a skin rash. We recommend that dermatologists have a low threshold to consider and pursue this diagnosis in the setting of post-SOT skin eruption.
Belief Influences Gustation: Evidence of a Psychophysical Pathogen Avoidance Mechanism

Individuals often avoid pathogens by refraining from ingesting things that are associated with pathogen-prevalent stimuli. The present study examined whether individuals would be less likely to ingest water that is associated with pathogen-prevalent environments and whether individuals’ perceptions of water quality would decrease when they believed the water originated from a pathogen-prevalent environment, (even though the water actually did not originate from the indicated source). Across two experiments, undergraduates were asked to taste-test water they believed came from a variety of sources on their college campus. For each cup of water presented to participants, an image of its supposed water source (e.g., kitchen sink, drinking fountain, or bathroom sink) was also presented. Participants drank significantly less water when they believed it came from pathogen-prevalent environments (e.g., restrooms) and rated the water from pathogen-prevalent environments as lower in cleanliness, crispness, quality, and other characteristics when compared to water from environments not associated with pathogens (study 1). Similar results were also found after controlling for perceived cleanliness of the images of water sources (study 2). Ultimately, the results from both studies provide evidence that individuals’ beliefs can influence perception and behavior in a manner consistent with pathogen avoidance.
Native American Suicide: A Durkheimian Analysis

The professional literature and the authors’ practice experience are used to develop practice and policy recommendations with regard to suicide among Native Americans. Culture-sensitive psychologic...
Localisation between Negotiating Forces: A Case Study of a Chinese Radio Station in the United States

During the past decade, Chinese state-owned media have accelerated their pace of overseas development to establish their international presence. In their worldwide expansion in the service of the government’s political and diplomatic initiatives, these media outlets attempt to connect with and rise in the global media market by borrowing experiences from their Western competitors. This article revisits the Western model of media localisation and examines how the strategic components in Western media’s localisation practices are absent in Chinese media’s applications, where tensions and incongruities exist between the headquarters and the local production team. By looking closely at the operations of a US-based studio jointly run by the Chinese international broadcaster China Radio International and its local partner, the article further analyses the negotiation between propaganda-oriented logic and market-driven logic as two major driving forces behind Chinese media’s worldwide expansion, and how the contradiction and disjuncture between the two affects the media outlets’ localisation practices and outcomes.
Use of fluorescent techniques to study the in vitro movement of myosins.

Myosins are a large superfamily of actin-dependent molecule motors that carry out many functions in cells. Some myosins are cargo carriers that move processively along actin which means that a single molecule of myosin can take many ATP-dependent steps on actin per initial encounter. Other myosins are designed to work in large ensembles such as myosin thick filaments. In vitro motility assays are a powerful method for studying the function of myosins. These assays in general use small amounts of protein, are simple to implement, and can be done on microscopes commonly found in many laboratories. There are two basic versions of the assay which involve different geometries. In the sliding actin in vitro motility assay, myosin molecules are bound to a coverslip surface in a simply constructed microscopic flow chamber. Fluorescently labeled actin filaments are added to the flow chamber in the presence of ATP, and the movement of these actin filaments powered by the surface-bound myosins is observed. This assay has been used widely for a variety of myosins including both processive and nonprocessive ones. From this assay, one can easily measure the rate at which myosin is translocating actin. The single-molecule motility assay uses an inverted geometry compared to the sliding actin in vitro motility assay. It is most useful for processive myosins. Here, actin filaments are affixed to the coverslip surface. Fluorescently labeled single molecules of myosins (usually ones with processive kinetics) are introduced, and the movement of single molecules along the actin filaments is observed. This assay typically uses total internal reflection fluorescent (TIRF) microscopy to reduce the background signal arising from myosins in solution. From this assay, one can measure the velocity of movement, the frequency of movement, and the run length. If sufficient photons can be collected, one can use Gaussian fitting of the point spread function to determine the position of the labeled myosin to within a few nanometers which allows for measurement of the step size and the stepping kinetics. Together, these two assays are powerful tools to elucidate myosin function.
Pesticide collection programs: a proposition to prevent future contamination

Millions of pounds of unwanted pesticides are being stored by agricultural producers and others in barns and other buildings throughout the United States. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that more than 13 million pounds of unwanted pesticides were located in six Great Lakes States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin (Jones 1993). Due to the environmental threat posed by these stored pesticides, governments have become concerned. The EPA adopted a federal Universal Waste Rule that partly addresses this problem (Federal Register 1995). State legislative and regulatory actions have also been enacted to address the disposal of unwanted pesticides. Nearly all of the individual U.S. states have become involved in collection efforts to remove unwanted pesticides from storage and to dispose of them safely (Cubbage 1996).
Metamorphosis as Midlife Crisis

The midlife crisis occurs in virtually all males, including members of the animal kingdom. A good example is the caterpillar. He will spend a large part of his life on a predictable career path, engaging in traditional caterpillar activities such as crawling around and munching on leaves of expensive ornamental shrubbery, and then one day, out of the blue, he’ll say to his wife, “Dammit, Louise, I’m sick of shrubbery.” She does not understand him, of course. Partly this is because she has a brain the size of an electron, but mostly it is because he seems like a total stranger to her, a different insect altogether. Soon he has left her to live in his own cocoon, from which he eventually emerges with a whole new “youthful” look—wings, bright colors, gold jewelry, etc. As he soars into the sky, feeling fulfilled and exhilarated, free at last from the restrictive routines of his humdrum former life, Louise watches him from far below. She feels conflicting emotions: sorrow, for she knows that she has lost her mate forever; but also a strange kind of joy, for she also knows, as she watches his multihued wings flashing in the glorious golden-red glow of the sinking sun, that he is about to be eaten by a bat. Dave Barry, 1990
Serum metabolites associated with dietary protein intake: results from the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) randomized clinical trial

Background Accurate assessment of dietary intake is essential, but self-report of dietary intake is prone to measurement error and bias. Discovering metabolic consequences of diets with lower compared with higher protein intake could elucidate new, objective biomarkers of protein intake. Objectives The goal of this study was to identify serum metabolites associated with dietary protein intake. Methods Metabolites were measured with the use of untargeted, reverse-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry quantification in serum specimens collected at the 12-mo follow-up visit in the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study from 482 participants in study A (glomerular filtration rate: 25-55 mL · min-1 · 1.73 m-2) and 192 participants in study B (glomerular filtration rate: 13-24 mL · min-1 · 1.73 m-2). We used multivariable linear regression to test for differences in log-transformed metabolites (outcome) according to randomly assigned dietary protein intervention groups (exposure). Statistical significance was assessed at the Bonferroni-corrected threshold: 0.05/1193 = 4.2 × 10-5. Results In study A, 130 metabolites (83 known from 28 distinct pathways, including 7 amino acid pathways; 47 unknown) were significantly different between participants randomly assigned to the low-protein diet compared with the moderate-protein diet. In study B, 32 metabolites (22 known from 8 distinct pathways, including 4 amino acid pathways; 10 unknown) were significantly different between participants randomly assigned to the very-low-protein diet compared with the low-protein diet. A total of 11 known metabolites were significantly associated with protein intake in the same direction in both studies A and B: 3-methylhistidine, N-acetyl-3-methylhistidine, xanthurenate, isovalerylcarnitine, creatine, kynurenate, 1-(1-enyl-palmitoyl)-2-arachidonoyl-GPE (P-16:0/20:4), 1-(1-enyl-stearoyl)-2-arachidonoyl-GPE (P-18:0/20:4), 1-(1-enyl-palmitoyl)-2-arachidonoyl-GPC (P-16:0/20:4), sulfate, and γ-glutamylalanine. Conclusions Among patients with chronic kidney disease, an untargeted serum metabolomics platform identified multiple pathways and metabolites associated with dietary protein intake. Further research is necessary to characterize unknown compounds and to examine these metabolites in association with dietary protein intake among individuals without kidney disease.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03202914.
The Use of Social Media by Dental Students for Communication and Learning: Two Viewpoints: Viewpoint 1: Social Media Use Can Benefit Dental Students’ Communication and Learning and Viewpoint 2: Potential Problems with Social Media Outweigh Their Benefits for Dental Education

Social media have become a major part of an interconnected society, impacting personal and professional lives. This Point/Counterpoint presents two opposing viewpoints on the question of whether social media should be used in dental education as a learning and communication tool for dental students. Viewpoint 1 argues that social media benefit student learning and should be used as a tool in dental education. This argument is based on evidence concerning use of social media and improved learning across health professions, improved peer-peer communication in clinical education, improved engagement in interprofessional education (IPE), and provision of a mechanism for safe and improved communication between practitioners and patients, as well as faculty and students. Viewpoint 2 argues that potential problems and risks in using social media outweigh any benefits found in learning and therefore social media should not be used as a tool in dental education. This viewpoint is supported by evidence of negative effects on learning, the establishment of a negative digital footprint in the public's view, risk of privacy violations when using social media, and the new phenomenon of Internet addiction with its negative physiological effects on social media users.
The Langevin Equation

The objective of this Lecture is to present the Langevin equation, which is a physically deduced equation of motion for particles in a fluid. The starting point is not the canonical ensemble; rather, this Lecture presents a rationale for postulating that the correct equation of motion has a particular mathematical form. Properties of solutions of the Langevin equation are exhibited. By combining the Langevin equation with the Central Limit Theorem, one obtains a description of Brownian motion.
Methane and nitrous oxide temporal and spatial variability in two midwestern USA streams containing high nitrate concentrations.

Abstract Concentrations and emissions of greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, and N2O commonly are examined individually in aquatic environments in which each is expected to be relatively important; however, their co-occurrence and dynamic interactions in fluvial settings could provide important information about their controlling biogeochemical processes and potential contributions to global climate change. Spatial and temporal variability of CH4, N2O, and CO2 concentrations were measured from June 1999 to September 2003 in two nitrate-rich (40–1200 μM) streams draining agricultural land in the midwestern USA that differed ~13-fold in flow. Seasonal (biweekly), diel (hourly), and transport-oriented (reach-scale) sampling approaches were compared. Dissolved gas concentrations exceeded atmospheric equilibrium values up to 700- and 16-fold, for CH4 and N2O, respectively. Mean concentrations were higher in the larger stream than in the smaller stream. In both streams, CH4 emissions were generally higher in summer-fall and negatively correlated with flow and NO3− concentration while N2O emissions were generally higher in winter/spring and positively correlated with flow and NO3−. In the small stream, diel variations in the concentrations, emissions, and isotopic compositions of CH4, N2O, and NO2− resulted from diel variations in sources, sinks, and air-water gas exchange velocities. Seasonal mean total (CH4 + N2O) area-normalized emission rates, expressed as CO2 warming potential equivalents, were similar for the two streams, but the total reach-scale emission rate for the larger stream, including CO2, was about 2.9 times that of the smaller stream (131.6 vs 46.0 kg CO2 equivalents km−1 day−1, respectively). The CH4 contribution to this flux was 9–28%, despite the relatively high NO3− and O2 concentrations in the streams, indicating contributions from upwelling groundwater or reactions in streambed sediment.
Lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG3): The next immune checkpoint receptor

Immune checkpoint therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by blocking inhibitory pathways in T cells that limits the an effective anti-tumor immune response. Therapeutics targeting CTLA-4 and PD1/PDL1 have progressed to first line therapy in multiple tumor types with some patients exhibiting tumor regression or remission. However, the majority of patients do not benefit from checkpoint therapy emphasizing the need for alternative therapeutic options. Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 (LAG3) or CD223 is expressed on multiple cell types including CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and Tregs, and is required for optimal T cell regulation and homeostasis. Persistent antigen-stimulation in cancer or chronic infection leads to chronic LAG3 expression, promoting T cell exhaustion. Targeting LAG3 along with PD1 facilitates T cell reinvigoration. A substantial amount of pre-clinical data and mechanistic analysis has led to LAG3 being the third checkpoint to be targeted in the clinic with nearly a dozen therapeutics under investigation. In this review, we will discuss the structure, function and role of LAG3 in murine and human models of disease, including autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, chronic viral and parasitic infections, and cancer, emphasizing new advances in the development of LAG3-targeting immunotherapies for cancer that are currently in clinical trials.
Fault Tolerance Analysis of Non-isolated High Gain Boost Converter

This paper analyzes the fault tolerance of non-isolated, modular, high gain dc-dc boost converter under different fault conditions. In the absence of transformer isolation, there are safety concerns in high gain converters in ensuring that high voltage stress is not applied to low voltage ports under any component failure conditions. The main idea is to increase the reliability of converter operation by making minimal modifications to the actual converter and control scheme as well as minimal component addition. Fuses are incorporated in the converter and their control co-ordination with different phase switches is proposed to ensure normal operation under various faults. The proposed method is discussed and implemented to ensure normal operation of converter under different component failures and verified through simulation results. The main faults under consideration are the short circuit fault and open circuit fault of the MOSFETs, diodes and coupling capacitors. The discussed methods are analyzed, tested and validated with a 35V-600V, 500W 4-phase hardware prototype.
Altered level of salivary placental growth factor is associated with preeclampsia.

Abstract A pilot, case-control study was conducted to compare the concentrations of placental growth factor (PlGF) and placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) in saliva of preeclampsia (PE) patients with normotensive controls in the second and third trimesters. Measured by ELISA assays, levels of salivary PlGF were significantly lower in PE patients (n = 13) compared to controls (n = 15) (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.0208) independent of gestational age at time of collection (p = 0.49). Salivary PLAP differences between PE and controls were not statistically significant. Placenta-specific proteins are detectable in maternal saliva and may serve as noninvasive biomarkers to monitor placenta health and disease during pregnancy.
Retargeting adenoviruses for therapeutic applications and vaccines.

Adenoviruses (Ads) are robust vectors for therapeutic applications and vaccines, but their use can be limited by differences in their in vitro and in vivo pharmacologies. This review emphasizes that there is not just one Ad, but a whole virome of diverse viruses that can be used as therapeutics. It discusses that true vector targeting involves not only retargeting viruses, but importantly also detargeting the viruses from off-target cells.
Let’s Get Physical: Myocardial Stress Tests—A Student’s Perspective

Myocardial perfusion imaging is a routine study that helps determine whether blood flow to the heart muscle is normal or abnormal. There are 3 parts to myocardial imaging: a resting scan with a radioactive tracer, stressing of the myocardium, and a stress scan with a radioactive tracer. For the resting scan, a radioactive tracer is injected into the patient to obtain a set of images of the myocardium at rest. After the resting scan comes stressing of the myocardium. There are 2 different ways to stress the myocardium. The first is to have the patient exercise on a treadmill following a specific exercise protocol, and the second is to use a pharmacologic stressing agent if the patient cannot exercise. Pharmacologic stressing agents produce coronary artery vasodilation and increased myocardial blood flow. During exercise stress, the heart rate should preferably reach 85% of the maximum heart rate and the patient should be symptomatic or fatigued. The technologist injects the patient with the radioactive tracer at peak stress and then obtains a second set of images. Of the 2 different ways to stress the myocardium, physical stress is preferred to pharmacologic stress.
TF34 Convertible Engine System Technology Program

The ability of the helicopter to function efficiently at zero flight speed is counterbalanced by a limitation to rather low forward flight speeds. An ability to fly efficiently at high speed would provide very significant improvements in rotorcraft productivity and economics. The implementation of such improvements would require the development of a suitable integrated power plant for both the vertical and horizontal flight modes. The engine should be a shaft output engine in the vertical flight mode. In the horizontal mode, the propulsor can be fan or propeller. A description is presented of a program concerned with the demonstration of a convertible turbofan/turboshaft engine. The program is nominally directed toward the demonstration of a propulsion system for an X-wing aircraft. However, the principles being investigated are applicable to any convertible turbofan/turboshaft engine application. At the current early stage of the program, no barrier problems have become apparent, and interesting possibilities for high speed rotorcraft flight are envisaged.
Global scanning of cylindrospermopsin: Critical review and analysis of aquatic occurrence, bioaccumulation, toxicity and health hazards

Abstract Cylindrospermopsin (CYN), a cyanotoxin produced by harmful algal blooms, has been reported worldwide; however, there remains limited understanding of its potential risks to surface water quality. In the present study, we critically reviewed available literature regarding the global occurrence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity of CYN in aquatic systems with a particular focus on freshwater. We subsequently developed environmental exposure distributions (EEDs) for CYN in surface waters and performed probabilistic environmental hazard assessments (PEHAs) using guideline values (GVs). PEHAs were performed by geographic region, type of aquatic system, and matrix. CYN occurrence was prevalent in North America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific, with lakes being the most common system. Many global whole water EEDs exceeded guideline values (GV) previously developed for drinking water (e.g., 0.5 μg L−1) and recreational water (e.g., 1 μg L−1). GV exceedances were higher in the Asia/Pacific region, and in rivers and reservoirs. Rivers in the Asia/Pacific region exceeded the lowest drinking water GV 73.2% of the time. However, lack of standardized protocols used for analyses was alarming, which warrants improvement in future studies. In addition, bioaccumulation of CYN has been reported in mollusks, crustaceans, and fish, but such exposure information remains limited. Though several publications have reported aquatic toxicity of CYN, there is limited chronic aquatic toxicity data, especially for higher trophic level organisms. Most aquatic toxicity studies have not employed standardized experimental designs, failed to analytically verify treatment levels, and did not report purity of CYN used for experiments; therefore, existing data are insufficient to derive water quality guidelines. Considering such elevated exceedances of CYN in global surface waters and limited aquatic bioaccumulation and toxicity data, further aquatic monitoring, environmental fate and mechanistic toxicology studies are warranted to robustly assess and manage water quality risks to public health and the environment.
Antimicrobial Activity of Microgels with an Immobilized Copper(II) Complex Linked to Cross-Linking and Composition

The resistance of many bacteria against currently available antimicrobial agents is increasing worldwide at an alarming pace. The described structure–activity relationship study was prompted by the...
Sampling Methods for Adult Flies (Diptera)

Diptera are one of the largest insect orders, with a wide variety of life histories, body structures, and wide biogeographic occurrence. Their importance to humans, both in negative and positive attributes, makes their understanding critical. Sampling projects for this group should minimally include Malaise traps, which are perhaps the most effective collecting method, plus light traps, and pan traps (which can be integrated into the Malaise traps). Sorting the catch is an expensive and time-consuming proposition: morphological identification of Diptera is laborious and often requires intricate dissections and slide mounting. Molecular sorting can greatly enhance sample processing if budgets allow, and DNA preservation of samples is prioritized.
Enhancing Obstetric Safety Through Best Practices

The pregnancy-related mortality rate in the US exceeds that of other developed nations and is marked by significant disparities in outcome by race. This article reviews the evidence supporting the implementation of a variety of best practices designed to reduce maternal mortality. Evidence from maternal mortality review committees suggests that delays in diagnosis, delays in initiation of treatment and use of ineffective treatments contribute to preventable cases of maternal death. We review several protocols for maternal warning signs that have been used successfully to facilitate early identification and intervention. Care bundles, a collection of best practices, have been developed and implemented to address several maternal emergencies. We review the evidence that supports reduction in adverse outcomes with consistent implementation of obstetric hemorrhage and severe hypertension bundles in a collaborative, team-based setting. The article concludes with suggestions for the future.
Modular Platform-Based Product Family Design

Abstract In this paper we present a method for designing families of products built onto modular platforms. A product platform is the set of components and subsystems shared across multiple products offered by a firm. A modular platform is one that allows for swapping of modules to configure multiple products in a family. The problem of designing a family of products based on such a platform is formulated as an optimization exercise, from which an implementation is derived. The method allows for the design of the modules that are shared across multiple members of the family, or the platform, as well as the portions of the products that are individually designed, or the variants. The result is a candidate design for the product family: both the combination of which modules should be shared and across which of the products, and the desired settings for the shared modules and the individual portions of each variant. The procedure is illustrated by an example of the telecommunications subsystem design for a set of spacecraft. The optimum degree of commonality for the set of products is found, as well as optimum settings for the common modules.
Synthesis and Characterization of Click Nucleic Acid Conjugated Polymeric Microparticles for DNA Delivery Applications

Microparticle-mediated nucleic acid delivery is a popular strategy to achieve therapeutic outcomes via antisense gene therapy. However, current methods used to fabricate polymeric microparticles suffer from suboptimal properties such as particle polydispersity and low encapsulation efficiency. Here, a new particulate delivery system based on step-growth thiol-Michael dispersion polymerization is reported in which a low polydispersity microparticle is functionalized with a synthetic nucleic acid mimic, namely, click nucleic acids (CNA). CNA oligomers, exhibiting an average length of approximately four nucleic acid repeat units per chain for both adenine and thymine bases, were successfully conjugated to excess thiols present in the microparticles. Effective DNA loading was obtained by simple mixing, and up to 6 ± 2 pmol of complementary DNA/mg of particle was achieved, depending on the length of DNA used. In addition, DNA loading was orders of magnitude less for noncomplementary sequences and sequences containing an alternating base mismatch. The DNA release properties were evaluated, and it was found that release could be triggered by sudden changes in temperature but was unaffected over a range of pH. Finally, phagocytosis of loaded microparticles was observed by confocal microscopy and corroborated by an increase in cellular metabolic activity up to 90%. Overall, this work suggests that CNA functionalized microparticles could be a promising platform for controlled DNA delivery.
The anesthetizing sites supervised to anesthesiologist ratio is an invalid surrogate for group productivity in academic anesthesia departments when used without consideration of the corresponding managerial decisions

When the anesthesiologist does not individually perform the anesthesia care, then to make valid comparisons among US anesthesia departments, one must consider the staffing ratio (i.e., how many cases each anesthesiologist supervises when working with Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists [CRNAs] or Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants [CAA]). The staffing ratio also must be considered when accurately measuring group productivity. In this narrative review, we consider anesthesia departments with non-physician anesthesia providers and anesthesiology residents. We investigate the validity of such departments assessing the overall ratio of anesthetizing sites supervised per anesthesiologist as a surrogate for group clinical productivity. The sites/anesthesiologist ratio can be estimated accurately using the arithmetic mean calculated by anesthesiologist, the harmonic mean calculated by case, or the harmonic mean calculated by CRNA or CAA, but not by the arithmetic mean ratio by case. However, there is lack of validity to benchmarking the percentage time that anesthesiologists are supervising the maximum possible number of CRNAs or CAAs when some of the anesthesiologists also are supervising resident physicians. Assignments can differ in the total number anesthesiologists needed while every anesthesiologist is supervising as many sites as possible. Similarly, there is lack of validity to limiting assessment to the anesthesiologists supervising only CRNAs or CAAs. There also is lack of validity to limiting assessment only to cases performed by supervised CRNAs or CAAs. When cases can be assigned to anesthesiology residents or CRNAs or CAAs, increasing sites/anesthesiologist while limiting consideration to the CRNAs or CAAs creates incentive for the CRNAs or CAAs to be assigned cases, even when lesser productivity is the outcome. Decisions also can increase sites/anesthesiologist without increasing productivity (e.g., when one anesthesiologist relieves another before the end of the regular workday). A suitable alternative approach to fallaciously treating the sites/anesthesiologist ratio as a surrogate for productivity is that, when a teaching hospital supplies financial support, a responsibility of the anesthesia department is to explain annually the principal factors affecting productivity at each facility it manages and to show annually that decisions were made that maximized productivity, subject to the facilities' constraints.
Forest operations instructor and student perspectives on rapid transition from face-to-face to online learning in the US

During the spring semester of 2020, American universities, along with many others across the world, rapidly transitioned mid-term from traditional face-to-face classes to online learning methods to...
Achievement goal orientation: A predictor of student engagement in higher education

Achievement goal orientation has been studied within education for many years, but the practical implications are frequently focused on K-12 students and classrooms and less often applied to established concepts within higher education. Prior research has connected the construct to student achievement, along with stress and anxiety that accompany the learning of challenging new material. This study uses achievement goal orientation as a context for exploring student engagement in postsecondary education, joining constructs from educational psychology and higher education. Data were drawn from over 8500 first-year and senior college students across 15 higher education institutions participating in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Using a series of ordinary least squares regression analyses, results indicate that students who employ a mastery-approach orientation are more likely to partake in a variety of engagement indicators, such as reflective and integrative learning, higher-order learning, quantitative reasoning, and student–faculty interaction. Performance-avoidance orientation generally showed a negative relationship with engagement indicators, while results for the performance-approach orientation were more mixed.