cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of genotoxic components of the heavy ends of energy-related materials

The objective of this work was to develop capillary supercritical fluid chromatographic methods for the analysis of the high-molecular-weight components in high boiling, heavy and materials that are responsible for genotoxic activity. Since these compounds were largely unknown, 62 standard reference compounds were synthesized for comparison with actual high boiling coal-derived products. These compounds were comprised of two- and three-ring aromatic moieties coupled together with carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen bridging groups. Mass spectral evidence indicated that a number of these compound types could be present in various coal products at a concentration level of 0.01--0.2 percent, although none of them could be positively identified because of the complexities of the fractions. A number of capillary supercritical fluid chromatographic instrumental developments were made as a result of this work. These include a supercritical fluid fractionation system for group-type separation of complex samples and a direct coupled supercritical fluid chromatograph/double focusing mass spectrometer system. Finally, a number of supercritical fluid chromatographic mobile phase combinations were evaluated for the analysis of large polycyclic aromatic compounds. 34 refs., 23 figs., 2 tabs.
La escritura en el mundo del conocimiento. Al encuentro de nuestra voz en la escuela, la universidad, la profesión y la sociedad

La voz y los conocimientos estan intimamente conectados. Aprender a escribir nos dota de la voz mas alla del rango auditivo y nos lleva a la aventura del lenguaje a traves del tiempo y la distancia; nos situa en los mundos y proyectos sociales con personas que no podemos ver y, a veces, ni siquiera imaginar. Si bien la alfabetizacion en la primera infancia, ayuda a que los ninos pequenos se expresen y crezca en ellos el motivo de escribir mas alla de lo personal y de las relaciones, a medida que la escolarizacion avanza esas experiencias que los motivan disminuye, la escritura se convierte en un ejercicio reducido, la mayoria de las veces asociada con la evaluacion, en vez de estar conectada con los intereses de la vida real. Sin embargo, la escritura fuera de la escuela esta intimamente relacionada con la participacion en la sociedad, y la habilidad para escribir dota de una sola voz en las comunidades profesionales y civicas. Escribir en la escuela tiene que estar conectado con los usos de la vida real y el crecimiento intelectual de los estudiantes. La escritura debe estar apoyada en cada nivel de educacion, expresar y compartir significados de importancia para los estudiantes, conectada con el pensamiento y el conocimiento en areas tematicas, relacionadas con la lectura, y direccionar las situaciones extraescolares que son importantes para los estudiantes.
Origami Arrays as Substrates for the Determination of Reaction Kinetics Using High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy.

DNA nanostructures (DN) are powerful platforms for the programmable assembly of nanomaterials. As applications for DN both as a structural material and as a support for functional biomolecular sensing systems develop, methods enabling the determination of reaction kinetics in real time become increasingly important. In this report, we present a study of the kinetics of streptavidin binding onto biotinylated DN constructs enabled by these planar structures. High-speed AFM was employed at a 2.5 frame/s rate to evaluate the kinetics and indicates that the binding fully saturates in less than 60 s. When the the data was fitted with an adsorption-limited kinetic model, a forward rate constant of 5.03 × 105 s–1 was found.
Dynamic properties of successful smiles

Facial expression of emotion is a foundational aspect of social interaction and nonverbal communication. In this study, we use a computer-animated 3D facial tool to investigate how dynamic properties of a smile are perceived. We created smile animations where we systematically manipulated the smile's angle, extent, dental show, and dynamic symmetry. Then we asked a diverse sample of 802 participants to rate the smiles in terms of their effectiveness, genuineness, pleasantness, and perceived emotional intent. We define a "successful smile" as one that is rated effective, genuine, and pleasant in the colloquial sense of these words. We found that a successful smile can be expressed via a variety of different spatiotemporal trajectories, involving an intricate balance of mouth angle, smile extent, and dental show combined with dynamic symmetry. These findings have broad applications in a variety of areas, such as facial reanimation surgery, rehabilitation, computer graphics, and psychology.
Efficacy of the College Drinkers Check-Up for Student Drinkers Living Off Campus.

Objective:Students living in off-campus housing consume more alcohol and experience more alcohol-related consequences than those living on campus, yet prevention efforts have not targeted this high-risk group specifically. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a brief, computer-delivered, alcohol intervention (the College Drinkers Check-Up [CDCU]) in reducing alcohol use and related consequences in a sample of college students living off campus.Method:Students who lived off campus and reported at least one heavy drinking episode (4+/5+ drinks for females/males in one occasion) in the past 30 days completed the CDCU or assessment only during the first month of the school year (n = 326; 61% female). Participants in both conditions completed follow-up assessments at 1, 3, and 6 months. We hypothesized that participants who completed the CDCU would report fewer drinks per week and heavy drinking episodes, lower peak drinking quantities, and fewer alcohol-related consequences than those in the control gr...
Exploring genetic alterations in human colorectal cancer through the combined use of array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), expression microarray, and tissue microarray technologies

828 Small and large-scale chromosomal aberrations, including amplifications, deletions, and rearrangements, are commonly seen in solid tumors. In human colorectal cancer (CRC), amplification of chromosome regions 20q, 8q, 13q, 7p, 12p, and loss of 18q, 8p, 17p, 4p, and 15q are frequently observed. These regions harbor oncogenes, tumor suppressors, and DNA repair genes that are known to be involved in the etiology of the disease. A combined, high-resolution gene expression and DNA copy number approach has been applied to test the hypothesis that a more comprehensive measure of the genetic damage in CRC will reveal novel molecular targets. Here, microarrays consisting of ∼35,000 spotted oligonucleotides have been utilized to examine both gene expression and DNA copy number changes in primary colorectal tumors from patients with stage II-IV disease. A colorectal cancer tissue array containing approximately 100 CRC samples has been constructed for use in validation studies. To date, 50 primary CRC samples in which the site of metastasis and other clinical information is available have been profiled. For expression studies, an unsupervised, class-discovery algorithm was utilized to search for molecular signatures that are associated with the clinical data. A subset of samples characterized by genes involved in cell communication, signal transduction, and metabolism was identified; however, no correlation with the clinical data was found for this subset of tumors. Using class comparison and hierarchical clustering, a statistically significant set of genes discriminated between primary tumors located in the proximal (cecum, ascending colon, and transverse colon) colon from those isolated from the distal (descending, sigmoid, and rectal) colon, but no gene signatures were associated patient age, disease stage, or CEA levels. The same microarray platform was utilized for array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) studies. Analysis of the aCGH results revealed several chromosomal changes that have not been previously reported. A combined analysis of the aCGH and expression data, followed by validation on tumor tissue arrays, is being carried out to identify candidate genes associated with colorectal cancer.
Li-ion storage in an amorphous, solid, spheroidal carbon anode produced by dry-autoclaving of coffee oil

Abstract A facile, one-step, solvent-free ‘dry autoclaving’ synthesis method utilized coffee oil as carbon precursor to obtain micrometer diameter spheroidal carbon particles for lithium ion battery anodes. The spheroidal morphology resulted from the evaporation of liquid oil into liquid/gas phase interphase at elevated temperature (700 °C), followed by solid/gas sublimation interactions during cooling (below 350 °C) in a closed autoclave. A mechanism of spheroidal carbon formation is proposed considering the precursor's composition and chemical interactions during autoclaving. The solid spheroidal carbon exhibits 0.85 g cc−1 tap density and 5 m2 g−1 surface area. Galvanostatic cycling performed at 100 mA g−1 current density delivered a capacity of 290 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles. Battery testing at elevated temperature (50 °C) increased the capacity (350 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles at 100 mA g−1), but with decreased Coulombic efficiency due to faster electrolyte depletion by augmented reaction kinetics. The spherical morphology and carbon structuring are maintained after 250 charge-discharge cycles, indicating the long term stability of the spheroidal carbon as Li-ion anode material.
Stochastic Games for Fuel Followers Problem: N vs MFG

In this paper we formulate and analyze an $N$-player stochastic game of the classical fuel follower problem and its Mean Field Game (MFG) counterpart. For the $N$-player game, we obtain the Nash Equilibrium (NE) explicitly by deriving and analyzing a system of Hamilton--Jacobi--Bellman (HJB) equations, and by establishing the existence of a unique strong solution to the associated Skorokhod problem on an unbounded polyhedron with an oblique reflection. For the MFG, we derive a bang-bang type NE under some mild technical conditions and by the viscosity solution approach. We also show that this solution is an $\epsilon$-NE to the $N$-player game, with $\epsilon =O(\frac{1}{\sqrt{N}})$. The $N$-player game and the MFG differ in that the NE for the former is state dependent while the NE for the latter is threshold-type bang-bang policy where the threshold is state independent. Our analysis shows that the NE for a stationary MFG may not be the NE for the corresponding MFG.
Management of the Ureter During Pelvic Surgery

The ureter’s anatomic characteristics make it susceptible to iatrogenic injury. Most major ureteral injuries occur during gynecologic procedures, although any abdomino-pelvic surgery can result in trauma to the ureter.
Neuronal and microglial involvement in β-amyloid protein deposition in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract This study was undertaken to localize amyloid precursor protein (APP) and to determine how APP might be released and proteolyzed to yield the beta-amyloid protein deposits found in senile plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. We found that antibodies to recombinantly expressed APP labeled many normal neurons and neurites. In addition, dystrophic neurites in different types of senile plaques and degenerating neurons in the temporal cortex and hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease patients were immunostained. We also detected small clusters of dystrophic APP immunoreactive neurites that were not associated with beta-amyloid protein deposits. Microglia was involved in different types of senile plaques and often were associated closely with APP immunoreactive neurites and neurons. The greatest concurrence of APP immunoreactivity and reactive microglia was seen in the subiculum and area CA1, regions with a high density of congophilic plaques and subject to intense Alzheimer's pathology. Our findings suggest that neuronally derived APP is the source for senile plaque beta-amyloid protein, while microglia may act as processing cells.
Extensometer forensics: what can the data really tell us?

Extensometer data have an advantage over satellite-based data for monitoring land subsidence in that extensometer data provide continuous measurements (hourly or better temporal resolution) at very high precision (several tens of microns) over a known depth interval; the latter is important for isolating groundwater pumping from other causes of land subsidence attributed to tectonics or eustatic adjustments in the Earth’s crust. This investigation aims to identify a semi-analytical procedure for quantifying aquifer and aquitard properties from a single extensometer record in lieu of the time-consuming development of more complex numerical models to quantify and constrain these parameter values. In spite of a limited 12-year record and the fact that water levels both decline and increase on an annual basis, this study successfully and reasonably estimated both aquifer and aquitard parameters at the Lorenzi extensometer site in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada (USA), when compared to the estimates developed numerically. The key factors that allow for estimates of elastic and inelastic skeletal-specific storage and hydraulic conductivity of the aquitards and elastic specific storage and hydraulic conductivity of the intervening aquifers is the presence of pumping cycles at multiple frequencies, and measured heads at all the aquifer units covered in the extensometer record. There is an inherent assumption that the aquitards possess the same hydrologic characteristics and are homogeneous and isotropic. This assumption is also a usual limitation in numerical modeling of these settings because of the complex temporal head relationships occurring within the aquitards that are rarely, if ever, measured.
Molecular Imaging of Cardiovascular Device Infection: Targeting the Bacteria or the Host–Pathogen Immune Response?

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of cardiovascular device infection remains a challenge in the clinic. Anatomic imaging tools such as echocardiography and cardiac CT or CT angiography are the first-line modalities for clinically suspected endocarditis given their ability to detect vegetation and perivalvular complications. Accumulating data suggest that functional imaging with 18F-FDG PET/CT has unique merits over anatomic imaging and could potentially diagnose early cardiac device infection before morphologic damage ensues and identify infection sources or bacterial emboli in the rest of the body. Although an abnormal finding on 18F-FDG PET/CT was added to the 2015 guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology as a major criterion for the diagnosis of device-related and prosthetic valve endocarditis, that addition has not been incorporated in the U.S. guidelines. Beyond these clinically available imaging tools, attempts have been made to develop bacteria-targeting tracers for specific infection imaging, which include tracers of bacterial maltodextrin transporter, bacterial thymidine kinase, antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, bacterial antibodies, bacteriophages, and bacterial DNA/RNA hybrid nucleotide oligomers. Most of the tracers have been studied only in experimental animals, except for radiolabeled antibiotics, which have been examined in humans without success in clinical translation for infection imaging. In this article, we compare the roles of anatomic and functional imaging for cardiac device infection and discuss the pros and cons of 18F-FDG and bacteria-targeting tracers. While anticipating continued investigations for bacteria-specific tracers in the future, we recommend that 18F-FDG PET/CT, which represents the host-pathogen immune response to infection, be used clinically for identifying cardiovascular device infection.
Using the Lateral Pontine Safe Entry Zone for Resection of Deep-Seated Cavernous Malformations in the Lateral Pons: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

The retrosigmoid approach is one of the main approaches used in the surgical management of pontine cavernous malformations. It definitely provides a lateral route to large central lesions but also makes possible resection of some ventral lesions as an alternative to the petrosal approaches. However, when these vascular malformations do not emerge on surface, one of the safe corridors delimited by the origin of the trigeminal nerve and the seventh-eight cranial nerve complex can be used.1-5 Baghai et al2 described the lateral pontine safe entry zone in 1982, as an alternative to approaches through the floor of the fourth ventricle when performing tumor biopsies. They advocated a small neurotomy performed right between the emergence of the trigeminal nerve and the facial-vestibulocochlear cranial nerves complex. Accurate image guidance, intraoperative cranial nerve monitoring, and comprehensive anatomical knowledge are critical for this approach.4,5 Knowing the natural history of a brainstem cavernous malformation after bleeding,6 we sought to demonstrate in this video: (1) the use of the retrosigmoid craniotomy in lateral decubitus for resection of deep-seated pontine cavernous malformations; (2) the wide opening of arachnoid membranes and dissection of the superior petrosal vein complex to improve surgical freedom and prevent use of fixed cerebellar retraction; and (3) the opening of the petrosal fissure and exposure of the lateral pontine zone for gross total resection of a cavernous malformation in a 19-yr-old female with a classical crossed brainstem syndrome. She had full neurological recovery after 3 mo of follow-up. The patient consented in full to the surgical procedure and publication of the video and manuscript.
A Molecular Capsule with Revolving Doors Partitioning Its Inner Space.

Covalent capsule 1 was designed to include two molecular baskets linked with three mobile pyridines tucked into its inner space. On the basis of both theory (DFT) and experiments (NMR and X-ray crystallography), we found that the pyridine "doors" split the chamber (380 A3 ) of 1 so that two equally sizeable compartments (190 A3 ) became joined through a conformationally flexible aromatic barrier. The compartments of such unique host could be populated with CCl4 (88 A3 ; PC=46 %), CBr4 (106 A3 ; 56 %) or their combination CCl4 /CBr4 (PC=51 %), with thermodynamic stabilities ΔG° tracking the values of packing coefficients (PC). Halogen (C-X⋅⋅⋅π) and hydrogen bonding (C-H⋅⋅⋅X) contacts held the haloalkane guests in the cavities of 1. The consecutive complexations were found to occur in a negative allosteric manner, which we propose to result from the induced-fit mode of complexation. Newly designed 1 opens a way for probing the effects of inner conformational dynamics on noncovalent interactions, reactivity and intramolecular translation in confined spaces of hollow molecules.
In Situ Analysis of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Using Simultaneous High-Speed Infrared and X-ray Imaging

Laser powder bed fusion is a metal additive manufacturing technique that has received significant scientific and industrial attention over the past decades. However, the quality and reproducibility of parts manufactured by this technique is still a problem. Overcoming this issue requires an understanding of multiple complex physical phenomena which occur simultaneously during the process. This work illustrates a powerful new technique which synchronizes high-speed x-ray imaging with high-speed infrared imaging to study laser powder bed fusion processes in real time. Using this technique, we demonstrate the simultaneous observation of multiple phenomena including three-dimensional melt pool visualization, vapor plume dynamics, spatter formation, thermal history, and point cooling rates. The paired observation of these dynamic phenomena is critical to understanding the fundamentals of laser powder bed fusion, and the overall impact of process parameters on print quality.
Ambient Temperature Graphitization Based on Mechanochemical Synthesis

Graphite has become a critical material because of its high supply risk and essential applications in energy industries. Its present synthesis still relies on an energy-intensive thermal treatment pathway (Acheson process) at about 3000 °C. Herein, a mechanochemical approach is demonstrated to afford highly crystalline graphite nanosheets at ambient temperature. The key to the success of our methodology lies in the successive decomposition and rearrangement of a carbon nitride framework driven by a denitriding reaction in the presence of magnesium. The afforded graphite features high crystallinity, a high degree of graphitization, a thin nanosheet architecture, and a small flake size, which endow it with superior efficiency in lithium-ion batteries as an anode material in terms of rate capacity and cycle stability. The mild and cost-effective pathway used in this study could be a promising alternative for graphite production.
Initial Results of First In Vivo Imaging of Bladder Lesions Using a High-Resolution Confocal Microendoscope.

Purpose: Conventional cystoscopy plays an important role in detection of bladder cancer; however, it is difficult to differentiate benign and neoplastic lesions based on cystoscopic appearance alon...
No Dreadlocks Allowed: Race, Hairstyles, and Cultural Exclusion in Schools

Drawing on school dress codes, this paper analyzes the exclusion of students who wear hairstyles linked to people of African descent. Whereas existing scholarship outlines how policies banning these hairstyles contribute to the social exclusion of students by removing them from the classroom and extracurricular activities, this paper conceptually elaborates and empirically illustrates how these rules also symbolically exclude students through associating them with negative attributes. Content analysis of dress codes in Texas public schools that forbid dreadlocks demonstrates how students who wear this style not only lose school-related opportunities such as attending class, but are also linked to undesirable qualities such as being extreme and disruptive. By demonstrating how school dress codes socially and symbolically exclude students who wear dreadlocks this paper not only theoretically advances understanding of culture and racial inequality in schools, it also offers important insight on recent policies around hair discrimination. Across the United States there are efforts to outlaw school policies that bar hairstyles associated with race. The argument developed in this paper suggests that passage of these laws could potentially help to curb both the loss of school-related opportunities for students who wear these styles as well as their negative stereotyping.
Training preferences of homelessness assistance service providers: a brief report

This brief report presents results from a study that evaluated trainings provided by a local Continuum of Care lead agency to homelessness assistance service providers. The study explored types of ...
Host stress hormones affect host, but not vector, infectiousness for West Nile virus

Abstract Hormones that help hosts cope with stressors also affect how hosts regulate the processes that influence their susceptibility to parasites as well as their propensity to transmit pathogens to other hosts and vectors. In birds, corticosterone (CORT), influences timing of activity, feeding behaviors, and various immune defenses that influence the number and outcomes of host interactions with vectors and parasites. No study to our knowledge, though, has investigated whether CORT in hosts affects the extrinsic incubation period (EIP) of a vector for a virus, one of the strongest drivers of vector-borne disease cycles. Our goal here was to discern whether experimental CORT alterations in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) affected EIP for West Nile virus (WNV) in the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, a common vector of WNV and other infections in the southern US. We experimentally manipulated CORT in birds, infected them with WNV, and then investigated whether EIP differed between vectors fed on CORT-treated or control birds. Although CORT enhanced WNV viremia in hosts, as we have observed previously, we found no effects of CORT on vector EIP or post-feeding mortality rates, another important component of epidemiological models. These results, plus our prior observations that CORT enhances host attractiveness, indicate that some but not all stages of host-vector-virus interactions are sensitive to host stress.
Utility of an inexpensive near-infrared camera to quantify beach surface moisture

Abstract Surface moisture content is an essential factor that must be considered when studying aeolian sediment transport on a sandy beach. In recent years, near-infrared (NIR) remote sensing sensors have shown promise for obtaining accurate surface moisture data; however, prior studies utilized instruments with extreme costs. This study assesses the capability of an inexpensive NIR digital camera to measure surface moisture at two sandy beach environments – Tybee Island, Georgia and Pensacola Beach, Florida – that exhibit varying sediment hue characteristics. To account for temporal variations in solar atmospheric conditions, we normalized the raw sediment surface reflectance data against a white reflectance card and a sample of oven dry sand representative of each study site. This is a necessary step to account for solar atmospheric conditions. Calibration results illustrate that the NIR camera is capable of producing accurate representations of beach surface moisture; analyses from both study sites produced R2 values greater than 0.76 with error estimates at ±1–2% moisture. No statistical difference in calibration relationships were observed for data collected over multiple days and times of day. Calibration data for the reflectance card produced more robust relationships with smaller prediction errors than the oven dry sand analyses; however. Overall, this study illustrates that an inexpensive digital camera modified to record NIR radiation is capable of producing robust and accurate measurements of beach surface moisture.
Computational Efficiency of Hexagonal Arrays in Compound Eyes

Hexagonal arrays are often found in biological systems, especially in compound eyes. We explore the computational efficiency of hexagonal arrays in compound eyes as compared to rectilinear orthogonal arrays. The geometric constraints are examined with respect to the computational efficiency for computing the light intensity difference between adjacent cells (ommatidia) in motion detection. Results show that hexagonal arrays provide a means for uniform and symmetric computation of local differences in light intensity much better than other rectilinear geometric arrays.
Clinical and Laboratory Findings in OTC Deficiency

We have collected most of the reported cases of OTC deficiency between 1962, when the first case was reported, through 2002. We searched Index Medicus(Pub Med)and Reference Update(ISI) for the keywords ornithine transcarbam(yl)(oyl)ase, ornithine carbam( yl)(oyl) transferase, and other keywords for elements of the urea or ornithine cycle in articles written in English, German, Spanish and French. Articles written in Japanese were not included. Copies of each article were reviewed and tables were constructed listing in order of year of publication all female cases (Table 7–1), neonatal male cases (onset 0-28 days after birth)(Table 7–2) and late-onset male cases (Table 7–3)(>28 days). We included clinical findings reported at onset of the illness and up to the time of diagnosis. Symptoms we included were (a) vomiting; (b) decreased level of consciousness from lethargy to coma; (c) focal or generalized seizure activity; (d) abnormal behavior which persisted or recurred; (e) avoidance of protein-containing foods or intolerance of infant formulas; (f) delayed growth > 3% of predicted height or weight); (g) delayed development (IQ or other cognitive tests below normal); (h) incoordination (usually ataxia); and (j) some form of persistent central nervous system (CNS) deficit. We also included in the list of clinical findings (i) a positive family history of OTC-type illness, defined as proof of OTC deficiency in the mother, siblings or first-order relatives, or a history of at least two neonatal male deaths in siblings without a known cause.
A Study of Blackiwhite Consumption Differences

Many studies of the consumption differences between African-American consumers and other buyers were conducted decades ago and may not have controlled for the effects of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. The present study was conceived to update some of these findings using a random sample of 572 adults. Statistical controls were used to remove the effects of age, income, and education from the analysis. Blacks were found to spend more on new fashions than whites, supporting previous studies. They reported less difficulty in shopping for convenience goods and durable goods, perhaps reversing previous findings. Finally, black consumers reported owing fewer credit cards and using credit less often than whites. The conclusion is that in addition to differences in frequency of use and brand preference, there is evidence for unique consumption differences among African-American consumers that may be of value to both marketing managers and consumer theorists.
The Biotin Operon of Escherichia coli

This chapter recognizes John Roth's contributions to the genetic study of microbial metabolism by summarizing results in an area that the authors have explored over the years. Wild-type Escherichia coli can make biotin (vitamin H) from an inorganic medium with glucose as the sole carbon source. In the course of studies on prophage insertion, the authors isolated both specialized transducing phages and deletions that included the mutant site, which facilitated asking how many bio genes were clustered there, what they did, and how they were regulated. However, the biotin operon intrigued the authors because the product is required in such minute amounts, roughly 1,000 molecules per cell. The repressor protein BirA is encoded by a gene distant from the bio operon. BirA also functions as a biotin ligase. The biotin operon is transcribed bidirectionally, from overlapping promoters controlled by the same operator. The authors discuss at the outset why they thought biotin biosynthesis and its control might be interesting. Biotin-d-sulfoxide (BDS) is reduced by a specific reductase (BisC) and a molybdopterin cofactor (functional also in the reduction of nitrate and dimethyl sulfoxide), whose biosynthesis requires at least 15 genes. If BDS is added to wild-type cells at high concentration, the biotin operon is repressed. The authors turned the regulatory system around and used it as a possible selection for mutations that knock out BDS reduction.
Soluble Methane Monooxygenase Production and Trichloroethylene Degradation by a Type I Methanotroph, Methylomonas methanica 68-1.

Abstract A methanotroph (strain 68-1), originally isolated from a trichloroethylene (TCE)-contaminated aquifer, was identified as the type I methanotroph Methylomonas methanica on the basis of intracytoplasmic membrane ultrastructure, phospholipid fatty acid profile, and 16S rRNA signature probe hybridization. Strain 68-1 was found to oxidize naphthalene and TCE via a soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) and thus becomes the first type I methanotroph known to be able to produce this enzyme. The specific whole-cell sMMO activity of 68-1, as measured by the naphthalene oxidation assay and by TCE biodegradation, was comparatively higher than sMMO activity levels in Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b grown in the same copper-free conditions. The maximal naphthalene oxidation rates of Methylomonas methanica 68-1 and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b were 551 ± 27 and 321 ± 16 nmol h-1 mg of protein -1, respectively. The maximal TCE degradation rates of Methylomonas methanica 68-1 and Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b were 2,325 ± 260 and 995 ± 160 nmol h-1 mg of protein-1, respectively. The substrate affinity of 68-1 sMMO to naphthalene (Km, 70 ± 4 μM) and TCE (Km, 225 ± 13 μM), however, was comparatively lower than that of the sMMO of OB3b, which had affinities of 40 ± 3 and 126 ± 8 μM, respectively. Genomic DNA slot and Southern blot analyses with an sMMO gene probe from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b showed that the sMMO genes of 68-1 have little genetic homology to those of OB3b. This result may indicate the evolutionary diversification of the sMMOs.
Low-latency mobile data collection for Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks

Wireless charging is a game-changing technology to provide reliable energy source for wireless sensor networks. Combining wireless charging with mobile data collection on a single mobile vehicle can mitigate the nonuniform energy distribution problem. However, data latency may be too long for some applications because vehicles have to spend significant time in charging before uploading data to the base station. In this paper, we propose a new framework that employs a dedicated vehicle for data collection and theoretically study the trade-offs between data latency and the number of recharging vehicles needed. We first study how to minimize data latency while ensuring all sensory data are collected and derive a latency bound. Then we establish a mathematical model to calculate the minimum number of recharging vehicles needed. Finally, we conduct simulations to validate the theoretical results and evaluate the efficiency of the framework. The results show that our scheme can reduce the number of nonfunctional nodes by 30–60%, and cut down data collection latency more than an order of magnitude compared to the previous work.
Fossils and Fossilization

The study of fossil preservation – taphonomy – reveals biases of the fossil record and also provides insights into depositional rates and processes. Keywords: taphonomy; preservation; fossils; depositional environment; biostratinomy; diagenesis
Operative vaginal delivery: a survey of fellows of ACOG.

Objective To document operative vaginal delivery rates of ACOG Fellows and to stratify practice patterns with regard to mid-pelvic delivery and deep transverse arrest by the time elapsed since residency. Methods A survey was mailed to a random sample of 1600 ACOG Fellows. Of the 597 respondents (37%), 558 who still practice obstetrics formed the study group. Selection bias regarding recipients of the survey was reduced by randomization by an uninvolved third party. The length of time since residency was categorized as 10 years or fewer (“recent,” 31%), 11–20 years (“intermediate,” 43%), and more than 20 years (“remote,” 26%). Results The majority of respondents (338 of 558, 61%) reported an operative vaginal delivery rate of 15% or less. One hundred forty-two (25%) use only forceps, whereas 78 (14%) use vacuum extraction exclusively. More than half have abandoned mid-pelvic operative vaginal deliveries, and of the 41% who still perform these operations, about half use forceps. In cases of deep transverse arrest, about 25% perform cesarean delivery, whereas 26% and 42% use forceps or vacuum, respectively. Resident training and practice in vacuum delivery were more common in the recently trained groups (recent > intermediate > remote; P P = .29), but the remote group was more likely to use forceps, whereas the recent group was more likely to use vacuum P = .039). A large disparity existed among the groups regarding the management of deep transverse arrest, with vacuum use associated with group assignment ( P Conclusions The majority of respondents have an operative vaginal delivery rate of no more than 15%. Most respondents have abandoned mid-pelvic operative vaginal delivery. Practice patterns reflect differences in residency training; the more recently trained Fellows more often were taught and use vacuum for delivery.
Thermal Death of a Hydrocarbon Bacterium in a Nonaqueous Fluid

A hydrocarbon-utilizing Brevibacterium which grew into the oil phase of an oil-water system was tested for survival at elevated temperature. Cells suspended in oil and cells that had been resuspended in aqueous solution were tested by placing 1-ml samples of the cell suspension in small test tubes immersed in a controlled-temperature water bath. The resultant survival curves in oil consisted of two parts, a flat shoulder obtained in the first half of the heating period, followed by a break indicating rapid die-off. The break in the curves occurred after 50% of the cells were killed. This occurred at exposures of 25, 15, and 8 min for 78, 88.6, and 96.2 C, respectively. The survival curve for 63.5 C in the aqueous solution was a rapid, exponential die-off. The actual increase in survival of the organism in oil is reflected by the length of the shoulder portion. The shoulder occurs only in an oil medium and is increased by decreasing temperature and increasing age of the culture.
Abstract 4920: Luminol-basedin situphotodynamic therapy for breast adenocarcinoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment that uses a photosensitizer and a specific wavelength of light. When tumor cells which have absorbed photosensitizer are exposed to the correct wavelength of light, reactive oxygen species are generated, resulting in tumor cell death. Poor tissue penetration of light is a major limitation in PDT, restricting its use to treatment of localized tumors. Light generation at the tumor area might increase the effectiveness of PDT and can expand its use for metastatic tumors. Infiltration of tumor-activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) produces luminescence in the presence of luminol; this bioluminescence has been used for tumor detection in pre-clinical trials. Based on this rationale, we hypothesized that luminol-based bioluminescence can cause targeted PDT in breast adenocarcinoma tumors in the presence of the photosensitizer 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). To test this hypothesis, BALB/c mice were transplanted with 4T1 mammary adenocarcinoma cells to establish a breast adenocarcinoma model. After tumor formation, ALA and luminol were administered to mice through intraperitoneal and intravenous routes, respectively. This treatment regimen was repeated six times and ALA alone/luminol alone/saline treated tumor-bearing mice were used as controls. Relative differences in the increase of tumor volume and final tumor weights were analyzed to test the treatment hypothesis. Analysis of the data showed that treatment with a combination of luminol and ALA as well as treatment with luminol alone results in breast adenocarcinoma tumor growth attenuation. This study gives evidence for the antitumor activity of luminol on breast adenocarcinoma, possibly through PDT. Citation Format: Hamad S. Alshetaiwi, Tej B. Shrestha, Sivasai Balivada, Matthew T. Basel, Marla Pyle, Hongwang Wang, Stefan H. Bossmann, Deryl L. Troyer. Luminol-based in situ photodynamic therapy for breast adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4920. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4920
Towards Truly Delay-Insensitive Circuit Realizations of Process Algebras

Delay-insensitive circuits have the desirable property that their correct behavior is completely independent of propagation delays in either the set of primitive building blocks from which they are constructed or in the wires used to interconnect these blocks. While process algebras are widely recognized to provide a good specification language for delay-insensitive circuits, proposed compilation methods have required the use of delay-sensitive components such as “isochronic forks.” The use of such delay-sensitive components can introduce subtle errors; we demonstrate that delay sensitive components are unnecessary, and hence pave the way for compilation of process algebras into truly delay insensitive circuits.
Sn propagation in the Western United States from common midpoint stacks of USArray data

[1] The regional seismic phase Sn propagates horizontally in the uppermost mantle and is sensitive to lateral variations in mantle lid thickness, temperature, and melt. Sn is therefore often used as an indicator for physical properties of the lithosphere. It has previously been noticed that Sn is not observed at many stations in the Western United States and Sn seems especially highly attenuated for paths across the Basin and Range. Here we apply stacking methods to USArray data to identify highly attenuating regions in the uppermost mantle and increase the spatial resolution of the Sn propagation image. We find evidence for Sn propagation at short ranges in the central Great Basin and the northeastern part of the Colorado Plateau, both regions where lithospheric stability and thickness is debated, and observe strong Sn attenuation around the perimeter of the central Great Basin.
Tumorous PASH presenting as rapid unilateral breast enlargement.

36-year-old woman presented with a 3-month history of progressive, rapid enlargement of the right breast. She had no family history of breast diseases and had not been taking any medications. On examination, the right breast was dramatically enlarged when compared with the left (Figure 1). We obtained a bilateral diagnostic mammogram, ultrasonography, core biopsies (Figure 2 ,A ), and magnetic resonance imaging (Figure 2 ,B ) of the right breast. Pathologic examination revealed pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH), with no evidence of malignancy. The patient underwent a bilateral mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction, and the tumor resected from the right breast measured 11.0 8.5 6.0 cm and weighed 666.0 g. The final pathologic findings were consistentwithtumorousPASH. 1 Thisisamong thelargestPASHtumorsreportedinthemedical literature. The patient had an excellent clinical and cosmetic outcome. An incidental finding of microscopic PASH
Authoring (in)Authenticity, Regulating Religious Tolerance: The Implications of Anti-Conversion Legislation for Indian Secularism

This article explores the politicization of `conversion' discourses in contemporary India, focusing on the rising popularity of anti-conversion legislation at the individual state level. While `Fre...
Thoracic kyphotic deformity reduction with a distractible titanium cage via an entirely posterior approach.

OBJECTIVE: Surgical correction of thoracic kyphotic deformity is often associated with significant surgical and neurological morbidity and unsatisfactory reduction of kyphosis, especially in patients who cannot tolerate anterior thoracic procedures because of associated comorbidity. We describe a technique in which kyphotic deformity of the thoracic and thoracolumbar spine is corrected, decompressed, and stabilized with a circumferential fixation construct from a lone posterior approach. METHODS: We reviewed the radiographic and clinical outcomes of seven patients undergoing vertebrectomy via a bilateral modified costotransversectomy approach followed by posterior placement of a distractible cage, reduction of the deformity via cage distraction, and supplemental dorsal instrumentation. All patients possessed thoracic/thoracolumbar kyphosis; however, a transthoracic approach was thought to be high risk because of medical comorbidity. RESULTS: Seven patients underwent this procedure for thoracolumbar kyphosis resulting from a spinal tumor, osteomyelitis, and fracture. Vertebrectomies were performed at T2‐T3, T4‐T5, T5‐T6, T12‐L1, and L1. The mean preoperative kyphosis was 28.6 degrees, the mean postoperative kyphosis at the time of the final follow-up examination was 12.1 degrees, and the mean change in kyphosis was 53%. The mean long-term follow-up period was approximately 16 months. At the time of the final follow-up examination for all patients, there was no decline in neurological function, and pain management consisted of minimal use of oral narcotics. CONCLUSION: This technique allows for circumferential decompression of the spinal cord via a posterior approach in patients with thoracic kyphotic deformities who cannot tolerate anterior thoracic approaches. In addition, in situ distraction of the expandable cage allows correction of sagittal imbalance and restores height without the potential loss of spinal height associated with osteotomies.
Searching Out the Ideal: Awareness of Ideal Body Standards Predicts Lower Global Self-esteem in Women

Does awareness of female body ideals affect women's global self-esteem? We measured awareness of ideal standards for beauty via two approaches. As one approach, participants (55 undergraduate women) self-reported their general propensity to be aware of society's thin ideal standard. As a second approach, we measured visual attention orienting to ideal standards; we covertly measured participants' eye movements to peers' purported ideal standards. Self-reported awareness predicted lower baseline self-esteem; this relationship was mediated by internalization of the thin ideal. Awareness as assessed through attention orienting to peers' ideal standards predicted decreases in global self-esteem, above the effects of self-reported awareness, internalization, and actual measures of physical fitness. Implications for awareness of ideal standards and the media's portrayal of the thin ideal are discussed.
Imaging P-to-S conversions with multichannel receiver functions

We present a new methodology in the direct imaging of P-to-S converted phases recorded on broadband seismic arrays. Our approach is based on conventional three-component array processing and receiver function techniques with the key addition of a weighted stack based on an aerial smoothing function. This creates synthetic arrays with a specified aperture whose image points vary continuously across the array. With this approach, it is possible to interpolate data from an array of broadband stations onto an arbitrarily fine grid. We have applied this technique to a single deep event recorded by the Lodore broadband array, located in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming. The resulting images show distinct differences in crustal structure across the array, and also image major upper mantle discontinuities.
Surface layering in ionic liquids: an X-ray reflectivity study.

The surface structure and thermodynamics of two ionic liquids, based on the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations, were studied by X-ray reflectivity and surface tensiometry. A molecular layer of a density ∼18% higher than that of the bulk is found to form at the free surface of these liquids. In common with surface layering in liquid metals and surface freezing in melts of organic chain molecules, this effect is induced by the lower dimensionality of the surface. The concentrations of the oppositely charged ions within the surface layer are determined by chemical substitution of the anion. The temperature-dependent surface tension measurements reveal a normal, negative-slope temperature dependence. The different possible molecular arrangements within the enhanced-density surface layer are discussed.