cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biogenesis of Peribacteroid Membrane (PBM) Forming a Subcellular Compartment Essential for Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation

Concomitant with the release of rhizobia from infection thread, rapid proliferation of endomembrane system occurs, which encloses the invading bacteria in a membrane envelope, peribacteroid membrane (PBM). Although derived from the plasma membrane, the PBM shares features common to both plasma membrane and vacuolar membrane and appears to be a mosaic membrane. We have initiated studies to search for plant genes involved in vectorial transport of proteins to PBM and the peribacteroid space. In yeast, several small GTP-binding proteins mediate protein transfer from the ER to the Golgi. We have isolated soybean homologs of yeast YPT1 and sarl genes and mammalian rab7 genes. The soybean YPT1 homolog (SOYPT1) was shown to complement a yeast ypt1 mutant. Transgenic nodules containing antisense SOYPT1 under a leghemoglobin (Lbc3) promoter were developed on soybean hairy roots. These nodules showed retarded growth and reduced nitrogen fixation activity. Early senesence of PBM occurs in these nodules releasing bacteria inside the vacuole. We have determined topology of a major PBM nodulin, nodulin-26, and have established minimum sequences required for targeting this protein to PBM. We have shown that expression of nodulin-26 gene is negatively controlled in soybean roots and this control is not operative in heterologous transgenic plants.
Diploid True Potato Seed: Relationships among Seed Weight, Germination, and Seedling Vigor

The use of true potato seed (TPS) offers many advantages over the tuber pieces used in current potato cropping systems. Hybrid TPS based on diploid inbred lines has the potential to revolutionize the potato industry. In preparation for the transition to TPS, seed productivity traits must be characterized. The present study aims to provide data on seed germination rates and seedling vigor of diploid potatoes. The germplasm for this study consisted of families from a cross between DM1-3 and M6 that have been inbred to varying degrees. Seedling leaf area and percent germination were evaluated on 51 populations across six dates. Positive Pearson correlations were found between seed weight, percent germination, and seedling leaf area. Significant levels of variation were detected between lineages, generations, and lineage by generation interactions using ANOVA for leaf area and percent germination. Families that exhibited vigorous growth by 14-18 days post sowing continued to sustain high growth rates while families that did not exhibit vigorous growth at this time did not experience a drastic increase in growth rate. This timeframe will be an important stage in which to ensure a seedlings health in order to maximize its potential.
Histological characterization of gonadal development of juvenile Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)

Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) hatcheries that produce juveniles to augment natural populations are of increasing importance to management and species recovery. Maintaining balanced sex ratios of juveniles that are released into the wild is important to future natural reproduction. Greater understanding of the chronology of gonadal development of hatchery-reared fish can help managers target ages to conduct surveys, predict cohort sex ratios, and maintain demographically healthy adult populations. We histologically characterized gonadal development of juvenile Lake Sturgeon between the ages of three to 53 months. Gonads of all surveyed fish (N = 56) were undifferentiated and immature at all time-points surveyed until 41 months, although histological changes consistent with gonadal enlargement and development were observed (e.g., increase of adipose tissue, gonadal epithelial ridge thickening). At 41 months, sex could be determined in two (25%) of the eight sampled fish based on presence of ova within the gonadal tissue, and five (62.5%) showed continued gonadal development, but were still undifferentiated (sex could not be assigned). At 53 months, sex could be determined in six (75%) of eight sampled fish. Two (25%) showed advanced development (e.g., epithelial thickening of the germinal ridge), but the gonads were undifferentiated (i.e., no ova or spermatozoa present). Delayed gonadal differentiation is consistent with the delayed sexual maturity generally observed in Lake Sturgeon relative to other teleost species. Sample sizes precluded statistical evaluation, however, sex determination did not appear to be associated with egg incubation temperature.
Load shedding characteristics of an oscillating surge wave energy converter with variable geometry

Abstract This study investigates performance and load shedding capabilities of an oscillating surge wave energy converter (OSWEC) that utilizes adjustable geometry to control hydrodynamic coefficients. The body consists of a bottom-hinged rectangular paddle in which the frame holds five horizontal flaps spanning the interior of the frame. Each flap can rotate independently about its center of rotation to alter hydrodynamic coefficients. A 1:14 scale model was built for wave tank tests where the OSWEC's natural response to regular waves was measured. Tests with the paddle fixed vertically were conducted to measure the moment induced by incident waves. Results were compared to numerical simulations which determined that flap orientation significantly affected wave energy transmission past the device. Numerical simulations with the addition of a linear rotational damper power take-off (PTO) suggested that with flaps open, the resistive moment was reduced by up to 47%, the surge force on the foundation up to 55%, and the capture width up to 72% over a range of wave periods and PTO damping values. The experimental nondimensional excitation moments and reflection coefficients were reduced by up to 54%. Overall, the flaps provide mechanical means to reduce loads, thus improving the design life of a WEC system.
Homeless Veterans in Nursing Homes: Care for Complex Medical, Substance Use, and Social Needs.

Objectives The homeless population is aging, and their use of nursing homes is not well understood. We compared comorbidities (substance use, mental health conditions, and physical illness) and nursing home measures (source of admission, length of stay, and mortality in the facility) of veterans who were homeless, at risk for being homeless, or stably housed in the year prior to admission. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting and participants All veterans admitted to a nursing home between January 2010 and December 2016 and their housing status in the year prior to their nursing home admission. Measurements Adjusted relative risks (ARRs) for the association between housing status, comorbidities, and nursing home measures. Results Veterans who were homeless in the year prior to their community nursing home admission were younger (n = 3355; 62.5 years [SD = 10.3 years]) at admission compared to stably housed veterans (n = 64 884; 75.3 years [SD = 11.9 years]). After adjustment for demographic characteristics, homeless veterans were more likely to have diagnoses for alcohol abuse (ARR = 2.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.05-2.31), drug abuse (ARR = 3.03; 95% CI = 2.74-3.33), mental health condition (ARR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.45-1.54), dementia (ARR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.04-1.25), liver disease (ARR = 1.32; 95% CI = 1.23-1.41), lung disease (ARR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.04-1.13), and trimorbidity (co-occurring substance abuse, mental illness, and physical illness) (ARR = 2.57; 95% CI = 2.40-2.74) compared to stably housed veteran nursing home users. Homeless veterans were more likely to be admitted to a nursing home from a hospital (ARR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.08-1.17) and remain in the nursing home 90 days after admission (ARR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.04-1.16), but were less likely to die in the facility (ARR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.67-0.78) compared to stably housed veterans. Conclusions Homeless veteran nursing home users have different characteristics than stably housed veteran nursing home users. These differences may challenge nursing home staff caring for homeless patients. Nursing homes should assess resident housing status to help provide linkages with existing social services. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1707-1712, 2019.
An Efficient Synthesis of 2-Hydroxyethyl N,N,N‘,N‘-Tetrakis(2-chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidate

A process for the multikilogram preparation of 2-hydroxyethyl N,N,N‘,N‘-tetrakis(2-chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidate has been achieved in substantially pure form by a short synthetic sequence starting from phosphorus oxychloride and 2 equiv of bis(2-chloroethyl)amine. This process involves a two-step preparation of the intermediate mustard chloride in one pot, followed by the base-catalyzed reaction with excess ethylene glycol. This method has been carried out to provide 2.9 kg of this key drug substance intermediate in 52% overall yield.
The signaling proteins GPR158 and RGS7 modulate excitability of L2/3 pyramidal neurons and control A-type potassium channel in the prelimbic cortex

Stress profoundly affects physiological properties of neurons across brain circuits and thereby increases the risk for depression. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating these effects are poorly understood. In this study, we report that chronic physical restraint stress in mice decreases excitability specifically in layer 2/3 of pyramidal neurons within the prelimbic subarea of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) accompanied by the induction of depressive-like behavioral states. We found that a complex between G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) 158 (GPR158) and regulator of G protein signaling 7 (RGS7), a regulatory GPCR signaling node recently discovered to be a key modulator of affective behaviors, plays a key role in controlling stress-induced changes in excitability in this neuronal population. Deletion of GPR158 or RGS7 enhanced excitability of layer 2/3 PFC neurons and prevented the impact of stress. Investigation of the underlying molecular mechanisms revealed that the A-type potassium channel Kv4.2 subunit is a molecular target of the GPR158–RGS7 complex. We further report that GPR158 physically associates with Kv4.2 channel and promotes its function by suppressing inhibitory modulation by cAMP–protein kinase A (PKA)–mediated phosphorylation. Taken together, our observations reveal a critical mechanism that adjusts neuronal excitability in L2/3 pyramidal neurons of the PFC and may thereby modulate the effects of stress on depression.
Introduction to Part II: The Early Belgian Car Industry

In this chapter, the first prominent Belgian carmakers of the early twentieth century are discussed. The chapter then explains how the Belgium Government’s decision to appease Ford and General Motors by dramatically cutting import duties on American components, ultimately led to the demise of domestic brand car production in the country in 1949. For ease of use, frequently referenced tables in Chaps. 4, 5, 6, 7. and 8—Tables 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3—are placed at the end of this chapter.
Frantz Fanon’s Subversive Pedagogy

Subversive pedagogy is an embodied experience of disruption that shatters the oppressed colonial subject, undermines the discourse of universality, fosters a bottom-up perspective and gives birth to new militant political identities. After I present these aspects of Fanon’s thinking, I draw some parallels between Fanon’s subversive pedagogy and National Football League (NFL) athlete-protestors. Subversive pedagogy emerges as a visceral experience of disruption that exposes the authority, hierarchy and knowledge nexus and the doctrine of color blindness as neocolonial practices.
Arousing Cheer: Exhibitionism in Men’s Sports from Weimar to the Present

From the tennis champion Rafael Nadal to the soccer star David Beckham, male athletes in recent years have aggressively marketed their attractiveness as well as their talent, a form of exhibitionism that the journalist Mark Simpson in 2006 famously termed “sporno.” Whereas Simpson framed the phenomenon as a recent one, this chapter argues that the erotic celebration of sportsmen stretches back well over a hundred years, and it points to the particular influence of Weimar Germany’s sexually open media landscape. Sports exhibitionism on both sides of the Atlantic receded in the middle decades of the twentieth century, before reappearing in the 1970s and flourishing in the 2000s. Drawing contemporary examples from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, and elsewhere, this chapter argues that a combination of increasing sexual openness and shifting gender roles, along with new business opportunities and technologies, have encouraged male athletes to put their bodies on show, leading to shifts in male behavior and masculine norms more broadly.
Effect of flaxseed oil, poultry fat, and vitamin E supplementation on physical and organoleptic characteristics and fatty acid profile of pork, and expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism

Abstract A total of 96 pigs (Yorkshire; 54.3 ± 3.4 kg body weight) were used to investigate the effect of dietary lipid (0 or 1% flaxseed oil + 1, 3, or 5% poultry fat for the diets supplemented with lipids) and vitamin E (11 or 220 IU vitamin E/kg) supplementation in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments on the physical and organoleptic characteristics and fatty acid (FA) profile of pork, and the expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism. Forty-eight pens containing 2 gilts or 2 castrated males were randomly assigned to 8 treatments with 3 gilt pens and 3 castrated male pens per treatment. Pigs were harvested when they reached approximately 110 kg. Muscle and adipose tissue samples at the last rib were collected to determine the expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism. Loin muscle samples were collected for the determination of the physical and organoleptic characteristics and FA profile of pork. The percentage of the saturated FA and monounsaturated FA decreased linearly (P
Abstract C080: The combination of MEK and MDM2 inhibitors demonstrates promising antitumor efficacy in MAPK altered patient-derived thyroid and colorectal cancer models

Purpose: Genomic alterations in the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway are common in colorectal and thyroid cancer. However MEK inhibition alone has limited efficacy. We investigated the combinatorial antitumor efficacy of MEK (Selumetinib; AZD6244) and MDM2 inhibition (AMG232) in wild-type TP53 colorectal and thyroid cancers with MAPK alterations. Methods: One thyroid (BRAF mutated) and three colorectal cancer cell lines (KRAS mutated) were used to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of selumetinib combined with AMG232 in vitro. Sulforhodamine B and colony formation assays were utilized to determine the cytotoxicity of each single targeted agent and combination and to obtain the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). The efficacy of the combination was evaluated in athymic mice with subcutaneously implanted patient-derived xenografts (PDX) of different histologic backgrounds (5 colorectal and 2 thyroid cancer) and with different genomic MAPK pathway alterations. Selumetinib (25 mg/kg in 6 models, and 15 mg/kg in 1 model) and AMG232 (15 mg/kg) were administered daily through oral route. Results: Selumetinib demonstrated synergistic activity with AMG232 across all four cell lines with combination indices ranging from 0.37 to 0.72. The antitumor efficacy was enhanced when combining the two agents in all seven PDX models and achieved statistical significance in six of seven PDX models compared to either single agent therapy alone. Treatment/Control ratio % ((median tumor volume of treatment group / control group) x 100) was obtained from each combination arm across in vivo experiments (31 % (range 12%-62%)) and it was greater than monotherapy alone (Selumetinib 51%; range 21%-76%, AMG232 77%; range 38%-100%). Conclusions: Our preclinical findings demonstrate enhanced anti-tumor efficacy when combining Selumetinib with AMG232, which supports further evaluation of MEK/MDM2 inhibition in patients with MAPK altered colorectal and thyroid cancer with wild-type TP53 status. Citation Format: Seyed Pairawan, Kurt Evans, Scott Kopetz, Argun Akcakanat, Ming Zhao, Coya Tapia, Naifa Busaidy, Ecaterina Dumbrava, Funda Meric-Bernstam. The combination of MEK and MDM2 inhibitors demonstrates promising antitumor efficacy in MAPK altered patient-derived thyroid and colorectal cancer models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C080. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-C080
Language ideologies and linguistic representations:: Two lenses for a critical analysis of polynomie in Corsica

In this article, we question one of the important notions of the Corsican normative conceptual apparatus: the polynomie. This concept is particularly interesting as a language ideological position that calls into question dominant ideological perspectives on standardization and normalization. This article puts the polynomie in an ideological process that calls for a critical sociolinguistic analysis that first accounts for the interaction between sociolinguistic, economic, political and ideological domains. That critical sociolinguistic perspective emphasizes that all language ideological frameworks – even those which recognize diversity – impose particular criteria and give value to some ways of speaking and being over others.
Heritage Formation and the Senses in Post-apartheid South Africa: Aesthetics of Power

Heritage Formation and the Senses in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Aesthetics of Power is an innovative book that examines heritage-making and nation-building in post-apartheid South Africa through ...
A Gazebo/ROS-based Communication-Realistic Simulator for Networked sUAS

Although communication is a critical factor of situational awareness and performance on networked sUAS, most simulators do not provide realistic wireless communication modules. It prevents realizing communication among multiple UA and information sharing, which yields significantly different results compared with actual results in the real world. This paper presents a communication-realistic simulator to improve more realistic results from coordination or cooperative planning/control of networked sUAS. The simulator in this paper is based on Gazebo/ROS with ArduPilot, where ArduPilot-Socket-API (APS) which generates aircraft data to be usable in ROS from ArduPilot is implemented. The wireless transceiver plugin in Gazebo is used to mimic the wireless communication between two UA with aids of the Hata-Okumura model for wireless radio propagation and quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) for data package modulation. Simulation results describe how realistic communication in the presented simulator affects data delivery concerning different communication-related parameters. This paper also gives how well the presented simulator emulates communication status realistically by comparing it with communication data gathered in real flight tests.
A Lost Fight Book: Alfred Lister and the Noble Art of Self-Defence in China

In 1874 an anonymous author published a partial English language translation and discussion of a now lost Southern Chinese martial arts manual originally titled Tearing Down Techniques of Hero Boxing. This was a critical period in the development of the modern Chinese martial arts. Many of the best known Southern Chinese fighting systems (Hung Gar, Choy Li Fut, Wing Chun, White Crane, etc.) were just starting to assume a recognisable form. Yet it is also a poorly understood era. Just as importantly, it was during the mid- and late nineteenth century that Western soldiers, administrators and adventurers first began to encounter and describe the Chinese martial arts. For better or worse, their records would help shape the perception of China in the popular imagination. This chapter begins by identifying Alfred Lister, a civil servant in Hong Kong, as the previously unknown author of this English language work. It then attempts to reconstruct the structure and contents of the now lost fight book which he encountered. Lastly it investigates the consequences of the misreading of this text.
Assessment of Available Online Information About Nasopharyngeal Swab Testing in Patient Instructions for Sinus and Pituitary Surgery.

This cross-sectional study assess online preoperative and postoperative patient information regarding the potential risks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nasopharyngeal swab testing for those with a history of sinus or skull-base surgery.
Crafting Fee-Shifting Policy

The controversy over emerging fee-shifting corporate bylaw and charter provisions presents multiple policy choices. Delaware’s decision to ban the provisions offers an opportunity for: (i) states to offer a meaningful alternative to Delaware; and (ii) the generation of useful information for evaluating whether particular bylaws or charter provisions enhance shareholder wealth.
Diagnostic Challenges of Pneumocystis Pneumonia during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case of a Young Patient with Ground Glass Opacities and Pulmonary Embolism on Chest CT

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is wreaking havoc across the globe. This pandemic has given rise to a mindset where physicians tend to neglect other causes of pneumonia, especially if the patient presents with signs and symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19. Herein, we report a case of a young man presenting to the emergency department with common clinical, radiological, and laboratory features of COVID-19 pneumonia such as shortness of breath, hypoxia, pulmonary embolism, elevated D-dimer, and bilateral ground glass opacities on computed tomography of the chest but was later diagnosed with Pneumocystis pneumonia that was treated with appropriate antibiotics and corticosteroids. This case highlights the importance of performing a thorough clinical history and differentiating the clinical and radiological features of COVID-19 pneumonia from pneumonia of other etiologies.
Can Sleep Facilitate Adaptation for Immigrant High Schoolers? Longitudinal Relations Between Sleep Duration, Acculturative Stress, and Acculturation.

Rising rates of youth migration are occurring globally and, thus, the adaptation of immigrant youth to their host country’s cultural norms is a pressing public health concern. Indeed, both acculturation and acculturative stress are associated with mental health for immigrant youth. The broad aim of this study was to examine how sleep duration would prospectively relate to acculturation (Short Acculturation Scale) and acculturative stress (Social, Attitudinal, Familial, and Environmental Acculturative Stress Scale) following migration for N = 110 immigrant high school students across 1 year. We hypothesized that acculturation would increase, and acculturative stress would decrease over the course of 1 year of data collection. We found evidence of both anticipated longitudinal changes, with significant slope parameters that were of opposite direction (i.e., acculturation positive, acculturative stress negative). Longer sleep duration at baseline was predictive of both greater increase in acculturation and greater decrease in acculturative stress over 1 year.
High performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for detection and quantification of select NLRP3 inhibitors from brain tissue

Abstract The NLRP3 inflammasome is an essential component of the innate immune system and has been implicated in neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders. Therefore, there is increasing interest to develop inhibitors of the NLRP3 inflammasome to achieve disease intervention. Recently, we have developed a series of sulfonamide-based NLRP3 inhibitors as potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. One of the challenges for CNS therapeutics is blood-brain barrier penetration. Therefore, a method to detect and compare the blood-brain barrier penetration of these inhibitors is required but has not yet been established. In this study, we established a method to evaluate and quantify the blood-brain barrier penetration of JC-171, one of our lead NLRP3 inhibitors in comparison with MCC950, another known urea-based NLRP3 inhibitor using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method. The results suggest that this methodology has the ability to provide reliable measurements for brain exposure.
De Le livre rouge a El libro rojo: la mexicanización de un proyecto literario francés

The article peruses the influence of Le livre rouge (1863) in Vicente Riva Palacio’s and Manuel Payno’s El libro rojo (1870). It expounds how those responsible for El libro rojo , instead of just copying the French model, adapted it into a certain written and visual representation of history: violent, liberal, and providential. The article’s structure follows the Mexican version’s four innovations: martyrological hagiographies were elaborated instead of disquieting biographies; lithography, of greater expressive power, was substituted for the engraving technique; a taxonomy of violence was discarded in favor of a periodization based on the spillage of blood; lastly, the oeuvre was endowed with a liberal optimism absent from the French text. Thus, El libro rojo is situated within a context of transatlantic influences, which highlights its uniqueness, and illuminates the liberal and triumphalistic representation of Mexican history.
The Role of High School Counselors in Increasing Latino Male College Enrollment: Moving From College Aspirations to Access:

Even as the number of Latina/o students going to college has increased in recent years, Latino male students continue to face barriers in accessing America’s institutions of higher education, a top...
The Impact of Hospital Based RN Preceptor Training on Novice Nurses One Year Retention

The nursing shortage is a serious problem in the United States and expected to grow in the coming years. It is imperative for healthcare systems to retain nurses once employed. Novice nurses are leaving their first job at an increased rate due to feelings of being unprepared. This comes at great expense. A lack of retention can lead to a nursing shortage, which creates high patient-nurse ratios, overwork and burnout, and poor patient outcomes. Utilizing a trained preceptor can offer a safe and structured educational experience. Utilizing Duchscher’s theory of transition shock as a framework, the preceptor assists the novice nurse’s transition to practice. The preceptor must be trained to understand the transitional stages the new nurse will experience over the first year. The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective pilot study was to determine if a hospital-based RN preceptor training program could impact retention rates at one year of employment for novice nurses. This study compared demographic data and one-year retention rates from novice nurses hired prior to the RN preceptor training (group 1) and post-RN preceptor training (group 2). The non-parametric Fisher’s exact probability test determined a significant association between a hospital-based RN preceptor training program and novice nurse retention rates at one-year employment (p = .03). This project demonstrates the need for healthcare institutions to invest in initial and ongoing preceptor training as a strategy to increase nurse retention.
Range of Pulmonary Autograft Responses to Systemic Pressure Immediately After Ross Procedure.

Background Pulmonary autograft dilatation after Ross operation often necessitates reoperation. To understand autograft remodeling, a biomechanical understanding of human autografts after exposure to systemic pressure is required. We previously developed an ex vivo human pulmonary autograft finite element (FE) model to predict wall stress after exposure to systemic pressure. However, autograft material properties vary significantly among individuals. Our study aim was to quantify range of wall stress changes in a human autograft after Ross operation prior to remodeling based upon normal variation in human autograft mechanical properties. Methods A normal human autograft FE model was loaded to pulmonary and systemic arterial pressures. Stress-strain data of normal human autografts (n=24) were incorporated into an Ogden hyper-elastic model to describe autograft mechanical behavior. Autograft wall stresses at pulmonary vs. systemic pressures were examined. Autograft volume-based stress analysis was performed, based on percentage of autograft element volume exceeding 1 standard deviation (SD) above group mean stress at systemic systole. Results Mean first principal wall stresses (FPS) at systole of systemic versus pulmonary pressures were 129.29±17.47kPa versus 24.42±3.85kPa (p<0.001) at the annulus, 187.53±20.06kPa versus 35.98±2.15kPa at sinuses (p<0.001), and 268.68±23.40kPa versus 50.15±5.90kPa (p<0.001) at sinotubuluar junction (STJ). The percentage of autograft element volume that exceeded one SD above the group mean was 14.3±5.6% for FPS and 12.6±10.1% for second principal stresses. Conclusion We quantified normal human autograft biomechanical responses to systemic pressure based on patient-specific material properties. Regions of peak stresses were observed in autograft sinuses and STJ regions, which corresponded clinically to locations of autograft dilation. Our results provide valuable information on predicting variations in patient-specific ex vivo FE models when population-based material properties are used in settings where patient-specific properties are unknown.
Quantitative proteomic analyses reveal the dynamics of protein and amino acid accumulation during soybean seed development

Using high throughput tandem mass tag (TMT) based tagging technique, we identified 4,172 proteins in three developmental stages: early, mid, and late seed filling. We mapped the identified proteins to metabolic pathways associated with seed filling. The elevated abundance of several kinases was observed from the early to mid-stages of seed filling, indicating that protein phosphorylation was a significant event during this period. The early to late seed filling stages were characterized by an increased abundance of proteins associated with the cell wall, oil, and vacuolar-related processes. Among the seed storage proteins, 7S (β-subunit) and 11S (Gy3, Gy4, Gy5) steadily increased in abundance during early to late stages of seed filling, whereas 2S albumin exhibited a decrease in abundance during the same period. An increased abundance of proteases, senescence-associated proteins, and oil synthesis proteins was observed from the mid to late seed filling stages. The mid to late stages of seed filling was also characterized by a lower abundance of transferases, transporters, Kunitz family trypsin, and protease inhibitors. Two enzymes associated with methionine synthesis exhibited lower abundance from early to late stages. This study unveiled several essential enzymes/proteins related to amino acid and protein synthesis and their accumulation during seed development. All data can be accessed through this link: https://massive.ucsd.edu/ProteoSAFe/dataset.jsp?task=38784ecbd0854bb3801afc0d89056f84. (Accession MSV000087577) This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Body Weights Optimal for Young Adult Women

(1943). Body Weights Optimal for Young Adult Women. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 255-276.
Xanthene-4,5-diamine derivatives: a study of anion-binding catalysis.

This study describes the synthesis of a class of anion-binding catalysts based on a xanthene scaffold. Both unsymmetrical catalysts and C2-symmetrical catalysts were generated, and were examined in the cyclization of 3- and 2-substituted furans onto N-acyliminium ions. Good conversion for each reaction was observed with a variety of anion-binding catalysts (42–76%).
Predicting the evolution of antibiotic resistance genes.

Antibiotic resistance is thought to evolve rapidly in response to antibiotic use. At present, we lack effective tools to assess how rapidly existing resistance genes are likely to evolve to yield resistance to newly introduced drugs. To address this problem, a method has been developed for in vitro evolution experiments to help predict how long it will take antibiotic resistance to arise — potentially allowing informed decisions about usage to be made.
Single layer 2D optical scanners with integrated polymer microlenses

Optical scanners based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology have been developed for optical communication, scanning display, laser imaging, or biological/medical applications. Since most of biological and optical applications require the transmission of UV/visible light, the micro-lens of optical microscanners requires a material that transmit UV/visible wavelength. In terms of effective optical MEMS fabrication and integration issues single layer-based 2D microlens scanner is preferable in comparison to multilayered polysilicon process or a stacked two-dimensional microlens scanner. In this paper, the new single layer 2D optical scanners are reported. Two actuators and a microlens are integrated in single plane. Photopatternable SU-8 is applied for the mechanical coupling and the electrical isolation in order to achieve the single layer-based 2D optical scanners.
Percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus in small infants with significant lung disease may offer faster recovery of respiratory function when compared to surgical ligation.

Objectives To describe our experience with percutaneous closure of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in small infants and compare outcomes to matched surgical patients. Background Ligation via thoracotomy has been used to close PDAs in small infants, but has been associated with respiratory and hemodynamic compromise. We hypothesized that percutaneous closure would offer faster recovery of respiratory function. Methods Patients <4 kg requiring positive pressure ventilation who underwent percutaneous PDA closure between January 2000 and April 2012 were reviewed and matched to contemporary surgical patients on gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), procedure weight (WT), and ventilation mode. Patients returned to baseline respiratory status when the product of mean airway pressure and FiO2 returned to pre-procedural levels. Results Eight matched pairs were included. Median BW, GA, and WT were 1.43 kg (0.52–2.97), 29.8 weeks (24–39), and 2.8 kg (2.2–3.9) for catheter patients and 1.55 kg (0.48–3.04), 29 weeks (23–37), and 2.75 kg (2.3–4.2) for surgical patients. Complete PDA closure occurred in all. The median time to return to baseline respiratory status was significantly shorter in the percutaneous group (17 hr (range 0–113) vs. 53 hr (range 13–219), P < 0.05). In the percutaneous group, two patients developed mild aortic coarctation, one mild left pulmonary artery stenosis, and four femoral vascular thromboses which all resolved with medical therapy. Surgical complications included significant respiratory and cardiac compromise, rib fractures and urinary retention. Conclusions Percutaneous closure of PDA in small infants on respiratory support is equivalent in safety and efficacy and may offer shorter recovery time than surgical ligation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Microtiter-Based Assay for Evaluating the Biological Activity of Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins

A microtiter assay was developed to quickly measure the biological activity of ricin or other ribosome-inactivating proteins. Nuclease-treated rabbit reticulocyte lysate containing luciferase mRNA was used to measure toxin activity via inhibition of protein synthesis. The relative biological activity was determined by comparing luminescence levels in treated samples versus those of untreated controls. The amount of luciferase translated, as measured by luminescence, was inversely proportional to the toxin concentration. Linear dose response curves were generated for both class I and class II toxins. When compared to normal serum controls, specific antibody against ricin effectively inhibited ricin activity. The assay is suitable for efficient in vitro screening of therapeutics, as well as for identifying samples containing ribosome-inactivating proteins.
Histamine-releasing activity: IV. Molecular heterogeneity of the activity from stimulated human thoracic duct lymphocytes☆

Previous studies with the lymphokine, histamine-releasing activity (HRA), showed that HRA consisted of a heterogeneous group of molecules. The possibility of using thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL) as a source of large quantities of HRA has been investigated. Antigen-stimulated TDL synthesize and release HRA in quantities similar to an equivalent number of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Streptokinase (SK) antigen routinely caused TDL to produce HRA approximately 15,000 Da. In contrast, staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) induced the formation of a heterogeneous mixture of HRAs with apparent molecular weights of 50,000 and 15,000. Two peaks of activity (HRA I and II) were recovered when the supernatant from SK-stimulated TDL was subjected to ion-exchange chromatography. Interestingly, basophil chemotactic activity (BCA) was also eluted in these two peaks. Although interferon (IFN) is also released by antigen-stimulated TDL, the nonidentity of IFN and HRA was established by fundamental differences in chromatographic properties and specific antisera to IFN. In contrast, these studies suggest that HRA and BCA may be present on the same molecular entity.
Effects of single-base substitutions within the Acanthamoeba castellanii rRNA promoter on transcription and on binding of transcription initiation factor and RNA polymerase I.

Abstract Single-point mutations were introduced into the promoter region of the Acanthamoeba castellanii rRNA gene by chemical mutagen treatment of a single-stranded clone in vitro, followed by reverse transcription and cloning of the altered fragment. The promoter mutants were tested for transcription initiation factor (TIF) binding by a template commitment assay plus DNase I footprinting and for transcription by an in vitro runoff assay. Point mutations within the previously identified TIF interaction region (between -20 and -47, motifs A and B) indicated that TIF interacts most strongly with a sequence centered at -29 and less tightly with sequences upstream and downstream. Some alterations of the base sequence closer to the transcription start site (and outside the TIF-protected site) also significantly decreased specific RNA synthesis in vitro. These were within the region which is protected from DNase I digestion by polymerase I, but these mutations did not detectably affect the binding of polymerase to the promoter.
Calcium/magnesium intake ratio, but not magnesium intake, interacts with genetic polymorphism in relation to colorectal neoplasia in a two-phase study

Abstract Some studies suggest that the calcium to magnesium ratio intakes modify the associations of calcium or magnesium with risk of colorectal adenoma, adenoma recurrence, and cancer. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) plays a key role in the regulation of homeostasis for both calcium and magnesium. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in PTH and 13 other genes may modify the association between the calcium/magnesium intake ratio and colorectal neoplasia risk. We conducted a two-phase study including 1336 cases and 2891 controls from the Tennessee Colorectal Polyp Study. In Phase I, we identified 19 SNPs that significantly interacted with the calcium/magnesium intake ratio in adenoma risk. In Phase II, rs11022858 in PTH was replicated. In combined analysis of phases I and II, we found high calcium/magnesium intake ratio tended to be associated with a reduced risk of colorectal adenoma (P for trend, 0.040) among those who carried the TT genotype in rs11022858. In stratified analyses, calcium intake (≥ 1000 mg/d) was significantly associated with 64% reduced adenoma risk (OR = 0.36 (95% CI : 0.18-0.74)) among those homozygous for the minor allele (TT genotype) (P for trend, 0.012), but not associated with risk in other genotypes (CC/TC). Conversely, we found that highest magnesium intake was significantly associated with 27% reduced risk (OR = 0.73 (95% CI : 0.54-0.97)) of colorectal adenoma (P for trend, 0.026) among those who possessed the CC/TC genotypes, particularly among those with the TC genotype, whereas magnesium intake was not linked to risk among those with the TT genotype. These findings, if confirmed, will help for the development of personalized prevention strategies for colorectal cancer. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The influence of porosity and crack morphology on seismic velocity and permeability in the upper oceanic crust

[1] The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between porosity, crack morphology, seismic velocity, and permeability in the upper oceanic crust. In a theoretical model, velocity is a quadratic function of porosity Φ, and the coefficients are functions of the fractional area of asperity contact Af across the cracks, a measure of crack morphology; thus, v = v(Af, Φ). Fits to data sets from the lava and dike sections in Holes 504B and 1256D yield Af = 0.096(8) and 0.045(3), with rms errors of 1.7 and 0.3%, respectively. Lower values of Af account for the high porosities and low velocities observed in Layer 2A. After 0.2 Ma, the porosities of both Layer 2A and the deeper part of the lava pile remain in the range 8 ± 4%. The observed increase of Layer 2A velocities after 0.2 Ma is caused largely by changing crack morphology as opposed to decreasing porosity; at 8% porosity, an increase of Af from ∼0.003 to 0.1 accounts for an increase of velocity from ∼3 to >5 km/s. An empirical log-linear relationship between permeability κ and v suggests a relationship between κ and Af as well. This relationship between κ and v can be explained if the permeability coefficient κo is a closely constrained quadratic function of the area of asperity contact Af. Af is thus the primary variable affecting both seismic velocities and the permeability of the uppermost oceanic crust.
Virginity Loss Narratives in “Teen Drama” Television Programs

“Teen drama” television programs use sexual scripts that provide a framework for narrating virginity loss (Gagnon & Simon, 1973). Drawing on the work of Carpenter (2005), this study identifies the following sexual scripts in virginity-loss narratives: (a) the abstinence script, which places a high value on virginity and emphasizes delaying virginity loss; (b) the urgency script, which defines virginity as a stigma and virginity loss as necessary to maintain social status and affirm gendered identity; and (c) the management script, which suggests teenagers’ sexual behavior is inevitable and focuses on managing the physical, social, and emotional risks associated with virginity loss. Reliance on different scripts resulted in varied meanings of virginity, characteristics of the storylines, consequences of virginity loss, and implications for sexually healthy messages. The narratives included positive components, such as contraception use and portrayals of consensual sex, but also contained problematic elemen...
A voltage comparator for low-frequency noise measurements

The voltage comparator described was designed for the purpose of measuring low-frequency noise in transistors. In addition, it can be used to study any noise phenomenon within the 50-to 5,000-cycle spectrum.
Response of Escherichia coli to ethyl methanesulfonate: influence of growth phase and repair ability on survival and mutagenesis.

Abstract The effects of altering the cell growth rate (physiological state) and DNA repair capacity (genetic state) on susceptibility to inactivation and mutagenesis by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) were studied in 4 strains of E. coli . Logarithmic and stationary phase cells of the polymerase I deficient mutant, P 347 8 polA , a recombination deficient mutant, DZ 417 recA , and the respective parental strains, W 3110 pol + and AB 253 rec + , were exposed to EMS and the surviving fraction and mutant frequency determined. At the same EMS concentration both mutants were more susceptible to inactivation than the parental strains. In all 4 strains, log phase cells were more sensitive to inactivation than stationary cells. The surviving fraction of stationary cells exceeded log cells by a factor of 18 for polA , 6 for recA , and about 2 for the parental strains. In all strains, except recA , log phase cells exhibited higher spontaneous mutant frequencies than stationary phase cells. At the same concentration of EMS, survivors of both polA and recA showed more than 10-fold higher induced frequencies than the wild types. However, at the same survival levels the repair deficient mutants exhibited induced mutant frequencies comparable to the repair proficient strains. There was no significant effect of growth phase on EMS induced mutability in recA or the parental strains. In marked contrast, the polymerase I deficient mutant shows both a higher spontaneous frequency and a greater than 10-fold higher EMS induced mutant frequency in log phase cultures compared to stationary phase cultures. Our results support the hypothesis that cellular susceptibility to alkylating agents is influenced by both the genetic capability for repair and the particular physiological state of the cell.
Agnosticism meets Bayesianism

As a result, your credal state cannot really be modeled by a single probability function at all. A better model is provided by a set of such probability functions - what van Fraassen (1990) has called a representor. Each function in your representor agrees with your opinion as far as it goes, but then goes further, precisifying that opinion in some permissible way. (This can be thought of as analogous to the supervaluational approach to vagueness.) According to van Fraassen, your explicit judgments determine which precisifications get admitted into your representor. For example, if you judge that the Democrats are at least as likely to win as not, then for each probability function p that gives 0.5 < p(Democrats win) < 1, and that is consistent with all your other such judgments, p is in your representor. In his highly influential Laws and Symmetry, van Fraassen advocates (a version of) Bayesianism, and also constructive empiricism, an anti-realist position regarding scientific theories according to which 'acceptance of a theory [that postulates unobservables] involves a certain amount of agnosticism, or suspension of belief' (1989: 193). He is thus naturally led to ask whether Bayesianism has the resources to represent agnosticism, and he argues that it does. More than that, he gives an analysis:1 agnosticism is 1 He does not explicitly say that he is giving an analysis of agnosticism, nor explicitly state the analysis, but it is apparent from context that this is exactly what he has in mind. Furthermore, van Fraassen agrees that this is indeed the case (personal
Characteristics of p-Ge/N-GaAs heterojunctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy

We report the nearly ideal electrical characteristics of p-Ge/N-GaAs heterojunction diodes grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The temperature and device size dependencies of the current-voltage characteristics have been investigated. At room temperature, unity ideality factor has been demonstrated over almost six decades of current.