cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding land-cover change dynamics of a mangrove ecosystem at the village level in Krabi Province, Thailand, using Landsat data

This paper presents an objective approach for quantifying the amount of mangrove loss caused by expansion of shrimp farms in three villages of Krabi Province, Thailand. Landsat images from three time periods of shrimp farm development (pre-shrimp farms – 1989, development – 2001, and post-development – 2007) were analyzed using unsupervised classification algorithm. A post-classification change detection comparison approach revealed only moderate mangrove exploitation and shrimp farms, which displaced a variety of land-cover types in addition to mangroves. In some cases, there was a detectable cycle of use and replenishment of mangroves and a lack of the boom-bust cycle of shrimp farming that other parts of Thailand experienced.
Development Of A Laser Intravascular Fiber Optic Probe For The Treatment Of Superficial Telangiectasia Of The Lower Extremity In Man

Because of the difficulty of laser treatment of superficial telangiectasia in man, a mini vascular fiberoptics probe has been developed for these vessels. Controls have included sclerotherapy, intravascular-galvanic current probes and direct impacts from 0.2 mm argon fiberoptics probes.
Upheavals of Thought: Music and Emotion

EXPRESSION AND THE IMPLIED LISTENER Music has deep connections to our emotional life. So much has been granted by most philosophers who have addressed the topic. But the nature of those connections is difficult to describe. Some of the difficulties have been compounded by deficiencies in the conceptions of emotion with which some philosophers of the past have approached the question. I shall argue that my own conception leads to progress. I shall be guided by three writers who (in substantial agreement with one another) seem to me to offer the most promising leads toward an adequate view: Marcel Proust, Paul Hindemith, and Gustav Mahler. I approach this topic neither as an expert in the theory or history of music nor as an expert performer, but rather as an amateur music lover whose emotional life is profoundly influenced by musical experiences. Given both the limits of my ability and the context of this chapter within my larger project, my aim is not, and could not be, to provide a complete theory of the complicated topic of musical emotion. It is, instead, to indicate how an emotion theory of the type I have been developing would approach the topic, and how it might help to illuminate issues that have proved difficult to address. I believe that the best way for me as an amateur to approach these issues is to focus on a single composer whom I love and in connection with whose works I have intense emotional experiences.
MEAM molecular dynamics study of lead free solder for electronic packaging applications

The modified embedded atom method (MEAM) was employed in conjunction with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate whether a physical mixture of nano-Sn and nano-Ag particles at a prescribed ratio would achieve the same intermixing as a nano-Sn/Ag alloy. A Sn sphere and a Ag sphere both with a diameter of 4 nm were prepared by cutting the perfect bulk lattice structure. After energy minimization and structural relaxation, the two spheres were placed next to each other with a gap of 3 A. The simulation was then performed at 500 K for 3 ns. Simulation results showed that the nano-Ag sphere still maintained its crystalline structure and no significant diffusion between Sn and Ag was observed. Further simulations were performed at 800 K, 850 K, 900 K and 1000 K, respectively, in order to obtain the activation energy of interdiffusion between An and Sn. It was then predicted that 118 ns was required for Sn and Ag to mix with each other at 500 K. The results implied that a physical mixture of nano-Sn and nano-Ag particles may satisfy the requirements of lead free solder for low temperature (~500 K) reflow applications.
A representation for discrete assembly sequences in task planning

An extended description of a representation for discrete assembly sequences, the discrete task planning tree (DTP tree), is presented. A study of the maximum number of valid discrete assembly sequences generated, K, is made, and the effects of assembly rules and assembly constraints on K are studied. The DTP tree is generated offline, but it is stored for online use in assembly error recovery or for opportunistic assembly. A prototype of the task sequence generator using the DTP tree was implemented in Lisp on a PC. >
The photobiology of melanocytes modulates the impact of UVA on sunlight-induced melanoma

Ultraviolet radiation is responsible for melanoma. In this review, we address the role of the different UV spectra in melanoma. The data suggest that only UVB is capable of initiating melanoma, and that both UVA and UVB are involved in the progression of the disease. The etiology of sunlight-induced melanoma may be different for chronically-exposed tumors and for those located on body surfaces with considerably less exposure. Solar signature mutations are most likely associated with the progression of chronically-exposed tumors. The unique relationship between UVA and melanocytes, and the role of melanin in photocarcinogenesis is discussed. The current state of knowledge strongly indicates that UVA, regardless of its source, is involved in melanoma and should be avoided to deter progression of incipient tumors.
Pediatric Academic Productivity: Pediatric Benchmarks for the h- and g-Indices

Objective To describe h- and g-indices benchmarks in pediatric subspecialties and general academic pediatrics. Academic productivity is measured increasingly through bibliometrics that derive a statistical enumeration of academic output and impact. The h- and g-indices incorporate the number of publications and citations. Benchmarks for pediatrics have not been reported. Study design Thirty programs were selected randomly from pediatric residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. The h- and g-indices of department chairs were calculated. For general academic pediatrics, pediatric gastroenterology, and pediatric nephrology, a random sample of 30 programs with fellowships were selected. Within each program, an MD faculty member from each academic rank was selected randomly. Google Scholar via Harzing's Publish or Perish was used to calculate the h-index, g-index, and total manuscripts. Only peer-reviewed and English language publications were included. For Chairs, calculations from Google Scholar were compared with Scopus. Results For all specialties, the mean h- and g-indices significantly increased with academic rank (all P Conclusion Mean h-indices increased with academic rank and were not significantly different across the pediatric specialties. Benchmarks for h- and g-indices in pediatrics are provided and may be one measure of academic productivity and impact.
Selectivity during background extinction: Plio-Pleistocene scallops in California

Most studies of extinction selectivity have focused on mass extinctions. Here we analyze the patterns of susceptibility to extinction during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene of California in the family Pectinidae. The Pectinidae declined in diversity from a high of 32 species in the late Pliocene to the current level of 11 species living in the California region, indicating that the composition of the living fauna has been shaped primarily by extinction in the last several million years. Extinction appears to have occurred in one large pulse, but because of uneven sampling we were unable to resolve the timing further and have analyzed the patterns of extinction treating the late Pliocene through middle Pleistocene as a single period of elevated extinction. Extinctions were not random with regard to taxonomic relationships. Species-level extinctions were higher in more speciose genera, but these genera were buffered against genus-level extinctions. This resulted in a disproportionately large number of monospecific genera in the living fauna. In addition, extinctions were not random with regard to body size, with large species preferentially surviving. This selectivity pattern is evident only when clade membership is taken into account; when analyzed across the entire family, no pattern of size selectivity was apparent. Our results suggest that (1) patterns of extinction selectivity at the genus level may be a poor proxy for species-level patterns, and (2) whole-fauna analyses may not uncover strong selectivity within lineages.
Hauberk: Lightweight Silent Data Corruption Error Detector for GPGPU

High performance and relatively low cost of GPU-based platforms provide an attractive alternative for general purpose high performance computing (HPC). However, the emerging HPC applications have usually stricter output cor-rectness requirements than typical GPU applications (i.e., 3D graphics). This paper first analyzes the error resiliency of GPGPU platforms using a fault injection tool we have devel-oped for commodity GPU devices. On average, 16-33% of in-jected faults cause silent data corruption (SDC) errors in the HPC programs executing on GPU. This SDC ratio is signifi-cantly higher than that measured in CPU programs (
Multiple capital inputs, Q, and investment spending

Despite their explicit treatment of dynamics and solid theoretical basis, investment models based on the Brainard-Tobin Q have recorded a generally disappointing empirical performance. When the Q model is expanded to recognize the possibility that the value of the firm depends on two or more capital inputs with differing adjustment cost technologies, the econometric equation following from optimizing behavior includes Q as well as a set of additional explanatory variables. The importance of these omitted variables is assessed, and the capital homogeneity assumption for equipment and structures implicit in Conventional Q models is rejected. The Multi-Capital Q model is then extended in two ways: (i) adding inventory, research and development, and labor as quasi-fixed factors and (ii) exploring the sensitivity of the instrumental variables estimates to normalization. We conclude that the Multi-Capital Q model is a useful extension that overcomes an important omitted variables problem in the Conventional Q framework.
The effect of soil type and moisture on germination and growth from wheat seed treated with phorate.

Studies were conducted in the greenhouse to determine the effect of soil type and moisture on the viability of phoratetrcated wheat seed, The effects of different soil types and different moisture levels on germination and early growth of wheat were found to be highly significant. Seed viability was adversely affected by excess moisture, regardless of treatment. Although germination under minimum moisture conditions was only slightly impaired, plant growth was severely reduced. It was found that soils and moisture levels may interact in their effect on seed viability. Several interactions were highly significant. The clay silt-loam and the muck soil gave opposite results under conditions of minimum moisture. With minimum watering, relatively high germination and yield were obtained in muck in contrast with low germination and low yield in clay silt-loam. With excess moisture, germination was low in both soils. Untreated seed exhibited low viability in muck soil, probably owing to soil microӧrganisms, as germination was substantially improved by the addition of a fungicide. Germination of seed treated with the highest rate of phorate, 0.5 pounds per 100 pounds of seed, was relatively high in the very fertile soils (muck and Agronomy Farm silt-loam). This suggests an apparent tying up of the insecticide by the organic matter in the soil. In general, phorate-treated seed was less viable in soils having a low water-holding capacity. Viability of phoratetreated seed was also less with moisture factors which tended to delay germination, whether due to low or excessive amounts of water.
Low PO2 Conditions Induce Reactive Oxygen Species Formation during Contractions in Single Skeletal Muscle Fibers

Contractions in whole skeletal muscle during hypoxia are known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS); however, identification of real-time ROS formation within isolated single skeletal muscle f...
Lifestyle and environmental risk factors for infertility

Environmental and lifestyle factors interact with human reproduction and are potentially modifiable. This review addresses the available evidence for the role of cigarette smoking, alcohol use, caffeine use, cocaine use, marijuana use, obesity and circadian rhythm in fertility. Clinical studies in this field have many methodological limitations. Based on current evidence, we advise against cigarette smoking, alcohol use, high caffeine consumption and cocaine use. Overweight and obese women should be encouraged toward weight reduction. Future translational studies will better link circadian rhythm disturbances with human fertility.
Effectiveness of Direct Lagrangian Tracking Models for Simulating Nanoparticle Deposition in the Upper Airways

Direct Lagrangian particle tracking may provide an effective method for simulating the deposition of ultrafine aerosols in the upper respiratory airways that can account for finite inertia and slip correction effects. However, use of the Lagrangian approach for simulating ultrafine aerosols has been limited due to computational cost and numerical difficulties. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of direct Lagrangian tracking methods for calculating ultrafine aerosol transport and deposition in flow fields consistent with the upper respiratory tract. Representative geometries that have been considered include a straight tubular flow field, a 90° tubular bend, and an idealized replica of the human oral airway. The Lagrangian particle tracking algorithms considered include the Fluent Brownian motion (BM) routine, a user-defined BM model, and a user-defined BM model in conjunction with a near-wall interpolation (NWI) algorithm. Lagrangian deposition results have been compared with a c...
Graph-theoretic analysis of structured peer-to-peer systems: routing distances and fault resilience

This paper examines graph-theoretic properties of existing peer-to-peer architectures and proposes a new infrastructure based on optimal diameter de Bruijn graphs. Since generalized de Bruijn graphs possess very short average routing distances and high resilience to node failure, they are well suited for structured peer-to-peer networks. Using the example of Chord, CAN, and de Bruijn, we first study routing performance, graph expansion, and clustering properties of each graph. We then examine bisection width, path overlap, and several other properties that affect routing and resilience of peer-to-peer networks. Having confirmed that de Bruijn graphs offer the best diameter and highest connectivity among the existing peer-to-peer structures, we offer a very simple incremental building process that preserves optimal properties of de Bruijn graphs under uniform user joins/departures. We call the combined peer-to-peer architecture ODRI -- Optimal Diameter Routing Infrastructure.
Immunohistochemical Detection and Distribution of Prion Protein in a Goat with Natural Scrapie

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from a 3-year-old female Angora goat suffering from clinical scrapie were immunostained after hydrated autoclaving using a monoclonal antibody (mAb, F99/ 97.6.1; IgG1) specific for a conserved epitope on the prion protein. Widespread and prominent deposition of the scrapie isoform of the prion protein (PrP Sc ) was observed in the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, retina, postganglionic neurons associated with parasympathetic ganglia of myenteric and submucosal plexuses, Peyer's patches, peripheral lymph nodes, and pharyngeal and palatine tonsils. The goat was homozygous for PrP alleles encoding 5 octapeptide repeat sequences in the N-terminal region of the prion protein and isoleucine at codon 142, a genotype associated with high susceptibility and short incubation times in goats. The results of this study indicate that mAb F99/97.6.1 is useful for detection of PrP Sc deposition, and this is a specific and reliable immunohistochemical adjunct to histopathology for diagnosis of natural caprine scrapie, although precise determination of the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the assay as a diagnostic test for scrapie in goats will require examination of a sufficiently large sample size. As with ovine scrapie, prion protein is widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, gastrointestinal tract, and lymphoid tissues in natural caprine scrapie.
Massenspektrometrie und ihre Anwendung auf strukturelle und stereo‐chemische Probleme, XCVI. Massenspektrometrische Fragmentierungen von Azomethinen

Von Methylamin abgeleitete Azomethine fragmentieren beim Elektronenbeschus weitgehend analog zu den entsprechenden Carbonylverbindungen. Wegen der im Vergleich zu Sauerstoff besseren Ladungsstabilisierung am Stickstoff spielen Kohlenwasserstoffionen in den Azomethinspektren eine viel geringere Rolle als die Alkylionen bei der Fragmentierung von Aldehyden und Ketonen. Deshalb sind die Massenspektren von Schiffschen Basen leichter eindeutig zu interpretieren und konnen mit Erfolg bei der Strukturaufklarung von Carbonylverbindungen eingesetzt werden. Azomethine von Aminen mit mehreren C-Atomen zeigen nebeneinander die Fragmentierungen, die man bei Ketonen und Aminen findet, wodurch die Massenspektren sehr kompliziert werden.
Histopathologic Prognosis of Thymomas Another Example of Medical Surrogacy

Particularly in anatomic pathology, the past 2 decades have witnessed a proliferation of tests that are surrogates for selected analytes of predictive or prognostic interest. Those targets include such moieties as functional hormone receptor proteins and the composition of genes that govern responses to selected growth factors. Common respective examples of those groups are estrogen and progesterone receptor proteins1 and the HER-2/ neu , c- kit , and epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR ) genes.2–8 Thousands of tests are done each year, predominantly through immunohistochemical analysis, to assess the status of such targets in malignant human neoplasms. And yet, immunohistochemical analysis represents an imperfect substitutive method in reference to the goal just mentioned. Immunohistology does not necessarily detect functional hormonal receptors (HRs),9 and it is suboptimally effective in separating HR-“positive” from HR-“negative” tumors, when compared with the performance of traditional biochemical HR assays.10 General assumptions also have been made (and accepted) that hold that the increased cellular expression of the proteins related to the neu , c- kit , and EGFR genes—as visualized by immunohistochemical analysis—is an invariable reflection of gene amplification or an activating mutation.11 Recent publications have demonstrated the fallacy of those suppositions. Increasingly, the published literature shows that fundamental, “firsthand” laboratory tests are incontrovertibly superior to immunohistochemical analysis as medical devices.8,12 Pertinent examples are the dextran-coated charcoal assay (DCCA) for HRs13 and in situ hybridization or polymerase chain reaction–based blotting techniques …
Regulation of protein activity with small-molecule-controlled inteins

Inteins are the protein analogs of self-splicing RNA introns, as they post-translationally excise themselves from a variety of protein hosts. Intein insertion abolishes, in general, the activity of its host protein, which is subsequently restored upon intein excision. These protein elements therefore have the potential to be used as general molecular “switches” for the control of arbitrary target proteins. Based on rational design, an intein-based protein switch has been constructed whose splicing activity is conditionally triggered in vivo by the presence of thyroid hormone or synthetic analogs. This modified intein was used in Escherichia coli to demonstrate that a number of different proteins can be inactivated by intein insertion and then reactivated by the addition of thyroid hormone via ligand-induced splicing. This conditional activation was also found to occur in a dose-dependent manner. Rational protein engineering was then combined with genetic selection to evolve an additional intein whose activity is controlled by the presence of synthetic estrogen ligands. The ability to regulate protein function post-translationally through the use of ligand-controlled intein splicing will most likely find applications in metabolic engineering, drug discovery and delivery, biosensing, molecular computation, as well as many additional areas of biotechnology.
Detection of Crohn's disease: Comparison of CT and MR enterography without anti-peristaltic agents performed on the same day

Abstract Objective To directly compare CT enterography (CTE) and MR enterography (MRE) without antiperistaltic agents. Materials/methods 26 patients referred for CTE underwent CTE immediately followed by MRE without use of an anti-peristaltic agent. Each study was evaluated on a 10 point scale for exam quality, level of diagnostic confidence, and presence of Crohn's disease. Kappa analysis was performed to determine the degree of agreement between the CTE and MRE of each patient. Results 25 patients completed the MRE. The quality of the CTEs was judged as excellent by both readers (reader 1=average 9.5/10, reader 2=average 9.1/10). The quality of the MREs was ranked lower than the CTEs by both readers (reader 1=average 8.9/10, reader 2=average 7.2/10), which was statistically significant ( p p =0.3). There was substantial agreement between readers for the presence or absence of Crohn's disease on both CTE (kappa=0.75) and MRE (kappa=0.67). Conclusion MR enterography without anti-peristaltic agents results in high diagnostic confidence and excellent agreement for the presence of Crohn's disease.
Airborne Remote Sensing of Coastal Features and Processes: An Overview

ABSTRACT Klemas, V., 2013. Airborne remote sensing of coastal features and processes: an overview. Coastal ecosystems tend to be spatially complex and exhibit high temporal variability. Observing them requires the ability to monitor their biophysical features and controlling processes at high spatial and temporal resolutions, which can be provided by airborne remote sensors. High-resolution satellite data are now also available, yet the finer resolution and frequent, flexible overflights offered by airborne sensors can be more effective in a range of coastal research and management applications, such as wetlands mapping, coastal bathymetry, and tracking coastal plumes, salinity gradients, tidal fronts, and oil slicks. The airborne imagery is also useful for the interpretation of satellite data. This article reviews estuarine and coastal remote sensing applications that require the high spatial and temporal resolutions provided by airborne sensors.
Printing power: 3-D printing and threats to state security

Recent advances in the field of additive manufacturing—more popularly known as ‘3-D’ printing—have revolutionized multiple fields such as medicine and manufacturing. We argue that this emerging technology also brings with it as yet unforeseen threats to state security, particularly as it relates to the empowerment of non-state actors. Previously these groups have been limited in their ability to pursue weapons programs such as those which would produce weapons of mass destruction by high technical barriers and costs. Consequently, existing non-proliferation regimes have been designed with these limitations in mind and are largely targeted at preventing the transfer of these weapons from states to non-state groups. However, advances in additive manufacturing will remove many of these barriers and empower non-state groups in ways which will directly challenge the supremacy and security of states. We evaluate the most likely advances in this technology, the ways in which these groups will seek to capitalize ...
Hyperinsulinemia, Insulin Resistance, and Hyperglycemia: Contributing Factors in the Pathogenesis of Hypertension and Atherosclerosis

Subtle abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism and overt diabetes mellitus are both associated with a substantial increase in the prevalence of hypertension and the accelerated development of atherosclerosis. Hypertension is also a presumed independent risk factor for atherosclerosis, although some of the atherogenic properties of hypertension may be related to the recently recognized subtle metabolic abnormalities commonly found in persons with essential hypertension. The results of epidemiologic studies suggest that the elevated fasting and postprandial insulin levels that often occur in patients with essential hypertension, as well as in patients with type II diabetes mellitus, are an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Elevated glucose levels in patients with diabetes and hypertension appear to contribute to the acceleration of atherosclerosis, perhaps through toxic effects on the vascular endothelium. Other cardiovascular risk factors that are accentuated in persons with carbohydrate intolerance and hypertension include abnormalities in platelet function, clotting factors, the fibrinolytic system, and dyslipidemia. The goals of both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapy for patients with abnormal carbohydrate metabolism and hypertension are to decrease cardiovascular risk as well as lower blood pressure.
Compensation Strategies Used by High-Ability Students with Learning Disabilities

Recent research has provided fascinating examples of the problems faced by high-ability students with learning disabilities (LD), as well as the compensation strategies they used to address and overcome the challenges associated with specific learning disabilities (Reis, McGuire, & Neu, 2000; Ruban, McCoach, McGuire, & Reis, in press). For example, (2000) found that these students often received content remediation that they did not need, rather than instruction in compensatory strategies, in their elementary and secondary school learning disabilities programs. Many academically talented young people with learning disabilities never qualify for programs for gifted and talented learners and fail to succeed in school, but those who do often learn strategies that help them to succeed, despite their learning problems.
REVIEW - Agrama, Hussein Ali. Questioning Secularism: Islam, Sovereignty, and the Rule of Law in Modern Egypt. xiii + 288 pp. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 2012.

REVIEW - Agrama, Hussein Ali. Questioning Secularism: Islam, Sovereignty, and the Rule of Law in Modern Egypt. xiii + 288 pp. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press, 2012.
Taming the Blackbody with Metamaterials for Energy Harvesting Applications

The metamaterial perfect absorber has been shown across the electromagnetic spectrum. These engineered, near unity, absorbers yield performance flexibility and here we demonstrate their use for energy harvesting devices - in particular for thermophotovoltaics.
On Age Differences in Processing Variability and Scanning Speed

This investigation examined adult age differences on a recognition memory taks for order information. Experiment 1 consisted of a modified memory-scanning task in which a memory set of four letters was presented in boxes. Subjects judged whether a subsequent probe letter was or was not transposed from its original presentation position. One block of primary memory trials (i.e., no distractor task) and one block of secondary memory trials (i.e., a 10-second distractor task) were used. Experiment 2 used basically the same task, except both blocks of trials were primary memory tasks, and acoustic similarity was manipulated. A processing variability model predicted that both experiments should show distance effects (i.e., transposing letters a distance of one box should result in more errors and/or longer reaction times than a transposition of two, or three boxes) for both right and left transposition directions. However, a generalized slowing model predicted that distance effects should only occur for left transpositions (because of left-to-right scanning order). The present data supported the processing variability model but not the generalized slowing model.
Hypertension-associated vascular disease

Hypertensive-associated vascular disease of the kidneys or hypertensive nephrosclerosis, rather than implying a linear direct relationship to renal damage induced by hypertension, may indicate complex environmental and genetic factors, which together promote the coexistence of renal lesion and hypertension in this clinical setting. We discuss morphologic findings of hypertension-associated vascular disease of the kidneys. We also discuss possible pathogenetic factors including hypertension, ethnicity, aberrant autoregulation, prothrombotic mechanisms, low birth weight, decreased nephron number, genetic factors, dysmetabolic syndrome, and macrophage polarization.
Common Agency in Nonprofit Advocacy Organizations

Most theories of nonprofit organizations and nonprofit leadership recognize the multitude of stakeholders—including board members, donors and volunteers, funders, the media, and policy makers—that organizational leaders must contend with in doing their work. For nonprofits engaged in advocacy, demands from stakeholders may be even more challenging to meet. Although stakeholder theory recognizes the effect of various groups on an organization, it does not explain how leaders manage the preferences of their often-competing stakeholders while they make choices for the organization. This study develops a common agency framework, evaluating the roles of three groups crucial to nonprofit advocacy organizations: the organization's board of directors, elected officials, and donors/members. The common agency framework is then illustrated with interviews with leaders of nonprofit advocacy organizations in California. Findings suggest that the leaders of these groups have a significant amount of discretion in guiding their organizations’ activities and operations.
Hardware-in-The-Loop Simulation of Static Frequency Converter Control System for Pumped Storage Machines

The static frequency converter(SFC)start mode was usually used as the common start mode in the pumped storage station.The control strategy of SFC start was researched.The correctness of this start control strategy was verified by hardware in-the-loop simulation of the RTDS and actual control equipment.
Culture, structure and black youth diversity

ABSTRACTThis review identifies some of the many strengths of this book, and some of the ways in which a greater focus on gender, cultural and linguistic diversity, among Black youth would lead to a more compelling analysis.
Molecular Dynamics Investigations of Z[WC] DNA and Its Potential Role in the B to Z-DNA Transition

Although DNA is most commonly found in the right-handed B-DNA structure, it is known that biologically active systems also contain left-handed ZII-DNA. We investigate the possibility that Z[WC]-DNA serves as an intermediate structure in the B to ZII transition. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that Z[WC] forms stable structures with the current AMBER nucleic acid force field. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that, for collective transitions of the whole strand, the B-Z[WC]-ZII pathway may have a lower free-energy barrier than the direct B-ZII pathway. We use umbrella sampling and subsequent WHAM calculations to provide free energy analysis of the full pathway.
What can photophobia tell us about dry eye

Photophobia, or an abnormal experience of pain to light, is a frequent complaint in patients with sensations of ocular dryness. This editorial will review potential pathways of photophobia and disc...
Differential processing of let-7a precursors as a biomarker for chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer

O of ribonucleotide reductase subunit M2 (RRM2), involved in deoxyribonucleotide synthesis, predominantly drives the chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer to nucleoside analogs (e.g., gemcitabine). While silencing RRM2 by synthetic means has shown promise in reducing chemoresistance, targeting endogenous molecules, especially microRNAs (miRNAs), to advance chemotherapeutic outcomes has been poorly explored. Based on computational predictions, we hypothesized that the let-7 tumor suppressor miRNAs will inhibit RRM2-mediated gemcitabine chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer. Reduced expression of the majority of let-7 miRNAs with an inverse relationship to RRM2 expression was identified in innately gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cell lines. Direct binding of let-7 miRNAs to the 3’ UTR of RRM2 transcripts identified post-transcriptional regulation of RRM2 influencing gemcitabine chemosensitivity. Intriguingly, overexpression of human precursor-let-7 miRNAs led to differential RRM2 expression and chemosensitivity responses in a poorly differentiated pancreatic cancer cell line, MIA PaCa-2. Defective processing of let-7a precursors to mature forms explained the discrepancies observed with let-7a expressional outcomes. Consistently, the ratios of mature to precursor let-7a were progressively reduced in gemcitabine-sensitive L3.6pl and Capan-1 cell lines induced to acquire gemcitabine resistance. Besides known regulators of let-7 biogenesis (e.g., LIN-28), short hairpin RNA library screening identified several novel RNA binding proteins, including the SET oncoprotein, to differentially impact let-7 biogenesis and chemosensitivity in gemcitabine-sensitive versus -resistant pancreatic cancer cells. Further, LIN-28 and SET knockdown in the cells led to profound reductions in cellular proliferation and colony-formation capacities. Finally, defective processing of let-7a precursors with a positive correlation to RRM2 overexpression was identified in patient-derived pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissues. These data demonstrate an intricate posttranscriptional regulation of RRM2 and chemosensitivity by let-7a and that the accumulation of let-7a precursors as a favorable biomarker for judging chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer.
National Trends and Impact of Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Hemodialysis in Hospitalizations With Atrial Fibrillation.

BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cause for hospitalization, but there are limited data regarding acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (AKI‐D) in AF hospitalizations. We aimed to ass...
Pulling a Ligase out of a “HAT”: pCAF Mediates Ubiquitination of the Class II Transactivator

The Class II Transactivator (CIITA) is essential to the regulation of Major Histocompatibility Class II (MHC II) genes transcription. As the "master regulator" of MHC II transcription, CIITA regulation is imperative and requires various posttranslational modifications (PTMs) in order to facilitate its role. Previously we identified various ubiquitination events on CIITA. Monoubiquitination is important for CIITA transactivity, while K63 linked ubiquitination is involved in crosstalk with ERK1/2 phosphorylation, where together they mediate cellular movement from the cytoplasm to nuclear region. Further, CIITA is also modified by degradative K48 polyubiquitination. However, the E3 ligase responsible for these modifications was unknown. We show CIITA ubiquitination and transactivity are enhanced with the histone acetyltransferase (HAT), p300/CBP associated factor (pCAF), and the E3 ligase region within pCAF is necessary for both. Additionally, pCAF mediated ubiquitination is independent of pCAF's HAT domain, and acetylation deficient CIITA is K48 polyubiquitinated and degraded in the presence of pCAF. Lastly, we identify the histone acetyltransferase, pCAF, as the E3 ligase responsible for CIITA's ubiquitination.
Polarization amplitudes for W -boson and photon production

We study the polarization amplitudes for the production of a weak boson ($W$) and a photon from quark-antiquark annihilation in the standard model minimally extended by giving the $W$ an arbitrary anomalous magnetic moment $\ensuremath{\kappa}$. We find that in the c.m. frame the amplitude where the polarization of the $W$ is longitudinal and that of the photon is transverse to the scattering plane shows a unique behavior: When we neglect the $W$-boson width this amplitude vanishes identically for all scattering angles if $\ensuremath{\kappa}$ is put equal to its gauge-theory value, $\ensuremath{\kappa}=1$, but is nonzero otherwise.
Case Report: Mass Casualty Lightning Strike at Ranger Training Camp.

ABSTRACT Background: Although lightning strikes are a rare occurrence, their significance cannot be ignored given military operations in the field during all types of weather. With proper medical management, patients with lightning injuries can return to duty. Methods: Information for this case report comes from eyewitness account at the 6th Ranger Training Battalion and from review of physician documentation from the 96th Medical Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Results: A lightning strike injured 44 Ranger School participants during a training exercise on August 12, 2015, at Camp Rudder, Florida. These patients were triaged in the field and transported to emergency department of Eglin Air Force Base. Of the 44 casualties, 20 were admitted. All were returned to duty the following day. One patient had cardiac arrest. This patient, along with two others, was admitted to the intensive care unit. Seventeen other patients were admitted for observation for rhabdomyolysis and/or cardiac arrhythmias. One pa...
Analysis of diffusion in ferromagnets

Abstract The depression of the self-diffusion coefficient of iron upon magnetic ordering is compared with similar effects which occur in order-disorder alloys. A treatment which uses the basic assumptions of the Bragg-Williams description of order-disorder alloys is used to develop an equation giving the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficient of iron both above and below the Curie temperature as a function of the activation energy of diffusion in the paramagnetic range and a magnetic ordering term. This equation fits recently published diffusion data in iron-base systems.
2. CONFRONTING DEFEAT: CARL SCHMITT BETWEEN THE VICTORS AND THE VANQUISHED

Quoting a text on Tocqueville written by Carl Schmitt in 1946, Reinhart Koselleck hypothesized about the epistemological advantage of being vanquished in writing history. This essay analyzes Schmitt's intellectual and political positions in reaction to three successive defeats: the collapse of the German Empire in 1918; the end of the Weimar Republic in 1933; and the overthrow of the Third Reich in 1945. Schmitt was a German nationalist and, at least until Hitler's rise to power, an anti-Nazi conservative, but he easily adapted to both the Weimar Republic in 1919 and National Socialism in 1933, two political turns that coincided with significant improvements in his academic career. He felt vanquished only in 1945, after his double imprisonment, the Nuremberg trial, and finally his retirement to Plettenberg. 1945 was a watershed that he symbolized through two metaphorical figures: the reactionary thinker of Spanish Absolutism Juan Donoso Cortes and Melville's literary character Benito Cereno. Thus, the case of Carl Schmitt does not confirm Koselleck's hypothesis, insofar as the most productive and creative part of his intellectual life does not fit into an awareness of being vanquished. Koselleck's statement deals with the gaze of the ruled, whereas Schmitt belonged to a different tradition of political thinkers interested in building domination and smashing revolution (Hobbes, Maistre, Donoso Cortes). He was a thinker of action, not of mourning. Defeat did not inspire, but rather paralyzed his thought.
Environmental Human Health Issues Related to Indoor Air Pollution from Domestic Biomass Use in Rural China: A Review

Energy poverty affects more than half the world's current population, principally in the rural areas of developing countries and regions such as India, sub-Saharan Africa, and China. China, with over 0.5 billion rural population, is significantly affected by energy poverty, especially in the western provinces. China's rural households must rely on less efficient and inherently more polluting solid fuels for cooking and heating. These fuels include biomass such as dung, wood, agricultural wastes, and charcoal. Coal is also used, but is restricted to certain geographic localities; coal is not discussed in this review. Biomass burning in traditional, but poorly efficient and commonly unvented, stoves causes significant indoor air pollution (IAP), disproportionately affecting the cooks, generally women and their young children. IAP consists of mixtures of particulate matter (e.g., PM 10 , PM 2.5 ), various gases (e.g., CO, NO x , SO x ), and complex organic compounds such as dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), formaldehyde, and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs). Various respiratory and nonrespiratory diseases are caused or exacerbated by inhalation or contact with the pollutants. China has the world's highest rate of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), much of which is caused by IAP. China is trying to alleviate IAP in rural communities by (1) improving infrastructure and increasing industrialization, (2) introducing improved, more efficient stoves with better ventilation, and (3) developing the use of household biogas generators to produce cleaner fuel for cooking, heating, and lighting.
FGF23 effects on the heart—levels, time, source, and context matter

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) has appeared as a hormone that is massively elevated in patients with chronic kidney disease. Whether FGF23 is a risk factor that associates with cardiac pathologies and cardiovascular mortality, as suggested by a variety of clinical studies, or additionally acts as a causative factor that induces cardiac injury, as more recently indicated by cell culture and animal studies, is under debate and the center of many ongoing experimental studies.
Cumulative Incidence of Hypertension by 55 Years of Age in Blacks and Whites: The CARDIA Study.

Background Blacks have higher blood pressure levels compared with whites beginning in childhood. Few data are available on racial differences in the incidence of hypertension from young adulthood t...
Two-band ZnCdSe/ZnCdMgSe quantum well infrared photodetector

An independently controllable, two-band quantum well infrared photo-detector (QWIP) based on the ZnCdSe/ZnCdMgSe material system is characterized. The two-band detector consists of two stacks of quantum wells absorbing in the mid- and long-wavelength infrared regime. Photocurrent and responsivity measurements resulted in 11 mA/W and 7 mA/W peak responsivities at 80 K with corresponding detectivities of 2 × 108 cm√Hz/W and 2 × 107 cm√Hz/W centered at 4.8 μm (258 meV) and 7.6 μm (163 meV). The two-band device can also perform as a broadband detector covering wavelengths from 4.4 μm (281 meV) to 8.2 μm (151 meV) at 80 K with a full width at half maximum of 130 meV. Two-band QWIP is tested for an absolute temperature detection application and good agreement is observed between theoretical calculation and experimental results.
Parathyroid Hormone/Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein Receptor

The parathyroid hormone (PTH)/PTH-related protein (PTHrP) receptor (PPR) is a class 2 G-protein-coupled receptor that serves to control, via PTH, blood levels of ionized calcium and phosphate, and, via PTHrP, the development of several tissues, including the skeleton. The PPR is expressed in bone and kidney cells, the key target sites of PTH, and in differentiating mesenchymal cells, the target sites of PTHrP. Upon ligand binding, the PPR couples to stimulatory G proteins and the cAMP signaling pathway. Defects in the PPR system are associated with several diseases of bone development and calcium homeostasis, and PTH(1–34) and PTH(1–84) are now being used to treat osteoporosis. Further development of these peptide ligands could lead to improved treatments for this and related diseases of bone and mineral ion metabolism.
Abstract 4798: Targeting hTERT for treatment of glioblastoma (GBM)

Approximately 86% of GBM tumors exhibit a mutation at -124 or -146 bp upstream from the ATG start site in the transcription activating promoter region of Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Mutations in the hTERT promoter are known to impair repression, leading to overexpression of hTERT and tumor maintenance. Yet, complete understanding of mechanistic implications is still necessary. While overexpressed hTERT is associated with oncogenesis and resistance to apoptosis, we also observe phenotypes unrelated to the reverse transcription function. We characterized long-term glioma cell lines and glioma PDX models by hTERT promoter mutation status, hTERT mRNA expression, and hTERT protein expression in subcellular fractions. The -124 and -146 mutations are located in the major 5-12 G-quadruplex and result in misfolding of the silencer element, thus causing over-expression of hTERT. Using a diverse small molecule library, we identified a small drug-like pharmacological chaperone (pharmacoperone) molecule, TG-4260, which binds to the 26 mer base-pair heteroduplex loop, which is the nucleation site for cooperative folding of the major 5-12 G-quadruplex. The chaperone effect of TG-4260 corrects DNA hTERT G-quadruplex misfolding resulting from the promoter mutations and restores the silencer function of the G-quadruplex. TG-4260 directly decreases the transcription activity of the −124, −124/125, −138/139, and −146 mutants to a similar extent and suppresses the downstream gene BCL2, which activates caspase-3 and produces cell-cycle arrest, leading to cell death. This is the first example of the use of a pharmacoperone molecule to correct the misfolding of a DNA G-quadruplex element resulting from mutations in an early folding intermediate. We screened GBM cell models against this novel small molecule inhibitor that interferes with mutated hTERT promoter and demonstrated that TG-4260 selectively suppresses glioma cell viability without affecting non-transformed normal human astrocytes. Finally, telomere phenotypes from treated cells indicate non-canonical functions of telomerase may also contribute to glioma pathogenesis. Citation Format: Saumya Reddy Bollam, Hyun-Jin Kang, Sen Peng, Vijay Gokhale, Laurence Hurley, Michael Berens, Harshil Dhruv. Targeting hTERT for treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4798.
Electronic Effects of Ligand Substitution in a Family of CoII2 PARACEST pH Probes.

We report three new Co2-based paramagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (PARACEST) probes with the ability to ratiometrically quantitate pH. A CoII2 complex, [LCo2(etidronate)]−, featuring tetra(carboxamide) and OH-substituted etidronate ligands with opposing pH-dependent CEST peak intensities, was previously shown to exhibit a linear correlation between log(CESTOH/CESTNH) and pH in the pH range 6.5–7.6 that provided a sensitivity of 0.99(7) pH unit–1 at 37 °C. Here, we demonstrate through a series of CF3-functionalized CoII2 complexes [(XL′)Co2(etidronate)]− (X = NO2, F, Me), that modest changes in the electronic structure of CoII centers through remote ligand substitution can significantly affect the NMR and CEST properties of Co2-based PARACEST probes. Variable-pH NMR and CEST analyses reveal that the chemical shifts of the ligand protons are highly affected by the nature of the X substituent. The ratios of OH and NH CEST peak intensities at 115 and 88, 93 and 79, and 88 and 76 ppm for X = NO2...
Nanoseparation of Nanoparticle Mixtures with Similar Surface Structures through a Facile Two-Step Approach

Nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled surface modification have unique properties and broad applications, ranging from biomedicine to catalysis. However, surface modification processes usually genera...