cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Routine isotropic computed tomography scanning of the abdomen and pelvis

Summary For 30 years, abdominal CT has been imaged and reviewed in the axial plane. It is now possible to carry out isotropic imaging of the whole abdomen and pelvis using a 40-channel scanner. This allows creation of coronal and sagittal reformats with the same image quality as the axial images. In this study, we present our experience of reviewing routinely coronal and, occasionally, sagittal reformats. We discuss situations where these nonaxial reformats are most beneficial.
Automatic Determination of Arterial Input Function for Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI in Tumor Assessment

Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) is today one of the most popular methods for tumor assessment. Several pharmacokinetic models have been proposed to analyze DCE-MRI. Most of them depend on an accurate arterial input function (AIF). We propose an automatic and versatile method to determine the AIF. The method has two stages, detection and segmentation, incorporating knowledge about artery structure, fluid kinetics, and the dynamic temporal property of DCE-MRI. We have applied our method in DCE-MRIs of four different body parts: breast, brain, liver and prostate. The results show that we achieve average 89.5% success rate for 40 cases. The pharmacokinetic parameters computed from the automatic AIF are highly agreeable with those from a manually derived AIF (R2=0.89, P(T<=t)=0.19) and a semiautomatic AIF (R2=0.98, P(T<=t)=0.01).
A semantic web based framework for bio cell manipulation

Bio cell manipulation is becoming an important area of interest. The current manipulation activities are mostly empirically driven approaches. There is a need to develop an integrated cell manipulation framework. Meanwhile, as the development of information technology (IT) and World Wide Web (WWW), it would be useful to create a 'semantic' web which would enable the computers explicitly and software tools implicitly to understand the requests provided by users. The paper presents a semantic web based integrated framework for bio cell manipulation. The design of the overall approach is described using engineering enterprise modeling language (eEML). With the identified life cycle for bio cell manipulation, a 3-world model for bio cell manipulation (3WMBM) is delineated with the necessary hardware units and software modules.
A Lifestyle Physical Activity Intervention for Caregivers of Persons With Alzheimer's Disease

Background: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of lifestyle physical activity in caregivers (CGs) of persons with Alzheimer's disease. Methods: Fifteen CGs engaged in lifest...
Sequence Diversity in the Glycoprotein B Gene Complicates Real-Time PCR Assays for Detection and Quantification of Cytomegalovirus

Real-time quantitative PCR systems (Q-PCR) for the rapid detection and quantification of microorganisms in clinical specimens employ oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers and probes for specificity, which makes them vulnerable to false negatives caused by sequence diversity in the template. Schaade et al. (J. Clin. Microbiol. 39:3809, 2001) reported a sequence variant (C630T) in the cytomegalovirus (CMV) glycoprotein B (gB) gene that, although detectable in their Q-PCR assay, could not be accurately quantified. In an effort to evaluate the impact of CMV sequence variants in our patient population by use of a similar Q-PCR assay, we surveyed 54 isolates of CMV, each from a different patient. We detected evidence for the C630T variant in 4 of 54 (7.4%) patients. Furthermore, isolates from two additional patients were completely negative in the test. Sequencing of these false-negative isolates revealed multiple mutations within the probe hybridization sites. A Q-PCR that targeted the CMV polymerase gene instead of gB detected all 54 isolates. We suggest that Q-PCR assays for viral load be rigorously tested on large panels of viral isolates to assess the impact of sequence diversity on detection as well as quantification.
Typing keystroke duration changed after submaximal isometric finger exercises.

A repeated-measures laboratory experiment tested whether keystroke duration during touch-typing changes after a finger performs submaximal isometric flexion exercises. Fourteen right-handed touch-typists used right ring finger to perform three 15-min exercise conditions, two isometric exercises and a no-force condition, each on a separate day. Before and after each exercise condition, typing keystroke duration and isometric force elicited by electrical stimulation were measured for right ring finger. Keystroke duration of right ring finger decreased by 5% (6 ms, P < 0.05) immediately after the exercises but not after the no-force condition. Peak isometric finger force elicited by electrical stimulation decreased by 17–26% (P < 0.05) for the flexor digitorum superficialis and decreased by 4–8% for the extensor digitorum communis after the isometric exercises. After the finger was exposed to isometric exercises, changes in typing keystroke duration coincided with changes in the physiological state of the finger flexor and extensor muscles.
DNA methylation biomarkers to assess therapy and chemoprevention for non-small cell lung cancer.

Gene promoter methylation in biological fluids is emerging as a biomarker that could be important for early detection of lung cancer and monitoring prevention and intervention. The prevalence of methylation of multiple gene promoters was evaluated in sputum and plasma from women at different risk for lung cancer. Lung cancer survivors participating in the selenium chemoprevention trial showed the highest prevalence for methylation in sputum and plasma compared to cancer-free smokers and never smokers. Sputum was superior for classifying methylation status of genes in tumor biopsies with a positive predictive value of 86% for the combined effect of four genes. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and will soon reach epidemic levels worldwide. Mortality from this disease could be reduced through early detection and the identification of high-risk individuals who could benefit from chemopreventive strategies that can reverse or impede the progression of premalignant disease. Therefore, it is essential to develop biomarkers that can predict the efficacy of promising chemopreventive agents. In 1996, Dr. Larry Clark reported a study on skin cancer chemoprevention using L-selenomethionine.1 Although the primary endpoint of skin cancer prevention was negative, the rate of expected lung cancer in the group taking selenium decreased by approximately 50%. This finding led to the implementation of ECOG 5597, “A Phase III Chemoprevention Trial of Selenium Supplementation in Persons with Resected Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.” This trial is testing …
Landscape Controls on Organic and Inorganic Nitrogen Leaching across an Alpine/Subalpine Ecotone, Green Lakes Valley, Colorado Front Range

Here we report measurements of organic and inorganic nitrogen (N) fluxes from the high-elevation Green Lakes Valley catchment in the Colorado Front Range for two snowmelt seasons (1998 and 1999). Surface water and soil samples were collected along an elevational gradient extending from the lightly vegetated alpine to the forested subalpine to assess how changes in land cover and basin area affect yields and concentrations of ammonium-N (NH4-N), nitrate-N (NO3-N), dissolved organic N (DON), and particulate organic N (PON). Streamwater yields of NO3-N decreased downstream from 4.3 kg ha 1 in the alpine to 0.75 kg ha 1 at treeline, while yields of DON were much less variable (0.40‐0.34 kg ha 1 ). Yields of NH4-N and PON were low and showed little variation with basin area. NO3-N accounted for 40%‐ 90% of total N along the sample transect and was the dominant form of N at all but the lowest elevation site. Concentrations of DON ranged from approximately 10% of total N in the alpine to 45% in the subalpine. For all sites, volume-weighted mean concentrations of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) were significantly related to the DIN:DON ratio (R 2 0.81, P 0.001) Concentrations of NO3-N were significantly higher at forested sites that received streamflow from the lightly vegetated alpine reaches of the catchment than in a control catchment that was entirely subalpine forest, suggesting that the alpine may subsidize downstream forested systems with inorganic N. KCl-extractable inorganic N and microbial biomass N showed no relationship to changes in soil properties and vegetative cover moving downstream in catchment. In contrast, soil carbon‐nitrogen (C:N) ratios increased with increasing vegetative cover in catchment and were significantly higher in the subalpine compared to the alpine (P 0.0001) Soil C:N ratios along the sample transect explained 78% of the variation in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and 70% of the variation in DON concentrations. These findings suggest that DON is an important vector for N loss in high-elevation ecosystems and that streamwater losses of DON are at least partially dependent on catchment soil organic matter stoichiometry.
Variations in the Crystalline Components of Human Dental Calculus: I. Crystallographic and Spectroscopic Methods of Analysis

The diffractometric method has more advantages than the camera technique for X-ray diffraction analysis of the crystalline components of human dental calculus. With the use of this crystallographic method and infrared absorption techniques, it was found that the magnesium content of human dental calculus is the result of partial substitution of magnesium for calcium in whitlockite, and that the carbonate content is the result of substitution in apatite.
Institutional pluralism in public administration and politics: applications in Bolivia and beyond

In their book Administrative Decentralization: Strategies for Developing Countries, John Cohen and Steven Peterson construct a model they call ‘institutional pluralism’, which they contend is superior to more traditional modes of decentralization. It is characterized chiefly by multiple channels of service provision, thus inducing accountability into a sphere where previously there has been very little. While they restrict their analysis to the administrative realm, this article argues that the institutional pluralist model makes at least as much sense in political decentralization. Bolivia, which recently launched political reforms offering three separate structures linking citizen to state, serves as an excellent illustration of institutional pluralism in politics. This approach shows considerable promise for implementation in other settings, as can be seen in El Salvador, and a case can be made for its replication potential elsewhere as well. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Resonance Production in a Strongly Interacting Higgs Sector

We compute the cross section for the production of resonances in the strongly interacting Higgs sector analogous to the f2 and a1 resonances in QCD via gauge boson fusion processes in pp colliders at and 40 TeV. Their contribution to signatures of this scenario is briefly discussed.
Current Understanding of the Genetic Basis for Physical Activity

Although it is well known that physical activity prevents and ameliorates a large number of conditions and chronic diseases, it is also incontrovertible that physical inactivity is becoming more prevalent. This paradox has led some to suggest that genetic/biological factors influence activity levels as opposed to the classical notion that voluntary activity is solely regulated by environmental factors. There is a plethora of recent data showing that there is considerable genetic influence on activity levels in both humans and animals and emerging evidence suggesting potential genomic locations for those genetic factors. Several independent lines of evidence suggest that dopamine receptor 1 (Drd1) and nescient helix loop helix (Nhlh2) are excellent candidate genes for the regulation of physical activity, with several other potential candidate genes only partially supported. This foundation provides the basis for continuing work to identify additional candidate genes, to identify other genetic factors that are involved in the regulation of physical activity, and to investigate the mechanisms by which these genes and genetic factors regulate activity.
Multiple bank regulators and risk taking

Abstract The potential for banks to arbitrage between regulators exists both in the US, with its multiple federal banking regulators, and in Europe, due to multinational banking. This paper models multiple regulators that have an agency bias, which can give rise to a “race to the bottom”. The model is used to analyze the interaction between the regulatory equilibrium and several salient pre-crisis features: rising bank leverage; wholesale funding with asymmetric information; and increasing supervisional costs to disentangling bank asset exposures. Each of these raises bank risk taking on its own, but regulatory competition is shown to be an amplification mechanism.
Estimation of regional surface resistance to evapotranspiration from NDVI and thermal-IR AVHRR data

Abstract Infrared surface temperatures from satellite sensors have been used to infer evaporation and soil moisture distribution over large areas. However, surface energy partitioning to latent versus sensible heat changes with surface vegetation cover and water availability. We tested a hypothesis that the relationship between surface temperature and canopy density is sensitive to seasonal changes in canopy resistance of conifer forests. Surface temperature (Ts) and canopy density were computed for a 20 × 25 km forested region in Montana, from the NOAA/AVHRR for 8 days during the summer of 1985. A forest ecosystem model, FOREST-BGC, simulated canopy resistance (Rc) for the same period. For all eight days. surface temperatures had high association with canopy density, measured as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (R2 = 0.73 − 0.91), implying that latent heat exchange is the major cause of spatial variations in surface radiant temperatures. The slope of Ts and NDVI, σ, was sensitive to changes ...
Effects of Weaning Management Strategies on Performance and Health of Calves during Feedlot Receiving

Abstract A trial was conducted to explore possible advantages of pasture-weaning calves with contact to their dams. Three weaning strategies were investigated: 1) weaned at trucking, 2) weaned 30 d before trucking and confined in drylot, and 3) weaned 30 d before trucking and pastured with fence-line contact with their dams. Steers from the drylot weaning strategy lost 0.6 kg/d the first week in the feedlot, whereas steers from the truck weaning and pasture-weaning treatments gained 0.5 and 0.4 kg/d, respectively (P = 0.01). Body weight gain in the subsequent 3 wk was similar among all treatments (P > 0.05). However, the differences in the first week upon arrival in the feedlot were enough to impact overall gain of truck- and pasture-weaned calves compared to drylot-weaned calves (P = 0.01) during the entire 4-wk feedlot arrival period. Weaning effects on incidence of morbidity also were detected (P = 0.03). Only 15% of the pastureweaned calves required treatment for respiratory disease. This incidence was doubled for truck-weaned calves and nearly 2.5 times greater for calves weaned in drylot. Pasture-weaning with calves having fence-line contact with their dams appears to be an acceptable method of weaning.
The IRS University Compliance Project Report on UBIT Issues: Roadmap for Enforcement...Reform...or Repeal?

The recent completion of the IRS College and University Compliance Project again raises questions about the rationale for and purpose of the Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT). This paper addresses these questions in three main parts. Part I reviews existing UBIT law, particularly as it applies to colleges and universities. The second part is a short summary of the IRS findings on UBIT compliance. The final part then examines whether the UBIT should be reformed or even repealed. The paper concludes that while expansion of the UBIT to an all-inclusive commerciality tax (a proposal I have made in previous papers) is still my preferred solution, absent such reform, Congress should consider simply repealing the UBIT and relying on disclosure and non-tax incentives to control commercial activity by charities.
Factors Influencing Choice of Graduate Program and Some Implications for Student Advisement

A study at a small university in the Southeast examined the bases upon which students select graduate programs. The findings suggest that some students choose their academic programs primarily on the basis of perceived career opportunities. For other students quality factors (i.e., quality of instruction, quality of advisement, and ability to make high grades) are important considerations when selecting a graduate program. Differences found between the two groups have implications for making advisement more relevant for some students and generating greater faculty interest in student advising.
Regional stratigraphy, elemental chemostratigraphy, and organic richness of the Niobrara Member of the Mancos Shale, Piceance Basin, Colorado

The elemental chemostratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous Niobrara Member of the Mancos Shale shows that six chemostratigraphic zones can be identified in the Piceance Basin, Colorado, based on geochemical data. Chemostratigraphic correlations of nine wells spaced 20 mi (∼32 km) apart closely match lithostratigraphic correlations made using gamma-ray and deep-resistivity wireline logs. Lithologic interpretations made from wireline logs indicate that the Niobrara Member and equivalent strata consist primarily of interbedded calcareous shale and shaley limestone facies that increase in thickness to the northwest in the basin. The geochemical data suggest that during deposition of the Niobrara Member, anoxia and calcium enrichment increased to the east of the basin, whereas terrestrial input and clay enrichment increased to the northwest. Element crossplots suggest that a large part of the silicon is detrital and that the Niobrara Member becomes an increasingly more clastic than carbonate system to the west and northwest. The Δlog R–derived total organic carbon (TOC) calculated using a sonic-resistivity overlay analysis technique shows that the Niobrara Member comprises organic-rich and organic-poor deposits. Average TOC values range between 1 wt. % (in organic-poor deposits) and 2.37 wt. % (in organic-rich deposits), with higher TOC values recorded in the southern and eastern parts of the basin. Relative-rock brittleness estimates from element and TOC data show the stratigraphic variability of alternating ductile (TOC rich, Ca and Si/Al poor) and brittle (TOC poor, Ca and Si/Al rich) intervals for the Niobrara Member.
Aspirations and Application for Graduate Education: Gender Differences in Low-Participation STEM Disciplines

Past research has established educational aspiration as an important factor leading to future planning and academic attainment, but there is a lack of scholarly attention to the role of educational aspiration in the pursuit of graduate education. Using a recent nationally representative sample of college graduates, this study examines educational aspiration of college graduates in STEM majors and focuses on gender-based differences in the pursuit of advanced degrees in order to better understand the factors underlying the underrepresentation of women in their low-participation disciplines. Multinomial logit analysis is conducted to identify the factors that contribute to educational aspirations, graduate school application, and gender-based differences therein. The major findings are that (1) educational aspiration is a strong and important mediator to college graduates’ pursuit of continuing education; (2) female students are more sensitive to socio-psychological influences from significant others in developing educational aspirations; (3) given the aspiration for graduate education, women’s applications to graduate school is influenced strongly by family and financial factors. Potential policy recommendations are discussed based on the findings of the study.
Information and the Quality of Life

Maintaining or improving quality of life is a paramount issue today. Investigators of urban problems are concerned about deteriorating quality of life in inner cities. While technological advances have, in the past, contributed to the quality of life, they may in the future detract rather than contribute. The information technologies are no exception. But need this be so?
Worldviews: Challenging Knowledge in the Classroom

This paper asks why so many students today seem to rely upon memorization of facts and details over critical thinking in the classroom. The paper argues that the current environment is one that privileges a scientific definition of education. This has led to a testing environment based narrowly upon methods of quantitative assessment. The paper connects this problem back to the definitions of education and knowledge of the Cartesian method of Rene Descartes. The paper further argues that recent philosophers of knowledge like Nietszche have challenged this notion of knowledge arguing for a broader qualitative form of knowledge. The author argues that history should be approached through the lens of World Views. World Views are defined as filters based upon beliefs of human nature, knowledge, and purpose. The author then provides possible methods and classes for implementing World Views positions.
Absence of Essential Integrated Services within Traditional Substance Abuse Treatment

Absence of Essential Integrated Services within Traditional Substance Abuse Treatment Is the need for integrated services within traditional substance abuse treatment being ignored? Traditional substance abuse treatment lacks an integrated component in which a client would receive mental health counseling and vocational counseling in addition to substance abuse counseling. According to the Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 38, developed by CSAT a part of the Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), research has shown that predictors of substance abuse treatment completion include successful employment, family support, and lack of coexisting mental illness. Biegel, Beimers, Stevenson, and Boyle (2009) purport that people with co-occurring disorders experience higher rates of unemployment.
A Review of the Nearctic Beridinae (Diptera, Stratiomyidae)

This paper is presented in the hope that it may serve to identify Nearctic specimens belonging to this subfamily of Stratiomyidae. It is complete, so far as our knowledge goes, for the Nearctic region, including all the United States, unless some Neotropical species may extend into our Southwest. In preparing it, I have examined specimens of all species, including the types that are to be found in American Museums, with the exception of Beris canadensis (Cresson).
Membrane structural specialization of the toad urinary bladder revealed by the freeze-fracture technique. II. The mitochondria-rich cell.

Examination of the toad urinary bladder by freeze-fracture electron microscopy reveals that the mitochondria-rich cells of the epithelium possess distinctive and characteristic membrane structural specialization. Unique rod-shaped intramembrane particles are found in luminal and basal membranes as well as certain intracellular vesicles of this cell type. The consistent finding of two discrete patterns of luminal membrane structural organization supports the possibility that two morphological forms of mitochondria-rich cell exist within the toad bladder epithelium.
QTL Analysis for Rice Leaf Morphology at Maturity Stage Using a Recombinant Inbred Line Population Derived from a Cross Between Nipponbare and 9311

As the main photosynthetic organs,rice leaf morphological characteristic is an important target in high yield breeding.A recombinant inbred line(RIL)population derived from a cross between Nipponbare and 9311 was used to map QTLs for leaf length,leaf width,leaf area and leaf length to width ratio of top three leaves in maturity stage.Correlation analysis showed that there were significant correlation among leaf shape indexes.The leaf shape traits followed a normal distribution with some transgressive individuals,indicating that these complex quantitative traits were controlled by multiple genes.A total of 42 QTLs were detected for these traits,which were mapped on all 12 chromosomes with the phenotypic variations ranging from 4.3% to 29.0%,and the increasing effective alleles contributed by 9311 showed higher additive effect than that from Nipponbare.Seventeen pairs of QTL with epistatic effect were identified among eight traits with explained variations from 3.3% to 23.4%.Pyramiding the positive alleles apparently altered the characters of flag leaf.
Social Isolation from Extended Family Members and Friends among African Americans: Findings from a National Survey.

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the correlates of objective social isolation from extended family members and friends among a national sample of African Americans. The analysis is based upon the African American subsample (n = 3,570) of the National Survey of American Life. The dependent variable examines four categories of respondents: 1) socially isolated from both family and friends, 2) socially isolated from friends only, 3) socially isolated from family only, and 4) not socially isolated. Overall, 23% of respondents indicated some degree of objective social isolation from family, friends or both groups, while the complementary 77% of the sample were not isolated from family or friends. Only 4% of respondents indicated being isolated from both family and friends. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed several gender, education, marital status and region differences. In particular, African American women were less likely to be socially isolated from family members than African American men. ...
T cell and T-B cell immunodeficiency disorders.

Very few pure T cell immunodeficiency disorders exist. It is not apparent that the majority of T cell immunodeficiency disorders are also associated with some aberration in the ability to form antibody. This interrelationship is explored in terms of clinical features, laboratory abnormalities, diagnosis, and therapy.
Nonmedical ultrasonography during pregnancy.

The quality and detail of ultrasonography has advanced to the point of providing easy-to-interpret, striking fetal images, especially with newer three-dimensional (static) and four-dimensional (real-time three-dimensional) imaging.
A Conflict of Laws Model for Foreign Branch Deposit Cases

Many U.S. banks have tried to take advantage of and contribute to economic growth in developing countries by establishing branches in foreign nations.1 When political and economic conditions become unstable, foreign governments have on occasion expropriated the branches' assets.2 Depositors unable to withdraw their funds because of the expropriation may attempt to recover from the U.S. bank's home office. A depositor's ability to recover ultimately depends on the court's choice of law. If U.S. law applies, the depositor usually can recover, because the bank has not repaid its debt to the depositor. Conversely, if foreign law applies, the depositor usually loses because the foreign government's expropriation carries the force of law and extinguishes the debt. Instead of analyzing these foreign branch deposit cases under conflict of laws principles, however, the courts have emphasized two doctrines developed in other contexts.
Alternative Splicing of Titin Restores Diastolic Function in an HFpEF-Like Genetic Murine Model (TtnΔIAjxn)

Rationale: HFpEF patients experience elevated filling pressures and reduced ventricular compliance. The splicing factor RBM20 regulates the contour length of titin's spring region and thereby determines the passive stiffness of cardiomyocytes. Inhibition of RBM20 leads to super compliant titin isoforms (N2BAsc) that reduce passive stiffness. Objective: To determine the therapeutic potential of upregulating compliant titin isoforms in a HFpEF-like state in the mouse. Methods and Results: Constitutive and inducible cardiomyocyte specific RBM20 inhibited mice were produced on a T tnΔIAjxn background to assess the effect of upregulating compliant titin at the cellular and organ levels. Genetic deletion of the I-band - A-band junction ( IAjxn ) in titin increases strain on the spring region and causes a HFpEF-like syndrome in the mouse without pharmacological or surgical intervention. The increased strain represents a mechanical analogue of deranged post-translational modification of titin that results in increased passive myocardial stiffness in HFpEF patients. Upon inhibition of RBM20 in T tnΔIAjxn mice, compliant titin isoforms were expressed and diastolic function was normalized, exercise performance was improved and pathologic hypertrophy was attenuated. Conclusions: We report for the first time a benefit from upregulating compliant titin isoforms in a murine model with HFpEF-like symptoms. Constitutive and inducible RBM20 inhibition improves diastolic function resulting in greater tolerance to exercise. No effective therapies exists for treating this pervasive syndrome, therefore our data on RBM20 inhibition are clinically significant.
211 – Kuzbanian (Drosophila)

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the structural chemistry and the biological aspects of Kuzbanian (Drosophila). Kuzbanian (kuz), also known as l(2)k01403 and l(2)34Da, has been isolated independently in genetic screens by three laboratories. Based on its predicted protein sequence, Kuz is a member of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family of zinc-dependent metalloproteases. Based on its DNA sequence, kuz is predicted to encode a precursor protein of 1239 amino acids. This protein is predicted to contain an N-terminal signal sequence (amino acids 1–24), a pro domain (amino acids 25–387) containing a single cysteine (amino acid 279) that could function as a cysteine switch, a furin-cleavage site (amino acid 387), a metalloprotease domain (amino acids 320–673) of the ADAM family that contains a zinc-binding site (amino acids 605–616), a disintegrin domain (amino acids 674–784), a cysteine-rich domain (amino acids 785–909), followed by a transmembrane domain (amino acids 910–933) and a cytoplasmic domain of 306 amino acids. Kuz activity is required both maternally and zygotically. Kuz mRNA is ubiquitously expressed in embryos and imaginal discs, with the highest levels being found in the embryonic CNS, and the morphogenetic furrow and ommatidia of the larval eye imaginal disc.
Continuous authentication of smartphone users by fusing typing, swiping, and phone movement patterns

We studied the fusion of three biometric authentication modalities, namely, swiping gestures, typing patterns and the phone movement patterns observed during typing or swiping. A web browser was customized to collect the data generated from the aforementioned modalities over four to seven days in an unconstrained environment. Several features were extracted by using sliding window mechanism for each modality and analyzed by using information gain, correlation, and symmetric uncertainty. Finally, five features from windows of continuous swipes, thirty features from windows of continuously typed letters, and nine features from corresponding phone movement patterns while swiping/typing were used to build the authentication system. We evaluated the performance of each modality and their fusion over a dataset of 28 users. The feature-level fusion of swiping and the corresponding phone movement patterns achieved an authentication accuracy of 93.33%, whereas, the score-level fusion of typing behaviors and the corresponding phone movement patterns achieved an authentication accuracy of 89.31 %.
Arms and the Fungus

“Arma virumque cano” (“I sing of the arms and the man”). So starts Virgil’s Aeneid. I have wondered why anyone would want to sing the praise of armaments, as this is not my cup of tea. There is, however, biological weaponry that I think deserves our admiration. One of the most elaborate examples is the mechanism found in Haptoglossa, an enigmatic fungus that has been provisionally classified with the oomycetes or water molds. An entire fungal cell is injected into a passing nematode or rotifer, there to develop at the expense of the host. Mechanisms for injecting biologically active material are not uncommon; they are seen in pathogenic bacteria, viruses, jellyfish, and stinging nettles, among others. But it is a rare organism that possesses the intricate machinery required to actively introduce a whole cell into a fast-moving and unsuspecting host.
Half-Mast: Shifting Landscapes of Protest and Demilitarization in Vieques

This chapter examines watershed moments and smaller transgressions in the problematic relationship between the United States and Vieques. These include the ongoing and less discrete destruction of the ecosystem and the continual harassment of Viequense women as well as the economic dependency on the Navy. The chapter studies a variety of media that range from music, folktales, novels, short stories, poetry, documentary, and performance art to explicate the role of artistic activisms and symbolic acts of resistance in protest of the United States’ military presence. This cultural production is presented in thematic clusters focused on Vieques’s society prior to the Marines’ arrival and their heyday, ecological impact, and demilitarization.
Comparative study of active plasma lenses in high-quality electron accelerator transport lines

Electrically discharged active plasma lenses (APLs) are actively pursued in compact high-brightness plasma-based accelerators due to their high-gradient, tunable, and radially symmetric focusing properties. In this manuscript, the APL is experimentally compared with a conventional quadrupole triplet, highlighting the favorable reduction in the energy dependence (chromaticity) in the transport line. Through transport simulations, it is explored how the non-uniform radial discharge current distribution leads to beam-integrated emittance degradation and a charge density reduction at focus. However, positioning an aperture at the APL entrance will significantly reduce emittance degradation without additional loss of charge in the high-quality core of the beam. An analytical model is presented that estimates the emittance degradation from a short beam driving a longitudinally varying wakefield in the APL. Optimizing laser plasma accelerator operation is discussed where emittance degradation from the non-unifor...
Voluntary Versus Involuntary Childlessness

There are various reasons for why some individuals and couples are childless. Although involuntary childlessness is not a choice, the postponement of parenthood and voluntary childlessness are often confused retrospectively. This chapter discusses the increase in postponed parenthood and some of the reasons this phenomenon has received so much attention. In addition, we explore voluntary and involuntary childlessness, the growing prevalence of infertility and alternative paths to parenthood. As the roles of men and women in our society are changing, both within and outside the family, we make suggestions for future research that can benefit all families.
Occurrence of Polycyclic and Nitro Musk Compounds in Canadian Sludge and Wastewater Samples

Fragrances such as synthetic musk compounds are commonly used as additives in a wide range of consumer and personal-care products. At the end of their life cycle, most of these compounds will end up in municipal sewage systems. In this work, we report the occurrence of selected polycyclic and nitro musk compounds in sewage sludge, influent, effluent, as well as some industrial wastewater samples collected in Canada. A newly developed supercritical carbon dioxide extraction technique was used for the extraction of residual musk fragrances in the sludge. Final analysis was performed by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS) using electron-impact and methane negative ion chemical ionization techniques. The results indicated that Galaxolide ® (HHCB), Tonalide ® (AHTN), musk xylene (MX), and musk ketone (MK) were the most common musk compounds in the Canadian environment, as they were found in every sample in this study. In the same sludge sample, levels of HHCB and AHTN (ranging from 1.3 to 26.7 µg/g) were often found to be about 1000 times higher than those of MX and MK (ranging from 1.4 to 422 ng/g). Similarly, in the sewage influent and effluent collected in Ontario, the levels of HHCB and AHTN (ranging from 159 to 2411 ng/L) were much higher than those of MX and MK (ranging from 1 to 84 ng/L). The levels of musk compounds varied widely in industrial wastewaters. In one sample collected from a detergent manufacturer, the levels of HHCB, AHTN, MX, and MK were found to be 54,200, 13,300, 5480, and 2.2 ng/L, respectively. It was also noted that the levels of MX and MK observed in the samples collected from the commercial laundries in Toronto were significantly higher than those found in domestic sewage.
Dendrimer–N-acetyl-L-cysteine modulates monophagocytic response in adrenoleukodystrophy

Objective X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a neurodegenerative disorder due to mutations in the peroxisomal very long-chain fatty acyl-CoA transporter, ABCD1, with limited therapeutic options. ALD may manifest in a slowly progressive adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) phenotype, or switch to rapid inflammatory demyelinating cerebral disease (cALD), in which microglia have been shown to play a pathophysiological role. The aim of this study was to determine the role of patient phenotype in the immune response of ex vivo monophagocytic cells to stimulation, and to evaluate the efficacy of polyamidoamine dendrimer conjugated to the antioxidant precursor N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) in modulating this immune response. Methods Human monophagocytic cells were derived from fresh whole blood, from healthy (n = 4), heterozygote carrier (n = 4), AMN (n = 7), and cALD (n = 4) patients. Cells were exposed to very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs; C24:0 and C26:0) and treated with dendrimer-NAC (D-NAC). Results Ex vivo exposure to VLCFAs significantly increased tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and glutamate secretion from cALD patient macrophages. Additionally, a significant reduction in total intracellular glutathione was observed in cALD patient cells. D-NAC treatment dose-dependently reduced TNFα and glutamate secretion and replenished total intracellular glutathione levels in cALD patient macrophages, more efficiently than NAC. Similarly, D-NAC treatment decreased glutamate secretion in AMN patient cells. Interpretation ALD phenotypes display unique inflammatory profiles in response to VLCFA stimulation, and therefore ex vivo monophagocytic cells may provide a novel test bed for therapeutic agents. Based on our findings, D-NAC may be a viable therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cALD. Ann Neurol 2018;84:452-462.
Intra-Arterial Tissue Plasminogen Activator Is a Safe Rescue Therapy with Mechanical Thrombectomy.

Introduction Intra-arterial tissue plasminogen activator (IA-tPA) has been widely used in conjunction with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) or as rescue therapy. Data on the safety of IA-tPA as a rescue therapy are scarce. Objective To report the safety outcome of IA-tPA during MT with respect to hemorrhage and functional outcome. Methods We reviewed our prospectively maintained data and identified patients who received mechanical thrombectomy between November 1, 2014, and January 30, 2018. Collected variables included demographics, comorbidities, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, procedural variables, and outcome variables, which were subjected to a matched and unmatched analysis. Hemorrhagic transformation was classified based on European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study criteria. Functional outcome was assessed based on modified Rankin Scale. Results A total of 486 patients were treated with MT during the study period, of whom 67 patients received IA tPA as a rescue therapy. IA tPA was used at the discretion of neuroendovascular surgeon if complete recanalization (modified Treatment in Cerebral Ischemia ≥2c) was not achieved with ADAPT (A Direct Aspiration First Pass Technique) or for distal occlusion that could not be reached with thrombectomy catheters. Both groups did not differ in baseline characteristics, comorbidities, or admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. There was no significant difference in good outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤2), death, any hemorrhage, or parenchymal hemorrhage type 2 between groups in matched and unmatched analyses. Conclusions IA-tPA administration during MT was not associated with increased risk of hemorrhage in selected patients with incomplete recanalization after thrombectomy.
The consequences of alternative environmental management goals: A non-linear programming analysis of nuclear weapons legacy clean-up at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Prioritization of projects within the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Weapons Complex Clean-up Program, exemplified with data from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is quite sensitive to overall goals. Non-linear programming analysis of three alternative goals - mortgage reduction, terminal-period risk minimization, and current-period risk minimization - shows substantial differences in waste treated, risk reduced, and cost over a ten-year period.
Exploring Predictors of Genetic Counseling and Testing for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Findings from the 2015 U.S. National Health Interview Survey

Despite efforts to increase the availability of clinical genetic testing and counseling for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian (HBOC)-related cancers, these services remain underutilized in clinical settings. There have been few efforts to understand the public’s use of cancer genetic services, particularly for HBOC-related cancers. This analysis is based on data from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a U.S.-based nationwide probability sample, to better understand the public’s use of HBOC-related clinical cancer genetic services. Bivariate analyses were used to compute percentages and examine the associations of familial cancer risk for three genetic services outcomes (ever had genetic counseling for cancer risk, ever discussed genetic testing for cancer risk with a provider, and ever had genetic testing for cancer risk). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the association of familial cancer risk and other demographic and health variables with genetic services. Most women (87.67%) in this study were at low risk based on self-reported family history of breast and ovarian cancer, 10.65% were at medium risk, and 1.68% were at high risk. Overall, very small numbers of individuals had ever had genetic counseling (2.78%), discussed genetic testing with their physician (4.55%) or had genetic testing (1.64%). Across all genetic services outcomes, individuals who were at higher familial risk were more likely to have had genetic counseling than those at lower risk (high risk: aOR = 5.869, 95% CI = 2.911–11.835; medium risk: aOR = 4.121, 95% CI = 2.934–5.789), discussed genetic testing (high risk: aOR = 5.133, 95% CI = 2.699–9.764; medium risk: aOR = 3.649, 95% CI = 2.696–4.938), and completed genetic testing (high risk: aOR = 8.531, 95% CI = 3.666–19.851; medium risk aOR = 3.057, 95% CI = 1.835–5.094). Those who perceived themselves as being more likely to develop cancer than the average woman were more likely to engage in genetic counseling (aOR = 1.916, 95% CI = 1.334–2.752), discuss genetic testing (aOR = 3.314, 95% CI = 2.463–4.459) or have had genetic testing (aOR = 1.947, 95% CI = 1.13–3.54). Personal cancer history was also a significant predictor of likelihood to have engaged in genetic services. Our findings highlight: (1) potential under-utilization of cancer genetic services among high risk populations in the U.S. and (2) differences in genetic services use based on individual’s characteristics such as self-reported familial risk, personal history, and beliefs about risk of cancer. These results align with other studies which have noted that awareness and use of genetic services are low in the general population and likely not reaching individuals who could benefit most from screening for inherited cancers. Efforts to promote public awareness of familial cancer risk may lead to better uptake of cancer genetic services.
Improved antibacterial performance using hydrogel-immobilized lysozyme as a catalyst in water

Silver nanoparticle-based catalysts are used extensively to kill bacteria in drinking water treatment. However secondary contamination and their high cost require scientists to seek alternatives with non-toxicity, high activity and low cost. In this article, we develop a new hydrogel-immobilized lysozyme (h-lysozyme) that shows excellent antibacterial performance, including high activity duration of up to 55 days, inhibition efficiency as high as 99.4%, good recycling capability of up to 11 cycles, a wide temperature window and extremely low concentration. The immobilized lysozyme displayed greatly improved bacterial inhibition with both Gram-negative E. coli and Gram-positive B. subtilis, which enables broad antibacterial applications in various water systems. In parallel, the non-toxic structure and high stability of the h-lysozyme without additional contamination make it a promising alternative to nanoparticle catalysts fur use in drinking water purification.
Strong and Tough Cellulose Nanofibrils Composite Films: Mechanism of Synergetic Effect of Hydrogen Bonds and Ionic Interactions

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have been exploited for different applications, such as nanocomposites, gas separation, flexible electronics, and fuel cells, due to their unique properties. To fulfill...
Comprehensive Approach of Estimating Power-Peaks of Partially Shaded PV Strings with Overlapping Bypass Diodes

A Photovoltaic (PV) modules with overlapping bypass diodes have different electrical characteristics under partial shading than in PV modules with non-overlapping bypass diodes. The performance analysis of PV modules with overlapping bypass diodes is complicated due to the existence of mutual PV cells that are connected with two bypass diodes. Under partial shading, the power-voltage (P-V) curve of the PV string has multiple power-peaks due to the exploitation of the bypass diodes. The locations of shaded parts have significant impacts on the maximum power that can be extracted from PV modules with overlapping bypass diodes, whereas the output power of a PV string with non-overlapping bypass didoes has not been affected by the location of shaded part. This paper develops a fast modeling approach of power peaks for partially shaded PV modules with overlapping by using LAMBERT function. Mathematical expressions for estimating power-peaks of PV string under various environmental conditions without the need to scan the entire P-V curve of the system are derived. The proposed power peaks estimation approach was verified using Matlab Simulink.
The cloned SPI-1 type 3 secretion system can be functionally expressed outside Salmonella backgrounds

Due to its potential for use in bacterial engineering applications, we previously cloned the SPI-1 type 3 secretion system (T3SS) genes from the genome of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium strain LT2. We have documented that this clone, while functionally expressed in S. Typhimurium strains, displays a severe expression defect in other Gram negative backgrounds including Escherichia coli. To address this issue, we compared SPI-1 DNA sequence across different backgrounds, fully sequenced the original SPI-1 clone, and cloned SPI-1 from other S. Typhimurium strains. In this process, we were able to successfully obtain SPI-1 clones that are functionally expressed in E. coli indicating the first such result for a full-length SP-1 T3SS clone. We discovered that the original cloning technique using a DNA homology-based capture method was the root of the expression defect and that the FRT-Capture technique is preferable over the homology-based method. This result paves the way for future studies and applications using cloned SPI-1 and other T3SS in non-Salmonella bacterial backgrounds.