cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen removal from raw landfill leachate by an algae–bacteria consortium

A remediation system for the removal of nitrogen from landfill leachate by a mixed algae–bacteria culture was investigated. This system was designed to treat leachate with minimal inputs and maintenance requirements, and was operated as an open semi-batch reactor in an urban greenhouse. The results of this study showed a maximum nitrogen removal rate of 9.18 mg N/(L·day) and maximum biomass density of 480 mg biomass/L. The ammonia removal rates of this culture increased with increasing initial ammonia concentration; maximum nitrogen removal occurred at an ammonia concentration of 80 mg N-NH3/L. At starting ammonia concentrations above 80 mg N-NH3/L a reduction in nitrogen removal was seen; this inhibition is hypothesized to be caused by ammonia toxicity. This inhibiting concentration is considerably higher than that of many other published studies.
Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis

Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis (DNM) is a rare, often virulent, polymicrobial mediastinal infection originating as an oropharyngeal or a cervical level infection which makes its way into the mediastinum via the contiguous cervico-mediastinal fascial planes and compartments. The largest single institution series published to date describes 12 cases in a period of 10 years and less than 100 cases have been reported in the English literature since 1960. Mortality rates in most reported series are in the 30 to 40% range without much improvement in 3 decades or so, despite modern day antibiotic therapy. Surgeons can potentially have a huge impact on the outcome of this condition where the mortality rates are directly related to delays in posing the diagnosis and a lack of aggressive surgical management.
The Mathematical Meaning of Operationalism in Quantum Mechanics

Publisher Summary An operational treatment can be described as one that deals exclusively with observables. Physically and mathematically, these observables are generally ambiguous. This chapter restricts this ambiguity by axioms for the observables that can be satisfactory but not categorical. It also examines the quantum field theory. Quantum field theory is essentially a collection of partially heuristic technical developments in search of a theory. Description of a field, whether classical or quantum, involves analytically three elements namely its phenomenology, its kinematics, and its dynamics. In specific, phenomenology is statement of what mathematically the observables of the field are and what their physical interpretations are. Kinematics refers to the transformation properties of the field observables under the fundamental symmetry group of the system. The dynamics results from the interaction between the particles constituting the field, is in fact its observable manifestation only, while the kinematics has nothing to do with this interaction.
Abstract 614: Biological clues to potent DNA-damaging activities in food and flavoring.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Population differences in age-related diseases and cancer could stem from differences in diet. To characterize DNA strand-breaking activities in selected foods/beverages, flavorings, and some of their constituent chemicals, we used p53R cells, a cellular assay sensitive to such breaks. Substances testing positive included reference chemicals: quinacrine (peak response, 51X) and etoposide (33X); flavonoids: EGCG (19X), curcumin (12X), apigenin (9X), and quercetin (7X); beverages: chamomile (11X), green (21X), and black tea (26X) and coffee (3 to 29X); and liquid smoke (4 to 28X). Damage occurred at dietary concentrations: etoposide near 5 μg/ml produced responses similar to a 1:1000 dilution of liquid smoke, a 1:20 dilution of coffee, and a 1:5 dilution of tea. Pyrogallol-related chemicals and tannins are present in dietary sources and individually produced strong activity: pyrogallol (30X), 3-methoxycatechol (25X), gallic acid (21X), and 1,2,4-benzenetriol (21X). From structure-activity relationships, high activities depended on specific orientations of hydroxyls on the benzene ring. Responses accompanied cellular signals characteristic of DNA breaks such as H2AX phosphorylation. Breaks were also directly detected by comet assay. Cellular toxicological effects of foods and flavorings could guide epidemiologic and experimental studies of potential disease risks from DNA strand-breaking chemicals in diets. Citation Format: Mohammad Zulfiquer Hossain, Samuel F. Gilbert, Kalpesh Patel, Soma Ghosh, Anil K. Bhunia, Scott E. Kern. Biological clues to potent DNA-damaging activities in food and flavoring. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 614. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-614
Aquifer Characterization and Parameter Heterogeneity Estimation with a Coupled Zonation-Geostatistical Method and Natural Neighbors

This research develops a generalized parameterization method that couples zonation and geostatistics for characterization and identification of a stochastic field. The coupled zonation-geostatistical method honors distinct pointwise measurements in a field to create a zonation structure, a kriging field, or a mixed distribution. In this study, a Voronoi tessellation (VT) is adopted to create a zonation structure of Voronoi cells over a set of sample points. VT determines the boundary, shape, and distribution of zones completely and uniquely for a given set of sample points. Other than zonation approach, this study develops a natural neighbor kriging (NNK) method that honors natural neighboring sample points for estimation. The natural neighbors of an estimation site are determined by VT. Specifically, we combine VT and NNK together as a coupled VT-NNK method by introducing a set of binary weighting coefficients to the sample points. The coupled VT-NNK method possesses greater flexibility to characterize the randomness of parameter heterogeneity and makes the best linear unbiased estimation (BLUE) over a set of binary weighting coefficients. In the numerical example, we identify transmissivity heterogeneity with coupled VT-NNK by seeking the optimal binary value of weighting coefficients such that the fitting residual of observed groundwater heads is minimized. The nonlinear binary integer minimization problem is accomplished by a genetic algorithm (GA) to obtain a near-global optimal solution. Results show that coupled VT-NNK is able to capture the non-smoothness of true heterogeneity and gives small groundwater head fitting residual.
Bacteriophage TherapyIII. On the Nature of the Deleterious Effect of the Local Application of Staphylococcus Bacteriophage

In the earlier papers we have shown that the bacteriophage is of no therapeutic value in the treatment of skin lesions produced by a moderately invasive staphylococcus. Moreover, we have noted that in animals receiving bacteriophage immediately following the intracutaneous introduction of bacteria, there was a temporary intensification of the inflammatory reaction at the site of the injection.1 Similarly, the local application of bacteriophage or antivirus either preceding or following the introduction of staphylococcus into the cornea or anterior chamber of rabbits and guinea pigs failed to control the progress of the resulting infection contrary to the earlier findings of Carrere.2 Also in this instance the temporary intensification of the reaction has been observed in some of the animals.3
Breaking Taboos: The Power of Group Work for First-Generation Scholars

Collectively reflecting on the call for papers for this special edition of Social Work with Groups served as a reminder for us that groups form in many ways. It also reminded us that what brings pe...
Status of foodborne pathogens contamination of food in Changping District of Beijing City from 2011-2012

[Objective]To understand the contamination status of foodborne pathogens in main food products in Changping District of Beijing City,to identify the main food that caused the foodborne disease,and predict the foodborne disease.[Methods]From 2011-2012,10 kinds of foodborne pathogens were isolated and identified in 275 samples of 14 kinds of food collected from Changping District.[Results]A total of 17 strains of pathogens(6.18%) were isolated.The polluted status in raw meat and fresh frozen aquatic products were t most serious(20.00%),followed by the raw food animal aquatic products(11.76%).The positive rates of Staphylococcus aureus was 6.93%,that of vibrio parahemolyticus was 1.85%,other pathogenic bacteria were not detected.[Conclusion]Raw meat,fresh frozen aquatic products and raw food animal aquatic products are the main contaminated foods in Changping District of Beijing City.Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahemolyticus are the main foodborne pathogens.
Determination of nitrate nitrogen in water research

Objective:To set up a improvement ion selective electrodes method for determination of Nitrate Nitrogen in water samples.Methods: Use a statistics calculator for data handling which obtained in ion selective electrodes method can calculate the concentration of nitrate nitrogen.Results: This method can not demand standard curve because of the statistical treating process.The linear range was 0.15 mg/L～50 mg/L with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995 and the detection limit for Nitrate Nitrogen was 0.045 mg/L.The relative standard deviationswere 3.4%,3.5%,respectively,and the average recoverywas 102%(n=5).Conclusion: The improvement method is used to detect Nitrate Nitrogen in water and the results are satisfactory in comparison with those obtained by the method of thymol absorption spectrometry.
Primary Care Continuity Improves Diabetic Health Outcomes: From Free Clinics to Federally Qualified Health Centers

Introduction: There are a number of well-established barriers to accessing primary care. The LINKED Study set out to improve primary care usage through 1-on-1 counseling and referrals for patients with diabetes being treated at local free clinics. We hypothesized that this educational intervention paired with expedited referral would increase the use of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) as a source of health care and ultimately lead to improved diabetic health. Methods: Medical student volunteers counseled participants on the importance of primary care. The participants then completed surveys about diabetic health, socioeconomic status, and general demographics. Participants were subsequently assigned to 1 of 2 FQHCs; designated care coordinators facilitated appointments. At the end of a 9-month action period, participants repeated the initial surveys, now including appointment history and health data (hemoglobin A1c (%) [HbA1c], body mass index). Results: Sixty-eight participants were enrolled. The average time since a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was 8.3 years (standard deviation [SD], 8.4 years), and 25% of participants used insulin. Mean baseline HbA1c for participants with a recorded value (n = 55) was 9.5 (SD, 2.5). FQHC appointments were scheduled by 68% of participants; 38% of the participants attended ≥2 appointments. The most common reported barriers to accessing primary care were no prior health insurance (85.3%) and cost of medical care (72.1%). In our follow-up assessment there was a statistically significant decrease in HbA1c for those linked to FQHCs (9.5 [SD, 2.3] to 8.3 [SD, 2.2]; n = 21). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the utility of a linkage program from free clinics to FQHCs. Those individuals with diabetes receiving health care from an FQHC demonstrated improved glycemic control.
HIV-1 transgenic rats display an increase in ( 3 H)dopamine uptake in the prefrontal cortex and striatum

HIV viral proteins within the central nervous system are associated with the development of neurocognitive impairments in HIV-infected individuals. Dopamine transporter (DAT)-mediated dopamine transport is critical for normal dopamine homeostasis. Abnormal dopaminergic transmission has been implicated as a risk determinant of HIV-induced neurocognitive impairments. Our published work has demonstrated that transactivator of transcription (Tat)-induced inhibition of DAT is mediated by allosteric binding site(s) on DAT, not the interaction with the dopamine uptake site. The present study investigated whether impaired DAT function induced by Tat exposure in vitro can be documented in HIV-1 transgenic (HIV-1Tg) rats. We assessed kinetic analyses of [3H]dopamine uptake into prefrontal and striatal synaptosomes of HIV-1Tg and Fisher 344 rats. Compared with Fisher 344 rats, the capacity of dopamine transport in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum of HIV-1Tg rats was increased by 34 and 32 %, respectively. Assessment of surface biotinylation indicated that DAT expression in the plasma membrane was reduced in PFC and enhanced in striatum, respectively, of HIV-1Tg rats. While the maximal binding sites (B max) of [3H]WIN 35,428 was decreased in striatum of HIV-1Tg rats, an increase in DAT turnover proportion was found, relative to Fisher 344 rats. Together, these findings suggest that neuroadaptive changes in DAT function are evidenced in the HIV-1Tg rats, perhaps compensating for viral-protein-induced abnormal dopaminergic transmission. Thus, our study provides novel insights into understanding mechanism underlying neurocognitive impairment evident in neuroAIDS.
Mesoporous iron oxide nanowires: synthesis, magnetic and photocatalytic properties

A surfactant- and template-free approach is described for the synthesis of mesoporous α-Fe2O3, Fe3O4 and α-Fe nanowires (NWs). In this approach, α-FeOOH NWs (length 550 nm and diameter 30 nm) were first prepared by hydrolysis of FeCl3. On subsequent thermal treatment in a fluidized bed reactor in the presence of a forming gas (Ar 93% + H2 7%), α-FeOOH transformed to mesoporous NWs of ɑ-Fe2O3, Fe3O4 and ɑ-Fe by controlling the process parameters such as reaction time and temperature. The obtained NWs of α-Fe2O3, Fe3O4 and α-Fe were ferromagnetic at room temperature with a coercive field (Hc) of 412, 583 and 628 Oe respectively. The aligned NWs showed 1.6 to 2 times-enhanced remanence in the parallel direction relative to the perpendicular direction due to magnetic anisotropy. These mesoporous magnetic NWs with a high specific surface area (82 m2 g−1 for α-Fe2O3 NWs) were used in photocatalysis due to the high adsorptivity of three probe dye molecules. The as-prepared α-Fe2O3 NWs exhibited only modest photocatalytic activity; however, the catalytic activity could be further enhanced by decorating the mesoporous ɑ-Fe2O3 NWs with 10 nm sized ZnO nanoparticles. The developed ɑ-Fe2O3/ZnO nanowire nanohybrids could eliminate 100% of the probe dyes: methylene blue, Rhodamine B and methyl orange within 90 min irradiation with solar light, underlining the high photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the nanohybrid. The nanowire nanohybrids could be easily recovered by applying an external magnetic field and reused for at least 4 times without significant loss of their photocatalytic activity.
Reputation orientation: Improving marketing performance through corporate reputation building

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a new construct called reputation orientation, which is defined as a conscious, company-wide, strategic focus on building and maintaining a positive corporate reputation among key stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework is developed that links reputation orientation to construed image and business performance. An empirical test of the key stakeholder relationship between sellers and buyers is conducted using an online survey of US-based marketing managers from a variety of for-profit industries. Findings – The research findings demonstrate that reputation orientation is a valid construct and show a positive relationship between reputation orientation and business performance which is partially mediated by construed image. Research limitations/implications – This research was exploratory in nature, so the data must be interpreted carefully and subject to additional contexts. Practical implications – Reputation orientation has implications for managers who want to proactively pursue reputational excellence for competitive advantage. Social implications – Reputation orientation has implications for stakeholder satisfaction, socially responsible behavior, ethical decision making, and sustainability. Originality/value – This research empirically tests a model that integrates corporate marketing constructs with marketing managers’ decision-making behaviors and perceptions.
Papillomaviruses: Molecular Biology of Human Viruses

Papillomaviruses (PVs) are nonenveloped, double-stranded DNA tumor viruses that infect mammalian and avian hosts. There are more than 100 genotypes of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) that can either infect mucosal or cutaneous epithelia. PVs all share the common property of inducing benign proliferative lesions within the epithelial tissues they infect. In these lesions the virus is replicated in a manner that is exquisitely tied to the differentiation program of the epithelial host cell. Within the mucosal genotypes, HPVs are further subcategorized as low- or high-risk genotypes, reflective of the latter's additional association with frank cancer. High-risk HPVs are best known as the etiologic agent of virtually all cervical cancer, other anogenital cancers, as well as a subset of head and neck cancers. The high-risk HPV most commonly found in these cancers is HPV-16. In this article, we describe the nature of the papillomaviral life cycle as discovered through the study of this high-risk HPV. We also compare and contrast its life cycle to that of other PVs, where possible.
Evaluation of patient (Pt), treatment, and prognostic factors in urinary tract adenocarcinoma.

408Background: Adenocarcinoma is a rare histological subtype of urinary tract cancer with limited data regarding risk factors, effectiveness of treatment, and prognostic factors. Methods: To identify prognostic features, we evaluated demographics, treatment, and progression-free and overall survival (PFS, OS) in a retrospective review of 49 pts with adenocarcinoma of the bladder (n=35), ureter (n=1), or urethra (n=13) evaluated at Cleveland Clinic from January 2000 to April 2016. Uni- and multi- variable analyses (UVA, MVA) were used to identify prognostic factors. OS was measured from diagnosis to death and PFS from diagnosis to first of recurrence/progression or death. Results: 25 (51%) pts were women, median age at diagnosis was 62 (33-82), 30 pts (61%) presented with hematuria, and 13/36 (36%) had hydronephrosis. Treatment included cystectomy in 43 pts (88%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 3 pts (MVAC, gemcitabine/cisplatin, paclitaxel/cisplatin), adjuvant chemotherapy in 2 pts (gemcitabine), and systemi...
Micropulse Trans-scleral Cyclophotocoagulation (mTSCPC)

Traditional cyclophotocoagulation has typically been reserved for patients with poor vision and end-stage glaucoma, but the use of a safer micropulse technique has allowed the expansion of this treatment option to patients with moderate and/or severe glaucoma. The procedure works by decreasing aqueous production either through ciliary body ablation or through increasing uveoscleral outflow with an 810 nm laser, but does not involve incisions, thus essentially eliminating the risk of bleeding or infection. Micropulse CPC is applicable also to patients with contraindications to incisional glaucoma surgery which may include elderly patients, patients who are at an increased risk of fall, and patients who are unable to make frequent postoperative visits.
Copper Binding Sites in the Manganese-Oxidizing Mnx Protein Complex Investigated by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Manganese-oxide minerals (MnOx) are widely distributed over the Earth’s surface, and their geochemical cycling is globally important. A multicopper oxidase (MCO) MnxG protein from marine Bacillus bacteria plays an essential role in producing MnOx minerals by oxidizing Mn2+(aq) at rates that are 3 to 5 orders of magnitude faster than abiotic rates. The MnxG protein is isolated as part of a multiprotein complex denoted as “Mnx” that includes accessory protein subunits MnxE and MnxF, with an estimated stoichiometry of MnxE3F3G and corresponding molecular weight of ≈211 kDa. Herein, we report successful expression and isolation of the MCO MnxG protein without the E3F3 hexamer. This isolated MnxG shows activity for Mn2+(aq) oxidation to form manganese oxides. The complement of paramagnetic Cu(II) ions in the Mnx protein complex was examined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Two distinct classes of type 2 Cu sites were detected. One class of Cu(II) site (denoted as T2Cu-A), located in the M...
Mycotoxin Production by Stachybotrys chartarum on Water-Damaged Building Materials

The major question after a flooding event is whether to remove or remediate the building materials so that potentially harmful mold growth and their by-products cannot cause serious health problems for susceptible individuals. The purpose of this study was to determine the growth of Stachybotrys chartarum and corresponding production of macrocyclic trichothecenes on different components of a residential wall up to 65 days after a simulated flood event. Small-scale residential walls constructed of fiberglass batt insulation, oriented strandboard, gypsum wallboard, and lumber were destructively sampled at four time points. All four building materials contained notable levels of macrocyclic trichothecenes on all collection days. The highest concentrations of macrocyclic trichothecenes were on the paper siding of the gypsum wallboard, followed by the paper siding of the batt insulation and wood lumber. There was a significant increase in trichothecene concentration over time, particularly on the gypsum. The DNA concentrations of the mold were significantly higher on the batt insulation than on the wood products, and the mold concentrations also increased over time on the batt insulation and gypsum, but not on the wood products. It was concluded that if a flooding event should occur, the insulation and gypsum should be removed from the home and the remaining materials should be remediated.
Impact of Direct to Consumer Store-and-Forward Teledermatology on Access to Care, Satisfaction, Utilization, and Costs in a Commercial Health Plan Population

Abstract Purpose: Store-and-forward teledermatology can improve access to dermatology by enabling asynchronous consults. This study assesses it on access, satisfaction, utilization, and costs in a commercial health plan setting. Methodology: In this prospective observational study with matched control, 47,411 individuals were provided access to teledermatology services staffed by board-certified, licensed dermatologists for 6 months. Two hundred forty-three individuals used the service. One hundred fifty-two participants successfully matched to similar users of in-person services for comparison. Average number of dermatology-related visits and dermatology-related costs in 30, 60, and 90 days postvisit, most frequent diagnoses, time to consult, patient satisfaction, and number of procedures were measured. Results: Average time to consult for the teledermatology group was 16.31 h. Patient satisfaction was 4.38/5. Total dermatology utilization in the postvisit period for the teledermatology and the control g...
Are Hypomanic/Manic Episodes "Induced by" or "Associated with" Quetiapine Initiation?

An increasing number of case reports are concerned with hypomanic/manic symptoms induced by some atypical antipsychotic drugs, especially quetiapine [1]. In the current volume of Drug Safety—Case Reports, the case series published by Rovera et al. [2] demonstrates that quetiapine-related hypomania is an interesting event that is worth being appropriately diagnosed and managed in patients with bipolar disorder. Quetiapine is a second-generation dibenzothiazepine antipsychotic drug approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, bipolar depression, and mania. Several randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies with quetiapine in bipolar depression included treatment-induced hypomania/mania as a secondary outcome, although the incidence of treatment-induced hypomania/mania with quetiapine at a dose of 300 or 600 mg/day seems no higher than that with placebo [3–5].
Robust image-based crack detection in concrete structure using multi-scale enhancement and visual features

Crack detection is an important technique to evaluate the safety and predict the life of a concrete asset. In order to improve the robustness of the crack detection in complex background, a new crack detection framework based on multi-scale enhancement and visual features is developed. Firstly, to deal with the effect of low contrast, a multi-scale enhancement method using guided filter and gradient information is proposed. Then, the adaptive threshold algorithm is used to obtain the binary image. Finally, the combination of morphological processing and visual features are adopted to purify the cracks. The experimental results with different images of real concrete surface demonstrate the high robustness and validity of the developed technique, in which the average TPR can reach 94.22%.
Weakly supervised food image segmentation using class activation maps

Food image segmentation plays a crucial role in image-based dietary assessment and management. Successful methods for object segmentation generally rely on a large amount of labeled data on the pixel level. However, such training data are not yet available for food images and expensive to obtain. In this paper, we describe a weakly supervised convolutional neural network (CNN) which only requires image level annotation. We propose a graph based segmentation method which uses the class activation maps trained on food datasets as a top-down saliency model. We evaluate the proposed method for both classification and segmentation tasks. We achieve competitive classification accuracy compared to the previously reported results.
Inpatient Pain Medication Administration: Understanding the Process and Its Delays.

Abstract Background A patient's impression of quality of care is strongly influenced by pain management. Materials and methods We sought to understand the process of pro re nata (PRN) pain medication administration through direct observation and use of timestamped data from the electronic medical record (EMR). The total time from nurse notification to administration was compared between PRN narcotics, non-narcotic pain, and nonpain medications. Results We noted two pathways: patient-initiated requests and nurses preemptively asking about pain. We observed 44 instances of PRN medication administration (33 narcotics, 5 non-narcotics, 6 nonpain). Patients waited a median of 14.5 min for all PRN medications, interquartile range 6.5, 36. There was no significant difference in times for the patient-initiated pathway (n = 39, median 15 min, [7, 40]) compared to preemptive rounding (n = 5, 10 min [5, 30]), P = 0.88. Narcotics (median 14 min, [5, 30]) did not take longer than non-narcotic (11, [10, 88]) or nonpain medications (19.5, [11, 40]), P = 0.75. Electronic medical record data included only the time from medication retrieval to administration, which took approximately 5 min for all medications. Conclusions Medication administration is complex, comprising multiple vital steps. The findings of this study suggest opportunities for process improvement that may enhance the experience and overall satisfaction of the surgical patient.
Environmental monitoring programs and public engagement for siting and operation of geological repository systems: experience at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

Abstract The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, is a successful example of an operating deep geologic nuclear repository. That success results from several factors, including an optimal geologic and physiographic setting, a strong scientific basis, early regional community support, frequent interactions among stakeholders at all stages of the process, long-term commitment from the upper management of the US Department of Energy (DOE) over several administrations, strong New Mexico State involvement and oversight, and constant environmental monitoring from before nuclear waste was first emplaced in the WIPP underground (in 1999), to the present, after 15 years of waste disposal operations. All of these factors should be an essential part of the siting and operations of any nuclear waste repository. The first and only radiation leak from the repository occurred in February 2014 from a burst drum inappropriately filled at a generator site. The small amount of radiation released was contained by the ventilation, resulting in no health or environmental effects. Cleanup was initiated, a new portion of the ventilation system emplaced, and many ancillary issues resolved. Operations should resume early in 2017. Even so, WIPP will still be approximately 10 years ahead of schedule and over a billion dollars under budget.
STUDIES ON THE SECOND PROTEIN ENCODED BY THE NEURAMINIDASE GENE OF INFLUENZA B VIRUS

Publisher Summary Studies on the genomes of types A and B influenza viruses revealed similar coding strategies, suggesting a common ancestor for the two virus types. Analogous proteins are encoded by the corresponding genome segments of the two virus types, and there are significant homologies at the nucleotide and amino acid levels. However, the nucleotide sequence of genome segment 6, which encodes the neuraminidase glycoprotein (NA), revealed that influenza B viruses employ a coding arrangement that is not seen in influenza A viruses. The influenza B virus NA is translated from a reading frame initiated at the second AUG codon. The first AUG codon begins an open reading frame from which a 100 amino acid polypeptide designated as NB is translated. The chapter describes an experiment to study the kinetics of the synthesis of NB in infected cells and the antibody response to it in mice. To investigate the localization of NB, nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions were obtained by detergent disruption and low-speed centrifugation. The NB polypeptide was found in the cytoplasm; none was evident in the nuclear pellet. NB was found primarily in attached cells and the 2000 g pellet, which consisted of detached cells and cell debris. NB was also detected in the 400,000 g supernatant fraction; however, the amount of NB found in all fractions was less than that would be expected to be synthesized during the 20 hr labeling period. The pulse-chase experiments and medium analysis suggest that although a small amount of NB is released into the medium, most of it may be degraded after synthesis.
Preparing Students to Address Societally Relevant Challenges in the Geosciences: The InTeGrate Approach

Society faces many challenges related to its long-term sustainability and resilience of the life-support system upon which Earth depends. Developing solutions to these grand challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach that demands scientific investigation of the interactions of the geological, biological, chemical, and physical environments, in combination with exploration of the human dimensions and societal institutions whose values underlie our currently unsustainable ways of living. Although geoscience literacy—the perspectives and methods of the Earth, ocean, and atmospheric sciences—is key to addressing these challenges, current educational pathways in the United States limit students’ exposure to the geosciences. To increase access to interdisciplinary opportunities and improve geoscience literacy, we developed the Interdisciplinary Teaching about Earth for a Sustainable Future (InTeGrate) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Talent Expansion Program (STEP) Center. InTeGrate engaged undergraduate educators in the development of interdisciplinary materials, programs, and strategies to teach geoscience in the context of societal issues. The project has reached over 100,000 students at more than 900 institutions across all 50 states and overseas. Here, we provide an overview of the InTeGrate project, its design elements, and the shared values that underpinned development of materials and model programs.
Enzymatic Tagging of Glycoproteins on the Cell Surface for Their Global and Site-Specific Analysis with Mass Spectrometry.

The cell surface is normally covered with sugars that are bound to lipids or proteins. Surface glycoproteins play critically important roles in many cellular events, including cell–cell communications, cell–matrix interactions, and response to environmental cues. Aberrant protein glycosylation on the cell surface is often a hallmark of human diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases. Global analysis of surface glycoproteins will result in a better understanding of glycoprotein functions and the molecular mechanisms of diseases and the discovery of surface glycoproteins as biomarkers and drug targets. Here, an enzyme is exploited to tag surface glycoproteins, generating a chemical handle for their selective enrichment prior to mass spectrometric (MS) analysis. The enzymatic reaction is very efficient, and the reaction conditions are mild, which are well-suited for surface glycoprotein tagging. For biologically triplicate experiments, on average 953 N-glycosylation sites on 393 surface glycoproteins p...
Underwater Terrain Reconstruction from Forward-Looking Sonar Imagery

In this paper, we propose a novel approach for underwater simultaneous localization and mapping using a multibeam imaging sonar for 3D terrain mapping tasks. The high levels of noise and the absence of elevation angle information in sonar images present major challenges for data association and accurate 3D mapping. Instead of repeatedly projecting extracted features into Euclidean space, we apply optical flow within bearing-range images for tracking extracted features. To deal with degenerate cases, such as when tracking is interrupted by noise, we model the subsea terrain as a Gaussian Process random field on a Chow–Liu tree. Terrain factors are incorporated into the factor graph, aimed at smoothing the terrain elevation estimate. We demonstrate the performance of our proposed algorithm in a simulated environment, which shows that terrain factors effectively reduce estimation error. We also show ROV experiments performed in a variable-elevation tank environment, where we are able to construct a descriptive and smooth height estimate of the tank bottom.
Standard Setting Organizations and Standard Essential Patents: Voting and Markets

The key finding is that Standard Setting Organizations (SSOs) choose efficient technology standards because voting power and market power have counterbalancing effects. Agents on the long side of the market have less added value in the marketplace but more voting power in cooperative organizations and conversely for the short side of the market. In a two-stage model, industry members choose technology standards by voting and then compete in the marketplace. Even when there are disagreements among vertical industry groups, SSO members vote for the efficient standard unanimously. When there are Standard Essential Patents (SEPs), technology adopters also vote for the efficient standard unanimously. Inventors that own SEPs will support the efficient standard under some voting rules. When there are disagreements within industry groups, SSO members choose efficient standards by majority rule, with or without SEPs. When the efficient standard has SEPs and the inefficient standard does not, SSO members choose the efficient standard with a drastic innovation or, when the innovation is non-drastic, with particular voting rules. The results help explain the choice of technology standards by SSOs, the design of SSO voting rules, and the selection of SSO rules governing intellectual property (IP).
An Unusual Complication of the “Supported” Ross Procedure:

We present a unique surgical complication in a 19-year-old patient who underwent a “supported” Ross procedure for congenital aortic stenosis. In the present case, herniation of pulmonary autograft ...
Ceramic encapsulated metal phase change material for high temperature thermal energy storage

Abstract Thermal energy storage (TES) is a broad-based technology for reducing CO2 emissions and advancing concentrating solar, fossil, and nuclear power through improvements in efficiency and economics. Phase change materials (PCMs) are of interest as TES media because of their ability to store large amounts of heat in relatively small volumes. The volume expansion during a phase change, typically between a solid and liquid, can cause breakage of protective coatings. This effort reports on the fabrication of a ceramic encapsulated metal (CEM) high temperature TES technology using a rotary calcining furnace and a fluidized bed chemical vapor deposition coating technique. Aluminum beads were chosen as the PCM because Al has a high melting point (660 °C), low cost, high heat of fusion, and an ability to form a thin, strong alumina layer capable of supporting the Al melt for subsequent processing. Quite remarkably, this study shows that 1 mm diameter Al can be fluidized up to at least 1500 °C in an appropriate atmosphere while maintaining a spheroid geometry. This allowed for producing a first of a kind CEM whereby Al particles were encapsulated in pyro-carbon (PyC) and high purity, dense chemical vapor deposited SiC. The CEM with a PyC only coating was exposed to thermal cycling to test the performance with a differential scanning calorimeter; the melting point and latent heat were measured to be 648.4 ± 2.8 °C and 293.3 ± 6.2 J/g respectively. It was demonstrated that the CEM design is possible to produce, laying the foundation for manufacturing of high temperature, tunable, TES media.
Erectile Dysfunction and Neurological Comorbidities: a Contemporary Review

The goal of this article is to review the major neurologic disorders that can lead to erectile dysfunction (ED) as well as the current management options, highlighting the most recent literature on the subject. Studies suggest that emerging novel therapies may act to supplement the established therapies for neurogenic ED, such as adipose tissue–derived mesenchymal stem cells and focal muscle vibration. Recent studies and meta-analyses also confirm the safety and efficacy of phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) as the first-line therapy for neurogenic ED. Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke can have unique and multifactorial contributions to ED. PDE5i remain the mainstay of treatment for neurogenic ED. Non-pharmacological treatments are also available for patients who desire that option. A multidisciplinary approach is the most effective method of treatment.
A new modular radiographic classification of adult idiopathic scoliosis as an extension of the Lenke classification of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

To propose and test the reliability of a radiographic classification system for adult idiopathic scoliosis. A three-component radiographic classification for adult idiopathic scoliosis consisting of curve type, a lumbosacral modifier, and a global alignment modifier is presented. Twelve spine surgeons graded 30 pre-marked cases twice, approximately 1 week apart. Case order was randomized between sessions. The interrater reliability (Fleiss’ kappa coefficient) for curve type was 0.660 and 0.798, for the lumbosacral modifier 0.944 and 0.965, and for the global alignment modifier 0.922 and 0.916, for round 1 and 2 respectively. Mean intrarater reliability was 0.807. This new radiographic classification of adult idiopathic scoliosis maintains the curve types from the Lenke classification and introduces the lumbosacral and global alignment modifiers. The reliability of the lumbosacral modifier and global alignment modifier shows near perfect agreement, and sets the foundation for further studies to validate the reliability, utility, and applicability of this classification system.
Effect of farm level economic efficiency on income poverty status of rural farm households in Kogi State, central Nigeria

In this study, 320 farming households in Kogi State, central Nigeria were interviewed in order to estimate their income poverty status, efficiency levels, and influence of efficiency levels on pove...
Electrophotocatalytic C–H Heterofunctionalization of Arenes

The electrophotocatalytic heterofunctionalization of arenes is described. Using 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanoquinone (DDQ) under a mild electrochemical potential with visible-light irradiation, arenes undergo oxidant-free hydroxylation, alkoxylation, and amination with high chemoselectivity. In addition to batch reactions, an electrophotocatalytic recirculating flow process is demonstrated, enabling the conversion of benzene to phenol on a gram scale.
A qualitative investigation of Millennials’ healthy eating behavior, food choices, and restaurant selection

This exploratory study investigates Millennials’ knowledge of healthy eating, eating behavior, restaurant selection, and effects of stress on eating. A qualitative method was employed to collect da...
COVID-19 Case Surveillance: Trends in Person-Level Case Data Completeness, United States, April 5-September 30, 2020.

ObjectivesTo obtain timely and detailed data on COVID-19 cases in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses 2 data sources: (1) aggregate counts for daily situati...
The “Living Soul” in People and Animals: Environmental Themes from Genesis 2:

Genesis 2 contains some powerful imagery germane to the discussion of environmental awareness and responsibility. Both humans and animals are described in Hebrew as nephesh hayya', a “living being,...
Quantitative Assessment of Macropinocytosis in mTORC1-Hyperactive Cells using Flow Cytometry

Macropinocytosis is a highly conserved, actin-dependent endocytic process that allows the uptake of extracellular material, including proteins and lipids. In proliferating cells, macropinocytosis can deliver extracellular nutrients to the lysosome, processed into critical macromolecule building blocks. Recent studies have highlighted the dependence of multiple cancers on macropinocytosis, including breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer. Ras mutations are thought to be the driver events behind macropinocytosis initiation, leading to the activation of cellular anabolic processes via the mTORC1 signaling pathway. Interestingly, mTORC1 can also be activated by macropinocytosis independently of Ras. Therefore, macropinocytosis represents a metabolic vulnerability that can be leveraged to target macropinocytic tumors by limiting their access to nutrients therapeutically. In Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) and Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), mTORC1-hyperactivation leads to enhanced macropinocytosis and metabolic reprogramming. Here, we describe a flow cytometry-based protocol to assess macropinocytosis in mammalian cells quantitatively. TSC2-deficient MEFs are employed, which exhibit aberrant activation of mTORC1 and have been shown to have increased macropinocytosis compared to TSC2-expressing cells. Cells treated with pharmacologic inhibitors of macropinocytosis are incubated with fluorescently labeled, lysine-fixable, 70 kDa dextran, or fluorescently labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA) assayed by flow cytometry. To date, robust image-based techniques have been developed to quantitatively assess macropinocytosis in tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. This analysis provides a quantitative assessment of macropinocytosis in multiple experimental conditions and complements existing image-based techniques.
Using Three Reporters to Identify Pre-Adolescent Peer Victims through Latent Profile Analysis.

The goals of the current study were to use a three-reporter methodology and multi-level Latent Profile Analysis: (a) to determine the victim groups that emerge; (b) to evaluate the stability of victim groups over one school year; and (c) to examine differences among victim groups across the adjustment constructs of aggression, depression, anxiety, and negative peer relations. Our sample included 1440 racially/ethnically diverse 4th- and 5th-grade children (Mage = 10.15; 50% female). At the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of the school year, children completed both self and peer reports of victimization, teachers reported on students’ victimization, and we collected data from multiple reporters on aggression, depression, anxiety, and negative peer relations. At T1, two groups emerged: non-victims (low across all reporters) and victims (high across all reporters). At T2, four groups emerged: non-victims (low across all reporters), moderate victims (moderate across all reporters), discordant high victims (high on self report, very high on peer report, moderate on teacher report), and concordant high victims (high across all reporters). The stability of victim groups from T1 to T2 was largely driven by non-victims; T1 victims dispersed fairly evenly across the four groups at T2. In term of adjustment, non-victims fared best across time points and adjustment constructs. At T2, the three victim groups increased in maladjustment from moderate victims to discordant high victims to concordant high victims. These findings support the use of three-reporter assessment and a multi-level LPA approach to identify children victimized by their peers.
The Meaning of 'Laundering'

Can you violate federal money-laundering statutes simply by traveling toward Mexico from Texas with a cache of cash concealed under the floorboards of your car? This is the issue in the Fifth Circuit case of United States v. Cuellar in which the Supreme Court granted cert. in October. The majority of the en banc Court of Appeals held that this violated the provisions of 18 USC 1956 (a)(2)(B)(i) which prohibits transporting money in a manner designed at least in part, to conceal or disguise either the nature, a location, the source, the ownership, or the control of those proceeds. The dissent objected that this was not transporting money in order to conceal it, but concealing in order to transport, which doesn't violate the statute. I argue that while the dissent's point is well taken, in this case an expert witness testified that once the money is delivered in Mexico it will disappear into the cash economy there. This strikes me as sufficient to meet the government's burden of establishing transportation in order to conceal, regardless of the defendant's efforts to conceal the money en route.
A Distributed Dataflow Model for Task-Uncoordinated Parallel Program Execution

High Performance Computing (HPC) systems now consist of many thousands of individual servers. While relatively scalable and cost effective, these systems suffer from a complexity of scale that will not improve with increasing machine size. It will become increasingly difficult, if not impossible, for HPC systems to maintain node availability long enough for any type of worthwhile scientific calculations to be performed. Existing execution and programming models, which are dependent on guaranteed hardware reliability, are not well suited to future distributed memory parallel systems where hardware reliability cannot be guaranteed. We propose a distributed dataflow execution model which utilizes a distributed dictionary for data memoization, allowing each parallel task to schedule instructions without direct inter-task coordination. We provide a description of the proposed execution model, including program formulation and autonomous dataflow task selection. Experiments performed demonstrate the proposed model's ability to automatically distribute work across tasks, as well as the proposed model's ability to scale in both shared memory and distributed memory.