cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Divergence of Monocot and Dicot Methyl-CpG-Binding Domain Proteins

The covalent modification of eukaryotic DNA by methylation of the 5' carbon of cytosine residues is frequently associated with transcriptional silencing. In mammals, a potential mechanism for transducing DNA methylation patterns into altered transcription levels occurs via binding of methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins. Mammalian MBD-containing proteins bind specifically to methylated DNA and recruit chromatin-modifying complexes containing histone deacetylase activities. Sequence similarity searches reveal the presence of multiple proteins in plants containing a putative MBD. Outside of the MBD itself, there is no sequence relationship between plant and mammalian MBD proteins. The plant MBD proteins can be divided into eight classes based on sequence similarity and phylogenetic analyses of sequences obtained from two complete genomes (rice [Oryza sativa] and Arabidopsis [Arabidopsis thaliana]) and from maize (Zea mays). Two classes of MBD proteins are only represented in dicot species. The striking divergence of plant and animal MBD-containing proteins is in stark contrast to the amino acid conservation of DNA methyltransferases across plants, animals, and fungi. This observation suggests the possibility that while plants and mammals have retained similar mechanisms for the establishment and maintenance of DNA methylation patterns, they may have evolved distinct mechanisms for the interpretation of these patterns.
Endocrinologic Warfare: The Role of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in Congestive Heart Failure

The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors represent the gold standard of vasodilator therapy for congestive heart failure through blunting of the endocrinologic manifestations of heart failure. The future role of these agents may be in the asymptomatic and mild stages of heart failure. ACE inhibitors have been shown to decrease morbidity and mortality with the natural history of this disease being altered. The future will bring many new ACE inhibitors to market, with the challenge for physicians and pharmacists to understand the important distinctions of each specific agent. © 1990 by W.B. Saunders Company.
The Relation of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks

Abstract Winter tornado activity (January–March) between 1950 and 2003 was analyzed to determine the possible effect of seasonally averaged sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, the ENSO phase, on the location and strength of tornado outbreaks in the United States. Tornado activity was gauged through analyses of tornadoes occurring on tornado days (a calendar day featuring six or more tornadoes within the contiguous United States) and strong and violent tornado days (a calendar day featuring five or more tornadoes rated F2 and greater within the contiguous United States). The tornado days were then stratified according to warm (37 tornado days, 14 violent days), cold (51 tornado days, 28 violent days), and neutral (74 tornado days, 44 violent days) winter ENSO phase. It is seen that during winter periods of neutral tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures, there is a tendency for U.S. tornado outbreaks to be stronger and more frequent than they are during winter periods of anomalously...
Molecular Detection of Human Cytomegalovirus and Determination of Genotypic Ganciclovir Resistance in Clinical Specimens

The data presented in this article demonstrate how the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be used to detect human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of infected individuals. Detection of HCMV DNA in plasma of transplant recipients and persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus identifies people with acute visceral disease and those at highest risk for development of HCMV disease. The detection of HCMV DNA in CSF is of particular help in identifying persons with HCMV-related central nervous system disease. In addition, specific mutations within the UL97 region, which encodes for a HCMV protein kinase, have been found to confer ganciclovir resistance and can be detected in plasma and CSF by direct sequencing of PCR products. These data will help provide tools for clinicians to better diagnose, manage, and treat persons with HCMV disease.
Vegetation Height and Quality of Original and Reconstructed Tallgrass Prairies

Abstract To quantitatively compare vegetation height of original and restored prairies, and to explore the relationship between quality and vegetation height, we measured visual obstruction, the tallest nearby stem and vertical structure (density of stems at 50, 100 and 150 cm heights) in six remnant, six reconstructed tallgrass prairies and two former pastures. Reconstructed prairies in the Chicago, IL, region included two that were planted and four that were seeded. There were significant differences among sites within the four prairie types for all measures of structure. Type accounted for 39%, 41% and 40% of the variation in visual obstruction (VO), tallest nearby stem (LT) and the graminoid stem density at 1.0 m, respectively. Fields dominated by agricultural grasses had the lowest mean heights, VO = 32 cm, LT = 71 cm. Remnant original prairies had a mean VO of 44 cm and an LT of 130 cm. Planted reconstructed prairies had a mean VO of 54 cm and an LT of 125 cm, while seeded reconstructed prairies wer...
Paleocommunities—A Case Study from the Silurian and Lower Devonian

Paleocommunities—A Case Study from the Silurian and Lower Devonian, A.J. Boucot and J.D. Lawson, editors, 1999, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 895 p. (Hardcover, $300.00) ISBN: 0-521-36398-5. Project Ecostratigraphy was an effort in Siluro-Devonian correlations by the late Anders Martinsson (1978), who defined ecostratigraphy as “the definition of stratigraphical units on an ecologic basis, biological and sedimentological (palaeoecosystems). The irregular and diachronous units thus defined are placed in a basin framework, and all available methods…are used to construct time-planes through this complex” (Martinsson, 1980). This book represents the final report for Project Ecostratigraphy and consists of 51 chapters written by 73 authors, with chapters ranging from 1 to 145 pages in length. The first six chapters, grouped as “Introductory and general materials,” deal with definition and naming of communities, community evolution, and autecology, as well as presenting …
Vaclovas Bagdonavičius (ed.), Concise Encyclopedia of Lithuania Minor

Based on the Mažosios Lietuvos Enciklopedija (1995–2009), the Foundation of Lithuania Minor of the United States and Canada initiated the publishing, abridging, and reorganization of the original f...
On Fisher's Review of J M Keynes's A Treatise on Probability - A Fiasco

J M Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability is built on the mathematical and logical foundations of G E Boole’s 1854 The Laws of Thought. Boole introduced the first technical attempt (Adam Smith was the first to specify and solve two such indeterminate problems in The Wealth of Nations) at systematically solving indeterminate, probability problems (where, under uncertainty, relevant knowledge or evidence is missing) using interval valued probability. His systematic techniques were presented in chapters 16-21 of The Laws of Thought. Fisher’s review of the A Treatise on Probability demonstrates an astounding degree of ignorance on his part. Fisher has no idea of what an indeterminate probability is. For Fisher, ALL probabilities MUST be point estimates.We will show that Fisher, a biologist wedded to the Limiting (Relative) Frequency interpretation of probability, had no idea about what Keynes was doing or talking about in Parts I-IV of the A Treatise on Probability. We will conclude that Fisher was foolish to attempt a review of the A Treatise on Probability knowing that he had not read Boole. This conclusion is then shown to apply to practically all modern, twentieth and twenty-first century writers on the A Treatise on Probability.
The Evolution in the Soviet World View

Utilizing two editions of a Soviet textbook that was awarded a state prize and termed “the correct orientation” by a Central Committee official, the author analyzes the evolution of the Soviet view of the outside world in the first half of the 1970s. The movement away from ideological rigidity that began in the 1960s continued in the 1970s on a wide range of subjects. In addition, the analysis of the capitalist countries became intertwined with the debate on the future development of Soviet society; a number of features are said to have resulted from the imperatives of industrialization rather than the inner dynamics of capitalism, and hence are in need of adoption by the Soviet Union. The article closes with a brief survey of the issues subsequently raised in the published Soviet debates that continue on either side of the approved, centrist position.
Auricular Polychondritis presenting as Non-infectious, Non-paraneoplastic Limbic Encephalitis (P4.052)

OBJECTIVE: We report a case of relapsing polychondritis presenting as non-infectious, non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis. BACKGROUND: RP is a rare, recurrent autoimmune inflammation of unknown etiology affecting cartilaginous structures including the nose, ears, larynx, and trachea. Less than 3[percnt] of RP presents with neurologic complications including cranial neuropathies, headaches, seizures, cerebellar ataxia, aneurysms and aseptic meningitis. Our patient had non-infectious, non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis secondary to biopsy-confirmed auricular chondritis with initial marked clinical response to immunosuppresion, but subsequent relapses upon weaning attempts. DESIGN/METHODS: A 60-year-old gentleman presented with 2 months of severe headaches, progressive subacute memory decline, confusion, visual hallucinations, paranoid delusions, agitation, emotional lability and weight loss. LP showed lymphocytic pleocytosis with negative HSV PCRs and brain MRI had T2-weighted hyperintensities in bilateral mesial temporal lobes. He had no response to empiric antibiotics or antivirals for presumed limbic encephalitis. Symptoms progressed to action myoclonus in left face and body, rigidity, difficulty walking, and irritability. Upon transfer to our facility, his right ear was noted to have significant edema and erythema and subsequent biopsy showed eosinophilic changes, lymphocytic infiltration with occasional neutrophils consistent with auricular chondritis. Both his auricular inflammation and cognition responded to pulse dose solumedrol bridged to oral prednisone and cyclophosphamide, but he never returned to his baseline level of functioning. RESULTS: Attempts to wean steroids produced worsening auricular erythema, behavioral changes and cognitive decline. He is currently maintained on a combination of oral steroids, IVIg, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and infliximab. Follow-up MRI scan showed bilateral temporal lobe atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: This case report highlights the expanding recognition of autoimmune and potentially treatable causes of limbic encephalitis. Though the patient had a partial clinical response to immunosuppression, he has irreversible temporal lobe atrophy. Perhaps earlier diagnosis of the autoimmune basis for his limbic encephalitis would have improved his response and prognosis. Disclosure: Dr. Le has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ho has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rumma has nothing to disclose.
Abstract 101: A Learning Collaborative Model to Improve Door to Needle Time for Stroke Thrombolysis in Chicago

Background: Door-to-needle (DTN) times have remained suboptimal despite overall increases in tissue plasminogen activator use (tPA) for stroke in Chicago. The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Quality Enhancement for Speedy Thrombolysis in Stroke (QUESTS) initiative aimed to identify barriers to reduce DTN times at Chicago’s 15 primary stroke centers (PSCs) and increase the proportion of patients treated with tPA within 60 minutes of hospital arrival. Methods: Starting in January 2013, we used face-to-face and on-site meetings with each PSC’s stroke team members to share AHA Target Stroke best practices and strategies to reduce DTN time. A survey of current practice was completed at each site to determine opportunities for improvement and repeated at 1 year to assess implementation of new strategies. We used the Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) Stroke registry to aggregate baseline data DTN times and track performance in each quarter of 2013. Results: At baseline, 5 strategies were notably under-utilized at Chicago’s 15 PSCs: 1) Direct to CT scanner (baseline: 0 sites; 1 year: 5 sites); 2) pre-mixing tPA (baseline: 1 site; 1 year: 14 sites); 3) tPA prior to laboratory results (baseline: 3 sites; 1 year: 7 sites); 4) stroke code activation at triage (baseline: 4 sites; 1 year: 13 sites); and 5) streamlined consent process (baseline: 0 sites; 1 year: 12 sites. The proportion of patients treated within 60 minutes increased in each quarter of 2013 from 25% in quarter 1 to 60% in quarter 4 (p<0.01). The median DTN time decreased from 89.5 minutes in quarter 1 to 55 minutes in quarter 4 (p<0.01). Conclusions: Using a learning collaborative model to implement strategies to reduce DTN times among 15 PSCs in Chicago, we observed major improvements within a few months. Regional collaboration and best practices sharing should be a model for rapid and sustainable system-wide quality improvement.
British cinema is undead: American horror, British comedy and generic hybridity in Shaun of the Dead

This article examines the relationship between genre hybridity, British film culture and discourses of Americanization through British director Edgar Wright’s financially successful and critically ...
Durability of the Tumor-Free Response for Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Therapy

AbstractThe long-term efficacy of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has not been established. We describe the tumor-free status of patients 11 years after BCG treatment. Long-term followup for the patient population (mean 74.3 ± 3.5 months, range 6 to 129) yielded a 28% (29 of 104 patients) tumor-free status for a single 6-week course of BCG. Of 66 patients who received a second 6-week course of BCG for recurrent tumors after failing the initial 6-week course 27 (41%) have remained tumor-free. Overall, 56 of 104 patients (54%) remain tumor-free after 1 or 2 courses of BCG. Analysis of recurrences with respect to 3 intervals (2 or less, 2 to 5 and more than 5 years) revealed recurrence rates of 61% (63 of 104 patients), 23% (7 of 30) and 22% (5 of 23), respectively, after 1, 6-week course of BCG. Similarly, recurrence rates for the same periods for patients receiving a second 6-week course of BCG were 42% (28 of 66), 21% (6 of 28) and 23% (5 of 22), respectively. Patients receiving either 1 or 2, 6-week BCG c...
Synthetic turbulence: A wavelet based simulation

Abstract The treatment of wind-induced vibrations is an important consideration in the design of civil structures with increasing span-lengths and heights. The turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer has been treated as Gaussian in conventional stochastic simulation schemes, wherein higher-order statistics have been disregarded. However, experimental evidence points at turbulence being a typical multifractal process, which suggests that the statistics at different scales of atmospheric turbulence are not strictly self-similar but exhibit stronger non-Gaussianity as the length scale decreases. Intermittency characterized by the occasional bursts in the wind velocity leads to non-Gaussianity. Intermittency and its potential impact on wind-induced response have been neglected though. Recent studies have addressed the multifractal property of turbulence in wind with wavelet-basis representations of the log-Normal or log-Poisson models. These schemes offer new insight into the simulation of turbulent wind, but suffer from several significant drawbacks, such as the inappropriate sampling of the wavelet coefficients. To overcome these shortcomings, a new simulation scheme, based on the Haar wavelet representation, is proposed in this study where the exact relation between the wind velocities and the wavelet coefficients is introduced. In addition, the effects of intermittency on the wind-induced response of structures are evaluated for a number of cases. A quasi-steady theory-based assessment indicates that the intermittency results in amplifying extremes of the wind-induced response and exhibits higher impact on relatively more rigid structures. It is likely that intermittency may invoke flow-structure interaction with possible enhancement in load effects at related scales, which may further amplify the extremes.
Solitary waves in a peridynamic elastic solid

Abstract The propagation of large amplitude nonlinear waves in a peridynamic solid is analyzed. With an elastic material model that hardens in compression, sufficiently large wave pulses propagate as solitary waves whose velocity can far exceed the linear wave speed. In spite of their large velocity and amplitude, these waves leave the material they pass through with no net change in velocity and stress. They are nondissipative and nondispersive, and they travel unchanged over large distances. An approximate solution for solitary waves is derived that reproduces the main features of these waves observed in computational simulations. It is demonstrated by numerical studies that the waves interact only weakly with each other when they collide. Wavetrains composed of many non-interacting solitary waves are found to form and propagate under certain boundary and initial conditions.
Transition metals in coarse, fine, very fine and ultra-fine particles from an interstate highway transect near Detroit

Abstract As one component of a study investigating the impact of vehicle emissions on near-road air quality, human exposures, and potential health effects, particles were measured from September 21 to October 30, 2010 on both sides of a major roadway (Interstate-96) in Detroit. Traffic moved freely on this 12 lane freeway with a mean velocity of 69 mi/hr. with little braking and acceleration. The UC Davis DELTA Group rotating drum (DRUM) impactors were used to collect particles in 8 size ranges at sites nominally 100 m south, 10 m north, 100 m north, and 300 m north of the highway. Ultra-fine particles were continuously collected at the 10 m north and 100 m north sites. Samples were analyzed every 3 h for mass (soft beta ray transmission), 42 elements (synchrotron-induced x-ray fluorescence) and optical attenuation (350–800 nm spectroscopy). A three day period of steady southerly winds along the array allowed direct measurement of freeway emission rates for coarse (10 > D p > 1.0 μm), PM 2.5 , very fine (0.26 > D p > 0.09 μm), and ultra-fine (D p 2.5 mass concentrations were modeled using literature emission rates during the south to north wind periods, and averaged 1.6 ± 0.5 μg/m 3 , versus the measured value of 2.0 ± 0.7 μg/m 3 . Using European freeway emission rates from 2010, and modeling them at the I-96 site, we would predict roughly 3.1 μg/m 3 of PM 2.5 particles, corrected from the 4.9 PM 10 value by their measured road dust contributions. Using California car and truck emission rates of 1973, this value would have been about 16 μg/m 3 , corrected down from the 19 μg/m 3 PM 5.0 using measured roadway dust contributions. This would have included 2.7 μg/m 3 of lead, versus the 0.0033 μg/m 3 measured. Very fine particles were distributed across the array with a relatively weak falloff versus distance. For the ultra-fine particles, emissions of soot and metals seen in vehicular braking studies correlated with traffic at the 10 m site, but only the soot was statistically significant at the 100 m north site. Otherwise, the 10 m north and 100 m north sites were essentially identical in mean concentration and highly correlated in time for most of the 5 week study. This result supports earlier publications showing the ability of very fine and ultra-fine particles to transport to sites well removed from the freeway sources. The concentrations of very fine and ultra-fine metals from brake wear and zinc in motor oil observed in Detroit have the potential of being a significant component in statistically established PM 2.5 mortality rates.
Soft-Bottom Epifaunal Suspension-Feeding Assemblages in the Late Cretaceous

Over the course of the Phanerozoic, benthic marine paleocommunities have changed not only in their taxonomic composition but in their functional attributes. Certain paleocommunity types that once flourished over broad areas of the seafloor have since declined or vanished, while other paleocommunity types are relatively late arrivals in the history of marine life. As marine paleocology advances beyond its descriptive phase, these larger-scale temporal patterns are coming under increasing scrutiny as important facets in the history of life that have yet to be explained, or even well-documented. Here we discuss the history of one major paleocommunity type: epifaunal suspension-feeder dominated paleocommunities on soft substrata. Such paleocommunities were predominant in shelf seas throughout much of the Paleozoic and into the Mesozoic, but have been restricted in their distribution since the end of the Mesozoic. The decline of this paleocommunity type is not simply a fortuitous correlate of the history of a single taxon—at least four phyla have played key roles in such paleocommunities at different times in geologic history—but rather must be explained in broader terms that take into account the interplay between ecology and evolution.
Comparative Use of Shallow and Deepwater Habitats by Juvenile Pacific Salmon in the Columbia River Estuary Prior to Ocean Entry

AbstractThe degree to which fine-scale habitat use by salmonid species and stocks varies within habitat types such as estuaries is not fully resolved. We sampled shallow shoreline and deeper main-stem channel habitats in the Columbia River estuary over 3 years to compare salmon species composition, migration timing, density, size, and production type (hatchery or natural). Results indicated a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in habitat occupancy by the five salmonid species that are native to the basin. Salmonid communities at two channel habitat sites were much more similar to each other than to the community at a shoreline site. Salmonids sampled at the shoreline site were primarily subyearling Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and Chum Salmon O. keta and yearling Coho Salmon O. kisutch, with few other salmonids present. In contrast, channel habitat contained a higher diversity of salmon species, with samples representing all species of anadromous salmonids, including Sockeye Salmon O. nerka a...
Comprehensive Genomic Characterization of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

Abstract Background Upper urinary tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) may have unique etiologic and genomic factors compared to bladder cancer. Objective To characterize the genomic landscape of UTUC and provide insights into its biology using comprehensive integrated genomic analyses. Design, setting, and participants We collected 31 untreated snap-frozen UTUC samples from two institutions and carried out whole-exome sequencing (WES) of DNA, RNA sequencing (RNAseq), and protein analysis. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Adjusting for batch effects, consensus mutation calls from independent pipelines identified DNA mutations, gene expression clusters using unsupervised consensus hierarchical clustering (UCHC), and protein expression levels that were correlated with relevant clinical variables, The Cancer Genome Atlas, and other published data. Results and limitations WES identified mutations in FGFR3 (74.1%; 92% low-grade, 60% high-grade), KMT2D (44.4%), PIK3CA (25.9%), and TP53 (22.2%). APOBEC and CpG were the most common mutational signatures. UCHC of RNAseq data segregated samples into four molecular subtypes with the following characteristics. Cluster 1: no PIK3CA mutations, nonsmokers, high-grade FGFR3 mutations, low-grade tumors, tobacco use, noninvasive disease, no bladder recurrences. Cluster 3: 100% FGFR3 mutations, 71% PIK3CA , no TP53 mutations, five bladder recurrences, tobacco use, tumors all KMT2D (62.5%), FGFR3 (50%), TP53 (50%) mutations, no PIK3CA mutations, high-grade pT2+ disease, tobacco use, carcinoma in situ, shorter survival. We identified a novel SH3KBP1-CNTNAP5 fusion. Conclusions Mutations in UTUC occur at differing frequencies from bladder cancer, with four unique molecular and clinical subtypes. A novel SH3KBP1 fusion regulates RTK signaling. Further studies are needed to validate the described subtypes, explore their responses to therapy, and better define the novel fusion mutation. Patient summary We conducted a comprehensive study of the genetics of upper urinary tract urothelial cancer by evaluating DNA, RNA and protein expression in 31 tumors. We identified four molecular subtypes with distinct behaviors. Future studies will determine if these subtypes appear to have different responses to treatments.
Lessons from Anytown

The purpose of this chapter is to detail the research outcomes and pragmatic lessons learned from the design and development of the Anytown learning game. We provide an overview of the teaching, development, training, and research issues identified during the experience of building a learning game from the ground up to see if we could improve student writing. From these lessons, we offer specific guidance on avoiding the pitfalls we hit on our way to reaching statistically significant differences.
Which Dengue Vaccine Approach Is the Most Promising, and Should We Be Concerned about Enhanced Disease after Vaccination? The Path to a Dengue Vaccine: Learning from Human Natural Dengue Infection Studies and Vaccine Trials

Dengue virus (DENV) is the most common arthropod-borne viral disease of humans. Although effective vaccines exist against other flaviviral diseases like yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis, dengue vaccine development is complicated by the presence of four virus serotypes and the possibility of partial immunity enhancing dengue disease severity. Several live attenuated dengue vaccines are being tested in human clinical trials. Initial results are mixed, with variable efficacy depending on DENV serotype and previous DENV exposure. Here, we highlight recent discoveries about the human antibody response to DENV and propose guidelines for advancing development of safe and effective dengue vaccines.
Music therapy with families, edited by Stine Lindahl Jacobsen and Grace Thompson, London and Philadelphia, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2017, 342 pp., ISBN 1849056307

As the editors state in the preface of Music Therapy with Families, families and relatives are a part of our music therapy work with clients whether they actively participate in the session or not....
Streamlining a Simulation Center's Inventory Management

Abstract Use of simulation in undergraduate nursing education is increasing. Although research results indicate it is an effective teaching–learning strategy, little is published about how to sustainably manage the infrastructure necessary to effectively run a simulation laboratory. This article describes a collaboration with industrial engineers to develop an inventory control system that minimizes the burden on available resources, accommodates fluctuations in simulation utilization, and does not require inventory management software. The new system reduced space requirements for inventory storage by 68%, time to manage inventory by 53%, and carrying costs by 38% even with increased center utilization. Taking time to design a structured approach to inventory storage and a pull system to manage inventory reordering may be extremely beneficial to simulation centers. Our improvements highlight the potential for reducing the amount of time and money dedicated to inventory-related activities and the benefit of partnering with colleagues, such as industrial engineers, whose expertise can facilitate process redesign. More importantly in an academic setting, the time and money saved allows faculty and staff to engage in value-added activities that will enhance student learning.
In vitro responses of urodele lymphoid cells: mitogenic and mixed lymphocyte culture reactivities.

In vitro studies of lymphocytes activated by mitogens and allogeneic cells have provided valuable information about the immunologic function of this cell type. In the Amphibia, such studies have been restricted to cells from anurans (1, 2). There are substantive immunologic differences between the order, Urodela (salamanders), and the phylogenetically more advanced order, Anura (frogs and toads) which relate to increased complexity of the lymphoid system, increased number of immunoglobulin classes, and rapidity of graft rejection (3–6). Such differences have made us aware of the pitfalls of generalizing about the immunologic capability of a vertebrate class from data collected from one order. Thus, to understand the biology of the amphibian lymphocyte and the evolution of immunity within this pivotal class of vertebrates, it is necessary to characterize the lymphocytes from salamanders in terms of the kinetics and magnitude of their responses to mitogens. To better understand the phylogeny of histocompatibility systems, it is necessary to analyze the reactivity of urodele lymphocytes in MLC. This paper presents our initial attempts to so characterize splenocytes and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from representatives of the families Ambystomatidae and Salamandridae.
Addressing Burnout in Radiologists

Burnout is a global health problem affecting physicians across all medical specialties. Radiologists, in particular, experience high rates of burn out, and this trend has only continued to worsen. The "Promoting Health and Wellness for Radiologists Task Force of the Association of University Radiologists-Radiology Research Alliance" presents a review of the prevalence, causes, and impact of burnout among radiology faculty and trainees, and a discussion on strategies for overcoming burnout and promoting overall health and well-being among radiologists.
MC3 - A Web-Based Interactive Image Explorer for Temporal Analysis of Satellite Images (Honorable Mention - Good Interactive Image Explorer)

Our web-based image analysis tool for the VAST 2017 Mini-Challenge 3 combines small multiple views of satellite images, linked semantic zooming and image intensity histograms, along with filter controls. The resulting tool allow users to interactively analyze spatio-temporal changes in the preserve area.
Interactive whiteboard (IWB) use during student collaborative reading practices: A year-long comparison of instructional approaches

The prevalent use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in K-12 classrooms has been met with questions regarding how teachers use such technologies to facilitate student learning. We analyzed recorded ...
Wireless Coexistence Testing in the 5 GHz Band with LTE-LAA Signals

Exploiting unlicensed spectrum bands for cellular communication is a rapidly embraced trend by industry stakeholders. Accordingly, the specifications of Long Term Evolution (LTE) were extended in Release 13 to allow unlicensed spectrum operation, also known as LTE-Licensed Assisted Access (LAA). LTE is widely adopted, and there is a potential for significant coexistence impact of LTE-LAA on users of unlicensed spectrum including wireless medical devices, whether adopters of the new technology or incumbents. Therefore, work was initiated to revise and update the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) C63.27 standard for evaluation of wireless coexistence. This paper details the experimental work conducted at the Electromagnetic Compatibility and Wireless Laboratory, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, to investigate the use of LAA signals for wireless coexistence testing. A software defined radio platform was deployed to generate realistic LAA signals and measure the wireless coexistence impact on the LAA communication link. The equipment under test (EUT) used IEEE 802.11ac as an example incumbent technology in the 5 GHz band. The standardized radiated anechoic chamber method was used for testing. Results highlight the mutual coexistence impact of LAA in the 5 GHz band and suggest that selecting an LAA signal with the maximum possible channel time occupancy and the highest possible modulation and coding scheme (MCS) yields the most impactful coexistence situation on both the EUT and the LAA system.
In-Cockpit Measures of Operator State: Capabilities and Pitfalls

With the continued occurrence of unidentified physiological episodes in tactical aviation, scientists and engineers from government and private industry have considered numerous approaches to monitor life support system performance and operator status in-flight. This presentation will cover lessons learned from some of those efforts.
Edge Termination for III-Nitride Vertical Power Devices Using Polarization Engineering

A method for edge termination utilizing polarization-induced charge for GaN vertical power devices is presented. The polarization edge termination is simulated on a GaN power diode and consists of a 5-nm-thick n-type AlGaN layer on top of a p-type GaN layer that is located at the periphery of the main p-n junction. The spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization present in III-nitrides result in fixed charges at the AlGaN/GaN heterointerface, and the p-GaN layer becomes depleted at this interface under reverse bias. Numerical simulations show that this AlGaN/GaN heterointerface can be engineered to control the depletion region under reverse bias to prevent localization of electric fields and premature avalanche breakdown. Nearly parallel-plate reverse breakdown performance can be achieved. In addition, a simple analytical model based on charge balancing predicts the performance of this edge termination method.
Materializing Religion, Heidegger, and the Stability of Joseph Smith’s Seer Stones as Religious Objects

This article examines the stability of religious objects by asking how Joseph Smith’s seer stones, from which he dug for buried treasure and produced the Book of Mormon, were materialized into reli...
External beam radiation therapy for meningioma

Radiation therapy (RT) plays an important role in the management of meningioma. Surgery often remains the initial treatment of choice as it reduces mass effect and confirms the diagnosis and grade. However, RT has frequently been successful in the primary setting and is commonly employed as adjuvant therapy for incompletely resected tumors as well as for high-grade meningiomas regardless of resection extent. Some meningiomas develop in locations less amenable to resection or in patients who are poor surgical candidates, in which circumstances RT is particularly appropriate as primary treatment. Recent cooperative group studies including RTOG 0539 have better established the role of RT for meningioma. These studies suggest a role for adjuvant RT for completely resected Grade II meningioma, which was less clear historically. Ongoing clinical trials such as NRG BN 003 and ROAM will further clarify this. This chapter reviews the role of fractionated external beam RT for various grades of meningioma.
Candida albicans Double Mutants Lacking both EFG1 and WOR1 Can Still Switch to Opaque

ABSTRACT Candida albicans, a pervasive opportunistic pathogen, undergoes a unique phenotypic transition from a “white” phenotype to an “opaque” phenotype. The switch to opaque impacts gene expression, cell morphology, wall structure, metabolism, biofilm formation, mating, virulence, and colonization of the skin and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Although the regulation of switching is complex, a paradigm has evolved from a number of studies, in which, in its simplest form, the transcription factors Efg1 and Wor1 play central roles. When EFG1 is upregulated under physiological conditions, it represses WOR1, an activator of white-to-opaque switching, and the cell expresses the white phenotype; when EFG1 is downregulated, WOR1 is derepressed and activates expression of the opaque phenotype. Deletion of either EFG1 or WOR1 supports this yin-yang model of regulation. Here, we demonstrate that this simple model is insufficient, since strains in which WOR1 and EFG1 are simultaneously deleted can still be induced to switch en masse from white to opaque. Opaque cells of double mutants (efg1−/− wor1−/−) are enlarged and elongate, form an enlarged vacuole, upregulate mCherry under the control of an opaque-specific promoter, form opaque cell wall pimples, express the opaque phenotype in lower GI colonization, and, if MTL homozygous, form conjugation tubes in response to pheromone and mate. These results can be explained if the basic and simplified model is expanded to include a WOR1-independent alternative opaque pathway repressed by EFG1. IMPORTANCE The switch from white to opaque in Candida albicans was discovered 33 years ago, but it is still unclear how it is regulated. A regulatory paradigm has emerged in which two transacting factors, Efg1 and Wor1, play central roles, Efg1 as a repressor of WOR1, which encodes an activator of the transition to the opaque phenotype. However, we show here that if both EFG1 and WOR1 are deleted simultaneously, bona fide opaque cells can still be induced en masse. These results are not compatible with the simple paradigm, suggesting that an alternative opaque pathway (AOP) exists, which can activate expression of opaque and, like WOR1, is repressed by EFG1.
The synthesis of competing phase GeSe and GeSe2 2D layered materials

We demonstrate the synthesis of layered anisotropic semiconductor GeSe and GeSe2 nanomaterials through low temperature (∼400 °C) and atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition using halide based precursors. Results show that GeI2 and H2Se precursors successfully react in the gas-phase and nucleate on a variety of target substrates including sapphire, Ge, GaAs, or HOPG. Layer-by-layer growth takes place after nucleation to form layered anisotropic materials. Detailed SEM, EDS, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy measurements together with systematic CVD studies reveal that the substrate temperature, selenium partial pressure, and the substrate type ultimately dictate the resulting stoichiometry and phase of these materials. Results from this work introduce the phase control of Ge and Se based nanomaterials (GeSe and GeSe2) using halide based CVD precursors at ATM pressures and low temperatures. Overall findings also extend our fundamental understanding of their growth by making the first attempt to correlate growth parameters to resulting competing phases of Ge–Se based materials.
The Charcoal Quantification Tool (CharTool): A Suite of Open-source Tools for Quantifying Charcoal Fragments and Sediment Properties in Archaeological and Paleoecological Analysis

Sedimentary charcoal analysis is increasingly used in archaeological and paleoecological research to examine human-environmental relationships at multiple scales. The recent availability of low-cost digital microscopes and imaging software has resulted in the rapid adoption of digital image analysis in charcoal studies. However, most published studies include only minimal accounts of software configurations or utilize proprietary image analysis programs, thus hindering replication, standardization, and comparability of charcoal analyses across the field. In an effort to encourage replicable methods and a culture of open science, this paper presents the Charcoal Quantification Tool (CharTool), a free, open-source suite of charcoal and sediment quantification tools designed for use with ImageJ. CharTool blends standard methods in visual and digital charcoal analysis to increase the analyst’s participation in identifying and measuring charcoal metrics. Each CharTool module is described and demonstrated in a vignette using sedimentary charcoal collected from the Son Servera study area, Mallorca, Spain. A suggested workflow, user-guide, scripted analyses for processing outputs, and download instructions are included as supplementary materials to this article.
Chylous ascites in the setting of internal hernia: a reassuring sign.

Chylous ascites is often reported in cases with lymphatic obstruction or after lymphatic injuries such as intraabdominal malignancies or lymphadenectomies. However, chylous ascites is also frequently encountered in operations for internal hernias. We sought to characterize the frequency and conditions when chylous ascites is encountered in general surgery patients. Data from patients who underwent operations for CPT codes related to open and laparoscopic abdominal and gastrointestinal surgery in our tertiary hospital from 2010 to 2019 were reviewed. Patients with the postoperative diagnosis of internal hernia were identified and categorized into three groups: Internal Hernia with chylous ascites, non-chylous ascites, and no ascites. Demographics, prior surgical history, CT findings, source of internal hernia, open or laparoscopic surgery, and preoperative labs were recorded and compared. Fifty-six patients were found to have internal hernias and were included in our study. 80.3% were female and 86% had a previous Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure (RYGBP). Laparoscopy was the main approach for all groups. Ascites was present in 46% of the cases. Specifically, chylous ascites was observed in 27% of the total operations and was exclusively (100%) found in patients with gastric-bypass history. Furthermore, it was more commonly associated with Petersen’s defect (p < 0.001), while the non-chylous fluid group was associated with herniation through the mesenteric defect (p < 0.001). Chylous ascites is a common finding during internal hernia operations. Unlike other more morbid conditions, identification of chylous ascites during an internal hernia operation appears innocuous. However, in the context of a patient with a history of RYGBP, the presence of chylous fluid signifies the associated small bowel obstruction is likely related to an internal hernia through a patent Petersen’s defect.
Choosing the Weapon: A Comparative Study of Security Analyzers for Android Applications

This study compares security focused static code analyzers for Android applications. Android operated hand-held devices (e.g., smart phones, tablets) are used in the modern computing world for nearly every need. Banking, email, health care, and other sensitive dealings are completed through the Android applications. Hence, Android application security must be held to the same level of scrutiny as traditional application security. This study compares two open-source security analyzers, MobSF and MARA, against two benchmark datasets and 20 live Android applications. We highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each analyzer and reveal security vulnerabilities found in the Android applications.
The Civil War in the West: Victory and Defeat from the Appalachians to the Mississippi

Review of: "The Civil War in the West: Victory and Defeat From the Appalachians to the Mississippi," a part of "The Littlefield History of the Civil War Era," by Earl J. Hess.
GPR time slices in archaeological prospection

Time slices of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data were developed from closely spaced profiles collected at archaeological sites in Japan and the USA. The time slices were used to remotely sense archaeological features at several burial mounds and a pit dwelling site. The methodology for creating the time slices and some of the interpretive limitations of the time slices are presented.
The tissue localization of tritiated parathyroid hormone in thyroparathyroidectomized rats.

Abstract Tritiated acetamidino-parathyroid hormone localizes rapidly and specifically in the kidneys of thyroparathyroidectomized rats within 30 min after subcutaneous injection. There is some indication of saturation of the kidney by the hormone very early after injection with doses of greater than 40 µg per rat. The hormone is metabolized rapidly to trichloroacetic acid-soluble components with a resultant rapid loss of radioactivity from the kidney. Localization in bone is not demonstrable when data are calculated on a tissue weight basis. When calculated as disintegrations per min per g of cells, the bone cells are more radioactive than any other. However, direct evidence for binding to bone cells is not available. It was established that the radioactivity in bone is not due to vascular parathyroid hormone. Localization of 3H-labeled parathyroid hormone in kidney is less when the parathyroid glands are not removed, suggesting competition by endogenous parathyroid hormone. Neither [3H]insulin or methyl [3H]acetimidate localize in the kidney in the same manner as does parathyroid hormone, but oxidized, inactive, parathyroid hormone binds to kidney in a manner identical with native hormone.
Characterization of transposon insertion out- mutants of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora defective in enzyme export and of a DNA segment that complements out mutations in E. carotovora subsp. carotovora, E. carotovora subsp. atroseptica, and Erwinia chrysanthemi.

Soft-rotting Erwinia spp. export degradative enzymes to the cell exterior (Out+), a process contributing to their ability to macerate plant tissues. Transposon (Tn5, Tn10, Tn10-lacZ) insertion Out- mutants were obtained in Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora 71 by using plasmid and bacteriophage lambda delivery systems. In these mutants, pectate lyases, polygalacturonase, and cellulase, which are normally excreted into the growth medium, accumulated in the periplasm. However, localization of the extracellular protease was not affected. The Out- mutants were impaired in their ability to macerate potato tuber tissue. Out+ clones were identified in a cosmid library of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora 71 by their ability to complement mutants. Localization of cyclic phosphodiesterase in the periplasm indicated that the Out+ plasmids did not cause lysis or a nonspecific protein release. The Out+ derivatives of the E. carotovora subsp. carotovora 71 mutants regained the ability to macerate potato tuber tissue. Our data indicate that a cluster of several genes is required for the Out+ phenotype. While one plasmid, pAKC260, restored the Out+ phenotype in each of the 31 mutants of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora, E. carotovora subsp. atroseptica, and Erwinia chrysanthemi, it failed to render Escherichia coli export proficient. Homologs of E. carotovora subsp. carotovora 71 out DNA were detected by Southern hybridizations in subspecies of E. carotovora under high-stringency conditions. In contrast, E. chrysanthemi sequences bearing homology to the E. carotovora subsp. carotovora 71 out DNA were detectable only under low-stringency hybridization. Thus, although the out genes are functional in these two soft-rotting bacterial groups, the genes appear to have diverged. Images