cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
900MHz to 1.2GHz Two-Phase Resonant Clock Network with Programmable Driver and Loading

A resonant clock network with programmable driver and loading is designed in a 0.13mum CMOS technology. The 2mm times 2mm distribution network has on-chip inductors and performs a forced oscillation at the rate of a reference clock programmable in the 900MHz to 1.2GHz range. Clock amplitude and energy efficiency trade-offs at and off resonance are explored with various driver configurations. Energy efficiency per cycle is 1.39 to 1.56 times greater than previous resonant distribution networks
Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin for locally advanced head and neck cancer: Long-term follow-up of a Brown University Oncology Group Phase II Study (HN-53)

Background. A phase II study was conducted using concurrent paclitaxel, carboplatin, and external beam radiotherapy (RT) in patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Methods. Forty-three patients (stage III, n = 12; stage IV, n = 31) were treated with 8 cycles of weekly paclitaxel (60 mg/m2), carboplatin (area under the curve [AUC] = 1), and RT (1.8 Gy daily; total dose, 66–72 Gy). Patients with initially palpable lymph nodes underwent neck dissection. Results. The overall clinical response rate was 91% (65% complete, 26% partial). Severe mucositis occurred in 37 (90%) patients, necessitating hospitalization in 13 (31%) patients. With a median follow-up of 49 months, the locoregional and distant failure rates were 26% and 21%, respectively. Conclusions. Concurrent paclitaxel, carboplatin, and RT for advanced head and neck cancer results in high complete response rates. Long-term follow-up has revealed the curative potential of this regimen, though the doses used resulted in unacceptable toxicity. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 2008
The effects of nine diet and water combinations on the culture health of Ceriodaphnia dubia

Culture health of Ceriodaphnia dubia was evaluated for organisms cultured using all combinations of three foods and three waters. Criteria used to assess health of cultures included adult and neonate weights, time required to produce first broods, neonate production, adult survival, and resistance to hexavalent chromium. Diet/water combinations which produced the most neonates were not found to produce adults which were more resistant to chromium than those which produced fewer neonates. Of those evaluated, a diet of Selenastrum capricornutum and a yeast-trout chow-cereal leaf mixture was best for culturing and testing Ceriodaphnia. The best synthetic water tested was a mixture of nine parts reconstituted hard water and one part bottled mineral water.
On zero semimodules of systems over semirings with applications to queueing systems

In this paper, a zero semimodule for a linear system over a semiring is introduced. Unlike a linear system over a field, an (A, B)-controlled invariant sub-semimodule V is not equivalent to an (A, B)-controlled invariant sub-semimodule of feedback type V/sub FB/. The solvability condition for the disturbance decoupling problem (DDP) cannot be established by knowing the maximal (A, B)-controlled invariant sub-semimodule. In this paper, an extended zero semimodule is used to find a tight upper bound for the maximal (A, B)-controlled invariant sub-semimodule of feedback type V/sub FB/*, if one exists. Thus a connection is established between the geometric control method and the frequency domain method. This connection implies a necessary condition for the solvability of DDP. For example systems over some special semirings, this tight upper hound is equal to V/sub BF/*; then we have a necessary and sufficient condition for the solvability of DDP. A queueing system, described by (Max,+)-algebra, is studied to illustrate the main results.
The case for resilience: a comparative analysis

The utility of the concept of resiliency as a paradigm for managing society’s ability to resist, absorb, and recover from extreme events is dependent upon the ability to evaluate a community’s resilience and to assess the potential impacts of intentional and unintentional interventions. A framework for developing and using resilience metrics is presented. The critical components of resilience for three diverse Atlantic coastal communities subject to potential catastrophic coastal flooding are developed, described, and compared using this framework. The analysis demonstrates that, although the three areas face a common threat, they should adopt different resilience enhancing strategies that are determined by local structural, economic, and social conditions.
Characterization of the unusually rapid cell cycles during rat gastrulation

The onset of gastrulation in rodents is associated with the start of differentiation within the embryo proper and a dramatic increase in the rate of growth and proliferation. We have determined the duration of the cell cycle for mesodermal and ectodermal cells of rat embryos during gastrulation (days 8.5 to 9.5 of gestation) using a stathmokinetic analysis. These embryonic cells are the most rapidly dividing mammalian cells yet described. Most cells of the ectoderm and mesoderm had a cell cycle time of 7 to 7.5 hours, but the cells of the primitive streak divided every 3 to 3.5 hours. Total cell cycle time was reduced by shortening S and G2, as well as G1, in contrast to cells later in development, when cell cycle duration is modulated largely by varying the length of G1. In the ectoderm and mesoderm, G1 was 1.5 to 2 hours, S was 3.5 to 4 hours, and G2 was 30 to 40 minutes. G1, S and G2 were shortened even further in the cells of the primitive streak: G1 was less than 30 minutes, S was 2 to 2.75 hours, and G2 was less than 20 minutes. Thus, progress of cells through all phases of the cell cycle is extensively modified during rodent embryogenesis. Specifically, the increased growth rate during gastrulation is associated with radical changes in cell cycle structure and duration. Further, the commitment of cells to become mesoderm and endoderm by entering the primitive streak is associated with expression of a very short cell cycle during transit of the primitive streak, such that developmental decisions determining germ layer fate are reflected in differences in cell cycle regulation.
A tracking control method for series-resonant converters

In this paper, a novel method to provide tracking control for the series-resonant converters (SRC) is originally introduced. The difficulty of achieving stability for the instantaneous cycle-by-cycle current control in the SRC is thoroughly reviewed together with presentation of a remedy for the problem. By inserting a filter stage into the average current-mode control mechanism of the SRC, the system can now be stable and reduced to be a first-order current-control connected in series with a first order calculated delay. The tracking control principle is also introduced and its application into SRC is demonstrated by predicting the output current demand and then feeding that demand back into the cycle-by-cycle average current-control loop. A numerical example is finally presented together with the simulation results.
Comparative toxicity of selenate, selenite, seleno‐DL‐methionine and seleno‐DL‐cystine to Daphnia magna

Elevated concentrations of the trace element selenium (Se) have resulted in the degradation of several aquatic ecosystems. This study evaluated the comparative toxicity of several aqueous chemical species of selenium to an aquatic cladoceran, Daphnia magna. Responses to mixtures of these selenium forms, varying the sulfate concentration, were also examined. Initial experiments compared the toxicity of aqueous forms of selenate, selenite, seleno-DL-methionine, and seleno-DL-cystine to neonate Daphnia magna, resulting in 4-h LC50 values of 2.84, 0.55, 0.31, and 2.01 mg Se per liter, respectively. Immobilization was an acute sublethal response observed during exposure to the organic selenium forms only. The 48-h IC50 values were 0.045 and 0.52 mg Se per liter for seleno-DL-methionine and seleno-DL-cystine, respectively. Evaluation of the invertebrate response to various combinations of selenate, selenite, and seleno-DL-methionine demonstrated that the toxicities of these forms of selenium are additive. Increasing the concentration of sulfate decreased, varied, and left unaffected the toxicities of selenate, selenite, and seleno-DL-methionine, respectively. These results indicate that both the chemical form of selenium and the sulfate concentration can influence the toxicity of selenium.
Predator lethality, optimal escape behavior, and autotomy

Flight initiation distance is the distance separating predator and prey when escape begins. The optimal flight initiation distance occurs where expected postencounter fitness is maximized, which depends on the prey's initial fitness, benefits obtainable by not fleeing, energetic escape costs, and expected fitness loss due to predation risk. In current optimal escape theory, prey die when contacted by a predator. We explore effects of variable lethality, L, the probability of being killed on contact. Optimal flight initiation distance increases as lethality increases, matching expectations that prey should not flee when contact entails no fitness loss but should be increasingly wary as expected fitness loss on contact increases. Addition of lethality improves the ability of optimal escape theory to predict effects of factors affecting escape ability. Autotomy, the voluntary shedding of tails or other expendable parts as a last-ditch defense to permit escape, provides an example. After autotomy, running speed decreases in many prey, lethality increases because autotomy cannot be used again until the lost part has regenerated, and ability to obtain benefits may decrease due to reduced social status and foraging ability. These changes favor longer flight initiation distance but lowered initial fitness after autotomy has the opposite effect. Optimal escape theory including a lethality term clarifies how autotomy may lead to increase or decrease in flight initiation distance depending on the balance of its multiple effects. Effects of additional factors that may alter multiple parameters of the model, including age, sex, reproductive condition, injury, disease, and parasitism are discussed. Copyright 2009, Oxford University Press.
Induction of parturition, progesterone secretion, and delivery of placenta in beef heifers given relaxin with cloprostenol or dexamethasone.

Sixty primiparous beef heifers from a crossbreeding study were used to examine the effects of inducing parturition with relaxin (3000 U/mg) combined with cloprostenol (500 jig, i.m., n�=30) or dexamethasone (20 mg, i.m., n=30) at Day 273, 10 ± 1 days before expected parturition (Day 283). Heifers were assigned at random within cloprostenol and dexamethasone groups to receive relaxin (1 mg, n=5/treatment), i.m. or in the cervical os (OS), at 0 h (the same time as cloprostenol and dexamethasone) or 24 h later. Eleven and six first-calving heifers and sixteen and nine second-calving cows also received cloprostenol + relaxin and cloprostenol + phosphate-buffered saline, respectively. Radioimmunoassay of daily plasma samples indicated an abrupt decrease in progesterone with time (p 0.05) affect the induction interval, or the incidence and duration of retained placenta. We conclude that relaxin combined with cloprostenol or dexamethasone reduces the incidence of retained placenta, as well as shortens the period of calving in beef heifers. The incidence of retained fetal membranes is unrelated to the periparturient progesterone blood concentration, which decreases precipitously after these treatments. We suggest that rela.xin facilitates placental expulsion by modifying connective tissue in the placentomes during late pregnancy in cattle.
Capoeira as a Clinical Intervention: Addressing Adolescent Aggression With Brazilian Martial Arts

Aggression in adolescents is harmful and emotionally devastating to youth and surrounding communities. This article integrates martial arts and therapeutic principles into a culturally sensitive model that cultivates change in the aggressive behaviors of disenfranchised adolescents. The art form of Capoeira is proposed for promoting positive behavioral change. La agresion en los adolescentes es danina y emocionalmente devastadora para los jovenes y sus comunidades. Este articulo integra artes marciales y principios terapeuticos en un modelo culturalmente sensible que cultiva el cambio de los comportamientos agresivos de los adolescentes marginalizados. Se propone el arte de la Capoeira para promover un cambio positivo en el comportamiento.
Loss of hip BMD in older men: the osteoporotic fractures in men (MrOS) study.

Previous studies in older men have not evaluated whether loss of BMD or BMC accelerates nonlinearly with age. This study aimed to describe hip bone loss (both in BMC and BMD) in older men and to test whether BMD loss accelerates with age in an exponential manner in a cohort of 4720 community-dwelling men ≥65 yr of age. Men had two to three measures of femoral neck (FN) BMD (by DXA) over an average follow-up of 4.6 yr. Change in BMD during follow-up was estimated from mixed effects regression models; the significance of a quadratic term for age was evaluated. Mean FN BMD loss was 0.013 g/cm2 (−1.72%) during follow-up. The quadratic term for age was significant, and the model showed that bone loss accelerated with age. Estimated loss of FN BMD over follow-up for men 85 yr of age (0.021 g/cm2) was 2.5 times greater than the loss expected for men 65 yr of age (0.008 g/cm2); such bone loss in 85-yr-old men may be sufficient to increase the risk of hip fracture by 25% (HR per 0.021 g/cm2 cross-sectional decrease in FN BMD: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.18–1.31) over 4.6 yr. Men with lower BMD at baseline lost the most BMD over follow-up. Although average bone loss over time is modest in older men, there is considerable variability in rate of loss. Older men and those with lower BMD lose bone more rapidly, offering potential explanation for the increasing risk of fracture with advancing age.
Optimizing surgery start times for a single operating room via simulation

Operating room scheduling is often done in steps. First, surgeries are assigned to an operating room's time blocks. Assigned surgeries are then sequenced. Idle time is often reserved at the end of the time block in order to buffer against possible overtime. This research focuses on the next step of determining the amount of time reserved for each of the pre-sequenced surgeries so that surgical teams know their exact start times. In this way the buffer time is redistributed to each of the surgeries in order to minimize total overtime and idling costs. The problem is modeled as a special periodic review inventory model and a simulation-based response surface method is used to optimize surgery start times for a single operating room with stochastic operation durations represented by an infinite set of stochastic scenarios. This purposed method does not require extensive computational effort and is easy for practitioners to implement.
Partial or complete coverage of experimental spina bifida by simple intra-amniotic injection of concentrated amniotic mesenchymal stem cells

Abstract Purpose We sought to determine whether simple intra-amniotic delivery of concentrated amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (afMSCs) may elicit prenatal coverage of experimental spina bifida. Methods Time-dated pregnant Sprague–Dawley dams (n=24) exposed to retinoic acid for the induction of fetal neural tube defects were divided in three groups. Group I had no further manipulations. Groups II and III received volume-matched intra-amniotic injections of either saline (Group II) or a suspension of syngeneic afMSCs labeled with green fluorescent protein (Group III) in all fetuses (n=202) on gestational day 17 (term=21–22 days). Animals were killed before term. Statistical comparisons were by ANOVA ( P Results Of 165 fetuses viable at euthanasia, a spina bifida was present in 58% (96/165), with no significant differences in defect dimension across the groups ( P =0.19). However, variable degrees of coverage of the defect by a rudimentary skin confirmed histologically were only present in Group III ( P P =0.98). Conclusions Amniotic mesenchymal stem cells can induce partial or complete coverage of experimental spina bifida after concentrated intra-amniotic injection. Trans-amniotic stem cell therapy (TRASCET) may become a practical option in the prenatal management of spina bifida.
Co-Analytic Ranks

Given a set S a rank (or norm or index) on S is a map ϕ: S → ORD. Such a rank is called regular if ϕ(S) is an ordinal, i.e., an initial segment of ORD.
Paradigm Regained? The Rules Of Wallersteins World-System Method

The last third of the twentieth century was ushered in by a set ofeventswars, rebellions, ?nally economic crisisthat dealt a crushing blow to the previously dominant paradigm in U.S. social science, the structural-functionalist modernizationism elaborated by Talcott Parsons and his students. Within sociology, the site of much social science innovation in the post-war period, a notable splintering occurred. Already under-way in the early nineteen-sixties, this splintering was accelerated by the tumultuous events later in that decade. One of the splinters which has grown and developed most rapidly and fruitfully over the past decade has been the world-systems perspective, a formidable synthesis of continental historicism, Third World radicalism, and Marxism. The principal exponent of this perspective has been Immanuel Wallerstein (b. 1930). whose work has built upon and in turn has stimulated advances in both historical sociology and the study of contemporary development.
Analysis of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p18 and p19 in mantle-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Background: Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is characterized by overexpression of the G1 cyclin, cyclin D1, strongly implicating this cell-cycle regulatory element in MCL pathogenesis. Recently, loss-of-function mutations in cell-cycle negative regulatory elements, including p53 point mutations and deletions of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKI) pl5 and p16 have been described in a subset of MCLs and have been associated with aggressive clinical course, blastic morphology, and extranodal dissemination. The objective of the present study was to analyze two newly identified members of the p16 (INK4A; MTS1) CDKI family, p18 and p19, in MCL. Such analyses have not been previously reported. Patients and methods: DNA was isolated from tissue biopsies, peripheral blood cells, or bone marrow cells of 45 patients with MCL and 15 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Southern blot analysis was performed with p18 and p19 probes and compared to placental control DNA and to control probe hybridizations for evidence of p18 or p19 gene deletion or rearrangement. Results: P18 deletion was identified in one MCL but in no case of CLL. One MCL sample had rearrangement of the p18 gene; this case also had coexisting homozygous p15 and p16 deletion. Both cases with p18 abnormalities had blastic morphology, and one had extranodal disease with renal parenchymal invasion. Conclusions: P18 rearrangement or deletion as detected by Southern blot is a rare event in MCL, but may be associated with blastic morphology. P53 mutations and deletions of the CDKI p15 and p16 appear to be more frequent in MCL, although further studies are necessary to assess the presence of inactivating point mutations or altered expression of p16 family proteins.
EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE FOR THE EVOLUTIONARY SIGNIFICANCE OF TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENT SEX DETERMINATION.

The evolutionary significance of sex-determining mechanisms, particularly temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in reptiles, has remained unresolved despite extensive theoretical work. To investigate the evolutionary significance of this unusual sex-determining mechanism, I incubated eggs of the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) at a male-producing temperature (26°C), a female-producing temperature (30°C), and an intermediate temperature that produced both sexes about equally (28°C). Laboratory experiments indicated that two performance variables, but no morphological measurements, were significantly influenced by incubation temperature (P ≤ 0.05): hatchlings from cooler incubation treatments swam faster than turtles from warmer incubation treatments, and hatchlings from 28°C exhibited a greater propensity to run than did individuals from 26°C and 30°C. In the field, hatchlings from the all-male and all-female producing temperatures had significantly higher first-year survivorship than did consexuals from the incubation temperature that produced both sexes (G = 6.622, P = 0.03). Significant directional selection was detected on propensity of hatchlings to run (β' = -0.758, P = 0.05): turtles that tended to remain immobile had a higher probability of first-year survivorship than did individuals that moved readily. Thus, the effects of the gender × incubation temperature interaction on survivorship of hatchling turtles observed in the field experiment may have been mediated by temperature-dependent antipredator behavior. These results provide a possible functional explanation for the evolutionary significance of TSD in turtles that is consistent with predictions of theoretical models.
The Role of Lichens and Associated Fungi in the Chemical Weathering of Rock

Using iron chelation as a measure of biochemical weathering, and employing a spectrometric technique to measure the chelation, the authors studied rock lichens and fungi isolated from the same rock...
Clinical application of lying-on-the-floor total skin electron irradiation for frail patients with cutaneous lymphoma: An emphasis on the importance of in vivo dosimetry

Total skin electron irradiation (TSEI) is an effective option for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Two conventional methods used to deliver TSEI are the Stanford multiple dual field technique and the McGill rotational technique; however, both techniques require patients to stand for 10 to 30 minutes and cannot be used in nonambulatory patients. Our group has previously described technical parameters for “lying-on-the-floor” total skin electron beam therapy for nonambulatory patients.Wenow report clinical implementation of this technique in a nonambulatory patient with progressive CTCL with particular emphasis on the critical importance of in vivo dosimetry.
A simple test for moment inequality models with an application to English auctions

Abstract Testable predictions of many economic models involve inequality comparisons between transformations of nonparametric functionals. We introduce an econometric test for these types of restrictions based on one-sided L p -statistics that adapt asymptotically to the contact sets without having to directly estimate them. Monte Carlo experiments show that our test is less conservative than procedures based on least-favorable configurations and has power comparable to other contact-set based procedures. As an application, we test for interdependence of bidders’ valuations in ascending auctions. Using USFS timber auction data we reject the Independent Private Values model in favor of a model of correlated private values.
Performances of UV Mutated Rhizopus Strain and Producing Laba Beans by Fermentation of It

A strain of coloury heat Rhizopus.sp 8 was induced by UV to obtain a strain of rhizopus 1 with characters of rapid growth and wide temperature.The experiment determined amylase activity,temperature adaptability,aerobic capability and genetic stability of rhizopus 1,and determined the amino acid content in Laba beans which were produced by fermentation of rhizopus 1.The results showed that the rhizopus 1 not only adapted to a heat condition(38℃),but also can ferment,grow and mature by the same speed at the mid-temperature condition(over 18℃).Meanwhile,the protease activity of rhizopus 1 increased significantly,and the polyase activity(amylase activity) did not reduce.The characters of rhizopus 1 were stably inherited after multi-generations cultivation.
Situational Stress: A Hopi Example

ABSTRACT This paper examines stresses that are built into the normal life cycle, from a cross-cultural perspective. The case of the Hopi female is examined in some detail, showing how the role of the adult Hopi woman and the socialization she undergoes for this role puts her into a position of stress during her adolescence. For most women, this is a mildly troublesome period that is successfully overcome when they marry and have children. For some, however, stress can lead to severe depression; and this depression is culturally recognized as a situationally induced pathology.
An Efficient Rescaled Perceptron Algorithm for Conic Systems

The classical perceptron algorithm is an elementary row-action/relaxation algorithm for solving a homogeneous linear inequality system Ax > 0. A natural condition measure associated with this algorithm is the Euclidean width τ of the cone of feasible solutions, and the iteration complexity of the perceptron algorithm is bounded by 1/τ2 [see Rosenblatt, F. 1962. Principles of Neurodynamics. Spartan Books, Washington, DC]. Dunagan and Vempala [Dunagan, J., S. Vempala. 2007. A simple polynomial-time rescaling algorithm for solving linear programs. Math. Programming114(1) 101--114] have developed a rescaled version of the perceptron algorithm with an improved complexity of O(n ln (1/τ)) iterations (with high probability), which is theoretically efficient in τ and, in particular, is polynomial time in the bit-length model. We explore extensions of the concepts of these perceptron methods to the general homogeneous conic system Ax ∈ intK, where K is a regular convex cone. We provide a conic extension of the rescaled perceptron algorithm based on the notion of a deep-separation oracle of a cone, which essentially computes a certificate of strong separation. We show that the rescaled perceptron algorithm is theoretically efficient if an efficient deep-separation oracle is available for the feasible region. Furthermore, when K is the cross-product of basic cones that are either half-spaces or second-order cones, then a deep-separation oracle is available and, hence, the rescaled perceptron algorithm is theoretically efficient. When the basic cones of K include semidefinite cones, then a probabilistic deep-separation oracle for K can be constructed that also yields a theoretically efficient version of the rescaled perceptron algorithm.
Long-Term Expression of Von Willebrand Factor Via Piggybac -Mediated Gene Transfer

von Willebrand disease (vWD), caused by a deficiency in von Willebrand factor (vWF), is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, affecting up to 1% of the population; those affected have a varied bleeding phenotype. von Willebrand factor plays two important roles in hemostasis including platelet adhesion and stability of factor VIII (FVIII). As such, patients with von Willebrand disease type 3 have no measurable vWF protein and demonstrate low levels of FVIII. To date, persistent long-term expression of full-length vWF using gene transfer strategies has not been demonstrated, largely due to the immense size of vWF cDNA (8.4 kb). Non-viral vector systems, such as piggyBac , are used increasingly in gene targeting technologies and as tools for gene transfer applications. Nonviral DNA transposons are genetic elements consisting of inverted terminal DNA repeats which in their naturally occurring configuration flank a transposase coding sequence. The transposase follows a "cut and paste" mechanism to excise the transposon from its original genomic location and insert it into a new locus. The insect derived piggyBac (PB) can be engineered to carry a therapeutic transgene between the inverted terminal repeats. Advantages of this nonviral vector system include a large transgene cassette capacity, ease of production and purification, and potential for site-specific integration. We hypothesize PB -mediated vWF gene transfer will confer long-term expression and improve the bleeding phenotype in an animal model of vWD. We engineered PB transposon to carry a human von Willebrand factor cDNA (PB vWF). When transfected with PB-vWF and a hyperactive transposase, iPB7, the hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2, demonstrated secretion of vWF into supernatants compared to mock transfected controls (p in vivo gene transfer efficiency in von Willebrand deficient mice by hydrodynamic tail-vein injection using PB-vWF driven by the murine albumin enhancer/human alpha anti-trypsin promoter. vWF null mice received 25 or 50 micrograms each of the PB-vWF transposon and iPB7 to determine long-term expression and phenotypic correction. vWF levels were measured prior to injection and then every 4 weeks for up to 24 weeks. Results revealed therapeutic levels (on average 50% normal mice) of vWF post gene transfer with stable expression for 24 weeks in most mice. These data indicate the PB transposon vector system may provide a long-term gene transfer strategy for vWD. To evaluate phenotypic correction, a tail clip assay was performed at the end of the study. PB-vWF gene transfer resulted in at least partial bleeding phenotype correction via tail clip. Additionally, treated mice demonstrated a rescue of the FVIII activity. These data show that the PB vector can be used to deliver this large transgene expression cassette to the liver and achieve long-term expression and phenotypic correction in vivo . Disclosures Staber: Emergent BioSolutions: Honoraria; Baxalta: Honoraria.
Liquid droplet formation by HP1α suggests a role for phase separation in heterochromatin

Gene silencing by heterochromatin is proposed to occur in part as a result of the ability of heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) proteins to spread across large regions of the genome, compact the underlying chromatin and recruit diverse ligands. Here we identify a new property of the human HP1α protein: the ability to form phase-separated droplets. While unmodified HP1α is soluble, either phosphorylation of its N-terminal extension or DNA binding promotes the formation of phase-separated droplets. Phosphorylation-driven phase separation can be promoted or reversed by specific HP1α ligands. Known components of heterochromatin such as nucleosomes and DNA preferentially partition into the HP1α droplets, but molecules such as the transcription factor TFIIB show no preference. Using a single-molecule DNA curtain assay, we find that both unmodified and phosphorylated HP1α induce rapid compaction of DNA strands into puncta, although with different characteristics. We show by direct protein delivery into mammalian cells that an HP1α mutant incapable of phase separation in vitro forms smaller and fewer nuclear puncta than phosphorylated HP1α. These findings suggest that heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing may occur in part through sequestration of compacted chromatin in phase-separated HP1 droplets, which are dissolved or formed by specific ligands on the basis of nuclear context.
Cytokines and Sleep

Sleep, like other physiological processes, is regulated in part by humoral substances; cytokines play a major role in this endeavor. The scientific literature dealing with the humoral regulation of sleep began almost 100 years ago when Ishimori [1] showed that the transfer of cerebrospinal fluid from sleep-deprived dogs enhanced sleep in normal recipients. Within just a few years, a French group reported similar findings [2]. Within the past 40 years, several groups have replicated these findings in various species and experimental models 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8 ; 9. Today we recognize that multiple substances are involved with sleep regulation. These molecules, called sleep regulatory substances (SRSs), range from low molecular weight substances with short half lives, such as nitric oxide and adenosine, to peptides such as growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and proteins including the cytokines interleukin-1β (IL1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα). This review will focus on the roles that cytokines play in sleep regulation in health and disease.
Squeezing and stick–slip friction behaviors of lubricants in boundary lubrication

The fundamental questions of how lubricant molecules organize into a layered structure under nanometers confinement and what is the interplay between layering and friction are still not well answered in the field of nanotribology. While the phase transition of lubricants during a squeeze-out process under compression is a long-standing controversial debate (i.e., liquid-like to solid-like phase transition versus amorphous glass-like transition), recent different interpretations to the stick–slip friction of lubricants in boundary lubrication present new challenges in this field. We carry out molecular dynamics simulations of a model lubricant film (cyclohexane) confined between molecularly smooth surfaces (mica)––a prototypical model system studied in surface force apparatus or surface force balance experiments. Through fully atomistic simulations, we find that repulsive force between two solid surfaces starts at about seven lubricant layers ( n = 7) and the lubricant film undergoes a sudden liquid-like to solid-like phase transition at n
Peirce’s Concept of Signs and Kindergarten Literacy

This article focuses on Peirceâ€™s writings about his concept of triadic sign relationships and applies his theory to analyses of multimodal literacy events in a kindergarten classroom where the author was a participant observer. Examples are provided to explain Peirceâ€™s descriptions of the elements of sign relationships â€“ object, representamen, and interpretant. Peirceâ€™s theories are used to understand how the kindergarten children and their teacher make meaning from the childrenâ€™s multimodal writing productions. Possible objects and interpretants of the childrenâ€™s multimodal writings are explored. Figures of the childrenâ€™s drawings/writings and diagrams of relationships among sign elements in the kindergarten classroom are included in the paper.Â Â https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.17.5.7
Effects of twinning on gestation length, retained placenta, and dystocia.

Constraints to maximal productivity from twinning in beef cattle include increased incidence of dystocia and retained placenta, longer postpartum interval, and lower conception rate. Incidence and cause(s) of the shorter gestation length and of the increased retained placenta and dystocia associated with twinning were evaluated for 3,370 single and 1,014 twin births produced in a population of cattle selected for natural twin births. Gestation length was shorter for twin than for single pregnancies (275.6 vs. 281.3 d, P .10) by parity with twin births. Because of the shorter gestation length and the increased incidence of retained placenta and(or) dystocia, achievement of increased productivity with twinning in cattle necessitates intensive management of twin-producing dams and their calves during the calving season. Management of the increased dystocia can be facilitated by preparturient diagnosis of twin pregnancies, enabling timely administration of obstetrical assistance to facilitate delivery of twin calves and to increase their neonatal survival.
Evaporation Wave Model for Superheated Liquids

Experiments with rapid decompression of superheated liquids and droplets exploding near the superheat limit reveal the existence of steady evaporation waves. An idealized model for steady evaporation waves has been analyzed. A evaporation wave is treated as a jump or discontinuity between metastable liquid and an equilibrium vapor or liquid-vapor mixture.
Models of the Global Climate

In Chapter 1, it was asserted that the climate is a stable system, and we saw that stable systems are associated with negative feedbacks. Where, then, is the negative feedback in the climate system? It is contained within the simplest possible climate model, that for a planet with no atmosphere. Constructing this model introduces the units and dimensions used throughout this chapter.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND NATIONAL SECURITY: ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

This study offers a descriptive account of the relationship between the social media and national security in some identified countries and Nigeria. The theoretical anchorage of the study is the Uses and Gratification theory. The study critically observed that the social media has long evolved beyond being a mere social platform to satisfying other needs and purposes for which anti – terrorism is paramount since it is observed by proven news stories that terrorists are also infiltrating the social media and hijacking it for nefarious activities averse to national security. Some advanced techniques advocated by security experts through whom the social media networks and other Information and Communication Technologies can be utilized to counter and stem the current waves of national insecurities occasioned by the nefarious activities of Boko Haram were highlighted. Recommendations were offered starting from commendations to the Nigeria’s senate for the passage of the bill for an act to provide for the prohibition and punishment for electronic fraud and crime in all electronic transactions.
HIF-1α Is a Metabolic Switch between Glycolytic-Driven Migration and Oxidative Phosphorylation-Driven Immunosuppression of Tregs in Glioblastoma

The mechanisms by which regulatory T cells (Tregs) migrate to and function within the hypoxic tumor microenvironment are unclear. Our studies indicate that specific ablation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in Tregs results in enhanced CD8+ T cell suppression versus wild-type Tregs under hypoxia, due to increased pyruvate import into the mitochondria. Importantly, HIF-1α-deficient Tregs are minimally affected by the inhibition of lipid oxidation, a fuel that is critical for Treg metabolism in tumors. Under hypoxia, HIF-1α directs glucose away from mitochondria, leaving Tregs dependent on fatty acids for mitochondrial metabolism within the hypoxic tumor. Indeed, inhibition of lipid oxidation enhances the survival of mice with glioma. Interestingly, HIF-1α-deficient-Treg mice exhibit significantly enhanced animal survival in a murine model of glioma, due to their stymied migratory capacity, explaining their reduced abundance in tumor-bearing mice. Thus HIF-1α acts as a metabolic switch for Tregs between glycolytic-driven migration and oxidative phosphorylation-driven immunosuppression.
Ovarian Endometrioma with Osseous Metaplasia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract Background: Osseous metaplasia of the nonteratomatous ovary is extremely rare. This condition has been reported in association with endometriosis and certain ovarian neoplasms. Case: A 35-...
Stress-Rupture Behavior of Strands of an Organic Fiber/Epoxy Matrix

The stress-rupture behavior of strands of an organic fiber impregnated with an epoxy matrix has been studied to evaluate the long-term performance of this class of composites. An increase in the applied stress of approximately 138 MN/m 2 (20 ksi) reduces the life of the organic fiber/epoxy strands by a factor of 10. This rate of degradation is about one half that of the S-glass/epoxy composite under identical nonhostile environmental conditions. A three-parameter Weibull function can describe the stress-rupture behavior. A Weibull extrapolation of data from more than 400 tests implies that this material has a survival probability of 0.9 for ten years while sustaining an equivalent fiber stress of 2200 MN/m 2 (320 ksi).
Apolipoprotein E Genotype Modifies the Association Between Cardiac Output and Cognition in Older Adults.

Background Subtle reductions in cardiac output relate to lower cerebral blood flow, especially in regions where Alzheimer's disease pathology first develops. Apolipoprotein E (APOE)‐e4 is a genetic...
Bacterial ribonucleases and their roles in RNA metabolism

AbstractRibonucleases (RNases) are mediators in most reactions of RNA metabolism. In recent years, there has been a surge of new information about RNases and the roles they play in cell physiology....
Root system traits impact early fire blight susceptibility in apple (Malus × domestica)

Although it is known that resistant rootstocks facilitate management of fire blight disease, incited by Erwinia amylovora, the role of rootstock root traits in providing systemic defense against E. amylovora is unclear. In this study, the hypothesis that rootstocks of higher root vigor provide higher tolerance to fire blight infection in apples is tested. Several apple scion genotypes grafted onto a single rootstock genotype and non-grafted ‘M.7’ rootstocks of varying root vigor are used to assess phenotypic and molecular relationships between root traits of rootstocks and fire blight susceptibility of apple scion cultivars. It is observed that different root traits display significant (p < 0.05) negative correlations with fire blight susceptibility. In fact, root surface area partially dictates differential levels of fire blight susceptibility of ‘M.7’ rootstocks. Furthermore, contrasting changes in gene expression patterns of diverse molecular pathways accompany observed differences in levels of root-driven fire blight susceptibility. It is noted that a singular co-expression gene network consisting of genes from defense, carbohydrate metabolism, protein kinase activity, oxidation-reduction, and stress response pathways modulates root-dependent fire blight susceptibility in apple. In particular, WRKY75 and UDP-glycotransferase are singled-out as hub genes deserving of further detailed analysis. It is proposed that low root mass may incite resource-limiting conditions to activate carbohydrate metabolic pathways, which reciprocally interact with plant immune system genes to elicit differential levels of fire blight susceptibility.
Chemoprevention of Cancer: Past, Present, and Future

We present a brief review of the history of chemoprevention of cancer, the present status of this field, and its prospects for the future. Topics covered are the scientific basis for chemoprevention of cancer, drugs in current use for chemoprevention of cancer, the need for new synthetic drugs, and the challenges ahead. The special relevance of chemoprevention of pancreatic cancer is emphasized, and the importance of the use of combinations of drugs for effective prevention is also stressed.
Electrochemical reduction of europium( iii ) using tetra- n -octyl diglycolamide functionalized ordered mesoporous carbon microelectrodes

This work investigates the one-electron reduction of Eu(III) to Eu(II) with ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) in cavity microelectrode (CME) systems. OMC materials with and without tetra-n-octyl diglycolamide (TODGA) functionalization were subjected to voltammetric measurements and compared with commercial carbon black Vulcan® XC-72. The electrochemical reduction of solution Eu(III) with unfunctionalized OMC, XC-72, and TODGA-functionalized OMC—both within the electrode matrix and on the electrode surface—is reported. The complexation of Eu(III) by TODGA-functionalized OMC prior to electrode preparation incorporates Eu(III) as part of the bulk electrode matrix. Under these conditions, the high capacitance obscures the Eu(III)/Eu(II) redox couple. A signal emerges above the background (capacitive) currents when 2-octanol is added to the TODGA-functionalized OMC as a wetting agent. In contrast, surface Eu(III)–TODGA complexation, when Eu(III) contacts the electrode surface exclusively after electrode preparation, provides a strong response. The addition of 2-octanol to TODGA reduces the capacitance of the electrode and narrows the Eu(III)/Eu(II) redox peak widths. The desorption by reductive stripping of Eu(II) was demonstrated using a 2-octanol modified TODGA OMC CME, opening the possibility for selective separation of Eu from adjacent trivalent lanthanides.
Partnerships in Insurance 4.0

In the vision of insurance 4.0, the agents and intermediaries are partners of the transformation and essential components of the organizational change. When between 40 and 80 percent of the distribution is with external partners, to work in a team with them is essential in insurance 4.0. It includes the contribution of the partners as a substantial component. New solutions help in direct marketing and selling, but the relevance of agents and partners is still essential in traditional insurance companies. They must be part of the transformation for moving to insurance 4.0. The chapter also considers the importance of ecosystems in insurance 4.0. The chapter presents the best way to organize partnerships in ecosystem in light of insurance 4.0. Under this view, the partner rating, seen as a process that starts with the insurance marketing and ends with the final evaluation of the partners’ contribution, is an essential process, detailed in this chapter.
A Tube-Based Model Predictive Control Method to Regulate a Knee Joint With Functional Electrical Stimulation and Electric Motor Assist

A hybrid neuroprosthesis system is a promising rehabilitation technology to restore lower limb function in persons with paraplegia. The technology combines functional electrical stimulation (FES) and a powered lower limb exoskeleton to produce movements for walking and standing. The main control challenge in the hybrid neuroprosthesis is to achieve an optimal coordination between FES and electric motors. Model-based optimal control methods have been suggested for the control of the hybrid neuroprosthesis. However, it is often difficult to effect robust control performance with model-based optimal control methods due to modeling uncertainties. A tube-based model predictive control (MPC) method is developed to obtain robust and optimal coordination between FES and an electric motor during a knee regulation task. An external feedback control is used to limit the error between the actual position and the MPC-computed nominal position. The tube-based MPC method is proved to have recursive feasibility, compliance to input constraints, and exponentially bounded stability. The experimental results obtained from an able-bodied participant and a participant with spinal cord injury validate the controller’s ability to allocate control inputs to FES and the electric motor as well as method’s robustness to modeling uncertainties.
Optimality of Matched-Pair Designs in Randomized Controlled Trials

This paper studies the optimality of matched-pair designs in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Matched-pair designs are examples of stratified randomization, in which the researcher partitions a set of units into strata based on their observed covariates and assign a fraction of units in each stratum to treatment. A matched-pair design is such a procedure with two units per stratum. Despite the prevalence of stratified randomization in RCTs, implementations differ vastly. We provide an econometric framework in which, among all stratified randomization procedures, the optimal one in terms of the mean-squared error of the difference-in-means estimator is a matched-pair design that orders units according to a scalar function of their covariates and matches adjacent units. Our framework captures a leading motivation for stratifying in the sense that it shows that the proposed matched-pair design additionally minimizes the magnitude of the ex-post bias, i.e., the bias of the estimator conditional on realized treatment status. We then consider empirical counterparts to the optimal stratification using data from pilot experiments and provide two different procedures depending on whether the sample size of the pilot is large or small. For each procedure, we develop methods for testing the null hypothesis that the average treatment effect equals a prespecified value. Each test we provide is asymptotically exact in the sense that the limiting rejection probability under the null equals the nominal level. We run an experiment on the Amazon Mechanical Turk using one of the proposed procedures, replicating one of the treatment arms in Dellavigna and Pope (2018), and find the standard error decreases by 29%, so that only half of the sample size is required to attain the same standard error.