cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
[13C]propionate oxidation in wild-type and citrate synthase mutant Escherichia coli: evidence for multiple pathways of propionate utilization.

The metabolism of propionate was examined in wild-type Escherichia coli and cells lacking citrate synthase by high-resolution 13C n.m.r. Spectra of cell extracts from wild-type E. coli show that glutamate becomes highly enriched in 13C when 13C-enriched propionate is the sole carbon source. No glutamate labelling was detected when the tricarboxylic acid cycle was blocked either by deletion of citrate synthase or by inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase by malonate. The 13C fractional enrichment in glutamate C-2, C-3 and C-4 in wild-type cells was quantitatively and qualitatively different when [2-13C]propionate as opposed to [3-13C]propionate was supplied. Approximately equal labelling occurred in the C-2, C-3 and C-4 positions of glutamate when [3-13C]propionate was available, and multiplets due to carbon-carbon spin-spin coupling were observed. However, in cells supplied with [2-13C]propionate, very little 13C appeared in the glutamate C-4 position, and the remaining glutamate resonances all appeared as singlets. The unequal and non-identical labelling of glutamate in cells supplied with [2-13C]- as opposed to [3-13C]propionate is consistent with the utilization of propionate by E. coli via two pathways, oxidation of propionate to pyruvate and carboxylation of propionate to succinate. These intermediates are further metabolized to glutamate by the action of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The existence of an organized tricarboxylic acid cycle is discussed as a consequence of the ability to block utilization of propionate in tricarboxylic acid-cycle-defective E. coli.
Comment on "Correlation functions for ionic motion from NMR relaxation and electrical conductivity in the glassy fast-ion conductor (Li2S)0.56(SiS2)0.44"

The article by Svare et al. combines concepts from percolation and effective-medium theories to calculate the dc and ac conductivities of an ionic conducting glass. It is well known that the conditions which allow application of percolation theoretical treatments to the conductivity, exclude the applicability of effective-medium theories and vice versa. Consequently, internal inconsistencies arise in the cited treatment. These are enumerated in the light of physical arguments which explain the different theoretical perspectives.
EduPar 2016 Keynote

Summary form only given. At Carnegie Mellon University, two core courses in the computer science curriculum are key to preparing students to master parallel and distributed computing: · Introduction to Computer Systems emphasizes how the combination of hardware and software work together to support program execution and network communication, as viewed from a programmer's perspective. Among other topics, this course introduces students to concurrency synchronization, and thread-based programming. This course is the inspiration for the textbook "Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective," now in its third edition and used by over 290 schools worldwide. · Parallel and Sequential Data Structures and Algorithms serves as our introductory algorithms course. It is based on a parallel model of computation, where programs execute on a maximum of i processors. Sequential algorithms are covered as a special case having 1 ?=?. Having these courses as foundations, our students are then able to take courses in parallel computing and distributed systems that involve ambitious projects using a number of different machines and programming tools.
Ronald Reagan’s Faith and Attack on Soviet Communism

Ronald Reagan’s religious faith is a subject that, until recently, has received almost no serious attention. Not until 2004 was a scholarly treatment of Reagan’s faith published.
Recent Advances in the Ancillary Studies for Diagnosing Odontogenic Carcinomas

Odontogenic carcinomas, although representing a small proportion of head and neck malignancies, have intrigued many oral pathologists and dental researchers for decades, not only because of their unique morphologic features, but also less well-known genetic alterations and carcinogenic courses. The most recent World Health Organization classifications of the head and neck tumors provides an overarching guideline for the histologic separation of a group of malignant tumors arising in the odontogenic epithelium. [1] Recent advances in further characterizing the genetic and immunophenotypic features of these tumors provide essential tools to facilitate the diagnosis of challenging cases and better classify these carcinomas of odontogenic origin. ODONTOGENIC TUMORS WITH CLEAR CELL FEATURES Some common intraosseous neoplasms of the jaw could demonstrate prominent clear cell features, including clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (CCOC), calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT, Pindborg tumor), intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, metastatic melanoma, and metastatic salivary gland malignancy. The differential diagnoses of these entities were traditionally dependent on histologic morphology. However, substantial overlapping of these clear cell features often raise diagnostic challenges. Recent effort in analyzing the translocation of the EWSR1 gene in a number of CCOC revealed 62% of these lesions harbored this translocation, [2] similar to another morphologically similar tumor arising in the salivary gland, hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma. [3] This finding provides an additional tool to differentiate CCOC from the aforementioned common intraosseous tumors of the jaw with clear cell features. In fact, a recent report showed that some CEOT demonstrated prominent clear cells, and that these clear cells were further characterized as Langerhans cells based on immunophenotypic markers. [4] The reported tumor is negative for the EWSR1 gene translocation. [4]
The Development of Prostate Adenocarcinoma in a Transgender Male to Female Patient: Could Estrogen Therapy Have Played a Role?

BACKGROUND Prostate adenocarcinoma (PCa) is a rare diagnosis in the male to female transgender (MtFT) population with only a few case reports published in the current medical literature. Long standing beliefs of androgen suppression conferring a protective effect against prostate cancer development have been challenged by the literature citing adenocarcinoma development in the prostate of rodent models following combined estrogen and testosterone treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS We herein present a MtFT patient who presented with high grade PCa following 20 years of exogenous estrogen therapy. RESULTS Immunohistochemical (IHC) localization of estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) and progesterone receptor (PR) demonstrated positive staining in stromal cells; while, androgen receptor (AR) demonstrated positive staining in malignant glands and weak scattered staining in adjacent stroma. CONCLUSION This pattern of staining raises concern for a possible contributing role of exogenous estrogen therapy in tumorigenesis. As awareness of gender dysphoria and acceptance of gender reassignment surgery has seen a recent increase, the unique needs of this population must be recognized. Prostate 77:824–828, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Metabolomic profiling in a Hedgehog Interacting Protein (Hhip) murine model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Genetic variants annotated to the hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP) are robustly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Hhip haploinsufficiency in mice leads to increased susceptibility towards the development of emphysema following exposure to chronic cigarette smoke (CS). To explore the molecular pathways which contribute to increased susceptibility, we performed metabolomic profiling using high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy (LC/MS-MS) on plasma, urine, and lung tissue of Hhip +/− heterozygotes and wild type (Hhip +/+) C57/BL6 mice exposed to either room-air or CS for six months. Univariate comparisons between groups were made with a combined fold change ≥2 and Student’s t-test p-value < 0.05 to denote significance; associations with mean alveolar chord length (MACL), a quantitative measure of emphysema, and gene-by-environment interactions were examined using empiric Bayes-mediated linear models. Decreased urinary excretion of cotinine despite comparable plasma levels was observed in Hhip +/− heterozygotes; a strong gene-by-smoking association was also observed. Correlations between MACL and markers of oxidative stress such as urinary methionine sulfoxide were observed in Hhip +/− but not in Hhip +/+ mice. Metabolite set enrichment analyses suggest reduced antioxidant capacity and alterations in macronutrient metabolism contribute to increased susceptibility to chronic CS-induced oxidative stress in Hhip haploinsufficiency states.
Buchbesprechung von Nature, Technology and Cultural Change in Twentieth-Century German Literature: The Challenge of Ecocriticism, von Axel Goodbody (Houndmills, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007)

Book Review of Axel Goodbody's Nature, Technology and Cultural Change in Twentieth-Century German Literature: The Challenge of Ecocriticism. Recension de Nature, Technology and Cultural Change in Twentieth-Century German Literature: The Challenge of Ecocriticism , de Axel Goodbody.
Battling the Stigma: Combat Veterans’ Use of Social Support in an Online PTSD Forum

Guided by the social support framework, this article identifies types of support sought and received by combat veterans with PTSD in an online forum. We conducted a thematic analysis of 466 posts by 63 military personnel and partners to identify types and frequencies of social support. Findings are partially consistent with previous investigations of support groups. The most common type of support was informational support, followed by network/community support, and idiosyncratic types of support. However, emotional support was not featured as prominently in comparison to support groups reported on in past research. In addition, our analysis identified concern for forum members and conflict/resolution as two new social support sub-categories. Selective coding revealed three broad themes of social support in the PTSD forum: stigma, group identification, and embracing conflict. We discuss implications and directions for future research using the social support framework.
Application of suomi-npp/viirs data in near real time flood detection

As the costliest natural disaster over the globe, floods are predicted to become more frequent in most climate change forecasts. In high latitudes, floods are caused by ice jam and snow melt almost every break-up season. Floods caused by intense rainfall also threaten lives and social infrastructures. Near real-time satellite-derived flood maps are invaluable to river forecasters and decision-makers for disaster monitoring and relief efforts.
Fragmented Antenna Realization Using Coupled Small Radiating Elements

This paper reports on the feasibility of formation of an electrically large antenna at low frequencies using a number of miniaturized antennas through electromagnetic coupling for achieving high bandwidth. The proposed fragmented antenna system is intended for a swarm of small unmanned aerial vehicles in a linear flight formation. Inductively end-loaded folded dipole antennas are used as radiating elements. The small antennas are designed so that they can individually radiate with small bandwidth when isolated. The overall dimensions and the total mass of these fabricated elements are $12 \times 10\times 10$ cm ( $0.096\lambda _{0}\times 0.08\lambda _{0}\times 0.08\lambda _{0}$ at 240 MHz) and 18 g (including the matching network), respectively. Each miniaturized antenna can only provide 2.4 MHz (~1%) bandwidth and $25~\Omega $ input impedance. Having proper electromagnetic coupling between a cluster of three of such elements, measurement results demonstrate that the middle element can provide 18.4 MHz bandwidth (7.7%, 7.7 fold improvement) and $126~\Omega $ input impedance when the other two elements are loaded with optimal reactive elements. Moreover, the proposed configuration shows 1 dB gain improvement at boresight direction. The effects of flight formation fluctuations on the coupled antennas are also investigated, and it is shown that as the separation distance between the coupled antennas increases, the input impedance and bandwidth enhancement decrease. To overcome this problem, a tunable matching circuit containing a single varactor is proposed. Measurement results are shown to be in good agreement with the simulation predictions.
Women’s Sexual Violence Victimization and Sexual Health: Implications for Risk Reduction

Abstract Research consistently demonstrates that women’s experiences with sexual victimization are associated with increased sexual health risks. In this literature review, we describe the global associations between women’s sexual victimization and sexual health concerns. We present research on the intrapersonal factors that might account for this association, including mental health factors such as psychological distress and substance use, as well as other individual considerations such as self-efficacy and sexual assertiveness. Partner-related factors, such as negative and coercive responses to condom use requests, reproductive coercion, and partner risk level, are also discussed. Additionally, we present information about the ways in which women’s sexual health may be compromised from sexual assault events resulting in genital injuries, sexually transmitted infections, or unwanted pregnancy. We then discuss the implications of this body of work and suggest future directions for research, prevention, and clinical approaches that address the critical linkages between women’s sexual victimization and sexual health.
Nonaqueous Lyotropic Liquid Crystals of Lecithin and Oligomers of Polyethylene Glycols

Liquid crystals of lecithin plus mono-, di-, tri- and tetra- ethylene glycols were identified as lamellar with low angle X-ray diffraction determinations and from their optical patterns in polarized light.
Inspiring geoscience — Earth Science Week 2018

Exploration always involves creative problem-solving, risk-taking, and critical-thinking skills. This is true in the arts as well as science. And that is why Earth Science Week 2018 is exploring th...
A pilot, phase I clinical trial to determine the biological effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on par-4 levels in patients with surgically removable solid tumors.

e14555Background: Prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4, also called PAWR) is a tumor suppressor that induces apoptosis in diverse cancer cells but not in normal cells. The baseline levels of Par-4 ...
Culturally Adapted, Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Spanish-Speaking Individuals With Substance Use Disorders: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives. To evaluate whether adding Web-based cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) to standard outpatient psychiatric or addiction treatment improved substance use outcomes.Methods. We conducted...
Conditions of visibility: An intersectional examination of Black women's belongingness and distinctiveness at work

Abstract Employees face tensions to feel as if they are seen and appreciated as unique individuals while also feeling as if they belong in their workgroups and organizations. To resolve these tensions, scholars and practitioners advice that employees seek optimal distinctiveness—that is, increase their uniqueness without sacrificing belongingness—to feel valued and included at work. We argue, however, that marginalized employees may not have control over their distinctiveness and belongingness at work. In this paper, we argue that the high and low dimensions of belongingness and distinctiveness interact to create conditions of visibility that distort how Black women are seen, evaluated, and treated in the workplace. We argue that these conditions of visibility are gendered and racialized—that is, reinforced through hierarchies that systemically normalize Whiteness and maleness in organizations. We elaborate on these four conditions—precarious visibility, invisibility, hypervisibility, and partial visibility—and how they affect Black women's vocational experiences. Collectively, these conditions of visibility broaden our understanding of Black women's career trajectories as inextricably related to deeper structures of race, gender, and power in organizations and society at large. Therefore, we conclude with strategies to counteract how conditions of visibility undermine the careers and well-being of Black women and marginalized employees more broadly.
Engaging Ethics in Postcritical Ethnography: Troubling Transparency, Trustworthiness, and Advocacy

In this article, we engage with some of the ethical challenges we faced during a four-year postcritical ethnography that focused on the resettlement experiences of Burundians with refugee status living in southern Appalachia in the United States.We discuss how we navigated decisions about what and how to share all that we learned, particularly as we sought to protect and honor what participants shared and experienced. Broadly, we frame our decision-making process in relation to the notions of ethics in practice and relational ethics. Notably, we complicate commitments to transparency, trustworthiness, and advocacy, as we examine issues of responsibility and representation. We conclude by offering three considerations or "lessons learned" for qualitative researchers, including the: 1. value of generating a layered account of experience; 2. potentiality of experimental forms of writing, and 3. importance of foregrounding relational ethics.
Linking Proficiency Test Scores to Classroom Instruction

This study relates scores on listening, reading, and speaking proficiency tests in a Chinese program to what happens in the classroom. Data were collected as part of the Flagship Proficiency Grant to document progress on the ACTFL scale. Qualitative data in the form of classroom observations and focus group interviews with a subset of students and teachers were also collected. Information from the observations was put into activity charts that documented the focus of lesson segments as well as the type of interaction and the amount of Chinese spoken. Comments from Chinese students and teachers were coded to determine what themes emerged and whether or not there was consistency in views of the program among the students and teachers. These themes were then related to test scores and progress. In some cases, such as speaking scores, we can see that the type of speaking activities may not have pushed to students to the higher levels. Throughout the chapter, I discuss what data were collected and contrast them with data that would have been helpful to collect so that an ideal mixed methods study could have been conducted.
Single institutional experience of bevacizumab-based regimens in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

e15138 Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascular tumors and angiogenesis play an important role in HCC prognosis and treatment response. Our study aim to evaluate the efficacy...
Abstract CS1-2: Breast cancer genetic testing and results in diverse populations

Sequencing multiple (20-100) cancer-associated genes has rapidly become the clinical standard for hereditary cancer risk assessment. In patients with breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have been most widely tested, but a significant number of patients are now found to carry pathogenic (or likely pathogenic) variants in many other genes whose cancer risks are less well-characterized. Moreover, multiple-gene sequencing is associated with a higher rate of uncertain results (variants of uncertain significance), which are more prevalent among racial/ethnic minorities. While pathogenic variants in less well-characterized genes are prevalent, the appropriate management of carriers remains unclear. Questions remain about the magnitude of risk associated with a pathogenic variant in a specific gene; the spectrum of associated cancers; and the extent to which these factors are modified by family cancer history. Data are emerging from epidemiologic studies in various settings. However, clinical practice requires real-time decisions about whom to test, and for which cancers to screen, despite an incomplete evidence base. This lecture will review the current state of the science on genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk. We have recently collaborated with genetic testing laboratories to link the results of clinical genetic testing to Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry records of >150,000 breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer patients. I will present results from the SEER-GeneLINK research initiative, focusing on the use, correlates and outcomes of genetic testing on the population level. Citation Format: Kurian A. Breast cancer genetic testing and results in diverse populations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr CS1-2.
2029 - THE RELAPSED B-CELL ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA IMMUNE MICROENVIRONMENT

As with most cancer types, there remains a subset of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) patients who will relapse and succumb to therapy-resistant disease. It is believed that tumour heterogeneity underpins therapy failure leading to a Darwinian model of clonal evolution, however, such studies do not account for the role of the bone marrow microenvironment in supporting leukaemia survival, progression and escape from treatment. Here, we perform single-cell RNA-Sequencing (scRNA-Seq) to generate a comprehensive map of the primary human B-ALL bone marrow immune microenvironment throughout three distinct stages of the human leukemic disease process: diagnosis, remission and relapse. These studies show extensive re-modelling of the immune microenvironment composition and cell-to-cell interactions throughout the course conventional chemotherapy, and uncover a role for inflammatory leukaemia-associated monocytes in promoting B-ALL pathogenesis in vivo. These monocytic subsets are predictive of Ph+ B-ALL patient event-free survival and when targeted in B-ALL animal models, lead to prolonged disease remission. Our profiling of the human B-ALL bone marrow immune microenvironment provides a greater understanding of the potential extrinsic regulators of B-ALL survival and may highlight previously unknown environmental factors influencing immune-based treatment approaches to high-risk B-ALL.
Framing the Indies: the Renaissance aesthetics of Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo (1478–1557)

In the Sumario and the Historia general, Oviedo applies the knowledge of Renaissance art and artists that he had acquired in his youth in Spain and Italy, and that is reflected in the Batallas y qu...
Lower Critical Solution Temperature Behavior in Polyelectrolyte Complex Coacervates

In light of recent experimental observations of lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in polyelectrolyte complex coacervates (Ali, S. ACS Macro Lett. 2019, 8, 289−293), we explore its possible...
Non-muscle myosin-2 contractility-dependent actin turnover limits the length of epithelial microvilli

ABSTRACT Epithelial brush borders are large arrays of microvilli that enable efficient solute uptake from luminal spaces. In the context of the intestinal tract, brush border microvilli drive functions that are critical for physiological homeostasis, including nutrient uptake and host defense. However, cytoskeletal mechanisms that regulate the assembly and morphology of these protrusions are poorly understood. The parallel actin bundles that support microvilli have their pointed-end rootlets anchored in a highly crosslinked filamentous meshwork referred to as the “terminal web”. Although classic EM studies revealed complex ultrastructure, the composition, organization, and function of the terminal web remains unclear. Here, we identify non-muscle myosin-2C (NM2C) as a major component of the brush border terminal web. NM2C is found in a dense, isotropic layer of puncta across the sub-apical domain, which transects the rootlets of microvillar actin bundles. Puncta in this network are separated by ∼210 nm, dimensions that are comparable to the expected size of filaments formed by NM2C. In primary intestinal organoid cultures, the terminal web NM2C network is highly dynamic and exhibits continuous remodeling. Using pharmacological and genetic perturbations to disrupt NM2C activity in cultured intestinal epithelial cells, we found that this motor controls the length of growing microvilli by regulating actin turnover in a manner that requires a fully active motor domain. Our findings answer a decades old question on the function of terminal web myosin and hold broad implications for understanding apical morphogenesis in diverse epithelial systems.
Genetic diagnosis of a case with primary ciliary dyskinesia type 29 by next generation sequencing

Objective To explore the clinical and genetic features of a child with primary ciliary dyskinesia. Methods Genomic DNA of the child and her parents was extracted and subjected to targeted gene capture and next generation sequencing. Suspected mutation was verified by Sanger sequencing, with its nature and impact predicted by Bioinformatic analysis. Results Clinical manifestations of the child mainly included severe pneumonia, bronchiectasia, nasosinusitis and pneumothorax. DNA sequencing showed that she has carried compound heterozygous mutations of the CCNO gene, namely c. 848T>C (p.L283P) and c. 262_263insGGCCCGGCCC (p.Q88Rfs*51), which were respectively inherited from her mother and father. Conclusion The child was diagnosed with primary ciliary dyskinesia caused by the compound heterozygous mutations of the CCNO gene. Key words: CCNO gene; Compound heterozygous mutation; Primary ciliary dyskinesia
Strategies to Achieve High Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Colloidal Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Nanocrystals

Colloidal metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with chiral ligands are outstanding candidates as a circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) light source due to many advantages such as high pho...
Retinal Cotton Wool Spot associated with Cladribine therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

Cladribine has been shown to lower relapse rates and decrease disease progression in patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Reported adverse effects with use of cladribine include lymphopenia, neutropenia, and infections. Ocular complications have not previously been described with cladribine. We report the case of a patient developing visual symptoms and a large retinal cotton wool spot in association with initiation of cladribine therapy.
Categorisation of EEG suppression using enhanced feature extraction for SUDEP risk assessment

Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) has increased in awareness considerably over the last two decades and is acknowledged as a serious problem in epilepsy. However, the scientific community remains unclear on the reason or possible bio markers that can discern potentially fatal seizures from other non-fatal seizures. The duration of postictal generalized EEG suppression (PGES) is a promising candidate to aid in identifying SUDEP risk. The length of time a patient experiences PGES after a seizure may be used to infer the risk a patient may have of SUDEP later in life. However, the problem becomes identifying the duration, or marking the end, of PGES (Tomson et al. in Lancet Neurol 7(11):1021–1031, 2008; Nashef in Epilepsia 38:6–8, 1997). This work addresses the problem of marking the end to PGES in EEG data, extracted from patients during a clinically supervised seizure. This work proposes a sensitivity analysis on EEG window size/delay, feature extraction and classifiers along with associated hyperparameters. The resulting sensitivity analysis includes the Gradient Boosted Decision Trees and Random Forest classifiers trained on 10 extracted features rooted in fundamental EEG behavior using an EEG specific feature extraction process (pyEEG) and 5 different window sizes or delays (Bao et al. in Comput Intell Neurosci 2011:1687–5265, 2011). The machine learning architecture described above scored a maximum AUC score of 76.02% with the Random Forest classifier trained on all extracted features. The highest performing features included SVD Entropy, Petrosan Fractal Dimension and Power Spectral Intensity. The methods described are effective in automatically marking the end to PGES. Future work should include integration of these methods into the clinical setting and using the results to be able to predict a patient’s SUDEP risk.
A 17,000-year multi-proxy study of the Indian Summer Monsoon from Lake Dian, Yunnan, China

Abstract Continuous lacustrine records of the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) that span the Pleistocene-Holocene transition to the present are relatively rare, yet crucial to providing context to future changes in hydroclimate. We summarize here a 17,000 year continuous multi-proxy record of hydroclimate and primary productivity from Lake Dian in the central Yunnan Province of China. Analysis of sediment composition, opal, carbon to nitrogen ratios, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios, and magnetic susceptibility (MS) are used to identify four distinct units in the sediment record. Unit I sediments from 17,000 to 11,500 years BP are characterized by high MS and uniformly low organic and opal content interrupted by a decrease in MS during the Bolling-Allerod indicating the influence of the North Atlantic on the ISM. We interpret this to reflect cold, dry, and windy conditions during the transition out of the Last Glacial Maximum. Unit II from 11,500 to 5000 years BP is marked by a pronounced decrease in MS, increase in opal, and decrease in δ13Corg of organic carbon driven by peak warmth and wet conditions increasing productivity. Unit III from 5000 to 1800 years BP shows further increases in primary productivity, marked by lower carbon to nitrogen ratios and carbonate precipitation, possibly driven by a drop in lake level. A period of aridity is in wide agreement with a number of other records from the region. Unit IV from 1800 years BP to present is dominated by anthropogenic impacts and hallmark signs of catchment soil erosion and cultural eutrophication. Our interpretations of the Dian sediment record agree well with previous palynological work and add a new dimension to our understanding of lake hydrology and productivity over the past 17,000 years.
Common and uncommon chest computed tomography findings at hospital admission with COVID-19 pneumonia

COVID-19 pneumonia is a serious health issue in the current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. PCR testing is limited due to a number of factors and imaging has role in decision-making for many of these patients. We present computed tomography chest images of patients hospitalized with suspicion of COVID-19 pneumonia and point out the common and uncommon features on imaging to assist management of these patients.
Fatigue life estimation of structures under statistically and spectrally similar variable amplitude loading

Abstract A new fatigue life prediction framework provides an improved life prediction under statistically and spectrally similar irregular variable-amplitude loading for a notched beam model. It enables the cumulative damage rule to account for the load sequence effects by modifying the probability density function of the stress-amplitude history through (1) identification of overloads based on the rainflow-counting algorithm; (2) analytical characterization of the overload retardation effects; and (3) correction to the damage rule using overload amplitude rate characterization. The fatigue lives estimated from experimentally acquired and synthetically generated load-time histories are compared to the ones generated from simulations that qualitatively reproduce the fatigue lives in physical experiments. The notable improvement in prediction accuracy outperforms the Palmgren–Miner’s rule and power-spectrum-based life estimation. The demonstrated application to the field acceleration data substantiates its use for in-service structural health monitoring and damage prognosis. This framework does not require a priory knowledge of the applied load, and it can be applied to other engineered structures with known structural and defect properties.
Correlation-Informed Permutation of Qubits for Reducing Ansatz Depth in the Variational Quantum Eigensolver

Symmetries offer simple solutions to complex problems: A permutation scheme allows solving high complexity problems in quantum chemistry with simple and short quantum circuits.
An Apple a Day Keeps Dialysis Away.

Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for kidney failure and improves both quality of life and mortality. There is a growing discrepancy between eligible recipients on the waiting list and the number of suitable donor kidneys. In the United States, the average waiting list time is about
Soil and phosphorus accretion rates in sub-tropical wetlands: Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas as a case example.

Abstract Wetlands are known to serve as sinks for particulate matter and associated nutrients and contaminants. Consequently rate of soil accretion is critical for continued performance of wetlands to provide ecosystem services including water quality improvement and reduce excess contaminant loads into downstream waters. Here we demonstrate a new technique to determine rate of soil accretion in selected subtropical treatment wetlands located in southern USA. We also report changes in soil accretion rates and subsequent phosphorus (P) removal efficiency with increasing operational history of these treatment wetlands. Utilizing discernible signatures preserved within the soil depth profiles, ‘change points’ (CP) that corresponded to specific events in the life history of a wetland were determined. The CP was observed as an abrupt transition in the physico-chemical properties of soil as a manifestation of prevailing historical conditions (e.g. startup of treatment wetlands in this case). Vertical depth of CP from the soil surface was equivalent to the depth of recently accreted soil (RAS) and used for soil accretion rate calculations. Annual soil and P accretion rates determined using CP technique (CPT) in studied wetlands ranged from 1.0 ± 0.3 to 1.7 ± 0.8 cm yr − 1 and 1.3 ± 0.6 to 3.3 ± 2 g m − 2 yr − 1 , respectively. There was no difference in RAS depth between emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation communities found at the study location. Our results showed that soil and P accretion rates leveled off after 10 yr of treatment wetlands' operation. On comparison, soil accretion rates and RAS depth determined by CPT were commensurate with that measured by other techniques. CPT can be easily used where a reliable record of wetland establishment date or some significant alteration/perturbation is available. This technique offers a relatively simple alternative to determine vertical accretion rates in free-water surface wetlands.
Tyrosine phosphorylation of HSC70 may mediate methotrexate resistance in murine L210 leukemia cells (655.5)

We previously identified and characterized a 66-68 kDa membrane-associated, tyrosine phosphorylated protein in murine leukemia L1210 cells as HSC70 which is a methotrexate (MTX) - binding protein. We further characterize the functional role of HSC70 in regulating MTX resistance in L1210 cells. The tyrosine phosphorylation status of the HSC70 in the membrane fraction is different between the parental L1210/0 and cisplatin (CDDP)-MTX cross resistant L1210/DDP cells. The binding assay with MTX-agarose beads showed HSC70 in the L1210/DDP cells had less binding ability with MTX compared with L1210/0 cells. In addition, genistein (a tyrosine phosphorylation inhibitor) significantly enhanced the resistance of L1210/0 cells to MTX. In addition, site-directed mutation studies indicated the importance of tyrosine phosphorylation of HSC70 in regulating its binding to MTX. These studies suggested that tyrosine phosphorylation may contribute to the functions of HSC70 in regulating MTX resistance in L1210 cells.Grant F...
Economic Development at the Cost of Human Rights: China Nonferrous Metal Industry in Zambia

introDuCtion The international human rights system is primarily based on the relationship between the state and its citizens. The overarching question is where the responsibility for human rights does and should lie in a world where the movement of human beings, goods, and capital are increasingly transnational in scope. The amount of responsibility that powerful actors like international corporations should have for protecting human rights is unclear. How this responsibility should be understood in relation to the responsibility of the state to protect its own people from human rights violations and also pursue strategies to hold international corporations accountable is also debated.
Coalitions and Competition in Malaysia – Incremental Transformation of a Strong-party System

The seeming entrenchment of a two-coalition system in Malaysia solidifies the centrality of strongly institutionalised parties in the polity. The primary parties in Malaysia reach deeply into society and nest within dense networks of both intra-party and external organisations. Given this order – which differentiates Malaysia from its neighbours in the region – political liberalisation, if it happens, should be expected largely via electoral politics, and, specifically, through inter-party challenges. Indeed, the ideological and material premises of the emergent Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance) differ substantially from those of the long-standing Barisan Nasional (National Front), even as both pursue the same broad swathe of voters. This distinction reflects and furthers transformation in Malaysian politics, including not just a shift in the salience of communal identities and in policy proposals and issues, but also in patterns of political engagement both within and outside of parties, regardless of which coalition controls parliament.
Collision detection of two fast moving objects

To model the status of collision of two fast moving objects in the field of space science and computer aided geometric design, one approach is to perform high-precision orbit and forward propagations of two objects, then compare the distance between them at closely spaced instants of time to determine the moment of closest approach, and then compute its minimum distance. The mathematical and physical formulation of two fast moving objects is the corresponding position covariance ellipsoids. In this paper, we assume that the fast moving object's positional uncertainty is along its moving direction and the three principal axes of the covariance ellipsoid are mutually orthogonal. A physics based simulation has been developed in order to detect three different stages of the two objects collision. To detect status of collision, we use a new analytical method to compute eigenvalues and compare the analytical solution with other well-known numerical computation approach. This analytical approach shows that if the characteristic equation has at least two negative real solutions, then the ellipsoids are separated. In addition, if the ellipsoids share a common point, or touch one another, the characteristic equation has a positive double real solution and the discriminant of the quadratic equations is zero. Moreover, two or more complex eigenvalues are obtained when it is a complete penetration of one ellipsoid by another. An advantage of using the analytical approach is not only that it yields direct solutions with numerical approximation and iteration, but also it is computationally efficient and accurate. Furthermore, we introduce the eigenvalues prescreening method to reduce the computing time and to detect the collision of fast moving two objects. The symbolic manipulation tool provides the capability to prescreen results and solves a system of four simultaneous non-linear equations. An advantage of prescreening the eigenvalues is not only that it indicates the status of two objects, but also it is computationally efficient. This prescreening methodology, in conjunction with the analytical approach, provides the detection of collision tool for the fast moving objects.
Extraction of DNA from plant tissues

Extraction procedures for plant DNA in general must accomplish the following. (1) The cell walls must be broken (or digested away) in order to release the cellular constituents. This is usually done by grinding the tissue in dry ice or liquid nitrogen with a mortar and pestel or a food grinder. (2) The cell membranes must be disrupted, so that the DNA is released into the extraction buffer. This is accomplished by using a detergent, usually SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) or CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide). (3) The DNA must be protected from the endogenous nucleases. The detergents are used for this purpose, as is EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). It is a chelating agent that binds magnesium ions, generally considered a necessary cofactor for most nucleases (but see note f, below). In addition, the buffer/tissue mixture is emulsified with either chloroform or phenol to denature and separate the proteins from the DNA. (4) Shearing of the DNA should be minimized. DNA in solution can be broken by exposure to turbulence (e.g., being quickly drawn through a small orifice). Typically, DNA 50–100 kb in length can be obtained without great care being taken. (5) The time between thawing of the frozen, pulverized tissue and its exposure to the extraction buffer should be minimized to avoid nucleolytic degradation of the DNA.
Is age a risk factor for Candida glabrata colonisation

Summary Studies have reported that Candida glabrata infections are more common in older adults. We sought to determine colonisation rates of C. glabrata in the oral cavity and its relationship with age, comorbid illnesses and hospital or extended care facility stay. Samples were obtained from four sites in the oral cavity and from dentures, when available, from 408 subjects from the community (136), hospital (126) or an extended care facility (146). Overall, 219 (53.7%) subjects were colonised with yeast; the predominant species was Candida albicans. Sixty-two patients (15.2%) were colonised with C. glabrata. None of the subjects 60 years, were colonised with C. glabrata. By multivariate analysis, increasing age, dentures and use of psychotropic medications were independently associated with C. glabrata colonisation; residing in the community, rather than hospital or extended care, was strongly protective against colonisation. Candida glabrata colonisation is multifactorial; age, and hospitalisation ⁄extended care stay contribute to colonisation. Dentures are strongly associated with colonisation with any yeast and with C. glabrata. Further study is needed to evaluate the relationship of these findings to increasing C. glabrata infections in older adults.
Fan Behavior and Lifespan Development Theory: Explaining Para-social and Social Attachment to Celebrities

The theories of Levinson (1986 Am Psychol 41(1):3–13) and Erikson (1959 Identity and the life cycle. WW Norton and Co, New York, 1968 Youth and crisis. WW Norton and Co, New York), Bandura’s (1986 Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs) Social Cognitive Theory, and the ethological attachment theories of Bowlby (1969 Attachment and loss, Vol. 1, attachment. Hogarth, London), and Ainsworth (1978 Patterns of attachment: a psychological study of the strange situation. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale) are used in a discussion of the para-social and social relationships that fans have with celebrities. Fans’ attachments to celebrities play primary and secondary roles in the developmental stages of adulthood and transitions between those stages. Celebrities are role models for adults, and attachment develops in much the same way it develops in face-to-face relationships, e.g. through proximity and familiarity with the face, voice, and manner of the celebrity. Included are examples from the fan research of the author. One conclusion is that fan attachments are often part of the normal course of adult development in the areas of identity, intimacy, and generativity. Additionally, application of Levinson’s concept of stage transitions suggested that this might be a time when relationships with celebrities are more likely to begin.
Feeding of American and oriental cockroaches on baits imbedded in paraffin.

Numerous American, Periplaneta americana (L.), and oriental, Blatta orientalis (L.), cockroaches breed in sewers amid human wastes, and enter nearby buildings. When either species is found indoors, a wet breeding source can generally be discovered nearby. The potential health hazards and annoyances from these cockroach movements appear obvious, Elimination of the cockroaches at the breeding source is widely practiced to prevent movement into buildings. Space treatments and residual applications have been employed in sewers and are renewed periodically to maintain control. Investigators have reported good results with baits against cockroaches, and apparently baiting is a valuable addition to current indoor control methods (Anonymous 1971, Keller et al. 1956, Lofgren and Burden 1958, MacDonald and Huvar 1961, Neely and Mattingley 1966, Pence 1961, Tyler 1964. Baiting cockroaches out-of-doors has received little consideration, possibly because effective baits made for interior use may be unsuitable, because of spoilage in wet situations, However, if an effective bait could be made which would greatly resist spoilage, extended control might be obtainable with a single baiting. A long-lasting bait could replace several residual or space treatments and would reduce costs.
Reinsertion of accidentally dislodged catheters through the original track: what is the likelihood of success?

Purpose To determine the success rate for reinsertion of interventional radiology–placed catheters that were accidentally removed by using the existing percutaneous track and to investigate factors that influence success rate. Materials and Methods The authors performed a retrospective analysis of 225 patients who presented with dislodged catheters (24 tunneled central venous catheters, 170 gastrostomy/jejunostomy tubes, 25 nephrostomy catheters, five biliary catheters, and one transhepatic hemodialysis catheter) and underwent attempts for reinsertion between 1999 and 2007. Data obtained from the radiology information system included the type of catheter and the indwelling and reinsertion times. Results The overall success rate for reinsertion was 87%. Success of reinsertion was associated with longer catheter indwelling times compared to patients who failed reinsertion (254 vs 100 days, P P Conclusions Reinsertion of catheters by using the cutaneous track can be performed successfully during the first days after dislodgement. Success rates vary on the basis of catheter type and indwelling and reinsertion times.
Finite element approach for density functional theory calculations on locally-refined meshes

We present a quadratic finite element approach to discretize the Kohn-Sham equations on structured non-uniform meshes. A multigrid FAC preconditioner is proposed to iteratively solve the equations by an accelerated steepest descent scheme. The method was implemented using SAMRAI, a parallel software infrastructure for general AMR applications. Examples of applications to small nanoclusters calculations are presented.