cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allometric Relationships among the Shoulder Muscles in the Chiroptera

Several empirical determinations of the power requirements of different sized birds suggest that large birds require relatively more power to fly than small birds do. However, large birds do not appear to have relatively more flight musculature than small birds. Presently available information indicates that the same is true of different sized bats. To gain more insight into the allometry of the shoulder musculature in bats this study presents the results of linear regression analyses comparing the dry masses of 23 bat shoulder muscles with body mass for 29 species of bats. The results of the study suggest that there is an overall trend toward positive allometry among the shoulder musculature, and that five of the 23 muscles have regression line slopes which are significantly greater than the isometry value of 1.0. The relatively low degree of positive allometry seen in most of the shoulder muscles is probably due primarily to the fact that large bats generally adopt behaviors which require relatively less power than those of smaller bats, allowing them to function without a significant increase in the relative size of the flight musculature. Osteological specializations related to increasing the efficiency of the flight musculature of large bats may also be involved in maintaining a low level of positive allometry. The effects of the windstream in aiding wing elevation during the first part of the upstroke may be greater in large bats than in small ones, and may contribute to the reduced positive allometry of some of the upstroke musculature. Those muscles whose actions during the upstroke cannot be aided by windstream forces all show a relatively high level of positive allometry.
Structure-function relationships in pyruvate and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes.

Enzyme systems that catalyze a lipoic acid-mediated oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate and α-ketoglutarate have been isolated from microbial and eukaryotic cells as functional units with molecular weights in the millions. Each complex consists of three catalytic components: pyruvate dehydrogenase or α -ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (E1); dihydrolipoyl transacetylase or dihydrolipoyl trans-succinylase (E2); and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (E3), a flavopro-tein that is a common component of the two complexes. These three enzymes, acting in sequence, catalyze1 the reactions shown in Fig. 1, E1 catalyzes both the decarboxylation of the α -keto acid (reaction 1) and the subsequent reductive acylation of the lipoyl moiety (reaction 2) that is covalently bound2 to E2. E2 catalyzes the tran-sacylation step (reaction 3), and E3 catalyzes reoxidation of the dihydrolipoyl moiety with NAD+ as the ultimate electron acceptor (reactions 4 and 5). The pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes from eukaryotic cells also contain small amounts of two regulatory enzymes, a kinase and a phosphatase, that modulate the activity of E1 by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, respectively.3
Demography of a Small and Isolated Population of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus) Threatened by Vegetative Succession

Abstract Reforestation of early successional vegetation types has been implicated in the decline and extirpation of snake species dependent on exposed basking sites. Consequently, basking-site improvement measures (e.g., brush clearing) are frequently proposed to conserve threatened and endangered snake populations; however, demographic response of snakes to vegetation manipulation is largely unknown. This study measured changes in reproductive fitness, survival, and abundance of females in an isolated population of endangered Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus) in years before and after cutting of woody vegetation to create basking opportunities. We marked a total of 181 snakes from 2006 to 2014, over which time substantial vegetation was cleared in key gestation areas to increase availability of basking sites for gravid females. Reproductive cycles of females in this population appeared to be primarily biennial, with parturition dates strongly influenced by maximum daily summer tempera...
Motives, meaning, and context: the Aurelian Wall and the late Roman state

The preceding look at the immense logistical hurdles inherent in the construction and maintenance of the Aurelian Wall raises another query as yet insufficiently explored, for all (or perhaps because of) its apparent obviousness: why was the thing built in the first place, and subsequently so laboriously rebuilt and renovated? As it turns out, the question of what the Wall was supposed to do is rather less straightforward than it might seem; and “defense,” the preferred response to date, provides only a partial explanation. Although the political and strategic military dynamics of the late empire cannot be overlooked, they are perhaps more usefully seen as the foundation for the “what for?” inquiry, rather than the final word. The same can be said for the treatment of the Wall in its broader context, as part of a widespread spate of wall-building during the later third, fourth, and fifth centuries that culminated in an empire-wide revamping of classical urban paradigms. While the Wall's place in this process requires further assessment, both to elucidate the rationale for its construction, and to better establish the nature of its influence upon the development and subsequent proliferation of urban fortifications in late antiquity, the truly exceptional nature of both the monument and the city of Rome itself cannot be overstated. The fortification of the caput mundi was, in both practical and conceptual terms, an unparalleled endeavor.
Highlights of the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America 2016.

The 20th annual meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) (September 17–20, 2016), held in Orlando, Florida, assembled multidisciplinary teams of clinicians and scientists for a thrilling journey of high-quality patient-centered care, an emerging theme of implementation science and trial interpretation. Two trials of the vasopressin antagonist Tolvaptan in the setting of hospitalized heart failure (HF), and 2 separate applications of palliative care in advanced stage HF, debuted at the meeting. The aquaretic Tolvaptan was studied in the TACTICS (Targeting Acute Congestion With Tolvaptan in Congestive HF Study) and SECRET of CHF (Study to Evaluate Challenging Responses to Therapy in …
William Sterndale Bennett: Imitator or Original?

Sterndale Bennett has often been characterized as an imitator of Mendelssohn. While it is true and unsurprising that there are similarities in the two composers’ musical language, actual imitation is difficult to substantiate. Bennett’s reputation as a composer has passed through several phases in the last 200 years. It was high in his lifetime in Germany as well as in Britain, when resemblance to Mendelssohn was counted as a positive asset, but later assailed by promoters of the ‘English Musical Renaissance’, who needed a preceding dark age and tended to dismiss early Victorians as copiers of Mendelssohn. Recent writers have shown a more positive attitude to the Victorian period in general. Bennett’s individuality has in fact been fully recognized from the first by such widely differing commentators as Mendelssohn himself, Robert Schumann, Henry Heathcote Statham, Frederick Ouseley, Charles Gounod, Charles Stanford, Geoffrey Bush, Peter Horton and Larry Todd. His style was founded on the Austro-German classical tradition and the London Pianoforte School headed by Clementi and Cramer, through his teacher Cipriani Potter, as is confirmed by early sources. This article surveys some of Bennett’s most characteristic piano pieces, and ends by analysing notably original features of his harmonic style that owe nothing to Mendelssohn, such as the inverted pedal note, evaded resolution of dissonance, and harmonic anticipation.
Dexamethasone Effects on Hybridoma Formation

To assess the effects of sterioids on the formation of hybridomas, sheep red blood cell (SRBC) immunized spleen cells from Balb/c mice were fused with P3U1 myeloma cells. After fusion, cells were grown for 1 week in HAT medium containing 10-3, 10-5, 10-7, 10-9 mM dexamethasone (DM) or HAT alone. Subsequently spent media was removed and refeeding with HAT was commenced. Parameters measured were: clone number, size, antibody production and DNA content. At concentrations of DM given above, the number of clones produced was 16, 39, 24, 29 respectively as compared to 40 clones in control wells. At 10-3 and 10-5 mM DM parental cells were markedly suppressed. All clones were < 1 mm in size at 10-3 mM, whereas at 10-5 mM and in controls, 43% and 46% of the clones respectively were 1–4 mm. By micro hemagglutination it was found that only 5% of the clones at 10-3 mM and 10% at 10-5 mM produced anti-SRBC antibody. In contrast, at lower doses and in control plates 99% of clones were antibody producers. Computerized DNA-RNA flow cytometry using acridine orange indicated that DNA loss was more pronounced in clones exposed to DM than controls. This method also indicated a lower number of parental cells in cultures grown in the presence of DM.
A revisit to ruin probabilities in the presence of heavy-tailed insurance and financial risks

Abstract Recently, Sun and Wei (2014) studied the finite-time ruin probability under a discrete-time insurance risk model, in which the one-period insurance and financial risks are assumed to be independent and identically distributed copies of a random pair ( X , Y ) . For the heavy-tailed case, under a restriction on the dependence structure of ( X , Y ) , they established an asymptotic formula for the finite-time ruin probability. In this paper we make an effort to remove this restriction as it excludes the cases with asymptotically dependent X and Y . We also extend the study to the infinite-time ruin probability. Employing a multivariate regular variation framework, we simplify the formula so that it shows in a transparent way how the ruin probabilities are affected by the tail dependence of ( X , Y ) .
Familial wild-type transthyretin cardiomyopathy.

Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis was originally described as an autosomal dominant inherited systemic disease with peripheral neuropathy being the paramount feature. It was obvious from the first de...
Revisiting the Basics: Understanding Potential Demographic Differences With John Gottman’s Four Horsemen and Emotional Flooding

It has been found that the presence of negative communicative techniques and emotional flooding in marital relationships negatively relates to marital satisfaction. However, current literature has ...
Relations of Shared and Unique Components of Personality and Psychosocial Functioning to Depressive Symptoms.

Consistent with theories of depression, several personality (e.g., high neuroticism, low extraversion) and psychosocial (e.g., interpersonal problems, cognitive content) variables predict depressive symptoms substantively. In this extended replication, we clarified whether 13 theoretically relevant personality and psychosocial variables were unique versus overlapping predictors of symptoms among 351 adult outpatients with recurrent major depressive disorder who received acute-phase cognitive therapy (CT). Using factor analysis and regression methods, we partitioned the measures’ variance into general components common across the two types of measures (psychosocial and personality), within-type components shared only with other measures of the same type, and scale-specific components. From early to late in CT, and from late in CT through 8 months after response, the general components were the strongest (median r = .23)—and scale-specific components the weakest (median r = .01)—forward predictors of sympto...
IL-2 adenovector-transduced autologous tumor cells induce antitumor immune responses in patients with neuroblastoma

In many different murine models, the immunogenicity of tumor cells can be increased by transduction with a range of immunostimulatory genes, inducing an immune response that causes regression of pre-existing unmodified tumor cells. To investigate the relevance of these animal models to pediatric malignancy, we used autologous unirradiated tumor cells transduced with an adenovirus-IL-2 to immunize 10 children with advanced neuroblastoma. In a dose-escalation study, we found that this tumor immunogen induced a moderate local inflammatory response consisting predominantly of CD4(+) T lymphocytes, and a systemic response, with a rise in circulating CD25(+) and DR+ CD3(+) T cells. Patients also made a specific antitumor response, manifest by an IgG antitumor antibody and increased cytotoxic T-cell killing of autologous tumor cells. Clinically, five patients had tumor responses after the tumor immunogen alone (one complete tumor response, one partial response, and three with stable disease). Four of these five patients were shown to have coexisting antitumor cytotoxic activity, as opposed to only one of the patients with nonresponsive disease. These results show a promising correlation between preclinical observations and clinical outcome in this disease, and support further exploration of the approach for malignant diseases of children.
A Fast-Switching (1.35- $\mu \text{s}$ ) Low-Control-Voltage (2.5-V) MEMS T/R Switch Monolithically Integrated With a Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer

This paper describes the design and fabrication of an electrostatic microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switch that can be co-fabricated on the same substrate with a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) as a transmit/receive switch. The structure of the switch is modified from a single CMUT cell. An interrupted transmission line is defined across the center of the cell with control electrodes on both sides to pull a movable plate down. The plate has an insulation layer underneath, and a metal bump is formed on the insulation layer and aligned to the transmission line gap, so that the switch could be turned ON by pulling down the plate with electrostatic force and making the metal bump close the gap in the transmission line. The switch was designed using a finite-element model and fabricated on a glass substrate using anodic bonding. A static characterization was first performed on a switch test structure, which showed that the dc switching voltage was 68 V and the ON-resistance was 50 $\Omega $ . The RFin-to-RFout isolation was measured as approximately 66 dB and insertion loss was approximately 4.85 dB for the frequency range commonly used for medical ultrasound imaging. Then, we performed the dynamic characterization in immersion. By setting the dc bias at 67 V, we found that the switch could be operated with a control-voltage as low as 2.5 V. The switching and release times are related to the rise time and fall time of the control signal, respectively. The minimum switching time was measured as 1.34 $\mu \text{s}$ with a control signal rise time of 300 ns, and the minimum release time was measured as 80 ns with a control signal fall time of 20 ns. We further demonstrated that a 1-kHz control signal with the optimized rise and fall times can be used to conduct and block a sinusoidal signal with 1-MHz frequency and 300-mVpp amplitude, as well as unipolar pulses with 5-Vpp amplitude, 500-ns pulse width, and 2-kHz repetition rate. The presented MEMS switch could potentially eliminate the high-voltage process requirement for the on-chip front-end electronics of a CMUT-based ultrasound imaging system and thus improve the overall system efficiency. [2017-0225]
Water transport and homeostasis as a major function of erythrocytes

Erythrocytes have long been known to change volumes and shapes in response to different salt concentrations. Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) was discovered in their membranes more than 20 yr ago. The physiological roles of volume changes and AQP1 expression, however, have remained unclear. We propose that rapid water exchange through AQP1 coupled with large capacity for volume change may allow erythrocytes to play an important role in water regulation. In this study, we showed that erythrocytes in situ gradually reduced their volumes by 39% in response to the hyperosmotic corticomedullary gradient within mouse kidneys. AQP1 knockout (KO) erythrocytes, however, displayed only minimal reduction. Constructing a microfluidic device resembling capillary flow with an extracellular fluorescent reporter demonstrated that water exchanges between erythrocytes and their hypotonic or hypertonic surroundings in vitro reached steady state in ~60 ms. AQP1 KO erythrocytes, however, did not show significant change. To simulate the water transport in circulation, we built basic units consisting of three compartments (i.e., erythrocyte, plasma, and interstitial fluid) using Kedem-Katchalsky equations for membrane transport, and connected multiple units to account for the blood flow. These simulations agreed with experimental results. Importantly, volume-changing erythrocytes in capillaries always "increase" the osmotic gradient between plasma and interstitial fluid, making them function as "micropumps" to speed up the regulation of local osmolarity. Trillions of these micropumps, mobile throughout the body, may further contribute to water homeostasis. These insights suggest that the enhanced exchange of water, in addition to O2 and CO2, may well be the third major function of erythrocytes. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Physiological roles of erythrocyte volume change and aquaporin-1 were proposed and investigated here. We conclude that fast water transport by aquaporin-1 coupled with large volume-change capacity allows erythrocytes to enhance water exchange with local tissues. Furthermore, their huge number and mobility allow them to contribute to body water homeostasis.
Making “concreteness fading” more concrete as a theory of instruction for promoting transfer

To promote learning and transfer of abstract ideas, contemporary theories advocate that teachers and learners make explicit connections between concrete representations and the abstract ideas they ...
Smallpox Vaccination in Early Colonial India: Diversity in Resistance

Using reports about local resistance of the smallpox vaccination between 1800 and 1805 in colonial India, this brief article analyses how the diversity in both the level and type of resistance, depicted in earlier primary sources, has been distorted by later accounts into a single category of ‘South Asian smallpox vaccination resistance’. Careful analysis of the historical primary documents demonstrates, however, that such resistance stemmed from a variety of reasons, including sanitary concerns, political discontent and practical difficulties in arriving at vaccination centres. The article therefore suggests the need for more careful handling of earlier primary sources in order to not lose evidence of early diversities in reactions to colonial interventions.
Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes subtypes in bulk milk of the Pacific Northwest

The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in bulk milk from three Pacific Northwest states was assessed for 474 herds at three time points. For samples collected in November 2000 and June 2001, the L. monocytogenes prevalence levels were 4.9 and 7.0%, respectively. All isolates were subtyped by serotyping and by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Forty-nine of the 55 isolates belonged to serogroup 1/2a, while 6 belonged to serogroup 4. Subtyping by PFGE revealed that isolates from 31 herds shared 10 patterns; there was a weak but significant association between PFGE subtype and geographical distance. Six herds were positive for L. monocytogenes at both time points. Of these six herds, four had indistinguishable PFGE patterns at both time points. Twenty-five of the 33 herds that were positive in June 2001 were sampled again in June 2002. L. monocytogenes was recovered from 17 of these 25 herds (68%), with the ApaI restriction enzyme digestion profiles (REDP) for 8 herds being identical to those of isolates recovered from these herds the previous year. The ApaI REDP for the bulk milk isolates were compared with those for isolates recovered from environmental and human samples that were collected by the Washington Department of Health (n = 23). Analysis of ApaI digestion profiles revealed that only two of the Washington Department of Health isolates had digestion profiles similar to those for isolates from bulk milk; however, further analysis with the use of a second enzyme (AscI) was capable of discriminating between isolates from the two sources. Thus, we found no direct REDP matches between bulk milk and clinical isolates.
Mechanical Properties of Ligament and Tendon

In Chap. 2 we explored the architecture and composition of ligaments and tendons, non-calcified but nonetheless extremely tough skeletal tissues responsible for binding bones together, transmitting forces from muscles and constraining motion within normal limits. To briefly review, ligaments and tendons are composed of linearly arranged collagen molecules assembled in a hierarchal fashion into subfibrils, fibrils and fibers. Collagen fibers within ligaments are architecturally orientated to effectively control and constrain joint motion; in tendon they are grouped into distinct but parallel fascicles.
Abstract 1897: Determining the role of PRCP/PREP in triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for 15-20% of all breast cancer cases. Currently, the only effective treatment for TNBC is chemotherapy agents. A well-established characteristic of TNBC is the ability of these cells to become metastatic following chemotherapy treatment resulting in increased mortality. New forms of treatment which target TNBC are urgently needed. Insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) has been extensively studied in the regulation of the insulin and insulin-like growth factor receptor signaling cascades, specifically in the induction of the intracellular PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 and MAP kinase pathways. The roles of such pathways in cancer are currently being studied and considered for therapeutic targeting. We previously showed that the stability and levels of IRS1 are maintained by prolylcarboxypeptidase proteins PRCP/PREP in pancreatic cancer cells. Our hypothesis is that PRCP/PREP are potential therapeutic targets in TNBC. Specifically, we hypothesize that blocking the expression or reducing the activity of PRCP/PREP will inhibit the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 pathway in TNBC cells and, in turn, reduce growth and survival in these cells. To test this, we will be treating a number of TNBC cell lines with a PRCP/PREP inhibitor and determining IRS1/2 protein levels, AKT/mTORC1 signaling, and growth and survival. TNBC cells were screened for sensitivity against the PRCP/PREP inhibitor, Y-ox. Sensitive cells treated with Y-ox showed earlier reduction in the IRS1/AKT/mTORC1 signaling, as well as earlier loss of cell viability compared to those cells with relative resistance to Y-ox. Similarly, cells treated with the IRS1/2 inhibitor NT-157 and the AKT inhibitor, MK-2206 showed loss of cell viability similarly seen with the PRCP/PREP inhibitor, Y-ox. In conclusion, the results shown in this study show a possible new therapeutic target against triple negative breast cancer in the inhibition of PRCP/PREP leading to loss of cell proliferation and viability. Citation Format: Ricardo E. Perez, Lei Duan, Carl G. Maki. Determining the role of PRCP/PREP in triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1897.
Testicular Microlithiasis: Case Report and Current Knowledge:

Sonographic evaluation is the gold standard in diagnosing of testicular microlithiasis, the nature of which has raised controversy in opinions regarding its premalignant or benign tendency. Testicu...
Novelty and surprise-timing are broadcast by the basal forebrain

The basal forebrain (BF) is a principal source of modulation of the neocortex, and is thought to regulate cognitive functions such as attention, motivation, and learning by broadcasting information about the behavioral salience of events. An event can be salient because it is novel, surprising, or associated with reward prediction errors. But to date, the type of salience-related information the BF broadcasts is unclear. Here, we report that many BF neurons display phasic excitatory bursting that rapidly conveys the magnitude, probability, and timing of primary reinforcements. The same BF neurons also discriminate fully expected novel visual objects from familiar objects and respond to object-sequence violations, regardless of their relevance for subsequent behaviors, suggesting that they are not dedicated to signaling information about primary reinforcements. A different group of BF neurons displayed ramping activations that predicted the time of novel and surprising events. Their ramping was highly sensitive to the subjects confidence in event timing. Hence, BF neurons signal statistics about time and salience. Their activity may organize cortical computations to facilitate accurate behavioral responses to a diverse set of expected and ongoing events.
'High Delights that Satisfy all Appetites': Thomas Traherne and Gender

The poetry of Thomas Traherne has often seemed purely and innocently devotional in comparison with that of George Herbert, John Donne, or Richard Crashaw, poets whose religious work, at least occasionally, is sexually explicit. Ths poem ‘Love’ is a notable exception, expressing erotic pleasure in a relationship between a human speaker who is figured both as a ‘boy’ and as a ‘bride’ and a masculine deity who possesses that speaker’s womb and brings forth fruit from it. Although a few scholars provide brief commentary on ‘Love’, none extends the analysis to include other lyric poems by Traherne. Thus, the implications of ‘Love’ for the body of Traherne’s sacred poetry have not been developed to date. This essay’s argument is two-fold: to provide a more in-depth evaluation of ‘Love’, and to demonstrate that the poem’s sexually transgressive implications are reflected throughout Traherne’s Dobell and Burney poems.
Leverage, Political Risk and Cross-Border Acquisitions: Chinese SOEs vs. Private Enterprises

This paper aims to understand the internationalization of emerging market state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in contrast to private firms by examining cross-border acquisitions made by Chinese SOEs and...
Review of Harold Hongju Koh, The Trump Administration and International Law

This essay reviews Harold Hongju Koh, The Trump Administration and International Law (2018). Its main conclusion is that Koh overstates the influence of transnational legal process in checking President Donald Trump's impact the U.S. stance toward international law and institutions.
The Tad Pilus Apparatus of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ and Its Regulation by VisNR

Citrus huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most destructive diseases affecting citrus plants. 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus', an uncultivated α-proteobacteria, is the most widely spread causal agent of HLB and is transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri. 'Ca. L. asiaticus' attachment to the psyllid midgut is believed to be critical to further infect other organs, including the salivary gland. In this study, the type IVc tight adherence (Tad) pilus locus encoded by 'Ca. L. asiaticus' was characterized. The Tad loci are conserved among members of Rhizobiaceae, including 'Ca. L. asiaticus' and Agrobacterium spp. Ectopic expression of the 'Ca. L. asiaticus' cpaF gene, an ATPase essential for the biogenesis and secretion of the Tad pilus, restored the adherence phenotype in cpaF mutant of A. tumefaciens, indicating CpaF of 'Ca. L. asiaticus' was functional and critical for bacterial adherence mediated by Tad pilus. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that 'Ca. L. asiaticus' Tad pilus-encoding genes and 'Ca. L. asiaticus' pilin gene flp3 were upregulated in psyllids compared with in planta. A bacterial one-hybrid assay showed that 'Ca. L. asiaticus' VisN and VisR, members of the LuxR transcriptional factor family, were bound to the flp3 promoter. VisNR regulate flp3. Negative regulation of the flp3 promoter by both VisN and VisR was demonstrated using a shuttle strategy, with analysis of the phenotypes and immunoblotting together with quantification of the expression of the flp3 promoter fused to the β-galactosidase reporter gene. Comparative expression analysis confirmed that 'Ca. L. asiaticus' visNR was less expressed in the psyllid than in the plant host. Further, motility and biofilm phenotypes of the visNR mutant of A. tumefaciens were fully complemented by expressing 'Ca. L. asiaticus' visNR together. The physical interaction between VisN and VisR was confirmed by pull-down and stability assays. The interaction of the flp3 promoter with VisR was verified by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Taken together, the results revealed the contribution of the Tad pilus apparatus in the colonization of the insect vector by 'Ca. L. asiaticus' and shed light on the involvement of VisNR in regulation of the Tad locus.
Spatiotemporal variability in energetic condition of alewife and round goby in Lake Michigan

Pelagic-oriented alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and benthic-oriented round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) are two important prey fishes in the Laurentian Great Lakes. In 2015, we evaluated their sea...
Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in Computer Science: A Systematic Literature Review

We present a systematic literature review of the prior work on Undergraduate Teaching Assistants (UTAs) in Computer Science with two goals: (1) to create a taxonomy of practices that relate to the design and implementation of UTA programs, (2) to identify the benefits of using UTAs as claimed by the literature and characterize the level of evidence for those claims. We analyze 336 excerpts from 40 papers related to these goals. We use content analysis on excerpts describing practices to extract high-level themes that include recruiting, UTA and program coordinator duties, training, evaluation and organization of UTA programs. We perform a more fine-grained analysis within each theme to identify specific questions about UTA programs and the answers provided by the literature. Using a similar technique, we report on the claimed benefits of UTA programs to students, UTAs, instructors and institutions. Our analysis follows well-defined protocols involving multiple reviewers and we report on the inter-rater reliability. The results provided in this paper lay the groundwork for developing evidence-based best practices in UTA programs and inform practice and policy related to the use of UTAs at tertiary institutions. As such, it is relevant to educators establishing a new UTA program, expanding an existing program, or continuously improving an established program, as well as those designing research studies of such programs.
Materials science: Emerging routes to multiferroics.

Materials that combine ferroic properties — such as ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity — are highly desirable, but rare. A new class of multiferroic solids heralds a fresh approach for making such materials.
Role of the cationic headgroup to conformational changes undergone by shorter alkyl chain surfactant and water molecules at the air-liquid interface

Abstract Hypothesis Surfactants are commonly used as corrosion inhibitors for oil-and-gas pipelines. The alkyl chain of surfactants and their overall conformation contributes to the adsorption, flotation, and foam separation in the inhibition process. We hypothesize that the conformation of shorter alkyl chains and chemical nature of surfactants has an effect on the ordering of water molecules at the air-water interface which is not yet well understood. Experiments Alkyl (C4, C6, C8, C10, and C12) dimethylbenzylammonium bromides (Quats) were synthesized. Aqueous solutions at 0% and with different salt concentrations were studied at the air-liquid interface using sum frequency generation spectroscopy. Surface tension and pH measurement were also conducted for comparison. Findings Surfactant solutions at 0%, 1%, and 10% salt showed a zigzag trend for the number of gauche defects. At 0% salt, an increasing trend of OH band intensity at 3182 cm−1 was observed from C6 to C12 SFG spectra. Yet, C4 showed a more prominent SFG signal from strongly hydrogen-bonded water molecules compared to C6. The headgroup’s chemical nature was found to play a role in the ordering of water molecules for a C4 alkyl chain length. The OH band intensity decreases with increasing ionic strength.
Evolution: Herbivore-Type Teeth in a Cretaceous Tuatara Relative

In a new study, LeBlanc and co-workers have discovered an unusually complex dentition in a fossil relative of the modern-day tuatara that features compound occlusal surfaces, thick and prismatic enamel, and a novel enamel-to-bone tooth attachment. This finding suggests that complex dentitions arose independently in several reptilian lineages.
Series of Jupyter Notebooks Using Python for an Analytical Chemistry Course.

UC Merced’s upper-division analytical chemistry course has been modified to include a series of Jupyter notebooks intended to introduce chemistry students to the Python computer language. These Jup...
Social Computing Unhinged

Social computing is ubiquitous and intensifying in the 21st Century. Originally used to reference computational augmentation of social interaction through collaborative filtering, social media, wikis, and crowdsourcing, here I propose to expand the concept to cover the complete dynamic interface between social interaction and computation, including computationally enhanced sociality and social science, socially enhanced computing and computer science, and their increasingly complex combination for mutual enhancement. This recommends that we reimagine Computational Social Science as Social Computing, not merely using computational tools to make sense of the contemporary explosion of social data, but also recognizing societies as emergent computers of more or less collective intelligence, innovation and flourishing. It further proposes we imagine a socially inspired computer science that takes these insights into account as we build machines not merely to substitute for human cognition, but radically complement it. This leads to a vision of social computing as an extreme form of human computer interaction, whereby machines and persons recursively combine to augment one another in generating collective intelligence, enhanced knowledge, and other social goods unattainable without each other. Using the example of science and technology, I illustrate how progress in each of these areas unleash advances in the others and the beneficial relationship between the technology and science of social computing, which reveals limits of sociality and computation, and stimulates our imagination about how they can reach past those limits together.
Understanding–And Misunderstanding–the White Working Class: Two Must-Read Studies for the Helping Professions

Yeah, it’s not like I liked working there,The fire and the shovel,And the smoke in my hair.Oh but lord, it’s all I know.I miss being needed,Having somewhere to go. –David Berkeley, “Steel Mill” Aut...
Nuvole barocche: Clouds as synesthetic metaphors across baroque poetry and music

In his 1961 song “Nuvole barocche” (Baroque Clouds), Italian songwriter Fabrizio De Andre commented on the fascination exerted by colorful clouds at sunset and their artistic representation as cano...
Uncertainty-aware Safe Exploratory Planning using Gaussian Process and Neural Control Contraction Metric

In this paper, we consider the problem of using a robot to explore an environment with an unknown, state-dependent disturbance function while avoiding some forbidden areas. The goal of the robot is to safely collect observations of the disturbance and construct an accurate estimate of the underlying disturbance function. We use Gaussian Process (GP) to get an estimate of the disturbance from data with a high-confidence bound on the regression error. Furthermore, we use neural Contraction Metrics to derive a tracking controller and the corresponding high-confidence uncertainty tube around the nominal trajectory planned for the robot, based on the estimate of the disturbance. From the robustness of the Contraction Metric, error bound can be pre-computed and used by the motion planner such that the actual trajectory is guaranteed to be safe. As the robot collects more and more observations along its trajectory, the estimate of the disturbance becomes more and more accurate, which in turn improves the performance of the tracking controller and enlarges the free space that the robot can safely explore. We evaluate the proposed method using a carefully designed environment with a ground vehicle. Results show that with the proposed method the robot can thoroughly explore the environment safely and quickly.
Dystrophin modulates focal adhesion tension and YAP-mediated mechanotransduction

Dystrophin is an essential muscle protein that contributes to cell membrane stability by linking the actin cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. The absence or impaired function of dystrophin causes muscular dystrophy. Focal adhesions are mechanosensitive adhesion complexes that also connect the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. However, the interplay between dystrophin and focal adhesion force transmission has not been investigated. Using a bioluminescent tension sensor, we measured focal adhesion tension in transgenic C2C12 myoblasts expressing wild type (WT) dystrophin, a non-pathogenic SNP (I232M), or two missense mutations associated with Duchenne (L54R), or Becker muscular dystrophy (L172H). We found that myoblasts expressing WT or nonpathogenic I232M dystrophin showed increased focal adhesion tension compared to non-transgenic myoblasts, while myoblasts expressing L54R or L172H dystrophin presented with decreased focal adhesion tension. Moreover, myoblasts expressing L54R or L172H dystrophin showed decreased YAP activation and exhibited slower and less directional migration compared to cells expressing WT or I232M dystrophin. Our results suggest that disease-causing missense mutations in dystrophin may disrupt a cellular tension sensing pathway in dystrophic skeletal muscle.
Evaluating the efficacy of mindfulness and acceptance-based treatment components for weight loss: Protocol for a multiphase optimization strategy trial.

Abstract Behavioral weight loss treatment (BT) for individuals with overweight and obesity is effective but leaves room for improvement. Mindfulness and acceptance-based treatments may bolster weight loss outcomes; yet, little is known about the efficacy of the individual components or the combinations of components that are most effective in producing weight loss above and beyond standard BT strategies for weight loss. This protocol manuscript describes the use of a multiphase optimization strategy to evaluate the independent and combinatory efficacy of three mindfulness and acceptance-based components (mindful awareness, willingness, values). Using a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, participants (N = 288) will be randomized to one of eight conditions, each representing a combination of core MABT strategies in addition to foundational BT strategies. Assessments occur at baseline, mid-treatment (week 24 through 26), post-treatment, and at 6, 12, and 24-month follow-up. The primary aim is to elucidate the independent efficacy of each MABT component on weight loss above gold-standard BT. The secondary aims are to evaluate the independent effect of these components on calorie intake, physical activity, and overall quality of life; evaluate target engagement (i.e., the degree to which each treatment component affects proposed mechanisms of action); and evaluate the potential moderating effect of susceptibility to internal and external food cues on outcomes. The exploratory aim is to quantify any component interaction effects (which may be synergistic, fully additive, or partially additive).
Epithelioid and Clear Cell Variant of Kaposi Sarcoma: A Rare Histopathologic Subtype

Kaposi sarcoma is a malignant vascular tumor consisting of multiple clinical subtypes and varying histopathologic patterns. We report a case of a 53-year-old African-American male with HIV/AIDS who presented multiple times with skin nodules, pain, and edema in his lower extremities, secondary to recurrent Kaposi sarcoma. The patient was treated with two courses of liposomal doxorubicin with improvement, but his symptoms recurred a third time. A biopsy specimen of one of the nodules showed prominent neoplastic cells of epithelioid morphology, some with clear cell change, appearing to form rudimentary vessels in the superficial dermis. Further inspection of the deeper dermis revealed more classic findings of Kaposi sarcoma, including admixed spindle cells, poorly-defined vessels, scattered apoptotic bodies, entrapped collagen bundles, and extravasated erythrocytes. Both the epithelioid and classic portions of the neoplasm stained positive for CD31 and human herpesvirus 8, supporting a diagnosis of Kaposi sarcoma. Prior to this case, the epithelioid variant of Kaposi sarcoma has only been reported twice in the literature. Recognizing this rare histopathologic variant of Kaposi sarcoma among its other histopathologic patterns may assist in accurate and expedient diagnosis of this well-recognized disease. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Aristotle and Byzantine Iconoclasm

The defense of icons shifted gradually from a theory of mimesis to Aristotelian symbolism; this reflected not a revival of learning but arguments developed in the debate itself and hinted at already by Constantine V and at the Council of 787.
A comparison of the retention of pathogenic Escherichia coli O157 by sprouts, leaves and fruits

The retention (binding to or association with the plant) of Escherichia coli by cut leaves and fruits after vigorous water washing was compared with that by sprouts. Retention by fruits and leaves was similar but differed from retention by sprouts in rate, effect of wounding and requirement for poly-β,1-6-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Escherichia coli was retained by cut ends of lettuce leaves within 5 min while more than 1 h was required for retention by the intact epidermis of leaves and fruits, and more than 1 day for sprouts. Retention after 5 min at the cut leaf edge was specific for E. coli and was not shown by the plant-associated bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Sinorhizobium meliloti. Escherichia coli was retained by lettuce, spinach, alfalfa, bean, tomato, Arabidopsis thaliana, cucumber, and pepper leaves and fruits faster than by sprouts. Wounding of leaves and fruits but not sprouts increased bacterial retention. Mutations in the exopolysaccharide synthesis genes yhjN and wcaD reduced the numbers of bacteria retained. PgaC mutants were retained by cut leaves and fruits but not by sprouts. There was no significant difference in the retention of an O157 and a K12 strain by fruits or leaves. However, retention by sprouts of O157 strains was significantly greater than K12 strains. These findings suggest that there are differences in the mechanisms of E coli retention among sprouts, and leaves and fruits.
Stochastic sensing of organic analytes by a pore-forming protein containing a molecular adapter.

The detection of organic molecules is important in many areas, including medicine, environmental monitoring and defence1,5. Stochastic sensing is an approach that relies on the observation of individual binding events between analyte molecules and a single receptor6. Engineered transmembrane protein pores are promising sensor elements for stochastic detection6, and in their simplest manifestation they produce a fluctuating binary (‘on/off’) response in the transmembrane electrical current. The frequency of occurrence of the fluctuations reveals the concentration of the analyte, and its identity can be deduced from the characteristic magnitude and/or duration of the fluctuations. Genetically engineered versions of the bacterial pore-forming protein α-haemolysin have been used to identify and quantify divalent metal ions in solution6. But it is not immediately obvious how versatile binding sites for organic ligands might be obtained by engineering of the pore structure. Here we show that stochastic sensing of organic molecules can be procured from α-haemolysin by equipping the channel with an internal, non-covalently bound molecular ‘adapter’ which mediates channel blocking by the analyte. We use cyclodextrins as the adapters because these fit comfortably inside the pore and present a hydrophobic cavity suitable for binding a variety of organic analytes. Moreover, a single sensing element of this sort can be used to analyse a mixture of organic molecules with different binding characteristics. We envisage the use of other adapters, so that the pore could be ‘programmed’ for a range of sensing functions.
Challenges in the interpretation of breast core biopsies.

: The aim of core needle biopsy (CNB) is to diagnose a breast abnormality prior to open surgical excision. The radiology–pathology correlation helps in interpretation of pathologic findings and is greatly assisted by specimen radiology of all cores performed for calcifications, separation of cores containing calcification from those without, and the availability of the specimen radiograph to the pathologist at the time of reporting. The nature of the imaging abnormality should also be clearly conveyed. CNB is processed in a routine manner for paraffin embedding with preservation of sufficient material in the block for further studies as needed. Possible pitfalls include the loss of calcifications at the time of section cutting, calcium remained in the formalin of the specimen container, and failure to recognize calcium oxalate deposition in the CNB. The challenges of CNB interpretation are complicated by the availability of only limited material, but are generally similar to those encountered in open surgical excision specimens. This discussion focuses on high-risk lesions and lesions that raise management issues. The most prudent approach for the pathologist is to provide sufficient information to prompt a surgical excision without overdiagnosing the lesion, thus placing the patient into the appropriate therapeutic algorithm.
A Golden Second Place: Manuel Plaza in South America

SOUTH AMERICA UNDERWENT PROFOUND CHANGES in the half-century prior to the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. The considerable instability of the decades that followed independence progressively subsided and more stable nations emerged amidst positivist discourses focusing on modernity, progress, and civilization. National economies expanded based on a predominantly export-led model of growth that decisively incorporated them into international markets. This growth was also stimulated by inflows of foreign capital, principally British during the nineteenth century and increasingly from the United States thereafter. The economic prosperity favored the national elites but eventually reached the urban middle class. The working class forming in the rapid urbanization that took place across the region started to demand not only its inclusion but also a more significant role in the political process. The economic growth also attracted massive immigration, mainly from Europe and especially from Italy and Spain. South American governments welcomed the new laborers. By 1930, immigrants and their offspring comprised 30 to 50 percent of the population in fast-growing urban areas. 1 These groups also pressed for inclusion in the political process. However, the response to this wave of European immigration was mixed. While some politicians, intellectuals, and scholars conceptualized the new arrivals as a force that