cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CXCR4 expression heterogeneity in neuroblastoma cells due to ligand-independent regulation.

Background CXCR4, the receptor for the chemokine stromal-derived factor 1 (SDF-1), has been shown to mediate many of the processes essential for cancer progression such as tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenesis. To understand the role of CXCR4 in the biology of neuroblastoma, a disease that presents with wide spread metastases in over 50% of patients, we screened ten patient derived-neuroblastoma cell-lines for basal CXCR4 expression and sought to identify characteristics that correlate with tumor cell phenotype.
The Study of Kinesiology and Ignatian Spirituality: Parallels through Exercise

Spirituality relates to an internal movement towards the sacred, while kinesiology is the science of physical human movement. Strong, user-friendly communication between spiritual directors and retreatants is important to the development of an individualized productive retreat experience. To better facilitate guidance, it is helpful for directors to understand the parallels between spiritual exercises and the expertise of retreatants and for retreatants to understand comparisons between their professional and spiritual lives. The physical activity of St. Ignatius during his pilgrimage across Spain exemplifies the similarities between Ignatian spirituality and the science of human movement. Comparisons between Ignatian spirituality and kinesiology include the need for practice of specific exercises, the underlying structure of the Ignatian spiritual exercises compared to a periodized physical exercise program, and the discernment or analysis of movements involved in both fields. Knowledge of the overlap between kinesiology and spirituality may result in retreatants familiar with the science of human movement and exercise developing a better understanding of their spiritual selves and ultimately a closer relationship to God.
Effects of plant architecture on the attack rate of Leptomastix dactylopii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a parasitoid of the citrus mealybug (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae).

Attack rates of the parasitoid Leptomastix dactylopii (Howard) were examined in petri dishes and on caged plants that varied in architectural characteristics. Individual female parasitoids were placed into petri dishes containing a range of densities of the citrus mealybug, Planococcus citri (Risso). Green and yellow-variegated coleus, Solenostemon scutellarioides (L.) Codd, were used to determine the effects of plant architecture on the rate at which L. dactylopii parasitized citrus mealybugs. Coleus plants were categorized into size classes based on height, number of leaves, leaf surface area, and number of branches. A single mated female L. dactylopii was placed into each plastic observation cage containing a plant with 1, 8, or 16 third- to early fourth-instar mealybugs and allowed to forage for 24 h. After this time, citrus mealybugs were removed from coleus plants and placed into petri dishes that were checked after 10 d for mummified citrus mealybugs, the measure of a successful attack. L. dactylopii were unable to find a host after 24 h when only one citrus mealybug was present in the searching environment. Higher attack rates occurred as the number of mealybugs increased in the petri dishes. L. dactylopii attacked an average of 15.6 ± 2.3 mealybugs within a 24-h period. Higher attack rates were evident as the number of citrus mealybugs increased on caged plants. Plant color had no effect on the attack rate of L. dactylopii. All architectural characterizations of plant size, height, leaf number, leaf surface area, and branch number were negatively correlated with parasitoid attack rate. These findings suggest that biological control practitioners may use any convenient measure of plant size (e.g., height) to modify the release rate of L. dactylopii in a citrus mealybug management program.
Insect-Resistant Transgenic Cotton

Insect-ravaged cotton crops are a dominant concern for the global cotton agricultural community. Pivotal factors leading to extensive cotton damage include discontinued use of many effective pesticides (due to environmental concerns) and rapidly arising insect resistance to the remaining pesticides. To meet the reccurring insect challenge, advances in newer and safer chemical pesticides, pheromones, insect parasites, plant breeding, modified crop cultivation practices, and integrated pest management (IMP) have helped reduce crop destruction. Despite these protective strategies, cotton pests can still cause large crop losses, up to 50% (Schwartz 1983). Insect damage to cotton has been estimated to cost consumers over US$600 million per year (Perlak et al. 1990). Adding to the field of cotton predators, the appearance of the new and polyphagous superbug, or Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (whitefly) has caused even more extensive damage (Henneberry and Toscano 1993). By direct feeding, honeydew contamination, and damage inflicted by viruses, B. tabaci alone caused over US$500 million in crop damage in 1991 (Brown and Bird 1992; Perring et al. 1993).
Benzyladenine Increases Branching but Reduces Root Growth of Herbaceous Perennial Liners

The objective of this study is to evaluate the branching effect of benzyladenine (BA) on herbaceous perennial plants during the production of rooted cuttings (liners) and to examine and quantify the root growth of these liners using multiple methods of root evaluation. Five crops were studied: Agastache Clayt. Ex Gronov. 'Purple Haze', Gaura lindheimeri Engelm. & A. Gray 'Siskiyou Pink', Lavandula ·intermedia Emeric ex Loisel. 'Provence', Leucanthemum ·superbum (Bergmans ex J.W. Ingram) Bergmans ex Kent. 'Snowcap', and Salvia ·sylvestris L. (pro sp.) 'May Night'. After rooting but before transplant, BA was applied to rooted cuttings as four treatments: controls (0 mgL L1 ), one application of 300 mgL L1 , two applications of 300 mgL L1 , or one application of 600 mgL L1 . Results varied by crop; all crops except Salvia had increased branching as measured as either increased lateral or basal branches and/or increased leaders at 3 to 4 weeks after initial treatment. Four crops showed reduced root growth, whereas Gaura was unaffected. Root dry weight was found to be highly correlated with root surface area and root volume. After transplant and growing out, branching of the finished plants was increased in Gaura and Lavandula, unaffected in Salvia and Leucanthemum, and decreased in Agastache. Treating rooted cuttings with BA before transplant increased branching but the effects were not long lasting, which suggests that additional applications at or after transplant may improve finished plant quality. Reductions in root growth noted in rooted cuttings did not affect the growth of finished plants. Chemical names: N-(phenylmethyl)-1H-purine-6-amine (benzyladenine, BA).
INVERTEBRATES ASSOCIATED WITH WOODY DEBRIS IN A SOUTHEASTERN U.S. FORESTED FLOODPLAIN WETLAND

Woody debris is an ecologically important resource in upland forests and stream ecosystems. Although much is known about invertebrate-woody debris interactions in forests and streams, little information exists for forested wetlands. In this study, invertebrates associated with woody debris in a Southeastern U. S. forested floodplain are described and factors that shape community structure are examined. Woody debris samples were collected during two wet (March 1998 and 1999) and one dry period (August 1998) from a bottomland hardwood wetland along the Coosawhatchie River, South Carolina, USA. During wet period collections, both submersed and floating woody debris were collected. Invertebrate richness, density, and arthropod standing-stock biomass were compared among sampling periods (wet and dry), between floating and submersed wood, and among woody debris decay classes. Most invertebrate richness and arthropod biomass was associated with wood collected during wet periods. However, the non-aquatic rather than aquatic arthropods were the most significant component of the overall community structure. Floating woody debris was a “hot spot” for invertebrate richness and arthropod biomass. Increased invertebrate richness was also associated with well-decayed wood. Invertebrates were classified based on temporal use of woody debris and included perennial residents, seasonal colonizers, and seasonal refugees. Overall findings suggest that woody debris is an important resource for invertebrates, and wood-associated invertebrates (especially non-aquatics) need to be considered when studying the diversity and function of forested wetlands.
Gene therapy for diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a devastating disease and the World Health Organization expects that the number of diabetic patients will increase to 300 million by the year 2025. Intensive glycemic control with insulin therapy to both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients can reduce the risk of diabetic complications, but also increase the incidence of hypoglycemia. Many studies have shown the possibility of gene therapy for treatment of diabetes. Gene therapy can be successfully applied to treat Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and to facilitate the replacement of insulin-producing cells by islet transplantation, by differentiation of stem/progenitor cells, or by reversible immortalization in rodent models. Here we review potential approaches for the development of gene therapies for diabetes.
β Decay of Li 8 and B 8 : The Second-Class Current Problem

Measurement of the excitation spectra of $^{8}\mathrm{Be}$ following the decays of $^{8}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{8}\mathrm{B}$ permits the comparison of mirror Gamow-Teller transitions over a wide range of ${{W}_{0}}^{+}+{{W}_{0}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, largely free of uncertainties associated with possible ${T}_{z}$ dependencies of nuclear overlap integrals. We find no evidence for second-class currents: Using the conventional parametrization we find that $|{g}_{\mathbf{I}\mathbf{T}}|l7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ at the 99% confidence level as against ${g}_{\mathbf{I}\mathbf{T}}\ensuremath{\approx}2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ that comes from the direct comparison of absolute $\mathrm{ft}$ values.
Fort Ancient Agricultural Systems and Settlement: A View from Southwestern Ohio:

Models of Fort Ancient settlement are based on assumptions about social organization, adaptation, and site function. Fundamental to testing settlement models is the question of village autonomy among coeval communities, especially the question of economic self-sufficiency. This question is explored by using catchment analysis as a technique for measuring the amount of usable soils around six nucleated Fort Ancient villages in southwestern Ohio. Economically, each of the sites discussed is shown to have sufficient soil for growing the necessary cultigens to support its resident population on a year-round basis. These results are in agreement with Graybill's (1981) thesis that all Fort Ancient communities, regardless of size, shape, complexity, or time, are self-sufficient social aggregates.
CCN spectra, hygroscopicity, and droplet activation kinetics of secondary organic aerosol resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) resulting from the oxidation of organic species emitted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill were sampled during two survey flights conducted by a National Oceanic and...
Biomineralization of PbS and PbS–CdS core–shell nanocrystals and their application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells

Biomineralization utilizes biological systems to synthesize functional inorganic materials for application in diverse fields. In the current work, we enable biomineralization of quantum confined PbS and PbS–CdS core–shell nanocrystals and demonstrate their application in quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). An engineered strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is utilized to generate a cystathionine γ-lyase that is active for the biomineralization of metal sulfide nanocrystals from a buffered aqueous solution of metal salts and L-cysteine. In the presence of lead acetate, this enzymatic route generates rock salt structured PbS nanocrystals. Controlling the growth conditions yields ∼4 nm PbS crystals with absorption and photoluminescence peaks at 910 nm and 1080 nm, respectively, consistent with the expected strong quantum confinement of PbS at this size. Quantum yields (QY) of the biomineralized PbS quantum dots, determined after phase transfer to the organic phase, range between 16 and 45%. These are the highest reported QY values for any biomineralized quantum dot materials to date and are comparable with QYs reported for chemically synthesized materials. Subsequent exposure to cadmium acetate results in the biomineralization of a thin CdS shell on the PbS core with a resultant blue-shift in optical properties. The photoluminescence peak shifts to 980 nm, consistent with the expected decrease in band gap energy of a PbS–CdS core–shell heterostructured quantum dot. HAADF-STEM imaging confirms the crystalline structure and size of the particles with complimentary XEDS analysis confirming the presence of Cd, Pb, and S in individual nanocrystals. Integration of these QDs into QDSSCs yields open circuit potentials of 0.43 V and 0.59 V for PbS and PbS–CdS, respectively, consistent with expectations for these materials and previously reported values for chemically synthesized QDs.
Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae): a model insect for insecticide resistance studies.

Although the biochemical basis of insect resistance to many pesticides is understood reasonably well, little is known of the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of resistance. A major reason for this shortcoming is difficulty with genetic manipulations of most insect pests. The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen), is uniquely suited as a model insect to investigate the classical, population, and molecular genetics of resistance evolution. The advantages and disadvantages of D. melanogaster for this work are discussed. Cloned sequences from D. melanogaster resistant genes can be used to identify and study homologous genes in pest species.
Abstract 5444: Role of CRD-BP in the pathogenesis of human basal cell carcinoma.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Although the number of new cases of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) has increased rapidly each year in the last few decades, the molecular basis of its pathogenesis is not completely understood. Activation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway was shown to be a key factor driving the development of BCC. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was also shown to be activated in BCCs and to perhaps modulate the activity of Hh pathway. We previously identified a novel mechanism by which Wnt signaling regulates the transcriptional outcome of Hh signaling pathway. We demonstrated that CRD-BP, a direct target of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, induces the expression and transcriptional activity of the Hh transcriptional activator GLI1. We hypothesized that Wnt-induced and CRD-BP-dependent regulation of GLI1 expression and activities is important to the development of BCC. In this study, the role of CRD-BP in the development of human BCC will be discussed. Citation Format: Felicite Kamdem Noubissi, Tae Won Kim, Tisha Kawahara, B. Jack Longley, Eric Berg, Mohammad Athar, Vladimir S. Spiegelman. Role of CRD-BP in the pathogenesis of human basal cell carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5444. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5444
Protein Ladder Sequencing: A Conceptually Novel Approach To Protein Sequencing Using Cycling Chemical Degradation and One-Step Readout by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Mass Spectrometry

Publisher Summary This chapter describes protein ladder sequencing—a conceptually novel approach to protein sequencing using cycling chemical degradation and one-step readout by matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry. The principle involves controlled chemical generation of a family of sequence-defining fragments from a polypeptide chain. The sequence-defining fragments are generated by chemical degradation of the peptide chain in the presence of a terminating agent that blocks a small fraction of the peptide chain at each residue. In one variation of the approach, a peptide was subjected to repeated cycles of the Edman degradation using 5% phenylisocyanate as a terminating agent, without separation and analysis of the low molecular weight reaction products. The final unfractionated product mixture was subjected to mass spectral analysis, to give a protein-sequencing ladder data set. Mass differences between adjacent peaks identify each amino acid, and the position in the data set defines the sequence of the original peptide chain.
Haupteinteilung der Fälle

Wie oft erwahnt (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), pflegen wir seit langem die Krankengeschichten der Patienten mit „Hirntumor“ nach deren Entlassung in drei Gruppen einzuteilen: tumorverdachtige Falle, histologisch unbestatigte und histologisch bestatigte Falle.
Imaging Transcriptional Regulation of Eukaryotic mRNA Genes: Advances and Outlook.

Abstract Regulation of eukaryotic transcription in vivo occurs at distinct stages. Previous research has identified many active or repressive transcription factors (TFs) and core transcription components and studied their functions in vitro and in vivo . Nonetheless, how individual TFs act in concert to regulate mRNA gene expression in a single cell remains poorly understood. Direct observation of TF assembly and disassembly and various biochemical reactions during transcription of a single-copy gene in vivo is the ideal approach to study this problem. Research in this area requires developing novel techniques for single-cell transcription imaging and integrating imaging studies into understanding the molecular biology of transcription. In the past decade, advanced cell imaging has enabled unprecedented capabilities to visualize individual TF molecules, to track single transcription sites, and to detect individual mRNA in fixed and living cells. These studies have raised several novel insights on transcriptional regulation such as the “hit-and-run” model and transcription bursting that could not be obtained by in vitro biochemistry analysis. At this point, the key question is how to achieve deeper understandings or discover novel mechanisms of eukaryotic transcriptional regulation by imaging transcription in single cells. Meanwhile, further technical advancements are likely required for visualizing distinct kinetic steps of transcription on a single-copy gene in vivo . This review article summarizes recent progress in the field and describes the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Carpento certe: Conveying Gender in Roman Transportation

This article analyzes the prominent role played by a particular vehicle, the matronly carriage ( carpentum ), in the construction of Roman gender. Its focus is on the conveyance’s two most significant appearances in literary representation. First, I examine the various accounts of the vehicle’s best-known and most dramatic tableau, Tullia’s use of a carpentum to drive over her dead father king Servius Tullius’ body, arguing that the conveyance functions to articulate the cultural anxiety surrounding the passage from daughter to wife. I suggest that the story of Tullia’s carpentum , as a quasi-mythic exemplum of “feminine transportation,” looms as a dangerous threat in need of accommodation. Next, I examine the story of the Roman matrons’ demonstration in favor of the repeal of the lex Oppia , which had prohibited, among other things, their right to ride in carpenta . I argue that the accounts of Livy and others seek to offer a solution to the challenge posed by the physically protesting women by redefining their vehicular mobility as state-authorized, and as directly tied to their reproductive function. Thus, while Latin literature often articulates urban traffic as a familiarly frustrating system of obstacles, my analysis uncovers a contrasting Roman discourse, one that identifies traffic with the fertility of the city and its ability to reproduce Roman citizens.
Obstetric and Anesthetic Approaches to External Cephalic Version

Breech presentation is the most common abnormal fetal presentation and complicates approximately 3% to 4% of all pregnancies. External cephalic version (ECV) should be recommended to women with a breech singleton pregnancy, if there is no maternal or fetal contraindication. ECV increases the chance of cephalic presentation at the onset of labor and decreases the rate of cesarean delivery by almost 40%. The success rate of ECV is approximately 60%. Review of the risks and benefits for performing an ECV and for both the timing of ECV and the number of attempts should be should be discussed with the patient.
The effects of over-the-counter jaw-repositioning mouthguards on aerobic performance.

BACKGROUND Though jaw-repositioning devices have been found to increase size of upper respiratory airways in individuals, the effects of jaw-repositioning mouthguards on respiratory function during exercise have not been fully explored. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of over-the-counter (OTC) jaw-repositioning mouthguards on respiratory function and aerobic performance in male athletes. METHODS College-aged, male athletes (N.=20) participated in this randomized, crossover, controlled study. Each subject completed one testing session per condition: a no mouthguard control (CON), a placebo mouthguard (PLA), an OTC self-adapted jaw-repositioning mouthguard (SA), and an OTC custom-fitted jaw-repositioning mouthguard (CF). Each testing session consisted of respiratory flow dynamic tests at rest. Ventilation and gas exchange were assessed during a graded maximal treadmill test. Peak blood lactate values were obtained from 0-10 min post-exercise. RESULTS At rest, the CON had significantly higher peak expiratory flow rate values than the other conditions (P<0.03). Maximum voluntary ventilation values for PLA and SA were significantly lower compared to CON (P<0.02) at rest. No significant differences were observed between conditions for ventilation, oxygen consumption, or carbon dioxide production during any submaximal stage (P=0.81) nor at maximal aerobic capacity (P=0.35). Peak lactate and adjusted peak lactate values were not significantly different between conditions (P=0.30 and P=0.63, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The OTC jaw-repositioning mouthguards in this study did not enhance aerobic performance. It is important to acknowledge that negative effects on aerobic performance were not observed, thus providing additional support for encouraging the use of this safety device in sports.
'The obesity paradox': a reconsideration of obesity and the risk of preterm birth.

The association between obesity and spontaneous preterm births (sPTBs) has been shown to be influenced by obesity-attendant comorbidities. Our objective was to better understand the complex relationship of obesity and its attendant comorbidities with sPTBs. A retrospective analysis utilizing maternally linked hospital and birth certificate records of 2 049 196 singleton California deliveries from 2007 to 2011. Adjusted relative risks (aRRs) for sPTBs were estimated using multivariate Poisson regression modeling. Obese women had higher aRRs for sPTBs than their normal body mass index (BMI) controls. aRRs (95% confidence interval) increased with increasing BMI category: Obese I=1.10 (1.08 to 1.12); Obese II=1.15 (1.12 to 1.18); and Obese III=1.26 (1.22 to 1.30). When comparing only obese women without comorbidities to their normal BMI controls, aRRs reversed, that is, obese women had lower aRRs of sPTBs: Obese I=0.96 (0.94 to 0.98), Obese II=0.95 (0.91 to 0.98); and Obese III=0.98 (0.94 to 1.03). This same reversal of aRR direction was also observed among women with comorbidities: 0.92 (0.89 to 0.96); 0.89 (0.85 to 0.93); and 0.89 (0.85 to 0.93), respectively. Increasing BMI increased the aRRs for sPTBs among patients with gestational diabetes (P<0.05), while decreasing the risk among patients with chronic hypertension and pregnancy-related hypertensive disease (P<0.05). The obesity and preterm birth paradox is an example of what has been described as 'Simpson’s Paradox'. Unmeasured confounding factors mediated by comorbidities may explain the observed protective effect of obesity upon conditioning on the presence or absence of comorbidities and thus resolve the paradox.
Retrotransposons: Stowaways in the Primordial Germline

In order to succeed, retrotransposon transcripts must identify the subset of nuclei that will be transmitted to offspring. A new study reveals that the primordial germline is a hideout for retrotransposon transcripts, providing early access to future gametes.
Calcium, Potassium, and Sodium Content of Forest Floor Arthropods

Whole-body nutrient composition of calcium, potassium,and sodium is documented for 37 species of forest floor arthropods. Sodium concentrations averaging 4.6 mg Na/g ash-free dry weight, and potassium concentrations averaging 6.2 ing K/g ash-free dry weight were relatively consistent within and among major taxonomic categories. Calcium content varied from 0.3 to 509.8 mg Ca/g ash-free dry weight, with highest values associated with Diplopoda and related species possessing highly calcified exoskeletons. Within-species variation in chemical composition often exceeded seasonal fluctuations, although several species exhibited significant temporal changes in whole-body nutrient composition of calcium, potassium, and sodium.
A latent variable analysis of the contribution of executive function to adult readers’ comprehension of science text: the roles of vocabulary ability and level of comprehension

Emerging evidence suggests that executive function plays an important role in adult readers’ understanding of text. This study examined the contribution of executive function to comprehension of expository science text among adult readers, as well as the role of vocabulary ability in the relation between executive function and text comprehension. The roles of additional reader characteristics, including age, reading time, prior knowledge, and vocabulary ability, in comprehension were also examined. Using structural equation modeling, a latent executive function factor significantly predicted comprehension after accounting for age, reading time, prior knowledge, and vocabulary ability. Vocabulary ability mediated the relation between executive function and both lower-level and higher-level reading comprehension. Executive function contributed more strongly to lower-level compared with higher-level comprehension of the text. Implications for future research are discussed.
Daily Associations Between Kissing and Affect During the Transition From Adolescence to Young Adulthood.

Kissing during late adolescence and the transition to adulthood is prevalent, relatively frequent, and distinct from many sexual behaviors in that it affords positive consequences with minimal risk. In this study, we examined within-person associations between kissing and day-to-day variation in affect. A racially/ethnically diverse sample of college students (N = 560; 54.1% female) completed up to 14 daily surveys for seven consecutive semesters. On days when students kissed, they reported more positive and less negative affect than on other days, after controlling for a number of known correlates. Findings differed at the semester- and person levels. Findings contribute to a normative developmental understanding of sexual behaviors during adolescence and the transition to adulthood.
Signal transduction and the regulation of actin conformation during myeloid maturation: studies in HL60 cells

Maturation of human myeloid cells is associated with quantitative and qualitative changes in protein kinase C (PKC) and increases in N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP) receptors, actin, and actin regulatory proteins. We have studied the actin responses and cell shape changes caused by FMLP and its second messenger pathways in HL60 cells undergoing neutrophilic maturation. In uninduced cells, the PKC activators 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), bryostatin, and 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG) resulted in 15% to 30% decreases in F-actin, whereas FMLP had no effect. Ionomycin had no effect on actin but did cause a 10-fold increase in intracellular calcium. Cells grown for 24 hours in 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) acquired the ability to polymerize actin in response to FMLP and ionomycin. TPA continued to cause a decrease in F-actin at 24 hours, but caused an increase in F-actin at 48 to 72 hours of maturation. The PKC inhibitor 1-5-isoquinolinesulfonyl 2-methylpiperazine (H7) partially blocked the F-actin increase caused by TPA in induced cells, but had no effect on the decrease in F-actin caused by TPA in uninduced cells or the increase in F-actin seen in FMLP-treated neutrophils. F-actin rich pseudopods developed following TPA or FMLP stimulation of induced HL60 cells; in uninduced cells neither agent caused pseudopod formation but TPA caused a dramatic loss of surface ruffles. The ability of FMLP and ionomycin to elicit a neutrophil-like actin response in HL60 cells within 24 hours after DMSO treatment shows that the actin regulatory mechanism is mature by that time. The inability of ionomycin to increase F-actin in uninduced cells supports the view that calcium increases alone are insufficient for actin polymerization. The longer maturation time required for HL60 cells to develop an actin polymerization response to TPA compared with FMLP, coupled with the inability of H7 to block the FMLP-mediated F-actin increase in neutrophils, suggests that the F-actin increase caused by FMLP is not mediated solely by PKC. Lastly, the TPA-induced F-actin decrease and shape changes in uninduced HL60 cells, and the longer time required for a "mature" response to TPA, may reflect immaturity in the PKC isoenzyme pattern rather than immaturity of the actin regulatory mechanism.
Strategic Information Sharing in Greedy Submodular Maximization

Submodular maximization is an important problem with many applications in engineering, computer science, economics and social sciences. Since the problem is NP-Hard, a greedy algorithm has been developed, which gives an approximation within 1/2 of the optimal solution. This algorithm can be distributed among agents, each making local decisions and sharing that decision with other agents. Recent work has explored how the performance of the distributed algorithm is affected by a degradation in this information sharing. This work introduces the idea of strategy in these networks of agents and shows the value of such an approach in terms of the performance guarantees that it provides. In addition, an optimal strategy that gives such guarantees is identified.
Analyzing Real-World Use of Research Common Data Elements

Common Data Elements (CDEs) are defined as "data elements that are common to multiple data sets across different studies" and provide structured, standardized definitions so that data may be collected and used across different datasets. CDE collections are traditionally developed prospectively by subject-matter and domain experts. However, there has been little systematic research and evidence to demonstrate how CDEs are used in real-world datasets and the subsequent impact on data discoverability. Our study builds upon previous mapping work to investigate the number of CDEs that could be identified using a varying level of commonness threshold in a real-world data repository, the Database of Phenotypes and Genotypes (dbGaP). In an analyzed collection of mapped variables from 426 dbGaP studies, only 1,414 PhenX variables (PHENotypes and eXposures; a CDE initiative) are observed out of all 24,938 defined PhenX variables. Results include CDEs that are identified with varying levels of commonness thresholds. After the semantic grouping of 68 PhenX variables collected in at least 15 studies (n=15), we observed 32 truly "common" common data elements. We discuss benefits of post-hoc mapping of study data to a CDE framework for purposes of findability and reuse, as well as the informatics challenges of pre-populating clinical research case report forms with data from Electronic Health Record that are typically coded in terminologies aimed at routine healthcare needs.
Gender, Race, and Grant Reviews: Translating and Responding to Research Feedback:

Grant-writing and grant-getting are key to success in many academic disciplines, but research points to gender gaps in both, especially as careers progress. Using a sample of National Institutes of Health (NIH) K-Awardees-Principal Investigators of Mentored Career Development Awards-we examined gender and race effects in response to imagined negative grant reviews that emphasized either promise or inadequacy. Women translated both forms of feedback into worse NIH priority scores than did men and showed reduced motivation to reapply for funding following the review highlighting inadequacy. Translation of feedback mediated the effects of gender on motivation, changing one's research focus, and advice-seeking. Race effects were less consistent, and race did not moderate effects of gender. We suggest that gender bias in grant reviews (i.e., greater likelihood of highlighting inadequacy in reviews of women's grants), along with gender differences in responsiveness to feedback, may contribute to women's underrepresentation in academic medicine.
Efficient Riemannian Optimization on the Stiefel Manifold via the Cayley Transform

Strictly enforcing orthonormality constraints on parameter matrices has been shown advantageous in deep learning. This amounts to Riemannian optimization on the Stiefel manifold, which, however, is computationally expensive. To address this challenge, we present two main contributions: (1) A new efficient retraction map based on an iterative Cayley transform for optimization updates, and (2) An implicit vector transport mechanism based on the combination of a projection of the momentum and the Cayley transform on the Stiefel manifold. We specify two new optimization algorithms: Cayley SGD with momentum, and Cayley ADAM on the Stiefel manifold. Convergence of Cayley SGD is theoretically analyzed. Our experiments for CNN training demonstrate that both algorithms: (a) Use less running time per iteration relative to existing approaches that enforce orthonormality of CNN parameters; and (b) Achieve faster convergence rates than the baseline SGD and ADAM algorithms without compromising the performance of the CNN. Cayley SGD and Cayley ADAM are also shown to reduce the training time for optimizing the unitary transition matrices in RNNs.
A Multi-Trait Comparison of an Urban Plant Species Pool Reveals the Importance of Intraspecific Trait Variation and Its Influence on Distinct Functional Responses to Soil Quality

Mounting evidence indicates that accounting for intraspecific trait variability (ITV) in ecological studies can strengthen the signal of trait-environment relationships, as well as provide insights into the eco-evolutionary strategies that allow species to establish and persist in different environments. Such information is particularly valuable in urban systems where unique environmental conditions impose strong filtering effects on species and where, despite such pressures, high proportions of non-native species persist. In the present study, we experimentally assess the effect of soil on trait patterns of 56 urban plant species. We determined the relative importance of explained trait variation at different ecological levels by decomposing the variance of six measured traits into three levels: within-species (ITV), between-species (BTV), and across functional groups (FGTV). We then compared functional responses—classified by differences in mean and variance patterns of trait values—across species, traits, and functional groups. Mean trait values varied in response to species and soil (urban vs. potting soil) for all traits, except root ash-free dry mass (AFDM) for soil. Variance patterns across species were also trait-specific; although, ITV explained a substantial proportion of the total variance for the majority of study traits. Additionally, species with specialized strategies (i.e. C4 photosynthesis and legumes) exhibited functional responses consistent with preadaptation, as defined by no change in the mean or the variance of trait values between soil types, for all traits. Native species showed higher proportions of trait divergence, as defined by shifts in mean trait values between soil types, but no change in variance, relative to introduced species, which showed higher proportions of preadaptation for all traits except specific leaf area (SLA). Species exhibiting trait constriction or no shift in the mean but a significant change in the variance between soil types, consistently showed decreased variance in urban soil, supporting the idea that urban soils impose strong filtering effects that constrain species trait values. Overall, our study indicates that accounting for ITV, and how it relates to general functional responses associated with changes in the mean and variance of trait values, can provide a clearer understanding of the eco-evolutionary dynamics of plant species in urban environments.
A Literature Review on Mobile Charging Station Technology for Electric Vehicles

While Electric vehicles (EVs) adoption is accelerating in an unprecedented way, lacking EV charging infrastructure hinders the development of the EV market. To compensate for these shortcomings, Mobile Charging Stations (MCS) could play a prominent role to accelerate EV penetration by providing charging services with no restrictions on the location and time of the charging process. This paper disseminates information on other papers and technical reports on MCS in the literature. It also discusses the benefits of MCS, its challenges, and finally introduces the research gaps in this area.
An analytical framework for interpretable and generalizable ‘quasilinear’ single-cell data analysis

Scaling single-cell data exploratory analysis with the rapidly growing diversity and quantity of single-cell omics datasets demands more interpretable and robust data representation that is generalizable across datasets. To address this challenge, here we developed a novel 9quasilinear9 framework that combines the interpretability and transferability of linear methods with the representational power of nonlinear methods. Within this framework, we introduce a data representation and visualization method, GraphDR, and a structure discovery method, StructDR, that unifies cluster, trajectory, and surface estimation and allows their confidence set inference. We applied both methods to diverse single-cell RNA-seq datasets from whole embryos and tissues. Unlike PCA and t-SNE, GraphDR and StructDR generated representations that both distinguished highly specific cell types and were comparable across datasets. In addition, GraphDR is at least an order of magnitude faster than commonly used nonlinear methods. Our visualizations of scRNA-seq data from developing zebrafish and Xenopus embryos revealed extruding branches of lineages from a continuum of cell states, suggesting that the current branch view of cell specification may be oversimplified. Moreover, StructDR identified a novel neuronal population using scRNA-seq data from mouse hippocampus. An open-source python library and a user-friendly graphical interface for 3D data visualization and analysis with these methods are available at https://github.com/jzthree/quasildr.
Achilles tendon loading is lower in older adults than young adults across a broad range of walking speeds

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate age-related differences in Achilles tendon loading during gait. Fourteen young (7F/7M, 26 ± 5 years) and older (7F/7M, 67 ± 5 years) adults without current neurological or orthopaedic impairment participated. Shear wave tensiometry was used to measure tendon stress by tracking Achilles tendon wave speed. The wave speed-stress relationship was calibrated using simultaneously collected tensiometer and force plate measures during a standing sway task. Tendon stress was computed from the force plate measures using subject-specific ultrasound measures of tendon moment arm and cross-sectional area. All subjects exhibited a highly linear relationship between wave speed squared and tendon stress (mean R2 > 0.9), with no significant age-group differences in tensiometer calibration parameters. Tendon wave speed was monitored during treadmill walking at four speeds (0.75, 1.00, 1.25, and 1.50 m/s) and used to compute the stress experienced by the tendon. Relative to young adults, older adults exhibited 22% lower peak tendon wave speeds. Peak tendon stress during push-off in older adults (24.8 MPa) was 32% less than that in the young adults (36.7 MPa) (p = 0.01). There was a moderate increase (+11%) in peak tendon stress across both groups when increasing speed from 0.75 to 1.50 m/s (main effect of speed, p = 0.01). Peak tendon loading during late swing did not differ between age groups (mean 3.8 MPa in young and 4.2 MPa in older adults). These age-related alterations in tendon tissue loading may affect the mechanobiological stimuli underlying tissue remodeling and thereby alter the propensity for tendon injury and disease.
Deep learning approaches for extracting adverse events and indications of dietary supplements from clinical text.

Objective We sought to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing deep learning models to extract safety signals related to the use of dietary supplements (DSs) in clinical text. Materials and methods Two tasks were performed in this study. For the named entity recognition (NER) task, Bi-LSTM-CRF (bidirectional long short-term memory conditional random field) and BERT (bidirectional encoder representations from transformers) models were trained and compared with CRF model as a baseline to recognize the named entities of DSs and events from clinical notes. In the relation extraction (RE) task, 2 deep learning models, including attention-based Bi-LSTM and convolutional neural network as well as a random forest model were trained to extract the relations between DSs and events, which were categorized into 3 classes: positive (ie, indication), negative (ie, adverse events), and not related. The best performed NER and RE models were further applied on clinical notes mentioning 88 DSs for discovering DSs adverse events and indications, which were compared with a DS knowledge base. Results For the NER task, deep learning models achieved a better performance than CRF, with F1 scores above 0.860. The attention-based Bi-LSTM model performed the best in the RE task, with an F1 score of 0.893. When comparing DS event pairs generated by the deep learning models with the knowledge base for DSs and event, we found both known and unknown pairs. Conclusions Deep learning models can detect adverse events and indication of DSs in clinical notes, which hold great potential for monitoring the safety of DS use.
Artists as public sector intrapreneurs: an experiment

As organizations grapple with changing environmental conditions, they face problems that are novel, ill-defined, and complex. These emerging problems require creative problem-solving and innovative solutions. Intrapreneurs can galvanize creative activity and develop fresh strategies in organizations. One way that organizations have sought to promote intrapreneurship is through artist residencies, which are programs that invite artists to work in unconventional environments, such as public agencies, businesses, and universities. In a controlled experiment, we test whether artists act as intrapreneurs in solving a novel, ill-defined, and complex problem in the public sector context. Our results indicate that artists bring intrapreneurial characteristics, such as openness and divergent thinking abilities, to group problem-solving settings. Moreover, we find that groups of public sector workers who collaborate with artists may develop more creative solutions than groups collaborating without artists. Our results suggest that artists serve as resident intrapreneurs, bringing openness to new insights and creativity to generate new ideas.
PROBING CURVATURE EFFECTS IN THE FERMI GRB 110920

Curvature effects in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have long been a source of considerable interest. In a collimated relativistic GRB jet, photons that are off-axis relative to the observer arrive at later times than on-axis photons and are also expected to be spectrally softer. In this work, we invoke a relatively simple kinematic two-shell collision model for a uniform jet profile and compare its predictions to GRB prompt-emission data for observations that have been attributed to curvature effects such as the peak-flux-peak-frequency relation, i.e., the relation between the νF{sub ν} flux and the spectral peak, E{sub pk} in the decay phase of a GRB pulse, and spectral lags. In addition, we explore the behavior of pulse widths with energy. We present the case of the single-pulse Fermi GRB 110920 as a test for the predictions of the model against observations.
Roughness, inertia, and diffusion effects on anomalous transport in rough channel flows

Fluid flow and mass transport in rough channels are ubiquitous phenomena occurring in numerous engineering applications and natural processes. Comprehensive numerical simulations and stochastic upscaling elucidate how the complex interplay between channel roughness, inertia, and diffusion controls solute transport in channel flows. A mechanistic link between the complex interplay and anomalous transport in rough channel flows is successfully established.
Unique role and vulnerability of EP300 KIX domain in small-cell lung cancer

EP300 (E1A binding protein p300) is a versatile transcription co-activator important in cell proliferation and differentiation. The gene EP300 is frequently mutated in diverse cancer types, including small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). While it is widely believed that these mutations result in loss of EP300 function, the impact on SCLC pathogenesis remains largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that mutant EP300 variants lacking histone acetyltransferase (HAT) domain accelerate tumor development in autochthonous mouse models of SCLC. However, unexpectedly, complete knockout of Ep300 suppresses tumor development and inhibits proliferation of both human and mouse SCLC cells. Genetic dissection of EP300 domains identifies kinase-inducible domain (KID)-interacting (KIX) domain, specifically its interaction with transcription factors such as CREB1 and MYB, as the determinant of pro-tumorigenic activity. Blockade of the KIX-mediated protein interactions using a small molecule and a recombinant peptide mimicking the KIX-binding sequences of EP300-interacting partners inhibits the growth of SCLC cells. These findings identify domain-specific roles of EP300 in SCLC and unique vulnerability of the EP300 KIX domain to potential therapeutics.
Lumbar Level Significantly Influences Postoperative Global Sagittal Balance Following Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objectives:The current evidence regarding how level of lumbar pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) influences correction of sagittal alignment is limited. Thi...